End of Term Party (2012-12-17)

We started with a game of Octopus, which anyone can join as they arrive. Accompanied on the piano with Jingle Bells by Iona.

When everyone had arrived we had Circle News: Connie, Jo's dad, Jago and Tegan had all hurt themselves. Tim has a job to go to in January (thanks for the round of applause!). Debbie is going to the theatre for her birthday, Millie had her birthday, Iona will have her birthday on Thursday. Molly is going to be in the paper as she was in the school nativity. Xanthe brought in a picture of the thrush she had and took to St Tiggywinkles. Magnus and Millie went to the live manger. Dylan went to Dick Whittington. Izzy was in a ballet show.

We played Parachute Games.

Then we ate party food: lots and lots of goodies washed down with Strawberry and Banana smoothies.

Leaders: Tegan, Debbie, Tim
Helpers: Richard, Ellen
Elfs: 14
Woodchips: 2

Merrymoot (2012-12-10)

Quite a few people who could not make it due to illness. I forgot to take any photos.

We told our news around the circle: Iona has hurt her foot; Millie-Maye has a sprained elbow; Lisbeth has a new Stove; Izzy has a school disco; Xanthe has been to see two plays, one of which her cousins have performed in. Magnus went to the Deep Dark Woods and spread Don's ashes in Shotover; Dylan has been to see Dick Wittington; Arran made mince pies; Jago is going to his old school fete. Ivo spent break running away from his worst friend. Whilst Jo and his family were picking up his Christmas tree his mummy left the boot shelf out, and reversed over it, but it didn't break. Connie has a neighbour who has a blow up santa in the shape of Homer Simpson; Flora was slapped by a classmate.

At the end of the circle Xanthe showed her jazzy Rudolph.

We then made a list of all the turns that people wanted to perform.

We decided to play Dead Ants whilst those who needed to rehearse did so.

We sat in a circle around the piano, and had a biscuit waiting for the show.

Merrymoot 2012
Flora	Showed an acrylic of an elephant
Connie	Showed her reindeer
Jago	Performed MnaMna
Arran	Did a coin trick and sang a song.
All	Sang Puff the Magic Dragon
Ivo	Sang A recipe for Disaster
Flora	Played Jingle Bells on the clarinet
Xanthe	Played Scarborough Fair and Saint Paul's Steeple on the piano
Magnus	Invited a number of volunteers to an arm wrestling tournament
Iona	Played Jingle Bells on the piano
Magnus and Jago	Demonstration pecking fight
Jago	Another, improved, performance of MnaMna
Xanthe	Played Two Themes on the piano
All	Sang Little Donkey, led by Molly

After a quick vote, and another half biscuit, we decided to play Four Corners with first Millie-May and then Jago in the blindfold.

We had lost track of time: we ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Tim, Lisbeth
Helpers: Jude
Elfs: 11
Woodchips: 0

Walk in the Dark (2012-12-03)

Everyone arrived on time and already wrapped up, so we did not have a circle, instead going straight out.

Tegan brought in the bags that had been held back from the Green Winter Fair. (There are still a few left, they cost £1.50).

Before we went out everyone was given a number around the circle, we practiced shouting out in order, a trick that had worked well in the dark at Shotover.

We walked around Aston's Eyot, stopping by Don's Wake for a biscuit, given out in number order.

We walked on, identifying trees by outline and scaring each other.

When we had crossed the bridge to the Kidneys we again ate biscuits by numbers, a great way to check no one is lost.

We had a small difficulty getting back into the school, as I did not have the door combination, but Brian saved the day.

Now we had time for News: Iona had brought in her purchases from the SSMJ Winter Fair. Millie-Maye had had her face painted at Xanthe's house. Jo had learnt how to spell phelgm. Jago demonstrated the Gangnam Style dance craze.

We had a discussion about how to fill the last few minutes, Wink Murder winning the vote.

We ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Debbie, Tegan, Tim
Helpers: Oliver, Richard, Cathy
Elfs: 13
Woodchips: 0

Green Fair Making (2011-11-26)

There were some problems with the start: Tegan was delayed due to traffic problems caused, probably, by the floods. I was not planning to arrive until later as I had a course all day, thanks to Adrian for 'phoning. Debbie led the News Circle and then Tegan and I turned up.

The bags had arrived and so we were able to paint them!

Everything that we have made will be on sale at the Green Winter Fair but many children have asked that their work be held back, just displayed at the fair, so that parents can buy them at our first session after the fair.

Some people made cards as well.

We ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Debbie, Tegan, Tim
Helpers: Kiara
Elfs: 14
Woodchips: 1

Songs, Games and Making (2012-11-19)

We started with news: Magnus and I went to Don Smith's wake, Don's House is remembered as a special place, particularly the fairy toilet. Flora painted the bathroom. Tessa learnt chess, but has yet to beat her dad. Iona went to a naming ceremony.

A small group, changing throughout the session, made sqidgies with Tegan by pouring flour into a balloon through a funnel and decorating them.

The main group played games with Debbie and Tim.

We played Four Corners which Nia won.

Dead Ants

Parachute Games: Shark Attack and Soft Ball.

We sang songs: Axes, Red River Valley, Blue Lake and Rocky Shore

Dorcas, Black Socks, Baby Bumble Bee and Puff the Magic Dragon.

A great collection of Squidgies for the Green Winter Fair.

We ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Debbie, Tim
Helpers: Lisbeth, Louise
Elfs: 15
Woodchips: 1

Winter Fair Making (2012-11-12)

We started with circle news: Magnus showed a fossil which may have been coral. Leyla joined us as she is staying with Iona and Izzy.

We played a game of Dead Ants.

We then made cards, gift tags and stamps (in preparation for next week) which are to be sold at the Green Winter Fair. Items which are intended for sale to parents will be marked with a sold sticker and there will be an opportunity for parents to buy them at the first meeting in December.

It was Jo's birthday, so we ate some cake he had brought in and sang Happy Birthday

We ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Tim
Helpers: Lisbeth, Kiara
Elfs: 15
Woodchips: 2

Coke Can Cooking (2012-11-04)

A hectic session with three activities, eighteen children and seven adults!

We started with circle news: Flora went to London and Xanthe went to St Davids in Wales and did coastal orienteering (coasteering).

We then cooked vegetables on soft drink can stoves.

We went outside where Rob had lit the fire. We toasted pitta bread and had a sparler each.

We went back into the warm for the circle song.

Leaders: Tegan, Tim, Debbie
Helpers: Rob, Richard, Brian, Emily, Kiara
Elfs: 17
Woodchips: 1

Equipment List - outside fire

Portable barbecue
Skillet
Trivet
Leather gloves 
Matches
Bag of twigs

Pitta breads

Plastic bucket for hand washing and fire safety.

Equipment List - coke can cooking

8 soft drinks cans
Scissors (with point)

Sunflower oil

Peppers
Mushrooms
Onion
Carrots
Baby Bell Cheeses

Vegetable knife
Chopping board

Loaf of bread
Butter
Margarine
2 butter knives
Paper plates

Jam Jar Lanterns (2012-10-22)

I was not able to get to the start of the session, but I have heard that news was told and the decision to play Four Corners was taken and then it was played.

By time I arrived Jam Jars were being glued and decorated with coloured tissue paper.

Whilst some finished off and tidied up Tegan led some Handkerchief Games.

We lit the the lanterns in the middle of the circle and sang the Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Tim, Debbie
Helpers: Elsbeth, Emily
Elfs: 15
Woodchips: 1

Animal Games (2012-10-15)

A very well attended session. We started with Circle News, and introductions as we had two new Elfins: Jay and Finn, and one old leader Brian who most remember as a leader last year. Connie met Cork Paul at here school. Leto brought in an enormous puff ball!

We played a game of Hedgehog's Homes.

Where the number of homes was reduced each round.

Until all the hedgehogs were in one home!

The next game was Fox and Rabbit where all the children were in pairs, and at any one time there was one rabbit and one fox. A rabbit could join a pair to escape the fox, and a new rabbit would leave the pair. If the fox caught the rabbit then they swapped. This was great game with much shouting for the rabbit to shelter in a particular lair.

The last game was Bat and Moths. We were all bat conservationists, helping the blindfolded bat to catch the moths. Whenever the bat emitted an echo of Bat! the moths had to reply Moth!.

As the conservationists slowly wound up the parachute to help the moths!

We ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Tim, Debbie
Helpers: Elsbeth, Kiara, Brian, Paul
Elfs: 15
Woodchips: 5

Looking after Wildlife in Autumn (2012-10-08)

We started with Circle News. Debbie and Millie have moved house, Flora had made a wooly pad on a peg loom, Xanthe had been to Legoland. Tegan had cut her partner's hair!

Tim brought in two fungi, in plastic boxes. The first Avenging Angel (Amanita virosa) is the most poisonous British mushroom. The second Shaggy Ink Cap (Coprinus comatus) is the only edible mushroom which cannot be confused with anything else. (Children were warned never to pick fungi without an adult).

We then did animal charades: what animal am I?

Everyone then made a hanging bird feeder from apples, cheese, nuts and pop corn.

We played a game of Duck Duck Goose.

We ended with the Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Tim, Debbie
Helpers: Elsbeth, Kiara
Elfs: 15
Woodchips: 2

Bat Walk on Shotover (2012-10-01)

We nearly called it off due to the rain, but twelve Elfins made it to Shotover. There was a great rainbow. Katy and Flora said they saw bats.

We started with a windy, stand up, circle news. Some had to shout to be heard over the wind.

We set off through the wood, Tim nominally at the front and Tegan at the back.

We were aiming for the Sand Pit,

which we found through Izzy's excellent sense of direction.

We climbed trees

and played on the swings

and in the stream.

For the journey back everyone was given a number, so that we could do spot checks in the dark.

When we got back to the car park we lined up in number order.

Rob said there had been loads of bats in the car park!

We ended with the circle song.

Leaders: Tegan, Tim
Elfs: 12

Papier Mache Leaves (2012-09-24)

We started with Circle News. Sadly the hedgehog found by Magnus died, if you see a hedgehog during the day it is likely to be dying.

Katie had nine eggs from five chickens.

Flora and Katie showed the flag they had made at Elfin camp.

We then played a great game of Wink Murder in which one person is the detective, who is sent out of the room whilst the murderer is selected. When the detective returns they stand in the middle of the circle whilst the murderer carries on their dirty work by winking at members of the circle, who fall back dead. The detective has three goes to guess the murderer. Everyone who wanted a go was either a detective or a murderer.

We finished our leaves from last session, messy but convincingly autumnal.

We even had time for some parachute games!

We ended with the circle song.

Leaders: Tegan, Tim
Helpers: Lisbet, George
Elfs: 13
Woodchips: 2