0:00:21 > 0:00:23This story belongs to Kai
0:00:23 > 0:00:25and his mummy, Georgina.
0:00:25 > 0:00:28It's a tiny tale about how children, just like you,
0:00:28 > 0:00:31lived a long time ago - over 100 years.
0:00:38 > 0:00:40- Shall we take some photos, Kai?- Yes.
0:00:40 > 0:00:42OK, all right.
0:00:42 > 0:00:43Selfie...
0:00:43 > 0:00:46CAMERA SHUTTER CLICKS
0:00:46 > 0:00:48Cool.
0:00:49 > 0:00:52But now it's time for Kai and Mummy, Georgina,
0:00:52 > 0:00:54to go on a journey of discovery.
0:00:54 > 0:00:56Together, they're going to find out
0:00:56 > 0:00:59what life was like all those years ago.
0:01:01 > 0:01:04What do we need to pack for our holidays, Kai?
0:01:04 > 0:01:07- Clothes, books and Peter Rabbit. - Oh, yeah.
0:01:07 > 0:01:10We can't forget Peter Rabbit, can we?
0:01:12 > 0:01:14Holidays are a really special treat.
0:01:14 > 0:01:17Yes, very special.
0:01:17 > 0:01:21I know a story about a little girl, who loved going on holiday
0:01:21 > 0:01:25with her family. And her favourite place was the Lake District.
0:01:25 > 0:01:29Her name was Beatrix Potter and she lived in the Victorian times.
0:01:29 > 0:01:31What's Victorian?
0:01:31 > 0:01:35It's a long, long time ago when Queen Victoria was in charge of the
0:01:35 > 0:01:39country, and the people who lived at that time were called Victorians.
0:01:39 > 0:01:42- You know Queen Elizabeth, our Queen?- Yeah.
0:01:42 > 0:01:45Well, Queen Victoria was her great, great grandma.
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Can you tell me about Beatrix, please?
0:01:48 > 0:01:51Absolutely! But before we do that,
0:01:51 > 0:01:54- I think we should dress up as Victorians.- Yes, please.
0:02:06 > 0:02:10- What do you think of our clothes, Kai?- Cool.
0:02:10 > 0:02:14- Would you like to wear these every day?- Yeah.- You would?
0:02:14 > 0:02:18Mummy, I love your dress. It's really pretty.
0:02:18 > 0:02:21Thank you, I think you look fantastic.
0:02:21 > 0:02:25- Shall we strike some cool poses? - Yeah.- Come on then.
0:02:25 > 0:02:28Wow, look at Kai and Mummy, Georgina, now -
0:02:28 > 0:02:32dressed up in clothes, just like Beatrix would have worn
0:02:32 > 0:02:35all those years ago, in the Victorian times.
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Kai is wearing short trousers called knickerbockers.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42The trouser leg fastens below the knee
0:02:42 > 0:02:45and has a matching vest and jacket.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51Kai and Mummy, Georgina, look ready for their big adventure.
0:02:51 > 0:02:53But where will they go?
0:02:58 > 0:03:01Mummy, Georgina, has brought Kai to Wray Castle.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04This was where Beatrix and her family came on holiday
0:03:04 > 0:03:08and the first place she ever visited in the Lake District.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Like many Victorian families,
0:03:10 > 0:03:14the Potters would be away on holiday for three months of the year.
0:03:15 > 0:03:19Do you know, Beatrix would have played here as a child?
0:03:19 > 0:03:24- Cool, I would want to do that. - Would you? It's amazing.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27- This is a big staircase, isn't it? - Yes.
0:03:27 > 0:03:31Imagine, Beatrix would have walked up here when she was a little girl.
0:03:31 > 0:03:35You know, Beatrix used to spend her whole summer holidays here
0:03:35 > 0:03:36when she was a child.
0:03:36 > 0:03:39Just look at all of these suitcases,
0:03:39 > 0:03:41and this wouldn't have been half the luggage
0:03:41 > 0:03:44that they would have brought with them.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Mummy, Georgina, and Kai are going outside,
0:03:47 > 0:03:49and it's started to rain -
0:03:49 > 0:03:51just like real holiday weather.
0:03:51 > 0:03:56Do you know that Beatrix's holidays were really long - the whole summer?
0:03:56 > 0:04:00She spent all that time away from her house in the city with
0:04:00 > 0:04:01her family and pets.
0:04:01 > 0:04:03What about school, Mummy?
0:04:03 > 0:04:05That's a very good question, Kai.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08But Beatrix didn't go to school at all.
0:04:08 > 0:04:09Wow, no school.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13Many Victorian children had a governess that taught them lessons
0:04:13 > 0:04:17at home, so she didn't go to school. So when it was Beatrix's holidays,
0:04:17 > 0:04:22the governess would go with her and she'd be learning the whole time.
0:04:22 > 0:04:24Can you imagine going on holiday
0:04:24 > 0:04:27- and your teacher being there giving lessons?- No.
0:04:27 > 0:04:31When she didn't have school, what did Beatrix like to do on holiday?
