Stuck inside? No problem - we're bringing Goldie's Kids Club to you. Goldie at Home programs and activities are designed to introduce children aged 12 and under to Iowa history right from the comfort of their own homes. Not a Goldie's Kids Club member? Join today!
Goldie at Home
Free, Downloadable Activities To Do Right Now
The activities listed below can be downloaded and printed out at home for children to use immediately and independently.
- Goldie's Kids Club Activity Book: This illustrated activity book contains fun games and activities like connect-the-dots, word search, artifact mazes and more.
- Goldie's Home Scavenger Hunt: Create your own museum collection by discovering artifacts like photographs, postcards, quilts and more from home.
- Museum Exhibit Guide: Visit the State Historical Museum of Iowa from the comfort of your own home. Check out exhibits and artifacts that teach about Iowa history.
- Visual Literacy with Goldie: You can read a book, but did you know you can also read a photo? Use these instructions to search for clues and better understand a historic photo.
- Goldie's Movie Recommendations with an Iowa Connection
Weekly Goldie at Home Programs
Every Wednesday, Goldie's Kids Club will digitally roll out one of our "First Saturday" programs for children and parents to do together at home. These programs involve interactive activities that connect history with STEAM education – science, technology, engineering, art and math. The easy-to-follow instructions require few materials and can provide children with a fun, hands-on approach to Iowa history.
Storytime
At-home storytime is an effective way to promote language and literacy skills and help encourage a lifelong love of reading and learning. Below are recommended books to help guide your child's learning to incorporate more history into your reading list.
History Mystery
Calling all history detectives! Discover unique objects from the State Historical Museum of Iowa's collection through these digital History Mystery activities. Goldie's Kids Club members will use their skills of deduction, critical thinking and visual literacy to identify the multiple artifacts (in videos and photos) and uncover their connections to Iowa history.
| Buxton: A Lost Utopia | History Mystery Instructions | Object Photos | Object Videos |
| Immigration to Iowa | History Mystery Instructions | Object Photos | Object Video |
| School Desegregation | History Mystery Instructions | Object Photos |
Think Like... Cards
History can look very different through multiple perspectives. Use the State Historical Society of Iowa's "Think Like..." cards to guide your child's process of understanding moments in history from individuals with varying interests and priorities. Each set includes five universal cards (geographer, economist, journalist, economist and political scientist) and two additional cards that highlight individuals connected to a specific topic. Each card also provides background information about a notable Iowan to provide an Iowa history connection to reference as they work on the questions.
Connect these cards to the Primary Source Sets to learn about moments in history from different perspectives.
| Think Like... | ||||
| An Economist | A Geographer | A Historian | A Journalist | A Political Scientist |
- Card Set #1: Buxton: A Lost Utopia
- Card Set #2: Immigration to Iowa
- Card Set #3: School Desegregation
