About
Our next Home Educators’ Day takes place on Tuesday, 9th September 2025. There are a range of bookable workshops and drop-in activities for you to try during your visit.
Bookable Workshops
Workshops are individually priced, accompanying adult admitted to workshop free of charge. Museum admission fee applies. Parental supervision is required throughout the activities.
Evacuees activity
The children will take part in a number of small activities that explore rural farm life as a 1940s evacuee. This workshop will start outside the Cottages at The 1940s Farm at 11am, 1pm and 3pm and will be approximately 60 minutes long.
Suitable for ages 7+. Places for children need to be pre-booked, in advance.
This activity has a charge of £2.50 per child; accompanying adults are free. Parental supervision is required throughout the activity.
Pottery activity
The children will have the opportunity to create a small pot on the wheel and a small handcrafted item. Please note these will need to be dried and fired at the museum and will take approximately four weeks until they will be ready for you to collect. You will be required to leave your email address at the pottery workshop so that you can be notified once your child’s fired items are ready for collection.
This workshop will take place in the Pottery in the 1820s Landscape at 11am, 12pm, 1.30pm, 2.30pm, 3.30pm and will be approximately 30 minutes long. Suitable for ages 7+.
Places for children need to be pre-booked, in advance.
This activity has a charge of £5 per child; accompanying adults are free. Parental supervision is required throughout the activity.
James White Investigation
A notice at the chapel in The 1900s Pit Village will announce the death of James White (12 years old).
Children will be asked to play the role of investigators and go and interview five characters around The 1900s Pit Village and piece together the events leading to his death. Once back at the chapel they will decide what should happen at the mine so that deaths such as James’ won’t occur again.
This activity will start in the chapel in The1900s Pit Village and will also include the school, miner’s cottages and outside by the mine.
Suitable for ages 7+
Places for children need to be pre-booked, in advance.
This activity has a charge of £2.50 per child; accompanying adults are free. Parental supervision is required throughout the activity.
Free drop-in activities
Take part in a number of free activities around the museum (museum admission fee applies).
At times, exhibits may be busy with families participating, so you may wish to pop by again at a different time if it is too busy for you, or speak with a member of staff who can try to accommodate any needs you may have.
Lino printing in the Masonic Hall in The 1900s Town, have a go at making a block print using foam board, then using it to print onto paper.
Transport at the bus depot, drop by to learn about the penny farthing, our Armstrong Whitworth car and tram.
Playground Games in the school yard in The 1900s Pit Village, have a go at Edwardian playground games.
Indoor Lunch Space
The lamp cabin in The 1900s Pit Village, and the bowling pavilion in The 1950s Town will be available as indoor lunch spaces from 11.30am-1.30pm.
Booking for our Home Educators’ Day is now open (pre-booking essential). Click here to book.
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