hands-on ancient history lessons logo history to go

Hands-On Ancient History Lessons: History to Go (Wholesale)

From: $55.50

Looking for an easy, hands-on ancient history lesson for your group?

We’ve done the work for you with Ancient History-to-Go kits.

History to Go kits are the perfect accompaniment to your history teacher’s lesson plan! Let us bring that extra level of beautiful, engaging, hands on learning to your classroom, co-op, or special event.

Each kit has everything you need for students K-12 to dive deeper into history. Over 60 historically enriching crafts that have been selected for quality, authenticity, and ease of use are packed into ready-to-pass-out kits for your classroom.  A historical topic overview related to the activity is included along with directions and all the supplies are right there in the kit. Just open and go! We’ve done the legwork, assembly, research, and sourcing to make hands-on history easy to add to your school so your teachers can do what they do best: teach!

Our hands-on ancient history lessons will take you through eighteen fascinating civilizations across the Americas, Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia. Discover the art of the boomerang with authentic throwing stick crafted by an Aboriginal family business. Mummify an apple in the style of the ancient Egyptians. Recreate historic artifacts like mosaics, hats, and more. Play like the ancients with Senet, one of the oldest board games in the world.  Each lesson brings the ancient world to life with a multi-sensory approach.

Perfect for:

Busy Teachers
Sensory Learners
Charter School Classes
History Clubs
Greek Festivals
Indigenous People’s Day
Colonial Day
Classical or STEAM Co-ops
Library Programs & Reading Prizes
Museum Programs & Gift Shops
Minimum order: 5 of the same item, minimum of 15 total items

 

Category:

  • Time Capsule Kit

    Every child is part of history and they can use this kit to create their own historic memento!

    This item includes everything needed to capture this moment in time by creating a record of a child's thoughts, dreams, and favorite things. Then seal it up in our weather-proof time capsule container and bury or hide it until a time of your choosing when it can be reopened and enjoyed all over again.

  • Cave Art Kit (Australia Unboxed)

    Ochre is a pigment that is found naturally in certain types of crumbly rock. It has been harvested and used in Australia for body decoration, cave art, and stenciling for thousands of years. Some of the oldest examples of cave art are made with ochre powder sprayed over people's hands as a stencil. Now you can recreate this 40,000 year old art form with out cave art kit!

  • Kite Kit (China Unboxed)

    The first kites that historians have found evidence of came from ancient China and were used for military purposes. Later, kites were used for entertainment. These kites were lighter and smaller, made from bamboo and paper or bamboo and silk. Now you can learn the history of kites and decorate and fly your own!

  • Mummification Kit (Egypt Unboxed)

    Originally, the ancient Egyptians buried the bodies of their dead in the sand. The dry desert stands mummified the bodies naturally. Then, the Egyptians began mummifying their dead on purpose. Now you can mummify a piece of apple or hot dog in a process similar to the ancient Egyptians.

  • Cylinder Seal Kit (Babylon Unboxed)

    In Mesopotamia, civilization evolved so quickly that they developed a need for a bureaucratic system of government before they had even developed a written language. How could this be done in a time before a written alphabet? Beginning as early as 3500 BC/BCE, the people of Mesopotamia accomplished this with the use of stone seals, including cylinder seals. Now you can design and use your own cylinder seal with this kit!

  • Purple Dye Kit (Phoenicia Unboxed)

    Ancient Phoenicia was a place where many luxury goods were made and exported—from beautiful, blown glass to papyrus paper. But perhaps the most famous product the Phoenicians produced was the rich purple dye that they made from the Murex ocean snail. Phoenicians were called the “purple people” because the dye stained the skin of the craftsmen who made it. Now you can use this kit to dye a backpack purple with a wax resistance technique.

  • Fanner Basket Kit (St. Augustine Unboxed)

    The craftsmen at Fort Mose made baskets called fanner baskets. This kind of basket was a traditional craft taught from parents to children in African families. It was used in the processing of crops. Artists at Fort Mose would have used dried grasses and pine needles to weave their baskets but, for ease of handling, you will be using cord and thread.

