Summer Discovery Adventures

Discovery Adventures happen in July and August; See below for details

Times: Discovery Adventures run 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. On the first day of your scheduled program, drop-off begins at 8:15, with an introduction at 8:45 a.m.

Cost: Member--$325; Non-member--$350 (Unless otherwise noted)

Discovery Adventures are immersive day programs that give kids a chance to step back in time and experience life in the 1830s at Old Sturbridge Village. Every session offers kids the opportunity to explore an aspect of 19th-century history and daily life. All programs include an afternoon snack, hands-on crafts, and the chance to learn something new while making lasting friends and memories. Click the appropriate age category below to see 2023 program options!

Pricing (Unless Otherwise Mentioned)

5-Day Programs

Through April 23, 2023:

Save $50 per child on 5-day programs!

Member–$285
Non-member–$310

From April 24, 2023 Onward:

Member–$335
Non-member–$360

Lunch can be added for an additional $43 per child per week during registration. Learn more here.

3-Day Programs

Through April 23, 2023:

Save $25 per child on 3-day programs!

Member–$165
Non-member–$180

From April 24, 2023 Onward:

Member–$190
Non-member–$205

Lunch can be added for an additional $25.80 per child per week during registration. Learn more here.

Registration Notes

Pre-registration is required for Discovery Adventure Programs.
Discovery Adventures run 9:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. On the first day of your scheduled program, drop-off begins at 8:15, with an introduction at 8:45 a.m.
Those registering siblings for programming within the same transaction receive a sibling discount of 10% off, applicable at check out
Registration closes two weeks before the start of each session.
Sessions frequently sell out, early registration is encouraged.
Full or partial scholarships may be available. Please email jsilverio@osv.org for more information.
If you would like your child(ren) to be placed in a group with a friend or family member, it is strongly encouraged that all are registered at the same time. We are not able to add additional spaces once the program has sold out.
When changes are possible, a change fee will be assessed.
See add-on options, registration forms, FAQ, and information letter here

2023 Program Options

Abecedarians (Ages 6-7)

Story Quest | 5-Day

Spaces recently opened! Online registration is closed, but you can call (508) 347-0276 to book your child for this program!

Have you ever tried something you read about in a book? Let’s explore the 1830s through stories! Each day we will use stories to time travel back to life in the 19th century. Then, kids will participate in crafts, hands-on activities, and adventures relating to the day’s tale, while creating a group story.

History at Play | 3-Day

Life in the 1830s was a lot of hard work, but kids still had time to play! In this three-day costumed program, participants will learn about the toys and games that kept children entertained in the past. Try your hand at traditional schoolyard games and make some of your own to take home.

Ox Tales | 5-Day

Our oxen teams are superstars here at the Village! Spend a week learning about the importance of a well-trained team to a family in the 19th century. Activities may include farm chores, learning about animal husbandry, and farm-related crafts.

Day in the Life | 5-Day

Explore the week of an 1830s kid in this day-in-the-life adventure! We will learn about real children from this time period and experience what life was like for them; from games, to farm chores, to school lessons.

Young Artist | 3-Day

Calling all blossoming artists! In this three-day costumed program, participants will try out art and craft projects inspired by paintings, pottery, and prints of the 1830s. We will get inspired by the Village’s animals, outdoor spaces, and architecture to create beautiful art. The week will culminate in a show of our works!

Peddlers (Ages 8-10)

Old School Science | 3-Day

Let’s explore 19th-century science and innovation! In this three-day costumed program, participants will learn about the science behind yeast and cheese making in the kitchen. Sift through sand for archaeological remains of the past. Try out old technologies and compare them to new ones! Participants will learn about the way people in the 1830s understood science and how the technology they created made their lives easier!

Dirty Jobs | 5-Day

Life in the 1830s was dirty and smelly! Participants will get hands-on experience with the messiest of tasks of life in the early 1800s: helping farmers around the barn, digging in the dirt of the Village’s gardens, and helping with the messy task of cleaning wool.

Little House Adventures | 5-Day

Laura Ingalls Wilder’s Little House books are enduring stories about country life in the 19th century. Though the stories take place in the Midwest, Wilder and her husband Almanzo had roots in the Northeast. We will explore the life of a rural farm family and experience crafts, activities, and foods mentioned in Wilder’s books.

History Detectives | 5-Day

Explore the Village with fresh eyes as you try and unravel a week-long mystery! Detective trainees in this program will flex their mystery-solving skills as they decipher codes and hunt for clues. They will participate in traditional Discovery Adventures activities like hearth cooking and chores, all tinged with an element of the mysterious as they compile leads throughout the week.

Cook and Create | 5-Day

From the time they were six or seven years old, kids were really important to the daily upkeep of a household in the 1830s. Participants in Cook and Create will learn how to cook historical food in a brick hearth, practice 19th-century crafts, and get their hands dirty with some typical tasks at home and on the farm.

Apprentices (Ages 11-14)

Ideas and Imagination | 3-Day

A fun-filled three-day costumed exploration of ideas and imagination. Become inspired by our expansive outdoor campus as we explore the ideas of 19th-century transcendentalists like Emerson and Thoreau through painting, writing, and nature observation.

Crafts and Trades | 5-Day

Please note: Because of materials cost, the fee for this program is an additional $25.

Plunge into the world of 19th-century artisans with this adventure that will give you hands-on experience with the 1830s craft. Each day we will focus on a different historical trade. After meeting the Village’s knowledgeable costumed historians, we will work on our own exciting projects from sewing, wood, and metal. Please note: Because of materials costs, the fee for this program is slightly higher.

Great 19th-Century Bake Off | 5-Day

From the time they were six or seven years old, kids were really important to the daily upkeep of a household in the 1830s. Participants in this program will learn how to cook historical food in a brick hearth, learn from costumed historians in the Village about 19th-century foodways and get their hands dirty with some typical tasks at home and on the farm. At the end of the week, we will have a baking competition to flex our new skills!

Knit and Natters | 5-Day

Knowing how to make and repair your own clothing was very important in the 1830s and would have been an activity a child would have been learning at a young age. Learn what it would take to care for a sheep, and how their fleece was processed into yarn and bedding. Make your own knitting needles and learn how to cast on and knit!

Militia | 5-Day

Please note: Because of materials cost, the fee for this program is an additional $25.

Taking on the role of a real 18th and 19th-century Sturbridge militia or retired Revolutionary military man, our company will learn the discipline, drills, target practice, arms, clothing and personal equipment that were required of a member of an early New England militia. In addition to all the practice drills, you’ll try some authentic outdoor camp cooking and participate in other militia-related activities. Please note: Because of materials cost, the fee for this program is slightly higher.

Journeymen (Ages 14-17)

Journeymen

Please note: Because of materials cost, the fee for this program is an additional $25.

Taking on the role of a 19th-century teen, learn the work of young men and women of this time period. Three mornings a week, learn and work alongside our highly-skilled costumed historians in Village exhibits through rotating station placements. You will also work on an in-depth craft project and share the experience of preparing and enjoying a 19th-century meal with your fellow Journeymen.