Family Tree for Kids and School Projects

Family Tree Simple · Updated 25 September 2026 · 9 minute read

Simple enough for a child to fill in, tidy enough to hand in as homework.

School family tree projects usually mean a messy hand-drawn poster. Family Tree Simple lets a child enter names, add photos and print a neat chart the same evening.

Start a Kids Family Tree

Make a family tree an invitation to tell stories

A family tree for kids works best when it helps a child understand the people in their life. It does not need to be a complete genealogy project, and it should never become a test of whether a family fits a particular shape. Start with the child's question: who is this person, how are we connected, and what would I like to remember about them? A small, clearly labelled chart can answer those questions more effectively than a wall covered with unfamiliar names.

Choose a manageable first activity. For example, spend twenty minutes drawing the child, adding two or three important adults, and recording one memory about each person. The child can choose a colour or a small illustration for every card. An adult can help spell names without taking over the project. When the session ends, leave space for another conversation instead of insisting that every empty box must be filled immediately.

Choose the right scope for the child's age

For younger children, familiar faces and spoken relationships are often more useful than dates. Use first names, family nicknames, or labels the child already understands. Explain that one person can have several relationships: a grandmother is also someone's parent, sibling, cousin, or friend. A simple diagram makes that idea visible without requiring a lesson in all the terminology at once.

Older children may enjoy interviewing relatives, comparing old photographs, or investigating where a family lived. Give them one specific question to explore. Finding out which town a grandparent grew up in is a clearer assignment than researching the entire family. Teenagers may want to examine sources and disagreements. Let them practise separating a remembered story from information confirmed by a document, while keeping the tone curious and respectful.

• Begin with people the child recognises.
• Use a small number of generations on the first page.
• Add photographs only when the people involved are comfortable with their use.
• Choose one story or question for each session.
• Keep a separate list of topics that need an adult's help.

Let the family decide which relationships to show

Families can include adoptive parents, birth parents, stepfamilies, foster carers, guardians, chosen family, and relatives who live in different homes. A classroom-style template may not have enough room for those relationships. Adapt the activity to the family instead of squeezing people into inaccurate labels. A chart of important people can sit alongside a chart of biological ancestry when both are useful.

Ask the child and their caregivers what names and descriptions they prefer. Do not introduce sensitive information unexpectedly during an activity. If an application cannot represent a particular relationship accurately, explain that limitation and use a separate note or drawing. A software connection is a display choice; it should not be treated as a judgement about who belongs to the family. Leave uncertain relationships unlabelled until an appropriate adult can help.

Use an interview with a clear beginning and end

A short interview can turn a name into a person. Arrange it with the relative in advance and explain that the child is making a family history project. Offer a choice between talking, writing an answer, or looking at photographs together. Ten minutes may be enough. The aim is an enjoyable conversation, not collecting every detail or putting someone under pressure to discuss experiences they would rather keep private.

Prepare three questions with the child. Ask about a favourite game, a place they remember, or a meal they helped make. Follow the person's interests rather than reading a long questionnaire mechanically. At the end, ask whether the story can be included in the project and whether it can be shared beyond the household. Thank the person and show them the final wording if practical, especially if the child has summarised a complicated account.

• What did you like doing after school?
• Who taught you a skill you still use?
• Is there a photograph you would like to explain?
• What was different about the place where you grew up?
• Which memory would you like us to write down?

Record stories without turning guesses into facts

Children can learn good research habits with simple labels. Write “Grandad remembers” before a personal recollection, or “written on the photograph” when a name comes from a caption. If two people remember different dates, keep both accounts in the working notes. Explain that memories and records can disagree, and that discovering a disagreement is a reason to investigate rather than a reason to blame somebody.

Use approximate language when the evidence is approximate. “Around 1970” or “when she was a child” may be more honest than inventing a precise date. Do not make children responsible for resolving difficult family questions. An adult can keep a separate research list while the child's version stays focused on the relationships and stories that are appropriate for the activity. A question mark is a useful symbol, not a failure to finish.

Treat photographs as shared family belongings

Choose clear photographs that people are happy to have included. Ask before using a picture from a private message or another person's account. Keep the original file or print safe, and work with a copy. For older photographs, record who identified the people and when the identification was made. Two similar-looking relatives can easily be confused, especially when the picture has no date or caption.

Let the child write a short caption explaining why the photograph matters. “Auntie teaching me to bake” communicates more than a filename. Avoid adding addresses, school details, or other information that is unnecessary for the story. If the project will leave the home, review every image again for that audience. A version made for a classroom display can use drawings or initials where the family prefers less personal detail.

Plan for school projects and public sharing

Before sending a tree to school, ask what the assignment actually requires. A child may be able to show a small set of relationships without supplying full dates of birth, legal names, addresses, or personal histories. Discuss any concerns privately with the teacher. The child should not have to explain a sensitive family situation in front of classmates just to complete a worksheet.

Create separate versions when the audiences differ. The household version may include more stories and photographs; the classroom version may use a simpler chart. Before printing, sharing a link, or sending a file, check which names and details are visible. Do not assume that a document is private because its title sounds personal. An adult should review the destination and permissions, then explain in plain language who will be able to see the result.

Build a small activity around each branch

A family tree can become the starting point for several short projects. Put places on a map, compare childhood games, or collect words used in different households. Keep these activities grounded in what relatives have actually shared. A surname alone does not prove a person's nationality, language, beliefs, or cultural identity. Invite people to describe themselves instead of asking the child to infer those details from a name.

Try a “one person, one page” activity. The page can contain a name, a relationship, a drawing, a favourite memory, and a question for the next conversation. These pages can later support a more detailed tree, but each should also make sense by itself. Children who prefer writing, drawing, speaking, or arranging pictures can contribute in different ways. The activity becomes more inclusive when a neat diagram is only one possible result.

Keep difficult topics optional and supported

Family history may bring up bereavement, separation, migration, estrangement, or missing information. Let a child stop or change the subject. Do not force an interview or seek out a relative against a caregiver's judgement. An empty space can remain empty, and a remembered person can be included in a way the family finds comfortable. The project should support conversation rather than create an obligation to disclose everything.

When a child asks a question that needs care, acknowledge it and involve the appropriate trusted adult. Avoid using the tree to deliver surprising news or settle disagreements between adults. Keep research notes about sensitive matters outside the child's shared project. If the activity becomes upsetting, return to a familiar, positive story or pause completely. Finishing a chart is less important than maintaining trust with the people whose lives it describes.

Finish with a review the child can lead

Ask the child to explain the tree back to you. Can they identify the starting person, describe a connection, and tell one story about somebody on the page? That is a more useful check than counting how many ancestors have been added. Correct spelling and relationship errors together, then invite the child to choose a title and a date for this version.

Save a copy before making the next set of changes. Record which relatives helped so their contributions remain connected to the project. Revisit the tree when there is a new photograph, a family gathering, or another question the child wants to explore. It can grow gradually with their understanding. A thoughtful first version, with a few accurate relationships and stories shared willingly, is a strong foundation for years of family history learning.