We’ve been studying the Colonial period and the American Revolution recently, so we were especially excited to have the opportunity to visit Historic Williamsburg.
No matter how many books we read or videos we watch, it’s just not the same as seeing inside a historic home.
I can’t recreate the same kinds of authentic experiences at home, surrounded by electronic gizmos and modern technology, that this woman can with her simple fire and cast iron.
The Governor’s Mansion was beautiful, and our tour guide knew all the details.
The kids were especially fascinated with why it was decorated with so many weapons.
This brickmaker was quite proud of being in charge of all of the brickworks. He explained how difficult it was to make bricks by hand, how long it took, and why this building material was crucial to the survival of this town.
After a demonstration, the kids were allowed to go and tread the clay to get it ready to be made into bricks. I’m not sure I’d like this project, but it was the favorite part of their day!
We visited the stocks and talked about this form of colonial punishment. I’m not sure the kids quite comprehended out awful this would have been back then, but everyone was taking their pictures, and nobody was throwing rotten veggies, either.
While there, we heard about a science tour at the local museum. The kids were determined to go, and it turned out to be a really great tour! This telescope was just mentioned in a book My Big Helper read immediately before our trip, and she was super excited to see such an old piece in person.
The museum also had a large display of weapons through the ages, and all of the kids loved examining and comparing them.
Why are field trips so great? You sure can’t see this in my living room.
How do you add reality to your history studies?
Want to know more about this area? Check out these books:
