Victorian Children At Work
Discover how dangerous life was as a working Victorian child.
This 2hr workshop begins with discussion about jobs that pupils would choose to do, if they were made to work instead of attending school. Pupils will study photographs of Victorian workplaces and discuss what they think the dangers might have been to children.
Pupils will take part in a carousel of activities:
- Handling and discussing artefacts in order to gain an understanding of the work that children undertook in Victorian times.
- Studying photographs and handling artefacts to learn about the lives of barge-dwelling families and the transportation of coal and cotton.
- Mining role-play.
The workshop will focus on
- What jobs Victorian children were made to do.
- The dangers of working in a cotton mill and coal mine.
- How cotton and coal were transported.
- What life was like on a barge.
Victorian Children At Work is a half day session but can be combined with another of our Victorian workshops for a full day experience
“A fabulous workshop! The children were interested and engaged throughout the session. There was a lovely range of photographs and artefacts for the children to explore. The mining scenario at the end really brought the learning to life.”
Gill Nowland Y4 teacher St Paul’s CE Primary School Walkden
“An enjoyable and informative day, which covered a broad spectrum of Victorian life. Handling artefacts was much enjoyed and we learnt a lot by working as a team. Del was an excellent teacher who answered questions and prompted the children to ask questions of their own. Thank you – a great day!”
Sian Sweeney Bridgewater School Worsley
