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It’s Half Term From Home Schooling

Congratulations to all those parents who have been coping with homeschooling their child/children. It’s the Half Term holiday next week and time to take a well deserved break. You’ve been indoors for months – here are some ideas to relieve the monotony of Lockdown and perhaps do something a little different this half term holiday.

You can celebrate Valentine’s Day on Sunday 14th with little ones by baking some heart shaped biscuits or making cards for someone they love.

Sunday is also the Chinese New Year – Read more HERE.

Tuesday 16th is Shrove Tuesday – Luckily pancakes are very easy to make and children can get involved with the whisking, tossing, decorating and eating!

Tell your children about Shrove Tuesday:

Shrove Tuesday is a Christian festival celebrated in many countries across the globe. It is the traditional feast day before the start of Lent on Ash Wednesday. This was to remember when Jesus went into the desert for 40 days to fast and pray. Lent is a period of around six weeks leading up to Easter. During Lent, Christians give up rich, tasty foods such as butter, eggs, sugar and fat (some Christians continue to do so). Shrove Tuesday was the last chance to eat them. Anglo-Saxon Christians went to confession and were “shriven” (absolved from their sins). A bell would be rung to call people to confession. This came to be called the “Pancake Bell” and is still rung today.

The exact date of Shrove Tuesday changes from year to year. But one thing stays the same — it’s always 47 days before Easter Sunday. In the UK, Ireland, Australia and Canada, Shrove Tuesday has another name – Pancake Day!
The ingredients for pancakes are seen to symbolise four points of significance at this time of year:
Eggs ~ Creation
Flour ~ The staff of life
Salt ~ Wholesomeness
Milk ~ Purity

The pancake has a very long history and featured in cookery books as far back as 1439. The tradition of tossing or flipping them is almost as old: “And every man and maide doe take their turne, And tosse their Pancakes up for feare they burne.” – Pasquil’s Palin, 1619.
Pancake Races are a common and competitive activity: people racing each other whilst tossing a pancake in a pan.

Exercise:

Climb to the top of Lewesdon Hill 🙂

The MUGA next to the school will be open for socially distanced personal exercise and playing outdoor games with those in your bubble. It is free to use.
To book your time slot please contact David Leader on: 01308 868275
Mobile: 07867 608652
Email: dleader@broadwindsorgroup.gov.uk

Joe Wicks also known as The Body Coach, performs live PE classes online that can be done from your living room helping the nation’s children stay active during throughout Lockdown – not just for the holidays – Click HERE.

Baking:

There are innumerable sources of recipes available online. The National Trust offer a selection of simple and enjoyable cake, biscuit and savoury recipes for you to bake at home with your children – Click HERE.

Create a Bug Hotel for your garden:

The photograph shows you the wide range of simple things which can provide a home for smaller creatures. You probably won’t need to buy anything, as it will all be lying around the garden or in wooded areas. Think about the creature you’re making a home for – does it need to be warm, light, dry, dark, cold, or wet? Don’t despair if animals don’t move in straight away. Many will take time to get used to a new place. The Woodland Trust have a good page with more advice on building a Bug Hotel – Click HERE.

Recreate a Cinema Trip:

Let the children choose the film in advance and decide a specific time during the day to watch the film. The children can personalise tickets if they want to. Arrange cushions and comfort in the room. Draw the curtains and have the lights off. Have a selection and supply of popcorn, drinks, sweets and choc ices for movie snacks or any interval.

Look Up!

With dark evenings and later bedtimes, share some time together looking at the stars on a clear night. Orion is easily spotted in the Southern sky. You’ll need warm clothes and some patience but it is worth it.
You can see the path of our Milky Way easily once your eyes have become accustomed to the darkness.
The crescent of the New Moon will be in the dark sky, growing every night until it is Full on 27th February.
Night Sky & Star Walk are two popular apps for iOS and Google Sky for Android.

Make A Time Capsule:

We are all agreed that we are living in unprecedented times – make a time capsule. In years to come, when Covid-19 is discussed the way the plague or smallpox is mentioned in history books now, you might want a unique way to remember the smaller details of living through it. Have your child locate items around the house that are unique to the Lockdown habits you’ve formed as a family and put them into a time capsule.

Put On A Performance!

With school pantos, plays and assemblies all cancelled this year, here’s an opportunity to scratch that performing itch. If you plan it over the whole week, putting on a show for your family and friends could become a real focal point. It could be a solo performance, or include parents, siblings, toys, even pets.

Monday: Formally invite your audience with a Zoom, Hangouts or Skype invitation to the Big Show on Friday. Decide what the story is. A retelling of their favourite film or nursery story? Or one they’ve made up on their own?
Tuesday: Casting and getting into character. Who’s going to play what role? Talk about what each character thinks and feels. ‘Workshop’ some or all of the story and be inventive. Trying things out makes all the possibilities of a performance come to the fore.
Wednesday: Think about costume and scenery. Dressing up or make something new. For kids, wearing adults clothes and accessories can be very entertaining. Don’t forget about the make-up. For scenery and props – get inventive with your furniture and decor.
Thursday: Practise, practise practise!!
Friday: Showtime! Remember, this is for fun, so don’t fret and it really doesn’t matter if it all goes a bit pear-shaped ‘on the night’. Your audience will appreciate being invited to some live (and utterly unique) entertainment.

Remember to press record on your phone or Zoom screen creating a memory you’ll cherish in years to come.

The Shakespeare Globe offer Telling Tales: a selection of online storytellings and workshops that you can connect with from home. With options for ages 3-16 years, meet their educational practitioners as they immerse you in the world of Shakespeare’s plays.
Join by Zoom to share in the joy of Shakespeare’s stories on until 21st February 2021. Click HERE.

Check out A Zoo Cam:

Yang Guang, one of Edinburgh Zoo’s giant pandas

Watch the animals live at Edinburgh Zoo –

Visit museums, zoos and other attractions Around The World – Click HERE.

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Wendy Shields