I LOVE the Little Passports Egypt package! Today, I’m sharing some fun Montessori-inspired activities about Egypt.
Disclosure: I’m an affiliate for Little Passports and, as an ambassador, I received a year’s subscription to the World Edition of Little Passports. Once a month, I’m sharing some Montessori-inspired activities featuring Little Passports. This post contains affiliate links at no cost to you. Of course, all opinions are my own.
Here are my previous Montessori-inspired Little Passports posts:
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Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Global Adventure (which contained the Little Passports suitcase, passport, and world map used each month along with a letter from Sam and Sofia, activity sheet, stickers, and a boarding pass with access to online games and activities)
- Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – Brazil
- Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – Japan
- Montessori-Inspired Little Passports Activities – France
The Little Passports materials could work especially well for afterschooling, in a Montessori homeschool with children of multiple ages, or for summer learning. The World Edition is a monthly subscription recommended for ages 5-10. A total of 24 different adventures are available in the series. I’m sharing activities that would allow preschoolers to join in the adventures as well.
Contents of the Little Passports Egypt Package:
- A letter from Sam and Sophia, your child’s travel companions. This adds interest to a world study for a wide range of ages.
- Souvenirs themed around the chosen country. This month’s souvenir is an Egypt dig kit.
- An activity sheet for the country. This will generally be best for 5-10 year olds.
- A picture from the country. This month’s picture is of Sam and Sophia in Egypt.
Picture of a Uakari MonkeyPicture of a Uakari MonkeyPicture of a Uakari Monkey
- A passport stamp.
- A map marker.
- A sticker for the suitcase.
- A “boarding pass” for access to online content about the country. This month’s boarding pass has an Egypt trivia game, a map activity with a tour of Egypt (which includes a printable photo album), and an Egyptian hieroglyphics activity. The online activities are recommended for ages 5-10, although younger children could easily be included in the photo album activities and printable hieroglyphics activity.
This month’s boarding pass to Brazil had fun trivia questions about Brazil as well as an interactive soccer game. – See more at: http://www.peaceloveorganicmom.com/2013/05/traveling-to-brazil-with-little.html#sthash.NohmOxUG.dpuf
Following are some suggestions on how you can make Little Passports Montessori-inspired and have it work for multiple ages at home.
Map Work
The first package had a global focus, so you could have done any sort of continent map work in connection with the first package. After that, it’s best if your children have a chance to work with related Montessori continent box materials before the country package arrives (possibly for the two weeks preceding your work with the specific country). For the Egypt package, I’d recommend working with the Africa continent box for two weeks before and after working with the Egypt package. (See Montessori-Inspired Continent Activities Using Replicas – Africa.)
Map Unfolding and Folding and Country Matching Activity
I would include this activity for each country. Map unfolding and folding makes a great Montessori-inspired practical life activity. I’d recommend showing your child how to carefully unfold and fold the world map that comes with the first package. If you feel that would be too difficult for your child, you could always laminate the map and put it up on the wall.
For the Egypt package, I traced Egypt on the map and cut out the country piece from a foam sheet. Your child could place the matching foam piece on the world map, maybe using Velcro if your map is laminated and hung up. I included Brazil, Japan, and France on the tray to reinforce the work done previously with Little Passports.
Egypt Dig
What a fun part of the Little Passports package! It consists of a “treasure” that has to be excavated from the pyramid using the tools in the Egypt Dig kit. I just added the kit parts to a medium-size Montessori Services tray, a tray that’s useful for many activities.
Egypt Sensory Tub Dig
This activity doesn’t use materials from the Little Passports package, but it extends the archeological theme. It uses a free printable from the Egypt Pack for tots through grade 1 by 3 Dinosaurs. I just used a shoebox-size sensory tub from the Dollar Tree with sand and tools.
You could also use the free Ancient Egyptian Life Cards from Montessori Materials if you wish.
Make a 3-D Pyramid
This isn’t part of the Little Passports Egypt package, but it’s a wonderful extension to the Egypt package and to the Montessori geometric solids. For this activity, I used the free printable Cheops Pyramid from Korthals Altes. The cutting is fairly simple, although most preschoolers will need some help with the folding and gluing (holding the glued parts in place).
