This week’s theme:

The Mysteries of… Summer

This week’s colouring in sheet:

Download and print this week’s colouring sheet here.

Fact of the day:

The tradition of a picnic dates from at least the Middle Ages, when gentlemen out hunting would pause for a lavish meal outdoors.

Resources list:

Youtube, bells, 2 handkerchiefs/tea towles/pillowcases; Picnic food, picnic blanket; Icecube tray, paint, water, freezer, paper.

Activity 1:

Summertime is often a time when we see Morris Dancing. Morris Dancing is a form of English folk dance usually accompanied by music. It is based on rhythmic stepping by a group of dancers, usually wearing bells and holding sticks and handkerchiefs. Find some bells to tie to your legs or shoes, and grab 2 teatowels or pillowcases, and step, clap and jump along with the Morris dancers here.

Activity 2:

Summer is often the time for music festivals. To celebrate, put on a summery outfit and have a dance to some summery songs. Learn the Makaton for ‘Summer’ and do the sign every time you hear the word sung in any of these songs: Summertime Blues, Summertime, Summertime, Summer of 69, Summer in the City, In the Summertime, Summer Nights, Cruel Summer, Cool for the Summer, Boys of Summer.

Activity 3:

Summer is a great time to have a picnic! Pack up your snacks (into a basket if you have one), put down a blanket and take your lunch outside today. (Even if it’s raining outside, have a picnic indoors on a blanket on the floor!) What can you hear and see outside as you eat? What does it smell like? What does the grass under your feet and legs feel like? Does your food taste different outside? How many birds can you spot? Look up at the clouds and see if you can spot any shapes in the clouds.

Activity 4:

The Edinburgh Fringe Festival is held in Scotland every summer and showcases a vast variety of performing arts, including some outstanding street performers.

Try becoming a living statue – dress up and hold yourself still in a statue pose until you can slowly come to life when somebody you live with drops a coin in your box!

Activity 5:

It’s a bit of a tradition in the UK to complain that we’re too hot when the sun comes out! Cool yourself down with some ice painting! Fill an ice cube tray roughly 1/3 of the way with paint, using any colours you like. Fill the ice cube tray the rest of the way with warm water and stir until the paint and water is mixed up. Pop the ice cube tray in the freezer for 4-6 hours, or until the ice has set. Once the paint cubes are frozen they will easily pop out of the ice trays and you can start using them as cooling hand held mark-makers, like icy crayons! Even if you just leave them to melt in the sun they’ll still make some beautiful art!