Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Our School Trail: Free Printable Game for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Our School Trail is a free printable game for Reception (ages 4 to 5). Children look for ten places in and around school and tick each one off a checklist. It takes about 20 minutes, needs only a pencil and a grown-up, and page 2 gives notes, help for children who find it hard and a stretch idea.
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
Page 1 is a checklist of places to find. Children walk around school with a grown-up and tick each place when they spot it. The list mixes big places, such as the playground and the school hall, with small things, such as a coat peg or a sink. There is also something with a number on it, and the child's own classroom. Children name each place and say where it is.
- The front door
- The playground
- The school hall
- A coat peg
- The book corner or library
- The school office
- A sink
- A door with a sign
- Something with a number on it
- Your own classroom
Getting the trail ready
Walk the route first
Before you start, walk the route on your own. Check that every place on the list is easy to find and that you are allowed to go there.
Change the list
Every school building is different. Swap any place that your school does not have for one that it does, and write it on the list.
Plan the order
Decide whether children tick places in any order or follow a set route. A set route suits a small group. Free choice suits a single child.
Bring a pencil and a hard surface
A clipboard or a book to lean on makes ticking easier while walking. Bring a camera too if you want a photo of each place.
Why start geography with school?
Geography for the youngest children starts with the place they know best. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, children learn about their own surroundings and the people and places in them. School is a good starting point. Children are there most days, they know the routines, and they can walk to each place and see it for real. A trail turns a familiar building into somewhere to explore.
Place words help children describe where things are, such as next to, inside, outside, near and behind. Children often hear these words in daily talk before they use them. A trail gives them a reason to say the words aloud. Later, children meet maps, which are drawings that show where places are. Talking about real places first makes that step easier.
A grown-up should check the route is safe and allowed before you start, and stay with the children the whole time. Ask permission before going into offices, halls or other classrooms. Keep to areas that children are allowed in.
Skills and curriculum link
- Looking carefully
- Place words
- Following a trail
- Naming places
- Listening and talking
Ideas to help children get the most from the trail
- LandmarksA landmark is something easy to spot that helps you know where you are. Ask your child what they notice that could help someone else find their way.
- Place wordsWords such as next to, inside and near describe where things are. Model them as you walk, then ask your child to use them.
- RoutesA route is the way you go from one place to another. Talk about which way you turned and what you passed on the way.
- Same place, different namesPeople often call one place by more than one name. Ask your child what they call places at school and listen to their words.
Key words
- TrailA path or route you follow to find things.
- PlaceA spot or area, such as a room or a part of the playground.
- Next toRight beside something, with nothing in between.
- InsideIn the room or building, not outdoors.
- OutsideOut in the open air, not in the building.
- MapA drawing that shows where places are.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes.
- Check the route is safe and allowed. Change the list to fit your own building if you need to.
- Walk the trail together the first time. Name each place and talk about where it is before ticking it.
- Check the notes on page 2. Ask your child to tell you what they noticed along the way.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Walk with your child and name each place together. Point to it, say its name and let your child say it back. Take a photo of each place if that helps. Look at the photos afterwards and talk about where each one was.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to say where each place is, using words such as next to the hall or inside the front door. Later, ask them to draw a simple map of the trail, then use it to guide someone else.
Make it a game
Make it a race. Teams of two walk the trail with a grown-up. The first team to tick all ten places wins. Walk, do not run, and keep to the route. Swap teams and play again.
Talk about it
- Which place on the trail is your favourite, and why?
- Where is the nearest place to our classroom? How do you know?
- What can you see from the playground?
- How would you tell a new child how to get to the school hall?
- What is the quietest place in school? What is the noisiest?
- Which place would you add to the list?
Take it off the page
Draw our school
Draw the school building and add the places from the trail. Do not worry about getting it exactly right. Talk about where each place goes.
Toy trail at home
Hide a few small toys around a room. Give simple directions, such as next to the chair or inside the basket, and let your child find them.
Photo walk
Take photos on a walk near home. Look at them together later and put them in the order you passed them.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Walk the route slowly and talk as you go. If your child tires, stop and come back another day.
Teachers
Use it as a starter to a topic about school, a plenary after a school walk, or a small group activity with an adult. Adapt the list to your building and check the route before you go.
Home educators
Use it as a gentle first geography activity. It pairs well with picture books about school, outdoor play and everyday talk. Try the same trail again for brothers and sisters, or draw a map afterwards.
Where this fits in
Before this, children build up the words they need through everyday talk and play. They learn the names of rooms and objects, and they start to use simple words about where things are. Walking around school is a natural next step.
After this, children can talk about other places, such as the local area, and start to look at simple maps and pictures. The same skills carry on: looking carefully, using place words and describing a route.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Our School Trail for?
It is written for Reception, which is ages 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger children may enjoy it with lots of help. Older children can try the stretch idea on page 2.
- What will children practise?
Children practise looking carefully, using place words and following a trail. They learn the names of places in their school and use simple language to say where things are.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 20 minutes. Most of that is walking and talking, so let your child set the pace. You can split the trail over two short sessions if they tire.
- Do I need to change the list?
Yes, if your school does not have one of the places. Swap it for another that it does have. Every school building is different, and the list is only a guide.
- Is it safe to walk the trail?
Check the route is safe and allowed before you start, and stay with the children the whole time. Ask permission before going into offices, halls or classrooms that are not yours.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, a plenary, a small group activity or a homework task. It needs no preparation beyond printing and checking the route. Page 2 has help and stretch ideas.
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. Black and white printing on plain A4 paper works well, so you do not need colour.
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.