Egyptian Gods Cards: Free Printable Card Set for Year 3
Egyptian Gods Cards is a free printable card set for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2. Meet some of the gods of ancient Egypt. It comes from the Mini Minds Hub, a growing library of free printables from Jaques of London, the British games and toy company that has been making games for families since 1795.
It is two A4 pages. Page 1 is the activity for children. Page 2 is for the grown-up: it has notes on how to use the sheet, help for children who find it hard, and a stretch idea. Print it at home or in the classroom. Black and white printing works well.
What is on the sheet
This card set includes cards to cut out and use.
A look at what children will meet:
- Ra: the sun god
- Isis: a goddess of magic and a loving mother
- Anubis: a god with a jackal head who looked after the dead
- Osiris: the god of the afterlife
- Horus: a sky god with a falcon head
- Thoth: the god of writing, with an ibis head
- Bastet: the cat goddess
- Sobek: the crocodile god
Who this is for
Year 3 (ages 7 to 8) in Key Stage 2.
Key Stage 2 covers Years 3 to 6, ages 7 to 11. Children are widening what they know and getting better at explaining their thinking, so activities that ask them to reason, not only recall, are especially useful. Use it at home, in class, on a rainy afternoon or at a family gathering.
What children practise
- History facts
- Reading
- Remembering
Children learn who some ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses were and what each was known for.
Learning focus and curriculum link
Subject: History. Key stage: Key Stage 2. It supports the subject at this level through short, focused practice.
This sheet is a practice and play activity. It supports classroom learning and is not a replacement for it.
How to use it
- Print both pages. Page 1 is for the child. Keep page 2 for the grown-up.
- One or two children, about 15 minutes. Cut out the cards. These are stories from long ago and many people still find them fascinating.
- Work through the activity together the first time. Talk about each choice.
- Check against the notes on page 2.
- Come back to it another day. Repeating a familiar activity builds confidence.
If it feels too hard
Read one card at a time and talk about the animal on it.
To stretch confident children
Choose one god and write three facts about them, or draw a picture.
Make it a game
Shuffle the cards, read one clue and guess the god's name.
Tips for parents and teachers
- Print on plain A4 paper. Black and white printing works too.
- Work through it together the first time, then let children try alone.
- Praise effort and thinking, not only correct answers.
A screen-free history activity for Year 3
Children spend a lot of time on screens. This is a screen-free history activity that needs only paper and a pencil. It works as quiet time after school, a rainy day activity, a holiday boredom buster or a calm moment before bed. Screen-free learning gives eyes a rest and gets children talking, thinking and writing by hand.
Free history resources for teachers
Teachers can use this card set as a starter, a plenary, an early finisher task, a supply teacher resource, a homework task or a table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing. The learning focus and skills are listed above so you can match it to your planning, and page 2 gives support and stretch ideas for mixed ability groups.
History ideas for parents at home
You do not need to be a teacher to use this. Read the sheet through, sit with your child for the first go and let them lead. Short bursts of ten to fifteen minutes work better than long sessions. If you are looking for free history worksheets for Year 3, or simple home learning for the weekend or school holidays, this is a good place to start.
Home education and tutoring
Home educators and tutors can print this as part of a wider history plan. It pairs well with books, outdoor play and everyday talk. Because the sheet is free and printable, you can use it again for brothers and sisters or for revision a few weeks later.
Why it helps children learn
Hands-on, paper based activities slow learning down in a good way. Children read carefully, think before they answer and see their own progress on the page. Games and challenges add a reason to keep going. That mix of play and practice is why printable activities like this are popular with parents, teachers and home educators.
What children will be able to do
- I can name some ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses.
- I can say what each one was known for.
- I can match a god to a picture.
Check it worked
Ask these when the sheet is finished. Listen for the reasoning, not just the answer.
- Which god or goddess did you find most interesting?
- What was that god known for?
- Why do you think people made gods important?
More like this
Same subject, one year up: History Timeline Card Sort | Same subject, one year down: Victorian Toys Bingo
Why the gods of ancient Egypt matter
The people of ancient Egypt lived beside the Nile, and their religion appears in many of the things they left behind. Temples, tombs, statues, coffins and jewellery were all connected to their beliefs about gods and goddesses. If a child wants to understand why an Egyptian tomb looks the way it does, the gods are the place to start.
These were real beliefs, held by real people, thousands of years ago. We treat them respectfully, as ancient beliefs that people held at the time. That is how we write about them here, and how we suggest you talk about them with your child.
