Dreamy Hollow Woodland and WW1 Trenches (Day Visits)

What will students see and do?

When it comes to history trips, it doesn’t get much better than Dreamy Hollow! This gorgeous woodland camping spot in north Norfolk is surrounded by a glorious blend of nature and history. Your pupils will get the chance to spend time in the great outdoors while learning more about World War I.

The camp is a 7.5 acre stretch of woodland that contains a whopping 3.5 acres of original trenches from the first world war. These were used to train soldiers who were heading off to fight and can teach pupils a lot about WWI and the struggles of war. Rather than just reading about what it was like, they can experience an aspect of it for themselves.

The campsite offers a range of activities specifically for school trips. These are aimed at children aged five to 11, and include outdoor classes that can be tailored to your current lessons.

The venue also offers a History and Prayer walk, in which pupils can interact with a WWI expert actor in full uniform. They’ll be able to see replicas and genuine artefacts from the war (including an officer’s tent), try on gas masks and look through a trench telescope to understand more about life in the trenches.

Your pupils will discover what it was like to be a soldier in WWI in an interactive experience that just can’t be replicated in the classroom.

Dreamy Hollow isn’t just about World War I. It also hosts brilliant trips focused on other time periods, from the Stone and Bronze Ages to the Anglo Saxons and Vikings. Costumed actors will tell tales from these periods and pupils will learn about hunting and see replicas of old tools and discover what it was like to live in these different times.

If you really want to create a trip to remember, why not incorporate camping and pitch up your tents on the grounds? This will immerse your pupils more than ever in their experience – they’ll be discussing what they’ve learnt into the small hours.

Sharing WWI stories over a campfire will encourage pupils to bond, and they’ll also learn practical camping skills.

How does the trip link to the curriculum?

A trip to Dreamy Hollow has a whole host of benefits for your kids.

Learning about WWI from a soldier in uniform and seeing artefacts up close is incredibly engaging and will help kids understand the event better than simply reading a textbook.

Pupils can learn new facts, speak to the soldier, and get up close and personal with trench life. The lessons they learn will help with KS1 and KS2 history, ticking a number of boxes on the curriculum.

Being out in nature is also undeniably good for children. When little ones spend time outside, they become more attentive, happier, and less anxious, which are all huge perks.

Camping can also build pupils’ confidence outdoors, and you can teach them how to pitch a tent, cook over a campfire and live in nature.

A school trip like this will help with the overall development of pupils, both academically and personally.

Subjects covered

Details of risk assessment

Dreamy Hollow requires all visiting organisations to undertake their own risk assessments. Contact the venue if you need assistance with this.

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