On Friday the 17th of June, Kōwhai went on an adventure back in time. This links to our inquiry topic of early explorers. What was life like for the early settlers to Christchurch?

We were terribly excited that we got to travel in a super-long, bendy bus with a circular bit in the middle of the floor that moved whenever the driver turned a corner! 

When we arrived at Ferrymead Park, we met with Robert who told the 4 rules of the time to be followed while we were there.

1. Stand up straight.

2. Look after your shoes.

3. Children are to be seen and not heard.

4. Ladies before gentlemen. 

After that we got dressed into clothes that people would have worn at that time. The boys trousers wore knickerbockers, shirts and caps, and the girls wore a pinafore with a white apron and frilly hats. Brendan looked stern in his 1850 clothes. Some of the children called him 'Sir'!

Then the children rotated around a range of activities including; craft of the 1850s that involved no electricity, baking biscuits using ingredients and devices from the time and looking at how people stored food, the Moorhouse School and the strict Miss Thomas, and the V huts where the children tried out jobs that children would have done before or after school to help their family.

We ended our time with a ride on the tram. It was a neat day and the children were tired but happy in the finish. An added bonus was, we got to take our biscuits and eat them. YUM! 

A massive thanks to our wonderful parent helpers, without whom, these trips would prove much more difficult. Your support makes the trip and the children love sharing it with you.  Ngā mihi nui ki a koutou!! 

I think, on the day, all of us learned something new and interesting! I'll let the pictures tell the full story.