Bug Hunt

Today, in Forest Tots, we went on a bug hunt. The idea was that we would go and find some bugs in the forest and then return to make bug hats, complete with googly eyes and antennae.

Unfortunately, it was a wet day but the rain held off just long enough to do our walk and get back to the lodge. So, all dressed up in our wellies and raincoats, we set off.

It wasn't long before the 10 children (all aged 2 and 3) were jumping in the puddles. They were not even little jumps, this was full-on getting wet. The control freak in me wanted to steer Anna away to look at blades of grass or something (You would never guess that my childhood was spent living in the countryside if you look at me trying to stay clean nowadays!!). However, the sensible, fun Mummy kicked in and I remembered that 'dirt is good' and so I let her go. Anna was having a fantastic time, jumping in the water and shouting 'splash' at the top of her voice. (From the 3 previous weeks of Forest Tots, I have learnt that putting Anna in anything other than her scruffy clothes is a really silly idea. Getting Muddy seems to be the main aim of this class!).

After a while, the forest Warden, Anita, found lots of logs and so all the children raced off to watch as Anita lifted up the logs to find bugs. It was lovely to see all the children literally holding their breath while the log was picked up, watching the anticipation in their faces as they expected to see hundreds of creepy crawlies. Unfortunately, every log seemed to have nothing underneath except some old moss and broken twigs. However, undeterred, the children marched off with Anita as leader, hoping that the next log would be home to the bugs.

Well, most children followed Anita. Anna was still having an amazing time shouting 'splash' and seeking out every single puddle that was in the forest.

After walking for a good 20 minutes, we came to the last log (or the last puddle in Anna's case) and Anita picked the log up. Suddenly, I heard lots of 'wow' and 'ooh' and 'arhhhhh' as a bug was eventually found. It was a big one too! Anita told everyone that it was a beetle that was called a 'cold back' (or something that sounded like that). All the children were still and quiet as they watched Anita point to it and describe it.

At this point, Anna looked up from the puddle and finally wondered what everyone was fascinated by so ran off to join them, with me racing behind her in a desperate attempt to catch her up.

Meanwhile, all the children are still crouched down, open mouthed, gazing at this beetle scratching in the mud. Then Anna comes hurtling across and... runs over it. One flat Beetle.

It has taken the entire walk through the forest to find this beetle and Anna manages to flatten it within 5 seconds. Thankfully, the children are oblivious and thinks the beetle has gone to sleep (due to lack of movement) and the other mothers are too busy talking about horse shows, stable management and where they got their sleek riding boots from (which they have worn to Forest Tots!!). Anita, the forest warden, takes it well too. 'These things happen' she muttered.

The rest of the morning was pretty uneventful in comparison. Anna made a ladybird hat (Making a Beetle hat would have been a painful memory every time that I look at it hanging in our kitchen!). Anna adored doing it, so much so that she didn't even look twice at her biscuit because she was so busy with paint! She managed to get red paint in her hair, up her nose and smeared across her T-shirt.

We must have looked quite a sight walking back to the car at the end of the class with me clutching a paper plate smeared in red and black paint, Anna's trousers soaking wet and extremely muddy and the top half of her body, including her face, covered in red paint.

Oh well, another fun morning had by all (except the beetle)!