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Youth Activity Kits

Many of the following are components of a Travel Trunk Program. If you have limited time, space, and volunteer assistance, choose one or several programs instead of a complete travel trunk program for your event. Each kit includes a list explaining the supplies provided in the kit and those that you will need to buy. Each kit includes one sample of each neccesary supply. Multiple copies of any item are the responsibility of the borrower. 


Telling Time before Mechanical Clocks: Making a Sundial
In this activity participants make a paper sundial and test it after it’s assembled. The sundial sheet is geared to the latitude where the program is taking place.
Supplies Included: master sundial sheet (to copy), scissors, crayons to decorate, example of a sundial, instructor directions.
Supplies Needed: double-sided tape

Telling Time before Mechanical Clocks: Making an Hourglass
In this activity participants make an hourglass using common household items.
Supplies Included: example of a homemade hourglass, stopwatches, hole punches, scissors, varying minute hourglasses (3), instructor directions
Supplies Needed: two glass or plastic bottles of the same size (e.g., soda bottles) per participant,
cardstock, masking tape, table salt

The Pendulum Experiment:
In this activity participants recreate some of Galileo’s simple experiments to help explain how a pendulum works.
Supplies Included: thread/rope, metal washers, Popsicle sticks, rules, stopwatches
Supplies Needed: masking tape, yardstick, sturdy table, clock with a pendulum (if possible to show principles in action)
Mart Scavenger Hunt:
In this activity young participants are introduced to styles/types of timepieces through a scavenger hunt of items in the Mart Room. Mart tableholders cooperate by helping participants correctly identify items that may be at their tables.
Supplies Included: master copy of scavenger hunt (to copy), letter/directions for tableholders, stickers
Supplies Needed: none (other than copies of scavenger hunt)

Timepiece Coloring Book:
This activity can be self-run; a booklet of coloring pages with many different types of timepieces can be offered to young participants at a “coloring station” as part of your event.
Supplies Included: master copy of coloring book, crayons (if needed)
Supplies Needed: none (other than copies of coloring book)


Availability and Cost: Activity Kits can be checked out for two weeks at a time (if supplies need to be returned). Reservations are required at least two weeks in advance. Activity Kits can be either picked up at the Museum during regular hours or shipped to you (your organization will pay the shipping charges if any apply). For an additional fee a National Watch and Clock Museum educator will visit for one full day to facilitate activities (if schedule allows).

Contact Katie Knaub at 717-684-8261, ext. 237, or This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it to reserve your kit today!