Homeschool Day's 2023

Mondays

September 11th & 18th, 2023

October 2nd, 2023

A Day at Rocky Mount

Connect with Your Heritage

Rocky Mount State Historic Site’s seasonal “Homeschool Days” program allows children who are homeschooled the opportunity to take part in our Tour & Craft program. This program is traditionally offered to brick and motor school students and requires a “classroom” sized group for reservations. With remote learning offered as an educational option for students, our Homeschool Days program is also a great opportunity for those students as well.

Homeschool Days gives parents a field trip destination which aides them in the teaching of history. Students will be able to partake in daily living activities, just as our ancestors would do over 250 years ago. This special “hands on” learning experience is designed to give students a first-hand knowledge of the difficulties of frontier life in the late 1700’s.

These craft sessions are full:

September 11th -

Candle Dipping - 10:30, 11:30, 1:30

Fireplace Cooking - 10:30 & 1:30

Soap Making - 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, 2:30

Pewter Casting - 2:30

Wampum Bracelets - 10:30, 11:30, 1:30

September 18th -

Soap Making - 10:30, 11:30, 1:30

Pewter Casting - 11:30, 1:30

Candle Making - 11:30, 1:30

Fireplace Cooking - 10:30 & 1:30

Wampum Bracelets - 10:30, 11:30, 1:30

Rubbing - 11:30

Admission & Craft Tickets

Admission for the day is $7 for adults, $8.50 for anyone participating in crafts, with a family rate of $20 for families of 5 or more. Members are $5 for adults, and anyone participating in crafts, with a family rate of $15 for families of 5 or more.

As in previous years, this year’s event is offering 5 different age-appropriate craft opportunities at 4 different times throughout the day. Times are 10:30, 11:30, 1:30, and 2:30. The Historic Site will open for Living History Tours of the house and grounds starting at 10am and ending at 4pm. The site will close each day between 12pm and 1pm for lunch. Feel free to pack a picnic and enjoy the scenery and fresh air at our picnic tables.

Crafts for this year will be Candle Making (ages 5 & up), Native American Wampum Bead Bracelets (ages 7 & up), Fireplace Cooking (ages 11 & up), Pewter Casting (ages 9 & up), and Soap Making (ages 5 & up).

We will also be offering our special class for children under 5 called Rubbing into History. Children will be given crayons and paper and will be taken on an outdoor tour of Rocky Mount. They will take these materials and make “rubbings” of the historic site, and other objects they encounter along their tour. They will also be encouraged to use their senses and imaginations, to learn about colonial life.

AGE LIMITS ARE BASED ON THE DIFFICULTY/SAFETY OF THE CLASS, NOT ABILITY OF THE CHILD.

Those partaking in Fireplace Cooking and Pewter Casting MUST wear closed toed shoes to participate.

Each craft is $3 per child per session. Registration for craft sessions MUST be made in advance of the event. Those can be made by using the link in your confirmation email. We encourage prepayment of craft sessions, to eliminate wait times on event day. Cash or credit cards will be accepted the day of the event for payment of your craft sessions.

We ask that you pick up craft tickets 30 minutes before the first class. Gates will open at 9:30am to purchase tickets. Reservations are forfeit 15 minutes before class time.

Purchase Your Tickets

Register now

Craft Descriptions

CANDLE MAKING

Students will learn the traditional practice of dipping candles. They will discuss the different ingredients used to make candles in the 18th century, as well as the different types of lighting.
NATIVE AMERICAN WAMPUM BEAD BRACELETS

Students will learn a few basic embroidery stitches and use then to create their own sampler. They will talk about the use and importance of embroidery in the 18th century. They will also discuss other materials and objects that can be embroidered.
FIREPLACE COOKING

Students will receive hands-on experience cooking over an open fire, using the 3 basic cooking methods – baking, boiling, and frying. They will highlight some of the foods typically cooked in the late 18th century, and the cooking methods compared to those of today.
PEWTER CASTING

Students will take a trip to the Rocky Mount blacksmith shop and spend time with the blacksmith. They will learn about the blacksmith trade and its importance to the community. Students will use pewter to mold either a heart, musket ball, seashell, or flower.
SOAP MAKING

Students will make soap the modern way, while becoming acquainted with 18th century soap making techniques. They will discuss the different ingredients in soap and what each one is used for. They will also learn the origin of soap, and some of its histories.
RUBBING INTO HISTORY

Children will be given crayons and paper and will be taken on an outdoor tour of Rocky Mount. They will take these materials and make “rubbings” of the historic site, and other objects they encounter along their tour. They will also be encouraged to use their senses and imaginations, to learn about colonial life.