In addition to learning about the many and unusual types of animals (see my "Something Different" page") that served as regimental mascots and/or looking for the monuments with animals depicted on them as you drive on the battlefield, the National Park Service normally has two specific programs for children that may be of interest to you and your family:

    The Junior Ranger Program -- A program for children ages 5-13 to help them learn about the park and battle as they complete an interesting and fun-filled activity booklet.

    Join the Army -- A one-hour program for children ages 7-12 to help them learn what it was like to be a typical soldier during the Civil War.  

    Visit the National Park Service webpage at http://www.nps.gov/gett/forkids/index.htm for more infor-mation, and to learn more about a specific and interesting Civil War webpage for children, go to their webpage at http://www.nps.gov/archive/gett/gettkidz/kidzindex.htm .

Walking Pickett's Charge

    While walking the actual path of Pickett's Charge is often done by many buffs, it is also a good activity (and good exercise) for parents with children interested in hiking approximately 1 mile from Seminary Ridge to Cemetery Ridge.  Obviously, to avoid having to retrace your steps back to your vehicle if you parked along West Confederate Avenue, coordinating your transportation or carpooling in some fashion will be necessary.  Remember to take along an adequate supply of water, wear good headgear, use sunscreen, and as is the case for walking on any part of the battlefield, check for ticks afterward.  I have walked Pickett's Charge starting at the Virginia Memorial, and have also done so by starting at the North Carolina Memorial (many troops from North Carolina under the command of Brigadier General Johnson Pettigrew in Lieutenant General A. P. Hill's III Corps participated in "Pickett's Charge").  Regardless of where you start from, you will surely gain a greater appreciation of the courage of the roughly 12,000 brave soldiers who did their duty despite the odds and terrific artillery fire that they endured almost as soon as they stepped out of the woods on Seminary Ridge.

The Rupp House History Center

    The Rupp House History Center, operated by the Friends of Gettysburg, is located at 451 Baltimore Street in downtown Gettysburg.  It is a good starting place for first-time visitors and there are several interactive displays for children.  In addition to making a small-scale Virginia worm fence or trying to lift a soldier's entire fieldpack (rifle included), there are two computer interactive programs:    

    "What Would You Pack?" requires you to quickly choose what you would take along if you had lived in town but had to flee at night during the battle (Would you take the heirloom clock, maybe an extra set of clothes, the dog, etc. ???).

    "Build Your Own Monument" allows you to design your own battlefield monument, and if you wish, either print off a copy or send the design to your home e-mail address.

    Admission to the Rupp House History Center is free, and although parking is essentially limited to metered locations on Baltimore Street, it is still a worthwhile place to visit.  For more information, visit the webpage at http://friendsofgettysburg.org/therupphistorycenter.html .  

"Explore & More"

    A fun place for young children (and their parents) who need a change of pace from exploring the battlefield is "Explore & More" (http://www.exploreandmore.com/index1.html), a "hands-on" inter-active museum for the whole family (we enjoyed making and getting inside a giant soap bubble) located in downtown Gettysburg and has been in operation since July of 1998.  With several different theme rooms (including art, science, and an 1860's era general store), it is definitely a fun and yet educational place for families who want to do more than tour the battlefield.    


                       

"Battlefield Diorama" 

    The Artillery Ridge Campground, located on Taneytown Road near Little Round Top, is the home of the "Gettysburg Battlefield Diorama" (http://www.artilleryridge.com/museind.html). Approximately 800 feet in size and with 20,000+ handpainted figures and structures, the 35-minute light and sound presen-tation is well done.  In addition, there are several display cases and a few smaller "box" dioramas which helped to provide a far more enjoyable time for me when I went there with my family than when I watched the 30-foot square "Electric Map" presentation at the National Park Service Visitor Center while on a fifth-grade field trip decades ago.  In my opinion, the diorama is well worth a visit.

                                                                                                             (Courtesy of Artillery Ridge Campground) 

Make your own hardtack

    For those families who are adventurous and have good dental coverage, you may want to try making and eating your very own hardtack.  I did this once with my children a few years ago, and they even made it themselves.  Not surprisingly, though, they did not enjoy eating it, but they developed a little better appreciation and understanding of what their great-great-great grandfather endured during the Civil War.

    For whatever reason, I actually enjoyed trying it, and ate what was left over even though it definitely lived up to its name.  After doing some research, I found the recipe that I used (the original Union Army recipe) at the webpage http://www.kenanderson.net/hardtack/recipes.html :   

Army Hardtack Recipe