Homeschool Programs

Strawbery Banke welcomes families to step into the past in-person and virtually for learning and discovery in the historic neighborhood of Puddle Dock. Explore traditional arts and crafts such as basket weaving and woodworking, learn how to write a historical fiction book, solve mysteries using documents, images, and objects, and so much more!

Strawbery Banke offers financial assistance through the History Within Reach fund to make programs accessible to as many families as possible. Please fill out the form via the button below to apply.

History Within Reach is sponsored in part by the Georgia-Pacific Foundation and the generosity of individual donors

Winter Programs

  • Historic Hearth Cooking Workshop

    Session 2: Thursday, February 13, 2025, 9 AM-12:30 PM - Full!

    Cozy up by the hearth for a morning of cooking. Using 18th-century reproduction equipment, students will help prepare a seasonal meal using recipes of the past. Though we welcome first-time hearth cooks, students who have participated in other hearth cooking programs at Strawbery Banke will appreciate learning skills not typically taught in 60-90-minute workshops.

    Designed for ages 9-12. Due to space restrictions in the classroom, this is a drop-off program. There will be a space with WiFi for adults to wait.

    $30.00 for the first student, 10% off each additional student.

    Register

  • Adult and Child Basket Workshops

    Victorian Basket: February 22, 2025, 1-4 PM - 3 Spots Left!
    Berry Basket: April 19, 2025, 1-4 PM - 2 Spots Left!

    Join our friendly and knowledgeable Museum Instructors to learn the steps of basket-making from scratch.  This is a beginner class so all skill levels are welcome.  A child (age 10+) and accompanying adult will learn about the tools and materials used in basket making, work with our instructors and each other to acquire the basic skills to make a basket, and conclude by taking your finished baskets home. This workshop is limited to ten participants total (5 pairs).

    Members $110; Nonmembers $120. Cost is per pair. 

    Register

Spring Program Registration Information
Member registration begins on Wednesday, February 12, 2025, at 10 AM
Public registration begins on Monday, February 17, 2025, at 10 AM.

Spring Programs

  • Spinning and Weaving Homeschool Workshop

    Session 1: Thursday, March 6, 2025, 9 AM-12:00 PM
    Session 2: Thursday, March 13, 2025, 9 AM-12:00 PM

    Discover how cloth was made before the introduction of factories. Students learn how a loom operates and get the chance to weave cloth trying out different designs. In addition, students will try their hand at several steps that go into spinning wool into yarn. Designed for ages 9-12.

    $30.00 for the first student, 10% off each additional student.

    Register

  • History Explorers: Journey Into Colonial Life

    Friday, March 7, 2025
    Session 1: 10 AM-12:30 PM
    Session 2: 12:30-3 PM

    Step into the past using a book as your time machine!  Hear an amusing story of a colonial boy’s day in Williamsburg, VA.  Experience his life as you participate in kitchen chores in front of an open hearth, make old-fashioned tooth powder, dress up and simulate a stagecoach ride, and play an 18th-century school game.  Participants will visit three historic homes as they compare and contrast daily life 200 years ago to daily life today.  Topics include health & hygiene, school, entertainment, and daily chores. Designed for ages ages 5-10.

    $15.00 per student/One adult per family group is allowed to attend. 10% off each additional child.

    Register

  • Living on Turtle Island: Abenaki Heritage Past and Present

    Friday, March 21, 2025,
    Session I: 9:30 AM-12 PM
    Session II: 12:30-3 PM

    Discover New Hampshire’s Indigenous heritage by exploring Abenaki culture! Try storytelling, learn how to care for New England’s natural resources, build a wigwam, make delicious pemmican, and play a traditional guessing game.  Students will visit three historic buildings, including the People of the Dawnland exhibit. Topics include cultural traditions, New Hampshire history, geography, foodways, communication, and conservation. Designed for ages 8-12.

    $15.00 per student/One adult per family group is allowed to attend. 10% off each additional child.

    Register

  • Homeschool Day: Traditional Trades

    Wednesday, June 11, 2025

    Colonial Dress Up and Play or Victorian Dress Up and Games Session 1: 9:30 AM - 10:30 AM
    Colonial Dress Up and Play or Victorian Dress Up and Games Session 2: 12 PM - 1 PM

    Work It Out Workshop or 18th-century Hearth Cooking Session 1: 9:30 - 10 AM
    Work It Out Workshop or 18th-century Hearth Cooking Session 2: 12-1:30 PM

    Historic House Tour: 10 AM - 11 AM

    Self Guided Tour: 10 AM-4 PM

    Venture back to the early days of the USA and discover how people made everyday items by hand. Register for the interactive guided tour Work It Out, learn about imports and exports, life as a sailor, put together a simple post & beam model, and discover how an apothecary made medicines. Older students can join a staff member on a guided tour discussing historic preservation and how buildings were made. Younger students with an adult can take the self-guided tour, where they can meet a cooper making wooden containers, try weaving, and explore an 18th-century tavern and shop.

    Dress Up and Play (ages 5 - 7) - $15.00 per student (10% off each additional student).

    Work It Out (ages 8-12) - $15.00 per student (10% off each additional student).

    18th-century Hearth Cooking (ages 8 - 12) - $15.00 per student (10% off each additional student).

    Historic House Tour (ages 13+) - $15.00 per person.

    One adult per family is admitted free. Extra adults will be charged $10.00 at the door.

    Register