Wednesday 16 December 2015

Cloth ears and telescopes





'Knock, Knock, Knock, we're knocking at the door!' 

No, the little Sunnyside learners haven't accidentally locked themselves out of their Reception classroom, no.....these are the words to one of several songs they're busy learning and practising each day in preparation for the Sunnyside Nativity performance. 

To help these tiny little thespians get into the Nativity mode, the home corner has been transformed into a stable. In the stable, (a large painted cardboard box complete with wood effect finish,) there is a lamb, (stuffed of course) a manger, (in which lays a swaddled baby doll,) and a mound of Nativity costumes to facilitate a spot of Nativity role play.

From the moment it was created, this humble shelter has been a great hit with the little learners, and the queue to don a shepherd's tunic and, or, a pair of jewel encrusted angel wings, has at times stretched the length of the classroom. 

This afternoon as Mrs Crayon was hastily fashioning some gold, frankincense, and myrrh for the three Kings to present to the Baby Jesus in the Nativity production, a little learner approached her and boldly announced that he was going to make and wrap a telescope to give to the baby "Cheesus". His proclamation subsequently caused the waiting nativity role players to abandon their spot in the queue and to start scouring the classroom for items to wrap up and give to the baby.

After half an hour of feverish parcel wrapping, baby Jesus' crib was crammed with parcels containing; one large magnet, a dry wipe pen, various farm animals, a set of pastry cutters, an empty box of cappuccino sachets, a glue stick, a plastic lemon, a hole punch, Mr Potato Head, and Mrs Crayon's glasses. 

All this gift wrapping sparked much talk of birthday celebrations among the participating little learners, and the discussions soon turned to the all important milestone of turning five.   
"And when is your birthday poppet?" asked Mrs Crayon to the little learner beside her struggling to wrap an ironing board. "Well...!" he began, wrestling the sellotape dispenser, "Mummy keeps telling me when it's my birthday....but I keep don't knowing!" 

Mrs Crayon on the other hand, is at the stage now where she makes a point of 'don't knowing' her birthdays! 

So, from birthdays to Christmas, and the Sunnyside crew (young and old) would like to wish you, dear readers, a very merry Christmas, and a very happy New Year!
        


When is my birthday Mum?


When is my birthday mum?
'Cause I don't know
I had a birthday once before,
But that was long ago.
I feel I'm due a birthday soon,
But don't know when,
Although I've asked you lots before,
I'm asking you again!

When is my birthday mum?
'Cause I regret,
Me ears are on the blink,
And so I forget.
I feel I'm due a birthday soon,
But don't know when,
Although I've asked you lots before,
I'm asking you again!

When is me birthday Mum?
'Cause I'm not sure,
I can't recall the date,
Because I'm only four.
I feel I'm due a birthday soon,
But don't know when,
Although I've asked you lots before,
I'm asking you again!

When is me birthday Mum?
I haven't got a clue.
I sense my constant asking tho'
Is really testing you.
I can't remember days and months,
And yet I've really tried,
They seem to go straight in one ear,
And out the other side!


When is my birthday Mum?
Forgive me for the crime,
Of asking you this question now,
For the one hundredth time.
The art of being patient
Is too hard to comprehend,
So I'm sorry if I've driven you
Completely round the bend!



"I'll try again later!"

Thursday 3 December 2015

Ills, Pills, and Daffodils




Thanks to some persistent blustery weather, the Sunnyside School garden is currently carpeted throughout with Autumn leaves blown in from all corners of Whippy Cove bay.  
This event has delighted the little Sunnysiders because Autumn leaves, as it turns out, are perfect for a spot of magic potion making. Simply throw soggy Autumn leaves into a large saucepan and add some play sand, multi-purpose compost, grass cuttings, dried pasta, a few drops of food colouring, a plastic squid and a Lego man and pour on water. Sprinkle in a generous helping of glitter, and.....hey presto, not only do you have the most hideous mess, but you also have a class of extremely happy and fully engaged little learners all mixing, stirring, pouring and conjuring. 

Positioned alongside this frenzy of mixing, stirring, pouring, and conjuring this afternoon, was a warmly dressed Mrs Very Jolly and a small group of equally swaddled little learners, studying the latest mound of Autumn leaves to be deposited into the Sunnyside garden. Armed with magnifying glasses, binoculars and home-made telescopes in some cases, Mrs Very Jolly and her little band of investigators, examined the structure and features of individual leaves under their various lenses. As well as studying the leaves, the little learners had great fun ordering them by size, colour and shape, and when they'd had enough of that, they threw them into their potion pots and smashed them to bits with wooden spoons!

In the midst of all this investigating and pulverising of leaves, Mrs Very Jolly became aware of a tap, tap, taping on her arm. The tap, tap, tapper was a little learner dangling an earthworm in her non-tapping outstretched hand. Desperately trying to suppress the need to jump seven feet in the air in response to said worm, Mrs Very Jolly tried to encourage the little learner to send her wriggly friend on his way by popping him onto the grass. As the little learner did so, she informed Mrs Very Jolly that her Granddad was sad. 
"Oh dear, I'm sorry to hear that. "Why is your Granddad sad?" Mrs Very Jolly asked, keeping a watchful eye on the somewhat disorientated worm.
"Well.....slugs made holes in his flowers," reported the little learner giving her worm friend a shove to help him along.
"Ah, yes, slugs.....they certainly can be trouble when it comes to flowers," sympathised Mrs Very Jolly. "So what did Granddad do about it?" 
"Well," began the little learner, "he gave his flowers some flower pills, and....they're all better now!"

Having had first hand experience of troublesome slugs herself, a very intrigued Mrs Very Jolly couldn't help wondering whether Granddad's 'flower pills' would also help restore her unsightly lawn following the constant excavation antics of her resident pesky Mole. 



Flower Pills


Are your flowers full of holes?
Are they disturbed by pesky moles?
Are you overrun with strangulating weeds?
You can cure your flower ills
With my Granddad's flower pills,
They're the answer to your cultivation needs.

Be it mole, or slug, or snail,
Flower pills will never fail
To send pests packing, that's a guarantee.
Then the Garden you once adored
Will be magically restored,
You could open up and charge an entrance fee!

Pop flower pills around your soil,
And you won't ever need to toil.
Simply wait and watch your vegetation soar.
Be it Daisies or Daffodils,
Dose 'em up with flower pills,
And be the envy of the folks who live next door!




"I'm thinking you may have overdosed Granddad!"