Home learning resources for Key Stage 1 give parents and teachers what they need to help children aged 5 to 7 with reading, maths, science and creative subjects. You’ll find online platforms, printable worksheets and video lessons everywhere these days.
Loads of UK platforms now offer free curriculum-aligned activities that match National Curriculum objectives, so you can teach foundational skills at home without extra cost. Whether you’re homeschooling full-time or just supporting after school, the right materials can help your child build confidence and stay engaged.
Michelle Connolly, founder of LearningMole and a former primary teacher with over 15 years’ experience, says, “the best home learning resources combine structure with creativity, so children develop core skills while staying curious and motivated.” LearningMole, a UK educational platform, offers video tutorials and activities covering phonics, numeracy and science topics for Year 1 and Year 2.
You can also check out comprehensive planning tools and worksheets designed for EYFS and KS1 home education.
From engaging art and design tasks to remote video lessons, the variety of resources means you can cover every curriculum subject.
This guide points you to quality materials, offers tips for organising learning sessions and suggests activities for different topics and learning styles.
Key Takeaways
Key Stage 1 covers children aged 5 to 7 in England and Wales. It runs through Year 1 and Year 2 of primary school.
The National Curriculum outlines what your child should learn during these years. It covers core subjects like English, maths and science.
Key Stage 1 is a phase of primary education for pupils aged 5 to 7 in England. It includes Year 1 and Year 2.
Children build on skills from Reception and the Early Years Foundation Stage. They start formal lessons but still learn through a mix of play and structured activities.
At the end of Year 2, children take SATs tests in reading and maths. Teachers also check their writing, science and other subjects during the year.
The curriculum covers core and foundation subjects. Each curriculum subject has activities and assessments made for this age group.
Core subjects include:
Foundation subjects are:
Children also get religious education, but you can withdraw them if you want.
The National Curriculum sets clear goals for each subject at Key Stage 1. It tells teachers what to cover and helps parents see what children should achieve.
For English, children learn phonics, reading comprehension and writing skills. By the end of Year 2, they should read simple sentences and write short stories.
In maths, they practise number skills, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division. They also learn about shapes, measurements and data.
Science at this stage is about observing the world. Children learn about plants, animals, materials and simple experiments.
LearningMole gives free video resources that match the National Curriculum for maths, English and science at KS1. You’ll also find materials from Oak National Academy’s free teaching resources, including lesson plans and worksheets.
English learning at home for Key Stage 1 works best with structured materials covering phonics, reading comprehension and vocabulary. These three areas help children aged 5 to 7 develop solid literacy skills.
Phonics sits at the heart of KS1 English learning at home. Children need to master letter sounds, blend them and spot common word patterns.
Phonics resources for KS1 range from simple alphabet recognition to advanced phonics phases. The BBC has downloadable resource packs with activities for stories like Jack and the Beanstalk and Little Red Riding Hood.
It helps to focus on synthetic phonics, teaching children to sound out words by blending letter sounds. Many families use systematic programmes that introduce sounds step by step. Tricky Words Jolly Phonics helps with sight words that don’t follow the usual phonics rules.
Keep daily practice short—about 10 to 15 minutes. Use flashcards, reading games and interactive activities instead of just worksheets.
Reading comprehension activities help children understand what they read, not just pronounce the words. Use storybooks, audio tales and guided reading materials to build this skill.
Free KS1 English teaching resources offer slide decks and worksheets for Years 1 and 2. These materials come with quizzes and key vocabulary lists.
Ask questions about the stories your child reads. What happened first? How did the character feel? Why did something happen? These questions build critical thinking as well as reading skills.
Storytelling activities let children create their own tales. They might retell familiar stories, invent new endings or describe picture sequences. This builds comprehension and creative writing at once.
Spelling and vocabulary work help children write clearly and read with understanding. Year 1 and Year 2 children learn common exception words, homophones and word families.
Build word banks by topic—weather, family or action words. This helps children link new vocabulary to things they know. Practise spelling with games like word searches, crosswords or spelling bees instead of just memorising lists.
