This paper is an attempt to review and evaluate current practice in primary humanities topics and to suggest strategies for improving such practice. Currently, children's interests are often given priority over a view of knowledge or consideration of the role of the school in content selection, continuity in learning between grades and topics is very lax, evaluative and record keeping procedures are scarce, skills of inquiry dominate activities to the extent of distorting the relation between skills and content, and the rationale behind activities is seldom communicated to children. In an attempt to overcome such weaknesses it is suggested that a more structured approach to the choice of content and planning of learning activities be adopted. A planning strategy for topic work in primary humanities is suggested with criteria to employ in the choice of content, relating method to content, and the practical drawing up of a curriculum program.