The Adventures of Tim and Tina is a “This and That” worksheet I designed for my grade 1 and 2 students learning vocabulary. Though it’s a foundational lesson on vocabulary, I will recommend a simpler way to teach “This and That” to younger kids first before introducing them to worksheets.
But before that,
What is “This and That”?
“This and That” are demonstrative pronouns for referring to or pointing at something/someone.
I have identified three basic uses of the words “This and That” on the worksheet;
1. To Refer Someone or Something
The word “This” refers to a singular person or object close to you, while “That” refers to a person/object farther away from you.
Mostly, we use “This and That” before a noun to show the listener which person/object we are talking about. However, you can also use them on their own as we will see shortly.
Here are some sentence examples using “This or That.”
| This – Close By | That -Further Away |
|---|---|
| This is a ball | That is a ball |
| This flower is pretty | That flower is pretty |
| Take this vase | Give me that vase |
| This pancake is yummy | Eat that pancake |
The plural of “This and That” is THESE and THOSE, and we teach these immediately after students master this and that. For example, you will say,
- These are balls
- Those are balls
The first one, THESE, are balls close to the speaker, and THOSE are balls farther away from the speaker. By farther, we mean beyond touching distance if the speaker doesn’t move from where they are.
The word “That” could also mean someone else is holding or possessing the said object, even if you can still reach it. For example,
- That food looks good.
- That is a cute child.
In the story on our “This and That” worksheet for Grade 1, we see a great demonstration of this fact.
“Look at _THIS_ flower!” exclaimed Tina, pointing to a beautiful flower close to her. Tim nodded and said, “Yes, _THAT_ flower is really pretty.”
You can use “This and That” as pronouns, without the nouns when it’s obvious what you are referring to. Maybe you are pointing to the object or holding it.
Examples,
- How about this?
- Who is that?
- Can I see that?
- This is beautiful.
2. Using “This and That” on Concrete Nouns
While the basic use of “This and That” refers to proper and common nouns, you also use the demonstrative words to refer to things you can’t touch or see, like feelings or sounds or even something one is doing.
For example,
- I do not like this feeling I have.
- Where is that noise coming from?
- That sound is very low
- This is fun. (In this case, the speaker refers to something they are doing, like a game or an activity.
Here’s a sentence from our story,
“Suddenly, they heard a rustling sound. “What was _THAT_ noise?” asked Tim, looking around nervously. Tina pointed to a nearby bush. “I think _THAT_ noise came from that bush,” she said.
Buy the worksheet now!: The Adventures of Tim and Tina
3. To Refer to Something Near or Distant in Time
This and That are used to refer to a time you do something. Examples,
- I came home this morning.
- We will see him this evening.
- That was a long time ago.
Now, to our story,
“Do you remember _THAT_ time we saw a rabbit in the backyard?” Tina asked, pointing to a picture they took last year.
Tim nodded, “Yes, _THAT_ rabbit was just as cute as _THIS_ one.”
See what we did there? The rabbit they saw in the past becomes THAT because of distant time.
I would like to note that the English language has more uses for the words This and That. We have only covered the basics here because it’s what grade 1 and 2 students need to know. You can check out a more advanced “This and That” worksheet here if you are teaching older kids.
“This and That” Activities for Kindergarten
As I mentioned, “This and That” worksheets may not be the best way to introduce demonstrative pronouns to toddlers and kindergarteners. Their minds will grasp the concept better with visual experiences.
For instance,
Hold a pencil and place another one two desks away from you. Tell the kid/s, “This is a pencil,” and point to the one you are holding. And “That is a pencil,” pointing to the one farther from you.
Repeat this activity many times and with different objects until the kids grasp the difference between this and that. I like to use the kids as well and say- This is Amos vs. That is John.
Once they can clearly use this and that in short sentences, we can move on to stories and worksheets.
Let’s look at some of the activities you can use to teach ‘this and that’ before you use worksheets.
Also Read: C K and CK Word Rule to Make Spelling Easy
Games and Activities
1. Near and Far
This simple game is a fantastic way to introduce the concepts of “this” and “that.” Gather a few objects and place them around the room. Point to an object close to your child and say, “This is a ball.” Then, point to an object far away and say, “That is a book.” Encourage your child to repeat the phrases.