English resources include grammar activities and language games that keep vocabulary learning fun. You can also find primary English worksheets for handwriting practice alongside spelling work.
Reading regularly introduces children to new words naturally. When your child finds an unfamiliar word, talk about its meaning and try using it in different sentences together.
KS1 maths builds on counting, addition, subtraction and early geometry through hands-on practice. Children aged five to seven really benefit from practical activities that make numbers feel real.
Year 1 and 2 pupils develop number sense by connecting abstract ideas to physical objects. Hands-on maths resources help children grasp place value by grouping items into tens and ones.
Counting games work well when they include movement or real objects. Use toys, buttons or pasta to practise addition and subtraction within 20. Children often understand number bonds faster when they can group and separate real items.
Short, regular practice sessions build mental maths skills. Try quick-fire questions in the car or while cooking. Drawing number lines on paper or sticking them on the wall gives children a handy tool for calculations.
Key calculation activities:
Board games and card games develop mathematical thinking without feeling like lessons. Dice games boost addition skills as children count spots and move pieces.
Measuring ingredients while baking teaches fractions and volume. Children see how two halves make a whole when they fill measuring cups. Shopping trips can become maths lessons when you compare prices or weigh fruit and veg.
Understanding fractions through sharing makes the idea real. Cut sandwiches, apples or chocolate bars into equal parts. Ask your child to share things fairly between family members.
Money games get children ready for real-world maths. Set up a pretend shop where they handle coins and give change. Playing shopkeeper and customer builds confidence with pounds and pence.
Problem-solving in KS1 maths begins with simple word problems based on familiar situations. Children learn to spot what the question asks and which operation to use.
Shape activities help children develop spatial reasoning and maths vocabulary. Exploring 2D and 3D shapes with building blocks or household objects lets children find sides and corners. Go on a shape hunt around your home or garden.
Pattern work builds logical thinking. Make sequences with colours, shapes or numbers and ask your child to continue them. Spotting patterns prepares children for trickier maths later.
Ask your child to explain their thinking out loud. This builds reasoning skills and helps you spot any confusion. A simple “how did you work that out?” values their mathematical process.
Simple experiments with household items bring science to life for young learners. Watching seasonal patterns in your garden helps children notice natural cycles. Asking questions during daily activities builds scientific thinking.
Children learn science best when they can touch, mix and see results for themselves. Fill clear cups with water at different temperatures, add sugar and watch how warm water dissolves it faster. Children see solubility in action.
Try making a volcano with baking soda and vinegar in a plastic bottle. The fizzing reaction shows how materials can mix to create something new. You’ll find more fun activities in simple KS1 science investigations that use kitchen ingredients.
Static electricity experiments are a hit. Rub a balloon on your child’s hair, then hold it near small bits of tissue paper. The paper jumps to the balloon, showing how opposite charges attract.
Plant cress seeds in clear cups with damp cotton wool. Put one cup in sunlight, one in darkness and one with no water. Your child can draw what they see each day and compare which conditions help the plants grow best.
Your garden gives you free lessons about how plants and animals change as the year rolls on. Watch buds pop up on trees in spring. Flowers open in summer. Leaves tumble down in autumn, and branches stand bare in winter.
Make a weather chart for your child to record daily conditions with easy symbols. After a few weeks, you’ll both start noticing patterns. Rainy days often come after cloudy ones, while sunny spells sometimes last several days.
Collect fallen leaves in autumn and press them in books. Compare their colours, shapes and sizes. Children spot details and realise that different trees have their own quirks.
Build a simple bird feeder from a plastic bottle and see which birds come by at different times of year. Some birds head off to warmer places in winter, but others stick around. Understanding life cycles shows children how living things grow and change.
Look for minibeasts under logs or in the soil. Count the types you find as the seasons shift. You’ll probably notice more insects in the warm months than the cold ones.
Ask “why” and “what if” questions as you go about your day. When your child points something out, show real interest instead of jumping in with answers. This way, they learn that questions can spark discoveries.
Let children guess what will happen before you try experiments. Write down their predictions and then see what actually happens. Being wrong is just as useful as being right, since it proves that testing ideas matters more than guessing.
