Before you go

western france for children

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video clips to watch before your children go to western france

The Life of Claude Monet 13:07

Claude Monet for Kids: 2:14

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Who is Joan of Arc? 5:25

D-Day History for Kids 9:25

Movies to watch before your children go to western france

  • Linnea has been in Paris. And she has visited the painter Claude Monet's garden! She even stood on the same little Japanese bridge that Monet painted so often in his pictures. In Paris, Linnea got to see many of the real paintings.

    Now she can understand what it means to be called an Impressionist, and she knows a lot about Monet's life in the pink house where he lived with his eight children.

  • Mickey Mouse, Donald Duck and Goofy are lowly French peasants who dream of greatness as members of the musketeers. Though they are rejected by that elite unit, conniving Pete hires them to "protect" Princess Minnie Mouse, believing their incompetence will make it easier for him to usurp the throne. Naturally, Minnie is instantly smitten with Mickey. And though the trio is a bit overzealous at first, they work together to uncover and foil Pete's nefarious plot. Micky is held captive by Pete on Mont Saint Michel

  • The year is 1429. France clings desperately to independence as English invaders advance into French territory. Just as the city of Orleans seems certain to fall, a 16-year-old maiden from Lorraine rises out of nowhere and through sheer, bold faith rallies her countrymen to a surprising victory. Yet the celebration is short-lived; through treachery the English kidnap the girl, brand her a witch, and burn her at the stake. And so is born the astonishing, but true tale of Joan of Arc.

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Books to read before your children go to western france

  • A lovely book about artist, Claude Monet from the series, Anholt's Artists Books for Children. Julie lives in Paris, but she longs to walk in a beautiful country garden. When her mother takes her on a visit to rural Giverny, Julie discovers a beautiful garden and befriends the man she believes is the gardener. In fact, he is the garden's owner, the immortal artist Claude Monet.

  • Claude Monet is one of the world's most beloved artists--and he became famous during his own lifetime. He rejected a traditional life laid out clean and smooth before him. Instead he chose a life of art. But not just any art: a new way of seeing that came to be called impressionism.

    Monet loved to paint what he saw around him, particularly the Seine River. He was initially rejected for using bright colors, tangled brushstrokes--condemned for his impressions. But soon art dealers and collectors were lining up each morning to see as Monet saw. Monet, however, waited only for the light. The changing light...each morning he had a dozen canvases on hand to paint a dozen different moments. His brush moved back and forth, chasing sunlight--putting in the arduous work to create an image that seemed to contain no effort at all.

  • Claude Monet is considered one of the most influential artists of all time. He is a founder of the French Impressionist art movement, and today his paintings sell for millions of dollars. While Monet was alive, however, his work was often criticized and he struggled financially. With over one hundred black-and-white illustrations, this book unveils a true portrait of the artist!

  • Against the fascinating tapestry of Frances history during the Hundred Years' War, Diane Stanley unfolds the story of the simple thirteen-year-old village girl who in Just a few years would lead France to independence from English rule, and thus become a symbol of France's national pride. It is a story of vision and bravery, fierce determination, and tragic martyrdom. 

  • Joan of Arc was born in a small French village during the worst period of the Hundred Years' War. For generations, France had been besieged by the British. At age 11, Joan began to see religious visions telling her to join forces with the King of France. By the time she was a teenager, she was leading troops into battle in the name of her country. Though she was captured and executed for her beliefs, Joan of Arc became a Catholic saint and has since captured the world's imagination.

  • First published in 1966, this beautifully illustrated book has been specially re-released to commemorate the 950th anniversary of the Battle of Hastings in 2016. Complete with stunning dust jacket, this facsimile copy of the original includes all the memorable art that people love and remember.

  • Ranger, the time-traveling golden retriever with search-and-rescue training, heads to Normandy during World War II!

