Shakespeare Week | EYFS & KS1 Activity Ideas

**Note: This page is for educational inspiration and is not officially affiliated with Shakespeare Week. For official information, themes, and resources, please visit the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust's Shakespeare Week website: www.shakespeareweek.org.uk.

Understanding Shakespeare Week in EYFS & KS1

Let's meet William Shakespeare and explore his amazing stories and words! 🎭👑 Shakespeare Week is a special yearly celebration organised by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. It's made to help primary school children learn about William Shakespeare and his plays for the very first time. The goal is to give every child a fantastic first experience with Shakespeare, using fun and easy ways to explore his exciting stories, special language, and the world he lived in long ago. This week encourages children to use their imagination, tell stories, and begin to enjoy the wonderful history and culture that Shakespeare brings.

For early years settings, nurseries, preschools, childminders, and Year 1 and Year 2 classrooms, this day provides a wonderfully imaginative theme for exploring literacy, language and communication, history (learning about the past), creative arts and drama, and personal, social & emotional development (PSED) through storytelling and role-play. It's about introducing children to classic narratives and the idea of a famous author, even if simplified, fostering a love for stories, words, and imaginative play. This week offers fantastic planning ideas and inspiration for engaging activities that truly resonate with young minds, making learning about Shakespeare and storytelling both enriching and exciting!

Why Is Learning About Shakespeare Important for Young Children?

Integrating Shakespeare Week and introductory lessons about William Shakespeare into your practice with young children (aged 0-7) can be a fun way of laying an early foundation in literacy, cultural understanding, and creative expression.

• Fosters Love for Stories: Introduces children to captivating narratives, characters, and themes, which are universal and timeless.

• Enriches Vocabulary: Exposes children to rich language, even if simplified, expanding their vocabulary and understanding of words.

• Encourages Imaginative Play: Inspires dramatic play and role-acting, crucial for social and emotional development.

• Introduces Cultural Heritage: Provides an early, accessible introduction to a significant figure in English literature and history.

• Develops Communication Skills: Promotes speaking, listening, and expressing ideas through storytelling and creative activities.

• Builds Curiosity: Sparks an early interest in books, authors, and historical contexts.

Engaging Shakespeare & Story Activities for Shakespeare Week (0-7 Year Olds)

Let's step into Shakespeare's world of stories and words for Shakespeare Week with these planning ideas and activities perfect for EYFS and KS1 children. The focus is on imaginative play, engaging with narratives, and exploring creative language! Many of these early years and year 1 activities can be supported by our dedicated 'Shakespeare', 'Books and Storytelling', 'Traditional/Fairy Tales', and 'Literacy' resources.

Here's some inspiration for celebrating Shakespeare Week in your setting: (Please use your own discretion and knowledge of your children to ensure appropriateness of each activity and safety concerning any materials given and activity undertaken.)

• Meet William Shakespeare: Introduce William Shakespeare as a famous storyteller. Use History - Shakespeare - William Shakespeare Masks' for children to wear and role-play being him.

• Explore Shakespeare's World (Playful History):

  • Display 'History - Shakespeare - Banner And Quotes' to introduce his name and a simple, famous phrase (e.g., "All the world's a stage").

  • Encourage drawing activities with 'History - Shakespeare - Draw And Write Sheets'.

  • Make beautiful 'History - Shakespeare - Masquerade Masks' like people might have worn in Shakespeare's time.

  • Practise counting with 'History - Shakespeare - Quill Counting Puzzle'.

• Storytelling and Traditional Tales (Shakespeare's Inspiration): Shakespeare's plays often drew from traditional tales and universal themes. Use our Traditional/Fairy Tales resources to explore storytelling:

  • Introduce 'Traditional Tales - 'What Is A Traditional Tale?' Display Pack' and 'Traditional Tales - 'What Is A Traditional Tale?' Poster'.

  • Set up role-play areas with 'Traditional Tales - Role-Play/Display Sign Posts', 'Traditional Tales - Speech Bubbles', and the new 'Fairy Tale Theatre' Dramatic Role Play Pack'.

