Carnivore, Herbivore or Omnivore? Free KS1 Science Worksheet

What is on the worksheet

One clear line drawing of three familiar animals in a row: a rabbit, a lion and a bear. Children colour the animals, work through six short tick-the-box sentences, then write herbivore, carnivore or omnivore under each animal, so they meet one of each group.

The drawing has bold, even outlines and plenty of white space, so it is comfortable for small hands to colour. The ticking task keeps the focus on one big idea, sorting animals by what they eat, without too much reading.

How to use it at home or in the classroom

Print the worksheet, or open it on a tablet and print from there. First, let your child colour the three animals, which gives you time to chat about where each one lives.

Then read the three words together, herbivore, carnivore and omnivore, and talk about what each one means. Look at each animal in turn and ask your child what they think it eats, then work through the tick statements together. The rabbit eats grass and plants, so it is a herbivore. The lion hunts other animals and eats only meat, so it is a carnivore. The bear eats berries, roots and fish, so it is an omnivore. You could also talk about a fox: it hunts mice but eats berries too, so it is an omnivore. For a class, it works well as a starter or as part of a topic on animals and their diets.

What your child will learn

By the end of the activity, your child should be able to use and explain three new words. A herbivore eats only plants, a carnivore eats other animals, and an omnivore eats both. They will practise looking closely at an animal and using what they know to decide which group it belongs to.

Sorting common animals as carnivores, herbivores and omnivores is part of the very first science learning about animals in primary school, and it leads straight into later work on food chains. A useful question to ask is "What are we?" Most people eat both plants and meat, so humans are omnivores.

A note for teachers

This worksheet supports the Key Stage 1 science programme of study for animals, including humans, where pupils learn to identify and name common animals that are carnivores, herbivores and omnivores. It works as a quick check of whether pupils can apply the three terms to real animals, and pairs well with sorting cards or a discussion about what pets and farm animals eat.

There is no log-in, no watermark and no catch. You are welcome to print copies for your class and to link to this page from your school website or newsletter.

Frequently asked questions