Poetry & PSHE: Anti-Bullying & Wellbeing Activities for KS2 💙✍️
Why Poetry Supports Wellbeing & Anti-Bullying 💭
The KS2 English curriculum encourages pupils to develop confidence in spoken language, vocabulary and creative writing. When combined with PSHE, poetry becomes a powerful way for children to reflect on kindness, empathy, and respect — core values for Anti-Bullying Week (18–22 November 2025).
Poetry also supports emotional literacy: it helps children explore feelings in a safe, structured, and creative way.
🎯 Learning Outcomes
By engaging with these activities, pupils will:
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🗣️ Spoken Language: Perform poems aloud with expression, rhythm and clarity.
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📖 Reading: Listen to, discuss and reflect on poems about kindness and relationships.
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✍️ Writing: Compose original poetry exploring empathy, wellbeing and anti-bullying messages.
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💙 PSHE: Consider emotions, respectful behaviours and positive actions.
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🤝 Collaboration: Work creatively in groups to write and perform shared poems.
These activities support both KS2 English and PSHE objectives, suitable for Years 3–6.
1. Kindness Acrostic Poems 📝✨
Learning focus: Positive vocabulary and reflection.
Children create acrostics using words such as KINDNESS or FRIEND:
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K – Keeping everyone included
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I – Inviting others to play
👉 For examples, see Acrostic Related Poetry Activities.
2. Empathy Shape Poems ❤️✋💬
Learning focus: Combine visual presentation with writing.
Pupils write a short poem inside a heart, hand, or speech bubble outline with prompts like: “What does kindness feel like?”
👉 Try similar approaches in Christmas Shape Poems.
3. Anti-Bullying Performance Poem 🎤👫
Learning focus: Choral speaking and teamwork.
Work as a class to compose a short chant or poem using anti-bullying slogans:
“We choose kindness, we stand together.”
Perform with echo, call-and-response, or actions for impact.
👉 Tips in Poems to Learn and Perform.
4. Blackout Poetry from PSHE Texts 🖤📚
Learning focus: Explore meaning and word choice.
Provide extracts about friendship or respect. Pupils blackout words until only positive messages remain — e.g. “We belong… Be kind… Stand tall.”
👉 Step-by-step in KS2 Blackout Poetry.
5. Kindness Kennings 🤔✨
Learning focus: Figurative language and description.
Children create kennings for friends and helpers:
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friend = smile-giver, helper-finder
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bully = fear-raiser (discuss why negative words affect others)
👉 Guide here: KS2 Kennings Poems.
6. Reading & Performing Anti-Bullying Poems 📖🎶
Learning focus: Comprehension and oral performance.
Share a short kindness or anti-bullying poem. Perform together using whispered lines, echoes or sound effects to build atmosphere.
👉 More ideas in Performance Poetry Tips.
7. Exquisite Kindness Poem ✍️🤲
Learning focus: Collaborative creativity.
Each child writes a line beginning “When someone is kind…”. Fold and pass the paper around. At the end, unfold to reveal a collective kindness poem.
👉 Similar games in Creative Classroom Challenges.
8. Figurative Language for Feelings 🌈✨
Learning focus: Use similes, metaphors and personification.
Examples:
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“Kindness is a warm blanket on a cold day.”
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“Friendship is a lighthouse in the storm.”
👉 More on vocabulary in Powerful Verbs Through Poetry.
9. Vocabulary Chain of Kindness 🔗💡
Learning focus: Reinforce positive vocabulary.
Pupils write words like respect, trust, empathy, support on paper strips. Link them together to form a Class Chain of Kindness to display during Anti-Bullying Week.
How These Activities Support the Curriculum 📌
These poetry & PSHE ideas enable pupils to:
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Perform poetry aloud with clarity and confidence 🎤
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Recognise and apply figurative language 📝
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Write collaboratively and individually for purpose ✍️
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Broaden vocabulary linked to empathy and kindness 💬
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Reflect on wellbeing and anti-bullying themes 💙
Book a Poetry Workshop 🏫✨
My Poetry Workshops combine creativity, discussion and performance to help pupils explore kindness, empathy and positive relationships.
Available in-person or online for KS1 and KS2 classes.
👉 Learn more here: Poets in Schools
