Home School Days

While Valley Forge NHP won’t be offering its usual Home School Day in Spring of 2022, we are happy to share several self-guided in-park activities geared towards home school families. Please click on the links below to print each activity. Each activity is primarily geared towards children of reading age, but they can be done as a family unit or with older siblings to scaffold for younger learners.

 

Soldiers and camp followers at Muhlenberg's Brigade

NPS Photo / B. Dhunjisha

Setting Up Camp

Download and Print Activity Worksheet

Activity Location

Encampment Tour stop #2, Muhlenberg Brigade

Learning Objectives

Through this activity children will have a better understanding of how the winter encampment at Valley Forge was laid out. Children will learn the amount of resources needed to build the soldier huts. They will also gain a better understanding of how camp effected area farmers and families.

Best suited to:

learners of any age. Younger learners may need some assistance with reading and basic multiplication and division.

 

Enslaved household staff talk outside Washington's Headquarters building.

NPS Photo / B. Dhunjisha

Wayside Scavenger Hunt

Download and Print Activity Worksheet

Activity Location

Encampment Tour Stop #5, Washington’s Headquarters

Learning Objectives

Through this activity children will learn not only about encampment history, but also park history as they search for answers on the multiple waysides (informational signs) located in the Washington’s Headquarters tour stop.

Best suited to:

learners who pay attention to details or are competitive (make it a race between teams or siblings).

 

The Grand Parade Trail system runs through meadow habitat like this.

NPS Photo / B. Dhunjisha

Navigating the American Revolution

Download and Print Activity Worksheet

Activity Location

Encampment Tour Stop #8, Varnum’s Quarters. This activity travels through several areas of the park including Varnum’s Quarters, Conway’s Brigade, and Maurice Stephens’ house via the Grand Parade Trail system. It will require several miles of walking over mainly mowed paths in the meadows.

Learning Objectives

Children will learn the basics of map making and orienteering while trying to navigate from various locations using landmarks as guides.

Best suited to:

learners who can walk around 2 miles on mowed paths and pay attention to their surroundings as this skill will be needed to complete the activity.