Looking for the Great Fire of London resources for KS1 & KS2? In this post, we’ll share several engaging activities including free printables, facts, games, children’s trails, quizzes and colouring pages. Perfect for parents and teachers looking to ignite curiosity in kids to learn about this fascinating historical event.
Generations of British schoolchildren have been captivated by the stories from the annus horribilis of 1666. In this post, we have compiled a list of engaging activities and facts about the Great Fire, mainly focused on KS 1 and KS2.
You will find references both to real places in London you can visit and digital resources to inspire children at home or in school.
7 Great Fire of London teaching resources
Step into the pages of history with our comprehensive collection of Great Fire of London resources! Ignite curiosity in kids and empower teachers with captivating materials, interactive lessons, and immersive tales from that fiery chapter of London’s past
1. Treasure Hunt Map
Embark on an unforgettable journey to the City of London! Trace the path of the Great Fire by using our specially crafted self-guided walking trail, perfect for young explorers eager to delve into the captivating tale of London’s past. Join us on this adventure through the heart of the City of London, unravelling the historic sites and intriguing stories woven into the fabric of the Great Fire.
Highlights along the Great Fire of London walking route:
- St Paul’s Cathedral – St Paul’s Cathedral was rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren after it was destroyed in the Great Fire of London in 1666.
- The Guildhall – was one of the few buildings to survive the Great Fire of London and served as a meeting place for the city’s officials during the rebuilding process.
- Leadenhall Market – Leadenhall Market was rebuilt after the Great Fire of London and became an important location for trading goods.
- Sky Garden – Get up high in the Walkie-Talkie Building and check out the view of the City from the Sky Garden.
- The Monument – The Monument was built to commemorate the Great Fire of London and its column is 202 feet tall, which is the exact distance between the monument and the spot where the fire started in Pudding Lane.
- St Dunstan in the East – St Dunstan in the East was badly damaged during the Great Fire of London and its ruins have become a symbol of the city’s resilience and rebirth.
This self-guided walking trail takes you on a journey through the city, where you’ll visit the locations affected by the fire, such as Pudding Lane, where the fire started, and the Monument, which was built to commemorate the disaster. Along the way, you’ll learn fascinating facts about the fire and the people who lived through it.
Being a local London family accustomed to the wonders of the City, we’ve meticulously crafted an exclusive map tailor-made for young adventurers of every age. Set your own pace and create cherished memories together.
Included in this package;
- A unique printable hand-drawn map through the City of London
- A guide for all the attractions along the trail made easy for kids to follow.
All you need to do is download the two PDF files and print them at home in colour or black & white. Alternatively, you can also use the digital versions and follow the path on your mobile or tablet.
Treasure Hunt – Download Today – only £3.50 for Map + Guide.
2. Online Quiz
How well do you know your Great Fire of London history? Answer LondonDuckling’s very own interactive quiz with 15 essential questions about the fire and see if you can get all the facts right. Don’t worry if you don’t get all the answers right on the first try – you can re-take the quiz as many times as you want 🙂
Engaging in quizzes to learn about specific subjects, such as the Great Fire of London, offers a valuable educational approach for children. By integrating quizzes into the learning process, children can interact with historical events in an active and engaging manner.
Take our Great Fire of London Quiz for kids (free)
3. Colouring Page
Learning history is not only about remembering hard facts about historical events. So get your crayons out and see if you can colour this famous printable drawing of the Great Fire:
In the drawing above, the fire can be seen from Southwark and is from Samuel Rolle’s book “The Burning of London in the year 1666” which was published the year after the fire in 1667:
St Paul’s can be seen on the left and St Mary Overie (later Southwark Cathedral) in the foreground, with the river Thames filled with terrified people fleeing with their possessions. On the south side of London Bridge can be seen pikes displaying the heads of executed traitors
Print out a Great Fire of London colouring page (free)
4. Online Game
The Museum of London has created an interactive online game called “The Great Fire of London” that allows school children to step back in time and experience the events of 1666 in a fun and engaging way.
In the game, children take on the role of Thomas Farriner, the baker whose bakery was the starting point of the fire, and must navigate through the streets of London to try and save their family and friends from the flames. Along the way, they will encounter various challenges and obstacles that were faced by real people during the fire, such as finding a safe place to sleep and avoiding falling debris.
Through the game, children can learn about the events of the Great Fire of London and gain a deeper understanding of what life was like during this tumultuous time in history. The game also features educational resources such as maps, timelines, and fact sheets that can be used to supplement classroom learning.
Play an interactive Great Fire online game (free)
5. Tudor house model
Take a step back in time and recreate the charm and elegance of a medieval house with a printable Tudor house model. Perfect for children learning about the Great Fire in KS1 and KS2, this digital download makes it easy peasy for anyone to make a replica of a typical Tudor house in Pudding Lane from 1666. We’ve even made sure to include a jettied second floor leaning out in the street!
