Have fun storming the castle!

A few weeks ago we joined a dozen friends for the Amazing Castle program at the Upcountry History Museum. The hands-on exhibit is geared towards kids 4-8 years old and introduces visitors to medieval history through a make-believe castle village community. The program was the perfect opportunity to storm the castle, as it included various other activities outside the exhibit.

We started in the classroom, learning about medieval knights through a storybook and mini-lecture. The resident bearded dragon demonstrated differences between real-life and fairytale dragons, after which we made shields complete with emblems designed by each child.

Next up was a story read aloud in the exhibit, and then the kids discussed the various “jobs” in a castle community. After a guided tour exploring each station the kids were let loose for free play.

Mikus (age 2) thoroughly enjoyed the exhibit too, and I feel both boys learned something from our visit. We would have had a blast even without participating in the program, as there are plenty of things to do within the walls of the castle: dressing up in costumes, harvesting vegetables, building castle walls and answering questions correctly to prompt the appearance of a dragon were among the favorites. The informative nature of the display guaranteed older children had a great time as well, and in my opinion this is truly one of the better-designed exhibits at the Upcountry History Museum from the ones we’ve been to, especially with the boys in tow.

Admission rates to the museum were as follows: $5 per adult, $4 per senior/college students with valid ID and $3 per child ages 4 to 18. Pricing varies for programs, call for information on groups of more than 15. The exhibit runs through September 28^th, so you still have plenty of time to explore!