0:04:31 > 0:04:35Beatrix loved exploring the countryside. She loved nature
0:04:35 > 0:04:38and art, so she would draw things she saw there.
0:04:38 > 0:04:42Her governess thought that she was very good at drawing animals
0:04:42 > 0:04:44- and nature.- I love animals too.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Well, I know somewhere that we can go that you'll enjoy.
0:04:59 > 0:05:01Now it's time for Mummy, Georgina,
0:05:01 > 0:05:05and Kai to get up close to some little animals.
0:05:05 > 0:05:08They're visiting Wetheriggs Animal Sanctuary,
0:05:08 > 0:05:11a place where animals, like ducks, goats,
0:05:11 > 0:05:14ponies and many more are cared for.
0:05:14 > 0:05:17I'm sure Beatrix would have loved it here.
0:05:17 > 0:05:22Let's see who Kai and Mummy, Georgina, get to meet.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25- Who's this, Kai?- Peter Rabbit.- Yeah.
0:05:25 > 0:05:29Did you know that Beatrix, when she grew up, she wrote a story
0:05:29 > 0:05:35about a naughty little rabbit that she had when she was a little girl.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Do you know what that book was called?
0:05:38 > 0:05:42- Peter Rabbit.- The Tale Of Peter Rabbit, well done.
0:05:42 > 0:05:46Beatrix wrote the story and drew beautiful pictures to go with
0:05:46 > 0:05:50it for her governess' little boy when he was ill.
0:05:50 > 0:05:53Isn't he cute?
0:05:53 > 0:05:55Yes.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Look, there's a little hedgehog.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00I've never seen a white one before.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04Did you know that Beatrix Potter wrote a story about a hedgehog?
0:06:04 > 0:06:07It was called The Tale Of Mrs Tiggy-Winkle.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11Not all children had pets like Beatrix in the Victorian time.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14- Why, Mummy?- Because they had really big families.
0:06:14 > 0:06:19About five or six children, so they couldn't look after pets as well.
0:06:19 > 0:06:22Instead, children would have played with toys
0:06:22 > 0:06:26- that they had made or played outside together.- Playing outside's fun.
0:06:26 > 0:06:30It is. Beatrix used to love playing outside.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33That's where she used to copy all the things that she drew.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37And that's what she did for Mrs Tiggy-Winkle and Peter Rabbit.
0:06:37 > 0:06:43- Quack, quack, quack. - That's a great duck noise, Kai.
0:06:43 > 0:06:46Do you know who might have written a story about a duck?
0:06:46 > 0:06:51- Beatrix.- Yes, well done. Her duck was called Jemima Puddle-Duck.
0:06:51 > 0:06:54Jemima Puddle-Duck, I like that name.
0:06:54 > 0:06:59- It's a good name, isn't it?- Yeah. - Shall we try and draw and paint our
0:06:59 > 0:07:01- own version of Jemima Puddle-Duck? - Yeah.
0:07:20 > 0:07:24- Shall we show Jemima Puddle-Duck our paintings?- Yeah.
0:07:27 > 0:07:29Oh, I think she likes them.
0:07:31 > 0:07:35- I think your picture's fantastic, Kai.- I think yours are brilliant.
0:07:46 > 0:07:50During Victorian times, people didn't have computers or e-mail,
0:07:50 > 0:07:52so everything had to be sent in the post.
0:07:52 > 0:07:56Kai is sending his grandma his drawing of Jemima Puddle-Duck.
0:07:56 > 0:08:00He's putting it in a postbox in Beatrix's village -
0:08:00 > 0:08:02just like Beatrix would have done.
0:08:12 > 0:08:15Mummy, Georgina, has bought Kai to visit Hill Top -
0:08:15 > 0:08:18one of Beatrix's homes when she was a grown-up.
0:08:18 > 0:08:21She wrote many of her famous stories here.
0:08:21 > 0:08:24And nowadays it's a museum, a place where people can visit
0:08:24 > 0:08:27to look at all of Beatrix's favourite things.
0:08:27 > 0:08:32And see what gave her ideas for her world-famous stories.
0:08:32 > 0:08:36- This is a really pretty house. What do you think, Kai?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:08:36 > 0:08:40This room's called the parlour and it's probably where Beatrix
0:08:40 > 0:08:44would have entertained her friends and her guests.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46And she might have come in here to read books
0:08:46 > 0:08:51or maybe write some of her stories. I've got a special book for you.
0:08:51 > 0:08:54The Tale Of Samuel Whiskers.
0:08:54 > 0:08:56Excellent reading, Kai.
0:08:56 > 0:08:58What's it about?
0:08:58 > 0:09:02It's about a really mean rat called Samuel Whiskers
0:09:02 > 0:09:05and a naughty little kitten called Tom Kitten.
0:09:05 > 0:09:09And one day Tom Kitten was running away from his mum
0:09:09 > 0:09:11and he fell down into Samuel's house.
0:09:11 > 0:09:14Samuel Whiskers wasn't very happy about that.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17So do you know what he did?
