Only One Vowel? Exploring Univocalic Poems in KS2

Can you write a poem using only one vowel? That’s the challenge of a Univocalic poem.

In a univocalic, every word contains the same vowel sound. It sounds tricky, but it’s actually a brilliant way to get children playing with words and thinking creatively about language.

What Makes Univocalics Fun?

• They encourage children to be selective with vocabulary.

• They show how word choice can completely shape a poem.

• They spark creativity and humour—the results are often bizarre, playful, and entertaining.

• They can be short, snappy, and still effective.

Here’s the best bit: because the restriction is so unusual, pupils often find it more fun than daunting.

How to Teach Univocalic Poems

1. Choose a vowel
   Decide whether the class will all use the same vowel, or whether groups and individuals will choose their own.

2. Word Hunt
   Give children time to gather a list of words containing only that vowel. For example, if they choose “a”, they might find cat, flap, banana, grand, jam.

3. Build a Poem
   Using their word list, children experiment with short lines. Encourage them to focus on rhythm, rhyme, alliteration, or repetition.

4. Perform and Share
   Read poems aloud and see how the repeated vowel creates unusual sounds and patterns.

Support and Challenge

• Wordbanks: Some pupils will enjoy compiling their own lists. Others may benefit from a teacher-prepared wordbank to get them started.

• Stretch Challenge: Ask more able writers to attempt a longer univocalic, or even try two versions with different vowels.

• Performance Focus: Encourage children to play with intonation when reading aloud—the repeated vowel sounds can be very dramatic.

Extra KS2 Activity Ideas

• Class Competition: Which group can write the funniest, strangest, or most musical univocalic?

• Themed Poems: Link the activity to a topic (e.g. a univocalic on space using only “o”: “moon,” “robot,” “cosmos,” “comet”).

• Riddle Poems: Challenge children to write univocalics that describe an object or animal. Can others guess what it is?

• Art Link: Illustrate the vowel sound with a giant letter, then decorate it with words and drawings from the poem.

• Whole-Class Poem: Combine the best lines from each child to create one collaborative univocalic masterpiece.

Why Try This?

Univocalics are a fantastic way to stretch vocabulary, spark laughter, and build confidence with poetry. They show children that rules and restrictions in writing can actually lead to greater creativity.

If you try this activity in your classroom, I’d love to see the results! Send me your pupils’ poems via www.ianbland.com and I may even share them on my school visits.

Have fun writing and performing with your class!

Best wishes,
Ian Bland