trying to find a poem

[Helen Dempster]

Months ago, I saw a poem on a door in one of the schools I used to drop at. I don't go there anymore, and I meant to ask for a copy but completely forgot, so I'm going to try on here. I can't remember what it was called, but it was a mother asking her child what he did at school that day. The child answers with loads of different things - smelt the flowers, watched a bee...those kinds of things. But the mum keeps saying "yes, but what did you DO?" and the kid lists a load of other things, but the mum keeps saying "yes, but what did you DO?" then the child produces a painting and tells mum he did it for her cos he knew she'd want to know what he'd done at school.

Sorry, the above is a bit wishy washy, but I hope someone out there knows what I'm going on about and where I can find it??? It's a great poem.

[Carpet Monkeys]

Is this it?

What did you do at Pre-school today?

Well, I sat at the dough table and rolled the dough in my hands. Lucy said hers was a snake but mine, mine was a worm. The lady talked about long ones, short ones and medium sized ones, and Sarah rolled her dough so long it went right over the edge of the table. (And nobody said, ‘What are you going to make—a cake would be nice.’)

Yes, but what did you do?

I played on the climbing frame and do you know I can jump off the very top step.

Yes, but did you do anything today?

Sarah and me went to the paint table. It was lovely, all gooey and slippery on our hands. We made lots of patterns with our fingers and elbows. Sarah had yellow paint and I had red and Mummy do you know what, if you mix red and yellow paint together it goes ORANGE! (And nobody said ‘What a mess you’ve made.’)

Yes, but what else have you done?


At milk time a big boy pushed me over and I bumped my head. The lady picked me up and loved me better.

And then did you do anything?

The lady sang a new song and I can remember it, it was about our fingers, thumbs and toes.

But did you do anything today?

I made a lovely traily pattern in the sand and then Sarah and me had a race to see who could put the sand in the sand-wheel the quickest.


So what did you do at Pre-school today?

We sang ‘Happy Birthday’ to Nicholas and then the lady read us a story.

But did you do anything today?

Yes, when the lady said ‘It’s time to tidy up’, I quickly painted you a picture cos I knew you’d say…

‘What did you do at Pre-school today?’