One of our favorite yearly events, the Medieval Fair, is almost here! If you haven't been before, you really need to head out to Reaves Park in Norman and check out all of the great events and booths. We love it!
This week I thought I'd share an activity we did earlier in the year that both my nine year old and my four year old enjoyed. When my son was learning about medieval history one of the resources we used was Susan Kapuscinski Gaylord's Hands on History: Middle Ages. (This book is out of print and pretty pricy at Amazon, but if you look at the sample pages and think it looks useful, this site offers it for a much better price!) This book has several fun ideas for hands on projects but what I really like about it is that it also give some history about each project topic, too, so you've got some basic information right there without having to remember which other books to grab while you're in the midst of the project.
One of our favorite projects we did was the stained glass window. To make this you just need some transparency sheets (like these, which you can also find at office supply stores), sharpies, and cardstock.
Your first step is to pick a design for your window. If you have the book, there are several different options included, but when I googled "stained glass window outlines" there were many designs that came up that you could use. You will make a frame for your window (or you can trace one from the book), so keep the overall shape you want in mind when you choose your design.
Once you've decided what your window will look like, print out the design and put a transparency sheet on top. Trace the outlines with black sharpie and then color the window in. When you have your transparency all colored in, it's time to make your frame. Cut two outlines for your window from the cardstock. We used black paper, but any kind you have will do! Place the transparency sheet between the two frame pieces with a bit of glue and you have a beautiful stained glass window! I did end up putting ours under a heavy book for a bit to make sure everything was pressed together well and so far they are still in one piece.
Whether or not you tie it in with what you're learning about in school, I encourage you to take the afternoon and head to the Medieval Fair for some fun, food, and great family time!
