What should a 5-year-old be learning?
At age 5, 291 topics open up across Science, English, Mathematics, Personal & Social Development, History, Life Skills, Arts & Music, Computing, Civics & Economics, French, Geography, Persian, Design & Technology, Learning to Learn. Each one has prerequisites that come first, so the order matters more than the list: Forces Vocabulary is a typical starting point.
How do I know what a 5-year-old already knows?
LightMySky starts by assuming everything below the learner’s level is already known, then checks the assumption as they practise. What holds up stays lit; what does not comes back for review.
Science
- Forces VocabularyForces & Motion
- Pushes & PullsForces & Motion
- Testing Push & Pull DesignsForces & Motion
- What is a minibeast?Insects & Minibeasts
- Caterpillar to butterflyInsects & Minibeasts
- Common minibeasts: naming and recognisingInsects & Minibeasts
- How minibeasts moveInsects & Minibeasts
- Minibeast HabitatsInsects & Minibeasts
- Minibeasts in the food chainInsects & Minibeasts
- Caring for minibeastsInsects & Minibeasts
- Objects vs MaterialsMatter & Materials
- Naming Everyday MaterialsMatter & Materials
- States of Matter VocabularyMatter & Materials
- Describing Material PropertiesMatter & Materials
- Grouping MaterialsMatter & Materials
- Coasts & BeachesOcean Life
- Ocean Animal VarietyOcean Life
- Rock Pool HabitatsOcean Life
- Whales & Dolphins Are MammalsOcean Life
- What Is the Ocean?Ocean Life
- What Ocean Animals NeedOcean Life
- Ocean Food ChainsOcean Life
- Common Plants & TreesOrganisms & Life Processes
- Living Things VocabularyOrganisms & Life Processes
- Naming Common AnimalsOrganisms & Life Processes
- Animal Body GroupsOrganisms & Life Processes
- Body Parts & SensesOrganisms & Life Processes
- Herbivores, Carnivores & OmnivoresOrganisms & Life Processes
- Parts of a PlantOrganisms & Life Processes
- What Living Things NeedOrganisms & Life Processes
- How Organisms Shape HabitatsEarth's Systems
- Seasonal changesEarth's Systems
- Local weather patternsEarth's Systems
- Asking scientific questionsScientific Inquiry
- Modelling with SketchesScientific Inquiry
- Observing with simple equipmentScientific Inquiry
- Simple tests and experimentsScientific Inquiry
- Recording DataScientific Inquiry
- Comparing Design SolutionsScientific Inquiry
- Naming the PlanetsSpace Systems & Earth's History
- Why seasons changeSpace Systems & Earth's History
- Sun, Moon & StarsSpace Exploration
- Moon PhasesSpace Exploration
- Our Solar SystemSpace Exploration
- Spotting ConstellationsSpace Exploration
- What Astronauts DoSpace Exploration
- Bones & MusclesThe Human Body
- How Breathing WorksThe Human Body
- The Brain Controls the BodyThe Human Body
- The Five SensesThe Human Body
- The Heart & BloodThe Human Body
- Basic Body NeedsThe Human Body
- Sunlight warms things upEnergy
- Building shade from the sunEnergy
- Temperature & ThermometersWeather & Climate
- Types of WeatherWeather & Climate
- Dressing for the WeatherWeather & Climate
- Rain & PuddlesWeather & Climate
- Seasons & Weather PatternsWeather & Climate
- Storm SafetyWeather & Climate
- Weather Forecasting & SafetyWeather & Climate
- What Is Wind?Weather & Climate
- Where Are the Poles?Polar Regions
- Arctic vs AntarcticPolar Regions
- Brave Polar ExplorersPolar Regions
- Ice & SnowPolar Regions
- Midnight Sun & Polar NightPolar Regions
- PenguinsPolar Regions
- Polar BearsPolar Regions
- Polar AnimalsPolar Regions
- What Is a Rainforest?Rainforests
- Everyday Foods from RainforestsRainforests
- Indigenous Rainforest PeoplesRainforests
- Inside a RainforestRainforests
- Rainforest LayersRainforests
- Rainforest AnimalsRainforests
- Rainforest InsectsRainforests
- Rainforest PlantsRainforests
- Where Rainforests AreRainforests
- Animals EverywhereAnimals of the World
- Animal HomesAnimals of the World
- Animal Record-HoldersAnimals of the World
- How Animals Have BabiesAnimals of the World
- Nocturnal AnimalsAnimals of the World
- Animal CamouflageAnimals of the World
- Wild, Farm & Pet AnimalsAnimals of the World
- Plants and animals in their habitatsEcosystems & Habitats
- Reducing Human ImpactEcosystems & Habitats
- Dinosaurs Were RealDinosaurs & Paleontology