You could also use the free printable square pyramid from First Palette. In Montessori education, we use the term “square-base pyramid.” You’ll find ideas for decorating pyramids at Inspired Montessori and Arts at Dundee Montessori. You could also get ideas for images to draw from the free Ancient Egyptian Pack from Royal Baloo or from the printable hieroglyphics activity in the Little Passports boarding zone.
Extensions using Safari Ltd. Landmarks
I highly recommend having the Safari Ltd. World Landmarks TOOB and Around the World TOOB if you’re doing a world study. The TOOBS are a great addition to Little Passports Global Adventures.
Thanks to Kateva from Safari Ltd. for the educational keys for the TOOBS! These are very useful not only for simple matching activities, but also as a way for you to keep your TOOBS organized and for older children to use as keys for research. If you click on each link, you can save and print out the educational key for each TOOB. Here are the keys for the landmarks: World Landmarks TOOB Key and Around the World TOOB Key.
For Egypt I used two replicas: Sphinx from World Landmarks TOOB and Pyramids of Giza from the Around the World TOOB. I placed the Egyptian landmarks on the free printable political map of Egypt from Free World Maps. The placement can’t be exact, since they both go on Giza. You could just use one of the landmarks if you prefer.
There are lots of other ideas that would be great extensions to the Little Passports Egypt package. For example, you could have a hieroglyphics drawing tray using printouts from the Little Passports boarding zone. I love this unit for all the possible related activities that can be easily created.
More about Little Passports
The posts in this subscription are from the World Edition for ages 6-10.
For the first month, your child will receive the introductory World Edition Kit, which includes our signature blue suitcase, passport, and wall-sized world map. In addition, they’ll receive a country-themed activity booklet, stickers, collectible souvenir, fact-filled letter from pen pals Sam and Sofia, and an original Brazil-themed chapter book.
Each month after that, your child will receive a new package that explores a different country. The packages include letters from Sam and Sofia, along with souvenirs or hands-on activities, country-themed books, stickers, activity booklets, collectible country coins, plus access to online photos, printable activities, and more!
You can sign up for 6 months, 12 months, or monthly.
There are subscription boxes for a variety of ages. But also check out the Shop All and Gift Guide at the top of Little Passports! There are some great individual products you can purchase for gifts as well!
Check out the new Space Quest subscription for ages 5-8!
See everything at Little Passports here.
Learn more about my eBook Montessori at Home or School: How to. Teach Grace and Courtesy!
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Rachel says
Hi,
I just have to say, I’ve been getting such good ideas for using with my 3 year old from your site. I was so excited to see your post today because my 5 and 8 year old are studying Egypt right now! Now I can involve my 3 year old as well! Thank you!
Deb says
Thanks so much for your kind comment, Rachel! I’m glad the timing is right for my post. 🙂
Cassie says
Thanks for using my Egypt pack!
Deb says
My pleasure, Cassie! I love it … it’s so helpful for a study of Egypt. 🙂
Rebecca says
More great ideas – we are studying ancient times right now – I will add some of these for Egypt. Thank you, Deb.
Deb says
Thanks, Rebecca! I hope they work well for your family. 🙂
Susan says
Oh, Deb! I love these activities! They look like so much fun! You make me wish my teens were young again. 😉
Deb says
Thanks for your kind comment, Susan! I’m looking forward to using these sorts of activities with grandkids. 🙂
Carolyn Hadsell says
My favorite unit to teach! Teachers, please see more good ideas on my blog.
http://inspiredmontessori.blogspot.com/search/label/Egypt
I’m sure you will find useful activities to add to your unit.
Thanks, Deb!
Deb says
Thanks for your comment, Carolyn! Your Egypt unit is fabulous. 🙂
Erin says
Great post!
I wanted to share that I have posted a free printable 3 part cards for the Safari Toob World Landmarks including the Sphinx and a link to a printable for the Around the world Toob with the pyramids.
http://expeditionmontessori.blogspot.com/2013/10/world-landmark-3-part-cards-free.html
Deb says
Thanks, Erin! And thanks so much for sharing the link to your post. It’s awesome to have free 3-part cards for the TOOBS. 🙂
Anna says
I’m getting more and more intrigued by Little Passports. Thanks for sharing another great geography post at After School!