Adventures Aloud      Return to Top

Tales of the Towpath is a children’s book about a man’s return to his childhood, a journey back to an age when anthracite coal was fueling America’s industries and canals were the country’s highways. The book is available for purchase online here, but we’d like to invite you to join our talented staff for an Adventures Aloud read-along that brings Tales of the Towpath, and the adventures of young Finn Gorman to life!

We also have two more books from our collection available as part of the Adventures Aloud series: A Full Hand by Thomas Yezerski, and Bridgetenders Boy by Linda Barth.

Educational Video Collection     Return to Top

The educational videos collected below are part of the National Canal Museum’s educational outreach programs, made available to help bring the museum to you at home!

Immersion Days are designed for approximately a fourth-grade audience, and introduce the science, technology, engineering, and math (S.T.E.M.) behind the building and operation of the Lehigh and Delaware canals.

Freemansburg Canal Education videos are an extension of in-person and virtual field trips offered to schools in conjunction with the Tales from the Towpath curriculum.

Canal Coloring Pages          Return to Top

Coloring pages are fun for kids of all ages (and even adults…. we won’t tell!)   Color our mules Hank and George, design your own canal boat, or fill in a scene from along the canal!

Click on the thumbnails below to print out full-page PDF versions of your favorite designs.  Email a picture of your finished product to visitorservice@nulldelawareandlehigh.org, and we’ll post it on the NCM Facebook page!

Crafting Along the Canal      Return to Top

The kids who lived along the canal would have made their own toys and games to fill the time between chores, helping out on the boat, a locktender’s house, or other jobs.

Click on the images below to view or print full-size instructions for crafts that might have been made along the canal!

Salt Dough	Salt Dough Christmas Ornaments	Buzzsaw Toy
Clothespin Dolls	Fold an Origami Boat	Build a Canal Boat
Make your own Paper Dolls		How to make a Hoopstick

Canal Activities       Return to Top

Need a way to burn off some extra energy while learning more about canal life?  Try one of these fun and educational activities!

Click on the images below to view or print full-size instructions for activities that will keep your whole family busy!

STEAM: Winch and Pulley	STEAM: Wheel and Axle	STEAM: Simple Machines Matching Activity
STEAM: Simple Machines Labeling Activity	STEAM: Simple Machine Scavenger Hunt	STEAM: My Boat has a Rudder!
STEAM: The Wedge Challenge	STEAM: Inclined Planes Marble Run	STEAM: Buoyancy, Make a Cork Boat
How to Build a Bee Condo	Scavenger Hunt	Nature Journaling

Cooking on the Canal       Return to Top

Hard work builds hearty appetites, and no matter where you were along the canal, you’d be looking forward to dinner time!  Why not try out some authentic canal recipes for yourself?

Click on the images below to view or print full-size instructions for some simple, hearty food that you can make in your own home.

Hunks-A-Go Pudding

Pork Float Stew

Salted Pork

Dough Dabs