I can’t wait to show you how to make a roman costume with kids for just about $3.00 and in about 5 minutes. Also, you love my ideas here at Ancient Rome Lapbook for Kids and Fun Hands-on Ideas.
If you need a quick and cheap costume for a presentation at home or co-op, maybe even just for fun this is the easiest and inexpensive tutorial for you to try.
I took a quick trip to Dollar Tree and gathered up just 3 items, wanting to keep this as simple and low cost as possible.
Roman garb was simple, made of mostly draped fabrics.
It had very little embellishment beyond the jewelry of wealthier women that included earrings, necklaces, tiaras, and bracelets.
Creating a Roman costume is a fun way to add a hands-on element to your Roman unit study.
There is much to learn about the fashion of the times. For example, this costume can be used as a living history lesson.
Also, use it as you peek back into days of gladiators, military conquests, and classical architecture.
While this DIY might not hold up to continuous wear, unless you use a sheet along with the instructions, it is the perfect easy craft to demonstrate fashions of the day.
What did a Roman Wear on an Average Day
Tunica- Is the most basic roman garment, the tunica was just a single rectangle of woven fabric that was later made of linen.
They consisted of a short-sleeved or sleeveless, knee-length tunics for males, and a longer, sometimes sleeved tunica for females.
It was a simple draped fabric worn with a belt for definition. Upper classes wore white, while lower classes wore natural or brown colored.
Toga– Was a piece of draped cloth in a semi-circle shape with no fastener and the bulk of the fabric was held draped over the arm.
Foreigners, slaves, and exiled Romans were forbidden from wearing them.
Stola- The stola was a long, pleated, sleeveless robe made of linen wool and silk for wealthy women.
It was worn by Roman wives as a symbol of their woman’s marital status.
Undergarments-Underneath these draped garments both sexes wore a form of underwear that consisted of a loincloth, like briefs.
Women would also wear a breast band beneath. Between undergarments and the rougher outer draped garment, they would wear soft tunics.
Shoes- Most commonly on their feet they wore sandals.
A light shoe of leather or woven papyrus leaves held on by a simple strap across the top.
Laurel Wreath- These were worn around the head as a sign of victory in pursuits of sports, music, and poetry.
Also, they signified victory in battle but were not worn typically in the day to day.
Books About Ancient Rome for Kids
Next, look at some of these books about Ancient Rome to add to your library.
I lean toward living books when I can find them. Then, I add in reference books for more information to the topic.
20 Ancient Rome Resources. Books, Pop Up, Coloring & Hands-on Figurines
Whether you're doing a unit study or want to dig deeper about Ancient Rome, you'll love adding a resource or two.
The Romans were history's great men of action, making the study of Rome ideal for beginners of all ages, but especially for younger students, who are fascinated by the abundant action and drama of Roman history. In addition, an understanding of modern political history is impossible without a thorough understanding of Rome. There are thirty stories covering the history of Rome from its founding under Romulus to the last emperor in the West. Your children will see the rise and fall of a great civilization through the lives of Horatius, Camillus, Caesar, Cicero, Marcus Aurelius, and many other larger-than-life figures. Rome is the model civilization, the mastery of which provides a foundation for all other history study.
When I first discovered that my 8-year-old kid believed that the adventures of Odysseus were the actual history of ancient Greece, I panicked and bought him a stack of children's history books. I sat by his side as he started reading about the class structure of Athens and the economic underpinnings of the Greek polis. He yawned. He asked for candy... and then for the Disney Channel...Kids like stories. And when it comes to history, they learn from stories, not from dense paragraphs about the phases of the Bronze age, the location of trade routes, or the injustices of the social order here and there.This book follows the old-fashioned, story-based, traditional route of teaching history - through tales of heroes and kings, with no tribute paid to modern economic and social perspectives. Culture is memes. And that means historical figures, and anecdotes about them. To write this book, I went back to Tacitus, Livy, Suetonius, Cassius Dio, Valerius Maximus, Josephus, Eusebius, Theodoret, and other ancient sources of biographical anecdotes, and extracted from them the stories that will be most memorable to a modern kid
Young Theras, born an Athenian, is taken to Sparta by a relative when his father is lost at war. He is forced to live like a Spartan, a brutal life with no pity for those who are not physically perfect and totally obedient to Spartan control. After enduring rigorous training and repeated cruel incidents, he escapes with a Perioikoi boy and heads for his beloved Athens. Here is the story of a hard and dangerous journey with Snedeker's amazing historical accuracy.
Tools of the Ancient Greeks: A Kid’s Guide to the History and Science of Life in Ancient Greece explores the scientific discoveries, athletic innovations, engineering marvels, and innovative ideas created more than two thousand years ago. Through biographical sidebars, interesting facts, fascinating anecdotes, and fifteen hands-on activities, readers will learn how Greek innovations and ideas have shaped world history and our own world view.
In these two delightful history-mysteries, seven boys in Ancient Rome solve strange crimes . . . thanks to some help from their cranky teacher, a little bit of logic, and a lot of amusing misadventure.
The Thrifty Guide to Ancient Rome contains information vital to the sensible time traveler: • Where can I find a decent hotel room in ancient Rome for under five sesterces a day? Is horse parking included? • What do I do if I’m attacked by barbarians? • What are my legal options if I’m fed to the lions at the Colosseum? All this is answered and more. There is handy advice on finding the best picnicking spots to watch Julius Caesar’s assassination at the Roman Forum in 44 BC, as well as helpful real estate tips to profit from the great Roman fire of AD 64. There are even useful recommendations on which famous historical figures to meet for lunch, and a few nifty pointers on how to avoid being poisoned, beheaded, or torn apart by an angry mob.
