Darke County Parks
Have you ever wonder what it was like to live in the 18th century? Well, this is what twelve 6 - 7 year old children did for an entire week at Shawnee Prairie Preserve. Throughout the week the children took part in several different activities, chores and games that children in the late 1790s did on a daily basis. The campers began the week by learning a few new skills such as cooking and sewing. We churned butter and prepared Johnny Bread for breakfast. Then all the campers successful made a bean bag, which later was used for games. On Tuesday, the campers made tin-smithed lanterns which early pioneers would have used while feeding the animals in the barn once the sun went down. They also prepared lye soap, which once cured, they took home and put to use. The campers also enjoyed making and walnut-dyeing their checkers for their home-made checkerboard in addition tolearning how to make their own jump ropes. Volunteer of the Parks, Tom Smith, stopped by in 18th century garb to show the frontier skill of woodworking, demonstrating various tools. Thursday campers explored how candles where made by dipping their own beeswax candles. To wrap up the week, a campers used the skills they had learned all week to help create a wonderful meal over the hearth and then enjoyed a checkers tournament on their newly created game boards. It was a fun-filled and busy week for these young pioneer children from games, to crafts to skills and even a few chores, they now have a good idea of what childhood would have been like in the late 18th century!
If you happened to miss out this year for this Pioneer Camp make sure you check the Nature Notes for Summer Camps in 2011. For more
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