It might seem like a fuss to take younger children on trips to historic sites, and it can require some forward planning. However, taking your children to visit such attractions can be an invaluable learning opportunity, and can help bring the topics they have covered at school to life. Learning doesn’t have to be limited to the classroom- taking your child on educational trips outside of school can support their school experience by making subjects such as History seem more accessible and interesting.
Here are just four key benefits of taking your children on trips to historic sites.
- Engages the Imagination
Children have very active imaginations, but they usually need to be excited enough to engage those imaginations when it comes to history lessons. Simply talking about how things were and the way people lived often fails to create a spark of interest, but actually taking children to see the sites where history played itself out can make them view the subject in a whole new light.
- Live Performers
Many historic sites will have live performers who dress and act like people from times gone by. The Roman Baths in Bath, for example, will let visitors meet with Roman soldiers, priests, and travelling merchants. They can entertain your children while giving them a first-hand account of how life used to be. Just remember to check the days and times such performers are scheduled to appear.
- Hands-On Learning
Most historic sites cater to younger visitors by offering more than costumed experts. You’re sure to find plenty of hands-on attractions to let children come to grips with history. From feeling how much force it would take to pull back a longbow, to sitting inside a reconstructed Anglo-Saxon dwelling, your children will love getting a feel for history.
- A New Way to Learn
Ultimately, any break from the classroom can be an excellent opportunity to let younger pupils learn in new ways and take in information in a less structured manner. Talking with experts, seeing sites first-hand, and being able to view actual relics preserved from hundreds or even thousands of years in the past can help fire the imagination and make learning feel more interesting.
