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Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

February 13, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

To create Medieval manuscripts, scribes had to learn first how to make a quill pen and that is what we are doing today. Also, you may like my posts 4 Week Free Middle Ages Unit Study & Best Hands-on Ideas and Medieval History for Homeschool.

Before printing machines were invented every copy of a book had to be written by hand.

Scribes would copy and meticulously write every word using ink and a quill pen.

Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

Fortunately, many medieval-era documents, including manuscripts, have survived the many centuries since the Middle Ages.

These important artifacts give scholars and historians information about life, laws, culture, and society of the Middle Ages,

Not only that but they also provide us with evidence of how they created many different colors of ink by using natural materials.

We are going to recreate the earlier used black carbon ink using a little bit more modern method that will give us roughly the same effect.

These amazing writers and artists paved the way for the books that you and I enjoy today and made it much easier for us to develop amazing technologies.

Books About the Middle Ages for Kids

9 Medieval History Books & Resources For Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

Add a few of these books to your Middle Ages or Medieval unit study.

King Arthur and His Knights of the Round Table (Puffin Classics)

King Arthur is one of the greatest legends of all time. From the magical moment when Arthur releases the sword in the stone to the quest for the Holy Grail and the final tragedy of the Last Battle, Roger Lancelyn Green brings the enchanting world of King Arthur stunningly to life. One of the greatest legends of all time, with an inspiring introduction by David Almond, award-winning author of Clay, Skellig, Kit's Wilderness and The Fire-Eaters.

A Castle with Many Rooms: The Story of the Middle Ages

This covers people and events and covers a larger period of time.

Days of Knights and Damsels: An Activity Guide

Kids can re-create a long-ago world of kings, castles, jousts, jesters, damsels, magic fairies, and Robin Hood—all they need are their imaginations, materials they can find at home, and the activities in this book. Dressing up in a coat of armor made from plastic milk jugs, whipping up a batch of curds and whey, writing secret messages in invisible ink, and telling time with a sand glass made from soda bottles are just some of the fun projects. Every activity is illustrated, and sidebars highlight colorful facts about life hundreds of years ago.

The Usborne Encyclopedia of World History

This newly updated book will introduce you to world history, from prehistoric times to the start of the 21st century. Find out about dinosaurs, the first humans, Ancient Egypt, the Aztec Empire, Medieval Europe, the First World War and many more fascinating subjects.

The Door in the Wall

Set in the fourteenth century, the classic story of one boy's personal heroism when he loses the use of his legs.

The Kitchen Knight: A Tale of King Arthur

The Knights of the Round Table were in their glory. When an unknown stranger visits the castle and asks Kin Arthur's favor, he is allowed to serve in the kitchen for his meat and bread. Little does anyone suspect that he is of noble blood and will soon be knighted by the famous Sir Lancelot. Lush illustrations bring the reader into the book, as Sir Gareth meets adventures and battles to free a princess from the fearsome Red Knight of the Plain.

Castle: A Caldecott Honor Award Winner

In this 1978 Caldecott Honor Book, award-winning author and illustrator David Macaulay explores the history and construction of castles in a richly illustrated resource for curious young readers. The word itself conjures up mystery, romance, intrigue, and grandeur. What could be more perfect for an author/illustrator who has continually stripped away the mystique of architectural structures that have long fascinated modern man? With typical zest and wry sense of humor punctuating his drawings, David Macaulay traces the step-by-step planning and construction of both castle and town.

The Middle Ages: An Interactive History Adventure

I like to incorporate a wonderful and informational book to support our topic while making it fun and engaging. The Middle Ages, choose your own adventure style book is fantastic for middle elementary.

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood (First Edition): Illustrated Classics

The Merry Adventures of Robin Hood was written and illustrated by Howard Pyle and published in 1883. It is the best known version of the story of Robin Hood which had been popular throughout the previous century. Pyle popularized Robin Hood, his adventures, and his band of merry men in a way that influenced most later depictions in writing, drawing, and film. The book consists of a series of episodes pitting the outlaw Robin Hood, Little John, Friar Tuck and the rest of his band against corrupt authorities epitomized by the evil Sheriff of Nottingham.

Medieval Manuscripts 101

The word “manuscript” is derived from the Latin words manus (hand).

And from scriptus (writing) literally means “written by hand.”

Manuscripts were decorated with small painted scenes.

They were called miniatures.

And ornately decorated letters began a chapter. They had very intricate borders, and sometimes full-page painted illustrations.

These photos meant that the many people during medieval times that could not read scrolls still own and enjoy the manuscripts.

Making and using quills was central to a scribes profession.

During this time period they were generally taken from geese and swans.

Quills were used to write the Magna Carta and the Declaration of Independence.

Besides the important quill they would of course also need ink.

During the medieval period there were two kinds of ink.

From around 2500 BCE black carbon ink was used. It was a mixture of carbon, water, and gum.

Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

Later in the period, between the 5th and 19th centuries they used brown iron-gall ink.

It was made using iron salts and tannic acids from vegetable sources.

