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Kenya and UK Stamp Sort: Free Printable Card Set for Year 1

  • ForYear 1
  • StageKey Stage 1
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
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Kenya and UK Stamp Sort is a free printable card set for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. Children read short stamps about everyday life and write each stamp number on the right passport page. They compare a village in Kenya with a village in the UK. All it needs is a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown-up notes and 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 meet twelve short stamps. Each one shows a small piece of everyday life, such as school, food, weather, money or travel. They read each stamp, decide which passport page it belongs on, and write its number there. Four stamps belong in each column. The cards can also be cut out and used for sorting. Children look for what is different and what is the same.

  • Stamp 1: Children go to school.
  • Stamp 2: People say Jambo to say hello.
  • Stamp 3: A robin sits on the bird table.
  • Stamp 4: Children play football.
  • Stamp 5: People pay with Kenyan shillings.
  • Stamp 6: Frost and snow come in winter.
  • Stamp 7: A matatu minibus goes to town.
  • Stamp 8: A market sells fruit and veg.
  • Stamp 9: Fireworks light the sky on 5 November.
  • Stamp 10: Ugali is on the dinner plate.
  • Stamp 11: Families live together at home.
  • Stamp 12: People pay with pounds and pence.

Why compare two places?

In Key Stage 1 geography, children learn about places by looking at similarities and differences. The National Curriculum for England covers this under place knowledge, where children study a small area of the UK and a small area in a contrasting country outside Europe. A sorting activity like this gives them a simple first step into that kind of thinking.

Everyday life is a good starting point because five and six year olds already know a lot about it. They know what they eat, how they get about and what the weather is doing. Kenya is a large country with many different places, so a village is just one example. Remind children that people everywhere have things in common, as well as things that differ.

One stamp mentions fireworks. If children want to talk about it, remind them that fireworks are for adults to handle. At a display, children stand well back and watch.

Quick facts about the two places

  • Kenya is a country in East Africa.
  • The UK is made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
  • Nairobi is the capital city of Kenya.
  • London is the capital city of the UK.
  • You can find both places on a globe or in an atlas.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Reading short facts
  • Sorting into groups
  • Comparing two places
  • Spotting similarities and differences
  • Listening and talking about geography

Ideas to help children sort

  • Read it aloudSay each stamp slowly. Hearing the words often helps a child decide before they write.
  • Think about homeAsk your child if the stamp is like something in their own village, town or street. Their own life is a useful starting point.
  • Picture the placeAsk your child to close their eyes and picture the stamp happening. Then ask where they see it.
  • Check the countFour stamps belong in each column. Counting at the end helps children spot a stamp that needs another look.

Key words

  • StampA small card or label. On this sheet, each stamp is a short fact about everyday life.
  • PassportA booklet that shows where a person has travelled. Here, each passport page is a place to sort stamps.
  • KenyaA country in East Africa.
  • United KingdomA country made up of England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland. It is often called the UK.
  • VillageA small place where people live, smaller than a town.
  • Same and differentSame means alike. Different means not alike. Comparing means looking for both.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
  2. Read the stamps aloud together before any writing starts. Pause to talk about any words that are new.
  3. Ask your child to write each stamp number in the passport column they think is right. Four stamps belong in each column.
  4. Work through it together the first time. Ask, "Why did you put it there?" Their reasons matter as much as the answers.
  5. Check using page 2. Come back to it another day, as repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Read each stamp to your child and let them point to the passport page they choose. Start with the Same in Both stamps, as they are the easiest to spot. Do a few stamps at a time, then take a break and come back.

To stretch confident children

Ask your child to think of one more stamp for the Same in Both page and draw it. They can then read it aloud and explain why it belongs there. They could also draw one more stamp for another page.

Make it a game

Cut out the stamps. Lay three big passport pages on the floor. Children read a stamp aloud, then stamp it onto a page with a pretend stamp, such as a tap of the hand. Check the pages together at the end.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA child sorts by the stamp they like best, not by place.

Try thisAsk, "Where does this happen?" Then ask them to listen to the words again and think about the place, not their favourite.

Watch forOne column ends up with five stamps and another with three.

Try thisRemind them that four stamps belong in each column. Count each column together and look again at the extra stamp.

Watch forA child thinks a stamp can only belong to one place, so they skip the Same in Both page.

Try thisAsk, "Could this happen in both villages?" Let them picture each village before they decide.

Talk about it

  • Which stamp was easiest to place? Why?
  • Which stamp made you think the most?
  • What do you do in your own village or town that is on one of the stamps?
  • Why do you think people in different places can do some of the same things?
  • If you could visit Kenya, what would you most like to see?
  • What would you put on a stamp about your own street?

Take it off the page

Draw a passport page

Fold a piece of paper into a small passport. Draw three things from your own street or village on the first page. Add pretend stamps on the next page.

Globe hunt

Find the UK and Kenya on a globe or in an atlas. Trace a finger from one to the other and talk about how far apart they are.

Same and different sort

Sort a handful of everyday things, such as toys, shoes or spoons, into same and different. Talk about how you chose.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit beside your child for the first few stamps, then let them lead. Read each stamp aloud and talk about their choices. Praise careful thinking, not only correct answers. Keep it short and relaxed, and stop when interest fades.

Teachers

Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or table activity in a geography unit on comparing places. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Read the stamps aloud for mixed ability groups, and use the cut out cards for a whole class sorting game.

Home educators

Print it as part of a wider geography plan and pair it with atlases, picture books and outdoor walks. Let children talk about each stamp before they write. It can be reused for brothers and sisters, or again a few weeks later.

Where this fits in geography

Before this, children talk about their own home, school and local area. They notice what is around them and use words such as near, far, same and different. This sheet builds on that by asking them to look at a place they may not know.

After this, children can compare more places and begin using maps, atlases and globes with more confidence. In Year 2 they can look again at a small area of the UK and a contrasting place, and learn more about the world's continents and oceans.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Kenya and UK Stamp Sort for?

It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. Younger children can join in if an adult reads the stamps aloud. Year 2 children can use it as a quick, confident review of comparing places.

What will children practise?

Children practise reading short facts, sorting them into groups and comparing a village in Kenya with a village in the UK. They also talk about similarities and differences, which supports the place knowledge strand of Key Stage 1 geography.

Is it free?

Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or a later revisit, and it needs only paper and a pencil.

How long does it take?

There is no set time. Let your child work at their own pace. You can do part of the sheet in one sitting and finish it another day. Page 2 has ideas to make it easier or to extend it.

What if my child finds it hard?

Read each stamp aloud and let your child point to the passport page. Begin with the Same in Both stamps, as they are the easiest to spot. Do a few at a time and talk about each choice.

Can teachers use it in class?

Yes. It works as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 gives help and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.

Do I need to print in colour?

No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Print both pages, give page 1 to your child and keep page 2 for the notes and answers.

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.

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