Medieval Times for Kids – Middle Ages Church Lesson

July 20, 2021
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Learn about middle ages history for kids  with this fun, hands-on lesson on medieval times for kids.  This is week 3 of our history lessons for kids and today we are looking at how the church shaped the middle ages. We read some great books, made statues, created illuminated manuscripts, feasted on homemade pretzels, and continued our medieval literature study guide. This lesson is perfect for kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders too.

Learn about middle ages history for kids  with this fun, hands-on lesson on medieval times for kids.  This is week 3 of our history lessons for kids and today we are looking at how the church shaped the middle ages. We read some great books, made statues, created illuminated manuscripts, feasted on homemade pretzels, and continued our medieval literature study guide. This lesson is perfect for kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th graders too. 

Medieval Times for Kids

Help kids explore the time period after the Roman empire and before the Renissaince with this middle ages for kids lesson. The period of European history extending from about 500 to 1400. During medieval times for kids, Europe was split up among different kings and queens who lived in castles surrounded by noble men and peasants at the outskirt. This is a time of valiant knights, poor education, lots of fighting between kingdoms, and rampant diseases. The medieval church played a BIG role in the community as priests were some of the only people who could read and write. Join us in this history for kids and find out the origins of the pretzel, what illuminated manuscrips are, and more! This medieval church lesson is fun for kindergartners, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, grade 6, and more.

Medieval Church for Kids

The Importance of the Middle Ages Church. During the beginning of the  Middle Ages much of Europe was ruled by tribes of barbarians. As missionaries converted many barbarians the raids slowly ended. Churches were built and communities were established . Churches were important as monks were one of the few people during Medieval times that could read and write. They not only preserved and recorded history, but they taught others to read and write too. Churches also served to temporarily house travelers as there were no inns, feed the poor, take care of the sick, and provided education to boys in the local community.

Some of the most magnificent churches in Europe were build during the middle ages.

St. Peter's Basilica in Rome

Middle ages history for kids

Above is the beautiful St. Peter’s Basilica in Vatican City (Rome, Italy) whose construction began towards the end of the Middle Ages – April 18, 1506.

Picture 016   Picture 020

The iconic Notre Dame in Paris, France with its flying butrices and ornate carvings was completed during the middle of the medieval times – 1163.

Creating Illuminated Manuscript for Hands on Homeschool History Unit: Medieval Times

Illuminated Manuscripts for Kids

Illuminated Manuscripts is a manuscript where text was decorated by initials, borders, and illustrations. They included gold and silver paint that shimmered or ‘illuminated’. We made our own illuminated writing.  I created various templates to help my children practice handwriting while at the same time make an illuminated manuscript of their own using scripture, like must of the medieval illuminated manuscripts would have. There are pages for preschool, kindergarten, and elementary age.

>> Print Illuminated Manuscript Templates <<

Exploring Illuminated Initials from the Middle Ages with foile

Another great hands on way to explore Illuminated Initials is with this fun project by Angelicscalliwags.

The Origin of the Pretzel

The Origin of the Pretzel

Did you know the origin of the pretzel? Pretzels were first given to children by monks in Medieval Times as rewards for learning to say their prayers correctly. Their shape is suppose to be a child’s hands while praying –  who knew, right?!  Here is our favorite Homemade Pretzel Recipe

Scrolls

Monks worked as scribes and spent all day copying books to make new ones. They often times suffered poor eye sight as a result and were the first to wear eyeglasses. Scrolls were made from parchment paper (dried animal skin) but you can practice writing something on a rolled up piece of paper.

The Invention of the Printing Press

The Invention of the Printing Press

In 1450 Johannes Guthenburg invented the printing press – it meant monks didn’t have to spend their lives copying books. It also meant books were cheaper so everyone could have books! Making a printing press is a great activity to help kids understand how they had to move each letter to spell out words backwards. See our Printing Press Activity here.

making statues from plaster of paris

Sculpt a Statue

Artists created statues to decorate churches. They used wood, metal, ivory, or stone to make tiny figures. We decided to make our own statues by using plaster of paris and sculpting with a spoon and toothpick. This is a great go along for the movie suggestion below! 

Unfortunately, it didn’t really work out so well. Did you know not everything works out perfectly at our house either! It just wouldn’t chip away easy enough.

sculpting statues out of playdough   exploring cathedral art with kids

So we made statues out of our play dough recipe. They made some creations the way they were use to.

exploring cathedrals for kids   kids activities learning about cathedrals

Then we used a toothpick to “chip” away the playdough the way they had to in the middle ages when decorating cathedrals. I think our statue and face came out pretty good.

     

Middle Ages Books for Kids

Books are a HUGE part of our learning. These are books that we own and LOVE! (click on the book to see more)  My absolute favorite book was Marguerite Makes a Book. This beautifully illustrated book tells the story of a girl who helps her grandpa illuminate a book – a technique used in the Middle Ages.