Other Medieval Projects to Try With How to Make a Quill Pen

  • Learn How to Make a Knight Templar Helmet for Fun Medieval Times Crafts from cardboard for a DIY that is fun for dramatic play or medieval presentations that need a little more pizazz.
  • For younger learners this Art History – Medieval Art lesson is a great way to practice identifying and making letters while learning about this old art form.
  • Jump into Hands-On History: Make a Coat of Arms Activity (Middle Ages History).
  •  Medieval Coronets are the perfect topper for Marquesses and Marchionesses, Earls and Countesses, Barons and Baroness.
  • This Geronimo Stilton Time Travel How to Make a Medieval Stained Glass Craft is a fun way to create some middle ages decor.
  • Medieval Chemistry and Homeschool History – Fun Hands-On Activity.

Finally, look how to make a quill pen fun activity.

How To Make A Quill Pen

While you can crush your own charcoal from charcoal briquettes for the grill, purchasing ready to use powder is a much easier and less messy way to go.

You will need:

  • Good sized feather
  • Sharp knife
  • Charcoal
  • Honey
  • Small jar
  • Scissors
Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

First, wipe your feather tip down with alcohol to clean and sanitize it.

You can cut off the bottom ½” to 1” of feathers from the shaft to make a larger gripping surface if you want.

Then use the side of the edge of the knife to scrape the membrane off the shaft, it will come off as waxy scraps.

Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

Use scissors to cut a quill point for the barrel, you want your quill to curve downward, with the cut side being underneath.

You can use the knife but I find it is a little bit too difficult to cut with a knife on the curved shaft.

Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

To create your ink mix the charcoal powder with a little water until it is a watery paste. Add a few drops of honey to act as a binder.

Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

When ready to write, dip the quill into the ink pot (in my case a 4 oz mason jar with lid).

Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

Practice writing on your paper by making circles, straight lines, and then letters. You will need to re-dip the quill frequently.

Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

Once you are more comfortable with the quill and ink you can try more complicated words and fancier letters like in manuscripts.

Medieval Period: How To Make A Quill Pen

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handsonhomeschooling, history, homeschoolhistory, medieval homeschool history, pen, quill

Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

February 10, 2024 | 3 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

You’ll love these hands-on history activities for ancient empires. Also, there are more Ancient Civilization hands-on ideas on my page.

Over the years I have shared my passion for hands-on history activities.

They breathe life into lifeless events of the past.

Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

So when planning our year end history co-op, I decided to use the Great Empires Activity Study.

It is an activity study by Home School in the Woods.

Why? Because of the scope of empires that the Great Empires Activity Study covers.

Your kids will love these hands-on history activities for 14 Ancient Empires.Great Empires Activity Study by Home School in the Woods covers fourteen empires:

I was given this product for free. ALL opinions are my own and I will always tell you what is on my mind. When I do accept a product it’s because I’m giddy to tell you about it. Read my full disclosure here. Now on to the fun stuff!

Hands-on History Activities Ancient Empires

  • Ancient China
  • Ancient Egypt
  • Ancient Greece
  • Ancient Rome
  • Arab-Muslims,
  • English Empire
  • French Empire
  • German Empire
  • Japanese Empire
  • Mongols
  • Russian Empire
  • Spanish Empire
  • United States and
  • Viking.

I decided to cover a little about each of these empires through hands-on projects.

Organizing and assigning hands-on projects for our Great Empires co-op was easy.

The information is laid out simply. After reviewing the download, you’ll see the files organized by master, texts and projects.

Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

The projects page for each empire, I found extremely useful in wading through all of the excellent material.

The project page is like your weekly lesson plan at a glance page.

And the master is your lesson plan for the day. The master pages include a helpful teacher’s key reference. It is a map marked with key areas, boundaries and other helpful features for each region covered by that empire.

Ancient Empires Study for Kids

Glancing at the project page, we could select all the hands-on activities that we wanted to do.

Then find them among the 107 master pages.

Too, background information on each empire is vital in covering the topics like we did because we wanted to savor a morsel of each empire. The text pages for each empire are 2-3 pages. However, one gem about the text pages is that they cover the empire at its height.

Non-history loving folks are turned off by many details. A quagmire of details drains the life out of learning history.

Unsure of which invention, event or key point to highlight, a budding history buff may come away more confused.

Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

However, the text pages by Home School in the Woods shaves off non-essential details for the elementary age child but builds appreciation by covering key events that are significant for each civilization.

If you are a give-me-the-facts-only type of person, you will enjoy reading about each empire in the condensed text because you won’t come away feeling overwhelmed.

Ancient Empires Study for Kids

Beyond covering key events for each empire or covering significant inventions, the text unifies the past to the present.

Your child comes away with a better understanding of the impact previous civilizations made in today’s world. Keeping it simple without being boring makes the text a nifty feature.

However, if you already have a basic framework of history knowledge and want to explore beyond that foundation, you will enjoy the additional reading suggestions in each projects page and the extensive links found in the text which directs you to a website page at Home School in the Woods.

Easily, you could spend a week on each empire.

Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

Because the Great Empires Activity Study is about exploring, discovering and hands-on learning, you will find plenty of activities for each empire from making scones when learning about the English empire to making an Egyptian cartouche.

Activities vary with each empire from learning about history through cooking, painting pottery like the Greeks and printing minibooks about famous people to Japanese kiragami.

Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)

You will not find cheesy analogies of history clip art in this product.

All of the clip art, projects and pictures have amazing detail. If you are a non-artsy person you will enjoy assembling the easy to do projects because a lot of them are printable.

