School Subjects Names for Kids: Easy List with Pictures

The school bell rings, books open, and a new lesson begins. One class may be filled with numbers, while the next brings stories, maps, music, experiments, or movement.

Learning school subjects names for kids helps children understand their timetable and talk about what they study. It also gives young learners useful language for saying which subjects they enjoy, what they do in each lesson, and when a class takes place.

What Is a School Subject?

A school subject is an area of learning taught at school. Each subject helps children build different knowledge and skills.

The word subject is pronounced /ˈsʌb.dʒɪkt/ 🔊.

For example:

• English helps children read, write, speak, and listen.
• Math teaches numbers, shapes, measurement, and problem-solving.
• Science helps children explore living things, materials, weather, and how the world works.
• Art develops creativity through drawing, painting, and design.
• Physical education develops movement, balance, fitness, and teamwork.

A child may study several subjects in one day:

• English is our first lesson.
• Math comes before break.
• We have science after lunch.
• Art is the final subject today.

Schools may use different subject names depending on the country, curriculum, and age group.

School Subjects on a Timetable

A timetable shows which subjects students have and when each lesson begins.

School subject	What children learn or do
English	Read, write, speak, listen, and learn new words
Math	Count, calculate, measure, work with shapes, and solve problems
Science	Explore plants, animals, weather, materials, and simple experiments
Reading	Read stories, poems, instructions, and information
Writing	Form letters and write words, sentences, and short texts
Phonics	Connect letters and letter groups with spoken sounds
Art	Draw, paint, color, design, and make visual work
Music	Sing, listen, clap rhythms, and play instruments
PE	Exercise, move, balance, and play physical games
History	Learn about people and events from the past
Geography	Study maps, countries, land, weather, and places
Computer studies	Use computers and digital tools safely
Social studies	Learn about communities, cultures, history, and society
Foreign language	Learn another language used outside the main classroom language

Some schools also teach:

• handwriting
• spelling
• general knowledge
• environmental studies
• drama
• dance
• coding
• design and technology

What Kids Do During Each Lesson

Children remember subject names more easily when they connect them with familiar classroom activities.

English

In English, children may:

• read stories
• learn vocabulary
• practise spelling
• write sentences
• answer questions
• speak with classmates

Examples:

• We read a story in English.
• The class learns five new words.
• I write a sentence about my family.

Math

In math, children may:

• count objects
• add and subtract
• compare numbers
• measure length
• identify shapes
• solve problems

Examples:

• We add two numbers.
• The teacher draws a triangle.
• Our class measures the desk.

Science

In science, children may:

• observe plants
• learn about animals
• study weather
• compare materials
• make predictions
• carry out simple experiments

Examples:

• We observe how a seed grows.
• The class learns why ice melts.
• Our experiment uses water.

Art

In art, children may:

• draw pictures
• paint
• mix colors
• create patterns
• cut and paste
• make models

Examples:

• I paint a picture of a tree.
• We mix blue and yellow.
• The class makes paper masks.

Music

In music, children may:

• sing songs
• clap rhythms
• listen to sounds
• learn simple notes
• play instruments

Examples:

• The class sings together.
• Children clap the rhythm.
• The teacher plays a drum.

Physical Education

Physical education, usually shortened to PE, includes exercise, movement, games, coordination, and fitness.

Children may:

• run
• jump
• stretch
• balance
• throw
• catch
• play team games

Examples:

• We warm up before the game.
• The class practises throwing a ball.
• Everyone stretches carefully.

Subjects Taught in the Early Grades

Young children usually begin with broad subjects that build language, number, creative, digital, and physical skills.

Common early-grade subjects include:

• English
• math
• reading
• writing
• phonics
• science
• art
• music
• PE
• computer studies

Some early-grade activities may appear as separate lessons:

• story time
• circle time
• handwriting
• spelling
• library time
• activity period

Phonics is pronounced /ˈfɒn.ɪks/ 🔊. It teaches the connection between written letters and spoken sounds.

Examples:

• b represents the first sound in bat.
• sh appears at the beginning of ship.
• ai can represent the long vowel sound in rain.

Subjects Kids Study in Later Grades

As students grow older, broad subjects may divide into more specific areas.

Broad subject	Later subjects	Main focus
Science	Biology, chemistry, physics	Living things, materials, forces, energy, and motion
Social studies	History, geography, civics, economics	The past, places, communities, government, and resources
Computer studies	ICT, computing, coding	Technology use, digital skills, and programming
English	Language and literature	Communication, grammar, reading, stories, poems, and plays

Schools organize these lessons differently. A digital subject may be called computer studies, ICT, or computing, depending on the school.

Talking About a Favorite Subject

Children often begin with this sentence:

My favorite subject is _____.

A stronger answer also gives a reason.

Examples:

• My favorite subject is science because I enjoy experiments.
• I like English because I love stories.
• Art is my favorite subject because drawing makes me happy.
• I enjoy math because I like solving problems.
• Music is fun because we sing and play instruments.
• PE is exciting because we move and play games.
• Geography interests me because I like maps.
• History is useful because it teaches us about the past.

Useful question patterns:

What is your favorite subject?
My favorite subject is art.

Why do you like it?
I like it because I enjoy painting.

Which lesson do you enjoy most?
I enjoy science most.

What do you do in that lesson?
We observe, compare, and experiment.

Children can also mention more than one subject:

• I like both math and science.
• English and art are my favorite subjects.
• I enjoy music, but I also like PE.

How to Describe School Subjects

Children need descriptive words to explain how a lesson feels to them.