    In this adventure, Ranger heads to Normandy on the morning of the D-Day invasion and finds himself in the middle of one of the fiercest battles of World War II. Ranger meets Leo, a Jewish boy who is hiding with a local farmer, and Walt, a young African-American soldier fighting to free France from the Nazis. Walt is in the 320th Balloon Battalion, so it's his job to help operate the enormous barrage balloons that fly over the American troops, shielding them from enemy planes. It's pure chaos, with thundering warplanes, falling bombs, and exploding land mines. Will Ranger, Leo, and Walt survive?

  • In November 1885, impressionist painter Claude Monet vacationed in Étretat, France, where he spent his days outside, painting scenes of the seaside village. One morning he rose early and carried all of his supplies and half-finished paintings out to the cliffs and rocky beach, finally stopping to paint the arch called Manneporte. Eager to capture the scene before him, and aware that he must work quickly to catch the light, Monet became so engrossed in his work that he forgot to watch the incoming tide. Based on a true incident, MONET PAINTS A DAY introduces readers to the life and nature of this illustrious impressionist. Interspersed throughout the story are excerpts from the painter’s notes and letters, while a second layer of text and back matter includes information about Impressionism as a whole. Lush watercolor illustrations in the Impressionist style give readers a visual for this artistic movement.

  • In May of 1940 -- the early days of World War II -- half a million British and French soldiers were trapped in France. Weak and wounded, they needed aid. Help came in the form of countless small craft, steered by brave young men, in the legendary armada of "little ships" that sailed aross the English Channel. Many people wanted to be a part of the rescue mission. Here is the story of a girl who was so determined to help that she disguised herself as a boy to blend in with the men as they sailed toward Dunkirk.

  • A “witty thriller”  about how the Mona Lisa was stolen from the Louvre, how the robbery made the portrait the most famous artwork in the world—and how the painting by Leonardo da Vinci should never have existed at all.

  • Henri has an urgent mission from a top French Resistance agent in the fight against the Nazis—and the agent also happens to be his mom. He has to deliver a secret map to another town before the German soldiers can catch him.

    But on his way, he encounters Ace, an American paratrooper dog who’s landed far away from the beaches of Normandy, and Elle, a war orphan who needs his help. Ace needs to get back to the frontlines so he can protect his handler, and helping would put Henri way off track. But then they’re captured by enemy troops.

    Ace, Elle, and Henri have to learn to trust each other—and their unlikely allies—so they can escape in time to help the Allied forces in their historic invasion.

    Told from the alternating perspectives of Ace and Henri, this action-packed adventure is inspired by the stories of the real paradogs of WWII and the brave members of the French Resistance.

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  • Eleven-year-old Paul’s French village has been under Nazi control for years. His Jewish best friend has disappeared. Food is scarce. And there doesn’t seem to be anything Paul can do to make things better.

    Then Paul finds an American paratrooper in a tree near his home. The soldier says the Allies have a plan to crush the Nazis once and for all. But the soldier needs Paul’s help.

    This is Paul’s chance to make a difference. Soon he finds himself in the midst of the largest invasion in history. Can he do his part to turn horror into hope?

    New York Times bestselling author Lauren Tarshis tells the story of the battle that became the foundation for the Allied victory in World War II. Includes a section of nonfiction backmatter with more facts about the real-life event.

articles to read before your children go to western france

Giverny Facts for Kids

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Nat Geo for Kids: Joan of Arc

D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy

Nat Geo for Kids: The Norman Conquest

Mont Saint Michel: Facts for Kids

Brittanica for Kids: Dunkirk Evacuation

crafts and stem to do before your children go to Paris

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  • Create a beautiful water lily, inspired by Claude Monet, and in preparation for seeing them yourself at Giverny! Click here for instructions.

