We visited Flanders Fields.
It’s something I’ve always wanted to see.
We took a little trip to Bruges, Belgium…and saw the Flanders Fields WWI sites on the way back home to Germany.
It was emotional to see all the monuments and memorials to the Commonwealth soldiers.
The “Brooding Soldier” statue by Frederick Chapman Clemesha in the St. Julien Memorial was poignant and much taller than I expected.
We enjoyed the Memorial Museum Passchendaele 1917.
Open from Monday to Sunday, from 9:00 to 18:00. Last admission at 16:30. A museum visit lasts approximately two hours.
Adults: €6,5 or €10,5 with audioguide
Students: €4 or €7 with audioguide
Under 7 FREE
I read that it was a fun and interactive museum, but we were really blown away by how well put-together it is. We didn’t bother to get audio-guides. The plaques on each display were in English and we read every single one.
The kids loved the interactive exhibits, trying on body armor and helmets, gas masks, and cloaks.
The kids were excited to see a stuffed messenger pigeon like Cher Ami.
Cher Ami was a registered Blue Check Hen carrier pigeon, one of 600 birds owned and flown by the U.S. Army Signal Corps in France during World War I. Download the Cher Ami real story here.
The exhibits were really amazing.
We really experienced history in the replicated dugout and trenches.
There was a gorgeous park with lots of walking trails. We had a picnic lunch by the pond.
The Menin Gate was breathtaking.
I really wanted to see the Essex Farm Cemetery and Memorials.
John McCrae wrote the poem In Flanders Fields.
It was memorable to see all these World War I sites and I’m so glad the kids and I got to experience this history.
Also, here’s my World War I Unit Study.
On this day, at the 11th hour on the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918, the Great War ends. At 5 a.m. that morning, Germany, bereft of manpower and supplies and faced with imminent invasion, signed an armistice agreement with the Allies in a railroad car outside Compiegne, France.
Learn about WWI, Armistice Day, Remembrance Day, and American Veterans Day
Books:
- DK Eyewitness Books: World War I by
- World War I for Kids: A History with 21 Activities by
- The War to End All Wars: World War I by
- Treaties, Trenches, Mud, and Blood by
- War Horse by Michael Morpurgo
- All Quiet on the Western Front by
- A Farewell to Arms by
- Silver Threads by
- War Game: Village Green to No-Man’s-Land by
- Truce by
- Christmas in the Trenches by
- Shooting at the Stars: The Christmas Truce of 1914 by
- Silent Night: The Story of the World War I Christmas Truce by
- Christmas Truce: A True Story of World War 1 by
- Eleventh Month, Eleventh Day, Eleventh Hour: Armistice Day, 1918 World War I and Its Violent Climax by
- Archie’s War by
- A Brave Soldier by
- Rags: Hero Dog of WWI: A True Story by
- Stubby the War Dog: The True Story of World War I’s Bravest Dog by
- Stubby the Dog Soldier: World War I Hero by
- The Silver Donkey by Sonya Hartnett
- In Flanders Fields: The Story of the Poem by John McCrae by
- The Poppy Lady: Moina Belle Michael and Her Tribute to Veterans by
- Where Poppies Grow: A World War I Companion by
- A Poppy Is to Remember by
- Remembrance Poems & Readings: Reflection on Matters of War & Peace by
- Come On In, America: The United States in World War I by
- The Wall by
- America’s White Table by
Movies:
- Fly Boys
- The Red Baron
- The Great War in Color
- Joyeux Noel
- Lawrence of Arabia
- Gallipoli
- Legends of the Fall
- The Trench
- The Lost Battalion
- Passchendaele
Activities and Printables:
- Activity Village Remembrance Day
- 51 Remembrance Day Poppy Craft Ideas from Everything Mom
- French Remembrance Day Activities by For French Immersion
- Remembrance Day from DLTK
- 51 Remembrance Day Poppy Craft Ideas from Everything Mom
- WWI from BBC
- History of Veterans Day from History Channel
- Lemon Poppy Sugar Cookies from The Endless Meal
Learn the difference: American Memorial Day
- How to Memorial Day
- Don’t say Thanks for Service
- FREE Notebooking Pages
- ABC Teach – Free Memorial Day printables
- Home of Heroes – Medal of Honor resources
- Making Learning Fun – Memorial Day activity pages
- Raising Our Kids – Memorial Day coloring pages
- Homeschool Helper Online – Memorial Day resources
- The Homeschool Mom – Memorial Lesson Plans
- Homeschool Creations – Memorial Day Printables
- Memorial Day Preschool Cutting Practice from 3 Boys and a Dog
- How to Make a DIY Patriotic T-Shirt from Crafty Mama in ME
- 10 Cool Family Tents for Camping from FrogMom
- Memorial Day – A Day to Remember from Tales of Education at Home
- F is for Flag Handwriting Letter Mazes from Simple Fun for Kids
- Memorial Day Penmanship Worksheet from Schooling a Monkey
- Memorial Day Word Search from Something 2 Offer
- Learning With My Boys – Memorial Day unit study
It is way more memorable to study history where it happened! Thanks for sharing these great photos! I miss our time in Europe!
