School Visits WW2 Children at War – The Evacuee's Experience

A WW2 school visit to take your children back to live in England in 1939.
A safe, exciting, fun, school trip enabling pupils to live the Evacuee's Experience.

Our 3 day school trip programmes — which are the only ones of their kind in the U.K. — could include one or two simple pre-visit classroom activities — children making their own I.D. label and Gas Mask box (we will supply templates to booked groups).

Then for the actual visit we will arrange to evacuate children by coach from their school and bring them to our centre – which is a unique WWll heritage site having been the Headquarters of the USAAF Fighter Command from 1942–1945 — and where we still have 12 WW2 buildings.

Three Day Visit: The emphasis throughout will be very much about creating a hands–on experience. During their stay children are able to shop for food using ration cards, pre-decimal coinage and weights, visit a bombed — out London street, tour our 1940's house, handle and use artifacts and clothing from the period, take part in drill sessions and air raid procedures, respond to an air raid alert, fight fires, etc.

For one whole day all their meals will be based on original WW2 food with a menu from the period. During this second day they will follow a typical evacuees day — helping as Land Army volunteers in our farm and Dig for Victory garden helping with cooking the meals, trying out some make do – and mend activities, helping with washing day in our 1940's kitchen etc.

In the evening they will enjoy playing some traditional board and table games – with the wireless as background entertainment and enjoy a traditional Beetle Drive or Housey Housey session and then rationing will end that night with a visit from some American G.I. re-enactors giving out sweets and gum.

On their final day there will be a V.E. day Victory Lunch before they leave to return to modern day England.

This unique residential experience brings the period vividly to life and throughout the programme comparisons will be made between modern and WW2 experiences — linking recycling with Make do and Mend and conservation with rationing and Dig for Victory.

Single WW2 Day Visits, with a shorter programme, are also available at £7.50 per child

We believe these experiences enhance children's understanding of this unique period in our history in a way in which no amount of films or classroom work can.

The Child Evacuation programme was after all the biggest ever movement of population experienced in Great Britain and as such was a unique and important episode in recent history.

The programmes cost as little as £58 per child [3 days](minimum group size 30) excluding coach costs.

Day 1.
All meals normal 2007 style!

Evacuation by coach from school to Bushey Hall at Lincolnsfields.
10.30.a.m.Arrival: Introduction to the site – WW2 history.
The 1940's Bed! A chance to see an evacuee's bed.
The Evacuee's Suitcase An exercise where children are given a typical evacuees suitcase and asked to pack this choosing items from their own suitcase.
The 1940's lunch-box: An exercise going through the children's lunch boxes and removing all items not available or "rationed" in 1940. (they can still eat them afterwards!)
Spy Catcher A themed treasure hunt within the grounds to familiarise children with the centre.
Ration Day In groups the children will shop for groceries for the following day's Ration Menu.
They will use old money, (sterling coinage) old weights, (imperial) old tills and ration cards.
Dinner: Allocation of evacuee’s duties for next day.
Video : Dad's Army or similar. Introduction about 1940's period communications – no T.V. no MP3, no home sounds, only radio, gramophone, posters and the cinema! (During this session the air raid siren will go off and children will follow drill.)
Supper and Bed.

Day 2.

Today's Menu will be all realistic 1940's food. (Vegetarian options and we won't let them starve!)
Breakfast. Then a demonstration of the air raid siren and A.R.P.'s Gas rattle and what to do!

Off to Work with the evacuees' hosts:
Throughout the day Groups to be stationed inThe 1940's house – a hands-on look at women's home life in 1940.
Air Raid Precautions, Fire fighting etc. ( includes Anderson Shelter)
The Dig for Victory Garden – Growing your own food.
The Land Army – working in the farmyard.
The Militaria Display – a site history of Bushey Hall. – WW2 vehicle trip to the London Blitz scene.
Hear the Soldier's Tale / the Land Girl's story / the Evacuees story – personal stories from WW2.

Packed Lunch
Group Activities continue.

Dinner: 1940's Menu
Relaxation: 1940's Games/toys.
Learn a popular song of the 1940's
Passing American G.I.'s drop in to give out some goodies and talk about why they're over here
Beetle Drive – Supper and bed!

Day 3.

Packing for departure – bed stripping.
Breakfast: Back to normal menu!! Rationing has ended
Making decorations and paper hats and propaganda posters for a V.E. Day Street party.
Baking cakes, making SPAM sandwiches etc.
Visit to our gift Shop (optional)

V.E. Day Celebration Lunch (The War is over) Departure by 2.30.p.m.

The cast of re-enactors welcome the evacuees

The childrens' own V.E day posters and propaganda.

1940s Events Gallery

Children at War—The Evacuees Experience

Dig for Victory garden

Militaria Collections