Developing your child’s interest in social sciences through archaeology

Quebec is home to a wealth of heritage sites and archaeological treasures that reveal a rich history and fascinating artifacts (from both here and elsewhere). Seeing these objects up close and taking guided tours to enhance the experience will allow your child to see the world from different perspectives. Museums and interpretation centres are great places to visit for this type of activity. Many museums now offer virtual tours, but if you can make it in person, here are a few, listed by region, that are worth the trip (admission is free where noted):

• Capitale-Nationale
  • Musée de la civilisation (free on the first Sunday of every month)
  • Place Royale (free guided tour in the summer, registration required)
  • L’Îlot des Palais
  • Huron-Wendat Museum (free for Huron-Wendat and ONYWATENRO’ members)
  • Saint-Louis Forts and Châteaux National Historic Site (free for visitors 17 and under)
• Centre-du-Québec
  • Musée des Abénakis
• Côte-Nord
  • Archeo Topo Center
• Laurentians
  • Sir Wilfrid Laurier National Historic Site (free for visitors 17 and under)
• Montérégie
  • Droulers-Tsiionhiakwatha National Historic Site of Canada
  • Pointe-du-Buisson National Historic Site of Canada
• Montreal
  • Pointe-à-Callière
  • MEM – Centre des mémoires montréalaises
  • McCord Stewart Museum (free for Indigenous peoples, for visitors 18 and under, and on Wednesday evenings and the first Sunday of every month)
  • Écomusée du fier monde ($4 on Wednesday evenings, free on the first Sunday of every month)
  • Lachine Canal National Historic Site (free access)
  • Sir George-Étienne Cartier National Historic Site (free for visitors 17 and under)
• Outaouais
  • Canadian Museum of History (free on Thursdays from 5 to 7 p.m. and on July 1, September 30, and November 11)

Books are magical portals to the vast world of ancient civilizations and the fascinating story of our origins and ancestors. Both fictional tales and real-life accounts can spark a child’s interest in history and rouse their natural curiosity. For books on historical subjects, have a look through this reading list or this collection of books about archaeology.

Delving into virtual artifact collections, listening to podcasts, or getting swept up in the living history of local archaeological sites are terrific ways to have enriching conversations with your child about the past and our heritage. Below is an introductory list of free resources for you to discover:

• Raconter Montréal podcast
• Voyante de l’archéologie podcast (French only)
• Pointe-du-Buisson’s Écouter pour voir podcast (French only)
• Interactive map of the Maisons du patrimoine (French only)
• Virtual Old Quebec Fortifications Tour
• Pointe-à-Callière at home! virtual tour
• McCord Stewart Museum virtual collection
• Archéolab Québec virtual collection (French only)
• ArchéoBazar archaeological collection (French only)
• Place Royale virtual collection (French only)
• Digital Museums Canada virtual exhibitions
• Images on Stone: A virtual exhibition on rock art in Canada
• Fort Odanak virtual exhibition
• Archéo-science en ligne – a closer look at scientific techniques used by archaeologists (French only)
• Land Insights – videos about the Saint-Lawrence Iroquoians
• Timeline of groups who have lived on Quebec territory (French only)
• Cité Mémoire immersive projections
• Ça brasse à Beauport! virtual activity (French only)
• Etc.

In the future, archaeologists and historians will want to know what our lives were like in this era: what kinds of toys we played with, what communication devices and means of transportation we used, what items we kept as decorative objects, what type of clothing we wore, etc. Over time, objects like these become artifacts and historical records, revealing clues about people’s customs and traditions.

By making a time capsule, you and your child can preserve objects that are meaningful to you and that will give future generations some idea of who you were. Here are the materials you will need:

• An airtight, water-resistant container (e.g., a water or vitamin bottle)
• Objects that will give future generations a glimpse of your everyday life (e.g., a small toy, a photograph, a USB key, a QR code, a tech gadget, coins, a newspaper clipping, an expired transit pass, a letter, a drawing, a note explaining what the objects mean to you)

Choose a cool, dark, dry place to hide or bury the time capsule, and mark its location on a map with an X. With any luck, your precious cache will be discovered someday during an archaeological dig!

If you have cherished antiques in your home, such as a piece of your great-grandmother’s jewelry, your grandfather’s typewriter, or a phone or video game console from your teen years, your child has likely asked you to explain the stories behind them. Archaeologists do something similar: they focus not only on the artifacts themselves, but on what artifacts can tell us about the people who used them. Try inviting your child to put themself in an archaeologist’s shoes. You can adapt the following ideas based on the size and fragility of your objects, the spot you choose to bury them, etc.:

• Bury a few objects or documents (we recommend sealing each one in a small bag) under a shallow layer of soil. Space them out and be careful not to dig up or damage any surrounding roots or plants in the process.
• Bury a time capsule (see previous activity)
• Put a few items in a box, bury it, and draw a map so your child can find it
• Etc.

Once the items are buried, your child can set about digging them up (using a trowel or shovel, gloves, a brush, and a magnifying glass). To make this activity more exciting, keep the objects you chose a secret. Make sure your child works carefully so that nothing gets damaged.
There are many things your child can do with the objects they find:

• Try to determine how old they are
• Measure and record their dimensions (if your child knows how)
• Pretend to be an archaeologist in the future and reconstruct the history of each object
• Write down their observations in a notebook
• Organize a mini museum exhibition complete with descriptive labels
• Photograph the objects and mount a virtual exhibition
• Etc.