History · Colouring and writing worksheet
The Great Fire of London: Free KS1 Colouring and Writing Worksheet
The Great Fire of London is one of the named examples in the KS1 history curriculum, and it gives young children a vivid way into the idea of events that happened beyond living memory. This free worksheet pairs a colouring picture of burning Tudor houses with a few short, gentle writing tasks so children can practise recalling what they have learned.
It is designed to print neatly onto one A4 page and works equally well at home or in the classroom. The writing prompts are deliberately simple, with a word bank to support emerging writers, so the focus stays on remembering the key facts of 1666 rather than on spelling.
The Great Fire of London
Free History worksheet · Ages 5 to 7
Activity 1
Colour the picture of the Great Fire of London. Use the colour key to help you show how the fire spread through the wooden houses.
- Colour the flames red, orange and yellow.
- Colour the wooden houses brown.
- Colour the smoke clouds grey.
- Colour the water bucket blue.
Activity 2
Write your answers on the lines. Use the word bank to help you spell the tricky words.
In which year did the Great Fire of London happen?
On which street did the fire start?
Whose shop did the fire begin in?
What were most of the houses made from, which helped the fire spread?
Name one thing people used to stop the fire by pulling down buildings.
The Great Fire of Londonowee.worldAnswer key
- In which year did the Great Fire of London happen? — 1666
- On which street did the fire start? — Pudding Lane
- Whose shop did the fire begin in? — A baker's shop
- What were most of the houses made from, which helped the fire spread? — Wood (wooden / timber)
- Name one thing people used to stop the fire by pulling down buildings. — Gunpowder (to make firebreaks)
What happened in the Great Fire of London?
The Great Fire of London began in the early hours of Sunday 2 September 1666 in a baker's shop on Pudding Lane, owned by Thomas Farriner. A small fire from the bakery oven spread to nearby buildings, and over the next four days it destroyed a huge part of the medieval city. By the time the flames were brought under control, the fire had burned through more than 13,000 houses, around 87 churches and the old St Paul's Cathedral, leaving tens of thousands of Londoners homeless. Remarkably, the official records list only a handful of deaths, although the true number is uncertain. For children aged 5 to 7, the headline facts to remember are simple: where it started (a bakery on Pudding Lane), when it happened (1666), and how big it became.
Why did the fire spread so quickly?
Several things helped the fire to spread. Most houses in 17th-century London were built closely together from timber and were often coated in tar or pitch, which burns easily. The streets were narrow, so the upper floors of houses on opposite sides almost touched, letting flames jump across. The summer of 1666 had been long and dry, and a strong east wind fanned the flames towards the heart of the city. There was no organised fire brigade as we have today; people fought fires with leather buckets, water squirts and hooks. Explaining these reasons to children helps them understand cause and effect, a key historical skill, rather than simply memorising a date.
How was the Great Fire finally stopped?
The fire was eventually halted in two main ways. Firefighters and soldiers created firebreaks by pulling down and even blowing up buildings with gunpowder, so the flames had nothing left to burn and could spread no further. At the same time, the strong east wind that had driven the fire finally died down, which made it much easier to bring the remaining flames under control. After the fire, the architect Sir Christopher Wren helped to redesign the city, and a new St Paul's Cathedral was built. The Monument, a tall stone column near Pudding Lane, was later raised to remember the event.
How to use this worksheet at home or school
Begin by reading or watching a short, age-appropriate retelling of the Great Fire together, then talk about the three key questions: where did it start, why did it spread, and how was it stopped? Let children colour the picture first; the calm of colouring often helps younger pupils settle and recall details. Use the word bank alongside the writing tasks so that children who are still building confidence with spelling can focus on remembering the facts. Because the event happened in 1666, well before anyone alive today was born, it is a perfect chance to introduce the phrase 'beyond living memory' and to compare old timber houses with the buildings children see now.
Frequently asked questions
When did the Great Fire of London happen?
The Great Fire of London began in the early hours of Sunday 2 September 1666 and burned for around four days before it was finally brought under control. Because 1666 is hundreds of years ago, it is a clear example of an event that happened 'beyond living memory'.
Where did the Great Fire of London start?
It started in a baker's shop on Pudding Lane, owned by Thomas Farriner. A fire from the bakery oven spread to the wooden buildings nearby and quickly grew into a huge blaze across the city.
Why did the Great Fire of London spread so fast?
Most houses were built close together from timber and were often coated in tar, which burns easily. The streets were narrow, the summer had been dry, and a strong east wind blew the flames from house to house. There was also no modern fire brigade to stop it early.
How was the Great Fire of London stopped?
People created firebreaks by pulling down and blowing up buildings with gunpowder, so the flames had nothing left to burn. At the same time the strong wind died down, which made the last of the fire much easier to put out.
Is this Great Fire of London worksheet suitable for KS1?
Yes. It is designed for children aged 5 to 7 in Years 1 and 2, matching the KS1 history objective on significant events beyond living memory. It combines a colouring picture with simple writing prompts and a supportive word bank, and prints onto a single A4 page.
Curriculum links
- KS1 History: events beyond living memory that are significant nationally or globally [for example, the Great Fire of London, the first aeroplane flight or events commemorated through festivals or anniversaries].
- KS1 History: develop an awareness of the past, using common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.
- KS1 History: ask and answer questions, choosing and using parts of stories and other sources to show that they know and understand key features of events.
- KS1 History: understand some of the ways in which we find out about the past and identify different ways in which it is represented.
Made by The Owee education team. Updated 02/06/2026. Free to print and share.
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