What Kids Like

 

Bring the Kids to the Amish Acres for Enlightenment, Entertainment and Education

 

Historic Amish Acres is full of sights, sound, and smells that only a working farm can produce. Baby calves, full grown horses, banty roosters, or lop-eared rabbits, friendly farm animals await the admiration and friendship of children who come to Amish Acres with their parents, grandparents, or school classes, kids love the freedom of exploring Amish Acres. Whether being part of a spelling bee in the German one room school, playing old fashioned games on the playground, riding in the farm wagon around the pond and into the woods, watching maple syrup boil, picking a pumpkin from the patch, or seeing apple cider turn into butter, there is a connection between the past and present that leaves everyone enriched.

The guided tour of the restored farmstead is custom designed for kids of all ages. Between the adult films Genesis and Exodus of the Amish, is Bonnets and Britches, narrated by kids who answer the most frequently asked questions about the Amish and their unique society.

The Round Barn Theatre is committed to providing exposure to the performing arts to young audiences in many formats. The recently created Joseph Stein Young Actors Studio now incorporates teaching classes and week long summer day camps for children between the ages of eight and twelve. Elderhostel intergenerational programs incorporate theatre exposure as well. Professional productions with high school students recruited and auditioned from across northern Indiana are performed for the public and theatre for young audiences. Main stage musicals are often condensed to one hour versions and offered to schools as well. Amish Acres in cooperation with Lake City Bank offer one half priced tickets to all productions to college students.

The annual Amish Acres Arts & Crafts Festival caters to kids at all levels. From the Elton and Jane Hummel stage in the Stephen Gubi Children's Entertainment Tent to the strolling musicians and magicians, kid friendly food, and swan boat rides on the farm's pond, it is a magical place that three generations of families have enjoyed together.

When combined with Little Threshers Dinner in the old Restaurant Barn, a visit to Amish Acres becomes memorable on all fronts. The links below will lead you to the most popular packages and programs designed for kids with curiosity and desire to learn about a society that values a lifestyle rooted in the traditions of its forefathers.

 

Field Trip Brochure
Designed to fulfill state standards for academic content in Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, and Ohio

Kids Love the Animal Family at Amish Acres
Each spring brings a new menagerie of animals that kids love to pet

The Grass is Always Greener
As fuel costs become more and more the deciding factor in school field trips, closer to home options come into play

School Tours
An outline of what to expect during visits to Amish Acres

Kids Education Guide
A primer for teachers to prepare students for their trip

Reading List for Young Students
A comprehensive guide for those interested in pursuing Amish culture in depth

Joseph Stein Young Actors Studio
Professional productions of circiculium based stage musicals and plays host area schools during the school year. Summer acting day camps provide aspiring young actors valuable experience both on and behind the stage.

Comments
Comments from those who have enjoyed their visit to Amish Acres.

Drawing and Notes
Observations expressed in art and notes by students.

Maze
A fun game to play on the bus, help Jack the horse find his way back to the barn from the field