Howling gales and dangerous snails

It's true to say that the little seaside town of Whippy Cove, has received more than it's fair share of unfriendly weather just recently.

However, the seemingly incessant wind and rain of the last week or two, has not in any way deterred the little Sunnyside learners from enjoying their beloved outdoor learning environment. 

Togged up to the eyebrows in waterproofs and Wellington boots, the little learners appear oblivious to the howling gales and the chilly temperatures, and continue to delight in activities such as sand and water play, construction and wheeled toys. 

Even today, when the outside area resembled a small lake following a prolonged deluge of overnight rain, the little learners couldn't wait to pile on their waterproofs and seize the opportunity to float their hand-crafted yogurt pot sailing boats across the newly formed, complete with waves, lake. 

It was during the yogurt pot launching activity, that one particular little learner wanted to tell Miss Kind about an experience he had whilst out and about in the rain very recently. As he stood in the water being buffeted by a crosswind and fighting to keep the tassels on his hat from whipping him in the face, he told Miss Kind how the rain had started off as rain, "then it suddenly turned into.......you know..........snail bones!"
"Snail bones you say?" Questioned a smiling Miss Kind. "The rain turned into snail bones?"
"Yes!" Replied the little learner very definitely. "And snail bones are really, really dangerous, 'cause they stab you when you look up!" 

Miss Kind couldn't help thinking that she might need to invest in some sort of reinforced umbrella, in the event of her getting caught out in a shower of dangerous snail bones. 

It just begs the question............ where on earth can one buy a snail bone proof umbrella in Whippy Cove? 

Snail bones

We don't care about the weather 

When we go out to play.

We're not bothered if it's foggy,

Or if it's raining everyday.

It don't matter if Jack Frost

Is nipping at our toes.

So what if there's an icicle, 

Hanging from our nose!

We like it when it's windy.

We love it in the snow.

When the grown ups ask, "Shall we go in?" 

The answer's always no!

But.....

In a certain type of weather

You'll soon hear our moans and groans,

And that's when we are being stabbed,

By horrid snail bones!

"Uh-oh! We're gonna need hard hats........it's them snail bones again!"

Warm socks......scary fox

Picture the scene if you will. 

Tesco is bustling with a plethora of firemen all doing their shopping at the same time. Tinkerbell is pirouetting around the store offering to grant wishes for each and every shopper. Snow White is filling her trolley with the store's fixtures and fittings, while Spider-man pops the cash register into his already heavily laden carrier bag. 

Suddenly, as if from nowhere, the hungry fox from the story of The Gingerbread Man, bounds into Tesco's gnashing his teeth and smacking his lips. Terrified shoppers scramble in fear towards the exit. They run out of the store trampling over their shopping as they go. As the dust settles, one brave shopper is left standing in the middle of the shop floor. She carefully repositions the large floppy hat that swamps her little head, and picks up her bulging carrier bags in both hands. Calmly and quietly she walks out of the store. As she passes Mrs Very Jolly on her way, she says to her, "I've bought chocolate for my kids and a newspaper for their dad!" 

Yes, it's just another ordinary day at Tesco supermarket................that is to say Tesco, Sunnyside School style. 

Hurrah for supermarket role play! But where oh where is a role play policeman when you need one?!

Well officer, it was like this.....

Shopping nightmare

It was a normal day at Tesco

(As far as I could tell.)

Where the store was full of fireman,

And a twirling Tinkerbell.

I was just about to purchase

A pair of woolly socks,

When I was rudely interrupted

By a not so friendly fox.

As he terrorised the customers,

I grabbed everything I had,

Which was chocolates for my children,

And a paper for their dad.

When I calmly left the building,

I felt absolutely sure,

That I'd never do my shopping 

At Tesco anymore!

Pterodactyls and missing teeth

Happy New Year everyone!

Welcome back little learners, welcome back Team, welcome back faithful readers, and a very warm welcome to any new readers to Sunnysiders.

It may be cold and blustery around the coast of Whippy Cove, but this is the start of the Spring Term. Just the mere mention of Spring and Mrs Jolly, Mrs Very Jolly, Miss Kind, Mrs Caring, Mrs Crayon and Mrs Organised, have an overwhelming desire to burst into song and teach the little Sunnyside learners songs about shiny chickens' eggs, free wheeling through flowering meadows, sunshine and showers, and of course the ever elusive yet remarkably generous, Easter Rabbit. 

However, before anyone dare think about learning any new songs for Spring, there's a brand new topic for the little Sunnyside learners to get their teeth into........Traditional Tales.

Speaking of teeth, the little Reception learners of Sunnyside School, were very keen to share all their Christmas news this morning. The Team heard fascinating tales about Father Christmas bringing them everything from Pterodactyls to motor scooters, and life-size robots (so say), to games where, "the thing next to the red thing goes up to the top...... then you have to make it come down...... and if it touches the green bit you have to start again". 

