Winchester Science Museum

General 

Elliott was mainly good today. Towards the end of the day, when there were too many bigger boys at the skate park for it to be safe for him and Harry Higgins to have the run of the place to themselves, he got quite upset as he'd really been looking forward to going to the skate park with Harry. He would be upset and then calm down and then remember again and be upset again and then calm down and did this about 5 times. However eventually he calmed down and moved on and later in the car on the way home we talked about moving on from annoying things and how remembering things vividly can be upsetting.

Activities

In the morning we drove to Winchester Science Centre where we met up with Matt and Harry Higgins. The centre had lots of hands on exhibits (some more fun than others) and a Planetarium. After we'd had a snack in the cafe we went to the planets show in the Planetarium which was really good and Elliott was very interested in each planet as we looked at them and heard more about them. After the Panetarium show we went into the exhibits and the boys particularly enjoyed trying wheelchair basketball:

looking through a periscope:

rowing:

and testing their reactions on a reaction testing wall:

We also had a picnic lunch at the Centre and then headed out to the adventure playground:

After lunch and outdoor playing we headed back in to the Centre where they both spent about 40 minutes testing their reaction times on a 10 metre race track where their sprinting time was measured from a race start. After all the sprinting we all enjoyed a Van De Graaff Generator demonstration that included getting our hair to stand on end, making foil cake covers "magically" fly out of our hands and causing a big spark of electricity travelling from the big generator to a smaller metal globe:

After the Van De Graaff Generator demonstration it was time to go and we headed in to Winchester to a nearby skate park:

After about 20 minutes of scootering the park began to get quite crowded with bigger boys so we headed off to play football in the nearby park and this is when Elliott got quite upset. After he'd calmed down we went to MacDonalds for tea where both boys had chicken nuggets happy meals before we said goodbye and drove home. When we arrived home Elliott had his bath, brushed his teeth and went to bed quickly as it was close to 8pm by the time he'd had his bath and put his pyjamas on.

Twelfth Night

General 

Elliott was good today.

Activities

We had a lazy time in the morning at Granny and Grandpa's and we finished the final touches on the Dangermouse car. We also packed and got ready to go and grabbed some sandwiches on the way home for lunch (Elliott had ham sandwiches).

After we got back to Wokingham we went to the library to watch a performance of Twelfth Night for children done by a small group of actors. Elliott watched the performance very intently and laughed at the funny bits although afterwards he claimed he hadn't like it. However later he said he had really enjoyed it but didn't want to say so in front of other people because the story was about love. After we got home we went into the flat's garden and played some cricket. Then we went in and watched Ant and Dec's Saturday Night Takeaway on catch up while I cooked rice and burgers for his tea. After tea he had his bath, we watched more of Ant and Dec and then I read him another chapter of Jack Stalwart before bed time.

Skate park

General 

Elliott was really good again today.

Activities

In the morning we went to the skate park early, straight after breakfast, to make sure we had some time before any bigger boys arrived. Elliott really enjoyed himself on his scooter and was getting very confident: 

After about three quarters of an hour some bigger boys did arrive but they took it in turns with Elliott to cycle or scoot around the skate park and this seemed to help Elliott's confidence even more. Then, after some Easter Egg for elevenses, we headed to the Co-Op in Downton to get some chicken to make chicken fajitas for lunch (Elliott choosing to travel by scooter).

After lunch we went for a trip to Ikea in Southampton and Elliott was really good while we looked around. He especially enjoyed trying out armchairs to see which one was most comfortable (he decided on a recliner). After we got home from Ikea there was time for some toast for tea and then he glued some of the final pieces of the Dangermouse car together so we can finish it tomorrow morning. Then it was time for his bath, bedtime squash, tooth brushing and another chapter of his Jack Stalwart book before bed time.

Stourhead

General 

Elliott was mainly good today. However after we got home from going out he was upset that he couldn't go to the local skate park again as it was raining quite heavily. I did have a chat with him and then I left him to calm down and after about 15 minutes he re-appeared and was really good after that and apologised. When he was upset he didn't shout or behave badly, he was just sulky.

