🎶 Ballads KS2 | Storytelling Through Poetry
Ballads are one of the oldest types of poetry — poems that tell a story through rhythm, rhyme and repetition. For children, they’re a fun and memorable way to link English with drama, PSHE and music.
In Ballads KS2, pupils discover that poetry can be used to tell funny, spooky or emotional stories. It’s the perfect form for performance and creative writing.
Through ballads, children can:
🎭 Tell stories in rhyme and rhythm
📖 Build vocabulary and sequencing skills
🎤 Perform confidently using voice and expression
📝 Link poetry to History, PSHE and English objectives
👉 In my Poetry Days in primary schools across the UK I work hard to get the children excited about writing and performing their own poems. I visit over 100 schools every year and I’d love to work with your children and teachers.
📅 You can book me for:
-
In-person Poetry Days across the UK
-
Online Poetry Workshops (affordable and flexible)
➡ Secure your date here: Poets in Schools – Ian Bland
🗣️ What Is a Ballad?
A ballad is a narrative poem that tells a story. Traditional ballads were often sung or recited aloud.
They usually include:
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Verses with a strong rhythm and rhyme scheme (often AABB or ABCB)
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A clear storyline — beginning, middle and end
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Dialogue and action
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Sometimes a refrain (repeated line or chorus)
Ballads can be funny, dramatic, romantic or mysterious — and children love turning them into performances.
🔗 Related: Narrative Poems KS2 | Performance Poetry KS2
💘 I’ll Never Fall in Love Again!
A perfect example of a modern ballad. It tells a complete story about young love, heartbreak, and the drama of the playground — all through rhythm and rhyme!
I’ll Never Fall In Love Again!
I remember when I felt that tingle
The first time I saw Sally Bingle
Her glasses from the NHS
A beautiful year 5 princess
Her chapped and slightly peeling lips
A mouth that ate a thousand chips
A romance that was doomed to fail
A love so fresh but then went stale.
And even though I’m only ten
I’ll never fall in love again.
Her cotton shirt from M and S
Her flowing, swirling Tesco dress
The way she glanced,
The way she smiled,
One look from her could drive me wild.
Then Jason Dodd came on the scene
And stole my girl
And wrecked my dream.
And even though I’m only ten,
I’ll never fall in love again!
With his Nike trainers
And his new kagool
Old “Jase” thought he was really cool
With his designer hair,
And endless smarm
My darling Sal fell for his charm
And now I stand here all alone
While Jason walks my Sally home!
And even though I’m only ten
I’ll never fall in love again!
💡 Activity ideas:
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Discuss how this poem tells a story — who are the characters, what’s the problem, how does it end?
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Pupils can write their own playground love ballads — funny or serious!
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Explore repetition (the chorus) and how it builds rhythm and emotion.
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PSHE link: talking about friendship, jealousy and emotions through humour.
🔗 Related: Friendship Poems KS2 | Funny Poems KS2
👹 The Monster in My House
This poem has everything a ballad needs — a strong rhythm, a clear story and a brilliant twist ending!
The Monster In My House
There’s a monster in my house
He’s very tall and has big shoes.
He has a massive chair
On which he sits to read the news.
He has lots of yellow pointed teeth
And he likes to watch the telly.
He has a deep and slightly scary voice
And his socks are really smelly.
He gets up early every morning
And goes to bed quite late at night.
He sometimes tries to kiss me
But I’m frightened that he’ll bite.
He sometimes tries to chase my mum
And she runs away and squeals.
She’s probably really scared of him
And I know just how she feels.
He has lots of food at mealtimes
And I shout and cry and yell.
Because I’m scared he’ll put me on his plate
And eat me up as well.
But my mum says not to be so daft
He’s really not so very bad.
There’s no monster living in my house —
It’s just a man and he’s my dad.
💡 Activity ideas:
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Identify the clues that make this poem funny rather than scary.
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Pupils can write their own “monster” poems with a twist ending — e.g. The Alien in My Shed, The Vampire Next Door.Monster Narrative Poem Writing Framework
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Literacy focus: rhyme, rhythm and surprise endings.
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Performance idea: two voices (narrator + “dad monster”).
🔗 Related: Family Poems KS2 | Rhyming Poems KS2
🧛♂️ Hallowe’en Primary
A brilliant example of a spooky ballad that builds atmosphere and repetition through each verse. It’s perfect for group performances in assembly or class.
Hallowe’en Primary
The Reception teacher’s a ghost
She scares the kids the most
And what gives you a clue
Is the way that she goes oooooohhhhhh!
