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Each Spring, lambs are born at Mount Vernon! Today, there are usually 70-80 sheep of all ages at Mount Vernon, but in the 18th century, there were hundreds. In 1799, George Washington recorded that there were 640 sheep! Follow these step-by-step instructions to make your own lamb puppet.

Step 1: Color

Draw a face onto the lamb's head and color the ears.

Step 2: Cut the template

With an adult’s help, cut out the lamb template. 

Step 3: Make Your Lamb Fluffy

Glue cotton balls to the body to make the lamb fluffy! You can add a little to the head if you want.

 

Step 4: Almost there!

Glue the lamb to the popsicle stick. Make sure your popsicle stick covers the entire back of the lamb. 

Step 5: Finish Your Puppet

Bend the Pipe Cleaner in half, and tape it to the back of your lamb.

 

This Activity is Sponsored By MARS Equestrian

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Lambs at Mount Vernon

Each Spring, lambs are born at Mount Vernon! A lamb is a baby sheep.  About 20-25 lambs are born every year. They are fun to watch, and they grow really fast!

These lambs have an important job to do– they help preserve their breed. Hog Island Sheep are a heritage breed at Mount Vernon today. This  means they are similar to sheep that were alive during George Washington’s time. Hog Island Sheep are so rare that most of the breed in the United States were born right here at Mount Vernon!

Today, there are usually between 70-80 sheep of all ages at Mount Vernon, but in the 1700s  there were hundreds! In 1799, George Washington recorded that there were 640 sheep! The sheep’s fleece was used to make wool clothing for the enslaved people who lived at Mount Vernon.

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Sheep on George Washington's Farms

Visit our Digital Encyclopedia to learn more about the sheep that lived on Washington's farms in the 18th century. 

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