Ruby Class started the day at the bus stop, happily watching the steady stream of vehicles heading up toward the nurseries. The children quickly decided that lorries were the most exciting thing to spot, and they put a lot of effort into waving for a horn. When a driver did honk, it set off a roar of cheers!! 

The bus was short and sweet, and soon we were walking toward the garden centre. On the way, we passed Thompson’s and stopped to watch a wheel loader at work. It was scooping bark from a huge pile and loading it into a lorry, and the children were completely absorbed by it. It was one of those unexpected moments that becomes a highlight all on its own.

At the garden centre, we explored the spring flowers. The children enjoyed smelling them, choosing favourites and talking about the colours. Inside, we headed straight for the seeds. After plenty of discussion and some admiring of the packet pictures, we chose eleven to bring back to school. There is a lot of excitement about what we might grow in the coming months.

Next, we headed to soft play! There was climbing, exploring and a few rounds of hide and seek. Some familiar faces popped up in the café area, which delighted a few members of the class. We paused for a juice before beginning our journey back.

When we returned to the bus stop, no bus appeared. We waited, had a chocolate brioche snack and waited a little longer. Eventually we decided to walk back to school. The hill felt long in the warm sunshine, but we encouraged each other and kept going at a steady pace.

There were a few comments along the way, such as “I can’t,” “My legs don’t work,” and “Is this the longest hill in the world,” but we made it together. By the time we arrived back at school, everyone was ready for a rest, and we spent a calm afternoon colouring and enjoying the sunshine from the comfort of our Sunshine Room.

It turned out to be a full day with plenty of little adventures, moments of curiosity and lots of teamwork. Ruby Class brought smiles to people we passed throughout the trip, and they showed real determination on the walk home. A lovely outing overall, and we’re already thinking about the next one...!