Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Where Does It Grow?: Free Printable Worksheet for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Where Does It Grow? is a free printable worksheet for Reception (ages 4 to 5). An adult reads each food name aloud, and the child ticks one box to show where it grows: on a tree, on a low plant or under the soil. There are also two drawing boxes and two "I can" statements to finish. Page 2 gives the adult notes, help, 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 look at a table with a list of foods down one side and three places along the top: on a tree, on a low plant and under the soil. An adult reads each food aloud, and the child ticks one box. Then they draw a food that grows on a tree and a food that grows under the soil. Two "I can point" statements finish the sheet.
- Food
- On a tree
- On a low plant
- Under the soil
- Draw a food that grows on a tree
- Draw a food that grows under the soil
- I can point to a food that grows on a tree.
- I can point to a food that grows under the soil.
Why talk about where food grows?
Many young children think food simply comes from a shop or a fridge. That is a natural starting point, because it is where they see it. This sheet helps them take the next step and notice that the foods we eat come from plants that grow in different places. In the Early Years Foundation Stage, this idea sits within Understanding the World, in the area called The Natural World.
Sorting is a gentle way into the topic. The child only has to choose between three places, so they can focus on thinking and talking. Use the sheet as a prompt to share what you have seen on walks, in gardens, in window boxes, at an allotment or in a shop. Real experiences make the words tree, plant and soil mean something.
If you handle real food alongside the sheet, wash it first and check for allergies. Adults do any cutting. Never let a child eat anything picked outdoors unless an adult has checked it is safe.
Fun facts about growing food
- Plants need water, light and air to grow.
- Roots hold a plant in place and take in water.
- Seeds can grow into new plants.
- Different plants grow in different places. Some grow tall and some stay close to the ground.
- Plants grow in soil, and some grow in pots on a windowsill.
Skills and curriculum link
- Sorting
- Talking about plants
- Matching food to place
- Listening and responding
- Early drawing
Ideas to help you talk about it
- Places to growPlants grow in many places, such as gardens, fields, pots and window boxes. Ask your child where they have seen plants growing near home.
- Parts of a plantA plant has parts, such as roots, stems, leaves and flowers. We eat different parts of different plants.
- Shop and plantFood in a shop began life somewhere else. Talk about the journey from a growing place to a shelf.
- Looking closelyLook at real food or pictures together. Ask what it feels like, what shape it is and what you think it grew on.
Key words
- GrowTo get bigger. Plants grow from seeds.
- TreeA tall plant with a thick trunk and branches.
- PlantA living thing that grows in soil or in a pot and makes its own food from light.
- SoilThe earth that plants grow in.
- RootThe part of a plant that takes in water. Most roots grow under the soil.
- SortTo put things into groups that go together.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2, which has the notes and answers.
- Read each food name aloud. Ask your child where they have seen it growing.
- Let them tick one box for each food. Then they can draw in the two boxes.
- Check together using page 2. Ask, "What made you choose that place?" The thinking matters as much as the tick.
- Come back to the sheet another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Show a real apple, carrot and strawberry, or photos of them. Let your child hold each one and talk about it. Ask what they notice. Look at pictures of a tree, a low plant and soil, then choose a box together.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to name another food that grows in each place. Then ask what part of the plant we eat, such as a root, a leaf or a fruit. Draw the plant and label the part we eat.
Make it a game
Hide food picture cards around the garden or room. Children find one at a time and place it on the right part of a drawn garden. Talk about each choice before moving on to the next card.
Mistakes to watch for
Watch forA child ticks the place where they see the food in a shop.
Try thisAsk, "Where was it before the shop?" Look at a picture of the plant together and talk about how it grew.
Watch forA child ticks more than one box for a food.
Try thisExplain that each food gets one tick. Ask them to think about where the food starts to grow, and choose the best box.
Watch forA child guesses from the colour or shape of the food.
Try thisSlow down. Look at a real example or a photo of the whole plant, and talk about how and where it grows.
Talk about it
- Where have you seen food growing?
- Have you ever grown something yourself? What was it?
- What do you think a plant needs to grow?
- What is your favourite food, and where do you think it grows?
- Which part of a plant do you think we are eating?
- How could we find out more about where this food grows?
Take it off the page
Grow a cress head
Fill an empty eggshell or small pot with damp cotton wool and sprinkle cress seeds on top. Keep it on a windowsill, water it a little each day and watch it grow.
Garden or park walk
Go outside and spot plants. Point to trees, low plants and bare soil. Talk about what is growing and where.
Food sorting game
Collect pictures of foods from magazines or leaflets. Sort them into three piles: on a tree, on a low plant and under the soil. Stick them on paper to make a poster.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child for the first go and let them lead. Keep it relaxed and chatty. If they are unsure, bring out real food or photos. Praise their thinking, not only the right tick.
Teachers
Use it as a starter, a plenary, a table activity or an early finisher task. It needs no preparation beyond printing. It fits Understanding the World, The Natural World, and page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed groups.
Home educators
Pair it with a trip to a garden, allotment, park or greengrocer. Let your child draw what they see. Use it again for brothers and sisters or to revisit the topic a few weeks later.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children notice the world around them. They name familiar plants, play in the garden, plant seeds and talk about the food they eat. These experiences give them the words and ideas they need to sort foods by where they grow.
After this sheet, children can look more closely at plants. They can learn the names of different parts of a plant, how seeds grow, and how seasons change what we see. In Key Stage 1 science, the plants strand builds on this by asking children to name common plants and describe their basic parts.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Where Does It Grow? for?
It is written for Reception, children aged 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. An adult reads the food names aloud, so children do not need to read on their own.
- What will children practise?
Children practise sorting foods by where they grow. They also talk about plants and match each food to a place. It supports Understanding the World, in the area called The Natural World.
- How do I use it?
Read each food name aloud and ask where the child has seen it growing. Let them tick one box and draw. Work through it together the first time, then check the notes and answers on page 2.
- What if it feels too hard?
Make it hands on. Show a real apple, carrot and strawberry, or photos, and let the child hold each one while choosing. Talk about what they notice before they tick a box.
- Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use. You can print it again for brothers, sisters or another group, and come back to it whenever you like.
- 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 talking and drawing by hand.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Children can add colour themselves if they like, but it is not needed to complete the sheet.
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.