- No 7, 5 March, 2010 -
EDITORIAL

Dear Parents,

Welcome and enjoy with us a brief moment of afternoon care. It always brings a smile to my face as I enter the aftercare room when school ends and the children arrive with their bags. You see, the thing is that although they have bags, often most of the items are in their hands and the bags are fairly empty!

Upstairs has been repainted a gentle blue-ish green, (chosen by the children themselves) – the idea was to give the ‘feeling’ of the ‘coolness of the ocean’ so that they can ‘relax’ or play. This is also the room where we take register and sit about in a circle and chat about whatever it is we want to chat about, read stories, play games and decide how things are going at aftercare. There is a games cupboard, a book shelf, a doll house, a dress up corner, blocks, a kitchenette play area and mattresses to relax those weary limbs.

Downstairs has been repainted yellow and orange and a highlight this year is our brand new wooden floor which lifts the entire feeling of the room. Here various creative activities of the children’s choosing including cutting, pasting, painting, drawing, sewing, stitching, puzzles etc. take shape and form.

Essentially we consider aftercare a place which is fairly unstructured. After a day of school work it is time for free and creative endeavours and socialization. This comes with various elements especially when situations arise that need to be resolved such as conflicts and hurts. There is routine to the day with set lunch times and homework sessions.

We present to you one of our creative endeavours by the children in the form of a story and we hope you enjoy it.

Best Wishes,

Gonda Brincat – Aftercare supervisor

THE HIBISCUS TREE

Once upon a time there was a big blue pond with lily pads and water lilies. Up high in a clear blue sky flew about twenty birds and just over the pond a big rainbow butterfly could be seen. Next to the pond was a snake hole and in the snake hole lived a snake with his wife and three children. On the other side of the pond lived a wise Lion, a Lioness and two cubs. Down a short pathway from the pond was a little cottage with an old lady and her grandchild called Alex.

Alex loved to play with all the animals and one day, when his grandmother was ill, she told him to ask the Lion (who was very wise) where the Hibiscus Tree was because the leaves from the Hibiscus Tree would help her get well. Alex did not know what a Hibiscus Tree was and the grandmother knew that if he asked the Lion he would show Alex.

As Alex was walking around looking for the Lion he stumbled over his friend, the snake.

‘Sorry Mr. Snake, I didn't see you there.’

‘Itsss all rightssss Alexxxxss, but pleasssse don’t do it again as you might squashhhhh meee’.

‘Mr. Snake, have you seen Lion? I really need to find him in a hurry.’

‘Well actually, I think I did see Lion, he sssseemed to be heading for the pond, it isss very hot today, why don't you asssk the Rainbow Butterfly, he can sssee much more than I can.’

So Alex went looking for the Rainbow Butterfly who was perched on one of the Lily Pads. When the Rainbow Butterfly saw Alex coming to the pond it flew and landed on Alex’s head.

‘Hello Rainbow Butterfly, can you tell me where Lion might be?’ he whispered so as not to scare the butterfly away with his loud voice.

The Rainbow Butterfly fluttered its wings and said, ‘Why yes, strange thing is that I just flew over Lion’s head and the rest of Lion is under the water in the middle of the pond. I do believe it is very hot and Lion is cooling down.’

Alex smiled, thinking about Lion lying in the middle of the pond so he walked around the pond until he came to a large tree with branches reaching over the pond and there in the middle of the pond he saw Lion’s head, just as the Rainbow Butterfly had told him.

‘You look very funny, Lion, in the middle of the pond with your head sticking out like that, but please can you help me find some leaves of a hibiscus tree? My grandmother is ill and she said you would know where I can find some of these leaves.’

Lion turned his head to Alex, gave a very big yawning grin and swished his bushy tail so that it touched the branches of the tree, ‘This is the Hibiscus Tree, Alex,’ grumbled Lion.

Alex thanked Lion for his help and picked a few leaves and hurried on back to his grandmother so that she could get well.

~ THE END ~