🎭 Drama in Poetry Lessons KS2 | Fun Strategies to Bring Poems Alive
Poetry and drama are natural partners. When children act out poems, they don’t just read words on a page — they explore expression, movement, teamwork, and imagination. For KS2 teachers, using drama in poetry lessons can transform literacy from something static into something joyful and unforgettable.
In this post, you’ll find a range of drama-based strategies and activities to help bring poetry alive in your classroom.
👉 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
🎤 1. Freeze Frames for Poetry
Choose a poem with strong imagery (e.g. Friendship Poems KS2 or Peace Poems KS2).
Divide pupils into small groups.
Read one stanza aloud.
Each group creates a freeze-frame tableau to capture the scene or emotion.
Perform to the class while another pupil reads the stanza.
✨ Why it works: Builds comprehension, empathy, and teamwork. Children show meaning through body language as well as words.
👄 2. Echo and Choral Reading
Take a rhythmic poem (like Performance Poems KS2).
Teacher reads a line → class echoes.
Divide the class into halves: one reads the first line, the other responds.
Experiment with volume, pitch, whispers, and shouts.
✨ Why it works: Reinforces fluency and rhythm, develops oracy skills, and makes performance exciting.
🪞 3. Hot-Seating a Poem
Pick a character poem (for example, Mr McMillan – the teacher that’s a supervillain from Pet Poems KS2).
One pupil sits in the “hot seat” as the character.
Others ask questions: “Why are you a supervillain?” “What does your cat think of you?”
The hot-seated pupil answers in role, using evidence from the poem.
✨ Why it works: Deepens understanding of character and voice.
🕺 4. Poetry with Movement
Take a descriptive poem (like Nature Poems KS2).
Assign different movements to key words (e.g. “river” = flowing arms, “mountain” = stretch tall).
Perform poem as a group using both voice and movement.
✨ Why it works: Helps kinaesthetic learners, builds memory through actions, and makes performance engaging.
🎭 5. Improvised Poetry Drama
Choose a thematic poem (e.g. Anti-Bullying Poems KS2).
Pupils work in groups to create a short skit based on the poem’s message.
They add lines of their own, improvising around the theme.
Perform skits back to the class.
✨ Why it works: Encourages creativity, links poetry to real-life situations, and makes values explicit.
✍️ 6. Write-and-Perform Mini-Scripts
Use Riddle Poems KS2.
Children adapt their riddle into a short script.
One pupil gives the clues; others act out the answer.
Perform as a guessing game for the class.
✨ Why it works: Blends writing, performance, and problem-solving.
🎯 Why Use Drama in Poetry Lessons?
Builds oracy skills 🗣️ (confidence, expression, listening).
Supports comprehension 📖 (acting deepens understanding).
Fosters collaboration 👥 (teamwork and empathy).
Makes poetry memorable and fun 🌟 (children love performing).
👉 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
