Folklore Village offers Virtual Field Trips as an option for groups that may not be able to travel to Folklore Village, or groups who would like to see a bit of what we do. 

want to experience a bit of who we are and what we do in an interactive, online program hosted live over Zoom. Our Virtual Field Trips consist of your choice of folklife activities that are geared towards elementary school-aged children, but readily adaptable to multiple ages and ability levels. The activities are bookended by an interactive introduction and conclusion designed to reinforce educational concepts and contextualize the activities. The Virtual Field Trip also features an interactive, virtual tour of Folklore Village grounds.

Praise for Folklore Village’s Virtual Field Trips:
“Thank you so very much! We all had a very nice time! The kids were so good, and they enjoyed every part of it…The kids were still dancing out the door…We will for sure be back next year! Thanks again for spending the afternoon with us!”
-Second grade teacher, Doudna Elementary School

Virtual Field Trip Activity Options:

Culture in Motion:
Folk Dances of the World
Life is a dance! Throughout history people have moved together to music for celebratory and social occasions. In this activity you and your students will enjoy social dances from several parts of the world. The children will be prompted to think about dance in their lives: Do you take dance lessons? Does your grandma ask you to polka at weddings? Do you dance at parties? If your students can smile they will enjoy the activity. The dances for this session have been specifically chosen to suit the Zoom format.

Listening to Tradition:
International Folk Music

Traditional music in Wisconsin has an amazing diversity, thanks to the many immigrant groups who have brought their instruments and musical styles to the area. In this activity students will be introduced to a variety of traditional music forms, played on an array of traditional instruments such as Swedish bagpipes, hurdy-gurdy, guitar, triangle, Appalachian mountain dulcimer, and Indian harmonium. 

Learning by Crafting:
Papel Picada (Mexican Tissue Paper Banners)
These colorful and festive traditional cutouts are simple to make and bring great satisfaction to their creators. In this activity your students will learn about the history and folklore of Mexican papel picados. While snipping careful shapes students will be encouraged to think about how we celebrate special occasions and how crafts and holidays are part of our folklife. Your students will be amazed when their papel picados are unfolded and their unique designs emerge!

Folklore and Fun:
Old-Time Games
Hey! Let’s play! You and your students will be challenged with the secrets of the magic broom and play traditional games passed down through the generations. Throughout the activity, students will be encouraged to think about how games and play are important throughout our lives. 

Program Fees
The cost of the Virtual Field Trips vary, depending on the number of activities and staff needed to teach the lessons. Folklore Village has limited funds available to provide full or partial scholarships to schools looking to experience a Virtual Field Trip. Priority is given to rural and smaller schools, schools with limited funding for cultural programs, and schools scheduling a Folklore Village program for the first time.

How to Schedule a Program
Contact us at (608) 924-4000 or email programs@folklorevillage.org with the activities you would like to include, the number of students, and grade level. We will work with you to create an enriching, fun, and fantastic program!

Funding for the development of Folklore Village’s Virtual Field Trips was provided, in part, by an Innovative Instruction Grant from the Country School Association of America.