History · Year 1

Active learning ideas

The Role of Games in Different Eras

Active play connects children directly to history by letting them experience how past games feel and function. Moving from reading about games to playing them builds empathy and historical understanding better than abstract discussion alone.

• National Curriculum Attainment Targets
• KS1: History - Changes within living memory

• 25–45 min
• Pairs → Whole Class
• 4 activities

Activity 01

• Stations Rotation
• 45 min · Small Groups

Stations Rotation: Traditional Game Stations

Set up stations for hopscotch (chalk outlines), tag variants, skipping ropes, and spillikins with sticks. Groups rotate every 10 minutes, playing each game and noting rules on clipboards. End with a share-out comparing to digital games.

What games do children play outside today, and what games do you think children played outside long ago?

Facilitation Tip

At Traditional Game Stations, model how to cheer for peers to celebrate effort, not just winning, so all children feel valued in the learning.

What to look for

Show children pictures of different games (e.g., a tablet game, a skipping rope, a board game, a football). Ask them to sort the pictures into 'Indoor Games' and 'Outdoor Games' piles and explain their choices.

• Remember
• Understand
• Apply
• Analyze
• Self-Management
• Relationship Skills

Activity 02

• Role Play
• 30 min · Pairs

Pairs Debate: Old vs New Games

Pairs list one traditional and one digital game they know, then debate pros and cons using sentence stems like 'Outdoor games need... but screen games...'. Switch partners midway for new ideas. Record key points on a class chart.

How are games you play on a screen different from games you play outside?

Facilitation Tip

During Pairs Debate, provide sentence starters like 'I prefer X because...' so children articulate their reasoning clearly.

What to look for

Ask students: 'Imagine you are talking to a child from 50 years ago. What game would you teach them? What game would they teach you? What would be the biggest difference you notice?'

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 03

• Role Play
• 35 min · Whole Class

Whole Class Timeline Walk

Create a floor timeline marked 'Past' to 'Now'. Children add drawn or described games with dates from family input. Walk the timeline, pausing to mime games and discuss changes.

Which do you prefer , playing outside or playing on a screen , and why?

Facilitation Tip

For Whole Class Timeline Walk, ask children to freeze and mimic the games they see on cards to reinforce memory and movement links.

What to look for

Give each child a worksheet with two columns: 'Games I Play Now' and 'Games My Grandparent Might Have Played'. Ask them to draw or write one game in each column and one sentence explaining a difference between the two.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

Activity 04

• Role Play
• 25 min · Individual

Individual Game Design Challenge

Each child designs a game blending old and new elements on paper, explaining materials and rules. Share in a gallery walk, voting on favourites.

What games do children play outside today, and what games do you think children played outside long ago?

Facilitation Tip

In the Individual Game Design Challenge, limit materials to simple items like paper, string, and sticks to focus creativity on mechanics rather than complexity.

What to look for

Show children pictures of different games (e.g., a tablet game, a skipping rope, a board game, a football). Ask them to sort the pictures into 'Indoor Games' and 'Outdoor Games' piles and explain their choices.

• Apply
• Analyze
• Evaluate
• Social Awareness
• Self-Awareness

A few notes on teaching this unit

Start with physical play to build investment in the topic, then move to reflection. Avoid assuming children will naturally compare; guide them with targeted questions like 'How do you share this game with friends?' Research shows that embodied learning strengthens memory, so use movement as a tool, not just a reward.

Children explain why old and new games feel different, compare equipment and rules clearly, and show excitement about trying both types. They contribute ideas to discussions and can argue preferences using evidence from their play.

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Watch Out for These Misconceptions

• During Station Rotation, watch for children assuming old games lacked thrill due to simple props.

  Ask children to name one way they laughed or cheered during each game, then point out how movement and teamwork create joy without screens.

• During Pairs Debate, watch for students favouring screens without trying alternatives.

  Have each pair play one old and one new game before debating, so they can compare physical energy and social dynamics directly.

• During Whole Class Timeline Walk, watch for children thinking all games have stayed the same over time.

  Point to tags on the timeline that show rule changes, like 'freeze tag' or 'shadow tag,' and ask children to act out the differences.

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Methods used in this brief

• Stations Rotation
• Role Play