Spring term commenced bringing new ideas, new resolutions, new chances, and a new start.

     A very exciting acquisition of a new dolls’ house, purchased just before the Christmas Break, now painted is making a sumptuous residence for its little family.  Furniture has been waiting since the inception of Little Dragons and is now placed resplendently in the house. This is now a hot favourite activity with many of our members (and not only the youngest among us).

     Activities this term have included looking at different colours.  Yellow was the chosen topic for our first session – lots of yellow objects were to be found in George the Little Dragon’s basket – including a set of pictures to represent ‘5 little ducks went swimming one day, over the hills and far away.’  Our next investigation involved blue and the story of Little Fish who learned to share with others.  Mixing blue and yellow to make green led LDs to make an exciting ‘pond’ backcloth for their sparkly green frogs.  A further session involved more investigation of blue during which budding artists painted real balloons and paper balloon shapes with interesting colour mixes.  Today’s session found us looking at different colours of the rainbow as older LDs vied to identify known colours.  During story and singing activities we have done lots of counting up to 5 and sequencing activities as to support development of future reading and number skills. 

   It’s interesting to watch new arrivals at LDs.  As Circle Time approaches, well-established members gather up Carers and Helpers and shepherd them into the Children’s Corner.  Possibly the most enjoyable (for everyone else) established routine is when the leader of the day has to remember the names of all LDs present, sometimes as many as 25. (Quite terrifying for the leader.)

   One of the things that gives everyone a warm glow is the obvious development of relationships between our Carers.  One would expect that 25+ young children would make a lot of noise, but not so.  As LDs get on with their tasks quietly and busily

– cooking and making tea in the home corner, shopping at Marks & Spencer (the font), pummeling and rolling playdough into wild and wonderful shapes, concentrating on painting and sticking aided by the increasingly artistic SD’s – Mums, Dads, Grandparents & Others get on with the gossip. It’s good to hear and good to experience the fellowship.

Val Butterworth