Foundation · Geography · Geographical knowledge and understanding
Natural and built features
Children identify features in their local area and sort them into natural features (made by nature) and built features (made by people).
Awaiting educator review. This material was drafted by our content team with AI assistance and is waiting for review by a qualified educator. Please check it suits your child before using it. Created 10 October 2026.
Learning goals
Learners will
- Identify features of their local area.
- Sort features into natural and built.
Success looks like
- I can name three things I see on a walk near my home.
- I can say whether something is made by nature or made by people.
- I can sort pictures into two groups.
The big idea
When we look around a place, we see features. Features are things like trees, hills, houses, roads and rivers.
Natural features are made by nature. Trees, rocks, hills, rivers, the beach, the sea and the sky are natural.
Built features are made by people. Houses, roads, bridges, playgrounds, shops and fences are built.
Some places have lots of natural features, like a forest. Other places have lots of built features, like a city.
Looking carefully at features helps us describe a place to someone who has never been there.
Worked examples
Sorting on a walk
On a walk you see a tree, a letterbox, a hill and a road. Sort them.
- Ask: Did people make it? Letterbox and road were made by people, so they are built.
- Tree and hill were made by nature, so they are natural.
Answer: Natural: tree, hill. Built: letterbox, road.
Describing a place
Describe the park using features.
- Name natural features: grass, trees, a pond.
- Name built features: swings, a path, a bench.
- Put it together in a sentence.
Answer: 'The park has grass, trees and a pond. It also has swings, a path and a bench.'
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
Which is a natural feature?
A river — A river is made by nature.
Which is a built feature?
A playground — People build playgrounds.
Who makes built features?
People — Built features are made by people.
Which place has the most natural features?
A forest — A forest is mostly trees and plants.
Is a tree natural or built?
Natural — Trees grow naturally.
Is a fence natural or built?
built — People build fences.
Is a mountain natural or built?
natural — Mountains are formed by nature.
Something you can see in a place, like a tree or a road, is called a ____.
feature — Features are the things that make up a place.
Watch out for
- Children may think a park is entirely natural. Point out that paths, benches and even planted gardens were made or arranged by people.
- Some think animals are 'built' if they live in a zoo. Keep the focus on landscape features.
Tips for parents
- Play 'natural or built?' during car trips or walks.
- Use the child's own photos for sorting; this makes it more meaningful.
- Accept 'made by people' as an answer before introducing the word 'built'.
Go further
- Make a collage of natural and built features from magazine pictures.
- Create a nature table with natural objects found on a walk (leaving living things in place).
- Build a model street with blocks and add natural features like trees made from twigs.