A party for Eid and other celebrations

A mum offered to come in and tell us all about Eid... We learned to say hello “Salam” in Urdu. She told us how their family celebrate Eid, the second biggest festival in the Muslim calendar.

(R) told the children they celebrate Eid just like we celebrate at Christmas, wearing lovely clothes and jewellery; (R) wore a lovely, intricately decorated long tunic to preschool; lots of jewellery and sparkly shoes...); having family meals; giving presents to children etc etc. It is a very happy time. Some children told Reema about their jewellery at home.

(R) told us that they keep animals in their houses and look after them well to thank the animals for their meat – just like us keeping Turkeys for Christmas! Can you imagine having a turkey or a sheep running around the kitchen!

Muslims like to give gifts of chocolate and other foods like meat to their friends and family and to people less fortunate than themselves. (R) gave all the children some chocolates and a balloon to take home. The children all said thank you in Urdu to (R) and (R). I was so proud of them all, but especially of a little 2 year old, who attempted to say Shukriya independently to his friend when given his goodies. (They were given a choice – Shukriya in Urdu or Thankyou in English) before carefully hanging their goody bags on their pegs to take home later.

On Thursday we had a party for Eid. The children all dressed up as animals; had their faces painted (we had monkeys, cats, horses, pigs, mice, dragons, dinosaurs, lions, bees, dogs, ladybirds and many more) before we decorated the setting with streamers and had some musical games. The children enjoyed trying new foods as well as having their Eid sweet treat – chocolate fingers & chocolate gold coins!

Other activities for our “Celebrations of the World” week planned include: colouring rangoli patterns; making and piping our own mendhi hand patterns; making paper chains (for decorations); exploring different ways of carrying (Small World Book); making diva lamps (to bring good luck to the setting)and lots more!

Words of wisdom !

A big discussion was debated at snack time this week, the children were deciding who was a girl and who was a boy......I was informed that I wasn't a lady, I was a teacher! how can you answer that! out of the mouth of babes.......

Fire Station Trip

We all had a lovely time at Middlemoor Fire station, the firemen on Red watch showed us their fire engines, the emergency pole, rest room and helped us squirt water, finishing off with a look at the uniforms we even got to try on the big heavy helmets!