These Happy Golden Years Activities

My children (ages 8 and 5) are loving the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder. I wasn't sure how they would react to These Happy Golden Years, which is mostly the story of how Almanzo courts Laura - but it ended up being one of their favorite books in the series. Here are some activities I came up with to go along with our reading:

* Google what "pie plant" is. (Answer: rhubarb!). Make a pie plant pie.

* Learn a little about the suffrage movement and how women won the right to vote.

* Learn about braille.

* Read "Gather Ye Rosebuds While Ye May" ("To the Virgins, to Make Much of Time" by Robert Herrick)

* Dabble a bit in music notation. You might play the free musical notes game here, or check out YouTube for some fun and educational videos. (Here's one example. Here's another.)

* Try singing in a round. In addition to "Three Blind Mice," "Row, Row, Row Your Boat" is a good choice for beginners. (Confused about what singing in a round is? Watch this video for examples.)

* Make popcorn balls.


* Learn about tornadoes.

* Make a tornado in a bottle.

* Review tornado safety.

* Look at a Dove in the Window quilt. Try making a Dove in the Window block; when finished, turn it into a doll quilt or a potholder.

* Think about the differences between Laura's courting and modern day dating. Compare and contrast.

* Check out real life photos of Laura, Almanzo, and their families.

* Interview your parents about how they met and became engaged.

* Look at a reproduction of what Laura's engagement ring might have looked like. (Scroll down.)

* Make a These Happy Golden Years lapbook.


More:

Little House in the Big Woods Activities
Pancake Men (from Little House in the Big Woods)
Little House on the Prairie Activities
Little House on the Prairie Birthday Party
On the Banks of Plum Creek Activities 
Little Town on the Prairie Activities
Farmer Boy Activities

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