Mini Minds Hub · Free printable

Three Little Pigs Story Order: Free Printable Worksheet for Year 1

  • ForYear 1
  • StageKey Stage 1
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
Download free PDF Open and print

Three Little Pigs Story Order is a free printable English worksheet for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6). Children read short sentences from a story they probably know and put them in the right order. It builds sequencing, retelling and careful reading, and it 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 read short sentences from the story of the three little pigs. Each sentence tells one event, about the pigs, their houses and the wolf. The sentences are not in story order. Children decide what happens first, what comes next and how the story ends, then put the steps in order. There are lines for writing, so children can also write their order out. It is a quiet, hands on way to practise retelling a story they know.

  • The wolf cannot blow down the brick house.
  • The first pig builds a house of straw.
  • The third pig builds a house of bricks.
  • Three little pigs leave home to build houses.
  • The second pig builds a house of sticks.
  • The wolf blows down the straw and stick houses.

Why use a traditional tale for sequencing?

The Three Little Pigs is a traditional tale. Stories like this were told aloud for many years, so there are several versions. The sheet follows one common version, which is why the notes on page 2 matter. If your child tells it a little differently, talk about why. Familiar tales are a good place to start because children already know the characters and can focus on the order.

Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end. Understanding that events happen one after another is a key step towards retelling a story, and later towards writing one. Traditional tales often repeat an event more than once, with small changes each time. That pattern helps young children notice what has already happened and predict what might come next.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Sequencing events
  • Story retelling
  • Reading sentences
  • Using time words
  • Writing in sentences

Ideas that help with story order

  • Beginning, middle and endMost stories can be split into three parts. Ask your child which part each sentence belongs to before they decide on its exact place.
  • Say it aloud firstTelling a story out loud lets children hear the order before they have to read and write it. Talk first, then try the sheet.
  • Time wordsWords such as first, next, then and last show the order of events. Using them out loud helps children keep the story in line.
  • Ask what came beforeIf your child is unsure where a sentence goes, ask what must already have happened. This helps them think about cause and effect.

Key words

  • SequenceThe order in which things happen, one after another.
  • RetellTell a story again in your own words, keeping the events in the right order.
  • EventSomething that happens in a story.
  • BeginningThe part of a story where we meet the characters and the story starts.
  • EndingThe last part of a story, where we find out how things turn out.
  • SentenceA group of words that makes sense on its own. It starts with a capital letter and usually ends with a full stop.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
  2. Tell the story of the three little pigs aloud first. Let your child join in with any parts they remember.
  3. Read the sentences on page 1 together. Ask your child to point to the one they think comes first.
  4. Let them put the events in order and write them on the lines. Talk about each choice as you go.
  5. Check with page 2. If your child's order is different, ask why. Come back another day to retell the story from memory.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Cut the sentences out and move them around on the table. Touching and moving each one makes it easier to change your mind. Start by finding the sentence that begins the story, then ask, "What happens next?" Tell the story aloud as you go.

To stretch confident children

Ask your child to retell the whole story using the words first, next, then and last. They can say it aloud or write it. For an extra challenge, ask them to add one new sentence of their own to the middle.

Make it a game

Act out the story with soft toys. Choose toys to be the pigs and the wolf. Retell the story in order and move the toys to match each event. Swap roles so everyone has a turn to narrate.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA child starts with the wolf because it is the exciting part.

Try thisAsk, "What had to happen before that?" Retell the story from the very beginning, aloud, and listen for where the wolf first appears.

Watch forA child puts the sentences in the order they appear down the page.

Try thisExplain that the sentences have been mixed up. Read them all first, then choose which one starts the story.

Watch forA child copies a sentence onto the lines without a capital letter or full stop.

Try thisLook at the original sentence together. Point to the capital letter at the start and the full stop at the end, then let them fix it.

Talk about it

  • Which part of the story is your favourite, and why?
  • What does the story need to have at the beginning so we know who is in it?
  • How do you know which event comes before another?
  • Would you change anything in the story? What would happen next?
  • Can you tell the story without looking at the sheet?
  • What words help you say the order, such as first and then?

Take it off the page

Story stones

Draw a picture for each part of the story on separate flat stones or pieces of card. Mix them up, then ask your child to line them up and retell the story.

Build the houses

Use building blocks, cardboard boxes or craft materials to make houses for toy pigs. Talk about what each house is made from as you play.

Draw a story strip

Fold a long piece of paper into sections. Draw one event in each section from left to right, then use the pictures to tell the story.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit beside your child for the first go and tell the story aloud before they start. Let them lead the ordering. Keep it relaxed and short, and praise the thinking behind each choice, not only the final order.

Teachers

Use it as a starter after sharing the story, a plenary, an early finisher task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas, so it suits mixed ability groups.

Home educators

Pair the sheet with a picture book version of the tale and a library visit. Retell the story together, then let your child order the sentences. It can be printed again for brothers and sisters or for a later revisit.

Where this skill fits

Before this sheet, children listen to and enjoy stories, and talk about the characters and what happens. Joining in with familiar tales and saying what comes next gives them the confidence to think about order.

After this, children can retell other stories in their own words, then plan and write short stories of their own with a clear beginning, middle and end. They can also begin to use time words and write several sentences in sequence.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Three Little Pigs Story Order for?

It is written for Year 1 (ages 5 to 6), in Key Stage 1. It can also work well for children a little younger or older who enjoy traditional tales and are practising retelling stories.

What will children practise?

Children practise putting the events of a familiar story in the right order. This supports retelling, reading and early writing, which fit the reading comprehension and composition strands of Year 1 English.

How do I use it?

Tell the story aloud first, then let your child put the events in order. Work through the first go together and talk about each choice. Check with page 2, which follows one common version of the story.

What if it feels too hard?

Cut the sentences out and move them around on the table. Handling each piece makes changing your mind easy. Start by finding the beginning, then ask what happens next. Telling the story aloud first also helps.

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, or for revisiting the story a few weeks later.

How long does it take?

There is no set time. Children work at their own pace. Tell the story first, then work through the sheet together. You can stop and come back another day. Page 2 has ideas to make it simpler or more challenging.

Is this a screen free activity?

Yes. It needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays. It gets children reading, talking and writing by hand, and it needs no preparation beyond printing.

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.

Download free PDF