Jekyll Island’s Hands on History
Saturday, June 28th, 2008Chortles and shouts. Racing feet. Sticky fingers. These sights and sounds might seem unexpected in standard house museum environments. But this summer the Jekyll Island Museum aims to engage the youngest members of the community in the wonders of the past. Whether racing with barrel hoops, becoming stained glass artists, or jumping on pony hops, they are discovering Jekyll Island’s historic district as an active learning environment.
The Jekyll Island Museum offers children’s programs every Wednesday morning at 9:30 and 11:00 am. Designed for children 6-12, the 60-minute programs each shed light on the history of Jekyll Island. Museum interpreters lead children and their adult companions on a guided learning adventure through segments on Jekyll Island’s past.
“The programs are a fun way to excite children at a young age about history,” says Phyllis Gaska, a former elementary school teacher on the Jekyll Island Museum tour staff. “They are very concrete, and hands on, and active.
The Hands on History segments include the following:
Old-Fashioned Butter-Making: Take a whirlwind tour of a late 1800s southern kitchen at Club Cottage. Inspect and handle original kitchen items before heading outdoors for a lesson in old-fashioned butter-making. July 2, 2008, 9:30 am.
Colonial Games: Have fun learning the games the English, French, and African-American children of Jekyll Island might have played during the Colonial Period. July 2 & 30, 2008, 11:00 am.
Young Inventors’ Workshop: Discover a few of the famous inventors who vacationed on Jekyll Island in the Club Era, then replicate the island’s experiment in “green energy.” July 9, 2008, 9:30 am.
Club Era Games: View rare archival images of Jekyll Island Club Members at play, then try the sports that were popular in their day. July 9 and 23, 2008 at 11:00 am.
Architectural Scavenger Hunt: Follow a series of clues, searching the historic district for notable architectural details. July 16, 2008, 9:30 am
Stained Glass Studio: View two important works of American stained glass by Louis Comfort Tiffany, David Maitland Armstrong and Helen Armstrong inside of historic Faith Chapel. Be inspired to make your own masterpiece! July 16, 2008, 11:00 am.
Bridge Building: Visit Hollybourne Cottage, a mansion built for Charles Stewart Maurice, a partner in a bridge building company. Discover how houses can be like bridges, learn about different kinds of bridges, and create your own bridge. July 23, 2008, 9:30 am.
Native American Life: Jekyll Island has been a seasonal retreat for over 4,500 years. Learn about Native American culture on Jekyll Island, through such engaging supervised activities as atlatl target practice, pottery stamping, and bow drill fire-making. July 30, 2008, 9:30 am.
Program offerings are subject to change. Reservations are required. Admission for participants is $5 per person. Young children should be accompanied by an adult. Please call or visit the Jekyll Island Museum on Stable Road for details or for information about its
other tour offerings, 912-635-4036.
