Back in Time...

at the Texas Renaissance Festival.

Yesterday we attended School Days at the Texas Renaissance Festival. I feel so fortunate to have this amazing resource so closely available for my family to enjoy. I attended the festival when I was a child and again with Bill years ago. We took Alex one time when he was just a baby, but this was the first time we've taken the kids when they are old enough to truly experience what the festival has to offer. It is such an incredible place, from the permanent village they've set up among the tall pine trees to the Renaissance attire. You feel as though you've gone back in time as you walk among people who not only dress the part, but even speak with the Renaissance dialect. Adding to the ambience of it all is the medieval music and dancing occurring throughout the festival.

This being our first time to attend School Days, I was very impressed with the care that was taken to make the day not only educational for kids, but also stay appropriate for young audiences. With the advance purchase of my tickets came the most amazing book entitled "School Days Curriculum Enhancement Guide". This alone was worth the cost to get in, which on School Days is very reasonable, I might add. The book contains information on the kings and queens, artists and inventors of the Renaissance period, as well as the various crafts, music and food enjoyed during that era. In the back of the book are all sorts of ideas for activities to do with your student(s) relating to the Renaissance Period. I have used this book, along with other books from our home library, to do a Renaissance unit study this week. Bill made the boys some shields that they have decorated and tomorrow I hope to try a recipe for Prince Bisket... I'll let you know how that goes!

Of course, attending the festival was the highlight of it all. At the last minute (is there any other way?) I made hooded cloaks for each of the kids to wear. I had originally planned to make full costumes for the kids so they'd really feel a part of the festival, but since I never got around to doing that, the large cloaks still made a big impact. And of course, Alex desperately wanted a knight's costume while we were there, so inexpensive plastic knight helmets purchased in one of the shops seemed to add just the right touch to their "costumes". While at the festival we went to a jousting tournament, watched the delicate art of glassblowing, saw how coins were made in the Renaissance era, observed how arrowheads are made, mined for rocks and listened to singing pirates. The weather was perfect, showcasing a perfectly clear, blue sky along with cool, fresh air. We could not have asked for a more perfect day.

And Alex and Nathan's favorite part of the Renaissance Festival? Attending the Tournament to watch the knights battle it out and listening to the funny band of pirates as they sang and joked with the audience. I think they also enjoyed the rare experience of eating off a giant turkey leg, even if it did seem a tad barbaric (I was the only one unwilling to taste of the gigantic smoked turkey leg).

We will definitely be returning on future School Days to the Texas Renaissance Festival!