Year 3 Como House Excursion

On the 31st of July 3-22 and 3-11 went to Como House. Inside Como House are rooms like in the olden days. We got to play all the olden day games like egg and spoon racing and croquet. Then we got to solve the mystery of who broke the doll. You have to find clues all around the gardens and cross off all the children on the list until you find who did it. We had Josh and Anne left. It was Anne who broke it. Next we washed clothes like how the servants used to do it. We washed them in a bucket full of water. Then we saw how the oven worked in the house. Como house was so much fun and all the presenters were very nice.

- By Ciera S 3-22

On the 31st of July the year 3s went to Como House. When we arrived and went through the gates everyone saw a mini house and thought it was Como House but it wasn’t. Then everyone saw a grand mansion! Everyone was split into four groups. I was put with Mrs Searle. My group got to be servants first. We washed clothes. Since there was no washing machines, you had to wash clothes by hand. It was hard but it was also fun. After that we went inside and Tess told us some jobs that servants would do. It was one surprise after another from 9 year olds cleaning around 400 dishes a day to memorising countless bell rings from around the house. Next we did a tour of the mansion. We saw beautiful stairs, lounge rooms, bedrooms and even a ball room. It was pretty good. After we did some old games like sack races, croquet, skipping with ropes and hot potato. Then we had to solve a mystery. We had to find out who broke a doll. We were running all over the place to find out clues to the mystery. We got to find out who did it two days later. It was Anne. Como House was overall pretty good. I am so happy I wasn’t around back then.

- By Oscar K 3-22

On Wednesday 31st of July 3-22 and 3-11 went to Como House. First when 3-22 and 3-11 arrived Bronwyn and Tess introduced themselves and we had snack. I was in Katie’s group. There were four rotations of activities a mystery trail, old fashioned games, servant quarters and a house tour. The first rotation we did was the mystery trail. They mystery was who broke the doll? There were clues scattered all around the gardens of Como house. Secondly, we did servants quarters where we did old fashioned washing. It was really hard work back in those days because there was no electricity. Then we learned that they used all kinds of bells to call servants to different rooms of the house. The Armytage family had 10 servants and even a 9-year-old servant! Next, we had lunch and then we continued the activities. We did the old-fashioned games. Some of the games were croquet, hot potato, sack races, what’s the time Mr Wolf, egg and spoon race and skipping that had songs you could sing while you skipped. Lastly, we got a house tour. First, we walked through the hallway into the ballroom and Bronwyn told us to go in a circle and do a dance. After was learnt that girls always go first when entering rooms and buildings. Then we went upstairs and into a children’s bedroom and their toilet was a chamber pot which is a big bowl. They also had no electricity. Then we went back downstairs and exited Como house. We got back on the bus and went back to school.

Como house was super fun, and I was super happy to go there.

- By Cassidy M 3-22

On Wednesday the 31st of July the year 3 students went to Como House. We went there by bus and had an Italian bus driver. When we arrived, we went through the garden. The house was huge. My groups first activity was a mystery trail hunt. The group had to look clue to clue, it was hard. The answer of the mystery was… Anne.  Then my group washed old dirty clothes. It was good fun. I did not get the dirtiest item luckily. Next, we memorised the different bells from around the house and ran to those different areas.Finally we went on a house tour. Como House is amazing, there was a dining room, a small kitchen and food in jars. I learnt to walk up and down stairs just like they did in the past, it was hard. My group went in the ball room where we did some fancy dancing, it was cool. Overall it was soooo fun! I felt happy and calm about visiting Como House.

Some interesting facts about Como House:

• Como House was made in 1847
• There were 9 servants in Como House
• The land size was 54 acers
• The family that lived there was called the Armytage family

- By David P 3-22