Starting your KS2 Vikings topic? Use these cross-curricular activities, inspired by Viking Boy: The Real Story by Tony Bradman, to delve into this fascinating era…
Viking Boy: The Real Story by Tony Bradman is a fantastic illustrated guide to Viking life. It focuses on Gunnar, the star of epic companion novel Viking Boy.
Discover how the Vikings lived, how they divided gender roles and how they gained their status as legendary warriors (plus many other things besides).
Tony Bradman is a prolific and well-respected children’s writer. His books feature in countless classrooms and libraries up and down the country. Viking Boy: The Real Story is packed with enough nuggets of information within its pages to satisfy any aspiring Viking raider.
Starter activity
Vikings believed that humans could shape-shift into different forms. Read the description of what the eagle sees on page 11.
Ask the children to underline any descriptive phrases, words, or figurative language that captures their interest or about which they have questions. Note which landmarks the eagle flew over.
Discuss what they have found and magpie good examples to use in their writing later.
What other animals would have been around in Viking times? Share some examples (wolves, reindeer, boars, seals, elk etc.) How would the same landscape look from their perspective? What would be the same or different?
What else would it be interesting to get an ‘animal’s-eye’ view of? How about a longhouse or a steading? Or perhaps a Viking longship setting off on a raid? What are the key geographical features an animal would see?
After some research, children can write their own descriptions from the perspective of an animal of their choosing and in a location of their choice. Try and include lots of interesting descriptive phrases and perhaps some figurative language too.
Jo Cummins is an experienced KS2 teacher, English lead, and children’s book blogger. She has been part of the judging panel for several children’s book awards and has delivered workshops at conferences around the country. Follow Jo on X at @BookSuperhero2. Browse more recommended KS2 books for topics.