The cards cover eight gods and goddesses: Ra, Isis, Anubis, Osiris, Horus, Thoth, Bastet and Sobek. Each card links a god to a role or a creature, such as a sun god, a jackal-headed guardian of the dead, or a crocodile god. The aim is for children to name some gods and goddesses, say what each was known for, and match a god to a picture.
What the research says children find hard
We looked for research on how children aged 7 and 8 learn about ancient religion. We did not find a study that tests a card matching activity like this one, so we do not give a figure for it. What we did find is useful guidance on history teaching in general, from Ofsted's history research review, and it fits the challenges of this topic well.
- Gaps get filled with guesses. The review says that "Without enough knowledge, pupils may make guesses or fill in gaps with their own 'everyday thinking'". With Egyptian gods, that can mean assuming that Egyptians thought of their gods the way a modern child thinks of a story character.
- Misconceptions about evidence are common. The review says that "Pupils commonly hold misconceptions about sources and evidence". Most of what we know about Egyptian gods comes from objects and images, such as statues, coffins and papyri. Children need to learn that each one is a clue.
- Without a timeline, history becomes a pile of facts. The review says that "A secure mental timeline makes pupils' existing historical knowledge more secure", and that when curriculum design ignores this, "pupils' understanding of the past is likely to be disconnected or episodic". A child who learns about Anubis and Ra needs to know that these beliefs belong to a civilisation that lasted a very long time.
- Early ideas will be simple. The review says that early schemas, "particularly for younger pupils, will be very simple and may not be entirely precise". That is fine. A Year 3 child does not need to know every version of every myth.
- Myths come in versions. The Fitzwilliam Museum, in its fact sheet on the gods, says that "There are many versions of myths associated with the gods and goddesses of ancient Egypt". So it is not wrong if two books tell a story slightly differently.
What Year 3 children are expected to learn
The national curriculum for England, in its Key Stage 2 history programme, includes "the achievements of the earliest civilizations, an overview of where and when the first civilizations appeared", and "a depth study of one of the following: Ancient Sumer, The Indus Valley, Ancient Egypt, The Shang Dynasty of Ancient China". So Ancient Egypt is one of four options for the depth study, and schools choose which to teach.
The Key Stage 2 introduction says pupils should "continue to develop a chronologically secure knowledge and understanding of British, local and world history", should address "historically valid questions about change, cause, similarity and difference", and should "understand how our knowledge of the past is constructed from a range of sources". The gods are a fine place to practise that last idea. Statues of Anubis and Sobek, for example, tell us how people pictured their gods.
Why a card game can help
We will be careful here. We have not found a study showing that matching cards teaches history better than other methods, so we do not claim it. What we can say is that gods are easy to confuse, and a card activity gives a child many quick goes at pairing a name with a picture and a role. Ofsted's mathematics review says that teachers should "provide enough opportunities to practise taught facts, methods and strategies". That review is about maths, but the idea that knowledge needs repeating applies widely.
The Ofsted history review also says that "Understanding the broad characteristics of historical periods gives context to what pupils learn". Cards give children the names and roles. A teacher or parent then supplies the context: where, when and why.
What museums tell us about the gods
The following facts come from museum sources that we opened. They show how much of what we know comes from objects.
- Different kinds of god. The Fitzwilliam Museum says the ancient Egyptians worshipped many gods and goddesses, in three main categories: universal gods who represented the forces of nature, local gods associated with an area, and personal gods, objects and creatures chosen for individual worship.
- Ra. The Fitzwilliam says "Re was one of the gods of the sun (there were 72 forms of the Sun God)". In its account, the Sun God sailed across the sky each day in a boat, and at night sailed through the dark netherworld.
- Osiris, Isis and Horus. The Fitzwilliam tells the story that Osiris was killed by his jealous brother Seth, and that Isis searched for him and put his body back together. Their son Horus eventually "was declared ruler of the living", while "Osiris was declared ruler of the underworld". Osiris was shown as a mummy holding the crook and flail, symbols of kingship. Horus was shown as a hawk-like bird, or with a hawk-like head. Isis was "sometimes depicted cradling her baby Horus" and often shown as a protector goddess on coffins.
- Thoth. The Fitzwilliam says Thoth was "god of writing, calculation, knowledge and scribes", often shown as an ibis-headed man holding a scribe's palette and reed pen. Sometimes he was shown as a baboon, and he was associated with the moon.
- Anubis. National Museums Liverpool says that "Anubis was a god associated with mummification and protecting the dead", shown as "either a man with a jackal's head or as a complete jackal". The Egyptians called him "he who is upon his mountain", as if he were sitting up high guarding the cemetery. Small wooden jackal figures like this were placed on the lids of canopic chests, which held a dead person's internal organs.
