Indus Valley Civilization (for 7-year-olds)

The Indus Valley Civilization was a very old and smart group of people who lived about 4,500 years ago along the Indus River. Their homes and cities were neat and well-planned. Two famous cities were Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.

Where did they live?

They lived by the Indus River in a place that is now part of Pakistan and northwest India.

Who lived there and what did they do?

• Farmers who grew wheat and barley.
• People who made pots, beads, toys and cloth.
• Traders who sent and received goods with other places.

What were their cities like?

• Houses made from bricks (baked or mud bricks).
• Straight streets and lanes in a tidy pattern.
• Good drainage and toilets — they cared about being clean!
• The Great Bath in Mohenjo-Daro — a big, special pool for bathing or ceremonies.

Writing and seals

They used small carved stones called seals that had pictures of animals and little signs. We still cannot read their writing, so we learn from the things they left behind.

Why is this important?

The Indus people were clever builders and workers. Their tidy cities and tools help us learn how people lived a long, long time ago.

Questions (try them!)

1. True or False: The Indus Valley people lived in wooden houses. (True/False)
2. Which two cities are famous from the Indus Valley? (Name two)
3. What river did they live near? (One-word answer)
4. Name one thing they made. (Example: pots, beads, toys)
5. Did they have planned streets and drains? (Yes/No)
6. What is the name of the big pool found in Mohenjo-Daro? (One or two words)
7. True or False: We can read the Indus writing today. (True/False)
8. Draw: On a piece of paper, draw a small house with a straight street and a drain outside. Color it if you like!

Answers (for parents or teachers)

1. False — they lived in brick houses.
2. Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro.
3. Indus River.
4. Examples: pots, beads, toys, cloth.
5. Yes.
6. The Great Bath.
7. False — we cannot read it yet.
8. Open — any reasonable drawing showing a house, street, and drain is great!

Fun Activity: Make Your Own Indus Seal (easy and safe)

Seals were small carved stones used by Indus people. We will make a pretend seal using playdough or clay and press a simple animal or symbol into it.

Materials

• Air-dry clay or playdough (a small ball)
• A pencil, toothpick, or blunt stick to draw shapes
• A small toy animal or a coin (optional) to press for patterns
• A flat tray or plate to work on
• Adult help (for younger children)

Time

About 20–40 minutes (plus drying time if using air-dry clay).

Steps

1. Roll a small ball of clay or playdough between your hands so it is smooth.
2. Press it flat into a round or square shape about as big as a coin.
3. Use a toothpick or pencil to draw a simple animal (like a cow, bird, or fish) or a few lines and dots. Keep it simple.
4. Option: Press a small toy or coin lightly into the clay to make a pattern.
5. Write your initials or a tiny symbol on the back — this is your seal mark!
6. If using air-dry clay, let it sit to dry (ask an adult how long). If playdough, you can keep it soft and play with it again.
7. Talk about your seal: What animal did you choose? What do you think it would be used for?

What you learn

• How people long ago made small special objects to show who they were.
• Practice using tools gently and thinking about shapes.
• Connecting a drawing to a story about old cities and trade.

Extra idea: Make a few seals and pretend you are trading goods with a friend. Put your seal on small paper 'parcels' to show they belong to you!

If you want, I can give a printable coloring page of Harappa and Mohenjo-Daro or more simple activities such as building a tiny model city from cardboard. Which would you like next?