  • Senet Kit (Egypt Unboxed)

    One of the wonderful things about studying Ancient Egypt is that the Egyptians left behind so much information. Between hieroglyphs, wall paintings, and tombs fully stocked for the afterlife, we are able to learn a great deal about daily life in Egypt, including how they spent their leisure time. Games were an important part of life in Egypt, and the oldest known game was called Senet. Now you can make and play this game, just like the ancient Egyptians.

  • Weaving Kit (Ghana Unboxed)

    You probably don’t think too much about the cotton clothing you own, but all of it started out as the very same plant that was grown and used in the ancient world thousands of years ago!

    The cotton fabric that we have today is mostly made by machines with super thin cotton thread being woven quickly into very smooth fabric. Weaving by hand requires a lot of skill and practice, and the end result may look very different than the modern woven fabrics you’re used to seeing. Now you can try weaving on a loom, and develop a whole new appreciation for this art form!

  • Geometric Solids Mobile Kit (Athens Unboxed)

    Some of the most interesting people in Greek history were actually mathematicians! Now you can make a mobile in honor of Plato’s discoveries in geometry. In this craft you will make a hanging mobile featuring four of the Platonic solids: cube, tetrahedron, octahedron, and icosahedron.

  • Rope Pottery Kit (Jomon Unboxed)

    The oldest pottery fragments in the world come from the Jomon people of Japan. Archaeologists believe that the Jomon people settled down into villages more the 15,000 years ago, and the humble clay pot improved their lives in many ways. Now people had a cooking container that wouldn’t leak and could be used over the fire! All kinds of new food sources were mad accessible by cooking. Food could be stored in pots for seasons when fresh food was scarce. The Jomon also made clay pots and clay figurines for religious ceremonies, and even sometimes used clay burial pots as caskets for the dead.

  • Rangoli Stencil Kit (Mauryan Empire Unboxed)

    Rangoli is an ancient form of Indian art, usually created on the ground for special festivals, good luck, or decoration. Beautiful Rangoli stencils were sometimes placed at the entrances to homes as a beautiful way to welcome guests. Now you can decorate with Rangoli stencils, just like the people in ancient India!

  • Anansi Stories and Story Dice (Ghana Unboxed)

    In ancient Ghana, storytelling was an important tradition, and the griots, or storytellers, played a pivotal role in society. The art of storytelling is still practiced in modern times and one of the most enduring and loved characters to come out of ancient Ghana and into the modern era is Anansi the Spider. Perhaps the reason he has been loved and laughed over for so long is that he isn’t really a hero: he is charming, but also tricky, selfish,and lazy. He’ll scheme for a day to avoid an hour’s work, and often his deceptions backfire.  In your kit, you will find a CD of Anansi stories and a storytelling game. After you have listened to the stories, get together with your family or friends to tell your own Anansi stories and see if you can make up some new tales (or reimagine some old ones) about one of the world’s best loved antiheros.

  • Mask Kit (Olmecs Unboxed)

    In this kit, you can recreate a jade mask like those discovered by archaeologists studying the Olmecs.  The Olmecs made beautiful masks out of jade to symbolize werejaguars: special people who they believed had the ability to magically transform into jaguars.

  • Latin Card Game (Julius Caesar Unboxed)

    At its peak, Rome ruled between one-sixth and one-fourth of the world’s population and encompassed five million square kilometers.  Rome’s language, Latin, is the ancestor of the Romantic languages (French, Spanish, Portuguese) and remains in use within the Catholic Church to this day. Learn about Julius Caesar and the history of Rome and then play a variety of Latin card games and see how Latin continues to be used today!