0:09:17 > 0:09:20He tried to roll him up into a roly-poly pudding
0:09:20 > 0:09:22and eat him for his dinner.
0:09:22 > 0:09:25That sounds like a funny story.
0:09:25 > 0:09:29Children have been reading Beatrix's books for over 100 years.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33- And do you know what's really special about this book?- No.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36It was set in this very house.
0:09:36 > 0:09:40There are things in this house that are in this story.
0:09:40 > 0:09:42- Like furniture and stuff?- Yeah.
0:09:42 > 0:09:46Do you want to see if we can find things from this book in the house?
0:09:46 > 0:09:48Yes, please.
0:09:55 > 0:09:59What do you think we can find in this book that's in this room?
0:10:02 > 0:10:05- The two chairs.- Well done.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07Cousin Ribby was sitting there,
0:10:07 > 0:10:11and Mrs Tabitha Twitchit was sitting over there.
0:10:11 > 0:10:14Shall we see what else we can find?
0:10:16 > 0:10:18What can we see in the book now?
0:10:22 > 0:10:23The sideboard.
0:10:23 > 0:10:27Oh, yeah. Really good. Well done. That's Anna Maria -
0:10:27 > 0:10:31Samuel Whiskers' wife. That's what Beatrix Potter used to do.
0:10:31 > 0:10:34She used to look at things, study them and draw them
0:10:34 > 0:10:36and put them in her stories.
0:10:36 > 0:10:40- Shall we see what else we can find? - Yeah.- Come on, then.
0:10:45 > 0:10:47It's Mrs Tabitha.
0:10:47 > 0:10:50Oh, yeah. Well done. Good spotting.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55You know, I heard that Beatrix had a room where
0:10:55 > 0:10:57she kept all her special treasures.
0:10:57 > 0:10:59Like pirate treasure?
0:10:59 > 0:11:01Not quite pirate treasure.
0:11:01 > 0:11:05But just a room full of her special and precious things.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Wouldn't it be cool if we had a place to store our treasure?
0:11:08 > 0:11:11- Shall we go and find Beatrix's treasure?- Yeah.
0:11:24 > 0:11:28Beatrix and her brother, Bertram, used to collect lots of things.
0:11:28 > 0:11:31Collecting things was a really popular hobby
0:11:31 > 0:11:33for children in Victorian times.
0:11:33 > 0:11:38They used to collect loads of things, like dolls, rocks, stamps,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40and even insects.
0:11:40 > 0:11:42Look in this treasure cabinet.
0:11:42 > 0:11:44I see money.
0:11:45 > 0:11:48Little animals.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50Marbles.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53- Jugs.- Loads of things in here.
0:11:53 > 0:11:56Did you collect anything when you were little, Mummy?
0:11:56 > 0:12:00When I was a little girl? I used to collect marbles.
0:12:00 > 0:12:04I used to try and collect as many of them in as many colours as I could.
0:12:04 > 0:12:07- That sounds like good fun. - Yes, it was.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21Kai, have you enjoyed yourself,
0:12:21 > 0:12:24finding out all about the Victorian times?
0:12:24 > 0:12:27Yes, I loved finding out about Beatrix
0:12:27 > 0:12:29and her stories and pictures.
0:12:29 > 0:12:34- Can you remember all the different things that we've done?- Yes.
0:12:34 > 0:12:39'We got all dressed up in clothes like the Victorians would have worn.
0:12:39 > 0:12:40'They're very cool.
0:12:42 > 0:12:47'We visited a castle where Beatrix went on holiday...
0:12:47 > 0:12:50'and saw lots of suitcases.
0:12:50 > 0:12:52'We met some little animals,
0:12:52 > 0:12:57'hedgehog, bunny rabbit and ducks.
0:12:57 > 0:13:02'We drew our own Jemima Puddle-Duck, just like Beatrix.'
0:13:02 > 0:13:04I think she likes them.
0:13:04 > 0:13:10'We visited Beatrix's old farmhouse, where she wrote her stories.
0:13:10 > 0:13:12'We looked at her treasure room.
0:13:14 > 0:13:20'I spotted things from one of Beatrix's books in her farmhouse.'
0:13:20 > 0:13:22What did you enjoy the most, Kai?
0:13:22 > 0:13:24Stroking Peter Rabbit.
0:13:24 > 0:13:28Oh, me too. I loved holding Peter Rabbit.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32But most of all I enjoyed spending time with you.
0:13:32 > 0:13:37- Now that we've had our adventure, it's time for a...- Hug.
0:13:41 > 0:13:44What a fabulous heap of fun.
0:13:44 > 0:13:47That was Kai and Mummy Georgina's tiny tale
0:13:47 > 0:13:50about what it was like living during the Victorian times,
0:13:50 > 0:13:52over 100 years ago.
0:13:52 > 0:13:56Now Mummy, Georgina, has shared this story with Kai,
0:13:56 > 0:13:59it's time for Kai to start to his very own story.
0:14:01 > 0:14:04Do you know someone with a story to share?