Fun For The Children!!!
Let your children explore history through the stories and experiences of those who lived it.
There are many interesting and fun things to do with your children, both on and off the battlefield. Here are some of them:

The National Park Service normally has two specific programs for children that may be of interest to you and your family:

   - The Junior Ranger Program – A program for children ages 5-13 to help them learn about the park and battle as they complete an interesting and fun-filled activity booklet.

   - Join the Army – A one-hour program for children ages 7-12 to help them learn what it was like to be a typical soldier during the Civil War.
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For more information on these fun programs and other great activities, go to https://www.nps.gov/gett/learn/kidsyouth/index.htm.

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​The Rupp House “Children of Gettysburg – 1863” History Center, operated by the Gettysburg Foundation, is located at 451 Baltimore Street in downtown Gettysburg. It is a good starting place for first-time visitors and focused for children, including:
  • Informed Imagination: Your journey through galleries like "Growing Up in Gettysburg 1863", "The Soldiers are Coming", "Surviving the Battle", and "Remembering Gettysburg" provides a history-based setting for creativity, discovery, and learning.
  • Hands-on History: Children of Gettysburg 1863 invites children (grades K-5) - and those young at heart - to touch and hold, seek and explore, create and inspire.
  • Interactive Activities: Lift the soldier's equipment pack and feel the weight of what they carried. Find a place to safely hide during the battle. Stand on a podium to deliver the Gettysburg Address.

It is important to note that admission to the Rupp House “Children of Gettysburg – 1863” History Center is free for children 12 years of age or younger when accompanied by a paying adult. For more information, go to https://www.gettysburgfoundation.org/rupp-house.


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​The Gettysburg Battlefield Diorama, which was originally located at the Artillery Ridge Campground on Taneytown Road near Little Round Top, moved to a new home in early 2010 to the Gettysburg History Center at 241 Steinwehr Avenue in downtown Gettysburg. Approximately 800 feet in size and with over 20,000 hand-painted figures and structures, the 35-minute light and sound presentation is excellent. In addition, there are several display cases and smaller "box" dioramas which help provide a far more enjoyable visit. For more information, go to http://www.gettysburgdiorama.com.


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Since 1999, American Stories Historic Walking Tours has been bringing Gettysburg's Civil War history to life through walking tours and interactive programs, all conducted by knowledgeable guides. Guides dressed in 1860's attire lead visitors through the Gettysburg Historic District; evening tours are available and conducted by candlelight. Tours last approximately 75 minutes and cover 6 to 8 blocks through the Gettysburg Historic District. A wide variety of customized tours and seated programs are available for visitors of all ages and interest levels. The most popular tour, "Memories of the Battle", brings to life the true stories of the town civilians in 1863 as they are surrounded by the famous battle. Other current or past tours and programs include:

"Enlist NOW!" – An interactive soldier program allows children and adults alike to step back in time and “become” a Union soldier. Participants learn to drill, load and fire a black powder rifle, and see up close what the average soldier carried and learn how he spent his time in between battles (available most Saturday evenings in July and by appointment to groups of 10 or more).

"Civil War Fact or Fiction Tour" – Try to figure out which of the Civil War trivia stories are true and which are false. Score cards and prizes are provided.

For more information on all the American Stories Historic Walking Tours and other programs, call (717) 624-8154 or email [email protected].


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The Gettysburg Museum of History, located at 219 Baltimore Street, contains approximately 4,000 artifacts and is one of the few remaining FREE Civil War museums in Gettysburg. It opened in 2009 and is worthwhile visiting for both children and adults alike. The museum contains an extremely unusual and fairly large collection of Battle of Gettysburg, Civil War, World War II, and other historical artifacts including one of the finest private collections pertaining to former President John F. Kennedy. For more information, go to http://gettysburgmuseumofhistory.com.


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One of the newest and unique Civil War-themed attractions in Gettysburg is “1863 Escape”, located at 344 Baltimore Street in downtown Gettysburg and  is Gettysburg's first Civil War themed escape room experience that appeals to a wide range of audiences. You can be a history buff or a novice looking for an opportunity to solve a Civil War challenge within one hour. As the suspense, excitement, and intrigue build, you will work as a team using your communication skills, intuition, instinct, and logic. You will gather clues, solve puzzles, and hopefully become a Civil War “hero” before time runs out.
For more information, go to http://www.1863escape.com.


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Believe it or not, dinosaur footprints can be found on the battlefield, but since they are located on several of the stone slabs used to construct the top of the walls of the bridge over Plum Run on South Confederate Avenue as you approach the base of Big Round Top, countless visitors have driven right by them without even knowing of their existence. In addition, they can be very hard to see depending on the time of day and the amount of sunlight and moisture on them. Out of the 50 or so slabs (about 25 on each side) on the Plum Run Bridge, there are dinosaur footprints on about 5 of them. There is one easily visible footprint at the west end of the north wall (see the photo below on the right), and most of the other slabs contain many interesting impressions that are worth viewing even if they may or may not be dinosaur footprints:

 Retired Pennsylvania State University Vertebrate Paleontologist Roger Cuffey constructed this map of the East Confederate Ave bridge over Plum road on the Gettysburg National Military Park showing the location of dinosaur tracks:
For more information on the exact location of the dinosaur footprints on the bridge over Plum Run, go to https://www.gettysburgdaily.com/gettysburg-dinosaur-footprints.