rendevouz time travel

Each year we attend the Alafia River Rendevouz, which is a historical re-enactment camp in central Florida. The participants spend a week together sharing skills and culture from the early 1800's meetups that brought Native Americans, fur traders, merchants and frontiersman together. The last few days are public days and it is as close to time travel as you can get. Luckily, this year we attended on a field trip day, so the crowd was light and was made up of primarily home schooled and a few private schooled kids. 







Before filling up on homemade root beer we talked to several re-enactors who taught us new skills. Like how to haul water with a yoke, how to brain tan leather and how to spin and dye yarn. 

We also learned some Indian sign language and drumming. 




We experienced how loud musket guns are. 




But most of all, after a full day, we came home excited and inspired by all we had seen and done. My daughter is really into chewing on licorice root. One son is thinking about getting a throwing tomahawk, while the other one is practicing his sling shot aim. And this mama has been constantly practicing her flint and steel fire starting skills (no such luck yet - but I am close).


These historical re-enactments fuel creative play (that is basically what is is for the adult participants) for my kids in such huge ways I tend to think of them as a big component of our life schooling "curriculum." 


We also attend a local Medieval festival and loved both Jamestown and Williamsburg in the last few years. And I can not wait to take them to the Tenement Museum in New York.


What about you? Are you a fan of historical re-enactments? Are there some that are not to be missed near you? Please share!