Students’ conceptions about mathematics and mathematics education were investigated with a special focus on emotions and motivation. The results show that both grades describe mathematics education as an individual activity taking place at a school bench with a workbook. But whereas grade 2 students are positively oriented towards mathematics, grade 5 students show a more negative view. Also, the dominance of intrinsic motivation indicated by grade 2 students was not repeated in grade 5, where the responses showed a movement towards extrinsic motivation.