It's been lovely, if a little wearing, to watch the mounting excitement but this morning we headed out to school all ready for the off and with me tagging along for the ride.
The idea was that I should be one of the four parent helpers joining the class teacher and school staff to shepherd (yes, pun intended) the 30 children around Big Sheep Little Cow Farm.
Lots of head counts later and we were safely on the coach heading towards Bedale and this farm attraction that I haven't visited for very many years. The last time will have been with the teenager when he was around six!
On arrival and being split into groups we embarked on our adventure with a fun play in the soft play barn before farm staff member, Fay, took us off on our guided tour of the farm. This is something I remember from previous, long ago, visits and a farm tour is great because it means you get to meet the animals and ask whatever questions you have.
The children were fantastic, joining in, asking questions and actually showing that they remembered quite a bit of what they're learning at school at the moment about the life cycle. They even have eggs in an incubator that they're waiting to hatch!
I was amazed when one little boy immediately responded with the correct answer of 31 days when asked for how long a goose would sit on her eggs. They're a bright bunch.
We were all ready for our packed lunch before heading out to play on go carts and to enjoy a barrel ride. No, I declined the barrel ride but the class teacher was very fast to strap herself in. I wonder whether she's regretting that now!
It was a tired group of children who climbed back on the coach to take us back to school but I think they had all had a great time and I know I had loved watching them have fun. A2 is adamant that I have to go on the next school trip too and I wonder how long it will be before he's too embarrassed to have mum tag along too. I suspect that will come all too soon.
