Family Fun and Games
Explore history with our crafts, videos and activities
There are plenty of ways to engage the family in discovering our nation's past.
Explore our collection of teaching resources and creative ideas for things to make and do while at home, whether it’s building a model roundhouse, colouring in a Roman street scene, or designing your own coat of arms.
THINGS TO MAKE AND DO-
HOME LEARNING TIPS
Read our tips on how to create the best learning environment for children, including how to approach teaching the same topic to different ages and abilities.
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TEACHING RESOURCES
Our free learning resources are packed with everything you need to give your learners a deep insight into the history of our places. Browse by theme, key stage and region.
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QUIZZES
Test your history know-how with our quizzes. Whether just challenging yourself or hosting a virtual quiz with family and friends, we've got your history rounds covered.
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History at Home Live!
Join TV's Ben Shires and our expert historians for a series of live-streamed history lessons, covering topics such as Castles, Tudors, Romans, and more!
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Kids Home
Learn about England’s history and discover more about everyday life in the past, from the rich and famous to the general population, through fun facts, illustrated stories and games.
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Videos
Travel back in time with our videos and have fun with history. Watch as we interview Henry VIII, put your Roman knowledge to the test with Rattus Rattus, go on an animated journey through the story of England and more.
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Tasty Historical Makes and Bakes
Serve up a slice of history with these delicious recipes from the past. Whip up a batch of Mrs Crocombe's favourite Queen Drop Biscuits, bake a medieval pie, watch our interview with a Tudor cook and more.
Learn to Cook the Victorian Way
How to Cook the Victorian Way with Mrs Crocombe is the definitive guide to the life, times and tastes of YouTube's favourite Victorian cook.
Alongside specially adapted Victorian recipes and insights into the culinary world of the Victorians, you'll find beautiful photography, social history, and - for the first time - the full manuscript of Mrs Crocombe's handwritten recipe book. An absolute must-have for fans, foodies and anyone with an appetite for the past!
BUY THE BOOKHistory From Above
See our sites from the skies
English Heritage cares for over 400 historic sites across England, each with their own story to tell. From Castles to Abbeys, monuments to gardens, these sites are even more remarkable when viewed from the air.
Join us as we take to the skies to explore these places from the past from a whole new perspective.
WATCH THE PLAYLIST-
CARLISLE CASTLE, CUMBRIA
Carlisle Castle is a dominating presence - a fortress with a long and sometimes grim history, standing proud in the city it has watched over for nine centuries.
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FRAMLINGHAM CASTLE, SUFFOLK
Once a fearsome fortress, muster your courage and explore Framlingham Castle's towering walls. It was behind these walls that Mary Tudor was proclaimed Queen of England.
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GOODRICH CASTLE, HEREFORDSHIRE
Surrounded by open countryside, Goodrich Castle in Herefordshire is perhaps one of the finest and best preserved of all English medieval castles.
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OLD SARUM, WILTSHIRE
The lost city of Old Sarum crowns a ridge with sweeping views towards modern Salisbury. Iron Age people raised its mighty prehistoric earthworks in about 500 BC, but the ruined walls are still clearly visible today.
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OSBORNE, ISLE OF WIGHT
Queen Victoria and Prince Albert's family home. Take a glimpse into the private life of the royal family and enjoy the vast estate and gardens.
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RIEVAULX ABBEY, YORKSHIRE
‘Everywhere peace, everywhere serenity’ - that's how Rievaulx Abbey's most famous abbot, Aelred, described this beautiful place.
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STONEHENGE, WILTSHIRE
Float in the footsteps of Neolithic people at Stonehenge – one of the wonders of the world and the best-known prehistoric monument in Europe.
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WREST PARK, BEDFORDSHIRE
Wrest Park is a real treat for the senses - 90 acres of idyllic, award-winning gardens that reflect England's love affair with landscape.
THE ENGLISH HERITAGE PODCAST
Step into England’s story with our weekly podcast.
Join presenter Charles Rowe as we bring the history of our sites to life with news, views and expert interviews across nearly 100 episodes.
Listen on soundcloudHistory In Focus
Chart the movements of the sun, moon and planets above the iconic stone circle via our Stonehenge Skyscape online experience.
Explore site histories authored by top historians, or listen to Speaking with Shadows, the podcast that listens to the people that history forgot.
Plus, go in-depth and discover fascinating stories, from the story of the Windrush generation and the remarkable life of Alan Turing, to wartime wardrobes and the origins of the biscuit.
DISCOVER MORE-
2000 years of board games
The first known board games originated from Egypt around 5,500 years ago and have evolved across cultures and societies ever since.
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Obscure Medieval Laws
Historian William Eves explores law and order from the 13th century and highlights some of the more obscure rules — at least by modern standards.
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Below Stairs at Audley End
What were Victorian servants’ lives really like? Discover the stories of the men, women and children who worked at Audley End House in the 1880s.
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Warm and dry clothes
Fashion Historian Amber Butchart explores some of the clothing our ancestors have worn to keep warm and dry through history.
Blue Plaques
DISCOVER THE STORIES BEHIND THE PLAQUES
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Heroes of Health
Advances in the control, treatment and cure of illness and disease have depended on the work of many talented individuals, working in a variety of different fields.
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Pioneering Women
Discover some of the figures in London’s history who took the historic first steps to open up new opportunities for women, and are commemorated by blue plaques.
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London's Black History
From musicians to politicians, discover some of the pioneering black figures whose achievements are celebrated with London’s blue plaques.
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London Pride: LGBTQ Stories
From Oscar Wilde to Virginia Woolf, explore London’s LGBTQ history through the stories associated with the city’s blue plaques.
Behind the Scenes
Caring for over 400 historic places covers everything from essential building repair works and restoring paintings, to planting historic gardens and keeping them blooming throughout the year.
Join us as we go behind the scenes to find out more about what it takes to protect England's past.
WATCH THE PLAYLIST-
HOW ARE BLUE PLAQUES MADE?
Frank and Sue Ashworth have been making London's blue plaques for English Heritage since 1984. We visited them at home in Cornwall to find out more about the process and their role in the scheme.
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KITCHEN GARDEN: POT TO PLATE
Go behind-the-scenes at Walmer Castle’s kitchen garden and discover how an expert team of gardeners, volunteers and kitchen staff grow and prepare delicious seasonal produce all year round for visitors to enjoy.
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Behind the Scenes at Osborne
Hear from the collections care team, the gardening team, volunteers and curators at Osborne, and see what they do on site during the winter in preparation for the new season.
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Wall Painting Conservation
Find out the history behind the wall paintings at Longthorpe Tower in Cambridgeshire, and how conservators from the Courtauld Institute of Art are currently restoring them using original techniques.
39 WAYS YOU CAN EXPLORE HISTORY - FOR FREE
Our website and social channels are packed with ways to discover England’s past, but there are also plenty of other options around to help you get your fix of world history.
Take a look at our favourite history-themed websites, apps, podcasts and videos, all of which are available to enjoy for free.
Discover moreFeatured Video Series
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How to Make Swiss Baskets - The Victorian Way
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How to Make Devonshire Squab Pie - The Victorian Way
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How to Make Saffron Buns - The Victorian Way
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How to Make Macaroni Cheese - The Victorian Way
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Historical Makeup Tutorial - Queen Elizabeth I
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Historical Makeup Tutorial - Roman
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Historical Makeup Tutorial - Georgian
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Historical Makeup Tutorial - 1940s
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Tall Tales from History - King John and the Bishop
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Tall Tales from History - The Beautiful Prioress
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Tall Tales from History - The Devil's Holiday
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Tall Tales from History - The Ghostly Knight
