Colonial Williamsburg

This past Tuesday,we had our first field trip of the school year.  We went to  Colonial Williamsburg Home Educators Week.  In the spring and fall, the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation welcomes the home schooling community with special rates and programs.  In fact, for $9.50, I was given a full day pass to all the buildings and exhibits.  Children 5 and under had free admission, so my girls enjoyed the day at no cost to me.  A special thanks to my friend, Kathy over at the Political Housewyf, who invited us along with her three children to the event, drove, and let my daughters borrow colonial costumes she had made, since she much more crafty than me!

Colonial Williamsburg offered a  “Family Fun” site map that served as a scavenger hunt. Visit three of the recommended sites and the children receive a free souvenir.  Our first stop was the Great Hope Plantation, a recent new addition to Williamsburg.  This working farm shows how most Virginians lived during colonial times.  

Next stop, was the gateway barn into Colonial Williamsburg. We visited the kid’s corner there and the children enjoyed playing with the colonial-era toys and games.  Then we skipped the formal tour of the Governor’s Palace for the palace maze and cellars.  The girls had a great time chasing their friends in the maze of boxwoods. 

Instead of opting for one of Williamsburg’s Taverns, we enjoyed a simple lunch of peanut butter sandwiches, grapes, and bananas near the George Wythe House.  By then, my oldest daughter, tomboy that she is, had stripped down to her modern-day shorts and t-shirt.

A trip to the Milliners was followed by the farmer’s market, and heavy negotiation with Ladybug who wanted a wooden pistol and tri-corner hat.  However, the favorite part of her day, was the visit to the Magazine.  The Magazine stored all the rifles, powder, tents, and uniforms for the Army.   By then, we were living on borrowed time.  Kathy and I really wanted to see the coffee shop, but we realized we were pushing our luck and decided to head back to the visitor’s center.

Back before children, Rick and I used frequent Colonial Williamsburg regularly, so it was interesting how the trip changed when five children under the age of eight are in tow.  All in all, it was a great experience, and I thank Kathy again for inviting us!