Thursday, May 31, 2012

I'm Thankful for Fifth Grade Field Trips: Greenfield Village

I spent my day at Greenfield Village with a bunch of fifth graders. It was a beautiful day for an outdoor field trip - not too warm, not too cool; not too sunny, not too cloudy. Just right. I am thankful that I was able to go with Bethany as a chaperone. The fifth graders are all going roller skating on the last day of school next week, but this was her last "real" field trip of elementary school. After three years at this school, I know many of the kids and the parents, and it was nice walking around with other moms who I have come to consider my friends, and watch our kids run around and have fun together.

If you're from the Metro Detroit area, you almost definitely know about Greenfield Village. It is a huge tourist attraction around here, and for good reason. There is an indoor museum, The Henry Ford Museum, and then there is the outdoor historical museum, Greenfield Village. Greenfield Village is massive. Employees walk around in full costume, doing demonstrations on stuff like glass blowing, candle making, typesetting, and weaving. So you can go in, for example, an old print shop, and an employee will show you how they use to make newspapers in the days before computers. Or you can go in an old house, and a costumed employee might be in the kitchen cooking real food, and pause to tell you a little about what life was like during whichever historical period that house happens to be from. There is also a farm with real working animals, and there are a few different rides, including a train, Model T cars, and a carousel. Once a year Thomas the Train makes an appearance, which Connor and Lucy enjoyed when they each went through their Thomas stage.

Today I am thankful for
  • good field trips
  • being able to chaperone 
  • helpful grandmas who are willing to babysit
  • Greenfield Village, which I have been visiting since I was a little girl
  • beautiful spring days
  • Bethany's friends
  • mom friends
  • getting back to school early, and signing all of my kids out 45 minutes before the bell
What are you thankful for today?

onions cooking on the cast iron stove
Train rounder from the outside...
...and from the inside









4 comments:

colleen said...

you might like to know Aunt Char had a mini cast iron stove when we were kids.

Melissa said...

I used to love going there as a kid, and I can't wait to take my boys this summer. My oldest, who's 6, has been to the museum, and didn't want to leave! He LOVES the automobile exhibit, and I've heard that they added more to it this year.

alyaia75 said...

My kids love the museum too :-)

Aunt Colleen, I remember playing with a little cast iron stove at Aunt Char's house when I was little!

bargainshoppermom said...

Love Greenfield Village. I just went this week to the Henry Ford Museum with my daughter's 4th grade class. So much to see!