History · Colouring and sorting worksheet
Toys Then and Now: Free KS1 History Worksheet
This free printable worksheet introduces Year 1 children to one of the most popular KS1 history topics: toys past and present. By colouring a group of much-loved classic toys and then sorting toys into long ago and today, children begin to grasp the idea that life has changed within living memory — the time their parents and grandparents can remember.
It is designed to print neatly onto a single sheet of A4 and works well at home, in a history lesson, or as part of a topic on old and new. No special equipment is needed beyond colouring pencils.
Toys Then and Now
Free History worksheet · Ages 5 to 6
Activity 1
Colour all the toys on the page. These are toys that children have enjoyed playing with for a very long time.
- Colour the teddy bear a warm brown.
- Colour the rocking horse and the wooden train in your favourite colours.
- Colour the spinning top, the hoop, the yo-yo and the jack-in-the-box.
Activity 2
These toys are very old — they were popular long ago, when grandparents were children. Tick each toy below that you think is an old toy from long ago.
- A wooden spinning top
- A rocking horse
- A hoop and stick
- A jack-in-the-box
- A tablet with games on a screen
- A toy that needs batteries to move
Toys Then and Nowowee.worldAnswer key
- A wooden spinning top — tick
- A rocking horse — tick
- A hoop and stick — tick
- A jack-in-the-box — tick
Why 'toys past and present' is a perfect first history topic
For children in Year 1, history is most meaningful when it connects to their own lives. Toys are something every child knows well, which makes them an ideal way to introduce the abstract idea of the past. The 'toys past and present' unit is the canonical Year 1 vehicle for the National Curriculum aim of studying changes within living memory. By comparing a wooden spinning top or a rocking horse with the battery-powered and screen-based toys many children use today, youngsters start to notice that things have not always been the same — and that the toys their grandparents played with often looked and worked very differently.
Building the language of time
A key goal at KS1 is helping children use the everyday vocabulary of chronology accurately. This worksheet encourages phrases such as 'long ago', 'in the past', 'now', 'today', 'old' and 'new'. When working through the sheet with a child, it helps to model these words aloud and to talk about who might have played with each toy. Many classic toys — teddy bears, hoops, yo-yos and jack-in-the-boxes — are still made today, so it is worth pointing out that some toys belong to both 'then' and 'now', which gently introduces the idea that change is not always total.
Talking about old and new toys at home
This activity comes alive when it is linked to real objects and family memories. Parents and carers can extend the learning by asking older relatives what they played with as children, looking at family photographs, or comparing a simple wooden toy with a modern electronic one. Useful questions include: What is this toy made of? How do you make it work? Does it need batteries? Who do you think might have played with it? These conversations help children understand that the past is connected to people they know, which is exactly the kind of 'living memory' thinking the curriculum is reaching for.
How to use this worksheet
Print the sheet onto A4 and give the child colouring pencils. First, invite them to colour the toys however they like — this builds familiarity with each object. Then work through the tick task together, deciding which toys are most likely 'from long ago' and which are 'used today'. There are no trick answers: the value lies in the discussion and reasoning, not in getting a single 'correct' response. For an extra challenge, ask the child to draw one of their own toys on the back and explain why it belongs to 'today'.
Frequently asked questions
What age is the Toys Then and Now worksheet for?
It is aimed at children aged 5 to 6, which is Year 1 in England. It suits the KS1 history topic on toys past and present and can be used at home or in school.
How does this link to the KS1 history curriculum?
It supports the National Curriculum aim of studying 'changes within living memory'. Comparing old and new toys is the standard Year 1 way of introducing this idea and of building the everyday vocabulary of time, such as 'long ago' and 'today'.
What are some examples of old toys to talk about?
Classic toys include wooden spinning tops, rocking horses, teddy bears, push-along wooden trains, hoops with a stick, yo-yos and jack-in-the-boxes. Many of these are still made today, which is a good talking point about how some toys span both past and present.
Is the worksheet free to print?
Yes. It is completely free to download and print. It is designed to fit onto a single sheet of A4 and only needs colouring pencils.
How can I extend the activity at home?
Ask older relatives what they played with as children, look at family photos, or compare a simple wooden toy with a modern electronic one. Talking about how each toy is made and whether it needs batteries deepens the sense of change over time.
Curriculum links
- KS1 History: pupils should be taught about changes within living memory and, where appropriate, use these to reveal aspects of change in national life.
- KS1 History: develop an awareness of the past and use common words and phrases relating to the passing of time.
- KS1 History: identify similarities and differences between ways of life in different periods.
- KS1 History: ask and answer questions, using historical sources and their own experience, to show that they know and understand key features of events.
- Year 1 'Toys' topic: compare toys from the past with toys of today, sorting and describing old and new toys.
Made by The Owee education team. Updated 02/06/2026. Free to print and share.
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