This week we read this continued to read The Door in the Wall and complete the Door in the Wall Study Guide & Lapbook .  The Door in the Wall is a Newberry Award Winning book recommended for grades 4-8. My 1st grader really enjoyed it. It will help though if children have an understanding of the time period. This book has rich vocabulary and is a great story, it is just a little slow to start.

 Medieval Unit Movie Night Pick

If you are looking for a movie to go along with your study this week Disney’s The Hunchback of Notre Dame is from this time period and shares a lot of images of Notre Dame, an incredible monastery built during the Middle Ages.

As with all movie & book recommendations, you know your children and what is appropriate for each of them. Please be consider your child’s individual needs.

medieval times for kids - 4 week lesson about history from 400-1600 AD. Make a life-size castle, design a coat of arms, make a bow and arrow, learn the significance of the church in the middle ages, learn the origins of the pretzel, and paint life famous artist Giotto with egg paint.

Journey back to the time of castles and knights with this fun middle ages for kids hands-on history lesson for kids!

Vikings for Kid s- this is a fun hands on history unit that will help make history come alive including history activities, history crafts, free history printables and more for learning about early explorers #vikings #history #homeschooling Join us as we discover what it was like in Valley Forge during the American Revolutionary War with these fun hands-on Revolutionary War for Kids activities. This fun history for kids lesson includes rolling cartridges activity, cold feet activity, dragon pistols, and other Revolutionary War Project Ideas, lots of great book recommendations, and a free printable revolutionary war lapbook with important dates and people. This is a fun American history for kids unit for kindergartners, first graders, 2nd graders, 3rd graders, 4th graders, 5th graders, and 6th graders. lewis-and-clark-lesson-for-kids Learn all about the Roaring Twenties with this fun 1920s for Kids Reader. This 20s printables are a great way to work on reading skills while learning about american history for kids. Use this free printable as part of a famous person,  History or 1920s study for preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, and 5th grade students. Simply print pdf file with the roaring twenties worksheet to learn about life in the 1920s. 

History Lessons for Kids

Check out one of or MANY engaging, Free history lessons for kids or go to American History for kids including lots of fun, hands on activities and free printables

16 Printable Country Studies for Kids - children will have fun learning about countries around the world with this fun resource perfect for pre k, kindergarten, grade 1, grade 2, grade 3, grade 4, grade 5, and grade 6 including Kenya, Japan, Russia, Sweden, Netherlands, Mexico, China, Philippines, Spain, Italy, Germany, France, Chile, Colombia, Australia, and Costa Rica. FREE Printable Maps for kids -blank maps of the world, africa, asia, australia, south america, north america, united states, antarctica, Europe and more. Include blank maps and labeled maps. Use them with any social studies / geography program with kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, and 7th grade students to visualize the world at a glance or dive deep into finding countries, continents, rivers / mountains, oceans, etc. Includes both blank printable maps and labeled as well. tralia, united states, europe and more both blank and labeled for kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, elementary, middle school, and high school #printablemaps #geography #homeschooling  Make geography come alive by using these free printable passport for kids. Childrne can pretend like they are traveling all around the world as they study and learn about other countries while keeping a record of where they've been. This free printable passport activity is fun for toddler, preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, and 4th grade students. Inside their passport for kids they can put their picture, personal information, signarure, and informatin about the countries they travel to. Simply print pdf the free printable passport for kids file and you are ready to go around the world! FREE Lego Challenge Cards - free printable STEAM education uses lego or duplo bricks to help students learn about famous buildings and landmarks from around the world. This fun learning activity is great for parents, teachers, school at home and homeschoolers from preschool, pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, 6th grade, 7th grade, and 8th grade students.

Geography for Kids

Looking for more resources and free worksheets to teach students about geography for kids? You will love these coloring sheets, printable maps, books, activities and games:

us presidents coloring pagesIt is important to teach children about how we elect the president of the United States of America. This simple, no prep Voting for Kids reader will help pre k, kindergarten, first grade, 2nd grade, 3rd grade, 4th grade, 5th grade, and 6th grade students. This printable election book is perfect for preparing children for November elections! FREE Printable 50 Us States coloring pages  american-symbols-for-kids-read-color-and-learn

United States Lesson for Kids

Help children learn about the great country of the United States with these free printables and resources:

Beth Gorden is the creative multi-tasking creator of 123 Homeschool 4 Me. As a busy homeschooling mother of six, she strives to create hands-on learning activities and worksheets that kids will love to make learning FUN! With over 20 years educating children, she has created over 1 million pages of printables to help teach kids alphabet, math, science, English grammar, history, and so much more! Beth is also the creator of 2 additional sites with even more educational activities and FREE printables - www.kindergartenworksheetsandgames.com and www.preschoolplayandlearn.com. Beth studied at the University of Northwestern where she got a double major to make her effective at teaching children while making education FUN!

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