A little later waking up this morning, beauty regimes have taken a bit of a back seat to a good night’s sleep. Most were still up and about by 7.30am and went to breakfast at 8.10am for the usual mix of cereal, toast, cooked breakfast and drinks.
The theme of the day was Fantasy Forest. However, it should have been rain! I seriously doubt that anyone would have chosen a day of rain in a Yorkshire Forest as their idea of fantasy. However, the children were prepared for bad weather and waterproof jackets and trousers were quickly put on. Mr Britten complemented his purple coat with a delightful pair of green waterproof trousers. Elise thought that it would have been better if they were yellow but I think that would be a step too far.
The first activity of the day involved comparing a coniferous forest location with a deciduous one. It was a difficult task. They were both very wet and totally lacking in shelter from the rain. Weather readings were taken - surprisingly it was raining! Moisture readings were taken - wet! Light readings were taken - dark. Wind readings were taken - If there is a wet type of wind - that is what is was.
Lunch time came and we had a change in the weather. It rained even harder. Beef, cheese, chicken or tuna cobs with hula hoops and chocolate cake. Fruit was also available. Lee discovered the reason why it is not a good idea to use your rucksack as a seat. His lunch consisted of flat beef Frisbee, chocolate slice and hula fragments. For drink he enjoyed a banana smoothie.
After lunch we went on a mini-beast hunt. Unfortunately, the mini-beasts had forgotten to pack their waterproofs and had left the forest in search of a hot drink and warm pair of slippers. There were very hard to track down. Josh A did find a centipede struggling to sort out his slippers and quickly captured it in an bug spaceship(a real piece of equipment) and we all crowded round to admire his catch.
The rain continued and most struggled to be enthusiastic about insects and were often found under the leafiest tree.
Amazingly, the rain stopped and allowed the children time to play some popular Cranedale games including Queen Bee, Moths and Bats, Sticky Feet and The Germination Game. The later involved a lot of running, blatant cheating (Alex P) and the unusual sight of Lee, Josh W and Oliver B shouting “I’m a poo!” at the top of their voices.
With the rain returning, we retreated back into the forest to hug some trees! We knew it would happen! This was a blindfold game which was great fun. Oliver P got so attached to his tree he started licking the bark. He claimed he was marking his territory although others thought he was just hungry.
The rain continued and a new challenge was set for the children. Perfume making. Honestly, I’m not making this up (mostly). Oliver B and Alex P created a scent called “Sniff my whiff!” A rather charming aroma that according to Oliver S just lacked the tear of a mermaid! A ridiculous suggestion - even mermaids don’t like to get this wet!
The last activity of this wet day involved an attempt to ambush the other group. Camouflage was required. Mud was mixed with slug slime to darken our faces and bracken was used to disguise our red hats against the backdrop of the forest. Mr Britten finally found a flaw with his purple coat which proved very difficult to cover up. With the stealth of a ninja and the cunning of a fox, Mr Britten’s group attempted to ambush Miss V’s group. Miss V’s group had a distinct advantage - They didn’t wear bright purple and used the higher ground to claim victory.
We returned the centre a little wiser and a lot wetter. The showers were calling and after depositing our waterproofs in the drying room we were soon warmer, dryer and cleaner.
Evening meal was mushroom soup, chicken pie and fruit salad. Empty plates were quickly tidied away and the children spent the evening completing their eco-books and playing games.
