Winter Break Camp 2023

Tuesday–Friday, December 26-29
9 a.m.–4 p.m. each day
Location: Living History Farms Visitor Center and 1876 town of Walnut Hill
Cost: $264 for non-members / $237.60 for members

HOW TO REGISTER

Step 1: Select appropriate camp from the camp sessions below and click purchase

Step 2: Submit a Camper Information Form
(This is where you can make a request to place your child with another camper.)

Please note that you need to purchase tickets AND submit a participant information form to complete your camper’s registration.

Then watch for these three emails:

Immediate confirmation of payment from ticketing@lhf.org
1 week before camp, details of drop-off/pickup, schedule, etc. from registration@lhf.org
A few days before camp, an introduction from your counselor

Questions about registration and logistics? Email registration@lhf.org. Questions about camp content and curriculum? Email education@lhf.org.

CAMP SESSIONS

Grades 1 & 2: Winter Stories

Enjoy winter tales and timeless classics that are entertaining year-round. Explore Christmas stories, familiar nursery rhymes, “Alice in Wonderland,” and the ever-popular “Little House” stories. Each day is filled with stories and fun crafts and activities to go with them. We will wrap up the week with an “Alice in Wonderland”-inspired UN-birthday party for family members.

PURCHASE

Activity Highlights

	Theme	Activities
Tuesday	Winter Stories	Hear a story of a Christmas tree farm and go on a walk to look for evergreen trees. Hear Irish and Norwegian stories in our Irish and Norwegian homes.
Wednesday	Nursery Rhymes	Make crafts based on nursery rhymes like “Old Mother Hubbard” and “Mary Had a Little Lamb.” Learn from fables like “The Dog and The Shadow” and “The Ants and the Grasshopper.”
Thursday	Pioneer Winters	Hear excerpts from the “Little House” books, learn a little ASL as we read from different books, and dip candles to celebrate Iowa’s birthday.
Friday	Alice in Wonderland	Crafts and games based on the book “Alice in Wonderland.” Make an UN-birthday cake for the party 3:15—UN-birthday party for family members Museum store open at end of day

Activities subject to change.

Grades 3 & 4 Winter Pastimes

counselor with campers on walk through town

With no video games or movies, how did kids spend their time in the winter? Discover what children could do at home during the cold months, from Native Americans to Pioneers on the frontier to kids living in town during the Victorian era. End the week with a Winter Gala decorated with your crafts and showing off your new skills.

PURCHASE

Activity Highlights

	Theme	Activities
Tuesday	Native Americans	Learn to identify white pine and try the tea from its needles. Learn to identify different animal tracks and furs; go on a nature walk. Make crafts Native Americans could make in the winter.
Wednesday	Apprenticeships and Schooling	Become an apprentice at different shops like the print shop, blacksmith, and broom shop. Go to school 1876-style and learn to write in cursive and properly read aloud from a book.
Thursday	Pioneers	Make your own yarn from sheep’s wool. Play games and create crafts the as the pioneers would have done to pass the time in winter.
Friday	Home Life	Visit our Tangen Home and help with chores. Make a baked good on a wood stove for the Winter Gala. 3:15—Winter Gala for family members. Museum store open at end of day.

Activities subject to change.

Grades 5 & 6: Museum Makers

Have you ever wondered who puts museum exhibits together? A curator, that’s who! If you love history or museums, this is the camp for you. You will see items from the museum’s collections that are rarely on exhibit. Discover how the museum cares for these objects and what we can learn from them. Along the way, you will find out what it takes to create a museum exhibit and design your own tabletop exhibit. At the end of the week, show off your exhibit to your family in an Exhibit Unveiling.

PURCHASE

Activity Highlights

	Theme	Activities
Tuesday	What a Museum Does	Find out what different people who work in museums do. Visit a town building and see how items are used to tell stories. Learn about the period clothing that the museum makes for its staff.
Wednesday	Primary Documents Tell a Story	Visit the print shop and make an invitation. Look at old photos to see what they can tell us. Improve your penmanship and learn to make labels.
Thursday	Objects Tell a Story	Learn to “READ” an object. Visit behind-the-scenes collections areas and go on a scavenger hunt.
Friday	Putting It Together	Finish constructing your exhibit. Create a hands-on activity to go with the exhibit. 3:15—Exhibit Unveiling for family members. Museum store open at end of day.

Activities subject to change.

REMINDERS

Bring a lunch, water bottle, and snacks each day.
Dress for the weather: hats, coats, boots, and gloves. Camp takes place both indoors and outdoors.
Check-in begins at 8:50 a.m. Pickup begins at 3:55 p.m.

Cancellations and Switches

Read our Cancellation and Switching Policy here.

Wait list

If a camp session is full, you may email registration@lhf.org to be placed on a wait list.
Include your name, email address, phone number, and the program that you are interested in attending.

Winter Break Camp 2023

HOW TO REGISTER

Step 1: Select appropriate camp from the camp sessions below and click purchase

Step 2: Submit a Camper Information Form (This is where you can make a request to place your child with another camper.)

Then watch for these three emails:

CAMP SESSIONS

Grades 1 & 2: Winter Stories

Grades 3 & 4 Winter Pastimes

Grades 5 & 6: Museum Makers

REMINDERS

Cancellations and Switches

Wait list

Step 2: Submit a Camper Information Form
(This is where you can make a request to place your child with another camper.)