Two primary schools unite for outdoor adventure

The day began with the pupils venturing out into Hezlett school grounds in the rain, fully prepared in head-to-toe waterproofs, armed with nothing but their imagination, twine, tarpaulins, and a collection of natural materials. The challenge was to build a shelter that could withstand a simulated downpour.  The aim was to teach the pupils about building resilience and teamwork, as well as how to use natural resources creatively.  

The children worked together in small groups, using sticks, pegs and tarpaulins to create their dens, ensuring that the shelters were sturdy enough to hold up under the “rain test” later in the day. After all the structures were built, it was time for the fun part: the rain simulation.

With buckets of water and a few strategically placed drops the staff tested the pupil’s den’s durability.  

“Some of them are really good at keeping out the water, but ours dripped!” said one pupil from Hezlett PS.  

“We made sure that we couldn’t see out of our den from the inside, we knew it wouldn’t leak then,” said a pupil from St Aidan’s PS, Magilligan.

While the rain test provided plenty of laughter and some soggy heads both schools then gathered around to enjoy steaming mugs of hot chocolate, complete with marshmallows.

After break, the pupils had a chance to get creative with a more serene project: bubble blowers. Using freshly cut elder branches, the children fashioned their own bubble wands by sawing, coring and whittling their branch before dipping them into homemade bubble solution and watching as colourful bubbles floated into the air. 

The PEACEPLUS ASPIRE project is led by the Education Authority in partnership with Léargas, Early Years – the organisation for young children, the National Childhood Network, and the Fermanagh Trust. The project is funded by PEACEPLUS, a programme administered by the Special EU Programmes Body (SEUPB).