Fun Mummy Activity

Last Saturday, we learnt about 'Zombies from Egypt'. The mummies are among the subjects they reluctant to learn about. They feared the zombies will eat them up and turn them into kid zombies. They wondered how the zombies still have those dry flesh intact instead of bony skeletons (well, skeletons are the other subjects they unwilling to learn as well).

So I did this simple activity and explain later on this Egyptian zombies they terrified of. We then read two books on mummies and its process. I tried my best to explain as simple as it could be as my audiences are between 4 to 7 years of age. They simply love the activity and the explanation. It is so true that knowledge beats fear. Lol!

To make craft mummy, you need: recycled cardboard, bandage and goggle eyes.

Cut the cardboard into your desired size. Make multiple sizes.

Wrap the cardboard with bandage together with the eyes and hot glue it. 

Tadaa! Clearly we have Cleopatra in between Tutankhamen and Ramesses.

Here are some 'Mummy Notes' I discussed with my girls. (Sources are from here and few books).

• What are mummies? - A mummy is the body of a person (or an animal) that has been preserved after they died.

• Who were the mummies? - They were any Egyptian who are rich and could afford to pay for the expensive process of preserving their bodies for the afterlife. 

• Why did the Egyptian makes the mummy? - They believed in life after death. They believed that they had to preserve their bodies so they could use them in the afterlife. 

• What is the afterlife? - The ancient Egyptian believed that they after they died, they would make another journey and have a new life.

• How was the mummy made? - It used a chemical substance. The process took a long time, roughly around 70 days. They would take out the brains through the nostrils. The body was washed out and the organs were removed from the body. Only the heart was not removed. Then they fill with lots of chemical substance (I did not go too details on the scientific/ chemical information). Then the body was put into the coffin).

• Why did the leave the heart in the body? - The ancient Egyptians believed that heart is the center of intelligent and emotion.

• What are canopic jars? - The jar to put all the remains of the mummy.

• Where were the poor Egyptians buried? - The poor were buried in the sand. Only the rich Egyptians were buried in the tombs.

• Where were the pharaohs buried? - In the tombs called pyramids. (Iris and Iesha went 'Oohh' with this info. Now they knew what pyramids were for).

• Why did the ancient Egyptians build pyramids? - The Egyptians believed that if the pharaoh's body could be mummified after death the pharaoh would live forever. The tombs were designed to protect the buried Pharaoh's body and his belongings. 

Remove brain through the nostrils?

I am planning to have further discussion with the girls about the pharaohs who have been mummified. Specifically on pharaoh who slandered Musa (AS). I fascinate the idea of relating the subjects with verses from Al-Quran. I feel so right whenever my girls jumped in awe "Ooh, Allah knows everything eh? That means, memang betul-lah Allah yang tulis Al-Quran!" I feel so right. :)

Maybe tonight I will discuss this verse about mummified pharaohs with the girls:

"What, now! When previously you rebelled and were one of the corrupters? Today we will preserve your body so you can be a Sign for people who come after you. Surely many people are heedless of Our Signs." - (Quran, Surah Yunus, verse 91-92) (Please Allah, make us easy to understand and ponder on your words! Thanks in advance!)