Keep a simple science notebook with drawings and notes. Your child can sketch, stick in photos or jot down what they noticed. Flipping back through pages reminds them how much they’ve picked up.
Tie home learning to what your child likes. If space fascinates them, check out solar system facts together. If they’re curious about the body, explore inside the human body with easy anatomy activities.
Celebrate mistakes as learning moments. When an experiment flops, talk about what might have gone wrong. Maybe the water was too cold or you rushed it. This builds resilience and shows that scientists learn by trying things out.
Home learning for KS1 children really comes alive with hands-on creative activities that build fine motor skills and self-expression. Kids aged 5 to 7 do best with simple, structured art and design projects, plus playful music that gets them moving.
You can find ready-made KS1 art and design resources covering drawing, painting, sculpture and collage. These projects let your child pick up technical skills while playing with colour, shape and texture.
LearningMole has free curriculum-linked videos that show basic art techniques for primary children. There are step-by-step tutorials for painting, drawing and crafts that fit home learning.
Lots of online platforms have creative lesson plans and activities made for ages 5 to 7. You’ll find printable worksheets, colour mixing tips and studies of famous artists that match National Curriculum aims.
Teachers often suggest starting with simple projects like self-portraits, prints from natural objects or seasonal collages. Everyday bits like cardboard, newspaper, leaves and pasta become textured artwork, building confidence and imagination.
Music for KS1 children focuses on rhythm, movement and easy singing games. Grab pots, pans and wooden spoons to make homemade percussion instruments that teach basic beats and patterns.
Clapping games and action songs help your child with timing and coordination. Try nursery rhymes with actions or make up simple rhythm patterns using body percussion like stamps, clicks and claps.
Let your child listen to different music styles. Play a bit of classical, folk or world music and encourage them to move, draw or talk about what they hear. This builds musical vocabulary and appreciation.
Young children pick up key digital skills through hands-on computing activities and by learning how to stay safe online. These early experiences help them feel confident with technology and develop problem-solving skills.
Coding gets children thinking logically and solving problems in fun ways. KS1 computing resources include interactive activities that teach basic algorithms and sequences using games and visual programming.
Simple unplugged activities work well for beginners. Use coloured cards or toys to create patterns and show how computers follow instructions step by step.
Block-based coding platforms let children drag and drop commands to make animations and games. These tools make tricky ideas clear and show results right away.
Popular coding activities include:
LearningMole has free video tutorials that guide children through coding ideas using everyday examples. Many teachers start with physical computing before moving to screens, as it helps children grasp the basics.
Children need to know how to use the internet safely before they start exploring on their own. Teaching resources should cover password safety, spotting trusted websites and keeping personal information private.
Internet safety presentations introduce ideas like social networking risks and the need to ask an adult before clicking strange links. These materials match National Curriculum digital literacy aims.
Role-play scenarios to help children practise making safe choices. You might act out someone asking for their address online or wanting to meet up.
Key safety rules for kids: never share full names, addresses or school names with strangers online. Remind them that not everything online is true or suitable for their age.
Young learners pick up important skills through hands-on geography and history activities that link classroom learning to the real world. Map reading and local exploration help children figure out their place in the world, while story-based history lessons make the past feel alive.
Children aged 5 to 7 need practical geography activities that connect to their daily lives. Start with simple map work using your local area, helping them spot landmarks like their school, parks and shops.
KS1 geography resources help children see the difference between physical features (rivers, hills, beaches) and human features (houses, roads, farms). Draw simple maps together or take walks to spot these features in your neighbourhood.
Use games and activities to introduce directional words. Say left, right, forward and backward during daily routines. Children get to practise by giving toys directions or making treasure hunt maps.
Key map skills for KS1:
Label maps together, starting with home or school. Children remember best when they link new ideas to places they know.
History lessons work well when you use stories and hands-on activities. KS1 history helps children see how things change by comparing past and present.
Pick topics that spark their imagination. Vikings and their longships grab attention with tales of adventure. Story-based learning sticks better than dry facts.
