explorer day, ages 5 - 7, Thur 27th Oct 2011

An explorer day in the countryside around Swainswick with 9 young children.  No photos, too wet.

We set off, grey skies and spits of rain.  I got prickled by boys with 'rhino noses'.  We crossed the 'cow pat' field.  Rosie ran on ahead.  We entered a woodland.  "It's freaky" someone said.  We had a fruit snack.  Drops of rain dripped on our heads.  Felix hung his bag up and got stuck up a steep bank.  We moved on, clambering down through the wet wood.  There is lots of dead wood.  Hannah notices how some dark wood looks like a shiny black slug.  We cut fresh hazel poles.  Children enjoyed the exertion of pulling the poles out of the tree.  We sat down and peeled our sticks.  "I'm a hunter", Yvan, pointing with his spear.  We stumbled and slipped along a muddy path,  full of fox holes.  We arrived at our super dooper cosy camp site.  Actually it was raining and it wasn't until we'd put our shelter up and we're eating lunch that it was cosy. There's a big tree to climb along.  We had a woodland picnic, different combinations of sausages, cheese, bread and ketchup.  Freya kindly shared her nice cakes with us.  The rain poured on.  Our camp has mudslides.  The rope swings went up.  Max was concerned about the creaking nouse when he was on it.  The rain seemed to slow it's drop-rate - pitter patter on the dead leaves.  Bastian, Yvan, Max and I had a nice game tickle chase, "RUN FOR YOUR LIVES!"  Hannah had a nice game of throw with Rosie.  Freya, Anna, Felix and Sophia really enjoyed the fire - heating up the ends of their sticks.  We had marshmallows.  Bastian shared his veggie one.  Hannah, Freya and Anna had a hilarious game of slipping over on purpose on a muddy bank, Oscar poured more water on!

Best bits:-  Max - having food, going on the swing and being tickled; Yvan - umm, urr, umm... lighting my stick on the fire; Sophia - sliding down the mud when Oscar was laughing at me; Freya - GETTING MUDDY... GETTING MUDDY... GETTING MUDDY!; Anna - stepping in cow pat, peeling my stick and falling over in the mud;  Felix - playing on the swings, eating marshmallows and having a look at the view too; Bastian - playing the tickle chase game;  Oscar - setting the tent up;  Hannah - marshmallows, peeling my stick and going on the swing

Leaders:- Sue, Rachel and Rosie (the dog)