I visited these sites on a school trip when I was 14 – thank you for bringing back memories. It was such an interesting trip. Sarah #MondayEscapes
Can you believe I live so close to Flanders (and go there all the time) yet have not visited one of the Great War memorials!! It’s SOOOO on my list!!
#MondayEscapes
Just reading mention of the gas attacks makes me shudder. So horrific. We are military too, but we have never been stationed in Europe. This looks exciting!
What an emotional trip. Lovely way of teaching The past
#fearlessfamtrav
wow, I bet the atmosphere was completely unique. I love those ideas for the history lessons, thanks for those. #twinklytuesday
What a beautiful place! My husband hates museums, but my daughters and I sure enjoy them :). I read The Guns of August last year, and I learned so very much about World War I. Thank you for bringing it visually to life!
I’ll have to add that book to my reading list! Thanks!
I was disappointed to mis out on a visit to Flanders when we visited Belgium last year. It looks like an incredibly moving and valuable experience. #citytripping
My husband would love to see this area and if my girl study history then it sounds like a great place to visit. #MondayEscapes
Flanders really has so much history to learn more about and how great is it that they portray it in a fun way for kids to do so?!
They really did do a good job with the museum! I like that they have interactive exhibits and recreating the bunkers. What a great way for kids to learn about history. Thanks for sharing on #TheWeeklyPostcard.
Such and immersive experience. We went when my daughter was s bit too young to understand. The Menin Gate is incredibly moving. We found my husband’s great-grandfather’s grave. We’ll have to go back when the kids are older. The memorial museum looks excellent. Thanks for linking #citytripping
I hope I can afford a visit to Europe one day. I love the history of these important sites and what the mean to our country. Thanks for sharing on the #LMMLinkup this week.
This must have been the most interesting and emotional history lesson your kids have ever had. I’m never quite sure how to act when I go to places like this, it messed me up for example seeing so many people taking happy, smiley photos whilst at Pearl Harbour in Hawaii. Thanks for sharing your post on #MondayEscapes
We just finished a similar “history trip” but ours was to Boston. Thanks for linking up at Booknificent Thursday on Mommynificent.com!
Tina
Jennifer,
This is a wonderful page. Thank you for all of the effort. I teach history at Carroll Community College, in Westminster, MD. Two of my daughters are homeschooling, so I will be delighted to show them your page.
Pigeons happen to be one of my favorite history topics, especially the story of the incredible Cher Ami. When your children are older you may want to check out the movie, “Lost Battalion,” starring Ricky Schroeder. It is an incredible movie, but very adult. Captain Whittelsley, who led the 77th in to battle is an interesting story.
One little fact check, Cher Ami was a Blue Check Hen. I know this is often misreported, but recently Wikipedia did update her information. To give credibility to my information, I should add that my older brother has been racing pigeons for 64 years, and this is his opinion of her coloring and sex.
It is possible that there was an effort to hide the face that both cock birds and hens were used in war, at least during the First World War.
Your trip looked incredible,
Regards,
Kate
Amazing info! Thanks!