Takes readers back in time to illustrate the exciting happenings of daily life
Daniel bar Jamin will stop at nothing to seek revenge for his father's death at the hands of the Roman Empire.After Daniel bar Jamin's father is crucified by the Roman Empire, Daniel wants nothing more than to rid his land of Israel of Roman control once and for all. Yet when David meets Jesus of Nazareth, a traveling carpenter with a gentle message of love and forgiveness, David starts to realize that the hate festering in his heart might be his true enemy after all.
From Roman emperors and gods and goddesses to soldiers and gladiators, step into the exciting world of ancient Rome.Who were Rome's most famous emperors? What was everyday life like for a soldier in the Roman army? How did the citizens of ancient Rome live? Did gladiators really fight to the death in the mighty Colosseum? Find out the answers to all these questions, and many more, in Eyewitness: Ancient Rome.
Use these fun figurines for art study, for a sensory bin for younger kids or for art inspiration.
At the peak of its power, the Roman Empire stretched thousands of miles in all directions: north to what today is England, westward to Spain, to Armenia in the east, and Egypt in the south. The growth, development, and cultural achievements of that magnificent civilization are brought to life by the artist John Green in this exciting and fact-filled coloring book.
There are 6 scenes to make in this book - combining the pleasure of seeing them pop up with interesting information and ideas. There are a number of mini popups as well. Close the book and they fold away. Open it and they popup again. These vivid, colorful three-dimensional scenes help to bring Ancient Civilisations to life in a way which no other kind of book can. Scenes: The City of Rome, The Forum, The Roman House, The Army of Rome, Entertainment, Ostia - the Port of Rome.
Patrick and Beth learn that Mr. Whittaker’s fancy ring can be seen inside the Imagination Station but not outside of the machine. A mysterious letter leads the cousins to fifth-century Rome in search of a special cup that belongs to a monk. If found, the cup could keep the mysterious Albert out of prison.At the Roman Colosseum, Emperor Honorius is hosting a gladiator battle in celebration of a war victory. Beth attends the event as the emperor’s slave; Patrick attends as a monk’s apprentice but is taken prisoner and sent to fight in the arena. During their adventure, the cousins meet Telemachus (a true historical figure), a monk who believes that fighting is wrong. Telemachus is willing to risk everything―even his life―to stop the killing. When the cousins return with the cup, they find that a third letter has been sent with more information about Albert’s fate.
Describes daily life in ancient Rome, discussing family life, entertainment, schools, religion, and other aspects.
This series consists of simple illustrated guides to answer children's questions about history and invite comparisons with life today. This particular title deals with the Romans.
This exciting new series explores ancient life by examining the traditions and religious beliefs of each culture. Through photographs, illustrations, and cut-away, detailed diagrams, each book considers the way religious beliefs affected everything from food, drink, and entertainment to rituals surrounding birth and death
Describes how the Romans put to use and expanded the scientific achievements of earlier civilizations.
The Roman Empire may have fallen thousands of years ago, but the lessons and the legacy left behind lives on to this day
From a tiny settlement on the banks of the Tiber River, Rome grew into a colossal, unstoppable force. At its peak, The Empire dominated the world from Europe, West Asia, North Africa, and many more territories.
Never again would the world see such an influential power.
In this epic narrative, History Brought Alive presents an intriguing dive into Roman History, Legends, Facts, Myths and much more. Covering thousands of years the study of Roman history is vast and complex. Much like the Ancient Romans themselves, in order to study them, we need to follow structure and have an open mind.
Visit the world of ancient Rome, from bustling streets and the busy port to steaming baths and gruesome games. This book reveals how the Romans really lived.
7 Ancient Roman Fashion and Architecture Ideas
- This fun idea from The Journey Through Time #2 Back In Time Ancient Rome Fun Mosaic is a wonderful way to depict the profile of a Roman Soldier.
- Learn about Making Mortar And Concrete And The Roman Arch and create a piece of historical architecture.
- Try your hand at learning How to Make an Easy Roman Helmet & Shield & A Set of Printable Wings to go along with your unit.
- Make the Geronimo Stilton Adventures The Journey Through Time #2: Back in Time (Colosseum Craft) to depict a scaled down version of the large amphitheater. It was used for chariot races and gladiator combat.
- Turn a basic pair of flip flops into these Easy DIY Gladiator Sandals with this YouTube tutorial.
- How to Make an Ancient Rome-Inspired DIY Clown Collar No Sew.
- Ancient Rome (Hands-on History): Paint a Jester
Finally, how to make a Roman costume with kids.
How to Make a Roman Costume
To make something more durable you can spend about $10 and use these same instructions with a white sheet and colored fabric for the belt and headpiece.
You will need:
- White plastic tablecloth
- Gold tablecloth
- Wide plastic headband
- Scissors
- Craft glue
First, cut a 4’-5’ length of the gold tablecloth that is 6” wide and fold it in half.
Next cut a bunch of simple leaf shapes out of the gold tablecloth.
Use glue to attach them all the way around, making them a little haphazard. Overlap the ends a bit and cover it well.
Allow to dry completely by hanging it over something so that the leaves don’t become creased up.
Unfold the white tablecloth and fold the length in half. Cut 1 ½” to 2’ feet off one side depending on the size of your child’s shoulders.
Cut a V shape down the center several inches down and across roughly 8” to make a neck hole.
Drape over your child’s head and trim as needed across the bottom to get the length you want. Cinch the belt and let the ends hang down.
Finish it off by placing the headband on the back of the head with the points toward the forehead to create the golden laurel crown.
You can add a colored drape over the shoulder if you like to add some color like a regal red or purple.
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