Sunday, September 11, 2022

Living History Day - Colonial America

My own children have done living history days as part of their homeschooling (Becca spent one day living the schedule of a monk in the Middle Ages, and Leah spent a day in the time of Jane Austen after reading Pride & Prejudice), but we haven't done them as part of our homeschooling co-op.

But this year we are doing a Living History Day for Colonial America!

I've already picked the day -- Thursday, October 13 -- which is right before the Fort Massac Encampment weekend. Now I need to brainstorm activities.

If you have a suggestion, please share!

The children who are giving reports on this day will be researching their professions using the Colonial People series:


Here are some things we can do -

    play games with reproduction "Aesop's Fables" deck of cards

    play checkers on a wooden board

    scrape sugar off a sugar cone

    brush teeth with charcoal tooth powder
    Dental Care in Early America

    wash raw fleece from a sheep

    card wool fiber

    spin wool roving with a drop spindle

    burn beeswax candles

    make tallow candles

    write with a slate and slate pencil

    write with a quill and homemade pokeberry ink

    seal letters with sealing wax

    make cornhusk dolls


There is also food to think about!

We're starting our Foods of the World project with North America this year.


It is pawpaw season here, so I wonder if I can freeze some pulp and then make a colonial era recipe with it.


There's a historically accurate recipe in the back of Goody O'Grumpity, written by Carol Ryrie Brink and illustrated by Ashley Wolff.


It would be great to have a special guest, especially if someone is already in town because of the encampment. We had a spinner demonstrate a spinning wheel in the past, and we had a blacksmith visit last year. I will tell you what I would absolutely love. A cooper!!!!! I saw one at the Maple Syrup Festival at Touch of Nature several years ago, but have never seen him again.


The Forgotten Arts and Crafts: Skills from Bygone Days
by John Seymour


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