Watch Colonial Life for Children

Name: Colonial Life for Children
Released: April 29, 1998

1998
1 Season

Colonial Life for Children from Schlessinger Media is an educational show that takes young viewers on a journey back in time to learn about life in colonial America. The show is geared towards children in the early elementary school years, with a focus on introducing them to the basic concepts of colonial life in an engaging and interactive way.

The show is broken up into short segments, each focusing on a different aspect of colonial life. Topics covered include daily life in the colonies, the roles of men, women, and children, the importance of work and trade, and the impact of the environment on daily life. Throughout these segments, viewers learn about everything from how colonial homes were built to the types of foods people ate, to the clothes they wore and the tools they used.

One of the unique features of Colonial Life for Children is its use of historical reenactments to bring the concepts of colonial life to life on screen. The show employs a cast of child actors who dress in colonial clothing and demonstrate daily tasks such as churning butter, making candles, and weaving cloth. These reenactments not only help to make the history more real for young viewers but also allow them to see how colonial life varied based on a person's role in the community.

In addition to the historical reenactments, Colonial Life for Children also makes use of dynamic visuals and graphics to help convey information to viewers. For example, when discussing the various tools used by colonial farmers, the show features detailed graphics that highlight the different types of plows, hoes, and other implements used on the farm. This allows young viewers to see the tools up close and gain a better understanding of how they were used in daily life.

Throughout the show, Colonial Life for Children emphasizes the importance of trade and commerce in colonial America. Viewers learn about the various crafts and trades that were practiced in the colonies, from blacksmiths and shoemakers to tailors and weavers. The show also highlights the importance of trade with other colonies, encouraging young viewers to consider how goods and services were exchanged between different regions.

The program also focuses on the role of women in colonial life, emphasizing the many tasks they were responsible for in addition to caring for their families. Viewers learn about the importance of skills such as cooking, sewing, and laundry, and how these skills were essential to daily life in the colonies. At the same time, the show also highlights the challenges that women faced, such as the lack of political power and the limitations placed on their education.

Overall, Colonial Life for Children is an engaging and informative program that is perfect for young viewers who are just beginning to learn about America's colonial past. With its use of historical reenactments, dynamic visuals, and informative graphics, the show makes the history of colonial life come alive in a way that is both accessible and entertaining. By taking viewers on a journey through daily life in the colonies, the show encourages young viewers to think critically about how historical events have shaped the world we live in today.

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Seasons

9. William Penn & Pennsylvania

June 30, 1999

Follow the fascinating story of William Penn, his journey to the New World and the founding of the Quaker colony of Pennsylvania in 1682. Believing in the Quaker ideals of simplicity, peace and equality, Penn would apply those ideals to his new settlement, where people of all nationalities lived alongside the Lenni Lenape Indians. Visit Penn's home at Pennsbury Manor to learn about daily life there, and hear the eloquent words of Penn himself through stirring reenactments. Part of the Colonial Life for Children Video Series. Grades 3-7.

8. The Spanish & Colonial Santa Fe

June 30, 1999

Explore the history of Santa Fe, New Mexico, founded in 1610 as the northernmost outpost of the vast Spanish empire in the New World. In search of cities of gold, the Spanish expanded northward from Mexico, but instead found the Pueblo Indians, whom they converted to Catholicism and made Spanish citizens. Although there were ongoing conflicts between the Spanish and the Pueblos, the unique mix of these cultures left a lasting legacy on the settlement that can still be seen in Santa Fe today. Part of the Colonial Life for Children Video Series. Grades 3-7.

7. The French & Colonial Quebec

June 30, 1999

As one of the oldest settlements in North America, Quebec was first surveyed by French explorer Jacques Cartier and later founded by Samuel de Champlain in 1608. While Quebec began as a very small outpost, the settlement quickly became the center of New France as the French colonists became expert trappers and established relationships with both the Huron and the Iroquois Indians. Explore the daily life of the early French Canadians, and trace the development of this unique colony. Part of the Colonial Life for Children Video Series. Grades 3-7.

6. The Dutch & New Amsterdam

June 30, 1999

Seeking a shortcut to Asia through the fabled Northwest Passage in the New World, explorer Henry Hudson, sailing for the Dutch, laid claim to the region now known as New York and the Hudson River Valley. By 1624, merchants from the Dutch West India Company founded the colony of New Netherland and established New Amsterdam as its capital city. Learn the tumultuous history of this ragtag settlement, one that was made up of a remarkable multitude of nationalities and religions, much like its future incarnation -- New York City. Part of the Colonial Life for Children Video Series. Grades 3-7.

5. St. Augustine

April 29, 1998

On vacation with her parents, Tracy takes a journey through St. Augustine, Florida, the oldest permanent European settlement in America, founded by Spanish explorers in 1565. On a visit to Castillo de San Marcos, the fort built to protect the city and the Spanish galleons, Tracy learns of the struggles between Spain, France and England over land and treasure in the New World. During a tour of the Spanish Quarter, Tracy learns about the daily life and customs of the Spanish settlers, as well as the lives of slaves in the colony and the history of the local Timucuan Indians. Part of the Colonial Life for Children Video Series. Grades 3-7.

4. Settling the New World

June 30, 1999

Rich in the history of the early settlers, this intriguing program highlights key aspects of colonial settlement in the New World. Young viewers will learn about the motivations behind early European exploration and settlement by the English, Spanish, French and Dutch. Some came for riches, some for land and others for religious freedom. They found a land very different from their own, inhabited by Native Americans with whom they developed relationships -- sometimes peaceful, often not. The program presents a brief portrait of daily life in the settlements while describing the important contributions that each group brought to the development of the new American society. Part of the Colonial Life for Children Video Series. Grades 3-7.

3. Roger Williams & Rhode Island

June 30, 1999

Discover the story of Roger Williams, the rebellious Puritan minister who was banished from the Massachusetts Bay Colony and went on to establish the colony of Rhode Island in 1636 with Providence as its capital. Williams sought to create a community in which people were free to follow their own beliefs, to disagree and to share ideas. Other colonists seeking greater religious freedom soon joined Williams in what became known as the "Lively Experiment." This program looks at the influence of the Narragansett Indians in the region and the Puritan traditions observed by the settlers. Part of the Colonial Life for Children Video Series. Grades 3-7.

2. Plimoth Plantation

April 29, 1998

Tracy and Greg, wondering what life for the Pilgrims was really like, blast back in time to the original Plimoth Plantation of 1620, the first colonial settlement in southern New England. Follow along as they learn about daily life and culture, the roles of Pilgrim men and women, the voyage of the Mayflower and the importance of the Mayflower Compact. They begin to understand that thanksgiving for the Pilgrims was a daily practice, not just a feast held once a year. A Wampanoag Indian woman also teaches the kids about the food, shelter and customs of the region's Native American people. Part of the Colonial Life for Children Video Series. Grades 3-7.

1. Jamestown

Answers questions about the early days of the English colony at Jamestown, and details their struggles for food, water and shelter. This program also includes a visit to a Powhatan Indian village. Grades 3-7.

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