Castle Flags

Looking through the many books, both fiction and non-fiction, that we have about castles we discovered that most castles have flags on them.
  
We set to work to create flags using a simple triangle and paints.

The books were available for reference but the children free styled their own.
 
         Designing many colourful flags with various shapes.
      
          A few we attached to poles for the entrance. 
    
      The rest were placed on the walls behind the castle.

Castle Play Leads To…

         
The children have been playing in the castle for two weeks and almost everyday
                                     a new idea pops up.
     
Defending the castle from the bad guys is a big theme for a group of boys that come every Tuesday.  We already had swords and axes but I found a couple of sets of bow and arrows at the dollar store.   The children were instantly
                               interested in them.
                        
                         We created a target for shooting practice.
      
Then started learning how to hold the bow and use the arrow.  The arrows have suction cups on the ends and luckily not very good ones so they don’t stick to
                                anything when they are shot.
    
           It takes practice and determination to hold the two together. 
  I’m working on arranging a field trip to our local Fish and Game Club to see
                                  their archery area.


                 A question arose from the bows and arrow play.
                 ‘How do you hold it and try to ride your horse?’
                         So we made a quiver at the art table.
     
       With bow and arrows in the quiver and slung over their shoulder
                      lets them hold the horse with both hands.