Buddies ~ St Patricks Day

***In September 2011 6 families got together and started Buddies Home School. Each week we meet in each other's home and follow a simple rhythm: movement and music, craft/ baking, snack time, free play and story time. Each part of the session is led by a different family. We are sharing this week's session with you here...***

Today at Buddies we celebrated St Patrick's Day.
We opened the session singing the Irish songs we have been learning (and of course Sleeping Bunnies and a Combine Harvester song that Benny made up).

For our craft we made these simple paper plate flags:
Susan had prepared all the pieces and had done all of the cutting so all that was required of the kids was some sticking.

Joa tasted all the glues for us and deemed them suitable for use, which was lucky, and the kids made beautiful flags.
Then we all got our wellies on and donned some very wonderful Patrick's day paraphernalia that Susan had brought and we headed off to the woods for our very own parade.

It was the sweetest Patrick's Day parade I have ever seen or been part of.

The walk in the woods was enjoyed by all

and gave us a good appetite for our snack when we returned.

The story was exceptionally special this week. Roisin told us the story of the three little pigs in Irish. She didn't explain this to the kids at all, she just started using finger puppets and play cloths to act out the story all the while telling it in the most beautiful and poetic Irish.

It was awesome! The kids didn't even notice that it was in Irish and watching their faces they were clearly following the story. Of course we all called 'again, again' when Roisin had finished it the first time and she obliged and we enjoyed it again.

How lucky are we to experience such and authentic and very special celebration of Irishness?