You decide if you want to color or not.Here is what I find most appealing about this product:

Hands-on History Projects

  • The scope of empires covered. If you have been lagging behind in covering history topics or are trying to follow the 4 year cycle used by a lot of homeschoolers and it is going slower than you would like to, using Great Empires Activity Study would be a useful tool if you want a bird’s-eye view.
  • It can be a stand-alone history curriculum. You have the option with additional reading material listed in the projects pages and links provided by Home School in the Woods to extend each empire. With the abundance of reading recommendations and because we love history, I personally would take two weeks to cover each empire if I were using this as a stand-alone curriculum. Doing one hands-on activity per week would not be overly time consuming and you could easily end up with a year’s worth of history.  What a bargain for the price and you are using it for all of your children.
  • Adding in an activity to enrich your reading. Then Great Empires Activity Study would be a nice fit.
  • Great Empires Activity Study allowed a lot of room for flexibility in our co-op setting because it allowed each family to focus on the topic that interested them.
  • History clip art matters to me because pictures are important in history. The fine detail and high quality pictures can be used for a timeline, history notebook or to add to a lapbook.
  • Many of the creative activities can be printed. They do not involve a lot of teacher supervision or tons of crafty artsy items on hand to do them.
  • The constant in all the empires is the beautiful teacher’s key map. Providing a key map for each empire is like having a mini geography curriculum as a bonus.
If you’re wanting to breathe life into homeschool history, your kids will love these hands-on learning history activities for studying 14 Great Empires! CLICK HERE to look at these fun and engaging hands-on ideas!

I feel that persons can vary tremendously on what each one thinks is a disadvantage in a product. I prefer using the word considerations because it gives you pause for thought to see if your circumstances fit that product.

Ancient Empire History Projects

Considerations for this product would be:

Amazing Hands-on History Activities for 14 Ancient Empires (free notebook cover too)
  • There is not a lesson planning guide or checklist for each day’s activities. For some homeschoolers that may feel like freedom to explore and breathe but for others having a to-do checklist each day may feel a bit more secure.
  • Some of these activities are ones that history lovers may have already done. However, the product is aimed at elementary age..

How to Get the Free History Notebook cover

Now, how to grab the free printable. It’s a subscriber freebie.

When you sign up to follow me, you get access to this freebie.

1) Sign up on my email list.
2) Grab the printable.
3) Last, look for my emails in your inbox as a follower. Glad to have you.

You know I have to organize most products I get and this one was no different. I have created a printable for you to use as cover page for your binder when covering these empires.Home School in the Woods is an excellent example of showing how history does not have to involve a textbook or always acquiring random uninteresting facts.

With background information on each past civilization and several creative activities you won’t be disappointed with Great Empires Activity Study.

Whether you are studying about the legends of Crete or are exploring the adventures of Captain John Smith, adding in hands-on history along with a huge dose of field trips and a history co-op or two is a sure way to making learning about the past meaningful.

If you’re wanting to breathe life into homeschool history, your kids will love these hands-on learning history activities for studying 14 Great Empires! CLICK HERE to look at these fun and engaging hands-on ideas!

You’ll also love these other helpful posts with activities:

  • Hands-on History Activities for Learning about Ancient Civilizations
  • 20 Ancient Civilization History Coloring Pages
  • 100 Easy & Fun Ancient Civilization Hands-on Projects

3 CommentsFiled Under: Ancient Civilizations, Hands-On Activities, History Resources, Homeschool Curriculum Review, Product Review, Teach Homeschool History Tagged With: ancient civilizations, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, historyspine, homeschoolhistory

How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

February 4, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

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.

How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

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.

How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

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.

Famous Men of Rome

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.

Ancient Rome for Kids through the Lives of its Heroes, Emperors, and Philosophers (History for Kids - Story Format)

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

Theras and His Town

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 Romans: A Kid's Guide to the History & Science of Life in Ancient Rome (Build It Yourself)

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.

Detectives in Togas

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: A Handbook for Time Travelers (The Thrifty Guides)

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.

Time Traveler

Takes readers back in time to illustrate the exciting happenings of daily life

The Bronze Bow: A Newbery Award Winner

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.

Eyewitness Ancient Rome: Discover One of History's Greatest Civilizations

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.

SuperToob: Ancient Rome

Use these fun figurines for art study, for a sensory bin for younger kids or for art inspiration.

Life in Ancient Rome Coloring Book (Dover Ancient History Coloring Books)

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.

The Romans Pop-Up: Pop-up Book to Make Yourself

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.

Attack at the Arena

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.

Growing Up In Ancient Rome

Describes daily life in ancient Rome, discussing family life, entertainment, schools, religion, and other aspects.

The Story of the Romans: A History of Ancient Rome for Young Readers - its Legends, Military and Culture as a Republic and Empire

Who Were the Romans? (Starting Point History)

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.

In the Daily Life of the Ancient Romans (Gods & Goddesses Of...)

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

Science in Ancient Rome (Science of the Past)

Describes how the Romans put to use and expanded the scientific achievements of earlier civilizations.

Roman Empire: Rise & The Fall. Explore The History, Mythology, Legends, Epic Battles & Lives Of The Emperors, Legions, Heroes, Gladiators & More

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.

