Mini Minds Hub · Free printable
Why We Wear Poppies: Free Printable Craft Activity for Reception
- ForReception
- StageEarly Years
- CostFree
- FormatPrintable PDF
Why We Wear Poppies is a free printable craft activity for Reception (ages 4 to 5). A grown up reads a short story in four parts. Children then make a paper poppy and draw someone they want to remember. It needs only paper, glue and a pencil, and page 2 gives the grown up notes, help ideas, 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 listen to a short story in four parts, read aloud by a grown up. It explains gently that long ago there was a big war, that people tried to keep us safe, and that we now wear a red poppy to say thank you and to remember. Then children make a poppy with red paper petals and a black middle. They finish by drawing someone they want to remember. There are boxes for drawing or notes, and steps to put in order.
- Long ago, there was a big war. Many people tried to keep us safe.
- Some of them did not come home. Their families missed them.
- Red poppies grew in the fields where a big war was fought.
- Now we wear a red poppy to say thank you and to remember.
- Make a poppy. Stick on red paper petals and a black middle.
- Draw someone you want to remember.
Ways to make your poppy
Tear the petals
Tear red paper into rough petal shapes instead of cutting. Tearing builds finger strength and the poppy looks soft and natural. Overlap the petals so they form a circle.
Choose a black middle
Stick on a black paper circle, or scrunch a small piece of black paper into a ball. Press it firmly into the centre of the petals.
Add a stem
If your child wants one, glue on a strip of green paper or a green pipe cleaner. This is an extra choice and not part of the sheet.
Use what you have
Red tissue paper, old magazine pages or red felt all make good petals. Let your child decide. A poppy does not need to look like anyone else's.
Why we wear poppies
In the UK, many people wear a red poppy in the weeks before Remembrance Sunday, which falls in November. The poppy is a way to say thank you to people who helped to keep us safe, and to remember those who did not come home. Charities sell poppies to support members of the armed forces and their families.
Young children are just beginning to understand that there was a time before they were born. This sheet keeps the idea simple and kind. A story, a craft and a drawing give children a calm way to think about the past and about people they care about. Follow your child's lead and answer questions honestly, in few words.
Real poppy pins are sharp, so an adult should always fasten them. Use child safe scissors if your child cuts paper, and keep glue away from eyes and mouth. Some children may have lost someone close to them. Stay gentle, and let your child choose who they draw.
Poppy facts for children
- Remembrance Sunday is held in November each year in the UK.
- Many people wear a red poppy in the weeks before Remembrance Sunday.
- On Remembrance Day, some people stand in silence for two minutes to remember.
- A poppy flower has thin, papery petals that feel a bit like tissue paper.
- Wild poppies are often red, but poppies can come in other colours too.
Skills and curriculum link
- Listening to a story
- Talking about the past
- Making and drawing
- Fine motor control
- Showing care for others
- Following steps in order
Helping you talk about poppies
- Keep words simpleUse short, calm sentences. Say that people tried to keep us safe, and that we wear a poppy to say thank you. Young children do not need more detail than this.
- Follow their questionsAnswer what your child asks and no more. If you do not know, say so. You can look it up together later or ask someone at school.
- Link to people they knowChildren understand the past best through people. Talk about grandparents, family friends or helpers in your community, and what you are thankful for.
- Allow quietSome children want to talk and some want to draw. Both are fine. A quiet moment with a picture can say as much as words.
Key words
- PoppyA flower with thin, papery petals. A red poppy is worn to remember.
- PetalOne soft part of a flower. Petals go around the middle.
- RememberTo keep someone or something in your mind and think about them.
- Long agoA time well before you were born.
- PastEverything that has already happened.
- RemembranceA special time when people remember and say thank you.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for your child. Keep page 2 for yourself.
- Gather red paper, black paper, glue and a pencil before you begin. Lay everything out on the table.
- Read the four story parts aloud. Pause after each part and talk about it in a calm, gentle way.
- Let your child make the poppy with red paper petals and a black middle, then draw someone they want to remember. Ask them to tell you about the picture.
- Look at page 2 together. Come back to the sheet another day, because repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
Help, stretch and game ideas
If it feels too hard
Give your child a pre cut red circle and a black dot to stick on. Read the story one part at a time and stop to talk. Let your child tell you about their drawing, and write down a word or two for them.
To stretch confident children
Ask your child to say one sentence about why people wear poppies. Then write it down or help them copy the first word. Confident children could add a stem and leaves, or label their drawing with a name.
Make it a game
Wear your poppy and take a quiet minute together. Listen for sounds around you. Then each say thank you to someone who looks after you, such as a family member, a teacher or a helper in your street.
Talk about it
- Who looks after you, and how do they help?
- What does the word remember mean to you?
- Who would you like to say thank you to today?
- Why do you think people choose a red flower to wear?
- How did you feel when you listened to the story?
- Who did you draw, and what do you like about them?
Take it off the page
Thank you cards
Fold paper to make a card. Draw a picture on the front and say thank you to someone who helps you. Give it to them in person.
Poppy hunt
Look for poppies on a walk, in a book or on a shop window display. Talk about the colour, the shape and where you saw them.
Memory picture book
Make a small book from folded paper. On each page, draw something or someone you want to remember. Tell the story to a grown up.
Who it is for
Parents
Sit beside your child and let them lead. Read the story gently and answer questions honestly in simple words. The drawing is your child's own choice, so there is no right or wrong picture. Keep it calm and unhurried.
Teachers
Use it in the weeks before Remembrance Sunday, as a carpet time story with a table activity, or as a calm continuous provision task. It links to Past and Present and People, Culture and Communities. Be ready for children who have personal experiences of loss.
Home educators
Pair it with a book about family or community helpers, and a walk to spot poppies. The sheet works for brothers and sisters of different ages, because each child can make and draw at their own level.
Where this fits in learning
Before this sheet, children talk about their own families, people who help us, and what happened yesterday or last week. These talks build the idea of before and now. Stories and photographs help young children begin to see that the past is real.
After this sheet, children in Year 1 begin to learn about the past in a more structured way, including events that happened beyond living memory and how we remember them today. The simple idea of saying thank you and remembering gives them a good starting point.
Questions parents and teachers ask
- What age is Why We Wear Poppies for?
It is written for Reception, ages 4 to 5, in the Early Years Foundation Stage. Younger children can join in with help. Older children can use it as a gentle starting point for talking about remembrance.
- What will children practise?
Children practise listening to a story, talking about the past, and making and drawing. The sheet supports the Understanding the World strand, in Past and Present and in People, Culture and Communities.
- How do I explain war to a young child?
Keep it short and gentle. The sheet says that long ago there was a big war, and that many people tried to keep us safe. You do not need to say more than your child asks about.
- What if my child has lost someone?
Go slowly and let your child choose who to draw. They might pick a person, a pet or someone else they miss. Listen to what they say and offer comfort. You can skip the story or the drawing if they prefer.
- 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 use it again in later years.
- Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper. The red petals and black middle come from the paper your child uses, so you can use any red and black paper you have.
- Can teachers and home educators use it?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a story and table activity, a starter or a quiet task. Home educators can use it alone or as part of a wider plan. 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.