Revolutionary war center activities that keep kids engaged make learning fun.
Revolutionary War center activities for kids should present educational information in a fun, interesting way. Whether elaborate or small in design, Revolutionary War centers focus on an important chapter of history in an interactive, museum-like setting. Bring that history to life with activities that will leave a lasting impression on kids.
Revolutionary Writing
Give kids a lasting impression of daily life during the Revolutionary War by having them make quill pens. Each kid will need a feather, at least 10 inches long. Soak feathers in warm, soapy water for 15 minutes. Under adult supervision, have kids cut off 1 or 2 inches from the bottom of the quill. The cut should be made at a sharp angle. A small notch should be cut into the bottom of the quill near the point. Have kids clean out the inside of the quill with a toothpick. Quills may be dipped into ink wells and used in a John Hancock competition, where kids compete to make a Hancockian signature. The activity allows educators to talk about daily life and important documents of the era, like the Declaration of Independence. The quill pens become memorable keepsakes and living reminders of history.
Clothing
Make small paper dolls out of construction paper, and cut out Revolutionary War-era clothing for the dolls on standard paper. The clothes and dolls may be laminated so they will last longer, so multiple children may play with them at the center. Have the kids practice dressing the dolls in all the clothes that girls and boys wore in the era, including stockings, petticoats, coats with tails, gloves and top hats. Give each child a single, blank piece of paper that they can fold, accordion-style, to make their own fans, a popular accessory of the era. Children may take the paper fans home with them after learning about the dressing habits of people during the Revolutionary War.
Make the American Flag
A simple, star-cutting exercise will teach kids about the flag made by Betsy Ross. In the original sketch for the flag made by George Washington, the stars had six points on them. It was Ross who suggested using the five-pointed star instead, but detractors said the stars were too difficult to make. When Ross produced a star with one scissor clip, she won the argument and made the iconic flag with the stars that are still used today. Show children make the American flag stars using scissors and paper. Fold a standard, 8 1/2 inch by 10-inch piece of paper half horizontally. Leaving the paper folded, fold it in half again longways and horizontally to define the center, then unfold the last two folds. Hold the top right corner of the folded paper and fold it so the corner meets the center line. Repeat this action with the left corner. You should be left with a three-pointed, arrow-shaped folded piece of paper. Fold the arrow in half, lengthwise, and unfold. Bring the top point and the bottom right point together, fold, and unfold. Cut the arrow with scissors with a diagonal snip, cutting through the intersection of the two folds you made. Unfold the paper to reveal a perfect five-point star, the way Betsy Ross made them.
Tea Party
Teach kids about the Boston Tea Party, a turning point in American history, by having your own tea party. Write the names of five to 10 different tea flavors on the bottom of a small plastic pool or pond. Give each child a small cloth bag weighted with a rock, and have them toss their tea into a facsimile of Boston harbor in a tax protest. Give the kids a cup of whatever tea flavor their bag lands on. The activity teaches children about the Boston Tea Party and introduces them to the taste of tea, a staple beverage of the era.
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