The Month of History- What to do for children
October 1 kicks off the largest historical event in the Netherlands: the Month of History. Hundreds of museums, libraries, bookstores and cultural institutions organize many activities around the annual theme ‘At work’. Here is a list of things to see and do for children.
Historically inspired programs’s for ages 4 and up
When the Month of History kicks off on October 1, in addition to bicycle tours, workshops, lectures and festivals for adults, there are also children's activities, these are for a variety of age groups. With these activities children have a great day and learn something about the past as well. But where should you be now in the month of October and what activities can children do here:
Make paper
Making new handmade paper from old books from the book café. With pictures, clippings, beautiful words and blotting paper, add your own color and make your own paper, to write on or as a piece of art for the wall. Of course you can take home your homemade paper.
Arnhem, Arnhems Boekencafé Libertas23 October.
Flood
At the Watersnoodmuseum you will learn all about the 1953 flood disaster and discover how important it is to protect our country from water. And how we do that can be learned during workshops building dikes and making sinkers. These zinc pieces were used (in a big way) to fill dike holes.
Ouwerkerk, Watersnoodmuseum. October 19, 21, 26 and 28.
Flashlight tour
If you ever come to Utrecht, you've probably seen it: the Dom Church. What a job it must have been to build this gigantic church! How did they do it, how did they get so high and how did the stones stay up there so well? Learn all about it during an exciting torchlight tour in the dark.
Utrecht, Dom Church. October 21.
Expeditie stamp
Go to work in the North-Holland Archives! You can get to work with a real nineteenth-century printing press from the Haarlem printing company Joh. Enschedé. Or make your own expedition stamp! Real adventurers can also go on a treasure hunt in the Old Church of St. John.
Haarlem, Noord-Hollands Archives. October 23.
Orphans
Fortunately there are almost no orphans in the Netherlands anymore, but two hundred years ago this was different. Many orphans were taken to an orphanage, for example in Veenhuizen. There they were put to work in the spinning mill to earn money. You will discover the life of orphans at that time in the Drents Archive.
Assen, Drents Archive. October 24.
Soldiers' work
At Fort Pannerden, you'll discover what it was like to be a soldier at a fort. The various locations are highlighted with mini-workshops. How to keep a well-oiled fortress with over two hundred soldiers?
Doornenburg, Fort Pannerden. 27 October.
Soldiers work 2
Go to work as a soldier in the Naval Museum. Test your skills with games, step aboard a real submarine and minesweeper and meet real soldiers during the Marine Roadshow. Meanwhile you learn all about the Royal Navy.
Den Helder,Naval Museum. October 16 to 31.
How to become an archaeologist?
Are you curious about the archaeological profession?? Discover all about it during a workshop. You get a taste of the profession by going to work yourself and are guided by a real archaeologist who can tell you all about his special work.
Ede, Cultura. October 13th.
Blueprint making
Blueprinting is an old technique for making copies by means of light. This can be on paper, but also on fabric. Printers used this technique very often more than a hundred years ago. At the Groninger Archives they keep a lot of those beautiful blueprints. You are going to see those first. Then you will get to work on a beautiful blueprint yourself, which you may take home in a real archive box!
Groningen, Groninger Archives. October 20.
Train scavenger hunt
On the Utrecht Maliebaan work site, go in search of lost trades during an exciting treasure hunt. For example, you will meet the depot chief, a traction supervisor and a signalman.
Utrecht, Railway Museum. October 1 – 31.
Parachute
The exhibition 'Marechaussees van Oranje' shows what choices Marechaussees faced during the Second World War. Moving to England to serve the Royal Air Force from there? Working for the German occupier? Boarding? Every Wednesday afternoon in October you can follow a workshop where you make your own parachute.
Buren, Military Police Museum. October 6, 13, 20 and 27.
Find the complete agenda here. Select on Children for the complete children's offer.
About the organization
The Dutch Open Air Museum is organizing the Month of History for the tenth time in October 2021, marking its eighteenth edition. The Fund for Cultural Participation is investor of the Month of History. To make the event a success, the Dutch Open Air Museum works with several partner organizations. The Libris History Prize is part of the Month of History.
Also for adults
During History Month there are also numerous historically inspired workshops for adults. Check out Workshop for the complete DIY offer.
On Social Media
The Month of History can be found on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. Join the conversation about the Month with the hashtags MvdG and #Atwork
Out and about with the kids
Whether you're going out in the fall break or on the weekend, check out what kids' activities are happening where, but also check out the site for yourself. There is also a lot for adults to do during History Month.
