Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
My Digital Footprint Diary: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 9
- ForYear 9
- StageKey Stage 3
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
My Digital Footprint Diary is a free printable PSHE worksheet for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14), in Key Stage 3. Teenagers tick off what they do online and write about it on lines provided. The sheet opens with a clear message: be honest, because this page is for you and not for anyone else. Page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, a stretch task 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 the young person and keep page 2 for yourself. It needs only paper and a pencil, and black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
Children use a checklist to tick off things they have done online, such as scrolling a social media feed, sending or reading messages, watching videos or streams, or playing an online game. There are lines for writing, so they can put their own habits into words. The sheet asks them to be honest and reminds them that it is private. It is a diary to think with, not a test to pass.
- Scrolled a social media feed
- Sent or read messages
- Watched videos or streams
- Played an online game
Setting up a calm, honest session
Say it is private
Tell pupils or your child before they start that the diary is theirs. Nobody has to read it, and nobody will mark it. Honest writing only happens when people feel safe.
Keep your own views back
Teenagers soon notice if an adult is judging. Listen first. Ask questions that start with what or how rather than why.
Let them choose what to share
Sharing is always a choice. Some young people will talk about one entry. Others will keep it all to themselves. Both are fine.
Finish on something useful
End by asking for one small change they might try, or one habit they want to keep. Keep it their idea, not yours.
What is a digital footprint?
A digital footprint is the trail of information left behind by what a person does online. Some of it is chosen, such as a photo, a comment or a profile. Some of it is collected in the background, such as the sites visited or the apps used. Together these traces can build a picture of a person, even one they never meant to share.
For Year 9, this matters because teenagers are often active online for school, friends and fun. Things shared in one place can be saved, copied or passed on by other people. Looking honestly at your own habits is a good first step. It helps young people decide what they are happy to share, and with whom.
Some pupils may write about things that worry them, such as pressure, unkind messages or contact from someone they do not know. Stay calm and listen. Follow your school safeguarding procedures, or talk with a trusted adult if you are at home. Do not promise to keep something secret if a child may be at risk.
Good to know about being online
- Anything you post can be screenshotted, even if you delete it later.
- Many apps and sites let you choose who can see what you share. These are called privacy settings.
- A photo can sometimes carry extra information with it, such as where it was taken.
- Websites and apps can keep records of what you do on them.
- Other people can add to your digital footprint too, for example by tagging you or sharing your picture.
Skills and curriculum link
- Self reflection
- Online privacy
- Personal writing
- Honest thinking
- Making choices
Ideas to help you think and talk
- AudienceEvery post has an audience. It might be close friends, a wider group or anyone at all. Ask who could really see it.
- PermanenceSharing is quick, but copies can last. A post that is deleted may still exist if someone saved it.
- ToneWords can sound different on a screen. Without a face or a voice, a joke can be read as unkind.
- ControlYou cannot control everything, but you can control some things. Settings, what you post and who you accept are all choices.
Key words
- Digital footprintThe trail of information you leave behind when you use the internet.
- PrivacyKeeping your personal details and information to yourself, or sharing them only with people you choose.
- Privacy settingsControls in an app or site that let you decide who can see what you share.
- AudienceThe people who can see or read something you post.
- ScreenshotA picture of what is on a screen, which lets someone keep or share it.
- ReflectThink carefully and honestly about what you have done and why.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the young person. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
- Explain that the diary is private. They complete it alone, and they choose whether to share it. Do not collect it in unless pupils agree.
- The first time, work through the activity together and talk about each choice. Let them lead the conversation.
- Use the notes on page 2 to support the discussion. Remember that a personal diary has no single right answer for each entry.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence and shows whether habits have changed.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Give a sentence starter such as 'This week I posted... and it was seen by...'. Start with the checklist, then write about just one tick. Say it aloud first if writing feels hard. Remind them there is no wrong answer and nobody will check.
To stretch confident children
Write a short list of three rules you would give a younger sibling about sharing online. Then look at your own diary and decide whether you follow your own rules. Choose one change you could make this week.
Make it a game
Pairs swap one general tip about staying private online, with no personal details. Each person explains why the tip matters. Then the pair agrees on one shared rule and writes it down in a single sentence.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA pupil writes what they think an adult wants to read, not what is true.
Try thisRepeat that the page is private and not marked. Ask them to write for themselves, and let them keep it.
Watch forA pupil feels that a private account means nothing they post can spread.
Try thisTalk about how others can screenshot, copy or share. Ask who could pass it on, even by accident.
Watch forA pupil feels embarrassed or defensive when talking about their habits.
Try thisKeep the tone calm and curious. Share a habit of your own first, then ask an open question such as what they notice.
Talk about it
- What is one thing you do online that you are happy for anyone to see?
- What is something you would only share with a close friend, and why?
- How do you decide whether to post a photo?
- What could you do if a friend shared something about you that you did not want shared?
- How does it feel when you spend a long time scrolling? What do you notice?
- What would you want a younger person to know about being online?
Take it off the page
The postcard test
Imagine writing a post on a postcard that anyone could pick up and read. Would you still send it? Talk about what changes your answer.
Footprint map
Draw a footprint trail on paper. Label each step with a place where you leave information online. Mark which ones you chose and which were collected in the background.
Pause and think role play
Act out a short scene where a friend asks you to share something private. Practise three calm ways to reply, then talk about which felt easiest.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your teenager for the first go if they are happy for you to, then step back. Do not read the diary unless they offer. Ask what they noticed, not what they wrote. A calm chat works better than a lecture.
Teachers
Use it as a PSHE starter, a plenary or a tutor time task. Make clear that pupils write privately and choose whether to share. Do not collect it in unless pupils agree. Use whole class discussion on general ideas, not individual entries.
Home educators
Use it as one part of a wider plan on online safety and wellbeing. It pairs well with talk about media, friendships and personal choices. It is free to print again for brothers and sisters, or to revisit a few weeks later and compare.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children will usually have learned the basics of staying safe online, such as keeping personal details private and telling a trusted adult when something feels wrong. In Year 9, the focus shifts to young people looking at their own choices and habits.
After this, pupils can look at topics such as healthy relationships, respectful behaviour online and how to judge what they see. Computing at Key Stage 3 also covers using technology safely, respectfully and responsibly, so the ideas link across subjects.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is My Digital Footprint Diary for?
It is written for Year 9 (ages 13 to 14), in Key Stage 3. It can also suit nearby year groups in PSHE, depending on how mature and confident your group is.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another class, and revisit it later to see whether habits have changed.
- Should pupils share what they write?
No, not unless they choose to. The sheet says it is for the pupil, not anyone else. Teachers should not collect it in unless pupils agree. Discuss general ideas instead of personal entries.
- Are there right answers?
Not for personal entries. The diary is about honest reflection, so each pupil's answers will differ. Page 2 gives notes and answers to support the grown up, and help with discussion.
- What if a pupil writes something worrying?
Stay calm, listen and take it seriously. In school, follow your safeguarding procedures. At home, talk with a trusted adult. Do not promise to keep a secret if a child may be at risk.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil. That makes it a good choice for a topic about screens, because young people can think about their habits away from their devices.
- 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 has help and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
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.