See Inside Ancient Rome

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

  1.  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.
  2. Learn about Making Mortar And Concrete And The Roman Arch and create a piece of historical architecture.
  3. Try your hand at learning How to Make an Easy Roman Helmet & Shield & A Set of Printable Wings to go along with your unit.
  4. 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.
  5. Turn a basic pair of flip flops  into these Easy DIY Gladiator Sandals with this YouTube tutorial.
  6. How to Make an Ancient Rome-Inspired DIY Clown Collar No Sew.
  7. Ancient Rome (Hands-on History): Paint a Jester
How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

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
How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

First, cut a 4’-5’ length of the gold tablecloth that is 6” wide and fold it in half.

How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

Next cut a bunch of simple leaf shapes out of the gold tablecloth.

How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

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.

How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

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.

How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

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.

How to Make a Roman Costume With Kids

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Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

January 25, 2024 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

The Great Sphinx of Giza is the oldest known sculpture in Egypt. Also, grab the Egypt – Famous Pharaohs and Queens Lapbook on my Ancient Civilizations page.

It stands in front of the pyramids on the west bank of the Nile in Giza, Egypt.

And it was created in a quarry to build the pyramids and other structures nearby.

By now you probably know what a fantastic resource LEGO is in your homeschool.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

They can be used for math manipulatives to building iconic treasures like the Great Sphinx of Giza.

We have amassed an astounding number of LEGOs over the years.

Still, I have a tutorial to show you how to build a small replica of the sphinx using basic LEGO pieces that you might find in a basic box except for the face.

But I am also giving you a simpler alternative for that as well.

Ancient Egypt Books for Kids

Next, add some of these books to your learning day.

I lean toward living books to bring a topic to life like history.

Then I add reference books.

17 Ancient Egypt Books & Resources for Kids Who Love Reading and Being Read To

Add some of these books to your home library and use them for a day of learning or for unit studies.

The Egypt Game

The first time Melanie Ross meets April Hall, she’s not sure they have anything in common. But she soon discovers that they both love anything to do with ancient Egypt. When they stumble upon a deserted storage yard, Melanie and April decide it’s the perfect spot for the Egypt Game. Before long there are six Egyptians, and they all meet to wear costumes, hold ceremonies, and work on their secret code. Everyone thinks it’s just a game until strange things start happening. Has the Egypt Game gone too far?

Tales of Ancient Egypt (Puffin Classics)

These stories include the great myths - of Amen-Ra, who created all the creatures in the world; of Isis, seaching the waters for her dead husband Osiris; of the Bennu Bird and the Book of Thoth. But there are also tales told for pleasure about magic, treasure and adventure - even the first ever Cinderella story.

The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt (Landmark Books)

For more than 3,000 years, Egypt was a great civilization that thrived along the banks of the Nile River. But when its cities crumbled to dust, Egypt’s culture and the secrets of its hieroglyphic writings were also lost. The Pharaohs of Ancient Egypt explains how archaeologists have pieced together their discoveries to slowly reveal the history of Egypt’s people, its pharaohs, and its golden days.

The Buildings of Ancient Egypt

Uses archeological evidence to describe the construction, decoration, and furnishings of ancient Egyptian tombs, pyramids, and homes

Science in Ancient Egypt (Science of the Past)

Discusses the achievements of the ancient Egyptians in science, mathematics, astronomy, medicine, agriculture, and technology.

Great Ancient Egypt Projects: You Can Build Yourself

From reed boats, papyrus, and amulets, to pyramids, pharaohs, and mummies, Great Ancient Egypt Projects You Can Build Yourself explores the fascinating lives of ancient Egyptians through more than25 hands-on building projects and activities. Great Ancient Egypt Projects You Can Build Yourself gives readers today a chance to experience how the ancient Egyptians lived, cooked, worked, worshipped, entertained themselves, and interacted with their neighbors through building projects that use common household supplies.Detailed step-by-step instructions, diagrams, and templates for creating each project are combined with historical facts and anecdotes, biographies, and trivia for the real-life models of each project. Together they give kids a first-hand look at daily life in ancient Egypt.

The Cat of Bubastes: A Tale of Ancient Egypt (Dover Children's Classics)

Chebron, the young son of an Egyptian high priest, and Amuba, a young slave in the boy's household, are close friends; but their lives are greatly altered when Chebron accidentally kills a cat, an animal held sacred by the ancient Egyptians. Forced to flee for their safety, the boys and their companions begin a long and dangerous journey. A thrilling adventure story, this is also a tale packed with historical facts. Among other fascinating details, young readers learn about the Egyptian religion and geography, how the Nile was used for irrigation, and how the Egyptians made war and were prepared for burial. A captivating book that accurately describes life in a once magnificent civilization, this volume will especially appeal to youngsters fascinated by the life and customs of ancient Egypt.

A History of Ancient Egypt: From the First Farmers to the Great Pyramid (A History of Ancient Egypt, 1)

The ancient world comes to life in the first volume in a two book series on the history of Egypt, spanning the first farmers to the construction of the pyramids. Famed archaeologist John Romer draws on a lifetime of research to tell one history's greatest stories; how, over more than a thousand years, a society of farmers created a rich, vivid world where one of the most astounding of all human-made landmarks, the Great Pyramid, was built. Immersing the reader in the Egypt of the past, Romer examines and challenges the long-held theories about what archaeological finds mean and what stories they tell about how the Egyptians lived. More than just an account of one of the most fascinating periods of history, this engrossing book asks readers to take a step back and question what they've learned about Egypt in the past. Fans of Stacy Schiff's Cleopatra and history buffs will be captivated by this re-telling of Egyptian history, written by one of the top Egyptologists in the world.

