Can we imagine what it would have been like to live and work in an earlier time period? Let’s investigate!
We have various workshops that target the idea of living in the past – all of which can be adapted to suit the particular focus of your visit, and could take the format of several shorter activities available throughout the day if that proved more suitable – please get in touch to discuss your needs.
Expand the sections below to find out more about our Living in the Past workshops.
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Overview
Duration
45–90 minutes
Maximum Number
15 children per group
Suggested Key Stages
KS1–KS3
Workshops
Father, Carpenter, Blacksmith... KS1
Duration: 45 minutes
Maximum numbers: 15 children
With Ellis, the (toy) mouse, we will go on a guided walk around some of our craft workshops and see what different people made. Each person had an important role in society over hundreds of years, and as you look around you will see their work in many places in the Museum and your local area.
In each space we visit there is something for the children to spot. During this walk we will of course look at the signs of the seasons that are clear to notice in the Museum environment and the activities people did at different times of year.
How to Book
Please call our schools team on 01243 811459 or email schoolbookings@wealddown.co.uk
Risk Assessment
Father, Carpenter, Blacksmith… workshop (589Kb, PDF)
Little Red Hen KS1
Duration: 45 minutes
Maximum numbers: 15 children
Location: Newdigate Bakehouse and surrounding area
We will follow the traditional children’s story of The Little Red Hen; we will follow her round the museum as she tries to ask for help transforming her wheat in to bread.
For thousands of years we have been making and eating bread, in this 45-minute session the children will discover how this process is done, with the help of our “Little Red Hen”!
Towards the end of our time together, we will visit the bakehouse. The children will a look at and kneed / shape and generally feel some pre-prepared dough. This will give the children a sensory experience of touching and smelling the dough.
Once carefully prepared, the children will give the rolls/ shapes to the baker. (This dough will not be cooked). Pre-prepared dough will be baked, so that the children can come to collect their bread before you leave. Some sessions will hopefully see the bread going into the oven and others sessions will see the bread coming out for the oven.
How to Book
Please call our schools team on 01243 811459 or email schoolbookings@wealddown.co.uk
Risk Assessment
Little Red Hen workshop (626Kb, PDF)
Our Homes & Farm KS1
Duration: 45 minutes
Maximum numbers: 15 children
Designed for our youngest education group visitors, we have a new session with three hands on activities where play and an introduction to our Museum intermingle. Sitting on mats, the children explore farmyard animals and what they produce, craftspeople and their tools and build a structure with play bricks. At the end there is time for a short story.
You can do this session anytime during a visit. The rest of the time could be formed of teacher-led exploration outside and in our different buildings, so we hope that this session will create an element of your visit when our team will help to explain the Museum and entertain your group.
Everything in the site is closely linked to the Museum so you can recognise the elements and reinforce learning.
How to Book
Please call our schools team on 01243 811459 or email schoolbookings@wealddown.co.uk
Risk Assessment
Our Homes & Farm workshop (590Kb, PDF)
The Story of Bread KS2
Duration: 45 minutes
Maximum numbers: 15 children
Locations: Newdigate Bakehouse & Lurgashall Mill
Bread has been made for thousands of years in different forms by different civilisations. In this workshop, pupils will begin by investigating this story and follow the advancement of both the recipe and the way we have produced bread through the years.
The children will then split into two groups; half will go to the Newdigate Bakehouse and half to Lurgashall mill.
Whilst in the bakehouse the children will have the opportunity to knead the pre-prepared dough, shape it into a roll and then have it baked. At Lurgashall Mill the children will look at the milling process.
How to Book
Please call our schools team on 01243 811459 or email schoolbookings@wealddown.co.uk
Risk Assessment
The Story of Bread workshop (618Kb, PDF)
Real Lives of Our Rural Ancestors KS2–KS3
Duration: 90 minutes
Maximum numbers: 15 children
Join us for a myth-busting exploration of how our ancestors lived. The focus is on the role of people (for example the farmer, the blacksmith, the miller, the carpenter and the teacher) who were essential in society and easily identified.
Tell us whether your focus is Anglo-Saxon/Medieval/Tudor/Victorian or cross-period and we will highlight this era of history for your group.
The 90-minute session takes the form of a guided walk with some hands-on activities.
How to Book
Please call our schools team on 01243 811459 or email schoolbookings@wealddown.co.uk
Risk Assessment
Tudor Farming workshop (588Kb, PDF)
