Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Three Pigs Wall Test: Free Printable Worksheet for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Three Pigs Wall Test is a free printable design and technology worksheet for Reception (ages 4 to 5). Children build three walls from different materials, watch a gentle huff and puff, tick the walls that stood, then draw what happened. It needs a pencil, some simple building materials and a grown-up to hold the fan. Page 2 has notes, help, a stretch idea and 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 walls: straw, lolly stick and brick. They build each one, then the grown-up uses a fan to huff and puff at it. Children watch closely and tick the walls that stood. There is a box to draw the wolf huffing and puffing, and room for drawing or notes about what happened. It is a small experiment told through a story children already know.
- Straw wall. Tick if it stood.
- Lolly stick wall. Tick if it stood.
- Brick wall. Tick if it stood.
- Draw the wolf huffing and puffing.
- Build the walls.
- Huff and puff.
- Tick the walls that stood.
Getting ready to build and test
Choose your materials
Use what you have to hand. Drinking straws or dry grass can stand in for straw. Lolly sticks are easy to find in craft shops. Building blocks, small boxes or toy bricks can be the brick wall.
Make the walls a similar size
Try to build each wall about as wide and as tall as the others. Then the test is fair, because only the material changes.
Pick a testing spot
Use a flat table or tray. Put each wall in the same place every time, so the fan reaches each one in the same way.
Test one wall at a time
The adult holds the fan on a cool, low setting. Test the walls one after another. Pause after each one so your child can look, talk and tick.
Why the three little pigs?
The Three Little Pigs is a traditional tale that most children in England know by Reception. Each pig builds a home from a different material, and a wolf comes along to huff and puff. Because children already know the story, they can focus on the idea behind it: different materials can behave in different ways.
Design and technology in the early years is about making things and finding out whether they work. This sheet gives children a small, safe test. They build, predict, watch and compare. They also practise using words like fell, stood and stronger. Drawing what happened helps them remember and explain what they saw.
An adult holds the fan, on a cool, low setting. Keep little fingers and loose hair well away from it. Children stand back and watch. Keep small pieces away from mouths, and do not use a heater or any hot air.
Fun facts about building materials
- Straw is the dry stalks left over after crops such as wheat have been harvested.
- Some old British cottages have thatched roofs, made from straw or reed.
- Lolly sticks are thin, flat sticks, and many are made of wood.
- Bricks are often made from clay that is shaped and then fired in a very hot oven called a kiln.
- Wind is simply air that is moving.
Skills and curriculum link
- Building with materials
- Testing an idea
- Comparing results
- Predicting
- Drawing to record
Helping your child think like a designer
- Predict firstBefore each test, ask what your child thinks will happen. There is no wrong guess. A guess gives them a reason to watch closely.
- Keep it fairUse the same fan, the same setting and the same distance for every wall. Children can start to see why a test should be fair.
- Look and compareAfter each test, ask what they can see. Encourage words like fell, stood, leaned or wobbled.
- Talk about whyAsk why they think a wall did what it did. Accept simple ideas. The thinking matters more than getting the reason exactly right.
Key words
- WallA flat, upright part of a building that keeps things in or out.
- MaterialWhat something is made from, such as straw, wood or brick.
- TestTrying something out to find what happens.
- PredictSay what you think will happen before it happens.
- StandTo stay up and not fall down.
- Fair testDoing the test the same way each time, so you can compare.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Gather your materials. Build the three walls together, and talk about each choice as you go.
- Ask your child to predict which walls might stand. Then the adult holds the fan on a cool, low setting and tests one wall at a time.
- Your child watches and ticks the walls that stood. Then they draw the wolf huffing and puffing in the box.
- Check against page 2. Come back another day and try again. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Test one wall at a time. Ask, did it fall or stand? Point to the picture and tick together. Let your child touch and rebuild the wall before the next test. Say the words fell and stood aloud so they link to what they see.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to explain why they think a wall did what it did. Then ask them to change one wall to make it stronger, such as making it wider or thicker. Test it again, and talk about what changed.
Make it a game
Act out the story. One child is the wolf and one is a pig. Take turns to huff and puff gently, with the pig standing well back. Then swap roles and retell the story in your own words.
Talk about it
- What do you think will happen to the straw wall? Why do you think that?
- Which wall do you think will be hardest to knock down? What makes you say so?
- What did you see happen when the fan blew?
- Was your test fair? How could we make sure it is the same each time?
- If you could make one wall stronger, what would you change?
- Which part of building did you enjoy most?
Take it off the page
Wolf breath race
Put a cotton wool ball on a table. Children blow it along a path with their own breath. Talk about which things move easily and which stay put.
Material hunt
Walk around the house or garden and find things that are made from different materials. Sort them into piles and say what each one is made from.
Retell the story
Use toys or drawings to retell The Three Little Pigs. Ask your child to say what each pig built, then draw their own house for a pig.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. You hold the fan and do the testing. Praise their thinking and effort, not only whether a wall stood.
Teachers
Use it as a starter for a materials topic, a table activity or a plenary. It needs only printing and simple resources. Page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed groups, and the adult controls the fan.
Home educators
Pair it with a reading of the story and some outdoor play. You can reuse it for brothers and sisters, or repeat it later with new materials to see if your child's ideas have changed.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children in Early Years learn by playing with blocks, boxes and craft materials. They explore how things fit together and what happens when they push or move them. They also learn to listen to stories and retell them in order.
After this, children in Key Stage 1 move on to design and technology that covers designing, making, evaluating and technical knowledge. They also meet everyday materials in science. This sheet gives them a first taste of building, testing and talking about what they found.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Three Pigs Wall Test for?
It is written for Reception, which means children aged 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger children may enjoy it with lots of help, and older children can use the stretch idea on page 2.
- 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, and it works well in black and white on plain A4 paper.
- Who holds the fan?
An adult does. Use a cool, low setting and keep little fingers and loose hair well away from the fan. Children build, stand back, watch and tick. The adult handles the testing each time.
- What if it feels too hard?
Make it smaller. Test one wall at a time and ask, did it fall or stand? Point to the picture and tick together. Rebuild the wall as often as your child wants before moving on.
- Is this a screen free activity?
Yes. It needs only paper, a pencil and some building materials, plus a fan held by an adult. It works for quiet time after school, rainy days and school holidays.
- Can teachers use it in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, a plenary, a table activity or part of a materials topic. It needs no preparation beyond printing and finding materials. Page 2 helps with support and stretch.
- Can I use it for home education?
Yes. Home educators and tutors can use it on its own or as part of a wider plan. Pair it with the story, outdoor play and everyday talk about the materials around you.
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.