oliveview Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Our children really enjoy interactive experiences like Williamsburg, but they are wanting to get more indepth. We are looking for some type of immersive experience or program, not limited to colonial America. Something that would allow us to get even more of a hands-on type experience. I know that there are Civil War reinactors in our area, but I'm not sure that is the best route for us. I know it is hard with our kids still being so young, but I thought I would just see if anyone had any ideas? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 If you are interested in medieval Europe, check to see if there's a local group of the Society for Creative Anachronism http://www.sca.org We were very involved for a number of years (in fact that's where I met my husband). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 Unsurprisingly, we don't have Civil War re-enactment here, but we do play in the SCA. Our group has hordes of kids of all ages running around. Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oliveview Posted May 31, 2009 Author Share Posted May 31, 2009 Thank you both. We have one not too far away. We will check it out!!:001_smile: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TXMomof4 Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 I'm not sure where you're at, but see if you can find a "dude ranch" near you. Get the kids out cooking over campfires, helping herd cattle, collecting eggs, etc. How fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 If you are interested in medieval Europe, check to see if there's a local group of the Society for Creative Anachronism www.sca.org We were very involved for a number of years (in fact that's where I met my husband). That's what I was going to suggest. My sister and her dh are very involved in SCA, and I once went with them on a 4 day SCA camping trip. It was great! In garb (costume) the whole time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LNC Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 My children want to go to this camp. Maybe there is one close to you? http://www.campflintlock.com/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KarenNC Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 My children want to go to this camp. Maybe there is one close to you? http://www.campflintlock.com/ Good idea. I know some of our local historical sites offer themed summer camps, some day camps, some overnight. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted May 31, 2009 Share Posted May 31, 2009 When they're a little older they can go to Space Camp (starting at age 9). I have a friend who went and loved it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Thank you both. We have one not too far away. We will check it out!!:001_smile: MWAHAHAHA! Out to convert the WTM forums to SCA! I've converted Peela already, and I have heard rumours, from a very unreliable source, that her husband is raising an army to attack their neighbouring barony on an eastward expansion campaign! You guys have great summer camp options. I don't think we have anything like that at all. :) Rosie Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 SCA is a lot of fun, but the historical accuracy can be missing, depending on the group. (A family friend is a research historian who specializes in Elizabethan and Medieval history and was involved for many years in SCA.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gardening momma Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 SCA is a lot of fun, but the historical accuracy can be missing, depending on the group. (A family friend is a research historian who specializes in Elizabethan and Medieval history and was involved for many years in SCA.) At the camping trip I went on with my sister and her dh, I met a lot of people who were very interested in historical accuracy. And those people who were interested in accuracy were focused on different aspects: garb, weaponry, food, illuminated texts, etc... There were also people who's garb leaned toward the fantasy world--fairies, etc... But I found that for the most part SCA is interested in accurate historical reneactment. Major events like this have a dress code. Everyone was to be in garb for the event. Visitors included. Not like a Renaissance festival. You at least had to make an attempt, even if it meant wearing a long t-shirt with a belt to look like a tunic. They have weekly meetings also where they focus on a particular skill--I don't know if they have a dress code for that. Maybe Rosie and Peela can explain more? At the event I went to ("Warlords and Warriors"--"dub dub" for short, which turned into "rub a dub dub" because of the flooding rain we got on the last night), there were classes to attend, sword fights to watch, royal court to attend, etc... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skaterbabs Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Again, it varies by group, but many end up being less "history" and more "fantasy" or vice versa, so YMMV depending on the group(s) in your area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Peela Posted June 1, 2009 Share Posted June 1, 2009 Just got in from a weekend with the SCA. Yes, dh is a heavy combat fighter, full armour, and he heads our household, Templestone, of about 20-25 people. He has been battling- with the other Templer fighters- to get relics back from the Hospitallers, who supposedly stole them. :) They are having a great time, they get battered and bruised- especially my dh who is the oldest heavy combat fighter in our SCA group- but after groaning and complaining, they get up and do it again. They had a war this weekend and even won it, against much more experienced fighters. Some of the women in our group do archery, one does heavy combat. None of our group do rapier but some in the larger group do. I and most of the women in our group are into the costumes and crafts side of things. This weekend I learned to do Blackwork embroidery. I have come home inspired to make costumes and do embroidery. I made a glass bead pomander for warding off the plague. People are encouraged to create an identity and to be fairly historically accurate but no one is kicked out for wearing non-period clothing as long as they have made an attempt. Some women have invested a lot of time making incredibly elaborate and historically accurate costumes. I am a beginning sewer- dh bought me a machine for my b'day recently- and I am making basic patterns- tabbards, smock shirts, tunics, very simply dresses. Still looks effective. I have just come home and written myself a list of projects. I am sure it depends on your group. There are politics, as there are in most groups, but we are enjoying it overall and it has been great to get the kids involved. Being teens, they werent keen at first- wierd stuff their wierd parents get into- but after the first camping weekend a couple of months ago, they were hooked too. Ds13 is into archery, and boffin fighting (hitting each other with padded swords), and dd14 is sewing and doing photography of the Templers fighting :) The food at feasts etc is medieval too. Actually, we are all so glad to be home and eat normal food again :) Medieval food was.....ok. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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