This engaging literacy activity encourages children to step into the shoes of a busy worker bee. Using hexagon-shaped paper prompts, children practice their early writing and mark-making skills by imagining where they would fly, what they would see, and how they would help the hive.

Materials Needed

Hexagon-shaped paper (white or light yellow)
A selection of writing tools (pencils, crayons, fine felt-tips)
A bee-themed storybook (e.g., 'The Very Greedy Bee')
Phonics sound mats
A 'hive' display board to stick the finished writing

Step-by-Step Setup

1. Read and Discuss

Read a bee-themed story to the class. Discuss the different jobs bees do, such as collecting nectar or guarding the hive. "If you were a bee, what would your favourite job be? Where would you fly?"

2. Introduce the Mark-Making

Show the children the hexagon paper. Explain that these will form a special 'story hive' on the wall. Invite them to draw a picture or write about what they would do if they were a bee.

3. Support Early Writers

Allow children to use any mark-making they are comfortable with. Scribe for children who are not yet forming letters, but encourage them to verbally tell you their story. "Tell me about the flower you are landing on in this picture."

4. Apply Phonics Knowledge

For children ready to write, encourage them to use their phonics to sound out simple words. Prompt them to stretch out words like 'bug' (b-u-g), 'fly', or 'buzz' to identify the initial, middle, and end sounds.

5. Create the Story Hive

As children finish, help them read their sentence back to you. Then, let them stick their hexagon onto the display board, fitting the edges together to build a collaborative wall of bee stories.

Classroom Adaptations

Large class?

Use this as a focused group task during carousel time, allowing you to give targeted phonics support to 5-6 children at once.

Limited resources?

Standard A4 paper folded into little 'bee books' works just as well if cutting hexagons is not possible.

EAL learners?

Provide word banks with pictures of key vocabulary (flower, bee, fly, sun) to help them communicate their ideas.

High ability?

Challenge them to write a full sentence using a capital letter, finger spaces, and a full stop.

If I Were a Bee: Early Writing Literacy Activity for World Bee Day