Boy of the Pyramids

The pictured wall of an Egyptian tomb supplied the inspiration for this unusual story, which takes place during the building of the Great Pyramid of Khufu more than 4,000 years ago. Kaffe and Sari, an Egyptian noble's son and a slave girl from the nomadic Sand People of the Sinai region, help solve a troublesome mystery and trap its culprit. All told against a colorfully detailed backdrop of ancient Egypt.

The Golden Goblet

Ranofer wants only one thing in the world: to be a master goldsmith like his beloved father was. But how can he when he is all but imprisoned by his evil half brother, Gebu? Ranofer knows the only way he can escape Gebu's abuse is by changing his destiny. But can a poor boy with no skills survive on the cutthroat streets of ancient Thebes? Then Ranofer finds a priceless golden goblet in Gebu's room and he knows his luck−and his destiny−are about to change.

Seeker of Knowledge: The Man Who Deciphered Egyptian Hieroglyphs

In 1802, Jean-Francois Champollion was eleven years old. That year, he vowed to be the first person to read Egypt’s ancient hieroglyphs. Champollion’s dream was to sail up the Nile in Egypt and uncover the secrets of the past, and he dedicated the next twenty years to the challenge.James Rumford introduces the remarkable man who deciphered the ancient Egyptian script and fulfilled a lifelong dream in the process. Stunning watercolors bring Champollion’s adventure to life in a story that challenges the mind and touches the heart.

The Egyptian Cinderella

This Egyptian spin on the classic Cinderella tale was initially recorded in the first century by a Roman historian and is retold here by folklorist Shirley Climo.

Poor Rhodopis! She has nothing—no mother or father, and no friends. She is a slave, from the far-off country of Greece. Only the beautiful rose-red slippers her master gives her can make Rhodopis smile.

So when a falcon swoops down and snatches one of the slippers away, Rhodopis is heartbroken. For how is she to know that the slipper will land in the lap of the great Pharaoh himself? And who would ever guess that the Pharaoh has promised to find the slipper’s owner and make her queen of all Egypt?

Augustus Caesar's World

In her unique approach, Foster weaves a story of the world around her central character; rather than focusing exclusively on geo-political events, as most textbooks do, she includes stories of scientific discovery and invention, music, literature, art, and religion. Her keen intuition for stories will especially delight and amuse youthful readers. In Augustus Caesar's World, Foster traces the seven major civilizations of Rome, Greece, Israel, Egypt, China, India, and Persia from 4500 B.C. to the time of Augustus Caesar in 44 B.C. and culminating in 14 A.D. Within this timeframe readers will learn not only the stories of Julius Caesar, Cleopatra, and Marc Antony, but also the historian Livy and how Virgil came to write the Aeneid. Foster will then take her readers all over the world to learn what was happening at this same time in China, Persia, India and so on. Foster's detailed pen and ink drawings are fresh and appealing, and her illustrated timelines give a clear sense of chronology, enriching the engaging text.

The Lost Queen of Egypt: The Tomb of Nefertiti

For professor of Egyptology Henry Markham, this would be the crowning glory of his career: an intact tomb of Nefertiti, the great royal wife of Akhenaten and the heretic pharaoh of eighteenth dynasty Egypt, whose bust of exquisite beauty resides in the Berlin Museum, which he had searched for the last ten years. He had an unspoken passion for her only excelled by his young assistant, Steven Sinclair, whose visions and dreams of her haunted him, much to the annoyance of Helen Carter, the freelance journalist on-site who, with her business partner Mike Mitcham, the digs photographer, saw Nefertiti as a rival for his affections. Thanks to a gambling debt, Mike finds himself the proud owner of a large luxury mobile home that four Mossad agents are interested in, along with Emil Brogini, who did a drug deal with two Mossad rogue agents since deceased. The arrival of Henry's estranged sister, Millicent, with her friend Jane Evesham, a gifted clairvoyant, does nothing to improve his temper, especially when Jane tells him they are in great danger. Can the danger come from four renegade Mossad agents or Emil Bratislav Brogini, Mr. Big in Cairo, into every racket going? Jane discovers that Helen has a latent gift of clairvoyance which, with their combined powers in a séance, sends them back to the eighteenth dynasty with Nefertiti, Akhenaten, and danger around every corner as they try to discover who is trying to kill them all using a large band of Libyan bandits. They survive ambushes, assassin's knives, and chariot chases, finally getting back to their own time with Nefertiti.

Pyramid

Pyramid is a strong resource for readers looking to expand their knowledge of ancient Egyptian civilization, history, and architecture.

Award-winning author-illustrator David Macaulay explores the philosophy of life and death in ancient Egypt through richly detailed black-and-white illustrations and clear, concise text.

Though created with middle grade readers in mind, all with interest in the topic will enjoy this impressive look at what many consider to be one of the most awesome of humankind's creations.

Pharaoh's Boat

With poetic language and striking illustrations, Weitzman tells the story of how one of the greatest boats of ancient Egypt came to be built and built again.In the shadow of the Great Pyramid at Giza, the most skilled shipwrights in all of Egypt are building an enormous vessel that will transport Cheops, the mighty pharaoh, across the winding waterway and into a new world. Pharaoh's boat will be a wonder to behold, and well prepared for the voyage ahead. But no one, not even the Egyptian king himself, could have imagined just where the journey of Pharaoh's boat would ultimately lead.

