One of my favorite things to do when I was younger was build forts – all kinds of them! I loved blanket forts, forts under furniture, or even forts I built outside with sticks!

I have such fond memories of spending time in my forts with either my older brother or my father. When my father was in the fort, he would often tell us about battles from a long time ago. These battles were often fought in forts many of which were also made of wood. Just like my forts I built outside! Twenty years later, I still remember those stories. I even remember my father telling me the importance of forts for security and protection for kids.

This is the exact thing we create for your family in Hideaways in History!

We took the idea of building forts and created activities for you to build places or monuments from history! We encourage you to allow free play in these hideaways and then spend time talking about what happened and reading your living history books while sitting in history! Learn about the Vikings while coloring the Vikings Longhouse! Look at Egyptian hieroglyphics while playing in the Pyramid and learn about the Pilgrims while sailing along in the Mayflower!

Give it a Try Below:

Egyptian Pyramid

Things to Gather:

  • 1 Large Square Box
  • 1 Small Square Box
  • Paint or Drawing Supplies

Here’s What to Do:

  1. Draw the largest triangles you can on the sides of the small square box, and cut them out.
  2. Tape the triangles together to form a pyramid.
  3. Then, use the larger square box to cut out a base to make the pyramid larger.
  4. The top edge of each flap should be the same length as each side of the pyramid.
  5. Tape the base together, then place the pyramid on top and tape it together as well.
  6. Cut a door in one side.
  7. Sometime this week students can paint the outside a sandy color, and draw hieroglyphs on the outside.
  8.  SIDENOTE! Be sure to keep newspaper/sheet underneath while they paint and draw!

Add Even More Detail!

You’ll Need:

  • Additional Small Box
  • Waxed Paper
  • Paint or Drawing Supplies

You can cut a throne out of another box to really enjoy the royal experience. To create a crown, wrap waxed paper around your head and tape it securely to stand up high

Or, Make It Easier By . . .

Hanging a piece of rope from a tree branch or another high point indoors. Hang a large sheet from this point, then pull corners out in a square shape and anchor at each corner to create a pyramid shape.

For More Hideaways Exprierences Discover Here!

Create your own “Busy Winter” accordion book!

This accordion book is a great hands-on activity for students studying or interested in American History! While creating this book your students will learn all about the busy winter Lewis and Clark faced years ago in Fort Clatsop! Students learn how they got their food, cooked their meals, made new clothes, and even what their living quarters looked like!

Once students have glued down their pages they can go through and answer questions and glue on informational flaps that tell you more about what their winter was like!

Keep reading to see some instructions and download the pages you’ll need to complete this fun activity!

Instructions:

First: Glue together your pages with the side flaps. Make sure not to cut the first and last page! 

Second: Fold each page along the crease where the flap meets the colored picture. Make sure you are folding each page opposite of the way you folded the last one so that the spread opens up in an “accordion-like” fashion. 

Third: Have your student complete the fillable text sections and glue on flaps for doors, pictures, and other cute flaps with more information on how their life was; and finally enjoy learning about what life was like in Fort Clatsop!

Once you’ve finished, we’d love to see the accordion books your students have made! If you’re comfortable feel free to share your experience with this activity on our WinterPromise Village Square Facebook page!

Does your family love to cook together? In Children Around the World we schedule a number of recepies for you to try making as a family that are found from all over the world. Try making the recipe below as a family!

Here’s a recipe from our Children Around the World Themed Program!

Chicken Curry

 

This recipe serves just four hungry people. If you’ve invited more people to your buffet, or have more famished mouths to feed, increase the recipe as needed!


Ingredients:

1 Tablespoon vegetable oil

1 medium onion, chopped

1 whole boneless, skinless chicken breast, chopped into small chunks

2 Tablespoon butter

1-2 Tablespoons curry powder, according to how spicy you like it

1 clove garlic, crushed

1 cup canned coconut milk

½ cup golden raisins

Heat the vegetable oil in a frying pan over fairly high heat. Add onion and chicken and cook for five minutes or until the chicken is browned slightly on all sides. Remove the chicken and onion from the pan, and set aside for now. Clean the pan with a paper towel, and continue to use it to melt the butter over low heat. Add the curry powder and the garlic and cook for three minutes. Stir in the coconut milk and the raisins, and add back in the chicken and onion. Cover the pan and simmer for 25 minutes. Serve over rice.

For more recipes from around the world and other hand’s-on experiences check out our Fun & Traditions from Many Lands – part of our Children Around the World!

You know what week it is right now? That’s right, SHARK WEEK! So many families around the country become enthralled with the Discovery channel’s most popular week. Deep sea dives, shark cages and feeding, chasing sharks, and making new discoveries!

Did you know you can take the excitement of shark week into your living room this school year? Two programs highlight sharks in a unique way here at WinterPromise. Learn about those right now plus a shark week coupon code!

One program that gives you those shark week chills all year is our Adventures in the Sea & Sky! A big part of the science in this program is the study of the oceans.

Learn all about coral reefs, the ecosystems of our most mysterious places, and learn about the ancient shark Megalodon. Our science resources, The New Ocean Book and the Under the Sea & in the Air, dive deep into our oceans and help you discover sharks and how they live. Our eBook resource Stalking Sea Monsters covers all kinds of ancient sea monsters including the megalodon!

Another program that highlights sharks even more is our Animals and Their Worlds program. Our amazing journaling resources cover them in depth as well as our living books and more. Animals take your family on an adventure around the globe in different habitats. One habitat is the coral reef, where you swim with the fish and sharks!

Do you want to dive in with us this year? Go to: Sea & Sky or our Animal program and enjoy. If you decide to go with our Sea & Sky program use the code “sharkprt” to get $20 off the print package PLUS free shipping! That is a $40 value. The coupon expires midnight on July 21, 2021.

Swim with us this year and make shark week last a bit longer! #adventuretogether