Activities/games for children
These two craft activities and games – Zagora dominos and Zagora colouring in and storytelling have been designed to introduce children to concepts of history and archaeology while developing skills such as pattern recognition and storytelling. Most importantly, they are fun for children to do with adult guidance.
They have been devised, developed and produced by Kate Lamerton, designer and online producer at the Powerhouse Museum.
We provide illustrated step-by-step instructions and all designs for you to download and print out. To make these craft items and do the activities or play the games, you will only require easily found items like A4 paper, printer, scissors (requiring adult supervision), glue stick, colour pencils or crayons.
ZAGORA DOMINOS
These domino cards are inspired by designs once painted onto ancient Greek pottery, some of which was left at Zagora around 2,700 years ago.
Archaeologists find out about the past by looking for clues in what people have left behind. This includes pictures and designs like those in the dominos game that the archaeologists try to match with similar pictures and designs found in other places. This can provide important information about the people who made and used these pots.
The printable download we provide contains instructions and all the designs you need to print out and make the dominos as well as rules for playing the game, in which pattern recognition and matching skills are developed. At a deeper level, the game introduces players to and familiarises them with designs of the Geometric Period of ancient Greece.
ZAGORA COLOURING IN AND STORYTELLING
The designs used in this colouring in and storytelling activity have been inspired by designs on pottery objects which date to the period when Zagora was a thriving settlement, some 2,700 years ago. Our download material provides designs to be printed out and coloured in, and about which stories can be composed, encouraging imagination and introducing the idea of ancient Greek myths and legends, as well as Geometric Period design.
Thanks
Thanks to the Zagora Archaeological Project team leaders: Professor Meg Miller, Dr Lesley Beaumont and Dr Stavros Paspalas, and to Dr Wayne Mullen of the Australian Archaeological Institute at Athens, for advice during the development of these activities.
Licensing
These works are licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Australia Licence (CC BY-NC 3.0 AU).
If you publish this work in any media, whether or not it is modified/repurposed, please provide the following attribution:
Produced by Kate Lamerton, Powerhouse Museum, Sydney
www.powerhousemuseum.com/zagora