The Egyptian Pyramids: Free KS2 History Worksheet

What were the Egyptian pyramids for?

The most famous Egyptian pyramids were built as royal tombs: grand burial places for the kings and queens of Ancient Egypt, who were known as pharaohs. The Egyptians believed that a pharaoh would continue to live on in an afterlife, so the body was carefully preserved as a mummy and placed inside the pyramid, often surrounded by treasures, food and everyday objects the ruler might need. The pyramid shape may have been linked to the sun and to a stairway rising towards the sky. For children, the simplest and most accurate idea to hold on to is that a pyramid was a giant stone tomb built to protect and honour a dead pharaoh.

The Great Pyramid and the Great Sphinx at Giza

The best-known pyramids stand on the Giza plateau, near modern-day Cairo. The largest is the Great Pyramid of Giza, built for the pharaoh Khufu around 4,500 years ago (roughly 2560 BC). It was the tallest building made by people anywhere in the world for thousands of years, and it is the only one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World still standing today. Crouching nearby is the Great Sphinx, an enormous statue carved from the bedrock with the body of a lion and the head of a man, thought to represent a pharaoh. Three large pyramids cluster together at Giza, which is why this worksheet shows three triangles of different sizes.

How were the pyramids built?

The pyramids were built from huge blocks of limestone and granite, many weighing more than a family car. Historians and archaeologists are still studying exactly how this was done, but the evidence points to large, well-organised teams of skilled workers (not enslaved people, as old myths once claimed) who were housed, fed and paid in food. They are thought to have dragged the blocks on sledges, possibly over wet sand or along ramps, and shaped each stone so that it fitted snugly against its neighbours. Talking about the scale of the achievement, that thousands of people worked together for many years without modern machines, helps children appreciate why the pyramids are still admired today.

Using this worksheet at home or in class

This sheet suits Years 3 and 4, when most schools teach Ancient Egypt as an early-civilisation depth study. Before colouring, you might ask the child what they already know about Egypt, mummies or deserts. As they colour, encourage realistic choices: golden-yellow sand, blue sky, sandy-brown pyramids and palm. The counting task reinforces close observation and links naturally to maths. Afterwards, the finished picture makes a useful prompt for discussion or for a few sentences of writing about what the pyramids were for and who was buried inside them.

Frequently asked questions