The Winged Cat

Merit is a servant girl in the temple of cat goddesses. In a rage, Waha, the High Priest, kills a sacred car, and Merit sees him do it.But when Merit reports the evil deed to Pharaoh, Waha denies that he is guilty.

Also, look at some of these fun facts about the Great Sphinx of Giza.

Uncovering the Mysteries of The Great Sphinx of Giza

  • Who made it? The mythological statue has the head of a human and the body of a lion. It was built by ancient Egyptians of the Old Kingdom.
  • What is it made from? It is made with a single piece of bedrock. Repairs have been made over time using limestone. This is a single carved piece, not smaller blocks.
  • Where is it located?  Giza, Egypt
  • When was it carved? It was carved in 2500 BC.
  • How big is it? 240 feet long and 66 feet high, it is an impressive sight!
  • Why was it built? It was made for the pharaoh Khafre, the builder of the Second Pyramid at Giza.
  • What happened to his nose? While there are several theories as to what happened to the nose (and it has never been found) close inspection suggests that it was a deliberate act using rods or chisels.
Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

Next, look at some more hands-on activities to learn about Ancient Egypt.

Hands-on Activities for Ancient Egypt

  • 7 Fun Ways to Play Go Fish Egyptian Games for Kids
  • Ancient Egypt DIY Simple and Fun Mummification Process Game
  • Egypt Crafts For Kindergarten Create a Fun Kid Sized Mummy
  • Fun Pharaohs and Queens Ancient Egypt Lapbook and Activities
  • The Geronimo Stilton Book Fourth Journey Fun Egypt Game
  • Fun and Easy Hands-On Ancient Egypt Craft: Create Canopic Jars
  • 11 Easy Hands-On Ancient Egypt Projects for Middle School
  • Ancient Egyptian Mathematics: Build a LEGO Math Calculator
  • Fun Hands-On History: Ancient Egyptian Collar Craft

Finally, how to make this fun Lego Great Spinx of Giza.

Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

You can find every piece to create your own Sphinx of Giza in this LEGO Classic Creative Box.

You can make your sphinx with any color of bricks.

I chose a light tan to give it the sand look.

You can also use any mix of brick sizes and make the model as large or as small as you wish.

If you are new to building with LEGO, when i say 1×2, etc…

Here is an example of what I mean.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

In addition, for language arts, history and geography you can assign Where Are The Great Pyramids to learn more about the Sphinx as well as the pyramids.

Rather than a list, I am giving you a photo for reference that you can print and have your child gather the pieces or pieces that are as close as possible.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

Lay down your base. This is one of the few pieces that does not come in the basic box except in green, so use that if you like.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

Place 1×6 pieces on either side, one stud in and one stud away from the edge to create arms.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

Fill in a 4×8 area between the “arms” of the monument.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

Place another layer of bricks starting on the second stud from the back in a 4×4 grouping.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

For the back half of the lion’s body put pieces together like in this photo

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

Use these special rounded pieces to give the straight edges some curve. If you don’t have them you can just finish it off with a straight-edged brick.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

To create the head and headpiece (Nemes) of the pharaoh put these pieces together like this.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

Then place them all together.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

Put directly in front of the second layer of the body.

If you have the bricks with forward-facing studs this will help create a general face shape.

 If not just use a tall 1×2 brick in its place like this.

Building Wonders: Create the Great Sphinx of Giza with LEGO

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: ancient, ancient civilizations, ancient egypt, egypt, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, historyspine, homeschoolhistory, world history

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

October 20, 2023 | Leave a Comment
This post may contain affiliate links. For more information, please see my full disclosure policy.

If you love hands-on projects for your unit studies, I have 13 easy Native American crafts that you are going to love. You’ll also love my page Native American Unit Study for Kids Who Love Hands-on Learning.

Native American crafts are rich in history and cultural significance.

They are reflections of the traditions, beliefs, and artistic skills of the different Native American tribes across North America.

These crafts demonstrate a wide range of artistic expressions, including pottery, weaving, beadwork, basketry, and carving.

Important artifacts like arrowheads are still being discovered today.

They are found in dried-up creeks, springs, rock overhangs, or around lakes and rivers.

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

Creating arrowheads was a skill that was passed down through generations.

It started with reaching small boys and each tribe had its unique style and methods of crafting arrowheads.

Join me on an exciting journey to unlock the mysteries of arrowheads and gain a deeper appreciation for the ancient civilizations that relied on them for weapons and tools.

Get ready to discover the secrets of flint knapping and facts about arrowheads, you can even try your hand at creating your own arrowhead replicas.

Also, look at some of these books about Native Americans.

16 Books About Native Americans

You’ll love these books about various Native American tribes and how they lived and their rich history.

The Winter People

Saxso is fourteen when the British attack his village. It’s 1759, and war is raging in the northeast between the British and the French, with the Abenaki people Saxso’s people by their side. Without enough warriors
to defend their homes, Saxso’s village is burned to the ground. Many people are killed, but some, including Saxso’s mother and two sisters, are taken hostage. Now it’s up to Saxso, on his own, to track the raiders and bring his family back home . . . before it’s too late.

