Mini Minds Hub · Free printable

Whose Footprints Are These?: Free Printable Quiz for Reception

  • ForReception
  • StageEarly Years
  • CostFree
  • FormatPrintable PDF
Download free PDF Open and print

Whose Footprints Are These? is a free printable quiz for Reception (ages 4 to 5). A grown up reads a clue about a footprint. The child looks at three animals and circles the one that made it. It needs only a pencil, and 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 meet a set of short clues, each one describing a footprint. They might hear about toes, a hoof or a claw mark. For every clue there are three animals to choose from. The child listens, looks closely at the animals, thinks about which one fits and circles it. There is no writing, so little hands can focus on listening and talking.

  • Clue 1: Big flat feet with skin between the toes.
  • Clue 2: A split hoof makes a heart shape.
  • Clue 3: A small round print with four toes. No claw marks.
  • Clue 4: One big hoof shaped like a letter U.
  • Clue 5: Three toes point forwards and one toe points back.

Why look at footprints?

Footprints are one of the easiest ways to notice that animals are different. Each kind of animal has feet that suit how it moves and where it lives. When a foot presses into soft ground, such as mud, wet sand or snow, it leaves a shape behind. Children can see toes, pads, hooves and claw marks, and begin to link a print to the animal that made it.

For children aged 4 to 5, this is a gentle way into careful observation. They listen to a short description, look closely at three choices and decide. That uses talk, memory and looking together. It also links well to outdoor learning. A walk to the park, a farm visit or a muddy puddle can become a hunt for tracks.

Fun facts about footprints

  • Animal feet come in many shapes because they help animals move, grip the ground and stay safe.
  • A footprint is also called a track.
  • Soft mud, damp sand and snow keep prints very well.
  • People who follow tracks can find out which animals have passed by.
  • Your own footprint shows your toes, and it is a different size from a grown up's.

Skills and curriculum link

  • Listening to clues
  • Matching
  • Noticing shapes
  • Looking closely
  • Talking about animals

Ideas to help your child think

  • Listen firstRead the whole clue before your child looks at the animals. Hearing every word helps them pick out the important one.
  • Look at the feetRemind your child that the clue is about the foot, not the whole animal. Ask them to think about toes, shapes and marks.
  • Say it out loudAsk your child to describe the print in their own words. Talking about it makes the idea clearer.
  • Check each choicePoint to each of the three animals in turn and ask, "Does this one fit the clue?" Ruling things out is a good thinking skill.

Key words

  • FootprintThe mark a foot leaves when it presses into soft ground.
  • TrackAnother word for a footprint, or a trail of footprints.
  • ClueA small piece of information that helps you work something out.
  • ToeOne of the separate parts at the end of a foot.
  • HoofThe hard covering on the foot of some animals.
  • ClawA sharp, curved nail on the foot of some animals.

How to use it

  1. Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for the grown up.
  2. Read the first clue slowly. Let your child point to each of the three animals and say what they notice.
  3. Ask your child to circle one animal. Then ask, "Why did you choose that one?"
  4. Check with the answers on page 2. Talk about any wrong choices, because this is where much of the learning happens.
  5. Come back to the sheet another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.

Help, stretch and game ideas

If it feels too hard

Bring in a toy animal or look at a real photo together. Let your child press their fingers into playdough to copy the shape of the print, then say what they notice. Start with one clue at a time and come back to the rest later.

To stretch confident children

Ask your child to make up a clue of their own for another animal, using words like toes, claws, hoof or round. Swap roles so your child reads the clue and you guess. Then draw the print together to check the clue works.

Make it a game

Press toy animals into damp sand or playdough to make prints. One child hides their eyes while another makes a print. Then the guesser looks closely and names the animal. Take turns, and ask each guesser to say which part of the print helped.

Mistakes to watch for

Watch forA child circles their favourite animal instead of the one that fits the clue.

Try thisRead the clue again slowly. Ask, "Which word tells us about the foot?" Then look at each animal and check it against that word.

Watch forA child picks an animal because of its size, not its footprint.

Try thisExplain that the clue describes the foot only. Ask your child to point out the shape or marks the clue talks about.

Watch forA child circles quickly without looking at all three animals.

Try thisPoint to each animal in turn and ask, "Could this one have made the print?" Slowing down helps them compare.

Talk about it

  • Which animals have you seen in real life, and what did their feet look like?
  • What is the difference between your footprint and a grown up's?
  • Where could we go to look for animal tracks?
  • Why might an animal need strong feet or tough feet?
  • Which word in the clue helped you most?
  • Can you walk like one of the animals on the sheet?

Take it off the page

Playdough prints

Roll out playdough flat and press toy animals, fingers or small shoes into it. Talk about the shapes the feet leave behind.

Muddy footprint walk

On a damp day, walk on soft ground and look for prints. Compare your own boots with a friend's. Wash hands well afterwards.

Footprint drawing

Draw round your child's bare foot on paper. Count the toes, then ask them to draw an animal print beside it and describe the difference.

Who it is for

Parents

Sit beside your child for the first clue, then let them lead. Read slowly, give them time to look and ask why they chose. Short, relaxed sessions work best, and you can stop and return another day.

Teachers

Use it as a starter, plenary, table activity or early finisher task. It needs no preparation beyond printing. It fits Understanding the World, the natural world strand, and gives a clear listening task for the carpet or small groups.

Home educators

Pair it with outdoor walks, farm or zoo visits and picture books about animals. Print it again for brothers and sisters, or return to it later to see how your child's talk and looking have grown.

Where this fits in learning

Before this sheet, children enjoy noticing animals around them, naming them and talking about what they see. Playing with sand, mud and playdough also helps them see how marks and shapes are made.

After this, children can go on to sort animals into groups, describe parts of animals and look more closely at how they are alike and different. In Year 1 they name common animals and talk about their bodies in more detail.

Questions parents and teachers ask

What age is Whose Footprints Are These? for?

It is written for Reception, children aged 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. It works best when a grown up reads the clues aloud and talks through each choice with the child.

What will children practise?

Children practise listening to clues, matching footprints to the animals that make them and noticing shapes. It supports Understanding the World, in the natural world strand, through talk and close looking.

What if it feels too hard?

Slow down and make it hands on. Show a toy animal or a real photo, and let your child press fingers into playdough to copy the print shape. Do one clue at a time and return later.

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 it needs only paper and a pencil.

Do I need to print in colour?

No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. Colour is not needed to listen to the clues, look at the animals and circle an answer.

Is it suitable for teachers to use 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 page 2 has support and stretch ideas for mixed groups.

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. It pairs well with animal books, outdoor play and everyday talk, and it can be repeated later.

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