How to Teach Egyptian Hieroglyphics: Engaging Activities and Lesson Ideas

Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics are one of the most exciting topics to teach. The symbols immediately capture learners’ attention and provide an excellent starting point for exploring Ancient Egyptian history, communication, art and culture.

A hieroglyphics lesson can be much more than simply copying symbols. Learners can decode secret messages, design cartouches, investigate how writing developed and create their own Egyptian inscriptions.

In this guide, you will find practical ideas for teaching hieroglyphics, along with printable resources that can help you create a complete lesson or short unit of work.

What Are Egyptian Hieroglyphics?

Hieroglyphics were part of the writing system used in Ancient Egypt. The word hieroglyph means “sacred carving”.

Ancient Egyptians used hieroglyphs on:

• Temple walls

• Tombs

• Monuments

• Statues

• Jewellery

• Papyrus

• Coffins and sarcophagi

Some symbols represented sounds, while others represented complete words or ideas. Hieroglyphs could be written from left to right, right to left or vertically.

An interesting challenge for learners is working out which direction an inscription should be read. The people and animals in the symbols usually face towards the beginning of the text.

Begin with a Hieroglyphics Alphabet Chart

Start by giving learners a clear hieroglyphics alphabet reference chart. Allow them time to examine the symbols and compare them with the modern alphabet.

Explain that this classroom alphabet is a simplified version of the Ancient Egyptian writing system. Hieroglyphics did not work in exactly the same way as modern English, and the Ancient Egyptians did not usually write vowels in the way we do today.

Ask learners to find the symbols representing the letters in:

• Their first name

• Their surname

• The name of their school

• Egypt

• Pharaoh

• Pyramid

This simple activity helps learners become familiar with the symbols before attempting a longer decoding task.

Teaching resource: Use my Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics Alphabet Chart as a visual reference or classroom handout.

Write Names in Hieroglyphics

Writing names is one of the easiest ways to introduce hieroglyphics. Learners use the alphabet chart to translate their names one letter at a time.

They can first practise the symbols in a planning box before creating a neat final version.

Encourage learners to:

• Draw each symbol carefully

• Keep the symbols a similar size

• Arrange the symbols horizontally or vertically

• Add colour inspired by Ancient Egyptian art

• Check that every letter has been included

For an additional challenge, learners could exchange names with a partner and try to decode each other’s work.

Create an Egyptian Cartouche

A cartouche was an oval-shaped frame containing the hieroglyphs of a royal name. It was used for the names of pharaohs and other important members of the royal family.

Creating a cartouche combines history, literacy and art in one accessible activity.

Learners can:

1. Translate their name into hieroglyphics.

2. Plan the order and position of the symbols.

3. Draw the oval cartouche.

4. Add the completed hieroglyphs.

5. Decorate the design with suitable colours and Egyptian patterns.

The completed cartouches make an excellent classroom display.

Teaching resource: My Create an Egyptian Cartouche Activity includes an alphabet chart, name practice, a planning sheet, a final design page and a completed example.

Decode Egyptian Words

Once learners understand how the alphabet chart works, introduce some short decoding challenges.

Begin with familiar words such as:

• CAT

• SUN

• KING

• NILE

• TOMB

Move on to vocabulary connected with Ancient Egypt, including:

• PHARAOH

• PYRAMID

• SPHINX

• MUMMY

• TEMPLE

Learners can record the English letter beneath each symbol before combining the letters to reveal the word.

This develops careful observation, pattern recognition and problem-solving skills.

Crack the Pharaoh’s Secret Code

Turn the lesson into an Egyptian investigation by presenting learners with a secret message from a pharaoh.

Each completed activity can reveal a letter, number or keyword. Learners must combine the clues to uncover the final message and discover where the pharaoh’s treasure has been hidden.

This works particularly well as:

• A lesson introduction

• A paired challenge

• A group investigation

• An early-finisher activity

• A history-themed escape-room task

• An end-of-topic assessment

Ask learners to explain how they solved the code rather than simply recording the final answer. This provides useful evidence of their reasoning.

Teaching resource: Try my Crack the Pharaoh’s Code Workbook, which leads learners through a series of puzzles before they attempt the final secret message.

Create a Tomb-Wall Inscription

After studying authentic examples, learners can design an inscription for an imaginary tomb or temple wall.

Their inscription might include:

• The name of a pharaoh

• A short message

• Symbols showing important objects

• A warning to tomb robbers

• A message for the afterlife

• Egyptian borders and decorative patterns

Learners should first write their message in English and then convert it into symbols using the reference chart.

For a classroom display, shade sheets in sandy or stone colours and arrange them to look like part of an Egyptian tomb wall.

Discuss the Work of Scribes

Hieroglyphics also provide an opportunity to explore the role of scribes in Ancient Egyptian society.

Scribes were specially trained to read and write. Their work was important because they recorded information about taxes, trade, laws, religion, farming and government.

Useful discussion questions include:

• Why was writing important in Ancient Egypt?

• Why did scribes have a high status?

• What information would a pharaoh need to record?

• How is the work of a scribe similar to jobs today?

• What would historians know about Egypt without written records?

Learners could finish by writing a short diary entry imagining that they are training to become an Egyptian scribe.

Use Hieroglyphics Across the Curriculum

A hieroglyphics topic can support learning in several curriculum areas.

History

Explore Ancient Egyptian society, pharaohs, tombs, temples and beliefs about the afterlife.

English

Develop vocabulary, instruction writing, explanation writing and code-breaking skills.

Art and Design

Create cartouches, tomb-wall scenes, Egyptian borders and papyrus-style artwork.

Maths

Use symbols in number puzzles, coordinates, sequences and coded calculations.

Computing

Compare hieroglyphics with modern symbols, emojis, icons and digital codes.

Build a Complete Hieroglyphics Lesson

A simple 60-minute lesson could follow this structure:

1. Starter: Examine a short hieroglyphic inscription and predict what the symbols might mean.

2. Teacher input: Explain what hieroglyphics are and how the classroom alphabet chart works.

3. Guided practice: Decode two or three Egyptian words together.

4. Independent activity: Write a name in hieroglyphics or design a cartouche.

5. Challenge: Crack a secret message from a pharaoh.

6. Plenary: Discuss what hieroglyphics reveal about Ancient Egyptian society.

Download Egyptian Hieroglyphics Teaching Resources

You can find a growing collection of printable Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics activities on Functional Skills Success.

Resources include:

• Free Hieroglyphics Bookmark Activity (need to signup for FREE to download)

  Ancient Egyptian Hieroglyphics Alphabet Chart

• Create an Egyptian Cartouche Activity

• Crack the Pharaoh’s Code Workbook

• Ancient Egypt Hieroglyphics Challenge Workbook

Each activity is designed to make the topic accessible, engaging and easy to prepare.

Explore All Ancient Egyptian Resources

Whether learners are decoding their first word or creating a complete tomb-wall inscription, hieroglyphics provide a memorable way to bring Ancient Egyptian history to life.