As a kid in ancient Egypt, you’d be expected to work! Boys could train to become a scribe, someone who wrote letters and important documents. You would start by learning to read and write hieratic (hye-RAH-tik) script, a language of symbols. Both boys and girls could train to become doctors. You could mix medicines made from goat milk and herbs. You could even learn how to fit someone for a prosthetic arm made of wood or try to yank out a rotten tooth!

In your free time, you might play senet (seh-NET) with a friend. This board game was similar to today’s chess. Or you could grab a ball made of plant stems and fabric to play catch. Some children also played games that involved hitting the ball with a stick, like modern baseball.

You’d be expected to work as a kid in ancient Egypt! Boys could train to become a scribe. Scribes wrote letters and important documents. You would start by learning to read and write hieratic (hye-RAH-tik) script. That’s a language of symbols. Both boys and girls could train to become doctors. You could mix medicines. Some were made from goat milk and herbs. You could learn how to fit someone for a prosthetic arm. These limbs were made of wood. Or you could yank out a rotten tooth!

You might play senet (seh-NET) in your free time. This board game was similar to today’s chess. Or you could grab a ball to play catch. They were made of plant stems and fabric. Some children also played games that involved hitting the ball with a stick. It was like modern baseball.

Changing your clothes would be the first thing to do in ancient Egypt. You’d be in the Sahara, a desert where days can be as hot as 109°F (43°C)! The linen tunics most people wore were light and breathable, helping them keep cool. Modern Egyptians still wear light clothing for this reason. You could also paint kohl around your eyes to help you see in the bright sunlight. This black substance was made of a mineral called galena. Its shiny particles reflected the sun’s glare away from people’s eyes, like the face paint some athletes use today.

Changing your clothes would be the first thing to do in ancient Egypt. You’d be in the Sahara. It’s a desert. Days can be as hot as 109°F (43°C)! Most people wore linen tunics. They were light and airy. That helped people keep cool. Modern Egyptians still wear light clothing for this reason. You could also paint kohl around your eyes. It would help you see in the bright sunlight. Kohl is a black substance. It was made from a mineral called galena. It has shiny particles. They reflected the sun’s glare away from people’s eyes. It’s like the face paint some athletes use today.

Ancient Egyptians didn’t use money—they traded items. If you wanted a souvenir to take home, you’d need something valuable to trade, like silver or wood. Unlike gold, these materials weren’t commonly found in the desert near Thebes. You could trade either of them for many different goods.

To protect your skin from the desert sun, you’d need a lot of sunscreen. If you planned to stay the night, you’d also need warm clothes! In the dark, temperatures can drop as low as 45°F (7°C). Many ancient Egyptians wore wool on chilly nights.

Finally, you would want to bring your own food and water. In ancient Egypt, sand was everywhere—including in food and drinks! Over time, this sand would grind down ancient Egyptians’ teeth, causing painful dental problems. You could bring wrapped snacks to keep sand grains out.

Ancient Egyptians didn’t use money. They traded items. Say you wanted a gift to take home. You’d need something valuable to trade. Gold was found near Thebes. You’d need something rarer in the desert, like silver or wood. You could trade either of them for many goods.

You’d need a lot of sunscreen. It would protect your skin from the desert sun. You’d also need warm clothes at night! Temperatures can drop as low as 45°F (7°C). Many ancient Egyptians wore wool on chilly nights.

Finally, you’d want to bring your own food and water. Sand was everywhere in ancient Egypt. It even got into food and drinks! This sand would grind down ancient Egyptians’ teeth over time. That led to painful dental problems. You could bring wrapped snacks that stay sand free.