  • A lifelong love of art is one of the greatest gifts an adult can bestow on a child-and no period of art is better loved or more available to children than Impressionism. Monet and the Impressionists for Kids invites children to delight in Cassatt's mothers and children, Renoir's dancing couples, and Gaugin's island scenes; 21 activities explore Monet's quick shimmering brush strokes, Cezanne's brilliant rectangles of color, Seurat's pointillism, and Degas's sculpture-like circles of dancers. Kids will learn how the artists' friendships sustained them through repeated rejection by the Parisian art world, and how they lived, painted, and thrilled to the vibrant life of Paris at the approach of the 20th century. A resource section guides readers to important museums and Web sites around the world.

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  • Discuss Joan of Arc’s courage, your child’s courage to do hard things, and then decorate Joan’s quote, either in your children’s handwriting or on a printed version. Display in your child’s room for motivation from Saint Joan!

  • Discover and experience the magic and awe-inspiring artwork of world-renowned impressionist artists with. Thirty of the most captivating Impressionist paintings have been meticulously reproduced as black-and-white line art that can be colored using your favorite medium--pens, paint, pencils, or even crayon! Color Your Own Monet and the Impressionists has a sturdy three-millimeter board cover that acts as an easel for easy coloring and provides a realistic artistic experience. Each illustration is printed on a heavy paper stock, and the book includes an index of the original paintings--which are reproduced in full color on the inside front and back covers to help you to match the artists' palates or inspire you to mix your own colors.

  • Have your children write a personal story of a meaningful event. On 8×8 inch squares of cloth, using fabric markers, have your children illustrate scenes from their story. They can add key words and additional details, as was included on the Bayeux Tapestry, if desired. Sew the squares together.

  • Make your own paratrooper art. Click here for instructions.

games to play before your children go to western france

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  • D-Day portrays the Allied landings in France and the resulting drive to the Rhine. A game takes 50 turns, each representing one week of real time, during which the Allies must establish a beachhead, breakout, organize a Patton-like dash across France, and sustain 10 divisions across the Rhine in the face of heavy German opposition.

    Game includes two scenarios, (one historical and one "what if," covered by basic and optional rules), a complete historical background and list of weapons, tanks, and aircraft.

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  • Explore the eye of master artist Claude Monet and experience a unique biographical adventure! Test your skills and perseverance as you overcome the progressive disease that threatened Monet’s eyesight and solve puzzles to help the painter complete some of his greatest masterpieces.

    About the Game:
    The Master’s Pupil is a puzzle adventure where you will travel across the iris of Claude Monet and help him complete his masterpieces.

    Throughout the game, you will encounter and overcome increasing challenges as Monet experiences loss, like the passing of his wife Camille, and struggles with the cataracts that threatened his art making. Consider color, space, and physics as you traverse the world of his eye - as one wrong color combination or move can end your journey.

  • JOAN OF ARC: ORLEANS A new 'Draw & Write' game in the Orléans universe! In Joan of Arc, you will draft followers that will help you move around France, gather goods, build buildings, establish trading stations, make money, and contribute to beneficial deeds. The player who best utilizes their followers will score the most points and win the game! How will you pave your path toward victory? Each round, a number of Follower Tiles are drawn from a bag. Players take turns drafting these Followers and taking actions that correspond to the Follower they chose. After all the Followers have been drafted, the bag resets and another round is played. Quick playing strategy board game with 45 minute playing time for 1-5 players. Game can be played solo or competitive with more players. In the Solo Mode, you compete directly against Joan of Arc. The Solo Mode also includes 3 difficult levels!

Puzzles to do before your children go to western france

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    • 4-IN-1 ART PUZZLE：A box of puzzles can have 4 happy! The jigsaw puzzle gift box contains 4 world famous paintings：The Starry Night、Mona Lisa、Two Sisters and Water Lilies.The size of each piece after completion is 10×7 inches

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  • This stunning 500-piece jigsaw puzzle is just the right level of challenge for all ages—from children to adults

    The Galison Monet jigsaw puzzle features double-sided pieces, so it is two puzzles in one. One side is matte and the other is glossy for easy sorting between two iconic Waterlilies paintings.