๐ช๏ธ Personification Poems KS2 | Bringing Objects to Life
Personification is one of the most magical techniques in poetry โ it gives human qualities to things that arenโt human.
When children learn to personify, their writing becomes more creative, vivid and fun.
In Personification Poems KS2, pupils discover that even the wind, the sea, or a football can think, speak and feel!
Through personification poems, children can:
โจ Build descriptive vocabulary and imagery
๐ง Develop figurative language skills
๐ญ Perform their poems using voice and expression
๐ Link English with Geography, Science and Art
If your class enjoys hands-on poetry activities, you can book me for Online Poetry Workshops or Poetry Days in school.
๐ย More Ideas: Poetry Teaching Ideas (144+ KS2 poetry activities)
๐ก What Is Personification?
Personification means giving human actions or emotions to an object, animal or idea.
For example:
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โThe sun smiled down on the playground.โ โ๏ธ
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โThe wind whispered secrets through the trees.โ ๐ณ
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โThe angry waves crashed against the cliffs.โ ๐
It helps children describe scenes in a lively, imaginative way.
๐ Related: Simile and Metaphor Poems KS2 | Poems About Nature KS2 ๐ย Reading For Pleasure Poems KS2 ๐ย Winter Poetry KS2
๐ Best Funny Poems KS2 ๐ย Poems For KS2 Children to Perform In Assemblies
๐ International School Poetry Workshops For KS1 And KS2 ๐ย Teaching Figurative Language Through Poetry
๐ Here Lies the Body of Planet Earth โ by Ian Bland
This is a thoughtful poem that personifies our planet โ giving Earth human qualities of pain, loss and regret.
Here Lies the Body of Planet Earth
Here lies the body of Planet Earth
That gave the human race its birth
With valleys green and oceans wide
For lack of care the Earth just died
Flowers withered, the sky turned black
And now those humans canโt go back.
Here lies the body all charred and burned
With lessons humans should have learned
Poisoned lakes and lifeless seas
Thereโs nothing left now save disease
The humans left it to its fate
And now they see itโs far too late.
๐ก Activity ideas:
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Ask pupils to identify which human qualities are given to Earth.
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Discuss how personification creates emotion.
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Pupils can write โHere Liesโฆโ poems about rivers, cities or forests. Here Lies The Body Of Writing Framework
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Cross-curricular link: Geography (pollution, habitats, sustainability).
๐ Related: Environmental Poems KS2 | Earth Day Poems KS2 ๐ย Dialogue Poems KS2 ๐ย Christmas Shape Poems ๐ย Teach Narrative Poetry KS2 ๐ย Shape Poems KS2 ๐ย KS2 Poetry Vocabulary Mats ๐ย KS2 Poetry Comprehension Worksheets
๐ฌ๏ธ The Angry Wind โ New Poem by Ian Bland
The Angry Wind
The wind grew wild and screamed with rage,
It slammed the trees, it shook the cage,
It tore the washing from the line,
It grabbed the fence and snapped the sign.
It chased the clouds across the sky,
It pushed the rain and made it fly,
It hammered doors and banged the bin โ
Thatโs what happens when the wind blows in!
๐ก Activity ideas:
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Use weather photos and ask children to describe them using personification.
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Create a class โpersonification bankโ of verbs and adjectives.
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Pupils can perform this poem with body movements for the windโs actions.
๐ Related: Weather and Seasons Poems KS2 | Performance Poetry KS2 ๐ย KS2 Character Poems
๐ย Christmas Poems For Assemblies KS1 & KS2 ๐ย Christmas Card Poems KS2
๐ The Lonely Football โ New Poem by Ian Bland
The Lonely Football
I sit beneath the cupboard shelf,
Forgotten and deflated self,
No one kicks me anymore,
Since they installed that shiny floor.
I dream of days of rain and mud,
Of jumpers marking goals for studs,
But now I roll from side to side,
And sigh โ the world has passed me by.
๐ก Activity ideas:
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Great for personification from an objectโs perspective.
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Pupils choose their own classroom object (pencil, chair, coat) and describe its thoughts or feelings.
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Ideal for display writing โ โVoices from the Classroom.โ
๐ Related: School Poems KS2 | Funny Poems KS2 ๐ย Best Poems For Children To Learn And Perform KS2
๐ณ The Talking Tree โ New Poem by Ian Bland
The Talking Tree
The talking tree stood tall and wise,
And whispered secrets to the skies,
It told the sun when dawn should start,
It soothed the breeze and warmed each heart.
It laughed with birds that made their nest,
It sighed when winter took its rest,
It wept when humans cut its kin,
And whispered, โTime to grow again.โ
๐ก Activity ideas:
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Draw a tree and label its emotions using figurative language.
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Compare natural imagery with human emotion.
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Cross-curricular links: Science (plants, ecosystems), Art (illustration).
๐ Related: Poems About Nature KS2 | Environmental Poems KS2
โ๏ธ Writing Your Own Personification Poem
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Choose an object, animal or natural feature.
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Ask: If it were human, what would it think, feel, or say?
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Build a list of verbs โ whisper, laugh, cry, stomp, sigh.
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Add adjectives โ angry, tired, lonely, excited.
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Write in rhyme or free verse.
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Read aloud โ does it sound alive?
๐ญ Tip: Act out your poem. Can you move like the object youโve written about?
๐ Related: Free Verse KS2 | Performance Poetry KS2
๐ฉโ๐ซ Teacher Pedagogy Notes
Curriculum links:
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English: figurative language, personification, descriptive writing
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Science: weather, habitats, materials
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Geography: environment, landscapes
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Art: visual representation of poetry
Differentiation:
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Support: start with shared personification brainstorms.
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Challenge: extend with similes/metaphors alongside personification.
Engagement:
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Pupils love giving voices to objects โ perfect for group work or poetry displays.
๐ Final Thoughts
Personification Poems KS2 help children imagine the world in new ways. When a tree can whisper, a football can sigh, or the Earth can mourn, poetry suddenly becomes alive and relatable.
๐ In myย Poetry Daysย 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 Iโd love to work with your children and teachers.
๐ You can book me for:
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In-person Poetry Daysย across the UK
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Online Poetry Workshopsย (affordable and flexible)












