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Everyday things — print pack

Print, cut, and talk about it together. · Ages 5–9 · Roo Bloom

How to use these pages

  1. Print on A4, single sided, at 100% — not “fit to page”.
  2. Cut along the dashed lines to make the cards.
  3. Ask the question, then ask “what can you see?” before anything else.
  4. The last page is for you, not for the wall.

Four things to ask

“What can you see?” “What happened?” “What clue helped you?” “So why did that happen?”

Why cards

Cut these out. Show the picture, read the question, and talk.

  • A girl at a home table holding a cloth. A cup lies on its side and juice has run across the table. A grown-up stands beside her.

    Why is Jo using a cloth?

    Everyday things · 1

  • A girl stopped on a playground path, bending down towards her shoe. One shoelace is undone and trailing on the ground. A friend has turned back towards her.

    Why did Nia stop walking?

    Everyday things · 2

  • A girl at a classroom table holding a sharpener. A pencil lies on the table in front of her in two pieces. Her paper is beside it, and another child works nearby.

    Why is Mei using the sharpener?

    Everyday things · 3

  • A girl standing at a craft table with both hands held up in front of her. A glue stick lies on the table beside some paper. Another child is sitting at the table.

    Why does Tabi need to wash her hands?

    Everyday things · 4

  • A girl at a party with both hands over her ears. A burst balloon lies on the floor near her feet. Another balloon floats up high, and a boy stands beside her.

    Why is Mei covering her ears?

    Everyday things · 5

  • A boy leaning down from his classroom chair with one arm stretched out. A pencil lies on the floor under the table. His paper is up on the table, and another child sits beside him.

    What is Ravi trying to do?

    Everyday things · 6

  • A boy at the edge of a pool holding a folded towel. A wet patch is on the ground behind him. A drink bottle sits further along, and another child stands beside it.

    Why is Sam carrying a towel?

    Everyday things · 7

  • A boy in a school hallway looking up at a row of pegs. Coats hang on either side of one bare peg. His bag is lying on the floor near his feet. Ms Bell stands further down the hallway.

    What happened to Sam's bag?

    Everyday things · 8

  • A boy on a front step pulling a jumper down over his head. Grandad stands beside him carrying a coat over one arm, with a scarf on the step next to him. Leaves have blown across the path, and a ball sits by the door.

    Why is Arlo putting his jumper on?

    Everyday things · 9

  • A girl and her grandad walking away from a shop counter. A sign with a crossed-out circle hangs on the wall behind them. Grandad is carrying an umbrella.

    Why are Jo and Grandad walking away?

    Everyday things · 10

The three answers

Cut these into strips and lay the three out under the matching card.

  • 1

    • Some juice spilled.
    • She is drying her hands.
    • She is cleaning her drink bottle.

  • 2

    • Her shoelace came undone.
    • She is looking for her hat.
    • She wants to go inside.

  • 3

    • Her pencil has snapped in two.
    • She is packing up her desk.
    • She is sharpening it for Ravi.

  • 4

    • Her hands are sticky with glue.
    • It is nearly lunch time.
    • She is packing up to go.

  • 5

    • A balloon popped loudly.
    • She is playing a hiding game.
    • Somebody is singing to her.

  • 6

    • He is getting his pencil.
    • He is looking for his bag.
    • He is tying his shoelace.

  • 7

    • He just got out of the water.
    • He is going to have lunch.
    • He is helping tidy up.

  • 8

    • It fell off his peg.
    • He left it at home.
    • He is unpacking his lunch.

  • 9

    • It is cold outside.
    • It is nearly bed time.
    • He is going swimming.

  • 10

    • The shop is shut.
    • They have finished their shopping.
    • They are going to the park.

Why → Because

Say the first half and let your child finish it. That is the whole exercise.

  • 1Jo is using a cloth because

  • 2Nia stopped walking because

  • 3Mei is using the sharpener because

  • 4Tabi needs to wash her hands because

  • 5Mei is covering her ears because

  • 6Ravi is reaching down because

  • 7Sam is carrying a towel because

  • 8Sam's bag is on the floor because

  • 9Arlo is putting his jumper on because

  • 10Jo and Grandad are walking away because

For grown-ups: the answers and the clues

The clue is the useful column. If your child is stuck, point at the clue rather than saying the answer.

  1. 1. Why is Jo using a cloth?

    Some juice spilled.

    Clue: Look at the table top.

  2. 2. Why did Nia stop walking?

    Her shoelace came undone.

    Clue: Look down at her shoes.

  3. 3. Why is Mei using the sharpener?

    Her pencil has snapped in two.

    Clue: Look at her table.

  4. 4. Why does Tabi need to wash her hands?

    Her hands are sticky with glue.

    Clue: Look at the glue on the table.

    Ask what glue feels like on your fingers.

  5. 5. Why is Mei covering her ears?

    A balloon popped loudly.

    Clue: Look at the floor near her.

    Ask your child which sounds are too loud for them.

  6. 6. What is Ravi trying to do?

    He is getting his pencil.

    Clue: Look at the floor under the table.

  7. 7. Why is Sam carrying a towel?

    He just got out of the water.

    Clue: Look at the ground behind him.

  8. 8. What happened to Sam's bag?

    It fell off his peg.

    Clue: Look near his feet.

    Ask what that peg looked like this morning.

  9. 9. Why is Arlo putting his jumper on?

    It is cold outside.

    Clue: Look at what Grandad is carrying.

    Ask what else people put on when it is chilly.

  10. 10. Why are Jo and Grandad walking away?

    The shop is shut.

    Clue: Look at the sign on the wall.

Roo Bloom · roobloom.com

This is an educational resource, not therapy or medical advice.