• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
This Roller Coaster Called Life

This Roller Coaster Called Life

Life with Homeschooling, Sensory-Friendly Travel, and Reviews

  • Home
  • About Naomi
    • Privacy Policy & Disclosure
    • PR Friendly
    • Contact
    • Favorite Blogs
  • Disney
    • Disney Cruise Line
    • Disneyland
    • Walt Disney World
    • Disney iPhone Wallpapers
    • Planning for Disney
    • Disney
    • My Disneyland Worksheets and Checklists
    • My WDW Worksheets and Checklists
  • Travel
    • California
    • Florida
    • Pennsylvania
      • Hersheypark
      • Knoebels
      • Lancaster
    • Washington DC Area
  • Homeschool
  • Recipes

The Amish Experience

November 29, 2015 by Naomi M. 2 Comments

Share on Facebook Share
Share on TwitterTweet
Share on Pinterest Share
Share on LinkedIn Share
Share on Digg Share

the Amish Experience

The Amish Experience

Thinking back to our September “staycation”, we learned a lot about our Amish neighbors.  We have lived in different places near where Amish have lived, but we never actually had the opportunity to learn more about their beliefs or way of life.  We would see them riding in their buggies down the road, but since we didn’t live in that town, we never had the opportunity to interact.

When we moved to Pennsylvania, learning more about the Amish was on our bucket list.  When we decided to spend our time in September in Lancaster, I searched online and found the Amish Experience.  

The Amish Experience is located between Bird-in-Hand and Intercourse, PA on Route 340.  It is very easy to find and offers several different things to do on their property.  The one thing I was most interested in was Jacob’s Choice.  Jacob’s Choice is show (movie with special effects) that explains some of the traditions, history, and trials of Amish life.  This show was chock full of information about how the Amish came to be in America and how teens make their choice to stay in the Amish way of life or leave the faith.  I really enjoyed this production and walked away with a new appreciation for the Amish.  One thing to note for those with children who are sensory-sensitive:  There are ghosts, exploding cannons, wind and rain, and a bell ringing during the Jacob’s Choice production.

Magic Lantern

The Amish Experience has a Magic Lantern from 1890 that they have painstakingly restored.  I personally have not seen a Magic Lantern Show, but I sure hope to see one soon!  You can read more about the Magic Lantern Shows at Plain & Fancy Farms (the Amish Experience) on their website.

Amish Schoolroom

After we saw Jacob’s Choice, we took a tour of the Amish schoolroom and house on property there.  It kind of reminded me of the time I went to a one-room schoolhouse when I was a kid.  

Sample School Schedule

As we looked around the school, we could see evidence of what school there would have been like.  Above, you can see the lesson plan for all eight grades.  While Amish children only go to school through 8th grade, they do have a challenging course load.  When you consider that they learn our English, speak Pennsylvania German at home, and learn “high” German at school; it must be difficult to keep it all straight.

Pantry

In many ways, the Amish house is similar to ours, but in other ways, it is totally different.  Most of us have a pantry of some sort, and…

Amish Kitchen

like the Amish, many of our homes revolve around spending time in the kitchen.  However, the Amish had a reason for revolving around the kitchen.  This is where their primary source of heat was located.

Amish Battery Operated Lamp

We also got to tour other rooms in the Amish house and learn how they light their rooms after dark.  Many of you probably know that the Amish don’t use electricity.  In the case of the light above, it is powered by a battery.

Amish Outfits for girls

The Amish stay apart by wearing different clothing than we do.  In that wayHere is the typical clothing of a girl through the different stages of her growing up.

Amish Outfits for Boys

Here is the typical clothing for a boy, minus the jacket at the end of the photo.  That jacket might be something that a teen would wear during their “rumspringa”.  Rumspringa is when Amish youth (more commonly boys) experience a great time of freedom.  I think of it as a time when the Amish youth go out to try things that we non-Amish do to see if they would rather stay Amish or become part of the world.  

Amish Adult Outifts

Then, we saw typical clothing for adults.  

Amish Propane Lamp

Back in the living room, we saw a typical form of lighting that is used by Amish.  This was a propane light like you might think of having at a campout.  The propane tank was hidden in this wooden case that would actually roll around, making it easy to move from room to room.

Between the show and tour, we learned a lot about our Amish neighbors.  One of the other things we learned is that the Amish have a 85-90% retention rate.  To me, that is just amazing!  What other faith can boast such a high retention rate? 

After our tour, we went next door to the gift shop.  It is a very large gift shop, and there is also a dining room that serves a traditional all you can eat family style feast.  

The Amish Experience also offers farmland tours, buggy rides, and “visit-in-person” tours.  Make sure to check out their website for hours and times of operation.  If you are looking for a fun learning experience in the Lancaster, PA area, the Amish Experience should be on your list!

Disclosure:  My family and I received free tickets to Jacob’s Choice and the tour of the schoolroom and house.  All opinions are our own.

Share on Facebook Share
Share on TwitterTweet
Share on Pinterest Share
Share on LinkedIn Share
Share on Digg Share

Filed Under: Lancaster, Pennsylvania, Sensory-Friendly Travel, Travel Tagged With: Amish, Lancaster, Lancaster PA, the Amish Experience

Naomi M.

About Naomi M.

Naomi is a homeschool mom of two, one of whom is on the Autism Spectrum. When she is not working or schooling with the kids, she likes to kick back in the recliner to read or to plan the next family adventure.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. AvatarHolly says

    November 29, 2015 at 7:57 pm

    I got to spend a day at an Amish farm last winter and it was a really neat experience. It was what I expected in some ways and totally not in others. I used to live in Delaware County and I wish I would’ve known about this place when I was out there!

    Reply
    • Naomi M.Naomi M. says

      November 30, 2015 at 7:56 pm

      That sounds like a really cool experience! I’d love to do that someday just to see how they manage their day.

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Naomi M.Naomi is a homeschool mom of two, one of whom is on the Autism Spectrum. When she is not working or schooling with the kids, she likes to kick back in the recliner to read or to plan the next family adventure. Read More…

Don’t Miss A Post

Subscribe to our newsletter HERE!

Blogging Disclosure


As a blogger, I may be compensated in some way (either pay, product, or experience) for sharing posts or links with my readers. All opinions are my own.

You may view our GDPR compliant Privacy Policy HERE.

Search

Follow us

  • facebook
  • twitter
  • instagram
  • pinterest
  • mail

Recent Posts

  • Hershey Bears Teddy Bear Toss 2019
  • Strites Orchard – Field Trip
  • Hersheypark in the Dark
  • Hershey Lodge for a Sweet Time!
  • Legoland Florida in One Day

Tags

#B90Days Autism spectrum Best Buy Blog Hop Brave Christianity Christmas Christmas Desserts Disney Disney's Paradise Pier Hotel Disney California Adventure Park Disney Cruise Line Disneyland Disneyland Resort Disney on Ice DIY Easter EPCOT Giveaway Giveaway Hop Hershey Hershey PA Hersheypark Homeschool It's a Small World Lancaster Magic Kingdom Mickey Mouse Monsters University Pennsylvania Pixar Recipe Special Needs St. Patrick's Day Star Tours Storybook Land Canal Boats Tips Travel Vacation Valentine's Day Valentines Desserts Walt Disney World Walt Disney World Resort Wordless Wednesday World of Color

©ThisRollerCoasterCalledLife.com, 2010-2019. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited.

Copyright © 2021 · Magazine Pro on Genesis Framework · WordPress · Log in

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled

Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.

Non-necessary

Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.

SAVE & ACCEPT