Monday 23 September 2013

Balancing elephants??

If you grew up with Play School (seriously, though, who didn't?),
you'd surely be familiar with this song:


I've been thinking a lot about elephants lately, because today was the first day of Ropes Crossing Church's annual school holiday program. This is the 4th year it's been running, and we've had a different theme each year. No, the theme this year isn't "elephants", but it is "BIG" - BIG things that God has created.

Day #1 (today) was BIG animals that God has created. And elephants happen to be one of them!


As organiser for craft and DIY morning tea, I came up with some things for the kids to make, create, and enjoy. First, we decorated cupcakes to look like elephants:

I had an instruction sheet handy, just in case my 'demonstration' was lost in translation because I panic when 50 sets of eyes are on me, or, if kids were so entranced by my sensational presentation, they weren't listening at all to what I was saying regarding how to make the elephant (not that it really mattered - cupcakes, icing, lollies, and chocolate in any order is delicious!!)


I know my own kids enjoyed making the cupcakes! I was impressed that even Jonathan tried to make it the way it should have been... I'm lost as to what Tamara was trying to do - be an elephant, maybe?


My demo cupcake still sits in my house, watching me... Taunting me. Wanting me to undo all the hard work I've been doing at Boot Camp...

Next up was an elephant craft. Why, oh, why I chose to use paint with children is somewhat beyond me. I can only put it down to a lapse in considering potential consequences during an exciting rush of creative energy.

But, it actually worked out alright. I only needed to change the instructions 4 times to make it work in the least messy way. Craft started with paint on each table, and ended with children making one line and having one child at a time do their handprint, and then quickly wash them.

This is me, demonstrating the elephant handprint craft:

This just screams entrancing, right?
Must be the fact that my top was the same colour as an elephant...
After the children had been patient with the paint (and with me), here's some of the finished elephant handprint crafts, hanging out, chilling, drying their skins... Y'know, usual elephant craft kinda stuff:


The children were also entertained with an anaconda craft* while they waited for their elephant handprints to be made, and then dry :)

* Coloured penne pasta threaded onto string, with a bottle lid tied to each end :)

Did you know that elephants:
- Are the largest land animal in the world.
- Can't see very well, but have a great sense of smell and hearing.
- Cool down from the blood that circulates through their ears (which can be 5 feet long).
- Can't jump (But they can swim).

Elephants are marvellous creatures. Personally, though, I don't think they were created to be good at balancing on string...

The God who made the world and everything in it
is the Lord of heaven and earth.
Acts 17:24

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