Hands-on history

By Rhonda Simmons

Published: June 16, 2008

The little girl used her tiny hands to cover her eyes Monday morning as she watched “The Land Before Time” at the Museum of Culpeper History.

“I’m not watching this part,” shrieked Cally Vogel as Sera, a triceratops, pounced on a tyrannosaurus named Sharptooth, who was lying on his back on the ground.

Not to worry, folks, this 4-year-old preschooler has seen this animated Steven Spielberg film plenty of times.

Sitting on a colorful quilt in the “The Early Years” gallery, a handful of Culpeper campers enjoyed the movie that features dinosaurs living in a fantasy-based version of prehistoric Earth.

This active adventure known as “Camp Culley” kicked off its first full week of summer day camp activities for Culpeper kids.

Outside, older kids created dinosaur eggs with the help off museum educator Gloria Cooper.

The kids dipped newspaper clippings into a flour and water mixture and slathered it all over small beach balls. Today, they have plans to decorate their creations.

During lunch, geologist Jim Mello talked to the kids about science, rocks and fossils as they sat around white picnic tables, chomping on sandwiches and cookies and sipping on water and tea.

“Every scientist must be observant and curious,” said the retired scientist, who worked at the National Museum of Natural History in Washington, D.C. “Science is like doing detective work because you have to find the facts, be impartial and fair.”

“And it’s a lot of fun,” he said.

At Luck Stone quarry, located on Route 3, the kids peered down 200 feet to see the ancient footprints.

“You really get a sense of going back in time,” Mello told the kids before the trip.

That got 6-year-old Wyatt Snider’s attention. Wyatt, one of the most active campers, said he couldn’t wait to see the prehistoric tracks.

“(I like) that we get to go see dinosaur tracks,” he said.

The weeklong camp, which costs $100 per camper, offers activities featuring the Revolutionary War, the Civil War and Culpeper: Old and New.

On Monday, the kids also participated in a potato sack race and an egg-and-spoon contest — just to name a few.

Museum Director Lee Langston-Harrison said the pilot camp program is way to connect history with fun activities.

“I say history should not just be for the historians, it should be for everybody,” she said. “And this is a great way to get kids interested very early on.”

Rhonda Simmons can be reached at 825-0771 ext. 125 or .

Camp timeline
Monday: Dinosaurs

Today: Indians and the Revolutionary War

Wednesday:  Civil War

Thursday: Culpeper —  Old and new

Friday: Campers present their activities to parents