Tuesday 14 May 2013

Pirate Treasure Maps

MAKE YOUR MAP

Pirate Treasure Maps are some of the easiest things to make and took me right back to my child hood. You will need....

a large piece of paper, a tea bag, some colouring pens, a black pen and a flame.... OH and an adult!... (one who is good with fire!!)

  • Dampen the tea bag until brown tea can drip from it. wring it out and then wipe all over your A3 piece of paper to colour it a brown, aged colour.
  • Then burn around the edges, blowing out the flame and then re burning it... 
  • Pen on your map, adding in various words and signs.
  • Colour in parts of the map... not too neat adds to the style!
  • Don't forget to add an X to mark the treasure spot




THE CLUB

THE DANGEROUS CLUB FOR BOYS had a pirate theme today. We were learning to read treasure maps and work as a team. We started in the car park with instructions to find a map which was hidden in a bottle in thick grass. We spent a few minutes looking at the map and what different signs could mean... like cars, trees etc and I explained that X marked the spot of the treasure. 



We took off on our walk with 2 different places to look for treasure. When we reached the area, we all started to look for the treasure and I hid a treasure box at that point. (these boxes cost about £2 from thecraftbarn... you can easily paint them).

I don't know if the boys appreciated my incredible artistic talent, but I loved that we did an adventure with a theme. Why not aim for every time you meet as a group to have that 'party-like' feel to it. It is magical to stumble across a bottle with a map, to go hunting for treasure with a group of pals and to be dressed as pirates to boot!!

This is SERIOUSLY low effort and I think the boys really enjoyed it!!
Right I am off to sun bathe in our lovely British Climes.... oh no, sorry its gale-force winds and sub zero temperatures... oh well!





Tuesday 7 May 2013

Blessed Beyond Words

On the weekend I read a story that made me start weeping. It was a story of such devastation and yet such hope it completely inspired me. A woman, probably a similar age to me, with 4 kids who in an instant lost her sporty, handsome husband to a brain injury whilst he played rugby one evening (I will put a link to her story and blog at the end should you wish to read it!). It made me think about things, what are our small pleasures? What are the things that make us come alive? What are the things that sit on our door step that we see as nothing, but our children could see as their everything?

Today was the hottest day of the year so far and it was glorious. Our DANGEROUS CLUB FOR BOYS started at one end of the river. We walked along the river seeing swans, boats and builders... all a joy for our little boys. We scooted into the city centre where we, in Bristol, are most blessed because there are some huge water features that  beckon kids to come and play in. They are less than an inch deep and are so much fun. We used the end sections of plastic milk cartons as boats and blew them around the water.

 But really splashing and running and playing was as good as it could possibly get.



After several hours in the sun and water we took the boys back home on the water ferry, and as they gladly sucked their lolly pops they screamed at passers-by and waved frantically until they got a wave back!

Today I count my blessings. I do not have a garden and I live on a second floor flat, but hey I get this special city to be my garden and get to share it with loads of other people. I am so grateful for my husband and my kids and I know I want them to know, everyday of their life, they are special boys who are enormously blessed too!!!



Read this story if you want to have a good weep... it is quite special!!!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/home/you/article-2318341/When-husband-Alex-suffered-massive-brain-injury-playing-rugby-Tamsyn-Woods-life-changed-ever.html

http://manic-mums.blogspot.co.uk/