Veterans Day is a day to honor all of the men and women who have risked their lives for our freedom. What better way to celebrate veteran soldiers than with a history lesson? If you’re thinking to yourself, “Yeah, but history is boring,” we’re ready to prove you wrong.
The difference between a traditional history lesson and a reenactment is the action. Reenactments give you a live visual to work with. With so many visual learners out there, it never hurts to add a visual element to any lesson. Short of enlisting them yourself, there’s simply no better way to teach your students or loved ones about what soldiers endured than a reenactment. Here’s how you can make it happen, and make it extra special:
- Use a spacious venue like a park or gymnasium to host your Civil War Reenactment. Most war historians are content with a broad range of venue sizes and can adjust their acts accordingly, but having more room certainly doesn’t hurt.
- Invite whoever you want to attend. Consider sending customized patriotic invitations to set the tone!
- After the lesson/reenactment is through, allow time for questions or show and tell. Many historians will bring old items from that era to pass around and discuss.
- Once the presentation is complete, offer your guests some snacks. You can hire a Caterer to create patriotic-themed goodies for everyone to enjoy. While everyone eats, encourage your guests to take turns telling stories about the soldiers in their lives. They can even bring in special relics or photos to share with the rest of the attendees.
- At the end of the event, give each guest a piece of paper and a pen or pencil. Ask them to write a thank you letter to a soldier who is currently serving our country. For children, setting up and arts and crafts station may be a better option – that way, they can create their very own cards or draw pictures for the troops. Collect the letters and send them! Go to the Letters to Soldiers website for the details.
- Send each of your guests home with a mini-American flag or other patriotic party favors. With their respect and admiration for American soldiers renewed, they’ll love taking home something to remember this event by.
All in all, the goal is to teach your guests something about the troops and give thanks. We have a lot to celebrate in this country, so get to planning!