  • Mosaic Kit (Pompeii Unboxed)

    At the time of the eruption of Mt. Vesuvius, countless homes were decorated with these works of art. Much of the subject matter was derived from mythology, including one house where the floor displayed the famous maze known as The Labyrinth, with the fearsome monster called The Minotaur at the center. Now you can make your own Labyrinth style mosaic!

  • Oil Lamp Kit (Israelites Unboxed)

    The olive tree grows in inhospitable conditions: dry, rocky soil under a hot sun.  The tree is evergreen and extremely long-lived. In Croatia, there is a 1,600 year old olive tree that still produces oil-laden fruit. There are olive trees that some claim to be as old as 4,000 years old! The ancient Israelites ate the fruit (the olive) and used the oil for light, cooking, and ritual anointing. The wood is very hard, and was useful for making kitchen utensils and bowls. Now you can make a functional oil lamp, just like the ancient Israelites!

  • Shofar Kit (Israelites Unboxed)

    Through the Bible and through archaeological evidence, we know that music was an important part of daily life for the Israelites. They sang songs while they worked to make their tasks less arduous. They sang to mark major life events. They sang and played instruments as part of religious rites. And sometimes, they sang just for joy. Just like the Israelites thousands of years ago, you can play a ram's horn trumpet, also known as a Shofar.

  • Bird Whistle Kit (Indus Valley Unboxed)

    Play was an important part of life for the people of the Indus River civilization, both for children and for adults. Archaeologists have found clay figurines of cats, dogs, monkeys, and squirrels.  Some of these toys originally had wheels and string attached so a child could drag the toy. Some of the figurines have pot bellies and holes in the base as well as holes for moveable arms. Some archaeologists think these were used as puppets. Other children played with toy boats, rattles, or bird whistles. They placed their “lovies” in terracotta beds and lovingly covered them with woven blankets. In other words, they had a lot in common with children today!

  • Wool Hat Kit (Scythians Unboxed)

    Scythians wore clothing made of wool, hemp, wool felt, and leather, all suitable for the cold climate in which they lived (with temperatures often below freezing). In this kit, you’ll make a hat like one found in a Scythian kurgan (burial mound).

  • Laurel Wreath Kit (Julius Caesar Unboxed)

    The laurel wreath has held symbolism since the times of the Greeks, who associated laurel with the god Apollo.  The Romans adopted the laurel wreath along with other elements of Greek culture and tradition.  In Rome, the laurel wreath symbolized peace, eternity, victory, unrequited love, and a supreme ruler. Now you can weave and wear a laurel wreath crown as you learn about Julius Caesar and the history of Rome.

  • Wax Tablet Kit (Pompeii Unboxed)

    At the time of Pompeii, paper was expensive and difficult to make. Paper and parchment manufacturing involved papyrus or animal skin and was reserved for official documents and books. The Romans used writing for more everyday purposes, however, such as making lists, leaving instructions, or educating children. For these needs they used a wax tablet and stylus (a sharpened tool for scratching the wax.) It was simpler to make, and the wax could be scraped out, melted, and re-poured so that the tablet could be reused many times.

  • Papyrus Making Kit (Phoenicia Unboxed)

    The ancient Phoenicians (and other ancient peoples) used paper made out of papyrus reeds. Papyrus is a plant that grows in shallow water or swampy areas. The reeds of the papyrus are pounded flat and dried to make fibrous strips that can then be used to make a thick parchment. Now you can make ancient paper out of real papyrus!

  • Personal Seal Kit (Uruk Unboxed)

    The seals of Uruk are the first example historians have found of the value of the reputation of individuals in a community. Each seal was designed to say something about the person it belonged to, and, using the seal, a person could be recognized as a unique individual. Those doing business could have a written record of a person’s previous dealings and know the value of his word. Just like an ancient seal would have been used to personalize a clay tablet, now you can design a seal to represent you as an individual and personalize modern stationary with it to share with your friends and family.