In Their Own Words: Sitting Bull

In Their Own Words: Sitting Bull tells the exciting story of Sitting Bull's life using real drawings, letters, and speeches from him and from his friends and family.A warrior I have been. / Now, it is all over. / A hard time I have.With these words, Sitting Bull surrendered to the U.S. government on July 20, 1881. Sitting Bull spent most of his life trying to protect his people. A proud father and brave warrior, Sitting Bull wanted the Lakota Sioux to continue hunting buffalo and roaming the Plains. Although he lost this battle, Sitting Bull is remembered for his brave actions and notable accomplishments.

Blackfeet Indian Stories

Here are the great stories of the Blackfeet, recorded by the famous conservationist and ethnologist, George Bird Grinnell, who became a tribal member in 1885. The Nizitapi, or Real People, as they call each other, were people of the buffalo. They originated on the plains of today’s southern Alberta, western Saskatchewan, and central Montana. Famed frontier artist George Catlin called the Blackfeet “the most
powerful tribe of Indians on the continent.” Like many native people, the Blackfeet have stories and legends that originated centuries ago, perhaps thousands of years ago, and were passed down from generation to generation through an oral tradition.

The Double Life of Pocahontas

In a story that is as gripping as it is historical, Newbery Honor-winning author Jean Fritz reveals the true life of Pocahontas. Though at first permitted to move freely between the Indian and the white worlds, Pocahontas was eventually torn between her new life and the culture that shaped her.

The Buffalo and the Indians: A Shared Destiny

Countless herds of majestic buffalo once roamed across the plains and prairies of North America. For at least 10,000 years, the native people hunted the buffalo and depended upon its meat and hide for their survival. But to the Indians, the buffalo was also considered sacred. They saw this abundant, powerful animal as another tribe, one that was closely related to them, and they treated it with great respect and admiration.

Hidden Roots

"Hidden Roots" focuses on the greater impact that the generations of Abenaki that followed had to deal with. Readers will learn about the loss of identity, history and culture;lack ofself worth and fear that Abenaki people were feeling, and still feel today. Middle grade readers love to see life as "being fair", and will totally understand that life is not fair in this story. This is a book that should be read in every middle school class, so that this history will not be forgotten, and never be repeated.

Children of the Longhouse

When Ohkwa'ri overhears a group of older boys planning a raid on a neighboring village, he immediately tells his Mohawk elders. He has done the right thing—but he has also made enemies. Grabber and his friends will do anything they can to hurt him, especially during the village-wide game of Tekwaarathon (lacrosse). Ohkwa'ri believes in the path of peace, but can peaceful ways work against Grabber's wrath?

Thunder Rolling in the Mountains

Through the eyes of a brave and in­dependent young woman, Scott O'Dell tells of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce, a classic tale of cruelty, betrayal, and heroism.

This powerful account of the tragic defeat of the Nez Perce Indians in 1877 by the United States Army is narrated by Chief Joseph's strong and brave daughter.

When Sound of Running Feet first sees white settlers on Nez Perce land, she vows to fight them. She'll fight all the people trying to steal her people's land and to force them onto a reservation, includ­ing the soldiers with their guns.

But if to fight means only to die, never win, is the fight worth it? When will the killing stop?

Black Hawk

Before dying, Pyesa, Black Hawk’s father and chief of his people, commanded his son to defend their land from whites, who were trying to force the tribe off their land. Black Hawk, however, has no taste for killing and scalping and goes through great internal conflict. The story of this great-hearted leader shows how some whites and Native Americans were peaceful and kind, while others were not. Based on true events, this powerful book teaches about a difficult time period and shares profound, unique messages about love, faith, mercy, humility, friendship, forgiveness, and faith. Recommended for ages 13-18/Grade 7-12

Moccasin Trail (Puffin Newbery Library)

Jim Keath has lived for six years as a Crow Indian when he learns that his two younger brothers and a sister are journeying west to take up land. Although Jim finds it difficult to fit in with the family he hasn’t seen since childhood, and though they are wary and distrustful of him, Jim feels his duty is at their side. But slowly, as they survive the dangerous trek west, the perils of frontier life, and the kidnapping of their younger brother, Jim and his family realize that the only way to survive is to accept each other and truly reunite the family.

The Pueblo Indians,: Farmers of the Rio Grande

Young hawk lived over 400 years ago, but the civilization of the pueblo indians, already well advanced before any white settlers came into their land, has changed very little since his day.

Sacajawea

Captured by her enemies, married to a foreigner, and a mother at age sixteen, Sacajawea lived a life of turmoil and change. Then, in 1804, the mysterious young Shoshone woman met Meriwether Lewis and William Clark. Acting as interpreter, peacemaker, and guide, Sacajawea bravely embarked on an epic journey that altered history forever. Hear her extraordinary story, in the voices of Sacajawea and William Clark in alternating chapters, with selections from Clark’s original diaries.

The Birchbark House (Birchbark House, 1)

She was named Omakakiins, or Little Frog, because her first step was a hop.

Omakakiins and her family live on an island in Lake Superior. Though there are growing numbers of white people encroaching on their land, life continues much as it always has.

But the satisfying rhythms of their life are shattered when a visitor comes to their lodge one winter night, bringing with him an invisible enemy that will change things forever—but that will eventually lead Omakakiins to discover her calling.

