Kennings: A Fun and Simple Poetry Form for KS2
Poetry doesn’t always have to rhyme or follow complicated rules. Sometimes, the most effective poems are the simplest. One of my favourite forms to explore with children is the Kenning—a type of descriptive poem first used by the Vikings over a thousand years ago.
A kenning is a compound phrase that describes a person, animal, or object in an imaginative way without ever naming it directly. For example, instead of saying cat, you might say sofa sleeper or mouse catcher.
This playful form is brilliant in the classroom because it:
encourages children to use precise, imaginative language,
works across all ability levels,
is short, accessible, and quick to draft, and
creates fantastic opportunities for performance.
👉 For another playful poetry form, see Calligrams: How to Teach Word Pictures in KS2.
What Does a Kenning Look Like?
Here’s one that a child wrote in one of my workshops:
A Kenning for My Cat
She’s a…
Sofa sleeper
Ear twitcher
Tree climber
Fence balancer
Dog scratcher
Paw licker
Tail swirler
Mouse catcher
Radiator snorer
Notice how the subject is never revealed—the fun comes from listening, performing, and guessing!
How I Teach Kennings
When I run a kenning workshop in schools, I usually begin by:
Exploring examples together—this gives children a clear sense of how kennings work.
Creating lists as a class:
Animals (elephant, shark, beetle…)
Jobs (teacher, dentist, nurse…)
Real or fictional people (Mum, Dad, Harry Potter, The Queen…)
Co-writing a kenning on the board so children can see the structure in action.
Once they’ve got the hang of it, I let them loose to write their own. Here’s a fun example about Mum:
She’s a…
House cleaner
Car driver
Hug giver
Music dancer
TV starer
Homework helper
Loud shouter
Chocolate muncher
Magazine reader
Make-up wearer
Simple, memorable, and full of fun!
👉 For more easy entry points into poetry, try Quick & Easy Poetry Starters for KS2.
Performance is Key
Kennings are fantastic for performance. I encourage children to keep the subject of their kenning secret so the class can guess what it’s about when it’s read aloud. Adding actions, gestures, or sound effects makes the performance even stronger—and gives children a real sense of ownership and pride.
👉 To explore performance in more detail, check out Performance Poetry in Primary Schools.
Fun Extension Activities for KS2 (Ages 7–11)
Here are some extra ways to stretch and excite your class with kennings:
✨ Riddle Kennings – Write a kenning that builds up to a surprise.
Example:
Cloud rider
Banana muncher
Jungle swinger
(Answer: a monkey!)
✨ Kenning Top Trumps – Children create monster or animal “Top Trump” cards using kennings to describe their creature’s skills. Great for group games and literacy displays.
✨ Kenning Rap – Turn the kennings into a rhythmic chant or rap. Use body percussion or simple beats to add energy.
✨ Rhyming Kennings (Challenge Task) – Encourage more able writers to rhyme consecutive kennings, e.g.:
Stripe crawler
Jungle mauler
Shadow stalker
Midnight walker
✨ Cross-Curricular Links – Link kennings to history or science topics. For example:
Romans: “Shield holder / Road builder / Empire maker”
Space: “Star watcher / Rocket rider / Moon lander”
✨ Class Anthology – Collect the poems into a book, add illustrations, and place it in the class library. Children take enormous pride in reading something they’ve written themselves.
👉 For more creative cross-curricular ideas, see How to Use Poetry Across the Curriculum in Primary Schools.
Why Kennings Work So Well
They are quick to draft but incredibly effective.
They build children’s vocabulary and descriptive writing.
They are inclusive—everyone can succeed, from reluctant writers to high achievers.
They give children a platform to perform and celebrate their work.
If you’re looking for a poetry form that is accessible, creative, and packed with fun, kennings are a brilliant place to start.
👉 Click here to download a Kenning writing framework.
✍️ Happy writing and performing!
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