To the main content To the footer
Sooty puppets and children's book

Virtual Workshop: Toys through Time

A fun, interactive online version of our most popular workshop looking at old and new toys with Abbey House Museum. We will investigate a wide range of toys from our museum to see what they are made of and how old they are.

Together we will copy the actions of old toys to see how they work and learn some fun Makaton signs for our most popular toys like bear, doll and elephant.

To make this session as multi-sensory and participatory as possible it would be fantastic to gather some props for your classroom like a china cup, a wax candle and some fake fur. It would also be helpful to gather any new versions of old toys that might be used in the playground like a plastic cup and ball, skipping ropes or yoyos.

Duration: 30 mins / 1 hour  |  Suitable for: KS1, KS2 or SEND

Ahead of the workshop we will:

  • Organise a test video call with the teacher
  • Discuss SEND/access needs if required
  • Suggest hands-on elements that may be useful to prepare beforehand. These are designed to be simple and readily available and add participation and multi-sensory aspects to the workshop.
  • Share health & safety and safeguarding plans

Please fill out the form below to make an enquiry.

Back to workshops

Browse more workshops

Abbey House Bear Hunt Workshop

Led by our bear hunter your class will explore the Victorian Streets, following the paw prints to discover what Albert the bear has been up to in the museum.

Abbey House Murder Mystery

Working with a Victorian detective, can your pupils use thinking skills to solve the clues and crack the case?

Nursery Rhyme Time

The Baker’s Wife will help your class to follow Gerald the gingerbread man’s clues to find nursery rhymes hidden around our Victorian Streets.

Christmas Toys and Games

Discover how the Victorians invented Christmas traditions and compare how rich and poor Victorians celebrated Christmas in the 19th century.

Topics through Time - Going to the Seaside

Compare seaside holidays today with those in the recent past and those taken a long time ago by examining a range of objects and photos.

Topics through Time - Comparing Queens

In this workshop, your class will compare the lives of two remarkable women: Queen Elizabeth II and Queen Victoria.

Topics through Time - Houses and Homes

Learn about houses through time in this interactive workshop with object handling and role play.

Topics Through Time - Toys and Games

Your class will get to see and handle a range of old and new toys and discover the different ways children played in the past.

What was it like to live here 100 years ago?

Your pupils will get to explore these questions and more using objects from the museum’s collections.