  • Papyrus Scroll Kit (Pharaohs Unboxed)

    The papyrus plant grew along the Nile River in Ancient Egypt and was used to make boats, sandals, mats, baskets, medicine, and even perfume. The most famous use of papyrus, however, was the thick paper that is made from the pith of the plant. Now you can decorate your own papyrus scroll by painting one of the most famous artifacts from ancient Egypt.

  • Gold Leaf Kit (Scythians Unboxed)

    Horses were central to Scythian culture, as shown in the extensive representation of horses in Scythian artwork. The Scythian rider would have been a spectacular site, moving as one with a well-dressed horse.  Saddle cloths were often painted, embroidered or appliqued and wealthy riders used bridles and reins covered in gold. The highest ranking Scythians also used gold on their saddle cloths during life and when they were buried. The horse you will be gold plating is a copy of one found in a burial site, and was once part of a woman’s ceremonial headdress.

  • Soap Making Kit (Babylon Unboxed)

    The first example of soap discovered by archaeologists was found in ancient Babylon.  Soapy substances made of animal fat and ash were discovered inside clay pots and believed to have been used as medicine to treat skin conditions. The soap may also have been used to clean wool and cotton, either as part of the textile industry or to wash clothing. Now you can make your own soap and use it, just like the ancient Babylonians!

  • Incense Kit (Mauryan Empire Unboxed)

    In the Mauryan Empire, agarbatti (stick incense) was used as medicine, for religious ceremonies, and simply because it was pleasant to smell! There is something very pleasing and special about smelling incense that has continued to captivate people, and all of these uses have persisted to modern times.

  • Shadow Candle Kit (Athens Unboxed)

    Explore philosophy in ancient Athens! Read Plato's Allegory of the Cave and dive deeper with this hands on shadow craft.

  • Cuneiform Cookie Kit (Uruk Unboxed)

    Cuneiform was the first kind of writing in the world. Cuneiform was written with a wedge shaped stick called a stylus that was used to make triangle marks in a clay tablet. The name “Cuneiform” came later (we do not know what the Sumerians would have called their writing) and contains the Latin word “cuneus” meaning “wedge shaped.” Since clay tablets can last for thousands of years under the right conditions we have many artifacts containing Sumerian cuneiform. Now you can make your own cuneiform tablets... but don’t expect these to last for 4,000 years! You will be working with cookie dough instead of clay.

  • Magnetic Compass Kit (China Unboxed)

    Have you ever enjoyed fireworks? Owned a piece of gold-plated jewelry? Maybe you’ve gone geocaching with a magnetic compass or watched a hot air balloon? You probably didn’t know that you had the Ancient Chinese to thank. Beginning more than 2,500 years ago, scientists in Ancient China started making truly wonderful discoveries and inventions. They constructed crossbows, sun compasses, magnetic compasses, and even the world’s first seismograph (for detecting earthquakes.) Now you can recreate one of these fascinating inventions at home: the magnetic compass.

Description

Our hands-on ancient history lessons include 1 activity and 1 booklet containing background historical information and activity directions.

Our ancient history hands-on kits include:

Order your hands-on ancient history lessons today for an immersive way to explore world cultures and historical innovations. Perfect for classrooms, libraries, museum gift shops, and educational programs, these kits provide a creative, interactive approach to history, encouraging students to connect with the past through hands-on activities.

Each kit is designed to bring history to life, offering a multi-sensory experience that meets curriculum goals while sparking curiosity and critical thinking. Students can explore art, science, storytelling, and daily life from cultures around the globe, making connections across time and geography. From ancient innovations to timeless traditions, these kits allow learners to step into the shoes of people from the past and gain a deeper appreciation of human creativity and resilience.

Aligned with many educational standards, our kits are ideal for cross-curricular learning, integrating history, art, and STEM concepts in a way that inspires students and supports educators. Whether used in the classroom, at community events, or as unique gift shop items, they provide an unforgettable, hands-on experience for learners of all ages.

Transform the way your students or patrons engage with history—these kits make it personal, tangible, and exciting. Let’s make history unforgettable—one project at a time!

Related products