The 10 best presents for children who love learning about the past

Bring the past alive with our round-up of the 10 best history toys and present ideas for children of all ages.

Keycraft Egyptian Mummy Archaeology Kit 

There is so much to do in this fascinating kit. Excavate the sarcophagus from the block of plaster using special tools. As the sarcophagus is very old it will need to be dusted and repainted and the mummy contained within will need to be "bandaged" as a mummy. Set contain earthen block containing sarcophagus and figure, digging tool and hammer, dusting brush, roll of paper bandage, paints, brush and a fact booklet. 

English Heritage Cluedo 

English Heritage has launched its own creative version of Cluedo to celebrate England’s history and its fantastic sites. Use your detective skills to discover six hidden treasures within nine English Heritage sites, such as Roman coins, the Crown Jewels and the Excalibur sword. The mission will test your ability to use the clues provided to lead you to one of six historical English figures, for instance Queen Victoria, Charles Darwin or Winston Churchill and, to identify their key artefacts. Be the first to uncover these historical items and learn about English history by taking a virtual tour to discover England’s finest treasures across a variety of our sites, including Hadrian’s Wall, Kenilworth Castle and Dover Secret Wartime Tunnels. A great version of the classic Cluedo game to keep the family entertained for hours.

Horrible Histories Magazine Subscription

You’ve probably read the books, or read them to your children, and you may well have seen the excellent show on CBBC. Well, now Horrible Histories has made the leap to the magazine format, meaning that you can get a monthly dose of the gruesome bits of history. Rather than simply being an accompaniment to the show, this is a largely standalone kids magazine featuring all the rotten (and all the good!) bits of history – executions, gladiator battles, Vikings and the like. Whilst it does reference the TV series, it is also packed with humour, fascinating facts, activities such as colouring in and more, and is illustrated throughout by the wonderful and colourful art associated with Horrible Histories. Educating, entertaining and a little bit gruesome – in other words, perfect for kids.

Brainbox British History

Beautifully-illustrated, well researched and pure fun! Players will have 10 seconds to study a card before being asked a question from the back, chosen by the roll of the die. If the question is answered correctly the card is kept, if not it is returned to the box.

Melissa and Doug Folding Medieval Castle 

With a dungeon and a working drawbridge, this wooden play castle is fully assembled and ready for adventures! Features towers, balconies, a trap door, arched walkway, and a removable turret. Castle is hinged for easy wide-open, imaginative play and closes conveniently for compact storage.

Where's Wally Now? 

Wally and his friends travel through time in this second best-selling classic adventure. Search for them as they visit the Stone Age, Ancient Egypt, the Vikings ... right through to the space world of the future. There are all sorts of other things to look for, too. 

Playmobil History Roman Arena

The Playmobil Roman Arena comes with a double harnessed chariot and 2 Gladiators. The spectator stands with the trap door into the lions cage and the Chariot with Roman Centurion can pass through the gate. Complete with 4 Playmobil figures and lots of accessories.

Bigjigs Castle Wooden Floor Puzzle

The high quality imagery is a fascinating portrayal of the busy life of a castle. As with all floor puzzles this delightful wooden jigsaw stimulates concentration and manual dexterity. Sturdy 4 mm thick shapes. Available in 24 pieces or 48 pieces.

English Heritage Guess Who? 

This fantastic flip and find two-player game will keep you guessing for hours. This special edition of Guess Who? has been made exclusively for English Heritage using figures that shaped English History.

Horrible Histories Terrible Timeline Sticker Activity Book

It's time to explore the horrible history of the world! From the Savage Stone Age to the Terrifying 20th Century, take a wild ride through over 4 million years of horrible history. With an incredible fold-out timeline that stretches over three metres and over 300 stickers! It's the longest and most horrible sticker book in the world!