Colonial Williamsburg

After 2 fun-filled days at the Great Wolf Lodge, we spent our last day in Williamsburg walking around the Colonial Village.

 

The first stop in our walk was the Great Hopes Plantation, where we get a glimpse into the lives of 18th century farmers and slaves. We learned that kids as young as Gabe would be out in the fields working from dawn to dusk! I guess we really spoil our kids... :)

 

The kids thought the empty water bucket was heavy... heaven forbid it was full!

Olivia got to see some homemade dolls in the slave house. We learned that the small (16'x16') cabin housed 12-14 slaves.

She also got to try her hand at grinding some corn.

A saw pit was going with two guys hewing logs into beams for a new building in the village. They recently finished construction of a new armory (blacksmith) building and they used as many 18th century techniques as they could. A worker explained that some things, like cedar shingles are not as practical to create on-site sonce they don't have the right kind of cedars in the area, so they had them shipped in from Florida and Georgia.

 

Our next stop was a small building that housed all kinds of toys and clothes that kids would have had in the 1770s. All 3 of the kids immediately found the ball and peg toy and proceeded to spend at least 10 minutes trying their hands at it.

 

  

 

 

Bean toss was pretty popular, too.

Olivia learned about the different economic classes and how to tell them apart from pictures of their clothes, toys, dishes and houses.

"Shut The Box" is a game that they used to teach numbers and math for the kids. You flip all the numbers up and roll the dice. Then you knock down the number or numbers that you rolled. So a with a 7, you could knock down 5 and 2, 3 and 4, 6 and 1 or just 7. You keep rolling and knocking down numbers until you roll something you can't knock down. Then you add up the numbers you have left and whoever gets the lowest number wins.

 

 

 

 

We went to see the garden and a gardener was out turning the soil for planting fall crops. Olivia asked if it was hard to do by hand and he leet her try it out. She didn't think it was too hard, but a tiller would make it easier!

Next was the printer. Olivia thought it was amazing how many little letters they had to put together just to make one page.

 

I took the kids over to the new armory, which is actually a blacksmith. The Magazine is actually where they store weapons and powder.

 

The boys immediately gravitated to the keys.

Olivia thought the tongs were so neat because the were springy but didn't have a spring like ours at home.

We watched the smith make nails for a few minutes.

The shoemaker's shop. Whatever you do, don't call him a cobbler. Cobblers fix shoes.

 

 

 

 

 Our final stop of the day was at the revolutionary encampment. Olivia joined the other kids in training to use a musket.

 

 

 

 

"BOOM!"

 

For the ride home, we decided to take the Jamestown/Scotland ferry across the James River. We have taken it before and the kids always enjoy going on a boat.

 

 

We passed another ferry going the other way. It was the ferry we rode last time we came up.

Despite the lack of pictures, Emma was on the trip with us. :)

 

Colonial Williamsburg, part 4, The Gabe Edition

Gabe had fun on this trip too. He would probably say that the 18th century dirt, rocks, sticks, leaves and water were his favorite things. He was very patient with those of us learning and experience the history that was so far above his head. I'm sure he was listening so that he would be familiar with it later. :)

And a few more pictures...

Riding the ferry across the James River.

Being silly in the hotel room.

See, listening to the tour and not being distracting... :)

Definitely needed times to get down and walk. This is the garden maze and he was determined to find his way through. I just love this picture! :)

"eese" :)

(that is his way of asking to have his picture taken)

Colonial Williamsburg, part 2, Mother Goose Riddles and Rhymes Tour

We did a tour at Colonial Williamsburg called the Mother Goose Riddles and Rhymes Tour. It was part of their homeschool activities. We all got to go on the tour but it was, of course, geared primarily for Olivia. Our guide taught us some of the history behind 3 nursery rhymes as she took us on a walking tour.

Our first stop was to see Mr. Green the gardener (yes that was really his name). He showed us several plants and herbs and talked about how they were used in colonial times. We saw that the paths of the gardens, as well as other walking paths in Colonial Williamsburg, were paved with shells. And the children learned that it might have been their job to help care for the gardens that would help to feed their family.

Mary, Mary quite contrary.

How does your garden grow?

With silver bells and cockle shells,

And pretty maids all in a row.

Then we headed out to a field and talked about how they used candles to light their way. Then the kids got to jump over a candle stick as they were saying the rhyme. Olivia thought this was great fun. Gabe wanted to try it but didn't quite get it.

Jack be nimble,

Jack be quick,

Jack jump over the candlestick!



Next we went to visit the town Cooper. He makes barrels and pails. The kids each got to pick up the pails full of water and see how heavy it might have been.

Jack and Jill went up the hill

To fetch a pail of water;

Jack fell down and broke his crown

And Jill came tumbling after.

Then we headed into a shady garden area. This was a common place for children to play during colonial days. They played a game called Thread the Needle. Gabe was eager to join in the fun here, too. The garden was surrounded by a brick wall which led to another nursery rhyme.

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall

All the king's horses and all the king's men

Couldn't put Humpty together again

 

The kids were each given a bag with the nursery rhymes, a shell, a burnt candle stick, a wood shaving, and a small brick. Note: These nursery rhymes actually all have conflicting orgins and meanings if you look them up on Wikipedia or other such resource. Here is an interesting resource about kid's books and colonial times: http://www.history.org/history/teaching/enewsletter/volume2/june04/pocketbook.cfm