With all the illness going around we decided today’s adventure should be an outdoor adventure. Good news is despite all the closures the National Parks are staying open! So we went off on an adventure and explored Booker T Washington National Monument.
The monument itself was rather small but the plantation was large. There’s a visitors center with an educational showroom and a video, then outdoors there were farm animals and building replicas on the Plantation to give you an idea of what it was like in the 1850’s and 1860’s. On the far end of the plantation was a mile and a half walking trail along a pretty creek.
Booker T Washington was a child who was born into slavery on this tobacco plantation in Roanoke, VA. He endured slavery until he was 9 when it was abolished. Booker worked in these fields and walked these trails and was deprived of an education. He later went on to become a very well educated man and worked hard to educate other African Americans to be teachers so that they could disperse and allow education to be available for more children.
My kids got to feel what it was like to manually fan the dinner table and lift a 60lb bag of corn, feeling how heavy it was and how hard Booker worked, even at a young age. I know we will never be able to truly put our feet in their shoes but being able to educate my kids hands on like this is so much more impactful to them than just reading it in a book! I’m so grateful for the National Park Service and their dedication to providing these opportunities for us!
Booker T Washington was a child who was born into slavery on this tobacco plantation in Roanoke, VA. He endured slavery until he was 9 when it was abolished. Booker worked in these fields and walked these trails and was deprived of an education. He later went on to become a very well educated man and worked hard to educate other African Americans to be teachers so that they could disperse and allow education to be available for more children.
My kids got to feel what it was like to manually fan the dinner table and lift a 60lb bag of corn, feeling how heavy it was and how hard Booker worked, even at a young age. I know we will never be able to truly put our feet in their shoes but being able to educate my kids hands on like this is so much more impactful to them than just reading it in a book! I’m so grateful for the National Park Service and their dedication to providing these opportunities for us!
The National Parks Service has a program called the Jr. Park Ranger Program where they give kids a workbook and have them do some educational age appropriate activities. The activities differ per location but upon completion they say the park ranger oath and get a Jr Park Ranger Badge. My kids have come to love this tradition!
Every National Park also has stamps so you can stamp your National Park Passport.
“Solid rest“ is so true!! Not much beats getting out in the heart of nature with some air, flowers, sunshine, exercise and education! If you’re healthy and feeling cooped up during this shutdown I urge you to go check out your local National Parks!!
Find your park here!
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Find your park here!
#NationalParks
#FindYourPark
#OnTheRoadSchool
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