Use timelines to show the order of events. Make visual timelines with pictures or drawings in order. This helps children see that events happen one after another.
Good home history activities:
Compare objects from different periods. Check out old toys, kitchen tools or photos next to modern ones. Children can ask grandparents about their childhood to see how life has changed.
Children pick up design and technology skills through hands-on projects using everyday materials at home. These activities let young learners practise planning, making and evaluating while building creative confidence.
Design and technology at primary school covers how things work and how to design products with a purpose. Start with basic builds using cardboard boxes, tubes and containers to make vehicles, buildings or toys.
Set a challenge: can your child design and build a bridge from lolly sticks and glue? They’ll measure, cut and join materials, thinking about strength as they go. Add moving parts with simple wheels fixed with split pins.
Recycled materials are great for construction. Save cereal boxes, bottles and egg cartons for your child to turn into creative inventions. They’ll learn about materials and joining methods using tape, glue or string. Ask them to sketch their idea, then gather supplies and build.
KS1 design and technology activities help children develop problem-solving with practical challenges. Give your child a real design brief, like making a container to protect an egg or a puppet that moves its arms and legs.
Ask your child to think about who will use their product and what it needs to do. They should draw a few ideas before picking one. This mirrors the design process in the National Curriculum, where children learn to plan, make and evaluate.
You can use free STEM teaching resources to guide activities. LearningMole has curriculum-linked videos showing design and construction for primary children. Ask your child what worked well and what they’d change next time to help them reflect on their designs.
Religious education at KS1 helps children see how people live and what they believe. Children learn to respect others and notice both similarities and differences between faiths and cultures.
Religious education gives young children a gentle introduction to major world religions in ways they can understand. At KS1, you might look at Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, Sikhism, Buddhism and Judaism using stories, art and group chats.
Teaching resources let you share key beliefs and practices without making things too complicated. Oak National Academy has free KS1 religious education resources like slides, worksheets and quizzes for Years 1 and 2.
LearningMole offers curriculum-linked videos that explain religious ideas using colourful stories. These work well for primary pupils.
Help children spot what makes each religion unique. They can learn about sacred books, places of worship and important figures.
Religious education resources for KS1 encourage respect and understanding in a multicultural society.
Children at this age learn best with real examples and things they recognise. Try comparing how different religions celebrate special times or show kindness.
Religious festivals are a great way for KS1 children to get a feel for different cultures. Well-known festivals like Diwali, Easter, Eid and Hanukkah show how beliefs shape celebrations.
Festival resources covering religious and cultural celebrations include materials for Diwali, Easter, New Year’s Day and Chinese New Year. You can use stories, crafts or even cooking to bring these celebrations to life at home.
Children really enjoy learning through hands-on activities. Make decorations, taste traditional foods or play festival music.
These activities stick in their minds and help them build positive feelings about different cultures.
Connect celebrations to your child’s own life. Ask them about special days their family celebrates and why these matter.
This personal link helps children see that everyone has traditions worth respecting.
Parents and teachers need clear guidance and well-organised materials to help 5-7 year olds learn well at home. The right home learning packs for KS1 and structured support keep children interested.
You don’t have to be a qualified teacher to help your child learn at home. Start by checking what your child should cover for their year group.
Many home learning activities for KS1 come with booklets, reading comprehensions and challenge cards that guide you through each task. These materials tell you exactly what to do.
Keep sessions short. Children aged 5-7 usually work best in 15-20 minute bursts.
Mix up the day with different subjects instead of sitting for hours at a time.
Set up a quiet spot for your child to work. This doesn’t have to be a separate room. Even a corner of the kitchen table can do the trick.
Focus on three main areas each day: reading, writing and maths. Add science or creative activities when you can.
Teachers can send ready-made materials to parents to make home learning smoother. Free STEM teaching resources include lesson plans, handouts and videos on key topics.
Try using:
Remotely-delivered lessons for ages 5-7 follow a clear pattern. Children watch a video, jot down ideas, then do activities with a parent’s help.
Pick materials that suit your child’s current level. Resources should stretch them a bit but not cause frustration.