- Famous Dinosaur SpeciesDinosaurs & Paleontology
- Dinosaur SizesDinosaurs & Paleontology
- Fossils & PalaeontologistsDinosaurs & Paleontology
- Plant-Eaters vs Meat-EatersDinosaurs & Paleontology
- Real Dinosaurs vs FictionDinosaurs & Paleontology
- Earth Is Made of RockVolcanoes & Earthquakes
- What Is a VolcanoVolcanoes & Earthquakes
- Power of EruptionsVolcanoes & Earthquakes
- What Is an EarthquakeVolcanoes & Earthquakes
- Earthquake SafetyVolcanoes & Earthquakes
- Fast & Slow Earth ChangesVolcanoes & Earthquakes
English
- Forming Capital LettersHandwriting & Transcription
- Letter Formation FamiliesHandwriting & Transcription
- Writing digits 0-9Handwriting & Transcription
- Diphthongs and complex vowelsPhonics & Word Reading
- R-Controlled Vowel SoundsPhonics & Word Reading
- Split Digraphs and Magic EPhonics & Word Reading
- SyllablesPhonics & Word Reading
- Compound WordsPhonics & Word Reading
- Reading ContractionsPhonics & Word Reading
- Reading High-Frequency Words by SightPhonics & Word Reading
- Reading fluentlyPhonics & Word Reading
- Reading Inflectional EndingsPhonics & Word Reading
- TrigraphsPhonics & Word Reading
- Spelling Verb EndingsSpelling & Word Study
- The Prefix un-Spelling & Word Study
- Tricky wordsSpelling & Word Study
- Book Features and Author's ReasonsReading Comprehension
- Listening to Texts Read AloudReading Comprehension
- Characters, settings, and eventsReading Comprehension
- Different Types of TextsReading Comprehension
- Main Topic of Informational TextsReading Comprehension
- Pictures and Text Working TogetherReading Comprehension
- Reading between the linesReading Comprehension
- Discussing and Questioning New WordsVocabulary
- Using New VocabularyVocabulary
- Word Parts as CluesVocabulary
- Basic Nouns & VerbsGrammar & Punctuation
- Joining Words with 'And'Grammar & Punctuation
- Regular Plural NounsGrammar & Punctuation
- Starting and Ending SentencesGrammar & Punctuation
- Spelling from DictationSpelling & Word Study
- Capitals for Names, Days and IGrammar & Punctuation
- Grammar words: letter, word, sentenceGrammar & Punctuation
- Discussing Texts as a GroupReading Comprehension
- PrepositionsGrammar & Punctuation
- Question WordsGrammar & Punctuation
- Sharing and Publishing Your WritingWriting Composition
- Writing Process VocabularyWriting Composition
- Shared Research ProjectsWriting Composition
- Reading for MeaningEnglish Thinking
- Self-Correcting While ReadingReading Comprehension
- Saying Sentences Before Writing ThemWriting Composition
- Writing opinionsWriting Composition
- Writing to informWriting Composition
- Connecting reading to experienceReading Comprehension
- Sorting & Categorising WordsVocabulary
- Shades of MeaningVocabulary
- Simple Stories with Beginning and EndingWriting Composition
- Responding to Writing FeedbackWriting Composition
- Comparing Characters Across StoriesReading Comprehension
Mathematics
- Counting objects to 20Counting & Cardinality
- Rote counting to 100Counting & Cardinality
- Counting in 2sCounting & Cardinality
- Two written numerals between 1 and 10Counting & Cardinality
- Fluent adding and subtracting within 5Addition & Subtraction
- Number bondsAddition & Subtraction
- Adding and subtractingAddition & Subtraction
- Early Word ProblemsAddition & Subtraction
- 3-D shapes (age 5+)Geometry
- Building & Drawing ShapesGeometry
- Combining Simple ShapesGeometry
- Flat vs Solid ShapesGeometry
- Capacity and volumeMeasurement
- Days, Weeks, Months & YearsMeasurement
- Measuring length and height (age 5+)Measurement
- Measuring mass and weightMeasurement
- Telling time to the minuteMeasurement
- Multiplication as repeated additionMultiplication & Division
- Arrays for multiplicationMultiplication & Division
- What Is a Half?Fractions
- Turns & DirectionsGeometry
- Finding halves and quarters (age 5+)Fractions
- Reading and writing numbers to 20Number Representation & Place Value
- Reading +, −, and = symbolsAddition & Subtraction
- Coin ValuesMeasurement
- Telling Time: Hours and Half HoursMeasurement
- Number Words to TwentyNumber Representation & Place Value
- Reading and writing numbers to 100Number Representation & Place Value
- The teen numbersNumber Representation & Place Value
