Valley Forge Home School Day Draws Non-Traditional Students To Park

Homeschooling has been legal in Pennsylvania since 1988 and, today, tens of thousands of children are being homeschooled in the state with the number rising.

On Thurs., May 13, about 250 of these students as well as their their families and students and teachers from traditional schools enjoyed a beautiful day as they participated in Valley Forge National Historical Park's Home School Day.

Park rangers and volunteers demonstrated the meaning of living history with a variety of hands-on activities. Students explored what it might have been like to be a Continental soldier or camp follower as they built defensive fortifications, fired muskets, practiced primitive medicine, cooked camp fare, played with 18th-century toys and games, and sewed and wove.

Valley Forge's Home School Day was established three years ago as a deliberate, organized way to better serve smaller groups, particularly families, that might not be able to take part in other education programs the park provides.

Valley Forge National Historical Park offers educational programs both on site and at local schools throughout the school year. For further information, visit the park's website or email VAFO_education@nps.gov.