One particular little learner though couldn't wait a single moment to share her Christmas news, because as she bounded through the classroom door (sporting a rather unusual grin), she announced to Mrs Crayon that during the two week break she had lost one of her teeth and grown "more longer".

After being forced to marvel (several times) at the gaping hole in the little learner's mammoth grin, Mrs Crayon was jolly glad that during the Christmas break, she hadn't lost one of her teeth or grown more longer......a little wider maybe...... but definitely not longer!

My best Present

Christmas was exciting,

But if you want the honest truth,

I'm just thrilled I've grown more bigger,

And I've gone and lost me tooth!

"Is it time to show you me missing tooth again?"

Tea towels and donkey ears

So......the sparkles are out, a ton of glitter is once again embedded in the carpet, bits of cellophane and shiny paper are stuck to everything and everyone, donkey ears, shepherd crooks, and angel wings sit in listing piles upon every surface, excited and industrious little learners are busy with their Christmas makes, Christmas carols ring out around the setting, and throughout all the festive hullabaloo, baby Jesus sleeps peacefully in his crib on top of the paint drying wrack. 

Yes, it's that time again.......time for the Sunnyside Christmas Nativity performance.

This year, The Team plans to keep a very close eye on baby Jesus following his sudden and very alarming disappearance minutes before the opening of last years Nativity. During the panic, a replacement baby Jesus was found and with seconds to spare it was Laa-Laa the Teletubby who ended up swaddled in the crib alongside a somewhat astonished Mary and Joseph! 

Most of this year's little Sunnyside learners are terribly excited at the prospect of performing in a nativity play, however one particular and somewhat reluctant little performer announced to Miss Kind that he would not be taking part unless he was allowed to be a cowboy or a ghost!  

Although the little learners have participated in a number of rehearsals, for some of them there still seems to be a little confusion surrounding the definition a nativity play. The Team only know this because they've overheard little learners inviting people to church to come and watch their circus! 

One can only imagine how that might go!        

Nativity Pains

I don't ever wanna be

In a school nativity,

Because of all the silly things you have to wear.

Like a tea towel on your head,

Like a sheet from some old bed,

And an itchy bit of tinsel in your hair!

You have to carry awkward things,

While you wrestle with some wings,

And you're not allowed to talk, or laugh, or frown.

You have to trundle up the aisle,

Wearing nothing but a smile,

And a rather unattractive dressing gown.

Then someone has to be

The nativity donkey,

And that's the part that fills us all with dread.

It's the worst of all our fears,

To have to wear them donkey ears,

As the wretched things keep falling off your head!

Then on top of everything

There's a tonne of songs to sing,

And that's when we become all fidgety.

But if you're feeling really brave,

You can give your mum a wave,

And try to tell her that you're desperate for a wee!

"I need a wee!"

Happy Christmas everyone.......see you in the new year!

Dirty tricks and walking sticks

Uh-oh! There was an explosion at Sunnyside School today. Someone removed the lid to the glitter pot. The Team thinks that Mrs Crayon was the culprit, a) because she was coated in a thick layer of the stuff, and b) because it was she who was in charge of this afternoon's glittery Christmas card making activity.

Christmas has come to Sunnyside School! Floors and surfaces are once again obliterated by a ton of sparkly glitter, Christmassy activities are aplenty, and the air is filled with songs about Mary and Joseph having a busy day looking for some where to spend the night.  

However........in the role play area, little learners are dressed as doctors, nurses and paramedics in the newly created doctors' surgery.

Role play doctors and nurses is always a very popular activity with the little learners, but........historically there is always a serious shortage of patients, as most little learners prefer to be the doctors and nurses. This means little learners are forced to head out around the setting in an attempt to round up some much needed poorly patients.

This afternoon two very officious lady doctors set out to recruit some poor unfortunate patients. Armed with appointment books and clipboards, they marched about the setting collaring individuals demanding to know if they were ill or not. When finally they managed to persuade one reluctant little learner to come back with them to their surgery, one of the lady doctors sat him down and in a terrifying manner said, "Are you poorly? Yes or no!!!" 
"NO!" Shouted the rather put out little learner, itching to get back to his Lego construction.
Showing him the surgery door, the lady doctor then abruptly picked up her appointment book and said to her colleague who was busy tapping on the keys of the surgery laptop, "I'm scribbling his name out, he's not poorly he's just joking."  
With her gaze firmly fixed on her laptop, the key tapping doctor replied, "I can't speak........ I'm sorting out my earmails."

A short spell at charm school wouldn't go a miss for these two more than scary GPs!

Are you ill?

