Fostering curiosity in kids (and their parents) since 2011

Posts tagged ‘history’

“What did people think earthquakes were in the olden days?”

As the oldest member of my particular household, I am always relieved when The Five-Year-Old’s my-agile-brain-cannot-comprehend-your-extreme-agedness comments are directed at Daddyo instead of me.

The Five-Year-Old, curiously: “Daddyo, what are earthquakes?”
“The shifting of the earth’s tectonic plates.” The Five-Year-Old, impatiently: “I know that, but what did people think they were in the olden days? Like when you were born.”

A small girl hugs a person in a giant rabbit suit.

Farewell to the Bunnies and Other News of the Week

Last week we bid a tearful goodbye to most of the wonderful Dedham bunnies at the Farewell to the Rabbits Open House at the First Church in Dedham. We also read lots of fascinating news stories, including the one about the WWII carrier pigeon discovered in a Surrey chimney and the rubber chicken which became a NASA celebrity.

“How did they make old-timey ice cream?”

I continue to be fascinated by this Strawberry Festival poster, which I found in the archives room of my church a few months ago. As does The Five-Year-Old, who after hearing my explanation of why the soaring price of ice in 1890 could jeopardize an entire festival, asked, “How did they make old-timey ice cream, Mommyo?”

Dedham Pottery was famous for its off-white, crackled glaze plateware with a bright band of blue and white figures around the edge.

“What happened to Dedham Pottery?”

Weeks ago, when The Five-Year-Old began photographing the bunnies in the Dedham Public Art Project, she asked if we could tour the pottery factory that had inspired the project in the first place. She was very disappointed when I told her that Dedham Pottery had closed in 1943. “What happened to Dedham Pottery, Mommyo?”