- Sorting into categoriesData & Statistics
- Early Maths VocabularyMathematical Thinking
- Finding efficient methodsMathematical Thinking
- Hands-On Problem SolvingMathematical Thinking
- Making Sense of ProblemsMathematical Thinking
- Real-World to Maths ConnectionsMathematical Thinking
- Showing Your WorkingMathematical Thinking
- Spotting mathematical patternsMathematical Thinking
- Using objects to model real problemsMathematical Thinking
Personal & Social Development
- Vocabulary: selfSelf-Awareness
- Naming Your FeelingsSelf-Awareness
- Naming Basic EmotionsEmotional Literacy
- Feelings Change and DifferEmotional Literacy
- Triggers and Causes of FeelingsEmotional Literacy
- Vocabulary: understanding othersEmpathy & Social Awareness
- Other People's Feelings and ThoughtsEmpathy & Social Awareness
- Everyday Kindness and CareEmpathy & Social Awareness
- Similarities & DifferencesEmpathy & Social Awareness
- Vocabulary: working with othersFriendship & Cooperation
- Listening to OthersFriendship & Cooperation
- Asking for HelpFriendship & Cooperation
- Makes someone a good friendFriendship & Cooperation
- Taking Turns and SharingFriendship & Cooperation
- Vocabulary: making decisions and keeping safeResponsible Decision-Making
- Actions and Their ConsequencesResponsible Decision-Making
- Everyday Safety AwarenessResponsible Decision-Making
- Right and Wrong ChoicesResponsible Decision-Making
- Rules and agreements existResponsible Decision-Making
- Water SafetyResponsible Decision-Making
- Words for Big FeelingsSelf-Regulation & Resilience
- Coping with Life ChangesSelf-Regulation & Resilience
- Learning from MistakesSelf-Regulation & Resilience
- Simple Calming StrategiesSelf-Regulation & Resilience
- Expressing Feelings with WordsEmotional Literacy
- Patience and Delayed GratificationSelf-Regulation & Resilience
History
- Past Events and ChangeHistorical Thinking
- Significant Historical FiguresHistorical Thinking
- Egypt, the Nile, and the DesertAncient Egypt
- Everyday Life in Ancient EgyptAncient Egypt
- Vocabulary: ancient egyptAncient Egypt
- Hieroglyphs and PapyrusAncient Egypt
- Pharaohs and TutankhamunAncient Egypt
- Ancient Greece and Rome on the MapAncient Greece & Rome
- Ancient life vs todayAncient Greece & Rome
- Romulus & RemusAncient Greece & Rome
- Roman soldiers & buildersAncient Greece & Rome
- The VikingsMedieval Times
- What Is a Castle?Medieval Times
- Knights & ArmourMedieval Times
- Kings & QueensMedieval Times
- Robin Hood & King ArthurMedieval Times
- Village LifeMedieval Times
- Medieval ClothingMedieval Times
- Medieval Food & FeastsMedieval Times
- Pyramids and the Great SphinxAncient Egypt
- Egyptian Gods and the AfterlifeAncient Egypt
- Greek gods & Mount OlympusAncient Greece & Rome
- Greek Myths and HeroesAncient Greece & Rome
- The first OlympicsAncient Greece & Rome
- Discovering Tutankhamun's TombAncient Egypt
Life Skills
- What Money IsMoney & Finance
- Jobs People DoMoney & Finance
- Needs & WantsMoney & Finance
- Saving MoneyMoney & Finance
- Goods & ServicesEntrepreneurship
- Buyers & SellersEntrepreneurship
- Making Something to SellEntrepreneurship
- Who Is a Customer?Entrepreneurship
- Coins & NotesMoney & Finance
- Buying ThingsMoney & Finance
- Looking After MoneyMoney & Finance
- Get a grown-up firstpack: First aid for kids
- Small cuts and scrapespack: First aid for kids
- Bumps and bruisespack: First aid for kids
- Sun and heatpack: First aid for kids
Arts & Music
- Exploring and Making SoundsMusic
- Listening to MusicMusic
- Art Materials and TechniquesVisual Art
- Finding the steady beatpack: Music theory first steps
- Long and short soundspack: Music theory first steps
- Loud and quietpack: Music theory first steps
- Fast and slowpack: Music theory first steps
- High and low soundspack: Music theory first steps
Computing
- Computers in Everyday LifeArtificial Intelligence
- Real-World RobotsArtificial Intelligence
- Smart Versus Not-Smart DevicesArtificial Intelligence
- Step-by-Step InstructionsArtificial Intelligence
- Voice Assistants and How They WorkArtificial Intelligence
- AI in Daily LifeArtificial Intelligence
- Simple Programs: Sequences and InstructionsComputing Fundamentals