Mini Beasts.....

Twice this week I have been into one of the local primary schools (Sophie's!) to try out a little workshop. Now I wanted it to link to a topic that they are already doing and Sophie happened to mention that they were doing mini beasts this half-term. It has not been easy to organise with everything that has been going on in both schools which included an Ofsted for one and a review for the other, plus illness etc, however this week we managed it.

I had a group of 10, 6 year olds and a TA. The bug bodies were pre-cut but the rest was gradually put together by the youngsters.

Using big needles is often a necessity at this age but can also be awkward if trying to go through several layers, but there were no complaints at all. In fact at the end of the first sessions we had a range of half made bugs and I was called 'lovely' by one of the girls!

The googly eyes set it all off and I managed to get some google eyes with eyelashes so we could make boy and girl bugs if they wanted to, which went down really well! I used a glue gun to attach them. We used some funky coloured extra hairy pipe cleaners and plenty of stuffing.

Now, there were 10 little children who really only knew me as 'Sophie's Mum' yet they were friendly, funny, asked lots of SENSIBLE questions, keen, did not want it to end and said thank you and good bye!!! Do I feel that I am working in the wrong school/age group? You betcha!

Went back again this morning to finish them off and they came in with beaming smiles saying hello, saw one earlier in reception and she waved and said hello. We ended up with the colourful group of bugs that you can see above. As we were walking out of the classroom to take them back to the group they were keen to find out if I would ever come back. I found out later that they all did a show and tell after break on their bugs and two of them raved about the whole thing to their friends ( info via Sophie). My TA and I going back to work with another small group early next week and she can not wait to come with me. It is certainly an experience that I and the primary head want to develop. On the whole it brightened up what has been a very dull, bleak and soggy week.

xx