Glebe House offers summer experiences for kids

#Middlebury

Four unique summer experiences are being offered at the 18th-century historic site, The Glebe House Museum and Gertrude Jekyll Garden in Woodbury. This year the programs will span Colonial and Victorian life in Woodbury, and children will experience innovative, exciting, enriching and fun activities taught by professional educators and limited to only 12 in a group.

Thanks to a grant from the ION Bank Foundation, the Glebe House Museum in Woodbury has several full and partial scholarships to offer to children whose families may not be able to afford the summer experience enrollment fee. In addition, the Connecticut Community Foundation has provided financial support for the Youth Assistant Program, which provides young people with leadership opportunities in education, museum studies, history and gardening. Youth Assistants receive community service hours and a small stipend.

The Marshall children experiece writing with quill pens at the Glebe House in Woodbury. (Submitted photo)

During “Hands on History” week, July 9 to 13, participants will relive Woodbury life through history and try Colonial cooking, butter making, wool dyeing and spinning, dig for artifacts, play Colonial and Victorian games, write with quill pens, take a walking tour of nearby historic sites and dress in period costumes. At week’s end families will be invited for a guided tour of the museum given by their very knowledgeable and costumed young historians.

“Art of the Garden” will begin July 16. This group will enjoy digging in the dirt and making lots of garden-related crafts. The hidden stories and magical powers of herbs will be revealed, crazy containers will be planted and the children will learn about and care for the Glebe’s “Three Sisters Garden.” At the end of the week, the children will host a garden tea party for their families and lead tours through the house and garden.

“Art at the Glebe” will be offered July 23 to 27. Explore your creative side and get inspired by history and nature, while you experiment with a variety of art mediums and develop your own personal style.

“A Day in the Life of a Young Apprentice” for children 11 to 14 will be held July 30 to Aug. 3. Spend one day as an apprentice to a master crafts person. Each day the small group will experience firsthand the life of an early American artisan. Walks in the park and down to the river to cool off after a “hard days work” will complete their afternoon.

All programs are for children in grades 1 to 5 (ages 6 to 11), except “A Day in the Life,” which is for grades 6 to 9 (ages 11 to 14). The fee for each program week is $200 for nonmembers; $180 for members. Multi-child discounts are available. All program weeks run Monday to Friday and begin at 10 a.m. and end at 3 p.m. Weather permitting, an afternoon of “running” through the sprinklers or wading in the river is planned for most days.

To register, receive a program brochure or for additional information, please call 203-263-2855, email office@glebehousemuseum.org, or visit glebehousemuseum.org.