Daily Pioneer Life

You think your chores are tough? Check out what pioneer kids had to do around their houses (before they walked five miles to school, without shoes, in the snow)! Daily Pioneer Life, an excellent program in the three-volume Pioneer Life for Children series, illustrates what everyday life was like for families who settled the western frontier of the United States in the late 1700s-1800s. An onscreen board game is used to introduce fun facts and new topics, combined with dramatic re-enactments, historical illustrations, and journal entries. Viewers will learn about the responsibilities of various family members (women cooked and kept house, men prepared and farmed the land, and yes, kids had to work as well as go to school). Touching on other pioneer-related topics such as the gold rush, cowboys, and the trading post, this excellent program emphasizes the importance of community in an age that lacked modern conveniences. The other titles in the series are The Pioneer Journey Westward and Westward Expansion in the U.S. Highly recommended. Aud: E, I, P. (E. Gieschen)