Naya Nuki: Shoshoni Girl Who Ran (Amazing Indian Children Series)

After being taken prisoner by an enemy tribe, a Shoshoni girl escapes and makes a thousand-mile journey through the wilderness to find her own people

Squanto, Friend Of The Pilgrims

Tells of the adventurous life of the Wampanoag Indian,Squanto.

Plains Indians (First Nations of North America)

This title teaches readers about the first people to live in the Plains region of North America. It discusses their culture, customs, ways of life, interactions with other settlers, and their lives today.

5 Arrowhead Facts

First, look at some of these facts about arrowheads.

  1. Arrowheads were mainly created from flint, obsidian, or chert. But ones made from bone, wood, and metal have also been found.
  2. Arrowheads were used as weapons and tools. They were attached to a spear shaft, an atlatl shaft, an arrow, or a knife handle.
  3. Handcrafted arrowheads were used to hunt, fish, and fight battles.
  4. Arrowheads come in various shapes, sizes, and materials depending on the tribe that made them. Their uniqueness provides a glimpse into the history and traditions of different Native American groups.
  5. Native Americans might spend hours looking for just the right material and make their arrowheads using a chipping process called flint knapping.
13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

Flint Knapping – How Were Arrowheads Made

First, a piece of flint (or other stone) was chosen.

The large piece was cut down in size by blows to the edge with a piece of hard stone.

This is called percussion chipping and was done repeatedly until the piece was thinned down and shaped.

The most common stones used to make arrowheads were:

  • Basalt
  • Flint
  • Quartzite
  • Jasper
  • Quartz
  • Chalcedony
  • Petrified wood
  • Agate
  • Obsidian
  • Chert

The piece was then pressure chipped using a sharp deer or elk antler to get it detailed into the right shape, size, and sharpness desired.

The final step was called notching.

Notches were made in the arrowhead by using a combination of pressure flaking and abrading or grinding. 

This way they could create the gaps, or notches, that the Native Americans would use to attach the arrowhead to the shaft of the arrow.

Points were then attached to the arrow shaft with a variety of different methods. Usually, the arrow shaft would have a slit cut into the end to accept the point.

Sinew would then be wrapped around the shaft to pinch the slit closed. Points could also be hafted directly by wrapping the strong sinew around the point and the arrow shaft to bind them together.

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

The shafts of the arrows were made from strong shoots like dogwood, wild rose, ash, birch, chokecherry, and black locust trees.

If you haven’t been lucky enough to find an arrowhead on your own, you can purchase some replicas to have a closer look and add to your unit.

Next look at these 13 easy Native American crafts.

13 Easy Native American Crafts

Dig into more aspects of native American life by creating several hands-on crafts beyond arrowheads like canoes, jewelry, drums, and even simple games they would have enjoyed.

  1. Make a simple Shawnee Birchbark Canoe with a few basic craft items.
  2. Making Talking Sticks with Kids is not only creative but it’s a great study in history and social studies.
  3. Create an easy and Fun Corn Craft to use as decoration while your child learns about Indian corn.
  4. I love this handicraft idea for making a Native American Indian Medicine Bag for Kids.
  5. Make this cool Iroquois Bracelet.
  6. Watch this video that demonstrates Making a Bear Claw Necklace for a fantastic hands-on idea.
  7. Recreate a Cradleboard Craft that fits perfectly on small dolls. It demonstrates how babies were carried for long journeys, hunting trips, and throughout a busy day.
  8. These little Popsicle Stick Bow and Arrows are just adorable (and pretty harmless as well).
  9. Grab some air-dry clay and paint and create a little Native American Crafts for Kindergarten How to Make a Kids Pinch Pot .
  10. Learn How to Make a Longhouse Out of Popsicle Sticks, an important part of Native American life.
  11. Native American Stick Game.
  12. Easy Native American Spin Drum Craft for Kids. Spin drums were found in the Southwest tribes of the U.S.
  13. Build a Wigwam like the Algonquin and other tribes would have lived in.
13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

Finally, look how to make a cool Native American arrowhead.

Make a Cool Arrowhead

You will need:

  • Air dry clay
  • Rock
  • Wooden craft stick
  • Leather cord
13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

First, give your child a feel of how it would’ve been for the Native Americans to carve an arrowhead.

Give your child an uneven blob of clay as if they had been searching for just the right rock.

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

Obviously, the clay is soft and moldable unlike the hard flint that they would’ve been made of.

However, we can still try to give them as much of the experience as possible.

Next, use a craft stick or clay knife to form the basic shape of an arrowhead.

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

We can still use the rock to simulate the motion of carving the arrowhead into a piece of flint.

It also helps give the clay a little more texture like a real one would have.

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

Continue shaping until satisfied with the design as well as thickness.

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

Allow the clay to dry completely for 24 to 48 hours depending on how thick your arrowhead is.

Once it’s completely dry, you can leave it as is or paint it a dark gray or black and let that paint dry.

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

Leave it as is, so it looks like an artifact that was just picked up.

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

In addition, you can wrap cording around it a few times, knot it off, and then tie the end into a necklace to wear.

13 Easy Native American Crafts for Kids & Make a Cool Arrowhead

Leave a CommentFiled Under: Hands-On Activities Tagged With: crafts, early American history, hands on history, hands-on, hands-on activities, handson, handsonhomeschooling, history, history resources, homeschoolhistory, Native Americans, nativeamerican, nativeamericans

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