Lightening Online

This morning we went to visit the War Memorial.  I was most impressed by the friendliness and helpfulness of the staff at the Memorial (who I think are mostly volunteers).  As soon as we arrived in the foyer area, we were given information about upcoming family oriented tours and told about areas of the memorial of particular interest to the children.

One of the reasons we chose to go today was a brochure I’d picked up that indicated a special tour designed for families being run both days over the weekend.  Our guide was a helicopter pilot in the Vietnam War and the helicopter he flew was in the Discovery Zone where the kids were able to get into the cockpit and pretend to fly it.  He didn’t actually take us to the Discovery Zone (we went there after the tour) but told us all about it.

He engaged the kids well and told them some interesting personal stories that really engaged them.  Toward the end of the tour, we went to the grave of the unknown soldier and the kids were all given a poppy to put onto the grave.  They observed a moment of silence and it was amazing how all these children (some of who were quite young) were very quiet and somber.  It was like they really understood the significance of the moment.

I’m not sure I even fully comprehend the enormity of what these soldiers went through but it was a very meaningful way to learn more about it and I’m so glad our children have had the opportunity to experience it.  They’ve been talking about bits and pieces of the tour since we left.  Small stories like that of a little girl whose father sent her a small toy camel and died between when he posted it and when it arrived seemed to really hit home with the kids.

The Discovery Zone was well set-up and the kids had lots of fun trying their hand at different activities.  They were able to sit in the helicopter and experience the inside of a submarine as well as experience a little of what it might have felt like in the trenches.  One of the guides was insisting that the kids be free to touch and experience everything however they liked.  It was a refreshing change from constantly watching them and being concerned about what they might break.

We spent about 2 and a half hours there (including a refreshment break) which wasn’t enough time to see everything but was enough time for the kids.  They were pretty tired by the time we decided to go and have some lunch.

I did take some photo’s but they’re on our old camera which was grabbed as a last minute thing so I don’t have the correct cord with me for downloading them to the computer.  I’ll try and remember to post some when we get home.