Wednesday, May 11, 2011

Sayers Croft - Day 3

We're home!  Just wanted to add a quck post to update and add a few pics of what we got up to today, although I imagine you probably have all had a blow by blow account from your children!

This morning only 3 children were awake when I went to get them up at half 7 - a bit of a change from yesterday!.  After a gentle wake up call, the children got ready, packed their bags and stripped their beds.  After breakfast, we went out for out final activity session with Kate and Jess the dog.

Jess, ready for action!
We started in the lab getting an up close look at the animals of Sayers Croft.  The site had a wide range of stuffed animals (which had died from natural causes) which the children got to get a close look at.  They took lots of pictures!

Next we went on a bug hunt and examined lots of minibeasts.


Next we played some games to learn some more about seed dispersal.  First we had to run around and gather everything we needed to grow as seeds.  Then we had an added obstacles of birds in our way!


If we got caught by the birds we became bird poo!

Finally we had a game of nose jousting!  It involved lots of masking tapes and laughing!

Nose jousting!

We sat outside and had a picnic lunch because another school was already in our dormitory (boo!) and then had one final play in the adventure playground before we got our suitcases and headed to the mini-bus.

BYE SAYERS CROFT!

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Sayers Croft - Day 2


Thank you so much everyone for all your comments - we have read them all and they really gave us a boost.

Last night at bedtime we were mainly good and got a good night's sleep, although the girls were awake before 6 and dancing in the hallway!

After a breakfast of beans on toast, we went ballista building.  Luke says it was "really fun!"  We had to use a ballista to fire wet sponges at each other.  At first we were pretty bad but we got better and Lucy N managed to hit Bella, and Ned hit George from the bottom of the hill!  We then had a distance test which Ned was winning for ages, until the very last sponge when George was victorious!

Flying Bombs Team!

Shoreham VC Team!

Next was the blindfold trail and the maze.  In the blindfold maze we all had to wear blacked out goggles and be led around obstacles.  Erin says Elise was a very good leader and managed to get her the whole way round really carefully. 

Chris leading Bella through the blindfold maze.

We were a bit disappointed at lunch as all the cheese and bacon turnovers were gone as we were last to get our lunch.  Thaila was especially upset because it was going to be her first time trying one!  Instead we had jacket potato with beans - yes we really did have beans for two meals running!

After lunch we split into two groups and did rock climbing and the low ropes course.  Jake scaled the rock wall within seconds, amazing everyone!  Jenna was like a small monkey climbing round the outside of the rock wall - it was quite incredible seeing the way she moved!  Amongst many others, Mia managed to climb the rock wall twice, after much encouragement when she decided she was stuck and couldn't move! 


Elise completing the rock wall for the second time!

After some encouragement on the low ropes course, Rebecca managed to complete the tarzan rope, together with a loud, 'Rebecca-style' scream!  Mrs Pape joined us this afternoon, it was lovely to see a familiar face.

Oliver doing the 'tarzan swing'!
We have just returned from the campfire, where we toasted marshmallows - Elsie successfully managed to set fire to every one of her marshmallows!  Everyone had to find their own stick and after about 20 failed attempts, Jamie managed to find the 'perfect' stick to toast his marshmallows with!  We then learnt some new campfire songs, including 'Zombie', 'Pirate Song' and 'Gingganggooly'.  Erin and Thaila were stars, starting off the 'Pirate Song' and reteaching everyone the words!


Singing round the campfire.

Bedtime now - we are looking forward to coming home tomorrow...although not too much!

Awards so far...
The award for most brushed hair goes to Ned, closely followed by Katie.

The award for most changes in a day goes to Elise, who wore somewhere in the region of six different outfits today!

PS - technical issue sorted, photos are up for today and yesterday!

Monday, May 9, 2011

Sayers Croft - Day 1


The adventurers set off!

We're here!  The journey was pretty uneventful and we almost made it the entire way without anyone throwing up!

The adventurers arrive!
When we first got here we got all our luggage, went to reception and got our keys for our dormitory, which is Bramley.  It is the best, most luxurious one here!  We made our beds, then got our luggage and unpacked.  We had a practice fire drill and it made us all jump out of our skin because it was so loud.

Then we had lunch.  Elise said it was the best 'school' dinner she has ever had!  The clean plates certainly seemed to back that comment up!



After lunch we started our first activity, which was orienteering.  We started in the 'triangle' between Peaslake and Friday Street.  It was fun because we got to explore Sayers Croft by ourselves.  Oliver and Chris were the clear winners of this activity, completely both challenges in no time at all.


Ready to start orienteering.
Next was shelter building.  We were supposed to make our shelter bear-proof, water-proof and wind-proof. 

We all got drenched on the water test and Lucy O got eaten by a 'bear'!

Lucy before the bear attack!

Oliver was the 'toad-catcher' for this activity as there were a lot of toads in the area. 


Luckily everyone was wearing 'Bob the Builder' helmets as the shelters were also not wind-proof!


Before dinner we all went to the field and had a game of football or played on the adventure playground.  Another team joined us and although they cheated, we still beat them 4-1!

We have just come back from our night walk where we made friends with some trees and got to see what it was like to be a mouse. 

We also went into the round house and found out what life would have been like inside the first proper houses ever built.

In the morning we are building ballistas, we can't wait!

Lots of love,
Moore Class