World War II Experience Day Workshop

Classroom Adventures

You wake up to the sound of sirens, it was only a half sleep because most nights the Luftwaffe are paying a visit with their incendiary bombs. You're used to it now, it's still a bit scary, but it's become a normal part of your day-to-day life. Your family are all up and you calmly follow the same procedures that you've been doing the past month. You have to be calm because everything is dark. You are not allowed lights so that you can see where you are going because that would give ol' Jerry what he needs to find his target.

You just hope that the “all clear” will come soon. One thing that you've never gotten used to is being crammed into tight spaces with lots of people.

The Second World War has many different tales to tell, about the resilience and gusto of people under threat of invasion. Everyone had a part to play in the war effort, even children (Boy Scouts could perform running duties, delivering messages for wardens, and emergency services).

In this exciting experience day, your pupils will discover some of these stories as they step back in time to the 1940's where Britain was fighting for its very survival.

The day starts bringing the children up to speed with some of the factors that led to WWII up to Dunkirk and Operation Sealion, the planned invasion of Britain.

Then the children find themselves in Blackout Britain as they meet the Air Raid Precaution Wardens and get to see real objects that were issued to the ARPs in WWII to perform their duties.

During the rest of the day children will discover the Home Guard (Dad's Army), the Land Army, women's roles and espionage, hearing stories of real people as they go.

In our World War II Experience Day children will experience highs and lows as they step into a very different world from not that long ago.

Can they hold their nerve? Will they do their bit for the war effort?

We look forward to meeting them to find out...

school trip at World War II Experience Day

school groups World War II Experience Day

World War II Experience Day school groups

Where we travel to

We can visit your school in: East Midlands, West Midlands, London & South East, East of England, South West

What activities are available during this school workshop?

In this exhilarating experience day, all about the Second World War, children will get to:

- see genuine artefacts from the second world war
- play the part in roleplay storytelling, bringing to life stories of real people
- experience an air raid
- learn some of the entertainment enjoyed by people in the 1940's
- decode and decipher messages
- learn a real 1940's dance
- meet a costumed performer who will guide them through the day
- learn morse code
- train for the Home Guard

Which curriculum topics do we cater for?

World War Workshop Click to expand

Rationing The Home Front Air Raids Blitz and Battle of Britain Women in wartime War Propaganda Technological developments War and the British Empire How and why the War started Evacuation Drills and Marches

In our immersive World War II Experience Day children will get to step into the world of those who lived and served throughout the Second World War.

They will experience the highs, the lows, the troubles and the ingenuity that people faced every day during this period.

In this day children will learn:
- some of the contributing factors that led to the Second World War
- about some of the many roles that people played to do their bit
- about Air Raids and what to do
- what to do if an incendiary bomb hits your house
- how to send messages in morse code
- some of the roles that women played

They will also get to:
- perform drill in Home Guard Training
- experience an air raid
- learn a real 1940's dance
- decode and decipher messages
- see (and sometimes handle) real artefacts from the Second World War

Dance Workshop

In our World War II Experience Day, children have the opportunity to "be part of the story" as they role-play and act out stories and historical events throughout the day.

Participation is light-hearted and fast paced as the difference scenes and activities weave throughout the day.

What size groups do we cater for?

Our World War II Experience Day is aimed at mainstream schools from 1 - 4 form entry (30 - 120 children).

We can cater to pretty much any size group. We just need a clear hall with enough space for all of the children, us and our equipment, and enough room to move around with the activities.

Access for visitors with disabilities

Our experience days are aimed to be fun and engaging for all.

Our only requirement is that you/your organisation provide the relevant staffing and equipment needed to facilitate any individual's participation.

Visitors with Special Educational Needs (SEN)

Our days are aimed to be fun and engaging for all. Our only requirement is that you/your organisation provide the relevant staffing and equipment needed to facilitate any individual's participation. You must also be aware that we will be bringing various props and equipment with us that are integral to the content of the day. Many of these can cause injury if used incorrectly. Therefore, safety and safeguarding is of upmost concern and we may not be able to deliver a day if behaviour is dangerous or staffing levels are insufficient.

Anything else?

In order to deliver our exciting World War II Experience Day, we simply require the following:

- secure onsite parking (either in a car park or on a playground)
- a clear hall with two trestle tables
- sufficient staffing to be with the children for the duration of the day

Who are Classroom Adventures?

Classroom Adventures has been providing educational experiences and events since 2016. Its members have varied backgrounds and interests including: organ building, biomedical science, furniture making, vaccine development, historical re-enactment, Morris dancing and more...