WW2 project ideas please - getting desperate now

[MrsPurple]

Hi can anyone assist. My 8 year old has to complete a project related to WW2. It can take shape of any form and she needs to design, create, draw, make etc. She is struggling for ideas and I am struglling to think of suggestions to help her.

Once she has decided on an idea she then has to create it. We are running out of time as have 1 week left. She's had 1 week and half to think of and as usual is leaving late even though I keep mentioning.

Any help much appreciated, as she will have to do this weekend (on top of packing for holiday and me organising all new items for our house - very long story but lost everything 9 months ago and hopefully moving back within 8 weeks).

Anyway please help very grateful for all help.

what about a project on evacuee children. Lots of info on the net. Could draw pictures of the gear they were issued with. And how they all went together from towns on trains into country etc (Realise thats not exactly how it happened bykwim)

Thanks titty, I will put idea to her - she loves being creative so could be an option. Just difficult to get her to sit down and focus when she'd sooner by playing (same with all kids I think).

She did have day in school dressed like an evacuee so is extremely clued up on this area

Or what about food and rationing? Bleurgh recipes, that should appeal to any 8 YO! :)

Or she could try building a nuclear bomb

Thanks Prima, not sure re nuclear bomb [;-0] the recipes thing I thought about but not sure how she can develop into project ? they did cook food on the evacuee day , so copying that seems like a cop out? what do you think?

Finding and trying rationing recipes and reporting on the results.

Different types of air raid shelters and make models.

Find out about, watch and review films released in the war - not sure how many are suitable for her age though.

The history and design of wartime posters - Keep Calm and Carry On etc

Does she do Brownies? The Guides did an awful lot for the war effort. Even if she's not, would still be interesting from a point of view of girls' wartime efforts.

How animals were used in the war. I remember being fascinated that homing pigeons were still used to carry messages, as they were a lot more subtle than a plane Theres a bravery award that was given to animals.

Do you have any elderly relatives she could interview?

Hope some of that helps

WW2 info from Woodlands school

Might be useful for ideas.

Hmm, not sure. How about animals who served in the war? Pigeons, horses, elephants, camels, dogs and even some cats I think. She could draw them, map where they were used, compare with machinery/manpower?

X post edu!

Does she know the story of Anne Frank? She could write an imaginary diary of a child living through the war, with her father away at war, drawing where she lives, the bombed out landscapes, the types of food available, growing vegetables, keeping chickens for eggs, the sirens, the bomb shelters.

How about a project on clothes?

There were really strict rules on what fabrics, designs, even buttons etc were allowed to be used.

She could describe and draw pics of a typical WWII childs wardrobe and descibe some of the ways that people got around the rules, using parachute silks, curtains, old sheets and blankets etc etc.

Oh yes, I remember my gran saying her mum made a her a lovely black skirt from cast off bell bottom trousers from her big brother who was a sailor.

Are you close to any former RAF bases.
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_former_Royal_Air_Force_stations

She could do a history of the Squadrons there and use google maps streetview for then and now montage thingy.

Also some useful stuff here for ideas
www.wartimememories.co.uk/study.html

DD1 is lucky enough to know a lady who was an evacuee so she wrote her story, plus some memories from my parents who were a country and city DCs.

My Dad said the only bomb he saw fell in the village duck pond.

My mum was tiny, but still remembers wrapping herself in her blackout blind because she was scared of the air raid sirens.

She's 72 and she still hates them on TV.

An air raid shelter? Make a model of one, or say how people could use cellars / basements. Then equip it with candles/lamp, fire pump, blankets, torch etc etc.

Had some interesting conversations with older deaf people. During the war they (obviosly) couldn't hear an air raid siren so they had a few options. Some slept with a string tied to their toe and hung out the bedroom window, if there was an air raid the warden would tug the string to wake them up. Other people handed a key over to the warden and they would come into the house and wake people up.

That was at night, but in the day sometimes deaf people would be shouted at by air raid wardens to get inside - but of course they couldn't hear them!

What about the female pilots? They were not allowed to go to war but delivered planes to airfields.

Thw WRVS did a lot, maybe contact them

This is the only project my DS ever did properly ... find an old person to talk about it, write it down, get pics from them, write about things no-one else will know. Imperial War Museum has some brilliant stuff.

maybe something on how children played during the war, on bombsites etc and how they found it exciting more than scary

Thanks everyone, DD1 has finally decided to build a street bombed in the Blitz which is celebrating VE day with bunting British Flags across the street. Good job all Easter eggs haven't been eaten so have boxes for shops etc.

Now need to find suitable material. She has spoken to my mum who was 5 when the war finished and has a list of things which would have been on street. so paper mache crater it is, with damaged shops and rubble and dust. Any ideas gratefully recieved to help process as I feel this maybe time consuming - something don't have alot of.

My Ds made a version of the Anderson Shelter

Or you could do this

Oops sorry x-post

What about making her own trivia type game? She could make the board on a piece of cardboard - either a rectangle, or follow the trenches, or whatever shape/decorations etc she fancies.

Then the squares can be Q cards (she'd have to research the questions, some true and false ones, what date did war start/finish, battles, countries involves - or not involved etc). Or she can have, "out of ammunition, go back 5 spaces" or allies gain secret intelligence, advance 2 spaces. etc She can advanced to certain squares, swap places with someone etc.

She can make the tokens for each player soldiers, nurses, doctors etc and roll one or two dice to move along the board.

Mrs purple what did you dd decide to do in the end?