We’re Going on a Bear Hunt

I’ve written before about books and reading with children. In  fact I ran a competition to win some Charlie and Lola books and I’m delighted to say that they are winging their way to Red Ted Art even as we speak (as it were.) If  you didn’t win, fear not, since there will be more books to give away very soon.

World Book Day came and went without me really being aware of it, since I have been encumbered by a cold to rival the one that deprived me of a voice over Christmas and the New Year. Getting older has a lot to answer for, I tell you. But the Kidlings and I did mark the occasion, not that they were particularly aware of the significance either.

It was one of those wet windy days, and we had battened down the hatches and put on the heating when PD declared that we ought to have “tea in the sitting room.” Now that I have written that it brings to mind the awesome Cat in the Hat “Too wet to play out and too cold to play ball”, which is another truly mesmerising children’s book. Back to the story though: I can’t quite remember how, but from there it was a short leap to Going on a Bear Hunt. There are some books that you almost know by heart from your childhood and this is one of mine. PD also loves it, which has it’s uses, since when we are out and about and waiting for someone to go to the loo or come back from the shops, or just sitting at a table waiting for our food, I trot out bits of the book and we do the actions, and everyone is kept thoroughly occupied.

This is was that we used:

Sheepskin rug for the grass

Waterproof playmat on the waterproof side for the river

Pile of cushions covered in a blanket to create a mountain (not in the book but a lot of fun)

Fan for wind

Blanket thrown over the gap between footstool and sofa to create a cave.

And at the end? That’s Not My Bear (turns out that PD is quite afraid of bears.)

And a picnic tea on the waterproof play mat.

 

It’s true that all you need is a little imagination and you can bring a story to life. Going on a Bear Hunt can be quite exhausting though.