“What a beautiful day… we’re not scared!” repeated the children in the preschool room at Lowmoor Nursery in Wigton. ‘

We’re going on a bear hunt’ is one of our pre-schoolers favourite stories.

Aunty Sophie read the book aloud to the children, who all listened with increasing attention and recall – shouting out guesses as to what the family would face next on their hunt for a bear.

Could it be the squishy squashy mud?

Or the swirling whirling snowstorm?

From the children’s great interest in this book, we decided to recreate and act out the bear hunt.

The children got the chance of using their senses as well as our favourite task of all – getting MESSY!

We took off our shoes and socks and each took it in turns to go around the sensory walk we had created.

Through the swishy swashy grass and splash splashing in the bright blue river, the children found themselves “slipping” and getting “stuck” in the mud.

Next we came to the forest, the children told us the leaves were prickly on their feet!

We battled on through the swirling whirling snowstorm.

The children loved the snowstorm the best and wanted to build snowmen and make snowballs – “the snow feels soft and fluffy” said one of the children.

Finally, the children discovered a cave! Now, they had a big decision to make…

Can we go over it? No! Can we go under it? No! “Oh no…” they each shouted as they approached the cave, “we’ve got to go through it!” We crouched down to take a look inside the cave, the children pointed shouting, “look, look! It’s a bear!”

The preschool children all had so much fun throughout our very own bear hunt and continue to ask “when can we do it again?

Lowmoor Preschool are also delighted to have been chosen to benefit from Co-op local community fund.

At a time when funds for community groups and charitable organisations are becoming more difficult to access, we’re incredibly grateful for this opportunity to make a real difference in Wigton. We are raising funds for Lowmoor.

This is to provide more up to date resources for children inside the nursery, and to develop our outside area.

Providing a learning environment both inside and outdoors, to develop further, children’s skills, wellbeing and confidence.

Co-op members can choose a cause by going online at www.coop.co.uk/membership. We really hope that people will visit the website and choose to support us. If you’re not a member and would like to support us, you can join at your local store or online at www.coop.co.uk.