Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Rivers to the Sea Passport: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 3
- ForYear 3
- StageKey Stage 2
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Rivers to the Sea Passport is a free printable geography worksheet for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8). Children use river cards, a UK map and compass points to fill in a table of cities, rivers, countries and directions from Birmingham. They finish by drawing their own passport stamps. Page 2 gives the grown-up notes, help ideas, a stretch task 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 work as map detectives. They cut out river cards, each naming a river, then read them alongside a UK map or atlas. In the table they write the city, the river, the country and the direction from Birmingham, using the eight compass points. There are also two boxes for drawing. In the first, children draw a stamp for Birmingham. In the second, they draw a stamp for a city they choose.
- River Thames
- River Taff
- River Mersey
- River Tyne
- River Wensum
- Compass: N, NE, E, SE, S, SW, W, NW
- City
- River
- Country
- Direction from Birmingham
- Draw your stamp for Birmingham
- Draw a stamp for a city you choose
Ways to build on the sheet
Make a passport cover
Fold a sheet of plain paper in half. Write a title on the front and add a drawing of a river winding towards the sea. Keep your finished sheet inside as the first page.
Add more stamp pages
Cut spare paper to the same size and staple or tie it in. Each time you learn about a new city or river, draw another stamp and write a short note beside it.
Draw a compass cover
Draw a large compass with all eight points on the inside cover. Children can check it each time they work out a direction from Birmingham.
Keep a river log
Add a page for any river you see on a trip, in a book or on a map. Write its name, draw it and note which way you would travel to reach it from home.
Why learn about rivers and maps together?
A river is a channel of fresh water that flows downhill, usually towards the sea. It begins at a place called the source and ends at its mouth. Over many years, people have settled beside rivers because water is useful for drinking, farming, travel and trade. That is why so many towns and cities in the UK have a river nearby.
Maps show places as if you were looking down from above. Most maps put north at the top, and compass points help us describe where one place is from another. A direction always needs a starting point. When the sheet asks for the direction from Birmingham, children imagine standing in Birmingham and looking towards each city.
Quick river and map facts
- A river begins at its source and ends at its mouth.
- Rivers flow downhill, so water moves from higher land to lower land.
- The mouth of a river is where it meets the sea or joins another river.
- The United Kingdom is made up of four countries: England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- A compass rose is the small drawing on a map that shows the directions.
Skills and curriculum link
- Reading a UK map
- Using compass points
- Naming rivers
- Naming countries
- Using an atlas
- Explaining your thinking
Map and compass ideas to know
- Start from BirminghamEvery direction on the sheet is measured from one place. Put a finger on Birmingham first, then move it towards the other city.
- North is usually upOn most maps, north points to the top of the page. The other directions can then be worked out from there.
- Points in betweenThe points between the main four sit halfway between them. NE sits between N and E, for example.
- Use the atlas indexAn atlas index lists places in alphabetical order and tells you where to look. It can help children find a city or river quickly.
Key words
- RiverA long stretch of fresh water that flows along a channel.
- SourceThe place where a river begins.
- MouthThe place where a river flows into the sea or another river.
- Compass pointOne of the directions on a compass, such as north or south west.
- DirectionThe way you go or look to get from one place to another.
- AtlasA book of maps.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Give your child a UK map or atlas. Find Birmingham first and put a finger on it.
- Read each river card together. Trace a finger from Birmingham to each city before writing anything in the table.
- Let your child fill in the table and draw the two stamps. Ask how they decided on each direction.
- Check with page 2. Come back another day to redo any rows that felt tricky.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Find Birmingham on the map and draw a small compass next to it. Do the first row together. Trace a finger from Birmingham to the city, say the direction aloud, then write it. Cover the other rows with a spare sheet so only one shows.
To stretch confident children
Choose two more UK cities. Find a river near each one, work out the direction from Birmingham and add them on the back of the sheet. Draw a stamp for each, then explain to a grown-up how you found the direction.
Make it a game
Take turns to call out a city from the sheet. Partners stand, point the way from Birmingham, then check on the map. Score a point for each correct compass point. Swap roles after each go.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child gives the direction from the wrong starting place, such as from the city to Birmingham.
Try thisAsk, "Where are you standing?" Put a finger on Birmingham and move it to the city. The direction is the way the finger travels.
Watch forA child mixes up compass points, for example writing E when the city lies to the west.
Try thisDraw a compass beside Birmingham with N at the top. Say the points in order round the circle, then find the one nearest to the finger's path.
Watch forA child writes the city name in the river column, or the river name in the city column.
Try thisRead the column heading aloud before each answer. Point to the card and ask, "Is this the name of a place with buildings, or a stretch of water?"
Talk about it
- Why do you think many cities were built beside rivers?
- How did you decide which compass point to write?
- What could you see on the map that helped you find each city?
- If you followed a river all the way, where would you end up?
- Which city would you most like to visit, and why?
- What would you put on your own stamp, and what does it show about the place?
Take it off the page
Chalk compass
Draw a large compass on the playground or patio with chalk. Stand in the middle and call out points for a partner to face. Try the in between points too.
Wool river map
Draw an outline of the UK on a large sheet of paper. Lay blue wool or string for rivers and mark cities with stickers. Label each one.
Paper boat race
Fold simple paper boats and float them in a washing up bowl of water. Talk about how rivers carry things downhill towards the sea.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first row, then let them lead. Keep the atlas open and ask questions rather than giving answers. Praise careful map reading as well as correct answers, and stop when attention fades.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task or homework. It fits a lesson on UK geography or map skills. Pairs can share one atlas and check each other's directions. Page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
Home educators
Pair the sheet with a trip to a library or a look at a family road atlas. Brothers and sisters can work together and take turns being the map reader. Print again later for revision.
Where this fits in your child's learning
Before this sheet, children usually meet simple maps and the four countries of the UK. They use words such as near, far, left and right, and the four main compass directions. Naming a few well known places on a map is a good foundation for this activity.
After it, children can use all eight compass points with more confidence and begin to meet grid references. They can also study rivers in more detail, such as how rivers shape the land and how people use them. Keep returning to an atlas, since map skills grow with regular practice.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Rivers to the Sea Passport for?
It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Younger children can try it with a grown-up. Older children can use the stretch idea on page 2 to make it more demanding.
- What will children practise?
Children practise reading a UK map and using compass points. They match cities with their rivers and countries, work out each direction from Birmingham, and draw their own stamps. They also practise explaining how they reached each answer.
- What do I need besides the printout?
You need a pencil, scissors for the cards, and a UK map or atlas. A small compass drawn beside Birmingham can help. Colouring pencils are optional for the stamps, since black and white printing works well.
- What if it feels too hard?
Point out Birmingham on the map and draw a small compass beside it. Do the first row together, then let your child try the next one. Trace each route with a finger and say the direction aloud before writing.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers and sisters, or for revision a few weeks later.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing and cutting out the cards. Page 2 has the answers and ideas for support and stretch.
- How long does it take?
It depends on the child and how much talking you do along the way. Children can work at their own pace, pause and return another day. Using the stretch idea or the game will make it longer.
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.