Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Pilgrimage Journeys: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 4
- ForYear 4
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Pilgrimage Journeys is a free printable RE worksheet for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9). Children match three special places to their country and faith, and record their choices in a table. It takes about 15 minutes, 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 meet three special places and work out where each one is and which faith it matters to. They fill in a table with three columns: place, country and faith. A word bank is there to help. There are also lines for writing, so children can explain their thinking in their own words. The focus is on careful matching and respectful language.
- Place
- Country
- Faith
Ways to build on the sheet
Compare journeys
Ask your child to think about trips they have made, such as a holiday or a visit to family. How was a journey to a faith place different? Talk about why people might plan, save and prepare for it.
Use an atlas or globe
Once the table is done, find each country on a map or globe. Talk about how far apart the places are and how someone might travel there.
Visit somewhere local
Many towns have a place of worship that welcomes visitors. Ask first, dress respectfully and let your child notice what people do there. Always follow the guidance of the people who run the place.
What is a pilgrimage?
A pilgrimage is a journey to a place that matters to a faith. The person making the journey is called a pilgrim. People of many faiths take part in pilgrimages. Some travel a long way and some only a short distance. Some go alone, and some go with family, friends or a group from their community.
For many people, the journey is part of what makes it special. It can be a time for prayer, thought and quiet, or a time to feel close to others who share their beliefs. Children do not need to share a faith to learn about this. They can ask good questions, listen well and use respectful words about everyone's beliefs.
Quick facts about pilgrimage
- The word pilgrim means a person who makes a journey to a special place.
- People from many different faiths make pilgrimages.
- Pilgrims travel in different ways. Some walk, and some use cars, trains, boats or planes.
- Some pilgrims travel alone and some travel in large groups.
- For many people, the journey matters as well as the place they reach.
Skills and curriculum link
- Religious literacy
- Matching
- Respect
- Using a table
- Explaining your thinking
What children will be able to do
- I can say what a pilgrimage is.
- I can talk about why a place matters to people of faith.
- I can think about why a journey can be special.
Ideas to help children think about pilgrimage
- Special placesPeople can feel that a place is special because of its history, its stories or what happens there. Ask your child what makes a place special to them.
- Journeys with a purposeA pilgrimage is different from a holiday because it has a faith reason behind it. Talk about how purpose changes how a journey feels.
- Many faiths, many countriesA country can be home to people of different faiths. A place can matter to a faith even when it is far from where its followers live.
- Respectful wordsUse phrases like "people who follow this faith believe". This describes beliefs fairly without saying they are right or wrong.
Key words
- PilgrimageA journey to a place that matters to a faith.
- PilgrimA person who makes a pilgrimage.
- FaithA set of beliefs that people follow. Another word is religion.
- SacredHoly. Treated with great respect because of faith.
- CountryA land with its own name, borders and government.
- RespectTreating people and their beliefs with care, even when they are different from yours.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the table headings together: place, country and faith. Make sure your child knows what each word means.
- Work through the first match together and talk about each choice. Then let your child try the rest alone. The sheet takes about 15 minutes.
- Check against page 2. Ask, "What made you choose that?" Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Look at the word bank together and read each word aloud. Try one match at a time, and say what you already know about each place. If a name is new, use a map or atlas for a clue. Leave tricky ones and come back.
To stretch confident children
Find each place on a map. Say which direction you would travel from your home and how you might get there. Then write a few sentences about a place that is special to you and why it matters.
Make it a game
After finishing, write each place, country and faith on separate small cards. Mix them up, then race a family member to rebuild the three matches. Swap roles and see if you can do it faster.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child thinks everyone in a country follows the same faith.
Try thisRemind them that most countries have people of many faiths. The table is about what the place means to a faith, not about everyone who lives nearby.
Watch forA child guesses from how a name sounds.
Try thisUse the word bank and a map. Ask what clues they know about the place, and encourage them to say why they chose each match.
Watch forA child uses silly or unkind words about a faith.
Try thisModel respectful phrases such as "people who follow this faith" or "this matters to them because". Explain that we can be curious without joking.
Talk about it
- Why might someone make a long journey to a special place?
- What would you pack for a journey like that?
- How is a pilgrimage different from a holiday?
- What special place matters to you or your family?
- How could we learn about a faith we do not follow in a respectful way?
- Why do you think some people travel together?
Take it off the page
Journey diary
Imagine you are on a long journey to a special place. Write a short diary entry about what you see, hear and feel along the way.
Memory map
Draw a simple map of a route to a place that is special to your family. Add landmarks and label them.
Pack a bag
Draw a bag and fill it with what you would take on a long walk or trip. Explain why each item matters.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit with your child for the first match, then let them lead. You do not need to share a faith or know every answer. Ask open questions, use page 2 to check, and keep the tone curious and respectful.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It fits RE work on special places and journeys in a faith. Many schools follow a locally agreed syllabus, so match it to your own planning.
Home educators
Home educators and tutors can pair it with an atlas, books about faith and a visit to a local place of worship. It is free to print again for brothers and sisters, or for a short revision a few weeks later.
Where this fits
Before this sheet, children often learn that people of different faiths have special days, stories and places. They may also have talked about places that matter to their own family.
After it, children can move on to comparing how different faiths mark important moments, and to thinking about what worship and belief mean to people. They can also practise asking thoughtful questions about faiths other than their own.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Why might someone make a long journey to a special place?
- What would you pack for a journey like that?
- What special place matters to you or your family?
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Pilgrimage Journeys for?
It is written for Year 4 (ages 8 to 9), in Key Stage 2. It can also work for nearby year groups, with more support for younger children or more discussion for older ones.
- What will children practise?
They learn that some people make special journeys to places that matter to their faith. They practise matching, using a table, writing short explanations and using respectful language about beliefs.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 15 minutes. Work through the first match together, then let your child try the rest alone. Page 2 has stretch and help ideas if you want to make it shorter or longer.
- What if my child finds it hard?
Look at the word bank together and take one match at a time. A map or atlas can give useful clues. Page 2 has more help ideas, and you can come back to tricky matches later.
- Do we need to follow a faith to use it?
No. The sheet is about learning and respect, not belief. Children can ask questions and listen without sharing the faith. Use fair phrases such as "people who follow this faith believe".
- Is it free, and do I need colour printing?
Yes, it is free to print for home and classroom use. No colour is needed. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper, and page 2 stays with the grown up.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. Home educators and tutors can use it alone or as part of a wider plan, and print it again for revision.
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Made by Jaques of London, making games for families since 1795. A printable supports classroom learning and does not replace a teacher.