A Boy's Home is his Castle

For Halloween, he was a knight. And so began another intense fascination with history for Denver. The next day, Denver asked to go to the library and get books and movies about medieval times. I read a Jack and Annie book to him entitled, A Knight before Dawn. He loved it. From there, he asked Spencer to help him create a list of all the things they would need to have a Knights' Day.

Today is Monday in the rest of the world with all that word entails: school, work, a busy week ahead. Today in our kingdon is Knights' Day. And it's different.

Denver sat beside me this morning and explained all the things we must do today: drink from goblets, not plastic cups. No silverware, but a fancy feast. He must have a crown because he is both a king and a knight (like King Arthur). I am the queen of course. Denver picked out a purple glitter foam crown for me to wear as I conduct my royal duties around the castle. However, the royal servants are conspicuously absent from our castle!

Spencer and Denver created a castle made of quilts and chairs. We had a royal ceremony to crown Denver king. We held a royal feast complete with servant and court jester. For the last hour, those two have been outside battling for the kingdom-- slaying dragons; scaring the dog?

So this is how these boys love to learn: reading, watching, thinking, and acting it out. Today is Knights' Day. In planning and executing this rather simple event, Denver asked the following questions:


Queen Mama poses with his majesty,
The King.



Did they have doctors in medieval times?

What would they have done for asthma?

How did they decorate the inside of the castle?

How did they get persian rugs?

Did they have silverware?
What did they eat at a feast?
Did knights invent anything?
What languages did knights speak?

Did they read and write?

What did you have to do to become a knight?
What is a code of chivalry?
What did the kings do?

His Majesty on his most valiant steed.

If we call it school, it is history, p.e., and drama class. When we created our crowns, it was art. But it all has the exuberant joyful feeling of PLAY. :-)