Hoop Rolling with my grandson at Coggeshall Farm

Hoop Rolling with my grandson at Coggeshall Farm…

A couple of weekends ago, Barry and I had 2 of our grandkids at our home for a few days — 7-year old Henry and 2-year old Victoria. We wanted to do some fun things with them and decided that close to home at Coggeshall Farm Museum, right in our own town of Bristol, RI, would be a great place to go! We were ready to experience what the museum’s website described:

History comes alive at Coggeshall Farm Museum, and you’re at the center of it. Experience first-hand how families lived on a tenant farm in the 1790s, just after the American Revolution and before the sweeping changes brought in by the Industrial Revolution. Step back in time, share our heart and help us sustain a way of life that gave birth to the American Dream.

Well, the four of us had the greatest time!

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We were given an egg-collecting basket, we followed the chickens right into the barn, we enjoyed the lovely lambs, fed the cows and toured the farmhouse, encouraged to politely touch…

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Each detail of authenticity fascinated our grandkids. We had wonderful conversations about then and now that even our 2-year old Victoria understood. Guides were on-hand to explain anything and everything we needed explained. The kids listened with great attention and Pop-up and I learned a few new things, too.

Then we headed to the very large pasture area where kids were encouraged to play games of-old and run and play to their hearts’ content.

The first game we came upon was Hoop Rolling, also called Trundling a Hoop. Pop-up and I had heard of this game somewhere way back in our school days, but we still had to modern day Google it (LOL) to see exactly how this game was played. It seems that Hoops were played as early as the early-17th century, rules being that the Hoop (wooden or metal) was propelled by a stick or dowel, keeping the Hoop upright at all times.

Ah, ha!

Victoria found it more exciting to Hula Hoop with the Hoops (actually, Hoops were forerunners to the modern Hula Hoop!)…

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But Henry took to Hoop Rolling with all the zest and competitiveness of a 7-year old boy of both then and now

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Over and over and over again until Henry got it!

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… sailing along with speed and skill and fun beyond his wildest imagination with a wooden stick and wooden hoop just like kids of yesteryear would have done.

It was mesmerizing to watch Henry at the very center of 18th century America, Trundling a Hoop as Victoria Hula-Hooped to a beautiful afternoon’s total content.

(I tried my hand at Hoop Rolling, too, and wouldn’t say that I was able to master it… but had so much fun and laughter with Henry!)

Next, all four of us moved onto Maple Sugar Tapping…

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But that’s a wonderful story for another post!

I highly and wholeheartedly recommend Coggeshall Farm Museum for kids of all ages and adults, too, for a wonderful, historical, learning and playing and fun and real adventure back in time.

 

 

About Audrey

Audrey McClelland has been a digital influencer since 2005. She’s a mom of 5 and shares tips on her three favorite things: parenting, fashion and beauty. She’s also a Contemporary Romance Author.

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1 Comments

  1. 3.9.16

    Dear Sharon,

    Thank you for visiting Coggeshall with your family and for capturing, so beautifully and poignantly, how people of all ages interact with our living history museum. You make our day-to-day work feel so meaningful, and we are grateful!

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