If your child recently watched Time Travelling Tots: Journey to Ancient Egypt, chances are you’ve heard a few enthusiastic mentions of pyramids, pharaohs, and those “cool pictures people used to write with.” It’s moments like this that remind us how powerful visual storytelling can be. A single episode can open a doorway to deeper learning—and as parents, we have the opportunity to walk through that doorway with them.

One topic that tends to really stick with kids is hieroglyphs. There’s just something about picture-writing that feels magical. It’s not hard to see why. Ancient symbols carved into stone walls? Secret messages written on scrolls? That’s pure imagination fuel.

But here’s what’s really exciting: exploring hieroglyphs isn’t just fun—it also supports early literacy, creative thinking, and global awareness in a way few other subjects can.

Why Hieroglyphs Actually Matter (More Than You Might Think)

At first glance, hieroglyphs might just seem like cute drawings. But to the ancient Egyptians, they were a complex, meaningful language system used to record everything from religious beliefs to grocery lists (okay, maybe not grocery lists, but definitely food offerings). What’s fascinating for children is that these symbols represent real sounds, ideas, and sometimes even full stories—just like our modern letters and words.

When young children begin to grasp that symbols carry meaning, it sparks a connection that’s foundational for reading and writing. They start to see that a drawing isn’t just a drawing—it’s a message.

For kids around ages 4 to 8, who are still piecing together how language works, this realization is both empowering and exciting.

From the Screen to the Table: Activities You Can Try at Home

You don’t need to be an Egyptologist to make the most of this teachable moment. A few simple activities at home can go a long way in reinforcing what your child saw in the episode and encouraging deeper curiosity.

1. Create a Cartouche With Their Name

A cartouche is an oval shape that was used in ancient Egypt to enclose names, typically those of royalty. Print out or draw a basic hieroglyph chart and help your child write their name using the symbols. Then decorate the cartouche together. Hang it on the fridge as a fun reminder of their “royal identity.”

Parent tip: Kids often love seeing how their name “translates” into a secret code. Don’t be surprised if they want to write everyone’s name this way.

2. Write a Story Without Letters

Challenge your child to create a short comic strip or mini story using only symbols, drawings, and pictures. No words allowed. This isn’t just a creative exercise—it mimics how people shared stories before alphabets were invented.

Parent tip: If your child struggles, start with something simple—like a story about their day or their favorite pet. Prompt their imagination with questions like, “How would you draw ‘breakfast’?” to encourage creative thinking and symbolic expression.

3. Compare Modern and Ancient Writing

Pull out a book or newspaper and compare it to the hieroglyphs you saw in the episode. Ask questions like:

• What’s different?

• What’s the same?

• Which do you think is easier to understand?

This kind of informal comparison helps kids realize that written communication is a tool that’s evolved—and continues to evolve.

Real Learning Happens Through Curiosity

Let’s be honest: kids won’t remember every fact they hear. But what they’ll remember most is how something made them feel. When a story excites them—when they see something they’ve never seen before—they start asking questions. They want to know more.

That’s the sweet spot for learning.

You don’t need to turn every video into a lesson plan. But when the interest is already there—sparked by a moment of wonder—you can nurture it. You can sit beside them with a printout of hieroglyphs, or pull up a short YouTube clip of a museum tour. You can ask, “Want to draw your own scroll?” or “What do you think people back then ate for dinner?”

And just like that, you’re teaching. Not in a forced way, but in a natural, human way—one parent to one child.

Journey to Ancient Egypt is just the beginning. With a little encouragement, a bit of paper and glue, and your child’s own imagination, the adventure can continue long after the screen goes dark.