3 Billy Goats Gruff

Another of our favourites this winter was the retelling of the 3 Billy Goats Gruff. My own daughter loves retelling our playgroup story to me when everyone has gone home, and this was one she particularly liked.

First we wet felted some landscape mats.

The next week the children (and mamas) had a great time making their own unique trolls from a basket of 'bits' - rocks, corks, fleece, felt scraps, googly eyes.

Bridges were found from wood offcuts and seedpods.

Finally, some billy goats made from simple cardboard cut outs!

Flutter flutter Butterfly

This week we made some lovely floaty spring butterflies.

But first, Cat, one of our mamas made us a real treat for morning tea.

Isn't it gorgeous - the children loved eating their caterpillar sandwhiches!

To make our floating butterflies we used some rectangles of tissue paper (approx. 9x13cm) in a range of lovely spring colours, pipecleaners around 15cm long, sticks collected from our yard and lightly sanded, and string.

For each butterfly take 2 pieces of tissue paper and curve the corners for a softer shape. Wrap your pipecleaner around the centre and twist to make the antenae. Tie one end of the string onto your butterfly and the other onto your stick.

The children loved their butterflies, they look beautiful, and what a cheap and easy activity. This idea was from the book Earthwise, which is full of cheap, easy and environmentally friendly ideas for young children.

Flutter, flutter butterfly

Floating in the springtime sky.

Floating by for all to see

Floating by so merrily.

Flutter, flutter butterfly

Floating in the springtime sky.

(author unknown)

Caterpillars in our garden

Who's been eating all the vegetables out of our garden???

And my biscuits and CHOCOLATE!

It must be this cheeky little fellow in the middle, who grew and grew with everything he ate!
The children loved listening and watching as the tiny caterpillar popped out of his egg and proceeded to "eat" a hole through each piece of food, and grow a 'beadsize' bigger (which was hiding inside the hole in the vegetable), each time.

Then he rolled himself up into a silvery cocoon, and emerged a beautiful butterfly which fluttered around the childrens heads!

(This was a combination of two ideas for the story posted on mamamoontime - thanks Amber)

Then a whole host of wriggling caterpillars emerged from the clever little hands of our children, who loved beading and sewing felt circles onto elastic threads.

Now my garden doesn't stand a chance!

Sweet Porridge

For the past few weeks we have been telling the story 'Sweet Porridge', perfect for those chilly winter mornings, and the children have been busy grinding oats during our indoor time.

This morning we finally cooked our own Sweet Porridge. The children measured in their oats and water, and added a little salt and sultanas. We took turns to stir, and sang our porridge song as we kept watch for the bubbles...

Porridge is bubbling, bubbling hot

Stir it round and round the pot

The bubble plip and the bubbles plop

It's ready to eat, all bubbling hot!

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Add a little milk and honey...

Delicious!