Year 1 · History · Historical knowledge and understanding
Family life then and now
Children compare everyday family life when their grandparents were young with family life today, noticing what has changed and what has stayed the same.
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
- Describe some ways family life has changed over time.
- Describe some things about family life that have stayed the same.
Success looks like
- I can name one thing that has changed in family life since my grandparents were children.
- I can name one thing that has stayed the same.
- I can use a photo or a story to find out about the past.
The big idea
History is about change and continuity. Change means something is different now. Continuity means something has stayed the same.
Many grandparents of children today were young in the 1960s, 1970s or 1980s. Back then, many families had one telephone attached to the wall, watched a small number of television channels and wrote letters to stay in touch. Today many families use mobile phones, video calls and the internet.
Some jobs at home have changed because of technology. Washing machines, microwaves and dishwashers have made some chores faster. In earlier times, more washing and cooking was done by hand.
Some things have stayed the same. Families still share meals, celebrate special days, tell stories, play games and look after each other.
Not every family's past looks the same. Families from different places and cultures, including Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander families and families who moved to Australia from other countries, have their own experiences and stories.
We find out about family life in the past by asking older people, looking at photos and looking at objects. These are clues, or sources, about the past.
Worked examples
Comparing telephones
Compare a phone from when Grandma was young with a phone today.
- Look at a picture of an old phone: it had a cord, a dial and stayed in one place.
- Look at a mobile phone: it has a screen, no cord and can go anywhere.
- Ask: What is the same? Both are used to talk to people far away.
- Ask: What is different? The way they look and the things they can do.
Answer: Change: phones are now mobile with screens. Continuity: people still use phones to talk to family.
Then and now chart
Sort these into 'Then' (when grandparents were young) and 'Now': writing letters, video calls, playing outside, streaming shows.
- Writing letters was a common way to keep in touch then.
- Video calls and streaming shows use the internet, so they belong to now.
- Playing outside happened then and still happens now, so it shows continuity.
Answer: Then: writing letters. Now: video calls, streaming shows. Both: playing outside.
Practice check
Have a go, then check your answers. Each answer comes with an explanation.
Answer guide for parents
What does 'change' mean in history?
Something becomes different over time — In history, change means something has become different over time.
Which of these is something families still do today, just like in the past?
Share meals together — Sharing meals is something families did in the past and still do today.
Which is the best way to find out what life was like when your grandparents were young?
Ask your grandparents or an older person — People who lived in the past can tell us about it.
Which item is newer?
A tablet computer — Tablet computers are much newer than the other items.
When something stays the same over time, historians call it…
continuity — Continuity means something has stayed the same.
Your parents, you, and your grandparents each belong to a different ____. (one word starting with 'g')
generation — A generation is a group of people born around the same time.
Tools and machines people make to help them are called ____.
technology — Technology is the tools and machines people make.
Old photos, objects and stories that tell us about the past are called ____.
sources — Historians call these clues sources.
Watch out for
- Children sometimes think everything in the past was black and white because old photos are. Explain that the world was in colour; early cameras could only take black-and-white photos.
- Some children think people in the past had no fun. Talk about games, music and outdoor play that families enjoyed then and still enjoy now.
Tips for parents
- If grandparents are not available, ask another older person you know, or use a picture book set in the past.
- Families have different histories. Let the child share their own family's experience rather than assuming a single 'Australian' story.
- Use a simple two-column 'Then' and 'Now' chart; the child can draw instead of write.
Go further
- Interview an older relative with three questions: What games did you play? What did you eat? How did you get to school?
- Visit a local museum or historical society display of household objects.
- Make a 'then and now' drawing of a kitchen.