Stone Age to Iron Age Timeline: Free KS2 History Worksheet

What the three ages of British prehistory are

British prehistory is usually divided into three broad periods, each named after the main material people used for their best tools and weapons. The Stone Age is the longest by far, beginning hundreds of thousands of years ago and itself split into the Old (Palaeolithic), Middle (Mesolithic) and New (Neolithic) Stone Ages. The Bronze Age in Britain began around 2300 BC, when people learned to mix copper and tin to make bronze. The Iron Age followed from roughly 800 BC, as smiths discovered how to work the harder, more widely available metal of iron. Each new material did not replace everything before it overnight, but it changed what was possible in farming, building and warfare.

Why chronology matters in KS2 history

A central aim of the KS2 history curriculum is for pupils to develop a 'chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history'. Sequencing the Stone, Bronze and Iron Ages is one of the first chances children get to place long periods of time in the correct order and to use the language of time and change. This worksheet keeps the focus on that skill: children decide which age came first, second and third, then connect each age to a defining piece of technology. Linking an abstract date to a concrete object, such as a hand-axe or a sickle, helps the sequence stick.

How life changed across the periods

The move from stone to bronze to iron mirrors a much bigger shift in how people lived. Early Stone Age people were hunter-gatherers who followed animals and gathered wild plants. By the New Stone Age, communities had begun farming, clearing land, keeping animals and building monuments such as Stonehenge. Bronze tools and the spread of metalworking supported more settled farming and trade across long distances. In the Iron Age, stronger iron tools made it easier to clear forests and work heavier soils, and people lived in roundhouses, often grouped within defended hillforts. Talking through these changes alongside the worksheet helps children see that the 'ages' describe a whole way of life, not just a single object.

Getting the most from this worksheet at home or school

Before children write, it can help to read the three age names aloud and check that everyone understands which material gives each age its name. The colouring task is deliberately calm: encourage children to look closely at the differences between a chipped stone edge, a curved bronze blade and a straight iron sword. For the writing task, the word bank reduces spelling pressure so children can concentrate on the history. To extend the activity, ask children to suggest one more thing that changed between the ages, such as homes, food or how people travelled, and discuss whether prehistory means before or after written records began.

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