Bring 8 Ancient Civilisations to Life: School Workshops & Educational Trips

by PlanMySchoolTrip
published 20 July 2026

4 mins read

Exploring the achievements of the earliest civilisations allows your students to discover the incredible achievements, beliefs, and everyday lives of some of the world's earliest societies. From the mighty pyramids of Ancient Egypt to the sophisticated city-states of Ancient Greece, each civilisation offers fascinating stories and innovations that have shaped the world we live in today. During inspiring workshops and intriguing school trips, children can connect with the past in fun ways, bringing ancient history to life. These in school workshops and out of classroom day trip experiences not only add to your classroom learning but also inspire a curiosity for history.

1. Ancient Sumer

Workshop: Organise an activity where children learn about the earliest writing system, cuneiform, by creating their own clay tablets and inscribing symbols with styluses made from sticks or dowels. Pupils will be guided through making messages or stories in cuneiform, helping them understand how Sumerians used writing to record their history and myths, such as the flood story from Gilgamesh. This activity makes the concept of ancient communication both interesting and fun, getting them curious about early innovations. This activity is a memorable way to connect children with Sumerian beliefs, social organisation, and their contributions to civilisation.

Day Trip: If you are within travel distance, visit a museum or archaeological site with replica Sumerian artifacts, such as ziggurat models, cylinder seals, or tablets, to explore Sumerian architecture and religion. Hear stories about gods like Anu and Enlil, their significance in daily life and spiritual practice. Children may be given the opportunity to role play as Sumerian merchants or priests, imagining their roles in ancient society. An Ancient Sumner civilisation day trip will include storytelling about Sumerian myths and social customs, beliefs and achievements.

2. The Indus Valley

Workshop: Imagine a simulation of Indus Valley urban planning where children are provided with materials to design and build miniature citadels and streets, inspired by Mohenjo Daro’s grid layout and drainage systems. During this workshop, the importance of their sophisticated urban infrastructure and how it supported social and religious activities, such as ritual ceremonies, is explained in an interesting and understandable way. Children will learn how the Indus people worshipped deities and used seals for trade and communication, and be told about their mysterious language that remains undeciphered.

Day Trip: Arrange a visit to a collection of artifacts from the Indus Valley, including pottery, seals, figurines, and tools, to explore their religious ceremonies and trading practices. Discussions include the possible reasons for the civilisation’s decline, such as climate change or invasion, helping to get your students to think critically about history. Pupils will have the opportunity to handle replica objects, and have the opportunity to ask lots of questions about daily life and belief systems. Maybe they will role play as Indus traders or community members, helping them to understand social structures and cultural achievements.

3. Ancient Egypt

Workshop: Egyptian themed workshops have a lot of information to work with.  Choose to create mummies and amulets out of clay or bandages, learn about Egyptian burial customs, beliefs in the afterlife, and gods like Osiris and Isis. Your pupils could make shabti dolls, which were placed in tombs to serve the deceased, and discuss their significance in Egyptian religion. The workshop provider can demonstrate the mummification process, linking it to Egyptian ideas about life after death, magic, and myth. These engaging, and very interactive activities make Egyptian beliefs and cultural practices easy to understand and memorable for younger children. Students might dress up as Egyptian priests or pharaohs.

Day Trip: Egyptian artifacts made their way back to the UK in huge numbers during the early part of the 20th century.  Sarcophagi, hieroglyphic inscriptions, and replicas of temples and tombs were all brought back from Egypt and many of them found their way into museums throughout the country.  A museum visit can help your class learn more about famous sites like the Pyramids of Giza or the Valley of the Kings, making ancient Egypt more than an abstract idea on a school whiteboard. Tailor your learning to your class topic, such as how the Nile River supported farming, trade, and transport, and how Egyptian life was intertwined with the river’s annual flooding. 

4. Ancient Greece

Workshop: Invite a Greek warrior into your classroom!  Or run an activity where children craft shields, helmets, or armor from foam and cardboard, then participate in relay races or mock battles to learn about hoplites and military discipline. Your workshop provider can connect this to the importance of the city states and their rivalries, such as Athens and Sparta.  Or theme your Ancient Greece workshop around stories about Greek gods like Zeus and Athena. If you would like to link to Art or Creative Writing, pupils could also have a go at making Greek pottery or writing simple Greek myths, teaching them about Greek art and storytelling traditions.  Or learn about Greek democracy by organising a simple voting activity or debate.  We have plenty of workshop activities to make this Ancient Civilisation engaging for primary pupils.

Day Trip: Less accessible than the Egyptians, there are nevertheless local museum visit opportunities around the UK to help your class learn about the Ancient Greeks.  Students can handle replica artifacts from the time of the Athenians or Spartans. They can learn about moments like the Battle of Marathon or about the Olympic events and what they meant to these ancient people. 

5. Shang Dynasty

Workshop: A workshop provider can bring in replica artifacts such as Chinese bronzes and tell your pupils how they were cast and decorated for religious and ceremonial purposes. Students can then craft their own ritual vessels from clay, inspired by Shang Dynasty designs, and learn about ancestor worship and practices, and how these objects played a role in Shang society’s spiritual life. This activity combines art, history, and science, helping children understand the technological sophistication and religious beliefs of the Shang.

Day Trip: Your only option for a day visit themed around the Shang Dynasty is London, or if you are lucky, a temporary exhibition held at a regional museum.  Museums house a collection of Chinese artifacts, including oracle bones, bronze vessels, and jade ornaments, to explore daily life, religion, and the development of Chinese writing.

Non-European societies that provide contrasts with British history

6. The Maya

The Maya civilisation is an extremely popular choice for schools as a non-European society.  The options for workshop activities include creating Maya pottery using clay, inspired by the intricate designs and symbolism used in their ancient ceramics. Learn about Maya hieroglyphic writing and its importance in recording history and mythology. These two activities can also feed into a discussion about the role of art in Maya religion, social hierarchy, their calendar and astronomy.  Use VR headsets to explore Maya archaeological sites.  Or enjoy musical activities, such as making Maya-style instruments or performing traditional dances.

7. Benin

During a workshop craft activity children create their own brass or bronze plaques inspired by the famous Benin Bronzes, which decorated the royal palace.  They depicted historical events, their deities, and royal figures and represented power, history, and religion.  Although many museum pieces have not been returned to Nigeria, there are still many remaining in places like the British Museum in London.  During a museum visit you could see Benin artifacts such as plaques, masks, and sculptures that tell stories about the oba and the importance of ancestor worship.

8. Early Islamic Civilisations

Our workshop ideas include an art and calligraphy activity where children learn to write Arabic script, inspired by the beautiful calligraphy found in Islamic art and manuscripts. Your children will look at traditional geometric designs and motifs which are central to Islamic art.

By incorporating interactive activities, storytelling, role play, and VR experiences, teachers can make the rich histories of these ancient civilisations fun and memorable. Each visit or workshop is tailored to bring alive the unique aspects of the culture you are studying, whether it is Egyptian hieroglyphics, Greek democracy, or Maya art.