Poetry for a Positive Start to the New Year 🌟 | Growth Mindset Activities for KS2
Why Start the Year with Poetry? 💭
The first weeks of January can be tricky in schools. Children return after Christmas tired, distracted, or sometimes lacking motivation. Teachers often look for growth mindset activities for KS2 or ways to rebuild a positive classroom culture.
Poetry is the perfect solution. It’s short, creative, inclusive, and can double as a PSHE poetry activity, helping pupils reflect on kindness, resilience and determination while building confidence in English.
🎯 Learning Outcomes
By engaging in these activities, pupils will:
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🗣️ Spoken Language: Perform poetry aloud using intonation and expression.
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📖 Reading: Listen to and discuss poems that explore positivity, resilience and kindness.
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✍️ Writing: Compose original poems that set goals and celebrate personal strengths.
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💙 PSHE: Reflect on growth mindset values such as resilience, effort and empathy.
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🤝 Collaboration: Work together to create class poems that celebrate a shared vision for the year.
These activities support both KS2 English and PSHE curriculum aims, making them ideal for Years 3–6.
1. “This Year I Will…” Poems ✍️✨
Learning focus: Goal-setting and positive intentions.
Invite pupils to write 3–4 lines beginning with “This year I will…”. Encourage a mix of serious and silly ideas:
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“This year I will be braver in maths.”
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“This year I will tidy my desk (sometimes!).”
👉 See more quick activities in Acrostic Related Poetry Ideas.
2. “I Can, I Will” Performance Chants 🎤🌈
Learning focus: Spoken confidence and rhythm.
Create a class chant using positive affirmations. Pupils repeat and perform lines such as:
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“I can try, I will succeed!”
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“We are strong, we are a team!”
👉 For performance tips, see Poems to Learn and Perform.
3. Calligrams of Positive Words 🎨💬
Learning focus: Linking meaning and presentation.
Ask children to design calligrams of positive words like brave, kind, resilient, determined.
👉 Step-by-step guide in KS2 Calligrams.
4. Kindness Kennings 🤔💙
Learning focus: Figurative language and descriptive vocabulary.
Challenge pupils to write kennings that describe positive actions:
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friend = smile-giver, helper-finder
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teacher = question-asker, idea-sharer
👉 More examples in Kennings Poems for KS2.
5. Class “Poem of Positivity” 🌟🤝
Learning focus: Collaboration and collective voice.
Each child contributes one line beginning with “This year we will…”. Assemble these into a whole-class poem, then perform it together.
👉 Similar activities in Creative Classroom Challenges.
6. Vocabulary Fireworks 🎆
Learning focus: Expanding word choice and creative imagery.
On the board, brainstorm words connected to new beginnings, positivity and resilience (e.g. spark, shine, grow, soar, flourish). Ask pupils to combine these into a short free-verse poem.
👉 For vocabulary-rich ideas, see Teach Powerful Verbs Using Poetry.
Teacher Tips 💡
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Keep writing bursts short (5–10 minutes) to maintain focus.
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Celebrate effort over accuracy — especially for reluctant writers.
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Pair drawing, actions or performance with writing to engage all learners.
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Display pupils’ positive poems around the classroom as motivational anchors.
Why These Activities Work in January 📌
The start of a new year is a great time to build a positive classroom culture and re-energise pupils after the Christmas break. These poetry activities support growth mindset values such as resilience, effort and kindness, while also doubling up as fun PSHE and wellbeing activities.
They are simple to deliver, accessible for all learners, and perfect for getting children writing, performing and sharing ideas with confidence.
Book a Positive Poetry Workshop for the New Year
Kickstart the spring term with an inspiring poetry day! My workshops blend fun performance, creative writing and positive messaging, helping pupils return with confidence, laughter and a love of literacy.
Workshops are available in-person or online for KS1 and KS2 classes.
👉 Learn more here: Poets in Schools