With detailed instructions and an easy-to-follow template, this digital download makes it simple and fun to create your own pop-up Tudor house. Simply print the templates, cut out the pieces, and assemble them using glue or tape. No special skills or tools are required – just a printer, some glue and a pair of scissors!
Download the Tudor House Model Template – only £1.99
Set Fire to a Street of Cardboard Tudor Houses
Important: Not to be attempted without proper supervision and safety precautions!
Create an educational experiment inspired by the Great Fire of London. Set up a line of Tudor-style cardboard and paper houses to recreate the layout of Pudding Lane in 1666. By simulating controlled fires in these model buildings, children can witness the rapid spread of flames, highlighting significant factors that contributed to the Great Fire: the narrow streets, flammable structures, and the role of wind. This hands-on experience offers a vivid understanding of the historical event’s key causes.
Steps to recreate the fire:
- Construct Tudor model houses with jettied floors using cardboard or paper materials.
- Arrange the model houses in two rows, mirroring the layout of Puddling Lane during that era.
- Position the second floors and roofs closely to emulate the narrow streets of 1666.
- Select a specific house to represent Mr Farriner’s bakery, and simulate the ignition of the fire.
- Observe the progression of the fire as it travels from house to house, influenced by the prevailing wind conditions.
Important safety precautions when incorporating a real fire as part of a school project:
- Supervision: Always have an adult present during the activity.
- Designated Area: Use a controlled, well-ventilated space.
- Fire Extinguisher: Have one nearby in case of emergency.
- Protective Gear: Wear fire-resistant gloves and eye protection.
- Small Scale: Keep the fire controlled and use minimal fuel.
- Emergency Plan: Establish clear evacuation procedures.
- No Play: Emphasize the educational purpose and seriousness.
Fire Safety Discussion: Before starting the project, discuss fire safety with participants, explaining the importance of caution and responsible behaviour.
By engaging in projects involving fire, students gain experience that integrates history, science, safety awareness, and practical skills. It’s an opportunity to foster a deeper understanding of historical events while emphasizing responsible behaviour and safety considerations.
6. Books about the Great Fire
Great for KS1: Toby and The Great Fire Of London
- Paperback: 32 pages
- Age recommendation: 5-6 years old in KS1
Description: A charming pocket-sized paperback, perfect for our year 1 students’ introduction to The Great Fire of London. While the official reading age is 6-11, we think the narrative and colourful illustrations are best suited for 5-6-year-olds in KS1. The language strikes a balance between comprehension and vocabulary growth. The book sparks discussions, promoting critical thinking about historical cause and effect. “Toby and The Great Fire Of London” isn’t just a story; it’s a tool that inspires curiosity, exploration, and a lasting love for history.
Great for KS2: Usborne Young Reading – The Great Fire of London
- Hardcover : 64 pages
- Age recommendation: 7-8 years old in KS2
Description: Delve into the Tale of the Great Fire of London in 1666! Learn what sparked it, how it raced through the city, how brave folks fought it, and how London was reborn from its ashes. It’s a simple yet complete introduction to this major historical happening. This book is like a treasure from the Usborne Reading Programme, just right for kids who are getting good at reading but still like a bit of a challenge. It’s your ticket to becoming a history detective and unravelling the secrets of the past!
7. Essential facts
Here are a few essential facts for kids to learn about the Great Fire of London, including how the fire started, what caused it to spread so quickly, how they stopped the fire, and how the city was rebuilt after the disaster.
1. Pudding Lane: How it all started
Thomas Farriner (or Farynor) had a bakery in Pudding Lane and was known around London as the King’s Baker. Like normal was for bakers during the time he needed to keep his ovens at a steady high temperature, which also meant he had to pile a massive amount of wood in his kitchen.
Thomas Farriner most likely used a beehive oven which is a dome-shaped brick construction that looks a bit like a bees’ nest, hence the name ‘beehive’. Because of the shape of the dome, heat is effectively trapped in the oven. In this way, the bread (or any food) would get evenly baked.
Recommended KS1 activity: Visit the actual location of Pudding Lane in London
Mr Farriner’s beehive oven
All the parts of the beehive oven in Pudding Lane were made of brick, including the oven’s base, or floor, and its sides. Sometimes the outer surface was covered with a layer of clay or lime to seal it. The oven was heated by making a fire burn for long enough to heat all the bricks. Only then was the oven ready to use, and the loaves were inserted.
Nobody knows exactly what happened, but about two o’clock in the morning of Sunday 2nd September 1666, this wood caught fire. The flames spread quickly, and soon all the downstairs rooms in the bakery were on fire. Mr Farriner and his servants had to climb onto the bakery roof and jump across to the house next door. By the time Mr Farriner had woken his neighbours, the whole bakery in Pudding Lane was on fire. By dawn that morning, dozens of buildings in the area were alight.
Today, Pudding Lane is a fairly unassuming street with mostly post-war modern buildings. There’s actually not much to see except for a plaque created in 1986 near the original site where the famous bakery once stood. Pudding Lane is located right next to The Monument, though, so if you are in the area it’s an easy spot to find walking down Monument St.