Yr1 is Frankenstein
She does this all the time
And the way that you can check
Spot the bolt that’s in her neck!
Yr 2 is an evil ghoul
She’s vicious and she’s cruel
She floats round in her room
She says this is her tomb!
Yr 3 is a goblin
She puts kids in the bin
She likes to make up spells
She also makes bad smells
Yr 4 is Dracularrr
She likes to go HA Ha!!!
She thinks that is good
When her teeth are dripping blood!
Yr 5 teacher is a zombie
She comes from Abercrombie
Her voice is just a drone
She likes to wail and moan!
A witch lives in Year 6
She does such vicious tricks
And when the head’s not looking
She gets those spells a cooking!
The deputy’s a phantom
She comes from Wolverhampton
Her fingers shoot out lightning
She’s dangerous and she’s frightening
The head is an evil force
He’s usually on a course
Just look him in the eye
And part of you will die!
And then you’ll start to cry
And nobody knows why
Have you seen his freaky tie?
He’s such a scary guy
I think he’s from Brunei
Or maybe that’s Shanghai
Now it’s time to say goodbye!
💡 Activity ideas:
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Perform this poem as a whole class — each group takes a year group verse.
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Add sound effects, costumes or a simple refrain like “At Hallowe’en Primary, beware!”
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Literacy focus: rhythm, repetition and characterisation.
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Art link: design your own “monster teachers” for a wall display.
🔗 Related: Halloween Poems KS2 | Performance Poetry KS2
💰 Mrs O’Mahoney – The Secretary Who Stole the Dinner Money!
This is a perfect example of a comic ballad — a rhythmic, rhyming story told in verses with a repeating refrain.
Mrs O’Mahoney – The Secretary Who Stole the Dinner Money!
She treats her office just like a club
If you hurt your head, she’ll give it a rub
She spends your dinner money down the pub
What’s she called? Mrs O’Mahoney!
Got no time for classroom dramas
Spends the weekend in her pyjamas
She’s got a secret bank account in the Bahamas
What’s she called? Mrs O’Mahoney!
Keeps her desk all fine and dandy
Has a buzzer that’s very handy
Bottom drawer is where she keeps that brandy
What’s she called? Mrs O’Mahoney!
Has a secret stash of wine
Her chair is constantly on recline
She checks her Facebook all the time
What’s she called? Mrs O’Mahoney!
Asda Finest is her choice
The most delightful telephone voice
How can she afford a new Rolls Royce?
What’s she called? Mrs O’Mahoney!
Slaving typing every hour
Polite but can turn suddenly sour
She’s the one who has real power
What’s she called? Mrs O’Mahoney!
Never serious, always funny
With the Headteacher she’s very chummy
One day they’ll disappear with all the money
What’s she called? Mrs O’Mahoney!
💡 Activity ideas:
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Identify how the repetition builds rhythm and comedy.
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Pupils can invent their own “school ballad” — e.g. Mr Parker and the Photocopier Disaster!
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Performance tip: use call-and-response for “What’s she called? Mrs O’Mahoney!”
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Literacy focus: rhythm, rhyme and characterisation.
🔗 Related: School Poems KS2 | Funny Poems KS2
🧩 Writing Your Own Ballad
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Choose a story — a funny moment, legend, or mystery.
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Plan the verses with a beginning, middle and end.
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Add rhyme and rhythm — read aloud to check the beat.
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Include a repeated line or chorus.
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Perform dramatically — actions, voices and sound effects!
🎵 Tip: Ballads can be sung or performed — turn your class poems into mini musicals!
🔗 Related: Narrative Poems KS2 | Performance Poetry KS2
👩🏫 Teacher Pedagogy Notes
Curriculum links:
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English: narrative poetry, rhyme, rhythm, characterisation
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Music: beat, tempo and repetition
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PSHE: storytelling, empathy, teamwork
Differentiation:
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Support: provide rhyme frames or sentence starters.
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Challenge: include dialogue or an unexpected ending.
Engagement:
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Ballads work brilliantly as whole-class performances or assembly pieces.
🌟 Final Thoughts
Ballads KS2 show that storytelling and poetry belong together. Whether it’s Mrs O’Mahoney’s mischief, Sally Bingle’s heartbreak, or Hallowe’en Primary’s chaos, children love writing and performing their own rhyming stories.
👉 In my Poetry Days in primary schools across the UK I work hard to get the children excited about writing and performing their own poems. I visit over 100 schools every year and I’d love to work with your children and teachers.
📅 You can book me for:
-
In-person Poetry Days across the UK
-
Online Poetry Workshops (affordable and flexible)
