Without doubt, The Bog Baby (Puffin Books) is an irresistible book. The story is charming and timeless, narrated by the heroine, a little girl - but told when she is grown up, with a little girl of her own. The illustrations are designed to bring awe and wonder to all who will pore over them, and they complement the text perfectly.
The story, written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Gwen Millward, is entrancing, and is sure to leave young children (and adults) spellbound. A little girl and her friend go to a place they are not really supposed to go to and there, in a pond, find not a frog or a newt, but a Bog Baby, living in the Bluebell Wood.
Bog Baby is small and blue, with lacy wings (rather like a dragon), and lives in the magic pond. He loves to swim on his back, sucking his toes. Needless to say, the girls love the Bog Baby and take him home, but have to keep him a secret, for fear of telling the adults where they have been. They make him an exquisite miniature world in a bucket and feed him on cake crumbs. But he is not happy. The girls realise that something is wrong, and reveal their secret to the grown-ups, who encourage them to return the Bog Baby to his natural environment.
'If we really loved the bog baby, we had to do what was best for him.'No matter how much it hurt us.'That was real love.'That's why we let him go.'
If you want to know the ending, you will have to read the book for yourself, but I can guarantee that you won't be disappointed.
The themes in this story are many and varied. They include freedom, exploration, secrets and our responsibility to the world around us. It would support children's interests in caring for and finding out about wildlife, discovery, adventure, the natural world and Spring.
SMALL-WORLD AREA
Where possible, this should be set up outside. This area should provide:
- a selection of natural materials to create Bog Baby environments
- a range of natural materials: small logs, pebbles, gravel, shingle, leaves, etc.
Learning opportunities
L Story making
L Using story language
M Problem solving
M Sorting and classifying
M Sequencing and ordering
M Counting
UW Exploring the properties of different materials
Adult role
First, build the small world (the land of the Bog Babies) with a group of children. Listen for the mathematical language that they use when deciding how to set up the small world. You will also be able to observe a wide range of story language as the children organise the world in which these fascinating creatures live. Help them decide which are the grown-up Bog Babies and which are the young ones. Talk to them about the characters and personalities that they might have. Do the children think that Bog Babies are frightened of humans, or do the children think that they trust them?
Adults could add:
- mark-making equipment so that the children can make maps of the Bog Baby environment, as well as signs, notices and labels for mark-making and children's own shopping lists, recipes and menus
- camera, still and moving image, which can be used for capturing images from the small world to use for bookmakingand filming children's own narratives to share with others
- musical instruments which can be used for creating sound effects for the small world and creating musical patterns inspired by the environment they have built - Bog Babies playing, swimming, etc.
CREATIVE WORKSHOP
Explore the colour blue, which is very evident in the book of the Bog Baby. Bog Babies themselves are blue and they live in a bluebell wood.
Provide in this area:
- images of bluebells (these are readily obtainable from the internet)
- where possible, some real bluebells for the children to look at. Please be aware that English bluebells are a protected species; however, it may be possible to obtain Spanish bluebells, which are often grown in gardens
- a collection of blue art materials, including: paints, inks, pastels and chalks; a selection of tissue papers, for tearing; glitter, small jewels, etc; glue, glue spreaders; scraps of fabric; a selection of wool, ribbons, threads and so on.
Learning opportunities
C&L Extending vocabulary
EAD Using their imagination to create patterns, combinations of colours and representational images
UW Exploring texture
CD Responding in a variety of ways to what they see, hear, think and feel
PD Developing fine motor skills
Adult role
- Talk to the children about the materials available to them. Which ones do the most enjoy to use?
- Encourage combinations of materials, so that children feel free to represent in their own way. Support children by offering well organised resources that can be accessed easily.
- Value all the children's collages and ensure that there is time to respond to them.
- Discuss how the blue colours make the children feel. What do they remind them of?
- Display the children's responses with the artwork.
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
Design and build homes for Bog Babies. Provide, ideally outside:
- a range of construction equipment
- a collection of long sticks and twigs, that can be bound together to create little houses, or perhaps, nests
- a collection of natural materials
- junk modelling materials
- masking tape
- a range of fabrics
Learning opportunities
PD Developing motor skills
C&L Making stories
C&L Extending vocabulary
M Solving problems, measuring, estimating
UW Building and constructing with a wide range of materials
Adult role
Work with the children to support them in joining the sticks and/or twigs together to create a dwelling. Explain that they can create scenes, and let the children's imaginations run riot! They might like to make nests or even transport for the infant Bog Babies. The adult could add:
- clipboards and drawing board which can be used for mark-making and recording and drawing, designing and planning
- digital cameras for photographing the structures that the children have created. Print them off and create an album that records the children's creations. Keep it in the book corner so that children can revisit their learning.
