Fabulous fairies and fun at Iver Environment Centre

We first discovered Iver Environment Centre last summer and have been back several times. Sophie loves exploring the different garden areas there and the various activity sessions that they offer during school holidays. We met up with her friend F and his mum over the Easter break to take part in the Fabulous Fairies and Elves craft session.

 

Sophie holding up her finished fairy picture - "Fantastic Fairies and fun at Iver Environment Centre"

 

While we were waiting for the craft session to start, Sophie took a closer look at the raised ponds with her magnifying glass. She was quite fascinated by the pond skaters moving across the surface of the pond.

 

Sophie looking into one of the raised ponds at Iver Environment Centre with her magnifying glass

 

The craft session involved decorating a picture of a fairy or an elf with different leaves. The children each choose their picture outline. They also had some glue, a pair of scissors to cut off leaves for their picture, and a bowl to collect the leaves in.

 

Sophie with her outline fairy picture and a bowl contained a glue stick and a pair of scissors

 

We started our hunt for the perfect leaves for the picture in the sensory garden before exploring some of the other garden areas to collect more leaves. Sophie also collected a stick to make a wand for her fairy. Once the children had finished collecting their leaves, we headed back to the classroom to stick them to the pictures.

 

Sophie cutting off a leaf into her bowl

Sophie holding a bowl full of leaves standing next to a patch of bluebells

 

We’ve done this kind of craft before, but not for a while. It was interesting to see what a difference it makes with Sophie being that little bit older now. She wanted to cut her leaves into smaller pieces and stick them carefully inside the lines of her fairy picture rather than sticking whole leaves to her picture.

 

Sophie cutting up leaves to stick on her fairy picture

 

Once Sophie and F had finished their pictures, we left them to dry and headed out into the orchard for some games. Sophie and F were soon playing a game of Connect 4 – or at least until Sophie started to get frustrated that F wasn’t following her rules! Thankfully there were other games to play instead!

 

Sophie throwing a hoop over a tower of bricks

Sophie playing Connect 4 with F

 

As well as the games in the orchard, there is a small play area which we haven’t really explored on our previous visits. Sophie and F had a wonderful time climbing up the hill and sliding down the slide.

 

Sophie climbing into a big tub in the play area at Iver Environment Centre

Sophie sliding down the slide at Iver Environment Centre

 

“Steady on!” Sophie said, when another child bumped into her as she was using the rope to pull herself up the hill. It sounded so funny to hear her come out with such a stereotypically British expression – and one that I don’t think I use myself! I wonder where she picked that one up from.

 

Sophie and a friend using ropes to climb the hill

 

Hills, of course, always remind us of Jessica and her love of rolling down them. It does make me smile that Sophie never fails to mention that whenever we are near one. This is clearly a memory that really sticks in her mind and how lovely that Jessica is still always such a part of days out because of little memories like this. Sophie isn’t quite so keen on rolling down hills as Jessica was, but she gave this one a go.

 

Sophie rolling down the hill

 

The cows from the neighbouring field came over to watch the children playing at one point. They seemed quite interested in what was happening on our side of the fence. I thought Sophie and F might be interested to see the cows up close, but they were much more engrossed in their play.

 

A herd of cows looking over the fence

 

For Sophie, I think having someone of a similar age to play with is the best thing about a day out like this. Play dates have become so much more important to her. It is lovely to watch her having fun like she would have done with Jessica. She has coped amazingly well with the loss of her sister, but she struggles at times with not having that constant playmate that she was used to. Days out like these help make that loss a little easier to bear.

 

Blossom on one of the trees at Iver Environment Centre

 

Visiting Iver Environment Centre – what you need to know:

Address:

Slough Road
Iver
Buckinghamshire
SL0 0EB

 

Opening times:

Iver Environment Centre is open on various dates during school holidays. For more information click here.

 

Country Kids linky

5 thoughts on “Fabulous fairies and fun at Iver Environment Centre

  1. Oh it sounds like a lovely day out, her fairy picture is very impressive, it looks like she was really taking a lot of care over it. How lovely that she had a go at rolling down the hill because she knew it would make Jessica happy. It must be nice for Sophie to have someone her own age to play with occasionally. How difficult it must be to adapt to coping without the constant companionship of Jessica when they were so incredibly close.
    Nat.x

  2. Steady on old chap! That looks like a lovely session, using leaves to decorate the fairies reminded me of the flower fairies from my childhood! Great post, thanks for sharing! #countrykids

  3. What a great place to visit – looks like so much fun for little ones. I love Sophie’s leaf picture. It is so interesting seeing how children tackle things differently as they get older – it really does make you realise time is passing.

    I love that Jessica is always present on your adventures xx
    #countrykids

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