  • Engage with specific tales:

    • Goldilocks And The Three Bears

    • Jack And The Beanstalk

    • Little Red Riding Hood

    • The Gingerbread Man

    • The Little Red Hen

    • The Three Little Pigs

  • Use 'Traditional Tales - 2-Piece Puzzles', 'Traditional Tales - Match Story Element Puzzles', and 'Traditional Tales - Drawing/Writing/Mark Making Sheets' for hands-on engagement.

• Book Making & Reviewing: Encourage children to create their own stories and books.

  • Use 'Create Your Own Book Template’.

  • Have them review their favourite books or stories using 'Book Review - Draw/Write Sheets'.

  • Encourage writing or drawing about characters with 'Book Character Sheets' and 'Character Talk Sheets'.

  • Create a display with 'Banner - 'Our Favourite Books'

  • Encourage children to share 'A Book I Love - Draw/Write Sheets'.

  • Try the 'World Book Day Story Building Pack - Cut, Stick & Create/Write/Tell Stories'.

  • Develop characters with 'Character Building Description Sheets'.

• Literacy and Communication:

  • Use 'Story Maps' and 'Story Maps - Beginning/Middle/End' to help children sequence narratives.

  • Refer to EYFS Framework resources for communication and literacy support: 'EYFS Framework - Support Examples - Reception - Communication And Language', 'EYFS Framework - Support Examples - Birth To 3 - Literacy', 'EYFS Framework - Support Examples - 3 And 4 Year Olds - Literacy', and 'EYFS Framework - Support Examples - Reception - Literacy'.

  • Practice comprehension skills with holiday-themed examples: 'Holiday - Yr1 Comprehension: Narrative - Aryan's Day At The Beach', 'Holiday - Yr1 Comprehension: Non-Fiction - Seagulls At The Seaside', and 'Holiday - Yr1 Comprehension: Poetry - Going On Holiday'.

• Explore More: To explore our full catalogue of Poetry resources, please visit our ‘EYFS & KS1 Poetry & Rhyme’ page. For even more book related resources, please visit our ‘Books and Storytelling’ page! For additional ‘Literacy’ resources, visit the following ‘Area of Learning’ pages: ‘Communication & Language’ and ‘Literacy’. Dedicated KS1 ‘English’ Curriculum pages are coming very soon! You may also like to explore additional pages covering relevant and/or connected themes such as ‘Fairies’, ‘Mermaids and Mermen’, ‘Nursery Rhymes’, and ‘Pirates’.

These activities offer great inspiration for making Shakespeare Week a memorable and impactful experience in your early years and Key Stage One setting, fostering literacy skills, creativity, love for stories and drama, and an early appreciation for cultural heritage.

To explore ideas surrounding additional early years events, please visit our 'Special Dates Calendar' page.

Printable resources to support teaching & learning surrounding: ‘Shakespeare Week’

Free ‘Shakespeare’ and ‘Book’ related resources:

‘Shakespeare’, ‘Books’ & ‘Literacy’ related resources:

For even more book related resources, please visit our ‘Books and Storytelling’ page!

For additional ‘Literacy’ resources, visit the following ‘Area of Learning’ pages:

(Dedicated KS1 ‘English’ Curriculum pages coming very soon!)

Additional Pages you may like to explore which cover relevant &/or Connected themes

More Early Years Event Pages for March

Explore special dates (including awareness dates, festivals, celebrations & events) relevant to your EYFS & KS1 children

Browse our ‘Special Dates Calendar’ page using the link below. You’ll find calendars for every month of the year to aid your planning!

SEARCH ‘LITTLE OWLS Resources’ USING THE FOLLOWING MENU BUTTONS…

Disclaimer:
This page is for educational purposes only and is intended to support early years and primary practitioners with ideas and resources related to 'Shakespeare Week'. We are not officially affiliated with or endorsed by the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, which organises this event. We do not claim any rights to specific trademarks or official materials associated with this event. For official information, themes, and resources, please visit the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust's Shakespeare Week website: www.shakespeareweek.org.uk.