-
What caused the Great Fire of London?
A spark from a bakery caused the initial fire which rapidly spread because of 4 main factors:
1) Windy and dry weather conditions
2) Narrow streets with jetties sticking out above the streets
3) Wooden highly flammable buildings
4) Slow initial response from the King
2. How did the fire spread
The summer of 1666 was hot and long, and by September, most of London was tinder dry. Almost all the houses were timber-framed houses with thatched roofs and a strong eastern wind sent the flames of the fire from house to house across the very narrow streets.
Many buildings were warehouses that stored barrels of brandy and spirits and oil which are very flammable. The barrels exploded in the heat and threw balls of flame out of windows and doors.
How did the leaning houses contribute to the fire?
Jettied buildings were a common architectural feature in medieval London. These buildings were characterized by upper floors that extended out beyond the lower floors, creating an overhang or jetty. This overhang was supported by wooden beams or corbels that extended from the upper walls and floors.
While jettied buildings provided additional living space for their inhabitants, they also posed a significant fire hazard. The overhangs and wooden supports created narrow, enclosed spaces between buildings that were difficult for firefighters to access in the event of a fire. This meant that if a fire started in one of these buildings, it could easily spread to neighbouring buildings through the narrow gaps and cause widespread damage.
During the Great Fire of London in 1666, the jettied buildings leaning out into the streets were a major contributing factor to the rapid spread of the fire. The narrow streets of the city were already congested with people and their belongings, making it difficult for firefighters to manoeuvre and access the burning buildings. The overhanging upper floors of the jettied buildings provided additional fuel for the flames, causing the fire to spread quickly from one building to the next.
Furthermore, the wooden supports and beams used to create the jetties were highly flammable and easily ignited. Once these wooden elements caught fire, the flames quickly spread to the rest of the building, causing it to collapse and creating a domino effect that contributed to the rapid spread of the fire.
As a result of the devastation caused by the Great Fire of London, building regulations were put in place to prevent the construction of jettied buildings and to improve the overall fire safety of buildings in the city. These regulations helped to ensure that future buildings were constructed in a way that minimized the risk of fire and helped to prevent similar disasters from occurring in the future.
3. How the fire was put out
By Wednesday, 5th September, the wind changed direction, and the fire stopped spreading. But, unfortunately, there was no fire brigade at the time of the Great Fire, so the King took charge of fighting the fire. Unique fire posts were created, and fire-fighting equipment was sent to them. Soldiers were sent in to help.
The King ordered houses to be knocked down, so the fire could not spread. Water from the river, fountains, and wells was passed in buckets along the lines of men. Watchmen also used syringes.
Samuel Pepys – The famous eyewitness
Samuel Pepys (“Samuel peeps”) worked for the Navy and Member of Parliament. He was an eyewitness to the events of the Great Fire.
At the time of the Great Fire, Samuel Pepys lived in Seethings Lane, close to the Tower of London. He wrote about his daily life in his diaries for ten years, and they tell us about life in London in the 1660s.
As the flames of the Great Fire got closer to his house, he wrote in his diary that he had decided to bury in his garden the most important things in his life. These were his wine, papers, and cheese.
4. How life went on afterwards
The Great Fire of London lasted for five days. It had burned 13,200 houses and 87 City of London churches. As a result, many people were left homeless.
London had been devastated by the fire, so King Charles asked the great architects to build a new city. Christopher Wren planned a cleaner and healthier city with houses built of brick and stone and with no wooden buildings allowed.
The Monument commemorates the Great Fire. Its height is 61˝ meters tall – the distance it stands from the site of Thomas Farryner’s bakery in Pudding Lane.
Key facts summarised:
- The fire started in the year 1666
- Thomas Farriner’s bakery in Pudding Lane was the place it all started
- The fire started when a spark from an oven ignited and fell into a pile
- The majority of the Farriner household was able to climb to safety
- A maid was unable to escape and became the first victim of The Great Fire
- London’s buildings were mostly made from wood during this period
- The houses in The City of London were tightly packed across narrow streets
- The fire spread quickly because of the strong easterly winds
- People attempted to gather all their belongings and fled towards the Thames
- Others raced through London’s gates to reach the fields
- Samual Pepys was the first to inform the King about the fire
- Pepys recommended houses be destroyed to stop the fires from spreading
- The Tower of London was threatened by fire, so extra fire engines were sent to the site to prevent its destruction.
- The Tower housed the most valuable belongings of the City’s wealthiest residents.
- 13.200 homes and 87 churches, including St Paul’s Cathedral, were destroyed by the Great Fire
- The temperature of the fire reached 1,700°C
- Surprisingly only six people are known to have died in the Great Fire
- The City was rebuilt with brick and stone, instead of wood, after the fire
- “The Monument” near Pudding Lane was erected to commemorate the fire
- Sir Christopher Wren became the leading architect rebuilding the City
1 comment
I’m a KS1 teacher and used page a lot when gathering materials for my class – thanks a lot for pulling all of this together!