British Museum Families - Family fun from the Museum | Harvest season

 

This half-term week the Schools and Young Audiences team at the Museum will be bringing you ideas to play, design and more so you can #MuseumFromHome.  This week we are exploring the Harvest Season!

Play! Harvest gathering Age 3+ Material: Household items  The word ‘harvest’ comes from the Old English word hærfest meaning ‘autumn’ – the season for gathering the food of the land. Can you gather autumn vegetables in your house?  What vegetables are there that are typically ‘autumnal’? Do you have any potatoes or carrots? Or even a pumpkin?

Create! Pumpkin house Age 5+ Materials: Paper, pens, crayons In the Museum collection there’s an 18th-century print of a pumpkin house. It’s part of a series of illustrations accompanying an account of a voyage to the moon, in which pumpkins served as living quarters where you were safe from wild beasts.   Can you create your own drawing of a pumpkin house? How many windows does it have? Who lives there? Is it orange or a different colour? For older children, you could create your own story about your pumpkin house.

Explore! Ancient Egyptian farming 7+ Did you know that the annual flooding of the River Nile was essential in ancient Egypt? Farming on the Nile was very important to sustaining life, and when the great river flooded (and did until 1970) between June and September or October, it left behind fertile soil that was perfect for growing crops.  Learn more about ancient Egypt using this resource and see how objects can bring farming to life.   If you’re interested in ancient Egypt, visit us at the Museum this half-term, – our ancient Egypt galleries are now open. Book your free tickets here. Explore now