You can also play this game during walks. Point to objects near and far, such as a tree, a car, or a bird. Use “this” and “that” to describe the objects: “Look at this big tree!” “That’s a red car!”
2. Treasure Hunt
Turn your home into an exciting adventure with a treasure hunt! Hide a small toy or treat somewhere in the room. Use clues that involve “this” and “that” to guide your child to the treasure.
For example, you could say, “Go to the big chair. The treasure is under this pillow.” Or, “Look under that table. The treasure is next to the red toy car.”
This game reinforces the use of “this” and “that” and encourages problem-solving and critical-thinking skills.
3. Simon Says
Simo says is a classic game that can be adapted to fit so many situations. To play, give commands using these words, such as “Simon says touch this book” or “Simon says point to that window.”
Make sure to mix up the commands, both with and without, “Simon says,” to keep your child engaged and alert. This way, you can use the game to improve their listening and attention skills.
Sensory Play
Sensory play is a fantastic way to stimulate a child’s senses and encourage exploration. It allows children to learn through touch, smell, sight, and sound. By incorporating “this” and “that” into sensory play, you can enhance language development and cognitive skills. Here’s how to.
4. Blindfolded Touch Game
This sensory activity is a great way to help your child focus on the tactile sensations of objects. Blindfold your child and place a variety of textured objects in front of them.
Guide their hand to each object and ask them to describe it using “this.” For example, you could say, “What is this? Is it soft or hard?”
This activity not only helps with language development but also improves fine motor skills and sensory awareness.
5. Sensory Bins
Sensory bins are a versatile tool for learning and play. Fill a bin with a variety of materials like rice, beans, sand, or water. Add objects like small toys, shells, or rocks. Encourage your child to explore the bin and use “this” and “that” to describe the objects they find.
For example, you could say, “Can you find something round in this bin? That’s a ball!” Or, “Let’s feel this sand. It’s soft, isn’t it?”
Sensory bins provide endless opportunities for learning and creativity while also strengthening fine motor skills and sensory processing. You can use sensory books as well if you don’t want to deal with the mess that sometimes come with sensory bins.
If you don’t have the time or resources to create your own sensory bins, here are a few great options to consider.
If you are looking for something that will double up as a fun toy for your child, I’d highly recommend this sensory toy. While most are designed for younger kids, parents swear that this keeps order kids occupied for hours. Be ready to clean up, though, as it get’s a little messy. The beads may be too small for younger kids, so make sure you set them aside if there is a smaller sibling around.
If you don’t like cleaning up sand, then this farm set will be perfect for your child. The sand clumps up and squashes together, which is perfect for younger kids and minimizes cleaning up. This set comes with tons of toys you can use while learning “this” and “that”. You can incorporate choices such as “Do you want to carry use this wheelbarrow or that tractor?” while playing.
If your child is interested in learning about space, then this sensory bin will be the perfect way to hit two birds with one stone. It comes with four small bins and tons of toys you can use to learn. I’d recommend using it for older kids as some of the pieces are pretty small, pausing a choking hazard for younger kids.
The toys in this sensory bin are pretty realistic to what you would find in the ocean. The only disappointment was that the little blue beads were plastic, so kids couldn’t squish them. It’s also the perfect size for traveling as it doesn’t take up too much space.
6. Reading and Storytelling
Choose books that use “this” and “that” frequently. As you read, point to objects in the illustrations and use these words to describe them. For example, you could say, “Look at this big dog!” or “Can you see that little bird?
Here are a few book recommendations for you to consider.
When the author says that this book will drive kids crazy, they mean it.
Whether you have a cat or not, this book is a great way to ask your child what they think a cat would like.
7. This and That Worksheets for Grade 1
Our “This and That” worksheet is an interesting story with blank spaces for the kids to fill in with the correct pronoun. It also has captivating images to help grade 1 students focus and fill in the blanks more easily.
The Adventures of Tim and Tina: A “This” and “That” worksheet for kids in Grade 1
Tips for Effective Teaching
Now that you have everything you need, here are some tips to help you effectively teach your child “this” and “that”.
- Keep it simple and repetitive.
- Use positive reinforcement and praise.
- Make it fun and engaging.
- Use gestures and facial expressions for visual cues.
- Be patient – learning takes time.
