Creative Activities for Young History Fans
While THNOC is currently not hosting family programs due to Covid-19 restrictions, we are delighted to offer Family Activity Kits! These at-home kits are designed to engage young history fans with the past through creative, hands-on experiences. Each kit comes with everything you need to complete the activities and learn more about New Orleans history.
Family Activity Kits are offered on a "pay-what-you-wish" model and include options for pick-up and shipping. If you have any questions about this program, please email Rachel Gaudry at rachel.gaudry@hnoc.org.
Past Kits
To celebrate the life and legacy of artist Enrique Alférez, THNOC created Bodies in Motion, a Family Activity Kit that explores his dynamic sculptures. Artists of all ages can create their own figurative works of art using a variety of fun crafting materials. Each kit included all supplies needed to complete three unique sculpture projects, a fun fact sheet about Enrique Alférez, and a guide to his artwork across the Greater New Orleans area.
This kit is no longer available, but you can explore these resources:
Who was Enrique Alférez?, a fun fact sheet
Where y'at Enrique?, a family-friendly guide to Alférez's art in the Greater New Orleans area
Enrique Alférez: Sculptor , THNOC publication
11 stories that reveal how Enrique Alférez sculpted the landscape of New Orleans, First Draft article
In celebration of Paul Morphy’s life (June 22, 1837–July 10, 1884) and accomplishments, THNOC has created a Family Activity Kit that explores the history of chess and the chess games of Paul Morphy. Young history fans can design their own chessboard, add vibrant color to their boards and pieces, and learn fun facts about chess and Morphy. Each kit comes with a pair of scissors, markers, and DIY instructions for designing chessboards. Kits also provide beginner and intermediate chess puzzles that feature some of Morphy’s greatest mates.
Morphy's Gambit kits are sold out!
It’s Carnival Time! To celebrate the Mardi Gras season, THNOC has created a Family Activity Kit that explores iconic traditions in New Orleans. Young history fans can design their own doubloon, add vibrant color to historic costume designs from our archives, and learn fun facts about Mardi Gras past and present. Each kit also comes with purple, green, and gold sprinkles and a recipe for delicious King Cake cupcakes!
Carnival Time kits are sold out!
During this season of giving thanks, THNOC celebrates the history and culture of three Indigenous tribes. Explore tasty recipes of the Choctaw-Apache Tribe, create a replica of the Coushatta heritage logo, and learn to count in the Tunica language! This Family Activity Kit includes information sheets about the tribes, activity guidelines, and all supplies needed to complete the craft projects.
Click here for Etima Lapun, the Tunica greeting song
Click here for Wira Wir'intaki, the Tunica counting song
Click here for all of our Giving Thanks resources!
Giving Thanks kits are sold out!
New Orleans history is full of interesting people. To help learn about them, THNOC has created a Family Activity Kit the lets young history fans make their own puppets. Each kit includes all the supplies necessary to make paper bag puppets of three historical figures—printed puppet parts, three paper bags, one pair of safety scissors, a glue stick, and a box of crayons. The kit also comes with mini biographies and links to resources to learn more about each historical figure.
Click here for more resources on Paul Morphy, Henriette Delille, and Jelly Roll Morton.
Let's Make Puppets kits have sold out!