The day began with an early start and a walk around the site which gave the children the chance to see the location of some of the activities planned. After the walk the class were ready for their breakfast which involved plenty of cereal, toast, yoghurt and fruit. We were all set for a busy day ahead.
Group one’s first activity was fencing and they enjoyed the chance to practise the skills they have been learning at school this year. The more advanced specialist equipment made a big difference and the children were delighted to see victories against both Mr Roddy and Miss Parker.
Group two started their day with archery. The two teams competed in various challenges with Mrs Hudson showing the way with some excellent scores. All of the children showed progress during their session and appreciated the support and guidance from the instructors. They then went on to tackle the maze. Showing superb teamwork, all of the challenges were overcome and they were feeling very proud of their morning.
The second half of the morning for group one was the chance to take on King Swing. In pairs the children got into the harnesses and were then winched up into the air on the swing. To raise them up the rest of the group had to push the crank round, each pairing choosing how high they went. All of the children achieved their own goals and there were plenty of amazed faces as they soared through the sky.
All of the party were ready for lunch which consisted of jacket potatoes with a selection of different fillings. A visit to the Rock Shop gave the chance to purchase a few items for the movie night and then all of the class prepared for the afternoon’s activity.
Raft building involved working in four groups with a leader in each. The teams learnt some different techniques to secure the logs and barrels to create a raft which could hold the team above the water. The fun of launching on to the river was great to see with a few wet feet. As the afternoon went on the children played different games and this led to a few ending up in the water, although some seemed to fall in deliberately. Once the rafts had been secured back on dry land the children had the chance to try the water again, something that many chose to do. Mrs Bladon led the way and soon all of the teachers were in the water!
After showers and drying off the children were ready for dinner. All of the party enjoyed their roast dinner and apple crumble, sharing the various stories from their day. The evening trip to the sports hall involved some fun and games and the chance to burn off any remaining energy. The day finished with movie night in the group room before a very tired group of children went off to bed and were asleep very quickly.