The camp’s description read, “Time travelers wanted!” And local students answered the call.

Newtown Historical Society offered its Newtown Summer History Camp to an enthusiastic group of local youths July 11 to 15.

From sewing their own clothes to wear for the week to weaving baskets and baking in the hearth at Matthew Curtiss House, 44 Main Street, campers enjoyed a range of activities. Many shared on July 14 that the sewing lesson had been a favorite, so far.

A description for the course reads: “This unique camp gives modern-day children the opportunity to explore the life of a colonial child living in Newtown back in 1750 through lots of hands-on activities as well as interactive lectures, discussions and demonstrations ... Local area children can experience for themselves what it was like to live before technology became a way of life. To get a feeling for what colonial children wore the campers will discover how a child dressed and will make costumes to wear and keep. They will learn what jobs they might have been expected to do at home, what games they would have played, what lessons were important to learn and what food the family would have eaten.”

Other activities in the week included learning how butter is churned and making root beer, which one camper said was their favorite activity with a large smile on their face.

The camp was designed for students between the ages of 8 and 10 years old.

During one lesson on July 14 the students mixed all the ingredients for apple crisp and, separately, for blueberry pie. Then, inside the Matthew Curtiss House, “History Camp Mistress” Melissa Houston demonstrated how women wearing skirts had to be extra careful near an open fire.

Docent Kerri Rivera demonstrated how flint and steel were used to start a fire, then both helped to shovel coals to make a bed for two Dutch ovens, in which the apple crisp and blueberry pie would bake for about 45 minutes. Coals were also placed on top of the pots.

More information about Newtown Historical Society is available on its website, newtownhistory.org.

Education Editor Eliza Hallabeck can be reached at eliza@thebee.com.