Roadschooling: Medieval days in Skellefteå

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The fighters sure need their protective gear!


Roadschooling is what we like to call the method we use for our children's education. This summer we're not on the road but staying in the same town for three whole months. That does not mean we change how we educate our children. The same method can be used. Generally, we try to do four days of school at home every week and one field trip day. The field trip can be anything but we love going to museums, zoos, and national parks. Now it's summer and we do have a summer break from school but that does not mean we take a break from learning. Learning is something we try to do every day. Learning is a way of life and an important part of our family motto:
Simplify - Explore - Learn - Together

Last week there was a medieval festival in town. It was not very large but still interesting to visit. Set up on a small island connected to the main land with a swinging bridge (bridge tax voluntary), there were market stands with (more or less) authentic medieval clothes, crafts, foods, and more. Over to one side, there was a tent camp where many of the participants spent their nights on rope beds in canvas tents. Lots of people wore medieval looking clothes (although I did see some modern shoes sticking out under their clothes!). There were knights and fair ladies. Jesters, musicians, and bards. All this was nice but what we liked the best was when we could participate and try something our selfs.
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12 modern kids were chosen by the queen to become knights

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Their first task was to creating their own coat of arms and paint it on a shield.

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And before too long they were transformed into mighty knights in the queen's service.

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After becoming knights they got to practice their archery skills.

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And watch the older knights battle for cookies. Yes, they battled for cookies. Every time they lost they got a cookie to give to their lady and in the end, the one with fewest cookies won. (No eating allowed until after the tournament when the losers had plenty of cookies to comfort them selves with)

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Maybe one day the bard will write epics about the new knights in the queens service.

We really enjoyed our day visiting the medieval festival! My friend markwhittam@markwhittam also wrote about his experience visiting the festival (Home education doesn't have to be at home) go check it out if you want to see more.

Roadschooling: Medieval days in Skellefteå | Ecency