Simple question.........are you ill?

And do you need to take a pill?

Have you got a nasty cough?

Is your finger hanging off?

Do you have creatures in your hair?

Are you spotty everywhere?

Have you got a runny nose?

Or massive blisters on your toes?

Now.........look away and please keep calm,

 I'm going to jab you in the arm!
I'm sorry but I must admit,
It's gonna hurt you quite a bit.

Just lay down here and have a rest,

While I prod you in the chest!

Do you need a walking stick?
Do you feel a little sick?
You're telling me it's not your tum,
Well, for heaven's sake why have you come?

What's that you say... you're just tricking me,

Then please.....GET OUT MY SURGERY!!!!

"I only came in for the toilet!"

Knots, spots and pom poms

Tis the season to wear a hat,  

Fa la la la la, la la la la! 

Brrr! December is here and it's very chilly in Whippy Cove. And with the chilly weather....... comes a new nightmare for the Sunnyside Team...............HATS!

Just as The Team are beginning to come to terms with the continual mismatches and disappearances of garments at PE changing time, they now have to face up to a new nemesis......... that of missing and mislaid hats. 

Yes, hats have come into school.............in their droves, and even though these inanimate woolly head warmers start off in sensible places like coat pockets, or on coat pegs, or safely tucked in little learner drawers, somehow, within the blink of an eye it seems, said hats lay abandoned across floors and surfaces, buried in Lego boxes, incorporated in with the dressing up clothes, floating in water trays, or perched on somebody elses head!

The little learners of Sunnyside School seem to work on the theory that the grown ups in the setting know exactly where all their hats are at all times, which is why they feel they can ask, "Where's my hat?" at any given moment in the day and the grown ups will be able to immediately direct them to it! 

If only!!!!!!

Little learners love their hats, and consequently little learners can become almost hysterical when they become separated from their hat.  

But when it comes to hysterical, there are none more hysterical than the Sunnyside team at the end of the school day, as they frantically dash hither and thither in an desperate attempt to reunite devastated little learners with their beloved hats. After all no one wants to see any little learners heading homeward sobbing and hat less! 

HATS

Hats with pom poms, hats with ties.

Hats that hang in front of eyes.

Hats that perch on top of heads,

Hats with multicoloured threads.

Knitted hats, bold and bright,

Itchy hats and hats too tight.

Hats with tassells dangling down,

Hats snow white, hats muddy brown.

Hats with bows and hats with knots,

Stripy hats and hats with spots.

Hats with funny pointy ears,

Hats when lost cause many tears.

Piles and piles of hats the same,

All of which without a name.

Reception teachers everywhere

Busy tearing out their hair!

So.......

Before you wear your hat to school,

NAME IT, NAME IT... that's the rule!

"I'm a boy.....................and this is NOT my hat!!!!!!"

Green cats and yucky fish!

Night and day............day and night!

Which ever way we like to say it, night and day happens to be the current topic for the little Reception learners at Sunnyside School.

This afternoon groups of little learners were involved in a variety of activities looking at some of the differences between day and night. They discussed the kinds of jobs that might be carried out at night-time, and those that are carried in the day. Digging up roads and working at Tesco were two very popular suggestions for night-time jobs, and digging up roads and working at Tesco were two very popular suggestions for daytime jobs! 

Mrs Caring's group of little learners shared their knowledge of nocturnal animals during an animal drawing activity. And it was during this drawing activity that Mrs Caring learnt a very interesting animal fact indeed.  

A little learner was concentrating on drawing a picture of a cat and a moon, when he suddenly set his crayons down on the table and announced, "I know cats go hunting at night-time!" Grabbing a post-it note and a pen (in anticipation of an immanent little learner gem), Mrs Caring asked the little learner what kind of animal a cat might go hunting for. Before the little learner could utter a response, his friend who was working alongside him, (and who also happened to be drawing a cat and a moon) called out, "Rats and mice!" The first little learner immediately rose out of his chair, and with hands planted firmly on hips, said to his friend, "No, no, no........ they don't hunt for rats and mice..........they hunt for Couscous!" Expecting a prolonged and even heated exchange of, Oh no they don't!.........Oh yes they do, between the two chums, the little learners' friend instead replied, "Oh yeah......they do hunt Couscous don't they!" 

Mrs Caring had the distinct feeling that she was missing something here. So she thought she would Google, Couscous hunting cats when she got home!!!

Mrs Crayon on the other hand, couldn't wait to get home to pen a verse about it. 
  

Down with fish

I'm not keen on Haddock,

I don't care for Cod.

I've gone off Tuna

Which does seem odd!

If I'm honest, 

I hate all fish,

I want freshly caught Couscous 

In my dish!

"What does a cat have to do for a bit of Couscous for heaven's sake!"