What the workshop aims to do
The main goal is for children to understand that knowledge about the past comes from evidence, and that evidence has to be read carefully. An archaeologist does not find a story; they find a broken pot, a coin or a bone, and build a careful explanation from it.
By the end, children should be able to describe an object precisely, record where it was found, and give a reason for their guess about its use. They also learn that two people can look at the same object and reach different conclusions, and that the honest answer is sometimes "we are not sure yet".
Sample session: the tray dig (ages 8-12, 75 minutes)
Before the session, bury a set of objects in shallow trays of sand or soil, one tray per group of four. Mix old and modern items: a clay pot broken into large, blunt pieces, a key, a button, a coin, a piece of patterned fabric, a toy. Mark a simple grid on each tray with string.
Materials: trays, clean play sand, string, paintbrushes, plastic spoons, clipboards, grid record sheets, labels, magnifying glasses.
0-10 min: show one mystery object and ask the group what they can say for certain about it and what is only a guess.
10-35 min: groups excavate slowly with brushes and spoons, recording each find in its grid square before lifting it.
35-55 min: groups clean, label and describe finds: material, size, marks of wear, and possible use.
55-70 min: each group presents one object and the evidence for its interpretation. Others may question it politely.
70-75 min: children write one sentence starting "I think... because...".
Safety and adapting for age
Use clean, bagged play sand rather than garden soil, and check the broken pottery for sharp edges; sanding them or using thick craft clay pieces is safer. Children should wash hands afterwards. Avoid real historical artefacts; replicas and everyday objects work well.
For younger children, reduce the number of objects and replace the written record sheet with a picture grid. Older children can reconstruct the pot from fragments, compare finds between trays to spot a pattern, or write a short museum label for their object. A follow-up visit to a local museum, where children look closely at how labels explain objects, extends the session naturally.
What children take away is a way of thinking rather than a set of facts. They learn to separate what they can see from what they are guessing, to keep careful records, and to change their minds when a new find does not fit. These habits carry over into reading sources in history lessons later on.
Key points
Build the session around evidence, not stories: ask what the object shows before what it means.
Record where each find came from; context is half the information.
Accept uncertain answers when they are well argued.
Check replica pottery for sharp edges before the session.
Ready-made resources
Printable session plans and materials for this topic are available from EduTrend Contents: W4C-140 Our World Workshops.
Photos: Paul Macdonald, Compagnons / Unsplash
History and Archaeology
Children often meet history as a list of dates. A workshop built around objects turns it into detective work: what was this, who used it, and how can we tell? This guide gives the adult running the session a full plan for a mock dig, with notes on safety and on adapting it for different ages.
W4C
/
/
History and Archaeology
