Rolins Strawberry Farm Excursion

Our playgroup decided a visit to a local strawberry farm would make a wonderful spring excursion, and we had been looking forward to our visit with much anticipation.

We visited Rolins Strawberry Farm, Elimbah (near Caboolture). This 20 acre farm has been operating for 20 years. We got a wonderful playgroup deal in which the children were able to pick 500g strawberries, and receive a homemade strawberry ice-cream and a chocolate dipped strawberry for only $8 each.

On arrival the children were each given a basket to fill, and we followed our lovely host Donna who took us to our picking tunnel, and showed the children how to pick strawberries correctly.

Tips for picking strawberries - avoid touching the berry, break it off along the stalk instead.

Such delicious, juicy strawberries it was too hard to resist eating them along the way!

And they were soooo sweet!

Baskets full, it was time to take a rest on the grass - and eat more strawberries.

Then we went to see some of the pickers in their carts.

Some expert tips for baskets of delicious strawberries like this;

1. Buy some good runners (as opposed to the seedlings in punnets)

2. Give them lots of water, but strawberries don't like to be watered from above - put a watering spike into the ground and water them that way.

3. Liquid fertilisers (such as fish emulsion, seaweed) are good.

4. Strawberries need to be pollinated - take one of your flowers and gently touch it to the other flowers.

Time for some strawberry ice-cream anyone?

And the chocolate coated strawberries went down a treat...

they didn't last long at all.

The children played on the lovely wooden playground whilst the mamas recovered their energy.

Then a few fun photos...

before it was time to head home.

Spring Celebration

Families arrived with scrumptious spring food and fragrant flowers.

We made our way out to our picnic spot, shaded by some friendly trees.

Through the meadows let us walk

See what wonders spring has brought...

The flowers were a beautiful centrepiece for our circle time as we sang our songs of spring.

Then we set to work weaving beautiful flower crowns

Spring is here!Spring is here!

From flowers make your crown.

Place them on your sunkissed heads

Join hands and dance around.

(Old Freedom Train, Shayne Jackman)

The children chose their flowers and mamas helped plait their crowns with green rafia. The flowers were then woven through the plait.

Crowns ready, it was time for the Maypole.

In and out, in and out,

Weave the ribbons tight.

'Round the maypole we will dance,

To the left and to the right.

We wound our way around the maypole to some lively accordian jigs.

The table was laden with fresh, vibrant spring fare for our Spring Feast.

Then it was time for our Magical Bubble Wands.

The children gathered around eagerly to receive their wands.

"Bubbles, bubbles, the most beautiful bubbles we've ever seen

Bubbles, bubbles, lets catch a rainbow dream"

(Susan Perrow)

Who can resist the magic of bubbles?

Finally we ended our beautiful morning with outside Storytime.

Spring is here!

Spring is here! Spring is here!

As the warmth and joy of spring emerges around us, we are having a most wonderful time at playgroup. The jasmine and freesias and wisteria are blooming, and during circle time outside we stop and breathe in deeply, as their scents gently drift past.

Our song time too is full of joyful verses and new energy that draw us out of that wintery place within.

We have been busy playing with magical bubbles, such enchanting things with their 'rainbow dreams' swirling within. We have also been telling Susan Perrows magical story "The littlest bubble".

Spring Bubble Painting

The children absolutely loved this painting, it is so much fun, so easy and gives such beautiful results.

In a bowl squirt a little bit of dishwashing detergent, a little bit of liquid watercolour and a little bit of water. Add a straw and BLOW until the bubbles overflow. And yes - we did have a couple of children who sucked - ewwh (but one did go back for more!)

Gently put your piece of paper over the bubbles (we used watercolour paper but any heavy paper or cardboard will do).

Do this a few times until your paper is covered in the most beautiful rainbow bubble pattern.

The photos don't do this any justice, but they looked so lovely that I made extra for our 'Welcome Spring' Celebration invitations.

Wire and Bead Bubble Wands

What is a spring celebration without bubbles?

So we set to work making beautiful bubble wands in preparation for our spring celebration.

The children chose their beads, the mamas set to work twisting and curling gold, silver and copper wire to create these most spectacular pieces of art.

Each wand is so unique and they all look so beautiful sitting in a vase on my bench awaiting next week - they remind me of dream catchers. Make sure you have a look in later to see how we made them.

Our wands were inspired by the wands of Erica and James of Wizard Bubblewands. If you are looking for a unique birthday or Christmas gift their work is beautiful.

wizardwand2@gmail.com

http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Wizard-Bubble-Wands/168586097790

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!