Famous Five picnic

[modgepodge]

Hello everyone,

Just after some creative advice really! I teach year 4 (8&9 year olds) and we have been studying the famous five since Xmas. We watched the 1957 adaption of treasure island, read demons rocks and have watched a few of the 1990s to series on YouTube. On Friday it's all culminating in a picnic (most likely indoors!) parents are invited along for an hour and a half.

We've asked the kids to bring savory food 'in the style of the five' and in school we are going to make rock cakes and ginger beer. But I'm at a bit of a loss about what to actually DO?! We are likely to be limited by the weather. We have access to 4 large classrooms. But other than sitting and eating, I'm not really sure what else we can do with the children and parents?! Any suggestions for games or activities would be appreciated!!

Thank you in advance.

[Daisy]

What a lovely idea! With 4 rooms at your disposal perhaps you could have a tent pitched in one - I have done that indoors for a Guiding event. Having read Demons' Rocks could you make a tunnel from tables and cloths draped over for the children to crawl through? Perhaps they could find gold coins (if chocolate coins are available at this time of the year!) Could there be a big outline of Kirrin Island for the children to draw on? Castle of course, dungeon entrance, the cave, the wreck, rabbits.... what do they know about the Island? Each child to draw one item or even make a model if they have the time and ability - and materials! Team games in one of the rooms based on the characters - racing if there is room or anything you can think up in that line.
I'm sure there will be others on here with more ideas too. Good luck.

[Anita Bensoussane]

I'd have loved to be in your class when I was that age, Modgepodge!

What about having a map of Kirrin (one comes up online if you do a search on "Kirrin map" and could presumably be enlarged and printed off) with grid lines ruled on it? The children are told that treasure has been hidden somewhere in Kirrin. Each child picks a grid reference, and towards the end of the session they find out which one of them has "found" the treasure. A small prize could be given to the winner, e.g. a torch.

As you've read Five Go to Demon's Rocks, one activity could be making a bookmark in the shape of a lighthouse. Plenty of scope for children to choose their own colours and designs.

How about having a sing-song around a (fake) campfire - or a real campfire if outside? You could teach your pupils the theme song from the 1970s Famous Five series ("We are the Famous Five", etc.) which can probably be found on YouTube.

Another idea would be to have a table with the semaphore alphabet and flags, and children could try sending messages to one another using semaphore.

Beanbag games could be given a Famous Five theme.

Whatever you do, have fun!

[Machupicchu14]

Oh my God, I just wish I could be in your class. Wouldn't it be lovely to study the Famous Five?
I hope everything goes well.

[Courtenay]

Wow, what fun, Modgepodge! Wish we'd had a day like that when I was at school.

I can't add much to the excellent suggestions that have been given already, but chocolate coins are definitely available from Sainsbury's in the confectionery aisle (at least at my nearest one this afternoon!), if you want a treasure hunt theme — and here's the 1970s Famous Five theme song with lyrics!

Hope you have a fantastic time tomorrow!