- Sobek. National Museums Liverpool holds a bronze figure showing Sobek as "a man with a crocodile's head", and a mummified young crocodile, which the museum says was sacred to Sobek. It says cult temples "bred large numbers of crocodiles for mummification".
We did not find an open museum page on Bastet that we could quote, so we have not added facts about her here. Check the notes on page 2 of the sheet, or a museum such as the British Museum or the Fitzwilliam, for more.
How to get the most out of Egyptian Gods Cards
- Start with the picture. Show a card and ask: "What can you see? Is this a person, an animal or both?" Many of these gods were shown with an animal's head or in animal form.
- Read one card at a time. For children who find it hard, take one card and talk about the animal on it. Why might a jackal be linked to guarding a cemetery? The Fitzwilliam notes that jackals can still be seen roaming the edge of the desert where the ancient Egyptians once buried their dead.
- Say the name aloud. Names such as Anubis and Thoth are new. Say them together a few times.
- Play a clue game. Shuffle the cards, read a clue aloud, and have your child guess the god. For example: "I wrote things down and I am shown as a bird with a long beak."
- Add the evidence. If you can, look at a photograph of a statue or coffin from a museum collection together. Ask: "What does this object tell us about the god?"
- Stretch it. A confident child can write three facts about one god, or draw a picture and label it.
- Come back another day. Mix the cards again and see how many your child remembers.
Common mistakes, and what to say
- "Egyptians thought the animal was the god." The animals were linked to gods in different ways. Some gods were shown with animal heads, and some as complete animals. Say: "They used the animal to show something about the god."
- Mixing up Horus and Osiris. They are father and son in the myth. Osiris is shown as a mummy, and Horus as a hawk or with a hawk's head.
- Mixing up Ra and Horus. Both are linked to the sky. Ra is a sun god. Horus was shown as a hawk-like bird and ruled the sky in the Fitzwilliam's account.
- Saying "the Egyptians believe". These were beliefs of people thousands of years ago. Use "believed", and keep the tone respectful.
- Thinking there is one true story. The Fitzwilliam says there are many versions of the myths. Ask where a version came from.
- Thinking that Anubis is "bad" because he is linked to death. The museum sources describe him as protecting the dead and guarding the cemetery. He was a protector in these accounts.
Why teachers matter to us
We are a games company, and we have been making games for families since 1795. We do not think a printable replaces a teacher. A 2011 report for the Sutton Trust, by education economists, found that for poor pupils the difference between a good teacher and a bad teacher is a whole year's learning. It also found that paper qualifications and characteristics such as experience explain less than 8% of teacher quality. The report's headline example was about maths, so we are not claiming those figures are about history. A University of Bristol paper also found considerable variability in teacher effectiveness. In a topic like this, a teacher adds what no card can: the timeline, the sources, and a respectful way to talk about what other people believed. So we make these sheets free to use as a starter, a plenary, or a quick table activity.
A caution on the Sutton Trust figures: the report draws on US studies as well as English ones. The figure that paper credentials explain less than 8% of teacher quality comes from US research. We use them as pointers, not as a promise about any one child.
Why education matters to us
A child who learns that people long ago saw the world differently learns something about themselves too. Education widens what a child can choose to do and understand, and games are one of the oldest ways of making learning feel like play. Jaques of London has made games for families for generations. We want the Mini Minds Hub to carry that on: free, screen-free, and easy to use at a kitchen table or in a classroom.
Egyptian Gods Cards: 20 questions and answers
- 1. Which gods are on the cards?
- Eight: Ra, Isis, Anubis, Osiris, Horus, Thoth, Bastet and Sobek.
- 2. Did ancient Egyptians worship just these eight?
- No. The Fitzwilliam Museum says they worshipped many gods and goddesses. The cards are a small selection.
- 3. Who was Ra?
- A sun god. The Fitzwilliam says Re was one of the gods of the sun, and describes the Sun God sailing across the sky each day in a boat.
- 4. Who was Osiris?
- Ruler of the underworld, associated with death, resurrection and fertility, according to the Fitzwilliam. He was shown as a mummy holding a crook and flail.
- 5. Who was Isis?
- The mother of Horus and a protector goddess. The Fitzwilliam says she was sometimes shown cradling her baby Horus, and often shown as a protector on coffins.
- 6. Who was Horus?
- A sky god shown as a hawk-like bird or with a hawk-like head. In the myth he is the son of Osiris and Isis. The Fitzwilliam says each living pharaoh was believed to be the god Horus.
