KIDS CAROUSEL

Summer Fun

by Pauline Tait

When I first heard the theme for this month’s magazine was to be ‘summer fun’, I found myself transported back to school summer holidays and precious time spent with my children.

The eager anticipation that encapsulates a child in the final days of the school term is palpable, something I experienced first-hand while working in a school. Whether it was the older pupils saying their emotional farewells as they prepared to move on to high school or the younger years preparing to embrace week after week of summer fun, the feeling of impending freedom was intense.

And while classroom walls were being stripped bare, cupboards cleaned out, and teachers finalised a year with one class while also preparing for a new year with another, pupils spent the final days and hours playing games or, if the weather was kind, enjoying extra outdoor activities.

I was always just as eager for the school holidays as the pupils. Because while I embarked on my summer holiday, my children embarked on theirs. Once home, our chatter would fall quickly to the places we wanted to visit and people we wanted to see. Our to-do list formed without much effort.

Each year the list would begin the same. A day at the beach, a picnic at a local park where we would spend the day with bats, balls and frisbees. The adventure playground in a nearby town, followed by ice cream. And for longer days, both Stirling and Urquhart castles were always favoured by my children.

But the list quickly moved to walks in our local countryside, BBQs in the back garden, lazy mornings and afternoons with friends, baking, arts and crafts, and the simplicity of just being together.

We lived close to a river, and a dog walk with fishing nets and a picnic was often a weekly occurrence. We would play pooh sticks from the bridge, our dog would lollop in the water, and my children would catch minnows, keeping them in a bucket until it was time to go home. They would then count their haul before releasing them back into the river.

Our temperamental weather would often be the decider between late movie nights and long lies or summer walks and bike rides in the calming light of dusk. And as the weeks flew by, and we went shopping for new school uniforms and school bags, I was just as saddened as my children at the thought of our adventures coming to an end. But, just as our children’s education is invaluable, our memories are irreplaceable.

So, we must make the most of these times, treasure them and embrace them. Before long, our children grow up. They embark on their own lives and adventures, all built on the knowledge, courage, and life experiences they gained as children.

Now, my children are adults. And as they embark on their annual leave, we are at the top of their lists. We are amongst the people they want to visit. While summers still come and go, our lives go full circle, but that is fine. We are all part of one great adventure.

Pauline Tait is a prolific novelist and children’s author. Based in Perthshire, Scotland, she writes both suspenseful romance and children’s picture books for 3 to 7 years. With a background in Primary Literacy Support, Pauline is passionate in encouraging children in their own reading and writing.

Mouse’s Wood: A Year in Nature by Alice Melvin reviewed by Pauline Tait

And so, in Scotland, as we leave spring behind and move into summer, Kids Carousel is reviewing a stunning picture book that will walk your little ones through the seasons in a frenzy of glorious illustrations.

A page dedicated to the characters of the wood is an excellent addition, educating children on the woods native animals and explaining a little about where they live.

If, like me, you are a fan of whimsical illustrations full of the intricate details of the characters daily lives, then this is a picture book not to be missed. Think Beatrix Potter meets Wind in the Willows.

Mouse’s Wood: A Year in Nature

Written and illustrated by Alice Melvin

Published by Thames and Hudson Ltd For ages 3 years and up

With each page dedicated to a month of the year, Mouse’s Wood will walk children through the seasons in a cacophony of mesmerising illustrations and stunning poetic text that will captivate even the most reluctant readers.

While lifting flaps on each page make this an interactive read, the revelations and illustrated detail beneath are exquisite.

In conclusion, Mouse’s Wood is both delightfully told and one of the most beautifully illustrated books I’ve read. An utter joy!