Homeschool day has a rotating series of programs and workshops geared for ages 4+ that bring the historic world to life. This program is for advance sign-up only and includes the cost of admission. It also features a variety of self-guided activities for all ages.

Things to know:

• Coggeshall Farm Museum will be closed to the public on this day except for participating homeschoolers. Your child must be registered for at least one workshop to attend.
• Classes are $12 per homeschooler and admission for accompanying grownups is free.
• Pre-registration is required for all activities listed below.
• These are not drop-in programs and our staff will have a list of registrants for each workshop.
• Please let us know as soon as possible if you need to cancel your workshop tickets. There is a high demand for these workshops and we would like to be able to offer spots to other participants. You can contact us at coggeshalled@osv.org.
• Students’ guardians must stay in close proximity of the program location for the entire duration of the activity for safety reasons.

Workshops & Registration

Session 1: 9:30 – 10:30 a.m. ($12 per participant)

Caring for Cows (Ages 4+)

A parent or guardian must stay with their child through this program.
Join us in welcoming our new cows Ginger and Clover to the farm! Learn about what life is like for our cows, what it takes to care for them, and the role they play on our farm. You can even make your own cow craft to take home with you!

Fun with Flowers (Ages 7 – 9) 

Kids in the 18^th century used flowers to send messages, make jewelry, and even made flower crowns. Take a close-up look inside of a flower to find all of its parts.  Learn how a seed is made and find the pollen that starts the whole process off.  Create your own flower crown with wildflowers and some dried flowers from the garden to bring home for yourself or share with someone special.

Shingled Shelter (Ages 10+) 

No matter what year you live in, no one likes a leaky roof. Farmers in early America needed to make strong, dry shelters out of what they had: trees! Join us to learn how a tree can be turned into shingles. There will be tips, tricks, and secrets. Did you know handmade shingles last longer than machine made ones? Last, we will build miniature houses with shingled roofs.

BREAK: 10:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Try out some historic games in between classes in the Coggeshall Work Yard! Free for all class participants. (This will be an independent activity not led by an instructor; pre-registration not required).

Session 2: 11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. ($12 per participant)

Cheerful Chicks (Ages 4+) 

A parent or guardian must stay with their child through this program.
Chickens are an important part of the historic farm. They provide eggs, eat bug pests, and provide meat for special occasions.  Learn more about the life cycle of a chicken and spend time with our newly hatches chicks.  Make a hatching chick craft to bring home and share with family.

Bug Detectives (Ages 7-9) 

Big Bugs, little bugs, flying, squirming, swimming bugs! Creepy Crawlies can tell you all about the land if you know what to look for. Were there more bugs on the farm 200 years ago? Is that good or bad? How do we know? Science is never finished. Scientists unlock mysteries by reading clues in nature. Join us on the farm to find as many bugs as we can. We will add our observations to the historical record, and become scientists too!

Wood Working: Berry Combs (Ages 10+) 

Spring is a very fruitful time of year for our farmers. Help us prepare for our berry crop by making BERRY COMBS, a tool designed specifically for harvesting and holding berries. Take the berry comb with you so you can collect berries on the go!