ideas please - French activity ideas

[magicminding]

Hi everyone, long time lurker here!

I run a childminder drop in, and we have decided to "journey round the world" with our little ones this summer holidays, we have activities for Australia, Mexico, India, China and France lined up, including games, food and an art & craft idea - but for the life of me can't think of anything decent for France :blush: - any help is greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance

Cathy

[miffy]

Some mardi gras activities here

http://www.activityvillage.co.uk/mardi_gras.htm

and some more bits and pieces here

http://*******************/search/results

Miffy xx

[Blaze]

Make some bread dough & get them to roll it & twist together for a twisted loaf:thumbsup:

[Tribe_mummy]

Couple of ideas - something to do with tour de france - make their own eiffel tower- put on a fashion show - bake baguettes ....google is great for ideas :)

[selena 31]

The children at our nursery love head shoulders knees and toes in french its quite simple to learn x

[christine e]

Sing Freya Jacka

Play boules

Introduce children to Braille

Do the CanCan


Older children look at facts about France at

http://www.woodlands-junior.kent.sch.uk/homework/france.html

Christine

[judisteve]

How about a French food picnic, French bread, cheeses, croissants, brioche rolls etc. I understand Waitrose have a good continental section!!
What about wearing the colours of the flag?

[lauredt]

On the 14th of July we celebrate our Independance day, how about making your own guillotine Blue Peter style and behead a few Kings and Queens during role play???:laughing: :laughing: :laughing:
Sorry, I have a strange sense of humour this morning..
On a more serious note, on Bastille day every village will have an outdoor folk dance,with bunting (blue, white red) all around a field or a village square, and we dance to very quitsch music with a lot of accordeon in it (niiiice)or as in the case of Brittany where I come from, we dance all together as if under hypnosis to breton music. Think a mix between irish dancing and morris dancers. Quite a sight, very sweaty, but a totally elating experience. (my mindees end up on the floor roaring with laughter).

Food wise, I would go fo making a quiche lorraine or a salade nicoise, very easy to make and easy on the palate. When I was helping at my son's preschool we made a Far Breton (yep a breton cake) which is very much a set custard flan with prunes. Really yummy, unless you are over 7 and suspect I am trying to poison you with those yucky brown bits (I don't do it with after schoolies any more, you'd think I was feeding them snails...:mad: )

You could teach them Frere Jacques, althought they are easier ones about, it's just a matter of finding the tunes that go with them. Greeting each other in french (bonjour, je m'appelle Jimmy, using french words at the table -bon appetit, s'il te plait , merci) should entertain your little ones for a while.

A game my lot loves is called "un, deux, trois soleil", our version on musical statues without music. The children stand at one side of the room, you are on the other side, turning your back on them. you slowly count 1,2,3 soleil, taping the wall as you say, and turn round suddenly. they are to walk to you as quickly as possible, but have got to be perfectly still when you look. Anyone seen moving when you turn has to start back from the start. You can vary the speed you count (going very fast will catch them all, it makes the game last longer!:D ) the winner is the one who taps the wall next to you first. Do I make sense, or is it still too early in the morning for my english to be half decent?

I'll come back on here when I have given it more thoughts...

[magicminding]

Thanks everyone:clapping: , definitely going for mardi gras theme, and have now chosen main festivals for all the other countries, we can put together more in terms of fact sheets etc for everyone to take home. Love the game idea - that's going on the list lol!
The cancan for the older children is sure to be a hit!

Had already decided on a tour de france outside if the weather is good (fingers crossed.)

I am soooo excited by this project, can't wait til the school hols.:jump for joy:

[miffy]

Sounds really good - don't forget to take some photos!

Miffy xx