Little Town on the Prarie Activities

Little Town on the Prairie is a lively book filled with tales of how pioneers entertained themselves - and how a 15 year old girl like Laura suddenly found herself becoming a grown woman, complete with a teacher's certificate and a beau. Of all the Little House books, it's the most like the television series. As you read this book with your kids, try a few of these great tie-in activities.

For more Little House activities, click here.

* Learn to identify common edible weeds, like sheep sorrel (For tips on foraging with kids, click here.)

* "Angleworms" are earthworms used for fishing (i.e. angling). Try calling worms up from any piece of earth in your yard. Then create your own wormery to study worms. Or make your own worm compost bin that will turn trash into great garden soil. Learn more about worms here, here, and here.
Learn to call worms, or make worm compost.

* Learn a bit about gophers here. Make some gopher paper bag puppets. (Okay, they are supposed to be ground hogs, but they look like gophers to me.) Or how about some groundhog - er gopher - cupcakes, like this or this (scroll down)?

* Learn about the life cycle of chickens. (This video is good for small children. This video has wonderful "inside the egg" photos. This website is also helpful.) Consider doing a chicken life cycle craft like this, too. While you're at it, be sure to notice that William's illustrations show chicks; does this match Laura Wilder's written description? Or should Williams have shown older chickens, known as "pullets?"

* Learn all the verses to the song "America."

* Learn about the Declaration of Independence.  

* Learn about the Constitution. Memorize the preamble to the Constitution (via Schoolhouse Rock).

* Look up needle grass.

1882 fashion plate.


* Look at some fashion plates from 1882.

* Try your hand at writing some funny poems or limmericks.

* Make your own name cards on the computer, or by hand. Do we still use name cards today? How have they changed?

* Create your own literary society. You could do this just with your family, or with like-minded friends.

* Play Charades, Blind Man's Bluff, and Drop the Handkerchief.

* Bake a huge pumpkin pie.

* Hold a family spelling bee.

* Do your own school exhibition. Have every child in the house memorize something and give a presentation to family and friends.

* Learn a little of the history of minstrel shows. Why are they now considered insulting? In Laura's day, why were they not? What appeal did they hold?

* Make your own autograph album. (You can also buy them cheaply here.)
 
Eat white cake and orange slices.

* Make a presidential time line. 

* Bake a white cake. Now eat it, alternating bites between an orange and the cake. How does the taste of the foods change when you eat them this way?

* Make a simple telegraph with an electromagnet.

* Watch "Electricity for Beginners" or "How Electricity Works."

* Learn what Braille is (and send away for a free Braille card.) Learn more here and here.

* If possible, visit a place with chickens. It could be a friend who has backyard chickens, or a farm.

* Make chicken pot pie.

* Make a Little Town on the Prairie 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
Activities for The First Four Years 
These Happy Golden Years Activities 
Farmer Boy Activities

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