Fun, educational, child-friendly guide to the Roman Forum, with printable Roman Forum Scavenger hunt for kids! A printable kids guide to help them learn about the Roman Forum and have fun while exploring.
The Roman Forum is one of the most beautiful and meaningful archaeological sites telling us about Ancient Rome.
However, it is a site many families skip, especially with young children.
Parents fear the Forum may be boring for kids, tiring and not engaging enough, especially after the (usually) exciting Colosseum, with its gladiators’ stories and iconic appearance.
The fears are valid: to make the Forum fun for kids, you need some tips. This is why I am here!
I am a Rome mama and a Roman history graduate from the University of Rome.
I love the Roman Forum and visit with my kids and on my own whenever possible.
Inevitably, the scavenger hunt covers a selection of places.
I chose them for meaning, appearance, importance and some for fun!
I kept the selection to a manageable number of items to avoid overwhelm and to leave you time to also explore another area: the Palatine, which is wonderful and so easy to enjoy thanks to its incredible views!
I made this for my primary school age kids, especially for my history-averse younger one who does better with an activity than following a tour.
How to use this Roman Forum scavenger hunt for kids
I recommend you print out the scavenger hunt sheet for your children and open this page on your phone to read the explanations.
I know my daughter loves gadgets, so I like to give her a new pen or pencil that she can start using to tick off the off the items and can be her ‘special’ pen – I find a good selection in Tiger in Piazza Venezia which has lots of cheap novelty stationery kids tend to love.
If you can also provide them a support such as a magazine or map, that will help the ticking!
You can access the printable file clicking here (it opens in dropbox and you can download it for free. You do NOT need to sing up to Dropbox, just ignore those prompts)
You can start this hunt form anywhere in the Forum and go in whatever order you like, you can let the kids lead!
I do however recommend to let them find the first two items on the list first as they’ll help with orientation and understand the layout of Ancient Rome!
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A quick introduction to the Roman Forum for children
How would you like to walk in Ancient Rome, just like the Romans did?
In Rome, you can! In the heart of modern Rome you still find large parts of the ancient city: the Roman Forum.
The Forum is the part of Ancient Rome where public life happened.
Here, the Romans would come for commerce and trade, to go to the bank, for trials in front of the courts, to participate in religious ceremonies, for parades, even for gladiator fights (yes! before the Colosseum was built, gladiator fights happened here!)
Today, this area is a large archaeological site, outdoors, and you can still find ancient Roman streets, temples, banks, monumental arches and more!
Some of the things you’ll see date from the times of the very foundation of Rome, over 700 years before the birth of Jesus.
Others are much later, and date from about 400-500 years after the birth of Jesus. This is how long Ancient Rome lived and thrived!
In this guide, I help you explore this large ancient city: wear your comfortable shoes, find the things on this list and become your own guide for the day!
My tip! Make sure you agree a reward for all your effort so your parents can thank you for your guidance once you are done! (Hint: there is a lovely gelato shop on Via Cavour. Or you can get cute gadgets in the Tiger shop in Piazza Venezia!)
Super-Essential Roman History Chronology for kids
If your kids love history, they will run circles around this little chronology. However, not all kids are history lovers – I know my daughter for instance is very much not into dates, battle and names!
For her, and hopefully for your kids too, I made a super essential chronology that helps getting a broad sense of what time in history we are talking about when we mention the Roman Kings, Republic and Empire.
For each time, I selected things to see that tell us about that time.
This is my super brief Roman Chronology for kids!
| Date | Historical Phase | What to see in the Roman Forum |
| 21 April 753 BC | Foundation of Rome (Romulus and Remus Myth, 7 Kings of Rome) | House of Vestals, Temple of Vesta |
| 509 – 31 AC Republican times | Rome powers expand in Italy and beyond. In the last part of the I century, Julius Caesar and Octavian made reforms that, effectively, turn Rome into an Empire | Basilica Julia, Basilica Aemilia, Temple of Divus Julius |
| I – III century AD | The peak of the pagan Roman Empire, with emperors such as Nero, the Flavians (Colosseum builders), Trajan, Marcus Aurelius etc | Arch of Titus, Arch of Septimius Severus; Temple of Antoninus and Faustina (later turned into church) |
| IV century | The Empire becomes Christian by decision of Emperor Constantine in 313 AD | Santa Maria Antiqua (this is often only accessible with the ticket that includes the SUPER sites) |
| 476 AD | Fall of the Western Roman Empire |
Kids’ Scavenger Hunt around the Roman Forum: keys
Can you find:
The Capitoline Hill: look around you. Can you see a hill with a tall brown building on it, with many narrow windows and a tower? Hint: there is a large arch below it and a white building with horses on top beside it!
Found it?