Key Stage 1 uses teacher assessment to track progress in reading, writing, maths and science. Schools now decide how to check and support your child’s learning both at home and in class.
Teachers assess children through daily observation and classwork instead of just formal tests. Optional teacher assessment guidance for 2026 helps schools decide if children meet the expected standard by the end of Year 2.
You can help by keeping samples of your child’s work. Many schools send home learning packs with reading, maths and spelling activities to help you track progress.
Teachers look at work from across the year to get a full picture. They check if your child can use skills on their own in different situations.
Assessment and KS1 targets resources often include self-assessment tools that help children spot their own progress and set goals.
KS1 SATs are no longer required national tests. Schools can choose to use optional assessment materials or rely on teacher judgement to measure your child’s progress at the end of Year 2.
If schools use optional tests, these usually cover reading, maths and grammar, punctuation and spelling. The tests help teachers confirm what they already know about your child but don’t decide everything.
Don’t stress if your child’s school uses these tests. They’re straightforward and teachers often add test-style questions into normal lessons. The results highlight any areas where your child might need extra help, whether through school resources or platforms like LearningMole, which offers curriculum-linked videos in maths, English and science for Key Stage 1.
Parents often want advice on finding quality materials and setting up effective routines for home learning. These questions cover common worries about resources, access and teaching methods for children aged 5 to 7.
Several good platforms have free materials just for Key Stage 1. BBC Bitesize offers interactive resources for the whole primary science curriculum and other subjects, with videos and activities.
STEM Learning provides remote lessons where children watch videos, take notes and complete worksheets.
Oak National Academy offers free teaching resources made by subject experts that you can download for lessons. LearningMole provides curriculum-aligned video resources for maths, English, science and phonics that suit both structured lessons and independent learning.
The Institution of Engineering and Technology shares free STEM teaching resources and activities including lesson plans, handouts and videos for primary school children.
Go to the BBC Bitesize website and head to the Key Stage 1 section for age-appropriate content. The site sorts materials by subject and year group, so it’s easy to find lessons that fit your child’s needs.
You’ll find interactive games, video lessons and printable activities matching the National Curriculum. You don’t need an account or payment to get the basic materials. Children can work on many activities alone while you keep an eye on things.
Lots of websites offer free maths games to boost skills for 5 to 7 year olds. LearningMole has curriculum-linked maths videos and interactive content covering number recognition, addition, subtraction and problem-solving.
Many platforms sort games by topic like counting, place value, multiplication and fractions. Look for games with instant feedback so your child learns from mistakes right away.
Games with visual aids like counters, number lines and arrays make tricky ideas easier for young learners.
Public libraries across the UK let you borrow ebooks for free with your library card. Many use apps like BorrowBox or Libby that work on tablets and computers, so your child can access thousands of titles.
Project Gutenberg has classic children’s stories in the public domain for free download. Oxford Owl offers a free ebook library with levelled reading books that match phonics phases from UK schools.
These resources help children practise decoding and build vocabulary and comprehension.
Set up a consistent daily routine with learning time, breaks and physical activity. Year 1 children focus best in short bursts of 15 to 20 minutes, so split lessons into small chunks with movement breaks.
Tackle English and maths each morning while your child has the most energy. Use hands-on activities and real objects for counting, measuring and letter formation.
Children at this age learn best through play and practical experiences, not just worksheets.
Read aloud to your child every day and encourage them to read simple books on their own. Link learning to daily life by counting at the shops, spotting letters on signs or chatting about the weather.
Praise effort and progress to build confidence and resilience. Sometimes, that’s what makes all the difference.
Twinkl provides printable and digital teaching resources. You’ll find worksheets, games and PowerPoints covering all curriculum subjects.
They offer some free materials, though you’ll need a subscription to get everything in their library.
@school has classroom areas for each subject. You can pick up resources, activities and assessment tests made for Key Stage 1 learning.
Little Owls Resources shares planning tools and printable worksheets. They include helpful guidance for delivering EYFS and KS1 education at home.
Most of these platforms organise materials by subject and topic. It’s usually quite easy to find activities that fit what your child needs to practise.
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