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ArkaeoSources for children ages 7 to 12

We have chosen to assemble the references we consider the most relevant. Thus, we have not taken the publishing date into account. If some references may seem old, we believe the high quality of the resource is the reason that it still remains pertinent.

The following pieces of media will allow your child or your student to enjoy a wide panorama on what archaeology is about, as a scientific discipline studying objects made by humans.
In each category, references span from presenting the archaeological discipline itself to the ages covered by archaeological research.

Selective references catalogue for children ages 7 to 12

Just a reminder : archaeologists are not paleontologists.
A video such as PinCode in Archaeologist’s Day making an archaeological discovery does not represent the work of archaeologists, but of paleontologists studying dinosaurs. Therefore, this video should be called PinCode makes a paleontological discovery. This misconception on archaeology is unfortunately very common.

A frequent mistake is to link archeological research and excavating. If that were the case, paleontologists, geologists, and other disciplines should be associated with archaeology, which is not the case because archaeology allows us to understand humans through their technical productions. This is why references focused on chocolate-making or the construction of a building are ideal for helping young children understand how an archaeologist thinks.

An archaeologist often practices reverse engineering on human productions. In order to understand how humans have made a certain object from what they discover, archaeologists must find the raw materials, tools, and the actions taken during the fabrication process. This accounts for the importance of knowing how chocolate or buildings are made. A good example of this work is given by the research of amateur archaeologist Jean-Pierre Houdin, who found how Egyptian pyramids were built.

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Books and Graphic Novels
  • Lauren Magaziner. Danger on the Dig. Case Closed 4. Katherine Tegen Books, an imprint of Harper. CollinsPublishers, 2022. — A real excavation site setting in Greece, in the form of an interactive investigation (you choose the leads).
  • Laura Amy Schlitz and Robert Byrd. Good masters! Sweet Ladies! voices from a medieval village, Candlewick Press. 2007 – A collection of short one-person plays featuring characters, between ten and fifteen years old, who live in or near a thirteenth-century English manor. Includes bibliographical references (p. 82-85)
  • Richard Platt and Chris Ridell. Castel Diary:The journal of Tobias Burgess. Candlewick. 2003 – About medieval castle
  • Zilpha Keatley Snyder and Alton Raible. The Egypt Game. Turtleback Books. 2009. — Children fascinated by ancient Egypt invent a “game”… which leads them to observe, interpret, investigate like little archaeologists.
  • Christiane Angibous-Esnault. French Serie Les Aventuriers du Patrimoine. Éditions du Palémon/ArkéoTopia – From ages 8+, each volume covers an aspect of archaeological research accompanied by annexes – review of Mystère sur la dune à à l’Île de Houat sur Histoire d’en lire
  • Thiago de Moraes. A mummy ate my homework! a time-travel adventure. Scholastic Children’s Book. 2020 – From ages 8+, A humorous novel about Egyptology.
  • Steven K. Smith. Shadows at Jamestown. The Virginia Mysteries 6. MyBoys3 Press. 2017 — from ages 9+, The heroes participate in a week at an archaeological dig (Jamestown): we see archaeology “in real life” (fieldwork, discoveries, questions).
  • Peni R. Griffin. 11,000 years lost. Amulet Books. 2007 — From ages 10+ A discovery during an archaeological dig triggers a journey through time: ideal for understanding what an “indicative” object is and why context matters.
  • Naoki Urasawa. Hokusei Katsushika and Takashi Nagasaki. Master Keaton. VIZ Media (LLC). 2014 — For 10+, Manga which serie tells the story of Taichi Hiraga-Keaton, an archaeologist, insurance investigator, and former SAS member who travels the world experiencing adventures.
  • Kathy-Jo Wargin and Gijsbert van Frankenhuyzen. The Edmund Fitzgerald: Song of the Bell. Sleeping Bear Press. 2003 — From ages 10+, Non fiction book about shipwrecks and archaeological projects in the great lakes region.
Activity workbooks

Cartoons
Documentaries
References and digital resources
Field Trips

Many museums provide leaflets adapted to family visits. This is, for instance, the case of the Smithsonian, the British Museum, the Cairo Museum, the Archaeological National Museum, as well as archaeological services from cities such as that of South Dakota or from the Council for British Archaeology and Australian continent. You can find them by contacting the museum or archaeological service that is the closest to your home. The following links offer you guided tours of excavation sites and provide you with ideas to liven up your museum outings:

To go further…Parents and Teachers

For teachers, please have a look at the page dedicated to learning materials.
For parents, the following references are made for you to better understand what archaeological research is.
Thus, you will be able to easily answer your child’s questions.

  • FAQ from Archaeological Institute of American except that archaeology is not about excavating, but about understanding human beings through the traces they have left or are currently producing.
  • Collective, “Archaeology” entry on Wikipedia, [consulted on 23/12/2025 at 15:30].
  • Archeology, a magazine dedicated to the popularization and news about archaeology in the World.
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