Today the kids and I went on a field trip with some fellow homeschoolers. We had to travel almost 2 hours to get there, but I think it was worth it. I think the kids would tell you the same.
This field trip involved traveling back in time to Florida in the 1890's. We took a tour of a "town" that was comprised of period buildings that have been donated and gathered together from around the state of Florida. The tour lasted 2.5 hours, yet kept the kids attention pretty much the entire time.
We learned about how Morris Code and the railroads worked, how the schools worked, as well as how they made cane syrup from sugar canes (among other things). We even got to make a rope, butter, and a bees wax candle (we got to bring the candle home and the kids are dying to use them).
One of my favorite types of books is historical fiction. I love reading about how things were done years ago, so to get to do some hands-on stuff like this was fun for me. I also know my kids really enjoy hands-on learning opportunities so it was fun to watch them enjoying themselves.
Of course the end of the trip involved a trip to the "General Store" where I let the kids each purchase something. My daughter picked out a doll and my son picked out a whip. No surprise to me, he became quite proficient very quickly. Unfortunately, it's already being repaired by Daddy.
On the way home I was wondering if there is a place we could go that would allow us to live like they did years ago to get a better feel for it... you know with the wood burning stove for cooking and no electricity. Then I thought better of it. I kind of like my modern conveniences. Seeing them for a couple hours was good enough for me.