Well done! This is the Capitoline Hill: it is one of the seven hills of Rome and one of the most important in ancient times.
During Roman time, the hill didn’t have the building you see now. Instead, it had the three most important temples in the city.
Fun fact: now you are looking at the back of a building but, in Roman time, the temple faced the Roman Forum. Had you been here in Roman times, you’d be looking up to the front of beautiful temples!
If you want to hear the story of why the hill now turns its back to the Forum, tell your parent to read the guide to the Capitoline Hill here
The Palatine Hill: Just above the Forum, can you see a tall hill with viewing terraces on top? Can you see the people high up on it, looking down? This is the Palatine Hill, the place where Rome was born!
Do you know the story of Romulus and Remus and the She-Wolf? You can read it here!
That story happened on that hill: if you go up (which I recommend) you can still see Romulus’ Hut! But one thing at the time, let’s look at the Forum first!
The main part of the Roman Forum, the so called Roman Forum Square, develops just at the footsteps of these two hills.
When we talk about public life, we talk about political assemblies, trade, court cases and public gatherings: over the course the centuries, the Romans built dedicated buildings so they could carry out these activities in all weather.
Two of these documents are called Basilica Julia and Basilica Emilia. Can you find signs telling you where they are?
Tabula lusoria – this is a hard one to spot (Hint: is at the Basilica Julia)
You really need to look carefully for this one as it’s easy to miss! You want to look for a building called Basilica Julia and then scout the payment until you find a marble slab with a pattern of dots on it.
Can you see it? Well done! This was a board game! Romans used it to play a game similar to checkers or tic tac toe!
Want to know more about how the Romans passed their free time? Read here >> about ancient Roman games and pastimes
Ancient road stones (look down, maybe you are standing on one?)
The Roman Forum is crossed by a long road, stretching between the Capitoline Hill, passing below the Palatine Hill and heading all the way towards the Colosseum (you may not see it from where you are. If not, look for a small arch: the Colosseum is behind it!)
You are very likely standing right on it right now! Check the paving under your feet: can you see smooth, dark grey stones that look like ancient paving? That’s it!
This road is called Via Sacra, the sacred road.
The blocks are made of a material called basalt and the road was a very important one in Ancient Rome.
In Republican and imperial times, this is the road the Roman parades followed when they wanted to celebrate a war victory.
The victorious general would parade along it walking with his army and was treasure all the way across the Forum to the capitoline hill.
Can you imagine them walking down here with all the riches and fanfare? It must have been an incredible show!
The arch of Septimius Severus: Look around and see if you can see an arch. You may spot two actually!
The biggest one has with three openings. Can you see it? That arch was built for Septimius Severus and his sons, Geta and Caracalla in the III century AD.
This arch is what we call a ‘triumphal’ arch and it connected with what we just learned about the parades.
When victorious, generals would parade in the Forum and would have arches built in their name to celebrate them.
If you have been to the Colosseum, you may have noticed a large arch beside it too. That one is also a triumphal arch (for Emperor Constantine): Romans were very fond of them!
If you want to learn more you Roman arches, you can read here >>> all about the triumphal arches in Rome.
Now look at the opposite end of the forum: can you see another, smaller one?
This is the arch of Titus, built in the I century to commemorate his war victory in Jerusalem!
If you find yourself close to it, look inside as you have one more thing to spot (it’s a carving, look below for the key!)
Fig tree, olive and vine – can you spot a tree?
I know there are several around the Forum but look towards the center of it, in the lowest part. Can you see plants there? these are not any plants but the plants more sacred to the Romans: the fig tree, the olive tree and the vine.
Fun fact: you know int he stay of Romulus and remus, they get abandoned in a basket and found under a tree? It was a fig tree! Romand called is Ficus Ruminalis.
A roof that seems to cover a pile of stones – ok, I know this may not sound like super exciting but this is an important spot: the temple to Julius Caesar (Temple of Divus Iulius)!
The Romans didn’t think of their generals and emperors as Gods while they were alive but sometimes, they though of them as divine after their death.
This happened fort the fist time with Julia Caesar! So this now seemingly humble place is the first example of a Roman temple dedicated to a person – God!
Bricks – how many building materials can you find in the forum? Can you find bricks?
Romans were very fond of them and used them extensively along with several other building materials.
Some you may notice around you are marble, travertine and cement.
Fun fact! The Romans used special type of cement that is different from the one we use today and is so resistant, it is part of the reason why so much of Ancient Rome got to us!
Statues – Can you find a statue?
There are not so many in the Roman Forum, as it is safer to keep them in museums! But you can find some: can you find a man? A woman? A head?
Give yourself a point any time you see one (hint: there are many in the House of Vestals and some have cure hairstyles too!)
Writing carved on stone – you can find several stones with carving on it. Why do you think they did so? In many cases, was to let people know who had built something and who it was for!
