World Book Day Poetry Ideas for Primary Schools
World Book Day is one of the biggest events in the school calendar, and a brilliant opportunity to celebrate a love of reading, writing, and performance. While dressing up as favourite book characters is always fun, poetry is sometimes overlooked — yet it’s one of the most creative and engaging ways to bring World Book Day to life.
In this post, you’ll find a collection of World Book Day poetry ideas that are simple to run, fun for pupils, and perfect for KS1 and KS2 classrooms. From writing activities to performance challenges, these ideas will help you inspire children and give them a chance to play with language in memorable ways.
👉 In my Poetry Days 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 I’d love to work with your children and teachers.
📅 You can book me for:
-
In-person Poetry Days across the UK
-
Online Poetry Workshops (affordable and flexible)
➡ Secure your date here: Poets in Schools – Ian Bland
Great for teachers looking to save time!
1. Character Poems
Ask children to write a poem from the point of view of their favourite book character. They could describe an adventure, share their thoughts, or even reveal a secret! This works brilliantly with familiar characters from Roald Dahl, Harry Potter, or picture books.
👉 Tip: Encourage children to use phrases or catchphrases that the character is known for.
2. Book-Themed Kennings
Introduce kennings — short descriptive phrases like sky-candle for the sun. Children can write kennings about a favourite character or story. For example, Harry Potter might become spell-caster, broom-flyer, scar-wearer.
👉 Tip: Create a “mystery character” quiz — read out kennings and ask the class to guess who it is.
3. Performance Poetry Parade
Choose a well-loved poem or a class favourite and rehearse it for a World Book Day performance. Add actions, sound effects, or costumes to bring it alive. This can work as a whole-class activity or in small groups.
👉 Tip: Use poems about books and reading, or even poems children have written themselves.
👉 Related blog: Performance Poetry KS2
4. Shape Poems About Stories
Challenge children to create shape poems based on objects or themes from stories. For example, a poem about The Very Hungry Caterpillar could be written in the shape of a caterpillar, or a detective story poem could be shaped like a magnifying glass.
👉 Tip: Display the finished poems around school as part of a World Book Day gallery.
👉 Related blog: Christmas Shape Poems
👉 Related blog: Shape Poems KS2
5. Poetry Mash-Ups
Take two well-known stories and “mash” them together into a poem. What would happen if the Big Bad Wolf visited Hogwarts, or if Matilda turned up in Middle Earth?
👉 Tip: Encourage lots of humour and exaggeration — the sillier the better!
6. Rhyme a Book Review
Instead of writing a book review in prose, challenge children to write it as a poem. They can share what they liked (or didn’t like!) using rhyme and rhythm.
👉 Tip: These make great displays or can be performed as quick “review slams.”
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Why Poetry Fits World Book Day
Poetry is perfect for World Book Day because it combines reading, writing, performance, and creativity in one activity. It allows children to explore characters and stories in fresh ways, while developing literacy skills and confidence. It also supports the National Curriculum focus on memorising, reciting, and writing poetry.
By including poetry alongside costumes and story-telling, you’ll give pupils a broader, richer celebration of books and language.
FAQs About World Book Day Poetry
When is World Book Day 2026?
World Book Day will be celebrated on Thursday 5th March 2026 in the UK.
Is poetry suitable for all ages?
Yes! Younger pupils can try simple rhymes, shape poems, or kennings, while older children can explore narrative or performance poetry.
Can we invite a poet for World Book Day?
Absolutely — many schools book poets to perform and run workshops on or around World Book Day. You can [book me here] for in-person or online sessions. Also I always offer an online poetry workshop on World Book Day details can be found here.
Conclusion
World Book Day is the perfect chance to showcase creativity in the classroom, and poetry makes it even more special. From character poems to performance parades, these activities are simple, fun, and guaranteed to inspire children.
👉 In my Poetry Days 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 I’d love to work with your children and teachers.
📅 You can book me for:
-
In-person Poetry Days across the UK
-
Online Poetry Workshops (affordable and flexible)
