Prehistory & Cave Art Worksheet for 7-Year-Olds — English & Social Studies Activities

Instructions

Read the stories and follow the directions for each activity. Have fun learning about a time long, long ago!

Part 1: Life in Prehistory

A long, long time ago, before there were any books, cities, or schools, lived the first people. We call this time prehistory, which means "before history was written down."

Early humans were very clever. They often lived in a cave to stay safe from big animals and bad weather. They learned to make tools from stone and wood. One of the most important things they learned was how to make and use fire. Fire gave them warmth, cooked their food, and scared away dangerous animals. To eat, they had to hunt for animals and gather berries, nuts, and plants.

Circle the correct answer for each question.

1. What does "prehistory" mean?
   • a) A time with lots of books
   • b) A time before history was written down
   • c) A story about the future
2. Where did many early humans live to stay safe?
   • a) In big houses
   • b) In tall castles
   • c) In caves
3. What did early people use fire for?
   • a) To cook food and stay warm
   • b) To watch television
   • c) To power a car

Part 2: Stories on the Walls

Early humans did not write with letters like we do. Instead, they told stories by painting on the dark walls of their caves! We call this cave art. They made paint from things they could find, like red dirt, black charcoal from the fire, and yellow rocks. They painted pictures of the things they saw every day, like animals and hunting scenes. They drew big, woolly mammoths, strong bison, and fast horses.

What would you see in a prehistoric cave painting? Draw a line from the word to what it is.

Part 3: Prehistoric Word Puzzle

Use the words in the box to fill in the blanks and finish the sentences. Each word is used only once.

1. To stay warm at night, the family gathered around the __________.
2. An early human used a sharp piece of __________ to make a tool.
3. The loud thunder made them run back to their __________.
4. They needed to __________ to find food for dinner.

Part 4: Your Own Cave Art

Imagine you are an early human living in a cave. In the box below, draw your own cave art. You can draw a big animal, a hunting story, or your family. Then, write one sentence describing your art.

My cave art shows: ___________________________________________________________

Answer Key

Part 1: Life in Prehistory

1. b) A time before history was written down
2. c) In caves
3. a) To cook food and stay warm

Part 2: Stories on the Walls

• Mammoth → A large, hairy elephant that lived long ago.
• Hunter → A person searching for animals to eat.
• Cave Art → Pictures painted on the walls of a cave.

Part 3: Prehistoric Word Puzzle

1. fire
2. stone
3. cave
4. hunt

Part 4: Your Own Cave Art

Answers will vary based on the student's drawing and writing.