Teaching Ancient Civilisations is one of the most exciting areas of the primary curriculum. From the pyramids of Egypt to the myths of Ancient Greece, these topics are brimming with opportunities for children to explore, imagine and discover. But how can you make lessons about cultures from thousands of years ago feel fresh and meaningful for your class today? Here are some creative approaches to bring the past to life.
Step Into the Shoes of Ancient People
One of the best ways to help children empathise with the people of ancient civilisations is to role play different scenarios people in ancient times would have experienced. This helps children to understand the lives and challenges of those who lived thousands of years ago. For example, lesson 4 of our Early Civilisations scheme of work starts by posing this question to the children:
Imagine you are a trader in an early civilisation. You take your jars of oil and baskets to trade at the marketplace. You trade a few during the day and keep track of what you have sold. You want to record what you have sold but numbers haven’t been invented yet. What would you do to record that you have sold five jars of oil and seven baskets?
This then leads on to looking at some of the earliest number systems, helping children understand how they were created and how they changed as people's understanding of maths grew.
Giving children real-life scenarios that people in ancient times experienced helps pupils grasp the everyday lives of ordinary people in a tangible way. Here are some other examples of questions you could pose:
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Imagine you are a farmer in Ancient Mesopotamia. The river has flooded and watered your crops, but now you need to decide when to plant your seeds so they will grow. You don’t have a calendar or weather forecast. How might you work out the best time of year to plant?
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You are part of a team building a huge pyramid for the Pharaoh. Enormous stone blocks need to be moved into place, but they are far too heavy to carry. What could you and your fellow workers do to move such large blocks without modern machines?
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Imagine you are a scribe in Ancient Sumer. The king has asked you to record how many animals were brought as taxes today. You don’t have paper, pens or computers. What tools or materials might you use to record this information, and how would you make sure others could understand it?
Ready-To-Teach Early Civilisations Lesson Pack
Exploring Objects of the Past
There’s nothing quite like handling a real object (or a convincing replica) to spark curiosity. A box of ‘artefacts’, such as pottery shards, papyrus scrolls, coins or jewellery, can be passed around for children to investigate. Ask them:
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What is it?
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Who might have used it?
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What does it tell us about life at the time?
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What doesn’t it tell us?
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What other questions does this object raise?
Of course, it can be tricky to get your hands on historical artefacts that you can use in the classroom. If you can’t find physical objects to explore, there is a wealth of websites you can consult showing high-quality images of artefacts:
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Ancient Egypt – The Griffiths Institute houses the photographs from the excavation of Tutankhamen’s tomb (we came across this when researching our ‘Howard Carter and Tutankhamen’ lesson and it’s one of the best classroom-friendly historical sites we’ve found).
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Ancient Greece - National Museums Liverpool has a collection of over 1000 ancient Greek artefacts, which is easy to navigate and filter.
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Ancient Sumer - The Met has a great collection of ancient Sumerian artefacts.
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The Shang Dynasty - The British Museum has over 600 artefacts from the Shang Dynasty.
A photograph of Tutankhamen's tomb from the Griffith Institute
Storytelling and Myths
Ancient myths and legends capture children’s imaginations and are perfect springboards for literacy links. Retell stories such as the tale of Osiris and Isis or King Midas. Afterwards, invite your class to create their own myths to explain natural phenomena, just as the Ancient Greeks and Egyptians once did. This not only deepens their understanding of belief systems but also develops creative writing skills.
Ready-To-Teach Greek Myths English Lessons
People Profiles
Learning about the hopes, dreams, achievements and failings of the people who lived in ancient civilisations can help anchor the past and show pupils that people long ago were not so different from us. Challenge children to learn about a particular individual and write a biography with the main events of their lives, or prepare speeches for a posthumous award ceremony celebrating the most inventive, most creative, bravest or most ruthless historical figure!
Ancient Egypt:
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Tutankhamun – The boy king; lots of resources about his tomb and reign.
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Hatshepsut – A female Pharaoh known for trade expeditions and building projects.
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Ramses II (Ramses the Great) – Famous for his long reign and monuments.
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Imhotep – Architect of the Step Pyramid at Saqqara.
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Cleopatra VII – Last Pharaoh of Egypt, known for her intelligence, leadership and efforts to protect Egypt’s independence.
Ancient Greece:
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Socrates – Philosopher, though focus on his ideas/questions rather than his death.
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Plato – Philosopher and teacher, founded the Academy.
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Aristotle – Philosopher and scientist, taught Alexander the Great.
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Alexander the Great – Macedonian king, created a vast empire and spread Greek culture far and wide.
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Hippocrates – “Father of Medicine,” linked to early medical ideas.
Ancient Rome:
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Julius Caesar – General and leader
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Augustus (Octavian) – First emperor of Rome, brought peace after civil wars.
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Claudius – Emperor who expanded the empire into Britain.
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Hadrian – Emperor best known for Hadrian’s Wall.
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Boudicca – Celtic queen who resisted the Romans in Britain.
People of the Past Lesson Packs
Virtual Journeys
If you can’t bring pupils to the ruins, bring the ruins to them. Online museum collections, 3D tours of ancient sites and interactive maps are brilliant tools for immersing children in distant worlds. A ‘virtual field trip’ to the British Museum or the Pyramids of Giza can be just as exciting as a real-life excursion – and a lot easier to arrange!
Bring in the Arts
History doesn’t need to stay within the four walls of the classroom. Encourage children to design and paint their own Greek vases, compose music inspired by Ancient Chinese traditions, or build models of Mayan temples. Creative, cross-curricular activities like these allow pupils to express what they’ve learnt in ways that feel fun and memorable.
Compare Past and Present
Help children see the relevance of ancient history by linking it to their own lives. This makes the past feel real and helps them understand that many things we take for granted today have roots in ancient civilisations.
Democracy in Ancient Athens vs. Modern Britain
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Pupils could hold a class vote in two ways: first, only allowing a small group (e.g. just boys or just children wearing blue) to vote, then letting everyone take part. Use this to compare how democracy in Athens was limited, whereas modern democracy is more inclusive.
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Follow up with a discussion: Who gets a voice in decision-making today? Why is that fairer?
Roman Innovations Still Visible Today
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Take children outside to spot straight roads or arches in local buildings. Explain these ideas were developed and spread by the Romans.
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Try a mini-engineering challenge: build a Roman-style arch using cardboard or sugar cubes, then compare its strength with a flat structure.
Ancient Egyptian Influence on Modern Life
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Show images of papyrus scrolls and compare them with modern paper.
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Explore calendars: Why do we have 365 days in a year? Where did this idea come from?
Shang Dynasty – Bronze and Belief
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Compare bronze vessels used in ceremonies with modern items we use in celebrations (e.g. cups, candles, decorations).
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Discuss how humans across time have marked important occasions, showing continuity in cultural practices.
By making these direct comparisons, children begin to see history not just as distant facts, but as the foundation of the world they live in.
Final Thoughts
Teaching Ancient Civilisations offers a chance to spark wonder and curiosity in your classroom. By weaving in role-play, artefacts, storytelling, art and technology, you can turn history lessons into adventures where children feel as though they’ve stepped back in time.
👉 If you’re looking for fully-prepared lesson packs to save hours of planning, take a look at our full collection of Ancient Civilisations History Resources. Each scheme includes detailed lesson plans, slides, differentiated activities and printable resources to make teaching ancient history both engaging and stress-free.