GRAPHICS AREA
In this area provide:
- - Bog Baby information forms. At the very end of the book the publishers invite readers to send in information about Bog Babies 'as very little is known about them'. Make some forms that are just like those in the book, so that the children can send in information
- a range of book-making materials so that children can make marks about their experiences, or produce their own 'Bog Baby Books'. Make sure that you include materials that will inspire this kind of writing - blue paper, for example
- beautiful pencils or gel pens to inspire children to write down their stories
- wooden boards, varnished, in the outdoor area so that children make notices, signs and labels for Bog Baby. Mindstretchers sells some that are ideal for the purpose, at www.mindstetchers.com
- plenty of clipboards so that the children can make marks outdoors, recording their adventures with the Bog Babies through drawing, mark making and writing.
Learning opportunities
PSED Co-operation and collaboration
C&L Talking for a variety of purposes
L Writing for a range of purposes
CD Exploring and experimenting with sounds, words and texts
Adult role
- Respond positively and valuing children's independent attempts at writing
- Plan shared writing sessions based on children's ideas, to demonstrate writing strategies and to develop understanding of the relationship between spoken and written language
- Provide a place for children to display their writing, for example, a noticeboard
- Publish the children's work, and display their home-made books in the book corner, in a special container.
OUTDOOR AREA
Teach the children to play 'In and Out the Dusty Bluebells'. This playground game develops co-operation and collaboration as well as offering the perfect context in which use a range of mathematical language, as you organise and play the game.
In and out the dusty bluebells,
In and out the dusty bluebells,
In and out the dusty bluebells,
Who shall be my partner?
Give a little pit-a-pat on the shoulder,
Give a little pit-a-pat on the shoulder,
Give a little pit-a-pat on the shoulder,
Who shall be your partner?
Full instructions of the game can be found at www.playgroundfun.org.uk
Learning opportunities
PSED Co-operation and collaboration
C&L Enjoying joining in with rhymes and songs
M Using the language of position
PD Moving confidently and with control
BOOK AREA
- Obtain a selection of the books recommended in the Book Box.
- Display them as a collection that children can readily access for themselves.
- Where possible, ensure that there are multiple copies of some of the books that prove the most popular. This will encourage children to share books together.
- Make sure that you plan to use the collection in read-aloud sessions, reading non-fiction as well as fiction. Discuss the pictures and pick out some fascinating facts. Encourage the children to be experts and let them talk to you about what they already know.
Adult role
- Make time to observe the children who use the book corner, and their reading preferences.
- Encourage the use of the books in other areas of provision, including outdoors.
RESOURCES BOX
In order to bring the Bog Baby to life, it will be worthwhile spending some time collecting resources that will help the children explore a wide range of activities inspired by the story.
- A collection of natural materials. What you use will depend on the resources available to you - pebbles, leaves, petals, shells and flowers will all be invaluable.
- Some bulbs for the children to look at. These may be growing in peat or in a specialised bulb glass, or they may be dormant. Please be aware that treated hyacinths can cause skin irritation.
- A selection of fabric samples for use in small-world play, or block play, to create a bog Baby paradise! You will find a wide range at www.dickorydockdesigns.co.uk.
- Books, fiction and non-fiction (see Book Box).
- Some home-made Bog Babies. I made mine from blue playdough, with googly eyes and little wings cut from a piece of net.
- Buckets so that children can re-enact part of the story if they need to. They may also wish to transport Bog Babies that they make themselves.
- Mark-making equipment suitable for use in the outdoor area.
BOOK BOX
In the Dark, Dark Wood by Jessica Souhami (Frances Lincoln) - A retelling of the traditional rhyme, with strongly patterned structures and flaps to lift that guarantee surprises.
The Monster Bed written by Jeanne Willis and illustrated by Suzanne Varley (Andersen Press) - This book tells the story of a baby monster who lives in the Withering Wood. Dennis the monster is afraid of humans and needs reassurance that there are none lurking under his bed!
Sally and The Limpet by Simon James (Walker Books) - This story has a similar theme to that of The Bog Baby. Sally finds a limpet in a rock pool and decides to remove it from its home. It sticks to her finger, and she can't seem to remove it however hard she tries.
The Wild Woods by Simon James (Walker Books) - A story about a little girl and her Grandad going for a walk in the woods. The girl wants to keep a squirrel as a pet, but comes to realise that this is not such a good idea.
Billy's Bucket by Kes Gray (Red Fox) - The story of a little boy who has a bucket for his birthday. It's not just an ordinary bucket - it has crabs and seaweed and little shrimpy things inside. All is well until Billy's dad borrows the bucket to wash the car. This book holds lots of potential for storymaking.
A Little Guide to Wildflowers by Charlotte Voake (Eden Project Children's Books) This is an excellent non-fiction book to have in the setting, especially if Bog Baby prompts an interest in wildflowers.
Just One Peaceful Pond by Chris Butterworth (Walker Books) A novelty book with pull-to pages that helps children explore the inhabitants of a real pond.
