All About My Family

Overview

This 30-minute session is Lesson 2 of 7 in the "All About Me!" unit for Reception students (ages 4–5). Children will explore their family relationships by creating a simple family tree using drawings or photos. This activity supports personal, social, and emotional development, communication skills, and early understanding of the world around them, fully aligned to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework and the National Curriculum for England.

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Learning Objectives

By the end of this lesson, children will:

• Recognise and name key family members (parents, siblings, grandparents etc.)
• Understand the concept of family roles and relationships
• Develop fine motor skills through drawing and arranging pictures
• Talk confidently about their family and listen respectfully to others
• Begin to understand similarities and differences between families

EYFS Development Matters Links:

• Personal, Social, and Emotional Development (PSED):
  Self-confidence and self-awareness - Children are confident to try new activities and say why they like some activities more than others.
• Communication and Language (CL):
  Listening, Attention and Understanding - Children listen to stories with increasing attention and recall.
  Speaking - Use new vocabulary and express themselves effectively.
• Understanding the World (UW):
  People and Communities - Children know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions.

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Resources

• A4 paper or pre-made family tree templates with 3-4 branches
• Colouring pencils, crayons, or markers
• Glue sticks
• Printed or digital photographs of family members (optional, parents can help bring these in)
• Name labels (to write family members' names)
• Large chart paper or whiteboard for demonstration
• Storybook about families (optional for introduction)

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Lesson Breakdown

1. Introduction & Discussion (5 minutes)

• Gather children on the carpet. Engage them with a simple story or discussion about families, e.g. "Who is in your family?"
• Show your own simple family tree on the board or large paper, explaining who each person is and their role (mum, dad, brother, grandma, etc.).
• Invite a few children to share names of their family members and roles. Reinforce vocabulary and encourage respectful listening.

2. Demonstration (3 minutes)

• Show children the blank family tree template.
• Model drawing or sticking a photo for your immediate family: parents, siblings, grandparents.
• Label each family member using clear, simple labels.

3. Activity: Creating Individual Family Trees (15 minutes)

• Hand out templates or paper to all children with materials.
• Children draw or paste pictures of their family members onto the family tree.
• Assist with naming and positioning family members as needed.
• Encourage children to talk to a partner about their family members while working.
• Use prompts: "Who is this? What does he/she do in your family?"

4. Sharing & Reflection (5 minutes)

• Invite children to show their family trees to the group in pairs or small groups.
• Prompt children to describe at least one family member and their role.
• Provide positive reinforcement emphasizing differences and similarities in families.
• If time allows, highlight examples of different family structures respectfully.

5. Wrap-up & Link to Next Lesson (2 minutes)

• Recap key vocabulary: names of family members and their roles.
• Explain that next time they will learn about friends or themselves in more detail to build on the concept of community.

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Assessment Opportunities

• Observe children’s ability to identify and name family members verbally during discussion and sharing.
• Assess fine motor skills through drawing or sticking activities.
• Listen for use of new vocabulary related to family roles.
• Note children’s engagement and ability to listen and respect peers during sharing time.

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Differentiation

• Provide extra support with name writing or positioning for children with fine motor challenges.
• For children working beyond expectations, encourage addition of extended family (auntie, uncle, niece) or pets as family members.
• Use photographs for non-verbal learners or those who find drawing challenging.

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Curriculum Links Summary

EYFS Aspect	Learning Goal
PSED: Self-confidence	Talk about self and family with pride and clarity
CL: Speaking & Listening	Use family-related vocabulary; listen to peers
UW: People and Communities	Compare families; recognise roles and traditions
Physical Development: Fine Motor	Hold and control writing/drawing tools

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Teacher’s Tip

Consider sending a simple family information sheet home before the lesson for parents to help gather photographs and talk about family members with their child. This strengthens home-school links and enriches children’s confidence in sharing.

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This fun, interactive lesson builds crucial foundations for identity and social relationships, scaffolding children’s understanding of themselves as part of a wider community.