Egypt's long history and mythology fascinates young and old. You may not be able to make an actual family trip to Egypt, but a virtual tour is as close as your computer. Learn about Egyptian pharaohs and gods, mummies and pyramids, hieroglyphs and Egyptian mathematics through a tour of fun children's websites.
Begin with The Story of Soha, a girl from Ancient Egypt, presented by the Seattle Art Museum. Next, tour several pyramids, view ancient Egyptian artifacts, and learn about pharaohs and mummies. Then, try some Egyptian hieroglyphic writing and mathematics.
Explore Egyptian Pyramids, Pharaohs, and Artifacts
NOVA Pyramids at PBS.org invites visitors to wander through the chambers and passageways of The Great Pyramid and to follow along as a team reconstructs how to build a pyramid, as featured on NOVA's This Old Pyramid. Pyramids served as tombs for pharaohs.
Pyramids at NationalGeographic.org also takes visitors on an interactive virtual adventure to explore the pyramids and answer the questions: Who built the pyramids?, How old are they?, and What's inside?
The Virtual Egyptian Museum, provided by the California Institute of World Archaeology, exhibits a collection of antiquities and artifacts, known as The Senusret Collection, that haven't appeared in a real museum in decades. The cybermuseum presents photos and lengthy descriptions of artifacts categorized by type, period, god, and material.
Ancient Egypt Lesson Plans, Activities, and Clip Art
Neferchichi's Tomb at neferchichi.com provides information about
- Egyptian gods,
- Egyptian pharaohs, and
- mummies (including a mummification simulation).
The Neferchichi website includes lesson plans, mad libs, hieroglyphic fonts, and Egyptian clip art. Kids can learn to write like an Egyptian, learn how to do a mummification simulation, and play a 3D hidden object game.
You might like to host an Ancient Egypt party to further explore the food, games, crafts, and activities of Ancient Egypt or learn more about mummification.
Hieroglyphic Writing and Egyptian Mathematics
Discovering Ancient Egypt at discoveringegypt.com is full of information about Egypt, including sections on
- pyramids and temples,
- Egyptian kings and queens,
- hieroglyphic writing, and
- Egyptian math and numerals.
Other website features include videos, photos, games, quizzes, and e-cards. In addition to the free online content, Millmore offers purchasable software, such as the Hieroglyphic Print Machine to write secret messages and the Math Worksheet Creator to learn more about Egyptian mathematics.
As mysterious as Ancient Egypt may at first seem, we can see that modern civilization inherited much from the daily lives, technology, and even mythology of ancient places and times. If you enjoyed this virtual trip through the mysteries and mythology of Ancient Egypt, you might also enjoy An Online Tour Through Greek Mythology.
Sara McGrath - Sara is a veteran homeschool mom of three, Usborne consultant, and the author of Unschooling: A Lifestyle of Learning.
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