County Museum to have American Girl Doll Day

The Elkhart County Historical Museum invites girls to bring their American Girl Doll to the museum and learn together what life was like for children growing up on the home front in Elkhart County during WWII. On Saturday, March 21st from 1:00 – 2:30 p.m., the museum will host an American Girl Doll Day: Molly’s Life on the Home Front.

The program will focus on life for children growing up on the home front during the Second World War. “Children on the home front were asked to make many sacrifices,” says Curator of Education Rebecca Oestreich. “Supplies were rationed so they often had to go without toys or even things like birthday cakes. However, many children were understanding and did their part in contributing to the war effort through things like scrap drives.”

Some of the planned activities draw their inspiration right from the American Girl Molly books. For example, in Happy Birthday, Molly!, the wartime reality of air raids, bomb shelters, and blackout drills affects both Molly’s family life and playtime activities. So, the topic will be broadened through an activity during the program.

“Historical Society board member Marcia Brenneman has loaned us a great book titled Fun in an Air-Raid Shelter,” says Oestreich. “It was written back in 1942 by the Elementary Education Group at Columbia University and is full of fun activities kids can do to keep themselves occupied while in a shelter. For the program we will be making our own makeshift shelters and playing some of the games suggested in the book.”

One lucky girl will even have the opportunity to bring home their very own Molly doll. A donation from the American Girl Doll Company makes it possible for the museum to give away Molly and her accompanying book Meet Molly.

Pre-registration is required for the program. Participation is limited to 40 children. For more information or to sign up for the program please contact Rebecca at 574-848-4322 or Rebecca@elkhartcountyparks.org.