Red Riding Hood And The Very Angry Ladybird

The last few weeks they have been celebrating National Book Week at Sweet-Pea's nursery.  It was only intended that the event last a week but so many kids were ill, they repeated the whole thing the second week!  That was really cool for me because I just loving dressing Sweet-Pea up and I can't wait until Smiler gets to participate!

This year, I bought Sweet-Pea a Red Riding Hood outfit and I gave her a copy of the book.  The real "Little Red Riding Hood."  Not the sanitized version they read at nursery but the proper one.  The Ladybird book.  Remember this?

Now I did have a think prior to giving Sweet-Pea the book because for those of you not familiar with the story - the wolf swallows both the Grandma and Red Riding Hood whole and they are rescued by Red Riding Hood's father who is a woodcutter and he kills the wolf with his axe.  A bit gory for a three year old to say the least.

That said, I'm pretty sure my mother read it to me when I was quite small.  I decided that if I explained to her that it was only a story and answered any questions she asked honestly that she would be fine and she has been.  It is a fine line to walk between protecting her from things that might legitimately upset her and from being able to distinguish between fact and fantasy.

I sent the book to nursery and her room acted it out with her as Red Riding Hood which she loved.  Here she is in her costume - complete with wolf:

The following week, we decided to go with our ladybird costume and they acted out "The Very Angry Ladybird."  Ironically enough - Sweet-Pea was going through much the same thing as the insect from the book.  She seemed to be picking arguments with us all week long and it was very very wearing!  However, you couldn't tell from the photos:

See what I mean - butter wouldn't melt you know?

Also they celebrated Saint Patrick's Day and she made a hat:

She also sang a leprechaun song to the tune of "I'm a little Teapot" that went:

"I'm a little leprechaun, small and green
The tiniest man you've ever seen
If you ever catch me I've been told
I'll give you my pot of gold"

They also had pyjama day and she wore her Peppa Pig pyjamas with matching socks ( please excuse the mess in the background)

I think it is fabulous that they encourage play-acting in children.  I remember when I was five, I was chosen to be the little Red Hen in the kindergarten play.  I suspect this had much to do with the fact that I was rather loud, bossy and precocious and they probably knew that people wouldn't struggle to hear me! 

It was the story where the little Red Hen asks various animals for help in getting the ingredients for making bread who refuse only to turn up when it's ready to eat.  The play was a happy memory although I do recall my teacher gently chastising me in rehearsals for being a little too enthusiastic about denying the other animals the bread at the end!

Then of course, there are the photos I take randomly and I love this one:

What a great expression! Her Dad and I often wonder out loud what she'll be like when she's older.  Then I find myself praying for her future husband! 

All kidding aside - she is such a lovely kid and we are so lucky to have her.