- 7. Who was Thoth?
- A god of writing, calculation, knowledge and scribes. He was often shown as an ibis-headed man, and sometimes as a baboon.
- 8. Who was Anubis?
- A god associated with mummification and protecting the dead, shown as a jackal or a man with a jackal's head, according to National Museums Liverpool.
- 9. Who was Sobek?
- A crocodile god. National Museums Liverpool holds a bronze figure of him as a man with a crocodile's head, and a mummified crocodile that it says was sacred to him.
- 10. Who was Bastet?
- She is the goddess shown on the cat card. We did not open a museum page we could quote on her, so please see page 2 of the sheet or a museum website for more.
- 11. Why did so many gods have animal heads?
- The museum sources we read show gods in animal and part-animal forms, but do not give one single reason. We would rather say that than guess. Ask your child what the animal might say about the god.
- 12. What does "mummification" mean?
- Preserving a body. National Museums Liverpool links Anubis to mummification, and the Fitzwilliam says he wrapped the first mummy, the body of Osiris, in the myth.
- 13. Is the Osiris story true?
- It was a myth that ancient Egyptians told. The Fitzwilliam says there are many versions of the myths. Present it as a story people believed, not as a fact of history.
- 14. What is a canopic chest?
- A container for a dead person's internal organs. National Museums Liverpool says small wooden jackal figures were placed on the lids of canopic chests to put the organs under Anubis's protection.
- 15. What was the "eye of Horus"?
- In the Fitzwilliam's account, Horus lost his left eye in a battle with Seth, and it was later restored. The "eye of Horus" came to symbolise making whole, protection, strength, healing and perfection.
- 16. How do we know about the gods?
- From objects and images such as statues, figures and coffins held in museums. Ofsted's history review says pupils need to learn how historians use sources as evidence.
- 17. How does this fit the national curriculum?
- Ancient Egypt is one of four options for a depth study of an early civilisation in Key Stage 2. Schools choose which to teach, so your child's class may study a different one.
- 18. How can I talk about religion respectfully?
- Say "the ancient Egyptians believed" rather than "the Egyptians think". Treat the beliefs as part of a civilisation's history, and avoid making them sound silly.
- 19. How can I check my child's learning?
- Ask them to match a god to a picture, say what the god was known for, and say how we know. The last question is the hardest, and the most useful.
- 20. Where can I find more Year 3 history sheets?
- See the More like this section below, or browse all Year 3 history printables in the Mini Minds Hub.
Sources
- Department for Education, National curriculum in England: history programmes of study: gov.uk.
- Ofsted, Research review series: history (2021): gov.uk.
- Fitzwilliam Museum Education Department, The Ancient Egyptians: Gods and Goddesses fact sheet: schools.fitzmuseum.cam.ac.uk.
- National Museums Liverpool, Anubis Figure: liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.
- National Museums Liverpool, Sobek Figure: liverpoolmuseums.org.uk. Mummified Crocodile: liverpoolmuseums.org.uk.
- Ofsted, Research review series: mathematics (2021): gov.uk. Used only for its general statement about practice.
- Sutton Trust, Improving the impact of teachers on pupil achievement in the UK, interim findings (2011): dera.ioe.ac.uk.
- Slater, Davies and Burgess, University of Bristol CMPO Working Paper 09/212 (2009): bristol.ac.uk.
Frequently asked questions
What age is Egyptian Gods Cards for?
It is written for Year 3 (ages 7 to 8), in Key Stage 2.
What will children practise?
Children learn who some ancient Egyptian gods and goddesses were and what each was known for.
How do I use it?
One or two children, about 15 minutes. Cut out the cards. These are stories from long ago and many people still find them fascinating.
What if it feels too hard?
Read one card at a time and talk about the animal on it.
Is it free?
Yes. It is free to print for home and classroom use.
Is Egyptian Gods Cards suitable for teachers to use in class?
Yes. Teachers can use it as a starter, plenary, early finisher task, homework or table activity. It needs no preparation beyond printing.
Is this a screen-free activity?
Yes. It is a screen-free printable that needs only paper and a pencil, so it works well for quiet time, rainy days and school holidays.
Can I use it for home education?
Yes. Home educators and tutors can use it on its own or as part of a wider plan. It is free to print again for brothers, sisters or revision.
How long does it take?
Most children finish page 1 in 10 to 20 minutes. The notes on page 2 suggest ways to make it shorter or longer.
Do I need to print in colour?
No. It prints well in black and white on plain A4 paper.
More free printables
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