Who likes lessons when they happen outside? Answer: most of us! Learning outdoors creates lasting memories, helps us build a greater awareness of the environment, provides more opportunities to think independently, and gets us engaged in feeling challenged and excited by learning. We are more active when they play outdoors, burning off calories and keeping fitter.
This Thursday, 18th May, our aim is to get as many children as possible learning and playing outside in 2017. For some schools, this will be an opportunity to try learning outside the classroom for the first time. For outdoor learning pros, the day will be a celebration of what they are doing already and a chance to inspire other schools to get involved. For everyone, Outdoor Classroom Day will show how easy and amazing it is to spend time outdoors every day. To find out how you can get out there with Outdoor Classroom Day, click here.
May is National Share-A-Story Month! It’s an annual celebration of the power of storytelling and story sharing, providing a fantastic opportunity for you to share your favourite books and stories by telling and reading together.
Why not visit your local library and discover the treasure trove of books, magazines and activities they have to offer. Your library card is your ticket to all of them and a great tool for life. You can get all sorts of books out whenever you like (as long as you bring them back when you’re done!). Find your local library and what it has to offer here!
Happy Saint George’s Day! April 23rd each year is a day celebrating all things English – but like tea and the Queen, is he as English as everyone thinks?
St George was born in modern day Syria and worked as a knight for the Romans, who didn’t like his Christian beliefs and imprisoned then beheaded him. His tales of slaying dragons only appeared about 600 years after his death – but these stories have also been part of what makes him so popular!
He’s an incredibly busy saint as he’s the patron saint of Bulgaria, Malta, Montenegro, Palestine, Portugal, Ethiopia, Greece, Serbia, Slovenia, and Lithuania. He’s also, and probably most importantly, the patron saint of Georgia, where Saint George’s Day is celebrated twice a year, on May 6th and November 23rd. Many people believe that the name of the country in English is from their love of St George too!
He’ll be celebrated in Nottingham today too, with a parade from the Forest Recreation Ground to the Old Market Square. The parade, departing from the Forest at noon, will be headed by knights on horseback!
In the Old Market Square, there will be a performance by Carlton Brass and morris dancing by Ripley Morris Men and Ripley Green Garters between 11am and 2pm plus the chance to meet ‘St George’ when the parade arrives (probably between 12.30 and 12.45pm).
There will be another chance to celebrate St George’s Day, in the centre of Bulwell, on Saturday 22 April. Carlton Brass will be performing, ‘St George’ and the dragon will be there and there will be arts activities and face-painting on offer between 11.30am and 2.30pm.
