Session one

other end we threaded on a toggle, which we fixed into place with a figure of eight knot.

The children exten

We started with safety rules before getting down to learning each other’s names by playing the animal name game.  In the animal name game you tell everyone your name and an animal, which starts with the same letter.  This helps to give two remembering clues to each person. 

We are looking at knots this term starting with simple stopper knots and working our way up to more complicated lashings.  The first two knots we tried to tie, were the stopper knot and the figure of eight knot these are used to stop a rope from travelling through a hole.  We started with Sid the snake practice ropes and once everyone had had a go we applied the knot to something to help us remember them.

Before we started our knot belts the kettle had boiled and we had hot chocolate and a biscuit.  Each week we have a fire and the children collect the firewood for the following week.  They are instructed that the sticks should be no longer than their arms and no thicker than their thumbs.

Folding over one end of the string into a bite made our belts and then we tied a stopper knot to form a loop.  At the ded the fedge by pushing willow whips into the ground at an angle so claiming a little more land for themselves.

We finish our sessions back at the fire pit sitting on the logs to talk about what we have done during the session, plan what we are going to do next week and a round of the animal name game.