Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Samuel Pepys Diary: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 2
- ForYear 2
- StageKey Stage 1
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Samuel Pepys Diary is a free printable history worksheet for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7). Children learn that Samuel Pepys wrote a famous diary about life in London long ago. Then they write their own short diary entry about their day. It takes about 20 minutes and needs only a pencil. 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 write a diary page the way Samuel Pepys did. The sheet has numbered questions with space to answer, and lines for writing. Each prompt starts a sentence, such as "Dear diary, today I..." and "The best part was...". Children finish each one with something true about their own day. They think about what happened, how they felt and what comes next. The result is a short diary entry in their own words.
- Dear diary, today I...
- In the morning I...
- The best part was...
- I felt...
- Tomorrow I will...
How the sheet builds a diary entry
Start with the day
The first prompt opens the page in the way a diary does. Children speak to the diary and say what they did. This shows them that a diary is about one person's real day.
Put things in order
Children use the morning prompt to say what happened first. This builds the habit of telling events in the order they happened. That is the skill of sequencing.
Add a feeling
A diary is more than a list of jobs. The feelings prompt asks children to say how they felt. Pepys wrote about his own thoughts and worries as well as events.
Look ahead
The last prompt moves from today to tomorrow. Children see that a diary looks back at the past and can also look forward. It helps them use words like today, yesterday and tomorrow.
Who was Samuel Pepys?
Samuel Pepys (say it "Peeps") lived in London in the 1600s. He worked for the Navy and kept a diary in the 1660s. He wrote about everyday life, such as meals, work, friends and the weather. Because he wrote it as it happened, we can read what ordinary days felt like in London more than three hundred years ago.
Pepys is best known for what he wrote about the Great Fire of London in 1666. He saw the fire spread and wrote down what he saw. He also wrote about burying his cheese and wine to keep them safe. Historians still use his diary today. It shows children that people in the past wrote down their days, just as we can.
Quick facts about Samuel Pepys
- Samuel Pepys lived in London in the 1600s.
- He wrote his diary by hand, using a quick kind of writing called shorthand.
- He wrote about the Great Fire of London in 1666.
- He wrote about burying his cheese and wine to keep them safe.
- His diary is still read today, because it tells us what daily life was like long ago.
Skills and curriculum link
- Writing sentences
- Past and present
- Sequencing events
- Using time words
- Talking about feelings
Ideas to help your child write a diary page
- Say it firstAsk your child to say each sentence out loud before they write it. Spoken sentences are easier to hold in the head and then put on paper.
- Use "I"A diary is written by the person who lived the day. Remind children to write about themselves, using the word I.
- Think of time wordsWords like first, then, later and tomorrow help children keep events in order. Say a few together before they start.
- Read it backWhen the page is finished, ask your child to read it aloud. They can check that each sentence makes sense and starts with a capital letter.
Key words
- DiaryA book or page where a person writes about their own days.
- EntryOne piece of writing in a diary. It is usually about one day.
- PastTime that has already happened, such as yesterday or long ago.
- PresentNow, the time we are living in today.
- SequenceThe order in which things happen, first, next and last.
- DiaristA person who keeps a diary. Samuel Pepys was a famous one.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read the short introduction aloud. Talk about who Samuel Pepys was and why his diary is famous.
- Work through the first prompt together. Then let your child write five short diary lines about their own day, alone. Allow about 20 minutes.
- Read the diary back together. Ask what happened first, how they felt and what they will do tomorrow. Check against page 2.
- Come back to it another day and write about a different day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Say each sentence out loud before writing it. Let your child draw the best part of the day first, then add one label. Try one prompt at a time, with a rest in between. A short, true sentence is a good diary line.
To stretch confident children
Add an old style opening such as "This day I rose early". Then write one detail about the weather. Try writing a second entry for a different day, using the words first, then and later to show the order of events.
Make it a game
Swap diaries with a partner. Read each other's entries without the name on them. Then guess which day each person wrote about, and who wrote it. Talk about the clues that gave it away, such as places, food or feelings.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child writes about the wrong time, such as "Today I will go to school" when the day has already happened.
Try thisTalk about what has already happened and what is still to come. Say the sentence in the past, "Today I went", and then write it.
Watch forA child writes a list of words instead of a sentence.
Try thisAsk them to say the whole sentence aloud. Start with "Today I..." and let them finish it in their own words.
Watch forThe events are out of order, so the day does not make sense.
Try thisAsk what happened first. Draw three quick pictures for morning, afternoon and evening, then write about them in that order.
Talk about it
- What do you think a diary is for?
- Why might Samuel Pepys have wanted to write about his days?
- What is the best part of your day, and why?
- How is your life different from life in London long ago?
- What would you want someone to know about your day in a hundred years?
- What are you looking forward to tomorrow?
Take it off the page
Make a family diary
Take a few sheets of plain paper and fold them into a little book. Each family member writes one line about today. Add a new page each evening for a week.
Ask a grown up
Ask a grandparent or older friend what a normal day was like when they were young. Write down two things they say, then compare them with your own day.
Day in pictures
Draw your day as three pictures, one for the morning, one for the afternoon and one for the evening. Then write one sentence under each picture.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first prompt, then let them lead. Ask them to tell you about their day before they write. Praise the effort and the details they chose. A short, honest entry is better than a long one.
Teachers
Use it as a starter or plenary in a history unit about significant people or the Great Fire of London. It works as an early finisher task and as a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing, and page 2 helps with mixed ability groups.
Home educators
Pair it with a picture book about the Great Fire of London and a walk to talk about what has changed over time. Children can keep a diary for a week and compare entries. Reuse the sheet for brothers and sisters.
Where this fits in history learning
Before this sheet, children talk about their own day and use words such as yesterday, today and tomorrow. They also learn to say a sentence aloud and write it down. Sequencing events in a story helps too.
After it, children can learn more about the Great Fire of London and other events beyond living memory. They can compare life then and now and use simple timelines. Writing diary entries also supports longer pieces of writing in Year 2 and beyond.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Samuel Pepys Diary for?
It is for Year 2 (ages 6 to 7), in Key Stage 1. Younger children can join in with a grown up writing for them. Older children can use the stretch idea on page 2 to add more detail.
- What will children practise?
Children learn that Samuel Pepys wrote a famous diary about life in London long ago. Then they write their own entry. They practise writing sentences, using time words, putting events in order and noticing the difference between past and present.
- How long does it take?
It takes about 20 minutes for one child working alone. Some children will want to draw as well, which adds time. You can do one prompt at a time and come back to it later.
- What if my child finds writing hard?
Let them say each sentence aloud first. They can also draw the best part of their day and add one label. A short, true line is enough. Page 2 has more help for children who find it hard.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or revision a few weeks later. Black and white printing works well on plain A4 paper.
- 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. It fits history topics about significant people and events beyond living memory.
- Is it a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil. It works well for quiet time after school, rainy days and school holidays. Writing by hand also gives children a chance to slow down and think.
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.