Rufus Posted October 21, 2008 Share Posted October 21, 2008 I'm in need of a little inspiration. We have been talking about our next topic and the children are interested in Bonfire night and witches/Haloween. Not wanting to focus too much on the haloween aspect, because the school have had previous complaints but I still want to keep with the theme that the children have suggested. We are going to tie it in with our autumn work - we will look at Bonfire night and Diwali, doing lots of colour based work. We will also look at spiders and hedgehogs and other hibernating animals. I thought of introducing the witches theme by reading books like Meg and Mog and room on a Broom and then writing a letter to the children from the witches. Stating that their home is being knocked down (a wooded area near our school is being built on) and they need a place to stay for a while, could the children build them a home? From this we will turn our role play into a cave. Then we will make jointed bats, write letters back to the witches, fly off on a broomstick adventure - keeping the haloween aspect quite low key. Where i need your help is that I would like some good ideas for some problem solving activites to present to the children and can only think of 2 - 1. The witches have left their broomstick back at their old home, can they make a device that will help them fly around? 2. The wtiches need to cross a river to go and retrieve their broomstick can the children help them to do this without them getting wet? Any more ideas would be very very gratefully received. My reception children are very able and I would really like to make them think a little. Thanks in aniticipation. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 maybe how will the witches let their family and friends know where they now live. Possibly make up a rhyme for change of location, or map from old to new dwelling? Maybe the witches have lost ther spell book during the move, can they think of some new ones so that the witches can still do their jobs of 'casting spells'. Sounds like lots of inspiring fun. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 maybe how will the witches let their family and friends know where they now live. Possibly make up a rhyme for change of location, or map from old to new dwelling? Maybe the witches have lost ther spell book during the move, can they think of some new ones so that the witches can still do their jobs of 'casting spells'. Sounds like lots of inspiring fun. Peggy Oooh, I like the ideas of the spell book going missing - we can make lots of lotions and potions linked to that - real mess and goo in the tuff spot. Thanks Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 You could put jellibaff in a cauldron with a big wooden spoon and let the children fish for the items in the potion (plastic mini-beasts etc) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Posted October 22, 2008 Author Share Posted October 22, 2008 You could put jellibaff in a cauldron with a big wooden spoon and let the children fish for the items in the potion (plastic mini-beasts etc) What is jellibaff? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HappyMaz Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 What is jellibaff? Have a look here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jennyjenkinz Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 oooh I can't wait to get my hands on that....looks amazing! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 22, 2008 Share Posted October 22, 2008 Re Jellibaff-My local large tescos occasionally stocks it and I stock up as its cheaper than the web-site.I don't use a full box I make it up in a bucket using a third of the powder.One bucket full does a black tray.I currently have green jungle swamp (which I shall be using with dinosaurs and buckets when we do Harry next half term) and blue lagoon sea. I'm waiting for the magic colour change one to come it at Tesco's but that would be so cool for the witches potions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagelFace Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 How are you planning on making the cave? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Posted October 23, 2008 Author Share Posted October 23, 2008 How are you planning on making the cave? My role play area is in a room about 5mx5m. I am going to attach retractable washing lines from wall to wall and hang fabric from them, this will help lower the ceiling height to create that cave effect. I also thought we could make d&t bats using toilet roll tubes and hang them from the ceiling. The rest is up to the chidlren, I will ask them what they want in it and knowing them they will fill it iwth bizarre ill fitting things like a tv and a telephone. But it's there cave to they can put what they like in - within reason. If anyone has any more ideas to add to the cave effect I would be very interested to hear them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagelFace Posted October 23, 2008 Share Posted October 23, 2008 Sounds like a good idea. What about black plastic bags scrunched up and stapled to the walls. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Posted October 23, 2008 Author Share Posted October 23, 2008 Sounds like a good idea. What about black plastic bags scrunched up and stapled to the walls. ooh yeah! I could have some stalagmites and stalactites too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagelFace Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Did you create any stalactites and stalagmites? If so how did you do them? I am putting my ideas together now and thought this would be a good thing to add but not sure how to go about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Did you create any stalactites and stalagmites? If so how did you do them? I am putting my ideas together now and thought this would be a good thing to add but not sure how to go about it! hi ya can you not just roll up white card so it is like a whichs hat and hang them upside down? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 Bubble wrap on the floor under black material - nice noise. You could get that web stuff at tescos that you can stretch, you might get it cheap after holloween. I love gelibath. The broomstick needs to be long enough for the witch and her cat-maybe some measurement. Address labels to send the new address to the withches. A witches house warming party. Look at maps where have the withches travelled from. Spells - who are you going to turn into a frog and why? Sound a really fun theme/topic/mini topic/children's interests oh you know what I mean. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluestar Posted October 28, 2008 Share Posted October 28, 2008 We love the story 'Room on the Broom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rufus Posted October 29, 2008 Author Share Posted October 29, 2008 Got some broomsticks from sainsburys for 99p - excellent. We started today! A letter arrived from the witches, saying that their home was being knocked down by the council so could they come and stay for a few weeks? The children suggested making a cave and then we went into our wooded area to see if we could find any clues of where there home was. They loved it, they found lots of things to suggest that the witches used to live in the woods - crayons, empty packets, footprints. I can't wait til tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BagelFace Posted October 29, 2008 Share Posted October 29, 2008 Oh what fun - sounds great! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 30, 2008 Share Posted October 30, 2008 Got some broomsticks from sainsburys for 99p - excellent.We started today! A letter arrived from the witches, saying that their home was being knocked down by the council so could they come and stay for a few weeks? The children suggested making a cave and then we went into our wooded area to see if we could find any clues of where there home was. They loved it, they found lots of things to suggest that the witches used to live in the woods - crayons, empty packets, footprints. I can't wait til tomorrow. How inspiring sounds like it's really taken the childrens imaginations. Have you thought of taking a photo of each 'stage' of this story as it play out, then you could print one picture per page, with a caption, laminate, bind then you have created your own preschool Witches Adventure Story Book. The children, I am sure, will love to 'read' and revisit the story/experience for years to come. You could even produce copies to order and sell for Xmas funds. Peggy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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