Learn more about Mrs Smith’s extraordinary ordinary life through exciting activities which you can complete while visiting the cottage or at home.

Digital Cottage

Explore Mrs Smith’s Cottage at home using our digital cottage tour. An immersive way to visit from home and a great way to plan your visit!

Navenby Heritage Trail

A part of the Ridges and Furrows walks series, the Navenby Heritage trail is a 2.5 mile trail around the village, exploring over 2,000 years of habitation. Heritage trail booklets are available to collect from the Mrs Smith’s Cottage shop as well as Navenby business and community spaces.

Nicki Jarvis, our artist in residence, created a series of ceramic datestones which appear as waymarks throughout the heritage trail. For more information about the datestones and a downloadable trail map follow the link below.

Fun Family Activities

As a Kids in Museums venue we aim to create opportunities to have fun and enjoy quality time together. We always have family trails, games and crafts, available when you visit us. Allowing you to settle down in the cottage for a game of scrabble or enjoy the sunshine in our cottage garden with our garden games!

Scout Badge Challenge

Inspired by Mrs Smith’s Life? Have a go at our badge challenge and learn more about living sustainably just like Mrs Smith did. Suitable for Scouts and Girl Guiding groups as well as Home Education networks or just as a family challenge!

To take part download our activity booklet, complete the activities (making notes as you go), then return your completed booklet to earn a Be More Hilda patch.

Not able to visit us?

Have a go at our at home activities, inspired by Mrs Smith’s life.

At Home Crafts

Mrs Smith lived a very low waste lifestyle, reusing and repurposing items rather than buying new. We have put together some easy crafts which make the most of otherwise waste materials.

• T-Shirt Tote Bag
• Weekly Diary Craft Worksheet – A Video Tutorial
• Bug Hotel Video Tutorial
• Darning Worksheet – A Video Tutorial
• Lockdown Cushion – A Video Tutorial

At Home Activities

Stuck at home? Try one of our at home activities, designed to use what you already have around the house to learn more about Mrs Smith. Ideal for a wet weekend or as part of a home education programme.

• Playground Games
• Rainbow Walk
• Mrs Smith’s Wash Day
• Nature Diary
• Finding Poems in Mrs Smith’s Diary
• Mrs Smith’s School Days Presentation
• Victorian Lesson Plan – Victorian Lesson Example
• Egg Box Museum
• Nature Paint Brush
• Mrs Smith Pub Quiz

Recipes

Mrs Smith knew many recipes which she could use to avoid wasting food, the recipes below all look to help you preserve or use up.

• Mrs Smith’s Apple Chutney
• Granddad Bytham’s Salted Broad Beans
• Nanna Boston’s Raspberry Vinegar
• Mrs Bird’s No Fuss Bread Pudding

Oral History Videos

We have transformed our Oral History recordings into a series of short animations for you to enjoy at home.

To find out more about our recordings, or to be given access to the full recordings, please email us: [email protected]