On May 4th, Elmwood School held its annual Colonial Crafts Day. It is a tradition that 3rd grade teacher and event coordinator Pat DiCostanza looks forward to each year.
"It has been a third grade activity for about 27 years," said DiCostanza. "I'm been doing it for about 25."
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Dressed up in their colonial best, the students make crafts that kids living during that time period would have created. Some of the of activities such as making corn husk dolls, stenciling, and game making were used as forms of entertainment since toy stores and electronics did not exist. However, some of the skills the kids learned about, such as rug braiding and finger knitting, served larger purposes as they were used as ways to keep warm during the harsh winters. The kids even got to try their hand at one of the more popular jobs during the time, tin punching.
"Tin punching, that was an entire craft," said DiCostanza. "They had tinsmiths. All of their candle holders were made from the tin."
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Ultimately the day is about learning. DiCostanza thinks the hands on approach gives the students a deeper understanding and appreciation of what life was like over 200 years ago.
"Anytime they do hands on, we have already finished that unit in our social studies," said DiCostanza. "This is their chance of actually trying it."
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If they had a choice, what era would the students prefer to live in?
"Today."
