Welcome To Shakespeare Week

Libraries

Exciting resources and ideas for libraries

On this page you will find some resources that have been created for libraries. Access more fantastic free resources and list your library events on the Shakespeare Week website by following our easy steps to register.

How to register

To register click on 'Your account' at the top right corner of the page. You will need to choose a user name and password. Select 'Organisation' from the user type drop down menu. Once registered you will have access to many more resources and videos and you can list your events and workshops by clicking on the relevant category under 'Links' on the right hand side of the login page.

Resources for libraries

These resources have been designed specifically for libraries. Register on the Shakespeare Week website (see 'How to register', above) for further free resources. 

  1. Shakespeare Week in Libraries logo
  2. Shakespeare reading list for adults
  3. Shakespeare reading list for children
  4. A missing letters quiz from Hampshire Library
  5. Answers to the missing letters quiz
  6. A crossword from Hampshire Libraries
  7. Answers to the crossword
  8. Chatterbooks activity pack 
  9. Instruction pack for the following six resources
  10. Resources: the scroll
  11. Resources: write a poem
  12. Resources: characters to dress
  13. Resources: the theatre
  14. resources: headband images
  15. Resources: masks to colour from Marcia Williams
  16. Make your own Tudor ruffs (print at A3) 
  17. Lullabies for Rhyme Time - words
  18. Musical score - Hush Be Still lullaby for Rhyme Time
  19. Musical score - I'm an Actor lullaby for Rhyme Time
  20. Musical score - Shakespeare Singalong lullaby for Rhyme Time
  21. Audio file - Hush Be Still lullaby for Rhyme Time
  22. Audio file - I'm an Actor lullaby for Rhyme Time
  23. Audio file - Shakespeare Singalong lullaby for Rhyme Time
  24. How to use the Rhyme Time Lullabies
  25. How to Make a Tudor Instrument

NEW Children's Shakespeare Book Club

Why not run your own Shakespeare Book club in your library? Once a term (three times a year) we will provide a fun pack of cross-curricular reading resources that are linked to a children's Shakespeare book. Below are the children's Shakespeare books that we have specific linked resources for. We will add to this list every school term (three times a year):

Mr William Shakespeare's Plays by Marcia Williams (Walker Books).

Resources linked to Mr William Shakespeare's Plays

Shakespeare's First Folio: All the Plays: A Children's Edition, abridged by Anjna Chouhan and Illustrated by Emily Sutton (SBT/Walker Books)

Resources linked to Shakespeare's First Folio: All the Plays: A Children's Edition

NEW Puppet making resources

Use these wonderful resources, created in partnership with Little Angel Theatre to run puppet making and storytelling workshops.

Cuppet instructions

Paper bag puppet instructions

Shadow puppet instructions

Spoon puppet instructions

Shakespeare Training - Links

Booked session plan for libraries

Drop in session plan for libraries

Shakespeare Training

Storytelling resources 

Use these resources to run a storytelling session based on A Midsummer Night's Dream or The Tempest in your library. You can also use the resources to create a Story Sack suitable for using in your sessions or for children and families to use together. There are suggestions for additional content to add to the sacks in the resource 'Information sheet for libraries - story sacks'. 

Tempest - Short Shakespeare Tale

Short Shakespeare Tale - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Finger puppets to colour - The Tempest

Finger puppets in full colour - The Tempest

Finger puppets to colour in - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Finger puppets in full colour - A Midsummer Night's Dream

Our Romeo and Juliet storytelling pack provides practical tips for perfecting the art of storytelling as well as ways to deepen children's engagement with the story.

Romeo and Juliet Storytelling pack

Download this wonderful active storytelling kit written in collaboration with Hoglets children's theatre. The kit provides a structured plan for an active storytelling session based on A Midsummer Night's Dream. You could pick and choose from the fun craft activities, songs, games and action rhymes to create the session that's right for your audience. It's great for an outreach session too!

Information sheet for libraries - story sacks

Check out these new videos made in collaboration with our partners, The Story Museum, providing tips and inspiration for your own storytelling sessions.

Snappy CPD - Storytelling tips

Snappy CPD - Retelling The Tempest

Retelling of A Midsummer Night's Dream

Retelling of Twelfth Night

Rhyme time resources

Children's author Nicola Davies has written some new Shakespeare inspired animal poems for younger children, perfect for a Rhyme Time session. Click on the link below:

Nicola Davies' rhymes

Video: Shakespeare rhyme and story time with children's author, Nicola Davies

Writer, Isy Mead, has written some new Shakespeare-inspired songs for early years, based on traditional tunes. Clink on the links below:

We're in a Storm at Sea EYFS song and session plan

We're in a Storm at Sea- song

Book-making resources

Creative bookmaking kit

Creative ideas for bookmaking

Event Kits

Our fabulous Event Kits, written and designed in collaboration with Walker Books are comprehensive packs that give you everything you need to run a simple event. Choose from A Midsummer Night's Dream or The Tempest. Select the activities you would like to use and plan a craft, storytelling or quiz session. 

Shakespeare Week Event Kit - A Midsummer Night's Dream 

Shakespeare Week event Kit - The Tempest

Art & Design resources

We're delighted to offer three exciting new resource packages designed to be the basis for easy-to-run Shakespeare Sketchbook sessions in the library. The resources were created for Shakespeare Week by illustrator, Jennie Maizels. There are two step-by-step videos that describe and show two of the projects: Create a Romeo and Juliet Scene and Create a Mini Stratford-upon-Avon. Each of these videos has accompanying resource sheets to help you complete the activities. In addition you will find our delightful Shakespeare Sketchbooks  (coming soon). These eight page Shakespeare Sketchbooks are fun to complete in a group session and can be taken home as souvenirs.

'Create a Romeo and Juliet Scene' step-by-step art project video

Create a Romeo and Juliet Scene instructions

Romeo and Juliet transfer

'Create a Mini Stratford-upon-Avon' step-by-step art project video

Mini Stratford-upon-Avon instructions

Mini Stratford-upon-Avon Buildings Transfers

Mini Stratford-upon-Avon buildings reference sheet

Shakespeare Sketchbook

Lego Shakespeare Characters

Why not run a Shakespeare themed LEGO club in Shakespeare Week? We are pleased to provide instructions for creating 13 Shakespeare characters and William Shakespeare himself. These resources provide a step-by-step set of instructions to build the individual 10-15cm tall characters as well as a comprehensive 'brick list' so you can plan your sessions. The bricks are mostly standard and commonly-owned LEGO bricks but can also be ordered from the websites listed on the resource. You can of course be creative and swap colours or poses if you wish! There are multiple characters from several plays so that the children can enjoy some imaginative play with their characters.

Lego Character - William Shakespeare

Lego Shakespeare Character - Titania

Lego Shakespeare Character - Puck

Lego Shakespeare Character - Bottom

Lego Shakespeare Character - Oberon

Lego Shakespeare character - Romeo

Lego Shakespeare Character - Juliet

Lego Shakespeare Character - Macbeth

Lego Lady Macbeth

Lego Witch

Lego Shakespeare Character - Prospero

Lego Shakespeare Character-Miranda

Lego Caliban instructions

Lego Ferdinand

Lego Shakespeare Character - Juliet


Find out more: Videos

Paul Edmondson, Head of Research and Knowledge at the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust, and the author of Shakespeare: Ideas in Profile has made his series of two-minute movies available for libraries to use:

Video: Encountering Shakespeare
Video: What Did Shakespeare Write?
Video: What Was Shakespeare's Life Like?
Video: How Did Shakespeare Write?
Video: The Power of Shakespeare