End of Term Party (2013-03-25)

We played a game of Octopus whilst people arrived.

We held Circle News: Millie and Debbie have been sewing, Matilda is learning about friendship at school, Lena has new shoes, Nia has made Easter bags and cards, today is Molly's birthday, Magnus's cat played the start of the Pink Panther on the piano, Flora and Connie made Georges Marvelous Medicine, Izzy, Rayan, Hazel and Isis went to birthday parties, Millie Maye told us about when she fainted in the bath, Iona had two splinters, Jo is going to Egypt, Ivo is looking after Jo's chickens, Arran got a boomerang for his birthday, Dylan had a Tudor Day at school, Tim didn't buy fish at the Goldfish Bowl as the water sample had too much ammonia, Tessa made an iron sword in Minecraft and Izzy is going to the Harry Potter Studios.

We sang happy birthday to the three people with birthdays and decided to play Dead Ants.

We had party food.

Which we ate during the Merrymoot performances.

We had Mystery Tune by Xanthe, Iona and Millie-Maye; we were shown the things Connie's mum has brought back from India; Jago told a story about Hat Man; Tessa played Duet on the piano; Flora showed a drawing of a girl with pointy teeth and scary eyes; Magnus led a competitive Special Quanong; Tim tried to play Twinkle Twinkle on his chalumeau; Nia played Mary had a Little Lamb whilst Molly danced; Arran demonstrated Kapu Karate and finally Millie played a Cello Piece.

We held a final circle where we sang Happy Birthday again, accompanied by Tessa on the piano and then ended with our Circle Song.

There was still a lot of party food left over, so we finished that whilst clearing up; a great end to a great term.

Leaders: Tegan, Debbie, Rana, Tim
Helpers: Ellen
Elfs: 23
Woodchips: 1

Parachute Games and Singing (2013-03-18)

We played a game of Octopus whilst people arrived.

Everyone was a bit tired and excitable after Hostel so we decided to play games and do singing rather than talk about the Environment as planned.

We held Circle News: Leto had been to his grandmas, Kobe is digging a hideout, Nia is learning to tell the time, Jay spiked himself on a stick on Aston's Eyot. Today was Gia's birthday, Izzy had been to the Living Rainforest.

Xanthe showed her weaving which she had sown into an iPod cover. Flora and Millie made snow lollies on Hostel. Rana lost her voice at Hostel. Louise has lost hers now. Lotti got a Reading Quest Certificate, Tim showed the weaving he had done on Hostel and that Flora had done at Christmas.

We considered Parachute games, Octopus and Snakes in the Pit. Parachute Games won out.

After a few Mushrooms

we played Shark Attack, Cat and Mice.

Finally we sang Bumblebee and Mother Nature in a Greenhouse with Flora as a revolving tent pole.

When we had used all the oxygen we left the Greenhouse and sang Puff the Magic Dragon, Axes and Black Socks before ending with the Closing Circle Song.

I finished off Arran's weaving from Hostel for him.

Leaders: Tim, Debbie, Tegan
Helpers: Rana
Elfs: 20
Woodchips: 1

Elfin Hostel 2013

We had a great Hostel, my second, at the Courthill Centre.

On Friday night we held a circle, had hot chocolate and settled in.

On Saturday the weather was poor in the morning, windy and wet, so we decided to do crafts first and walk in the afternoon. I helped people setup peg looms, others made puppets, footballs, squishy toys and teddy clothes.

We had pack lunch inside.

Then walked to Segsbury Camp an Iron Age hill fort. I spent the whole walk whittling sticks into tridents, spears, flutes and whistles.

At the camp we had snacks and played a game of Tails

Google maps tells me it was only 2.8 miles, but the weather turned cold, wet and windy on the way back so we felt pretty hardy.

We had a great supper of sausages and mash, with seconds and thirds!

We held a merrymoot.

A puppet show.

The hedgehog and his flat friend the chicken.

Animated poetry and much more that I was too engrossed in to photograph.

and went to bed.

The adults then had a fantastic sing song, nearly all the songs in the book!

On Sunday breakfast went really smoothly, everyone working together.

It started to snow.

We finished off our weaving, hoping the snow would clear.

We held our final circle in the snow. The singing was many adult's favourite thing, everything, followed by the weaving, for the children.

Rachel had a scare when leaving as she skidded and had to walk back to the Hostel leaving her car. When it was clear that the snow was not going away we headed off in convoy to lower ground, where the snow was clearing off the roads.

Thank you everyone for a great Hostel.

Even more photos.

Empowering the young (2013-03-11)

We played a game of Octopus whilst people arrived.

We had Circle News: Ivo went to Millet's Farm (and hurt himself), Jago went o Splash Landings in Alton with friends (and a friend of a friend has broken his arm), Jay noticed it started to snow, Magnus and Nia went skating, Kobe played Laser Tag, Jeff mad flat hot cross buns, Matilda, Izzy and Rayan all have eggs in an incubator in class, Lena is going to see her grandma, Rana is looking forwards to Hostel, Jo has hatched a chick and called it Domino, Molly went to a swimming party, Tegan had a birthday party with her family, Connie had friends around and played Minecraft, Iona painted a picture on cloth from Australia and had brought it in to show, Arran went tot the science festival, Katy and Flora have learnt a special handshake at school, Flora now has an African Land Snail, Izzy went to London with Iona and saw their cousin (she may now be the baby-hog of the family), Millie-Maye had a sleepover with cubs, Xanthe made a cardboard god which she brought in to show, Debbie fed a lamb, Milly walked a goat at Farmer Gow's, Lotti and Hazel started to clear their new house, Dylan has a sudoku cube, Tim has made some of the peg looms for hostel.

Tegan explained that we we were going to split into groups to discuss what we might do next term, to invent games and that the point of the exercise was that everyone should be included, and that the adults were just going to write down the results.

Two groups thought that a wildlife or animal theme for next term would be good.

Suggestions

• Easter egg hunt
• Cooking marshmallows, stick bread or animal shaped biscuits
• Picking each other up game
• Penguin world - the huddle game
• Dressing up as you favourite character
• Grandmother's footsteps
• What's the time Mr Wolf?
• Mini Olympics
• Duck Duck Go
• Making Easter Eggs
• Parachute games
• Splat
• Hula Hoop games
• Peg Looming
• Art to do with endangered animals
• Go out day
• Museum Statues

We then played a new game The Huddle where we all pretended to be Emperor Penguins in a rotating huddle. Next time remember to tell everyone to take off their shoes, especially adults!

Finally we played Museum Statues.

We closed with our Closing Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Debbie, Tim
Helpers: Rana, Jeff
Elfs: 22
Woodchips: 2

Inclusive Games and Singing (2013-03-04)

As people arrived we played a quick game of Octopus.

We held our Circle News: Iona and Izzy have a new baby cousin Barnaby, Izzy has lost her second tooth, Millie made papier maché at art club, Tessa played Happy Birthday on the piano, it is Tegan's birthday on Friday and Moly's soon, Hazel celebrated her grand father's seventy fourth birthday, Millie-Maye, Xanthe, Flora and Jago went to the same birthday party, Izzy had a ballet exam, Lena and Matilda practiced for assembly, Flora is going blindfolded for as long as she can, Connie mad a pamper spa, Ivo got a red nose, Dylan started kick boxing, Jo has had his injections for Egypt. Tim has been doing woodwork for hostel.

We split up into our groups from last week to practice our inclusive games.

We made a circle and played the games as a group.

We had just enough time for a song: Red River Valley before the Closing Circle Song.

Leaders: Tegan, Debbie, Tim
Helpers:Rana
Elfs: 20
Woodchips: 0