Academic Program

Writer’s Workshop and Historical Immersion Camps

It’s so much fun! I wish I could stay here forever! I love it! I want to do all of them again! -10 year old 1800’s School and 1900’s School participant

What was school like in the 1800s in Illinois

Once-in-a-lifetime Experience

Your kids Can Travel Back in Time at Rockford’s Historical Immersion Camps!

What Was It Like to Go To School or live in Rockford Illinois In The 1800s or 1900s?

School Day Historical Immersion Program

🕰️ Experience Real School from the 1800’s to the 2000’s- A Living Time Capsule

This isn’t just a history lesson — it’s fun and exciting time travel for curious minds. Kids don’t just read or hear about the 1800s,1900’s or early 2000’s they live it! And they have more fun and often learn more than in today’s school!

We have a complete 1800s schoolhouse — slates, books, and all — and a 1980s–2000s classroom, both rescued from demolition.

Why Your Child Needs This

School in the 1990s in Rockford Illinois Produced better written work than schools today

✏️ A Deep Learning Experiences

Learning without screens helps brains grow! And this breathtakingly unique experience gives them something today’s schools can’t replicate.

Academic Growth

Parents and teachers regularly comment on emotional and academic improvement as a result of participation in these experiences.

1800’s School Experience

1800s experience for kids in Rockford Illinois

A Full Day of Learning… 150 Years in the Past

Step into history. In our fully restored 1800’s classroom, children don’t just learn about the 1800s — they live it.

🕰️

What Makes It Special

This experience is truly one-of-a-kind. Your child will spend a full, authentic school day from the 1800s—sitting at original desks, writing on slates reading the real books, and learning from a blackboard, not a screen. This isn’t a show; it’s a real school day led by an experienced educator.

Time 8:30AM-4:30PM (Includes time spent walking to and from school)

Price Less than 4 pupils $500 per child

4 or more pupils $200 per child

Ready to time travel?

Workshops are rarely advertised, but fill quickly from our mailing list.

Millennial School Experience

(Late 1900’s to 2010)

Step into history.

See how your parents or grandparents’ school day compares to yours today. Daily classes will follow and use schedules and materials commonly used from the 1980's-2000s.

🕰️ What Makes It Special

• Original Everything- And Original Fun!

Your parents and grandparents learning experience was very different than how things are done today.

And according to today’s kids they much prefer learning this way to their current school day. We don’t want to spoil the surprises by saying why. You’ll see when you get here!

Time 7:30AM-3:30PM (Includes time spent walking to and from school)

Price Less than 4 pupils $400 per child

4 or more pupils $200 per child

Ready to time travel?

Workshops are rarely advertised, but fill quickly from our mailing list.

  • “ I would never give up a week of summer vacation to go to school at my school. After one Saturday class I begged my mom to sign me up for the summer (camps). I gave up two weeks of summer vacation to go to school here! I wish I could’ve gone here all summer.

    —14 year old School Days participant

  • “It’s so much fun! I wish I could stay here forever! I love it! I want to do all of them again!

    -10 year old School and Daily Life participant

  • “I can’t believe writing is this easy! Why hasn’t anyone else taught writing like this? If someone had taught me to write like this before, I never would’ve hated writing. And I would’ve gotten better grades.

    —14 year old Writing Workshop participant

  • “ If they taught school like this I might actually learn something and like it.

    — 12 year old School Experience participant

  • “I asked my teacher if I could write a research paper for fun or extra credit after taking this class. She emailed my mom to make sure everything was OK at home.

    —10 year old Writing Workshop participant

  • “If you think this is going to be boring or not fun it’s not. You learn a lot but it’s not even hard. And it’s so fun you can’t wait to go to the next day!

    —10 year old School Days participant

  • “Who needs AI to write things anymore? Not me! I didn’t know writing could be this easy! Now I can write about anything at all, without freezing up. Once you see how easy it is, you can write like this all the time.” -13 year old Writer’s Workshop participant

All academic programs including historical immersion camps/workshops are at our Rockford locations.

Registration Openings and Pop Up Dates are Rarely Announce Online. They are often Announced first to those on our mailing list.

Saturday camps and weeklong summer camps fill up to capacity quickly.

Location

Due to this, and to prevent having to turn away unhappy children the day of (parents knowing the location of the camp and showing up there to attempt to get their child in an already full camp…) specific locations for camps and drop off location for walking to and from school with staff will only be announced to registered parents.

We have limited class sizes purposely and simply cannot accommodate more students. We appreciate your understanding in this matter.

Walking to and from School

Families will drop off and pick up children at a set location. Staff will walk all children to and from the school location, back to the designated meeting place. Because walking to school is historically accurate for both the 1800’s and the 1900’s!

School Lunches

Parents are to pack a time period appropriate lunch for children. We suggest a small pail for 1800’s school lunch transport, and retro lunchbox for 1900’s school! (Refrigeration will be available)

Other Details

  • “My daughter has learned more in one week here than she has all year long at her school. All the kids here want to learn. And they do!” Michelle E., mother of a 12 year old

  • The idea that you could learn at your own pace back then was news to me. My son learned a completely new way to do long and short division, and he said he loved it! And he hates math, just like I do. Mother of a School Experience participant

  • My daughter came running to me after school and yelled, “Can I go back tomorrow? I wanna go back! I love school here!”

    Lori M, mother of 14 year old 1800’s School participant.

  • You forget what school used to be like. Now I’m used to environments that make it impossible for my children to learn. You forget it didn’t used to be like that. My kids loved their school experience here, and they “Love that no one was trying to hurt anyone for once” and sadly, “I wasn’t afraid like I am every day at real school.” A parent from one of the “good” public schools.

  • The 1800’s and 1990’s school is exactly how we teachers used to be able to teach. The teacher is in charge of the classroom. The teacher decides what is best for her students, not the government or a Superintendent that has never set foot in a classroom. When my two girls told me exactly what their day was like…it was exactly like I remember my own classrooms. The exact same. -

    A Public School Teacher and Mother of two.

Writer’s Workshops

Writing Workshops

Programs that are so successful they come with a money back guarantee! 10 sessions of 1 hour $200. M-F 4:00-5:00pm

Open to Grades 4-12

Future sessions and dates TBA.

Please add yourself to our mailing list in order to receive the latest updates when new class sessions are beginning.
Research Paper

Originally designed for students who hate writing, this method helps all students to improve.

The dramatic change in writing ability from the first class to the last has to be seen to be believed. Students are blown away when shown their writing from day one and that same work on day ten.
Will Need: A pen and notebook, access to a library/suggested books

Creative Writing

In the same manner as The Research Paper, this workshop shows students how they can easily and effectively improve their creative writing skills. Will Need:Depending on whether students need/want to work on stories, poetry or plays, participants will need to bring at least 3 of their favorite authors/works. Also a pen and notebook.