Helen Georgia is a small interesting town in North Georgia, (USA). It is nestled in the mountains roughly two hours north of Atlanta. Helen has an interesting history that we learned from the famous Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen & Chocolate Factory. It is a unique Bavarian alpine themed town with fun things to do with family & friends. Even though there is more to do with pre-teen and teenaged children, we were able to have a fun, relaxing, and educational day with our little ones (ages at the time: 3 years & 15 months).
Hansel & Gretel Candy Kitchen & Chocolate Factory
We had the opportunity to learn (and taste!) all about their candy and chocolate operation. We also took a FREE behind the scenes tour where we learned about the history of Helen and the chocolate factory AND made our very own chocolate-covered pretzels and marshmallows!
We have also been intentionally teaching our preschooler about different types of jobs. The factory tour was a great opportunity to teach about several different jobs in one location; bakers, decorators, tour guides, and salespeople/cashiers. Could you imagine what it would be like to make and sell delicious treats for others all day long? As a kid, I am sure that is on the dream job list for sure. Sounds yummy!
Follow Up Chocolate & Candy Themed Learning Activities
Creating connections between what we are experiencing in the “real world” and correlating that with our children’s “schooling” is something that is important to me. I mean, isn’t that kind of the goal of education? There are so many fun ways to use candy when teaching children. Below are some resources to use at home after a visit to a candy store or factory or just for fun.
Fun Learning Activities with Chocolate (Various Ages)
Chocolate Chip Cookie Ideas (Toddlers & Preschool Ages)
35 Fun Activities with Candy (Various Ages)
Recipe for Chocolate Covered Pretzels at Home
Charlemagne’s Kingdom: Alpine Model Railroad Museum
Little children love trains! Trains are one of the first locomotives they learn to mimic, “Choo, Choo!” In Helen, there is a cute little model train museum you can visit: Charlemagne’s Kingdom. There is an entire room decorated full of model train pieces put together to resemble a German town. A man and his wife spent years putting each piece in exactly the right spot. If you decide to visit this museum one day, I highly recommend taking the time to truly look at each section of this exhibit. It is easy to do a quick walkthrough and be done, but if you look closely you will actually find different artistic elements and even a bit of humor.
Follow Up Train Activities To Do At Home
Thomas the Train Activities (Various Ages)
Freight Train Activity & Craft Ideas (Toddlers & Preschool Ages)
Train Theme Activities & Printables (Toddlers & Preschool Ages
Alana Falls
I LOVE waterfalls. I greatly enjoy hiking to visit different types of waterfalls both big and small. There is just something so relaxing about watching and listening as the water flows downstream. Alana Falls is a great place to do a little hiking while you are in Helen. Maybe it’s because I am a Florida girl, who is used to the flatlands, but I recommend leaving the stroller in the car for this adventure. I struggled a bit pushing our stroller up the hill to their gazebo and thought I was going to die…hahaha. (Not really but you get the point.)
When I take our children to a waterfall, I encourage them to stop. Stand still. Just listen. This is quite a task for many young children but it is something that is incredibly important to encourage. We all need a little quiet time.
Waterfalls also serve as a great listening activity. When you are quiet and intentionally listening, you hear so many things you wouldn’t if you just rush on. You hear the water rushing, leaves crunching, birds chirping, and so much more. Developing listening skills in a child is very important to aid in the success of their academic development as well as their interpersonal skills.
I also take the time to observe the differences in vegetation, show them the different colors of flowers, point out any animals I may see, etc. We create conversations about what we are seeing/hearing and maybe even smelling.
Alana Falls is a beautiful relaxing area in the hustle and bustle of this busy little town and is worth the time to stop and listen.
Shopping!
If you like to do a little shopping on vacation or enjoy sipping a coffee at a cute cafe then you can do that in Helen! During our time in Helen, it was a warmer day toward the end of summer so we needed a little refreshment after all of the walking we did. We grabbed a smoothie from one of their local shops and sipped on them as we did a little window shopping. The little ones noticed there was a toy shop so we had to stop. We visited Tim’s Wooden Toys where we found a little store full of toys made from wood. The girls loved it and had to get something (of course they did right!?). We ended up leaving with a homemade wooden pink sword, a wooden cell phone, and a little wooden rattle. As we were leaving, the girls could see them personally engraving wooden signs, ornaments, and toys for their customers.
Wooden Play Ideas
Using a variety of elements from nature is a great way to encourage creative and imaginative play. Here are some ideas to help you encourage this at home.
Mini Woodland Forest House
My grandfather created a wooden birdhouse for us and we transformed it into a little cottage for woodland creatures. We took other pieces of wood we had lying around to create steps and a base. We also gathered stones to create a bedrock with a tiny bridge for her animals. Then we placed real flowers and succulents around to create the idea that the house was hidden away in a tiny forest. Our girls have spent hours playing pretend with this little house.
Create Your Own Nature Blocks
Create your own nature blocks for your children to use in their play. Click HERE for a tutorial on How to Create Your Own Waldorf Inspired Nature Blocks.
We had a wonderful time exploring Helen, Georgia and hope you will too one day. This is a popular tourist destination and I’m sure it stays pretty busy; especially during Christmas by what I hear. Even though there weren’t as many things to do for the little ones, it was still worth making a day trip to visit with family and friends.
To read about more of our adventures in Georgia click HERE.
