Colonial Days: Discover the Past with Fun Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes (American Kids in History Series) [Paperback]

David C. King (Author)

Book Description

Age Level: 8 and up | Grade Level: 3 and up | Series: American Kids in History Series

Over 40 fun, hands-on projects and activities from the days of colonial America

Spend a year with the Mayhews, a family living in the Massachusetts colony of 1732. Ten-year-old Nathan and his twelve-year-old sister, Sarah, are eager to share all the fun and adventure--and the hard work--of their daily lives. Along the way, they'll show you how to play games, make toys and crafts, and perform lots of interesting and challenging everyday activities.

Churn your own butter and whip up a batch of tasty Maple Cream treats. Write with a quill pen you can make yourself, learn how to dip candles, and play popular games like Jackstraws, Crack the Egg, and Sheep Over the Fence.

Colonial Days is filled with interesting historical information and fun facts about growing up in days gone by. Discover how different--and how similar--life was for American kids in history.

Editorial Reviews

From School Library Journal

Grade 3-5AEveryday life in Colonial America is presented through text, games, activities, and recipes. The introduction sets the historical stage and introduces the fictional Mayhews: mother, father, and four children, who live on a farm in the Northeast in 1732. As the seasons change, readers see them at work, at play, and at school. The Native American point of view is covered briefly by way of visits between the Mayhews and a family in a nearby Indian village. A sidebar at the beginning of each chapter lists the projects for that season. They include making a sundial, growing an indoor herb garden, dipping candles, and weaving a pot holder. There are directions for games such as quoits, jackstraws, and Iroquois snow snakes. Recipes are included for such delights as maple cream, blueberry slump, jack wax, and berry syllabub. Some of the activities are simple enough for kids to do on their own; others require adult assistance. Explanatory text alternates with instructions and other sidebars that provide brief history lessons. The materials needed are readily accessible in grocery, hobby, or craft stores. The line drawings are clear and helpful. Howard Bovet and Marlene Smith-Baranzini's The Book of the American Colonies (Little, Brown, 1996) examines groups of people living during this period, such as different tribes of Native Americans, Quakers, Puritans, etc. Colonial Days is more specific in its setting and places more emphasis on activities than on history.ALucinda Snyder Whitehurst, St. Christopher's School, Richmond, VA
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Booklist

Gr. 3^-6. King follows the fictional Mayhew family of western Massachusetts throughout the year 1732 as a framework for describing more than 40 colonial activities. Projects include making a sundial, measuring the height of a tree, dying yarn, and dipping candles. Most activities can be accomplished without adult help; those that require assistance are clearly labeled. Although the majority relate to the English colonies, the author does include directions for some Native American endeavors, such as making a drum, drumstick, headband, bead necklace, snow goggles, and snow snake and playing a stick-toss game. Frequent sidebars introduce related information about various facets of colonial life. Illustrated with pen-and-ink drawings and appended with an extensive glossary, this will make a useful source for classes studying American history. Kay Weisman

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Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 8 and up
  
• Paperback: 118 pages
• Publisher: Jossey-Bass; 1 edition (December 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0471161683
• ISBN-13: 978-0471161684
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 10.5 x 0.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #160,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #79 in Books > Children's Books > History > United States > Colonial & Revolutionary

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

14 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great New Series!, May 20, 2000

By 

Joan S. Stromberg (Bloomington, IN) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Colonial Days: Discover the Past with Fun Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes (American Kids in History Series) (Paperback)

I loved this book, and the other books in the series, for completing a good, fun, study of American Colonial History. I highly recommend this book! The activities were fun and simple and well researched!

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great book for kids!, February 20, 2007

By 

Windy Payne - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Colonial Days: Discover the Past with Fun Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes (American Kids in History Series) (Paperback)

I home school my son and needed to find a book that would help him understand what life was like in during the colonial days. This book proved to be the perfect fit. It has great activities and he is continually asking to do more projects. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for some fun with their kids.

Windy

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Recipes, crafts and activities to delight you through the seasons., July 13, 2008

By 

J. Arena (Williamsburg, VA) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Colonial Days: Discover the Past with Fun Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes (American Kids in History Series) (Paperback)

There is no better way to learn about history than to share in the day to day lifestyles that the people endured. Colonial Days: Discover the Past with Fun Projects, Games, Activities, and Recipes (American Kids in History Series) is an overflowing resource that will teach your child enough to delight him in the experience of learning more!

This is a perfect learning tool, and most importantly, it is lots and lots of fun!