Look around: how many carvings of words can you find. Could you count 5 or maybe ten? More?
Don’t worry if you cannot read them: they are not easy and there is a whole college discipline to learn them called: ‘epigrafia’ (epigraphy). Not being able to decipher them is absolutely normal!
Three columns above a tall step, in a semi circular shape (Temple of Vesta)
Look around you and, among the many columns, look for there that seem to for a semi circle, high up a tall podium.
Can you see them? These are what remains of one of the most ancient temples in Rome, the temple of Vesta.
The temple was dedicated to Vesta, Goddess of the heart of the home and it used to have a fire inside, that had to stay always lit.
The responsibility to guard and preserved it stayed with the Vestals, a group of women who were chose from prominent families to have this important role and responsibility.
Archaeologist believe the temple had a hole in its roof to let the smoke escape and believe there were railing between the columns.
The Vestals used to Iive in a house we now call The house of Vestals (Atrium Vestae) and is just beside the temple: see if you can enter its courtyard!
The Vestals were very important in Rome.
They had special seats for public events (including the Colosseum), they had quite a lot of freedom from their fathers, which other women did not have, and a special power.
If a prisoner met a Vestal on the way to his execution, he’s be automatically pardoned!
Columns stumps and capitals – ok you have quite a selection of these around you, I know!
In the Forum, you have many columns as Romans were very fond of them.
Sometimes they were part of buildings, to decorate them, and other times they were stand alone columns, to celebrate someone with a special monument.
Can you find:
- Columns that are part of a building
- A column capital (this is the top part of a column)
- A columns stump
- A column that is not part of a building but it’s a muniment in itself (you’ll recognise it because it has a tall pedestal, but don’t worry if you don’t find it, it is not easy to spot! It is called Phoca’s Column)
You’ll see many columns also outside of the Roman Forum: have a look here if you want to learn >>> all about famous columns in Rome.
A cross on top of a tall building with columns in front: can you spot a VERY tall building with columns in front and a cross on top? Well done!
This very tall temple is dedicated to Roman Emperor Antoninus and his wife Faustina. Do you know how we can tell? The temple says so! Have a look at the letters carved across its top.
They spell:
Divo Antonino et Divae Faustinae Ex S C which in Latin means: To Divus Antoninus and Diva Faustian by Senate decree.
Fun fact: Divus in Latin was the title given after death to emperors, it meant they were now a sort of deity. It is the same word that we found uses for the temple of Divus Julius above. Can you think of a word we use now that sounds similar? Do you know the word Diva? It’s the same word, although the meaning now is a good bit different!
The temple has a cross on top because it became a church in the Middle Ages. It was called San Lorenzo in Miranda.
Good to know! After the Roman Empire became Christian, in the IV century AD, many Christian Churches took the place of temples and were built literally on top of them. If you were curious to see how this was done, a fantastic place to visit is the Church of San Clemente, not far from the Forum: here, you can see three different layers, some underground, each from a different time!
A large green door leading into a round building (Temple of Divus Romulus)
Beside the temple of Antoninus and Faustina, can you spot a round building with a very big green door? Look carefully as it may be open and hard to spot!
This building is the temple of Divus Romulus, but not the Romulus you are thinking of!
This building is not for the founder of Rome but for the son of emperor Massentius, who was also called Romulus but lived in the IV century AD.
Free entry trick! You can only enter this temple with a special ticket (for parents: it’s the one that included S.U.P.E.R. sites) but there is a trick to get a glimpses of the inside of it for free. After your visit to the Forum, go to Via dei Fori Imperiali and enter the church of Santi Cosma and Damiano. Go to the glass wall at its back and look down! Can you recognise the temple of Romulus? The forum is outside its door!
The building called basilica Julia was built by Caesar and was used for trade, juridical trials etc.
A carving of a candelabra: you have to look inside the arch of Titus for this one!
Can you see a carvings of people carrying riches, including a candelabra, as if they were stealing them from somewhere?
That’s exactly what they are doing!
The carving commemorates the Campaign Emperor Titus won in Jerusalem and the fact that the Romans sacked the temple stealing all the reaches and treasures. They though this was worth celebrating, how crazy is this?!
A bird – can you spot a seagull? Or maybe a sparrow or a pigeon?
They are of course not from ancient times, but they remind us of the story of Romululus and Remus.
When they needed to decide which one of them would found the city, they looked at the sky and decided the one who spotted more birds would win.
Can you think of another animal that appears in the history of the foundation of Rome? Maybe a she-wolf?
Top tip: would you like to see her? There are some statues and images of her around Rome! Find here >> where to see the Rome she-wolf
I hope your little ones had fun with this scavenger hunt around the Roman Forum and it helped them getting some idea of what this site is all about!