This week’s theme:
Mysterious Places – Ancient Egypt
Fact of the day:
Cleopatra was the last pharaoh of Ancient Egypt
Resources list:
Card or paper plate, paints/pens/crayons, toilet roll tube; large cardigan/pillow cases/fabric/sheet; card; grapes, you tube.
Activity 1:
Cleopatra has a very distinctive style. Dress as her for the day! Create a Collar for around your neck, decorate an Armlet for your forearm, and a Circlet for around your head; the ones worn by royalty tend to have snakes or animals at the front. You could also download this template to colour in strips to piece together to make a Circlet.
Activity 2:
Cleopatra knew how to make an entrance. She was dramatic and often used clever stagecraft; she once wrapped herself in a carpet to sneak herself into a private room! She is said to have arrived once on a golden barge adorned with purple sails and rowed by oars made of silver; she had been made up to look like the goddess Aphrodite, and she sat beneath a gilded canopy while attendants dressed as cupids fanned her and burned sweet-smelling incense!
Try making a dramatic entrance – what would you wear, what would you arrive with, what music would you play, what would you say if you were making a surprise entrance into a room?
Activity 3:
Cleopatra identified with the mythological Egyptian goddess, Isis. As goddess of life and magic, Isis protected women and children, and healed the sick. Her symbols were the ankh, her wings, and her throne headdress.
Make yourself some ‘Isis wings’ – these could be made by wearing a big baggy cardigan, a sheet, putting your arms in pillow cases, or attaching some fabric to wooden spoons. Have a dance along to this video or do your own wing dance to this song.
Activity 4:
Cleopatra put her face on Egypt’s coins to assert her authority and show she was in charge.
Make a coin cut-out with your own face on it. What message or catch-phrase would your coin have written on it about you or how great a ruler you are?
Activity 5:
Cleopatra was known for her beauty in the ancient world, it is said that took baths in donkey milk to preserve the beauty and youth of her skin. The legend says that 700 donkeys were needed to provide the quantity of milk necessary for her daily bath!! Cleopatra is also said to have had grape facials to keep her skin beautiful – if you have them, crush up some grapes and put them on your cheeks, close your eyes and relax to some Egyptian music.
Add on Activity:
If you have the ingredients, try making these sweet treats that would have satisfied Cleopatra’s reported sweet tooth.