Kids

The Victorians

Welcome to our guide to the Victorians, where you can learn about England’s history, discover more about our sites and find loads of fun things to watch, read and do! Here's what we've got in store for you:

Victorian videos

Featured: Meet Mr Chuck the butler and make a model of Brodsworth Hall!

Take a look around the beautiful Brodsworth Hall and Gardens in South Yorkshire and watch as young Members interview the butler, Mr Chuck. Find out who owns the house and what life is like as a butler, then make your own mini model of Brodsworth using our downloadable templates and step-by step instructions.

Make your model

  • Episode 4: Victorians

    Could you have survived the Victorian era? Discover what life was like for the rich and the poor and try our delicious biscuit recipe at home!

  • Draw Queen Victoria and Prince Albert

    Calling all aspiring artists! Join our Kids Rule! illustrator Wesley Robins to learn step-by-step how to draw these famous royals.

  • Meet the Butler at Brodsworth Hall

    Discover what life was like for Mr Chuck the butler at Brodsworth Hall. Learn about the family he worked for and daily work for a Victorian butler.

  • A day in the life of a Victorian apprentice

    Watch this video to discover a day in the life of Edward Mashiter, a 12-year-old apprentice at Stott Park Bobbin Mill in Cumbria in 1865.

  • Meet Victorian Cook Mrs Crocombe

    Head to the kitchens at Audley End to meet cook Mrs Crocombe, and discover how the food made it from the kitchen up to the Braybrookes in the dining room.

  • A Day in the Life of Prince Bertie

    Meet eight-year-old Prince Bertie, the eldest son of Queen Victoria.  It's June 1850 and the royal family are staying at Osborne on the Isle of Wight.

Image: illustration of Charles Darwin holding a red book with a finch next to him

Who was Charles Darwin?

Who was Charles Darwin? Explore the life of this famous Victorian scientist - his family home at Down House, his experiments and a very famous book! 

Plus, find out how you can have a go at conducting your own experiments at home, inspired by Darwin and learn to draw this famous scientist.

Discover Darwin

Things to make and do: get creative with our Victorian themed activities

Image: Completed scrapbook project

Featured: Make your own Victorian-style scrapbook!

Read all about the history of Victorian scrapbooks and find out what people used to save in them. Then discover how to make your very own scrapbook for keeping all of your special souvenirs and keepsakes together in one place!

Make your scrapbook

  • BAKE some QUEEN DROP BISCUITS

    Bake some queen drop biscuits, using instructions from a handwritten recipe in Mrs Crocombe’s very own book.  Download the recipe, and ask an adult to help you to make the biscuits.

  • DESIGN A CARD FOR QUEEN VICTORIA

    Discover how Queen Victoria liked to celebrate her birthday as well as the history of birthday cards, then use this as inspiration to design a card fit for a queen!

  • Colour a Victorian poster

    Download this sheet to colour your own version of our Victorian history timeline poster!  Get creative with coloured pencils, pens or paints to bring this scene to life.

  • More things to make and do

    Browse our best ideas and get hands-on and crafty with history – there’s plenty to be inspired by. Simply download our easy-to-use templates and instructions, and get making!

Queen Victoria's Story

How much do you know about Queen Victoria's life?

Explore some of the best bits from her story, from her strict childhood, to becoming queen, marrying her prince and ruling the British Empire...

Discover Queen Victoria

Read Kids Rule! online

Read issues 10 and 25 of Kids Rule! magazine to learn about life for the Victorians. Explore Queen Victoria's home on the Isle of Wight, find out about Charles Darwin's experiments and life for his children, find out if you're up to Victorian standards with our fun quizzes and much more!

The Kids Rule! magazine series follows the history of England, to help you discover more about the past through fun facts, illustrated stories, games, puzzles and competitions.

Image: Illustration of Victorian cook Mrs Crocombe mixing a bowl with a table of food behind her

What's for dinner in a Victorian country house?

Lord and Lady Braybrooke are holding a grand dinner party at Audley End. Dinners could be fancy affairs, with as many as 15 to 20 guests enjoying several courses, each served with wine from the house cellar.

Find out what's on the menu and download a poster to colour in your own kitchen scene. Then try cooking one of Mrs Crocombe's recipes for yourself!

Join Mrs Crocombe in the kitchen

Test your knowledge with our fun quizzes!

Download a Victorian poster!

Image: illustration of a busy Victorian industrial city

We've created a series of posters showing how people lived in England through the ages, like this one showing life in a busy Victorian city. If you're feeling creative, why not download our blank sheets and colour your own posters using pencils, pens or paints.

Each of the historical posters follow on from each other, so that when you download them all you can create your own mega timeline of English history!

Download your poster