Word	Simple meaning	Example
Fun	enjoyable	Music is fun.
Interesting	makes you want to learn more	Science is interesting.
Easy	does not feel difficult	Reading feels easy today.
Difficult	needs more effort	This math lesson is difficult.
Exciting	makes you feel eager	The experiment is exciting.
Creative	uses ideas and imagination	Art is creative.
Useful	helps in real life	Computer studies is useful.
Active	involves movement	PE is active.
Challenging	difficult in a helpful way	The problem is challenging.
Relaxing	makes you feel calm	Drawing is relaxing.

A subject that feels easy to one child may feel difficult to another.

Useful examples:

• I find math easy.
• Spelling is difficult for me.
• Science is interesting because we ask questions.
• Art feels relaxing.
• History is challenging, but I am improving.

Talking About Subjects by Day and Time

Subject names often appear with weekdays, times, and lesson order.

Using Days

• We have English on Monday.
• Art is on Tuesday afternoon.
• Science is on Wednesday.
• We study geography on Thursday.
• PE is on Friday morning.

Use on before a day:

• on Monday
• on Wednesday
• on Friday afternoon

Using Lesson Order

• Math is the first lesson.
• Science is our second subject.
• English comes before break.
• Art is after lunch.
• Our next lesson is music.
• PE is the final subject today.

Useful timetable words include:

• first
• second
• next
• before
• after
• morning
• afternoon
• period
• lesson
• timetable

Sample School Timetable

Time	Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday
8:30	English	Math	Science
9:30	Math	English	English
10:30	Break	Break	Break
11:00	Science	Art	Math
12:00	Music	Computer studies	PE

Questions:

• Which subject comes first on Monday?
• When do students have art?
• What comes after break on Wednesday?
• Which day includes computer studies?

Answers:

• English comes first on Monday.
• Art is on Tuesday at 11:00.
• Math comes after break on Wednesday.
• Computer studies is on Tuesday.

Other Names for School Subjects

English-speaking schools do not always use the same subject names.

Name	Common alternative	Helpful note
Math	Maths	Math is common in American English; maths is common in British English.
Physical education	PE, gym	PE includes movement, fitness, games, and physical skills.
Computer studies	ICT, computing	The lesson content may differ between schools.
Art	Visual arts	Visual arts may include drawing, painting, sculpture, and design.
Social studies	Humanities	These areas may include history, geography, culture, and civics.
Foreign language	World language, modern languages	Schools may teach French, Spanish, Arabic, German, or another language.
Design and technology	Technology, DT	Students design, build, and test objects or products.

These names are related, but they are not always exact equivalents.

School Subjects Kids Often Confuse

Subject mix-up	Easy difference
English vs reading	English includes several language skills. Reading focuses mainly on understanding texts.
Math vs science	Math focuses on numbers and patterns. Science explores the natural and physical world.
Art vs craft	Art focuses on visual expression. Craft often involves making objects by hand.
Music vs dance	Music focuses on sound and rhythm. Dance focuses on body movement.
PE vs sports	PE is a school subject. Sports are physical games that may be part of PE.
History vs social studies	History focuses on the past. Social studies may also include geography, civics, and culture.
Geography vs science	Geography studies places and environments. Science studies living things, matter, energy, and forces.
Computer studies vs coding	Computer studies covers broad digital skills. Coding focuses on writing instructions for computers.
Biology vs science	Science is broad. Biology is the branch that studies living things.

Guess the Subject from the Activity

Read each clue and name the subject.

1. We count, measure, and solve number problems.
   Answer: Math
2. We draw, paint, and create designs.
   Answer: Art
3. We learn about animals, plants, and materials.
   Answer: Science
4. We sing songs and clap rhythms.
   Answer: Music
5. We run, stretch, and play physical games.
   Answer: PE
6. We read stories and write sentences.
   Answer: English
7. We use maps and learn about countries.
   Answer: Geography
8. We study people and events from the past.
   Answer: History
9. We learn to use computers and digital tools.
   Answer: Computer studies
10. We connect letters with sounds.
    Answer: Phonics

Create Your Own Weekly Timetable

Children can practise subject names by building a simple timetable.

Choose Your Subjects

For example:

• English
• math
• science
• art
• PE

Place Them on Different Days

Day	Morning subject	Afternoon subject
Monday	English	Art
Tuesday	Math	PE
Wednesday	Science	Music
Thursday	English	Computer studies
Friday	Geography	Art

Talk About the Timetable

• English is on Monday morning.
• We have PE on Tuesday afternoon.
• Science is the first lesson on Wednesday.
• Computer studies is on Thursday afternoon.
• Friday begins with geography.

Children can also answer:

• Which subject would you place first?
• Which lesson would you have twice?
• Would you choose art or music?
• Which subject would come after break?
• What would your final Friday lesson be?

Talking About Subjects in a School Day

Read the short school-day description:

On Monday, English is the first lesson. The class reads a story and learns new words. Math comes next, and the children solve number problems. After break, they study science and observe different leaves. Art is the final lesson, so everyone draws and colors a plant.

Answer the questions:

1. Which subject comes first?
   English comes first.
2. What do the children do in math?
   They solve number problems.
3. Which lesson comes after break?
   Science comes after break.
4. What do students observe?
   They observe different leaves.
5. What is the final subject?
   Art is the final subject.

Speaking prompts:

• Which subjects do you have today?
• What is your first lesson?
• Which subject comes after break?
• What do you do in science?
• Which lesson do you enjoy most?
• Which subject would you like to improve?

FAQs

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