The home front
A look at life at home in World War II on the home front at Haden Hill House with a day of varied activities which give the children a chance of handling real and replica items.
Home front is one of a wide range of educational activities offered by Sandwell Museum Service across our sites. Our activities include Victorian and Tudor living history for KS2, Tudor and Victorian time travelling for KS1, toy handling, loan boxes and temporary exhibitions.
Travel back to World War II where pupils can experience aspects of life on the Home Front.
This session is now fully delivered by our museum staff. There are no longer teacher led sessions. We do it all for you!
A look at life in Britain during World War II
There is a teacher and pupil resource website to go with this session which is suitable for all age groups. We advise that this website and the activities are used after the session at the museum, as there are some overlaps. There are lots of useful information and printable posters even if your school is not in Sandwell and everything is free.
Join us for a day of activities designed to allow students to experience some aspects of life on the home front. The activities are varied and hands-on. Some of the sessions are museum led but a couple are teacher led. Information and guidance notes will be provided before the day in order for you to familiarise yourself with the activities. The aim of the session is to look at the lives of civilians, particularly children and people left at home during World War II and how the war affected them.
Session 1 - an overview
The children are split into small groups and are given a photograph which shows a scene from WW2 in the local area. The children are asked to discuss what is going on and what the people may be thinking, feeling and saying to each other. The children then use what they have discovered to interpret the photograph in the form of a short drama using original and replica artefacts.
Session 2 - evacuation
The class then splits into two to undertake session 2 and 3 and then swap. This session looks at what it would have been like to have been evacuated, what would have happened to evacuees and what they may have taken with them. The children undertake a short role-play and are given some items of costume and meet a costumed character playing a billeting officer who is going to tell them who they will stay with.
Session 3 - air raids
The children have the opportunity of handling real WW2 objects and think about what they would take into an air raid shelter and what it would be like to experience and air raid. The children can also listen to some noises from WW2.
In the afternoon the children split into two groups and then swap sessions
Session 4 - rationing - food
The children learn about rationed food and have a go at making a WW2 style tea.
Session 5 - rationing - clothes
The children get a chance to visit the museum shop but also get to clothe an adult with the 66 coupons given per year! Its not easy.
Available: Tuesdays to Thursdays 10am - 2.30pm
Max children: 34
To complement this service visit the Community History and Archives Service to look at photographs, newspapers and ephemera from the period.
Why not use our WWII loan collection in your classroom for a small charge per day?
Booking your school visit
- To book your school telephone the house on 01384 569 444 or to check availability.
- If staff are not available when you phone please leave a message and someone will get back to you as soon as possible. Staff are usually available to take calls on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays
- You can also make initial enquiries via e-mail at museumarts_tourism@sandwell.gov.uk. However please state which site and session you are looking to book for and what date or dates you are interested in.
- You can also e-mail or telephone us if you are interested in organising a one off project with us or the information contained in the links above does not tell you what you need to know at museumarts_tourism@sandwell.gov.uk.
- We are available for visits from school groups from February to December.