Children's Scottish Hour

[Malcolm MacWilliam]

On Saturday, Apr. 4, our local Scottish Society http://www.pennscots.org held a children's program at the Camp Hill, PA library. I was asked to be on the Board last year, as I have the public education background, and put together an outreach program that would include chidlren. Out goal was to educate children but also get parents there whom we could then give info to about joining our Society. Fourteen children, ages 6 through 12 participated with their parents. Although we would have hoped for more, this was a good start. I started the program with a 5 min. computer slide show of Scotland (lots of kilts, castles and pipers). Then our Society piper demoed the pipes and talked about them. I read the book Wee Gillis by Munro Leaf (this is a great children's book, you should all check it out) and then pleated a great kilt, put a lad in it with bonnet; then pleated an arisaid and put a young lassie in that with kertch head covering. The parents were snapping photos! I told some stories about the symbols of Scotland (St. Andrew's flag, thistle, Nessie, and spider/Robert the Bruce story). Then we did some projects. The children picked from 5 different projects (or they could do all five) with their parents helping, parents could also browse through our Society info, clan books, and we gave them info on joining the Society. As projects the children could make their own tartan (paper and crayons and examples of tartans); complete a map of Scotland, then use rubber stamps on it of symbols such as thistle, bagpipe, St. Andrew's flag, etc.; make a tartan ribbon with pin to wear; simply color some graphics of Nessie, castle, bagpiper; and make a spiderweb of colored yarn and put a spider on it. All parents received a 2009 Tartan Day pin. It was a great afternoon and the librarian recommended that we do it at some other public libraries in the area. We had about 12 members of our Society present to help, men were in kilts. Photo below is before I left for the event.....this was the same windy day that I wrote about in Kilted Yard Saling. I am wearing a Tartan Day pin.

Malcolm MacWilliam

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[JolyStNicholas]

Ya look'ed grand like a true Scot educator! I'm sure fun was had by all!

Keep up the good work!

[wyldathart]

Most excellent work. I don't have my kilt yet but I'll be wearing my Balmoral to school with a lock of Juniper tucked in it

[Bugbear]

Sounds fun, glad it went well.

[Jock Scot]

Marvellous work. Well done!

[Cynthia]

Very nice, sir! It also sounds like the kids and their parents had a great day as well!

[KFCarter]

Well done and thank you for bringing such a great program to those kids!