Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Daphne's Long Ago Lane: Free Printable Worksheet for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Daphne's Long Ago Lane is a free printable Understanding the World worksheet for Reception (ages 4 to 5). Children draw a line from long ago to now, then talk about how things are the same and how they are different. It needs only a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch idea and the answers.
It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, the free library of printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for yourself. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children look at words for things from long ago and things we use now. They draw lines to join each long ago thing to its partner from today. Then they say one way each pair is the same and one way it is different. A grown up listens, asks questions and helps children find the words for what has changed.
What children do, step by step
Read the words
An adult reads each word aloud. Children listen and think about what each one is used for.
Draw the lines
Children draw a line from each long ago thing to the thing we use now.
Say same and different
For every pair, children tell the adult one way it is the same and one way it is different.
Talk about change
Finish by asking which one they would rather use, and why.
Why talk about long ago and now?
Young children often find time hard to grasp. Words like yesterday, long ago and now are still new to them. Matching an old thing to its modern partner gives them something to hold on to. They see that the job stays the same while the way of doing it changes. That is a first step towards thinking like a historian.
In the Early Years Foundation Stage, Understanding the World includes past and present. Children are encouraged to notice similarities and differences between things in the past and now, using what they know from home and from stories. Talking is the main skill here. The lines on the page simply give the conversation a shape.
Skills and curriculum link
- Matching old and new
- Talking about change
- Spotting a mistake
- Same and different
- Listening and speaking
Ideas to help you talk
- Use time wordsUse words such as long ago, then, now, old and new as you talk. Children pick up the words by hearing them in use.
- Think about the jobAsk what each thing is for. Two things can do the same job in different ways.
- Notice what changedAsk what is different about how it looks, how it works or who uses it. Accept any sensible idea.
- Ask someone olderA grandparent or neighbour may remember how things used to be done. Children love hearing real stories.
Key words
- Long agoA time before you were born, and before your parents were born too.
- NowThis moment, or the time we are living in today.
- SameAlike in some way.
- DifferentNot alike. It looks, works or feels another way.
- ChangeWhen something becomes different over time.
- MuddleWhen things are mixed up in the wrong places.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read each word aloud, slowly. Let your child tell you what they know about it.
- Your child draws the lines. Then they say one same and one different for every pair.
- Work through it together the first time. Talk about each choice and check with page 2.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Do three pairs only. Use a picture of a candle or a torch to talk about light. Ask what each one is for, and what you can see that is the same or different. Come back to the rest on another day.
To stretch confident children
Ask why people stopped using the long ago thing, and what might come next. Let your child draw their idea of a new thing for the future and explain how it would work.
Make it a game
Take turns to be Daphne. Make a muddle on purpose by joining a pair the wrong way. Let a friend spot the mistake and put you right. Then swap, so everyone has a go at the muddle.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child joins two things because they look alike, not because they do the same job.
Try thisAsk, "What do we use this for?" Then ask which other thing does that job today.
Watch forA child can draw the line but cannot say what is different.
Try thisGive a start, such as "This one looks..." or "This one needs..." Let them finish the sentence.
Watch forA child says everything is the same, or everything is different.
Try thisHold the two things up side by side. Ask them to find one thing that is alike and one thing that is not.
Talk about it
- What do you think life was like long ago?
- What is one thing from the sheet you have seen in real life?
- Which would you rather use, the long ago one or the one we have now? Why?
- What do you think Daphne's muddle would look like?
- Who could we ask about how things used to be?
- What do you think will be different when you are grown up?
Take it off the page
Then and now hunt
Walk around your home or classroom. Find things that do jobs which people did differently long ago. Talk about how the job gets done today.
Ask a grown up
Ask a grandparent, relative or neighbour to describe something they used when they were small. Draw it, then draw its modern partner.
Sort and match
Cut out pictures from old magazines or catalogues. Sort them into long ago and now piles. Make pairs from things that do the same job.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go, then let them lead. Listen more than you explain. If they get stuck, ask what the thing is for. Praise their thinking, not only the right answer.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity linked to past and present. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch for mixed groups.
Home educators
Pair it with a trip to a museum, a family photo album or a chat with an older relative. Short, relaxed sessions suit this age best. Use it again for brothers and sisters.
Where this fits in learning
Before this, children talk about their own day and their family. They use words like yesterday, today and tomorrow. They also begin to notice that things around them look different from how they looked when they were babies.
After this, children put events in order and talk about what has changed within living memory. In Key Stage 1 History, children study changes in their own lives and in the lives of people around them. Spotting same and different now builds the thinking they will need then.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Daphne's Long Ago Lane for?
It is written for Reception, children aged 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger children can join in with help, and older children can use the stretch idea on page 2.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another group of children, and it prints well in black and white.
- Do children have to write?
No. Children draw lines from long ago to now, then say their ideas aloud to an adult. This keeps the focus on thinking and talking, which suits the age group.
- What if my child finds it too hard?
Try three pairs only and come back to the rest another day. Use a real picture or a familiar object to talk about what each thing is for. Page 2 has more help.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 gives support, stretch and answers.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. It also gets children talking with an adult.
- Can home educators use it?
Yes. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or as part of a wider plan on past and present. It pairs well with picture books, family photos and everyday conversation.
Preview the full PDF
Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.