Kids Summer Camp with focus on history

It's the first program of its kind. The Friends of JVH is proud to announce in conjunction with the Bedminster Township Recreation Department...

History Camp at Bedminster's Historic Jacobus Vanderveer House

Journal Entry: Dear Mom & Dad...here's what happened at History Camp Today

Dear Diary: Day 2 - Basket Weaving Hi All – Today at History Camp was even better!  Even though I had storage cubbies for each child for their period clothing and camp items, many children chose to share their period clothing with their parents last night.  All arrived in costume today, and some of the boys even added hats!  One mother told me her daughter wore her blouse and skirt last night to bed because she loved it so much. Yesterday John Philips left the kids with a cliff hanger.  The kids kept asking him to finish when they arrived so he quickly picked up right where he left off.  He had great slides of historic places around Bedminster Township.  His visuals really brought the stories to life for the campers.  John, of course, had a story that rolled right into our basket weaving activity for today with basket maker and weaver Elisa Kessler Caporale.  In period clothing herself, Elisa gave a brief history of basket making, basket uses in colonial times, passed around many different materials used to make baskets (e.g. Iris leaves, reed, bark, etc.) and passed around sample period baskets.  They also learned how to dye reeds using natural items such as hickory nuts.  Then it was basket weaving time.  Girls and boys alike enjoyed the weaving (all but one boy who actually turned out to have the best weave).  Children started from scratch with 10 reeds and a long weaving reed, learning how to add additional weaving reeds,  finishing designs and handles.  Terrific!  Elisa was great with the kids and terrifically organized.    Then it was outside to play a quick game of “rumble” and back inside for our cliff hanger of the day.  I have heard from every parent that their child is really enjoying the program.  I have encouraged the parents to come in and walk around.  The kids are really cute showing their parents around the house.  Another fun day!  Tomorrow is “colonials crafts” with the Historical Society of the Somerset Hills.  Photos from today attached.  Enjoy! The schedule for the remainder of the week is as follows: Camp Schedule: Monday - Bee Keeping & Farming Tuesday - Basket Weaving Wednesday - Colonial Crafts Thursday  - Archeological Exploration Friday - Cooking, Costuming and Music

Day 1 Diary | Day 2 Diary | Day 3 Diary | Day 4 Diary | Day 5 Diary

History Camp at Bedminster's Historic Jacobus Vanderveer House

		Dates: July 14-18,2008 Monday-Friday from 1-4pm Ages: 9-12 Open to ALL students in the Somerset Hills area.
Date	Time	Activity
Monday, July 14	1 to 4 pm	Welcome, Pass out Clothing, History of JVH, “Bee Keeping and Colonial Farming” with Tassot Apiaries.  Discussion and processing.
Tuesday, July 15	1 to 4 pm	“Basket Weaving” with Elisa Kessler Caporale - Children will learn about the history of colonial basket making, purposes, materials, etc. and will be making round reed baskets with multicolored reed finished, looped or braided trim.  Discussion and processing.
Wednesday, July 16	1 to 4 pm	“Colonial Crafts” with June Kennedy and Members of the Historical Society of Somerset Hills.  Children will be making punch can lanterns and family crests on parchment.  Other crafts if time permitting.  Discussion and processing.
Thursday, July 17	1 to 4 pm	“Archeological Exploration” with Ian Burrow of Hunter Research.  Children will participate in a real excavation of a small area south of the kitchen (a foot path from house to barn location); artifact processing washing, sorting and classifying artifacts; discussion of items located on the site and the archeological tools and methods used today.  Discussion and processing
Friday, July 18	1 to 4 pm	“Cooking & Costuming” with Michele Dansak & Kathy Ormosi.  The plan is to cook two items over an open outdoor fire pit, either soup and a bread or fried dough, and also churn butter.  Children will be involved with the food prep that doesn’t actually involve being over the fire. (All necessary fire approvals have been satisfied with the township in addition to the location of the fire pit & dimensions with Hunter Research).  Clothing styles and their purposes will be discussed relative to children.  Discussion and processing.

Day 1 Diary | Day 2 Diary | Day 3 Diary | Day 4 Diary | Day 5 Diary

 

About the History Camp at Bedminster's
Historic Jacobus Vanderveer House

Bedminster Recreation Department in partnership with The Friends of Jacobus Vanderveer House, is offering a unique camp experience this summer at the township’s Jacobus Vanderveer House.  The historic Bedminster landmark building is the focal point for this hand-on 18th century fun-filled history-center summer enrichment program.  While dressed in authentic 18th century clothing, campers will experience activities reminiscent of life in the 1700s including architectural exploration, craft projects, basket weaving, bee-keeping, music & dancing, games, and open-fire cooking.

History Camp is open to Somerset County residents, 9 to 12 years of age, and was made possible in part by a grant from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission and the Friends of the Somerset County Culture and Heritage, Inc. 

History Camp is led by experienced professionals, and takes place in the natural historic setting of the Jacobus Vanderveer House, located at River Road Park in Bedminster. The camp is open to all Somerset County residents between the ages of 9 and 12.

Please register early as class size is limited to 20 students. The fee is $175 and includes a boy’s or girls’ period costume to be worn daily to camp. Please use the River Road Park entrance off of Routes 202/206 for access to the Jacobus Vanderveer House.

Download the Registration Form

 

Summer History Camp has been funded, in part, by a grant from the Somerset County Cultural & Heritage Commission and Friends of Somerset County Culture & Heritage, Inc.