Activities

In the morning he drew some more pictures (this time of Batman verses Superman), read some of his Jack Stalwart book himself and then he even practiced his handwriting. Then we went to Stourhead with Granny and Grandpa (a National Trust house and gardens). They were running an Easter Egg hunt there so Elliott joined in with that and had to identify answers to questions from clues dotted about the property in exchange for a chocolate Easter bunny. He raced round this trail and got all the questions right: 

Then we had a picnic lunch before we went to explore the house: 

In the house they'd also made an effort for children and placed Easter Eggs to spot in the different rooms and Elliott enjoyed searching for the Easter Eggs and asking the volunteers how many there were to find in each room. After we'd looked around the house we went to the shop where Granny and Grandpa bought his a wooden tarantula puzzle and then we had some tea in the cafe. The weather was pretty good and held off until just before we left which was lucky.

After we got home it was still raining quite badly and so unfortunately, after we hoped to be able to, we couldn't go to the local skate park with his scooter to practice tricks. He was quite upset about this but after a chat and some time to calm down he put it behind him and then we made the wooden tarantula together. Then it was time for spaghetti bolognese for tea before he had his bath. Then he watched some Wallace and Grommit before it was time for bed.

Easter Eggs

General 

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

Elliott drew some more pictures first thing in the morning before breakfast including making an Easter card for Harry Higgins. After breakfast we went to Salisbury Cathedral for the Easter morning service. They had an Easter Egg hunt for the children for a lot of the service which Elliott enjoyed and during the hunt we bumped in to Tom Dudding and his boys Samuel and Oscar so that was good fun. After we got back from the service Elliott opened his Kinder Surprise Easter Egg which came with a Batman figure and had some chocolate for elevenses. Then he started filming a Batman film using his Lego App before we had lunch which was Roast Lamb and he had some broccoli with his meat and potatoes.

After lunch he finished making his Batman film before we watched the Boat Race and he had some more chocolate at tea time. Then we went to the skate park up the road with his scooter and practiced scootering before he had some hot cross buns for tea. Then he had his bath and I read him some more Jack Stalwart before bed time.

Wolfblood

General 

Elliott was very good today.

Activities

After Elliott arrived we went to see a possible new house we might live in so he could see it. Then we popped over to Arborfield to see Harry and Jack Jenkins and their Mum and Dad and Elliott and Harry played Wolfblood. Then we went to Costa for lunch (ham and cheese toastie for Elliott) before heading off to Downton to visit Granny and Grandpa. He was really good on the journey and watched a few episodes of Wolfblood.

After we arrived in Downton Elliott drew an Easter card for us all which was really good and had a picture of an Easter Bunny on it. He also played with some of his army toys from Downton and showed Granny and Grandpa his Roman pouch and scroll. After that we had sausage and mash for tea before he had his bath and then I read some of his Jack Stalwart book to him before bed time.

Batman

General 

Elliott was good after school today and had Lasagne for lunch at school. 

Activities

After school we went home and he had some toast with jam for tea while watching an episode from "Batman The Animated Series". Then we went to his swimming lesson and he did particularly well today with the instructor saying well done to him quite a few times. After swimming and a shower we came back home and he did some handwriting practice before making a Batman movie of his own with is Lego Animation App and some Batman toys. Then he brushed his teeth, read some more of George's Marvellous Medicine and went to bed.

Naboo Starfighter

General 

Elliott was in good spirits after school today. 

Activities

After school we bought the new Star Wars Lego magazine on the way home with his pocket money and he made the Naboo Starfighter that came free with it when he got home. Then he had toast with jam and got changed for football training and we headed to training. They practiced corners at training and then had a game against the Tigers. After we got home we skipped having a bath this week so he could finish his last set of sums for his Maths homework and he did really well and said he'd progressed from a sad face to a neutral face in how he felt about those sums. Then he brushed his teeth, read some more of George's Marvellous Medicine and went to bed.

London Irish

General 

Elliott was really good today.  

Activities

In the morning, after breakfast and playing for a while, he did another set of his maths homework sums, practiced his handwriting in his handwriting book and wrote some thank you cards quickly and without complaining at all. Then he watched some Art Ninja and drew some pictures inspired by Art Ninja. Then we started making the K'Nex Ferris Wheel Andrea's Dad gave him for Christmas. This was quite fiddly but he did help and do some of the build on his own. We hadn't finished building this before it was time to go to the St Patrick's Day London Irish match so we left it where it was and headed to the Madejski Stadium. We arrived quite early as there was a stage outside and some stalls and we had lunch there with Elliott having a hot dog. 

After lunch and watching some Irish dancing and an Irish band we headed to our seats which were in the middle just behind the dug outs so we had a good view and could watch the coaches at work too:

The weather was dry and not too cold as well so the game was really good. London Irish won (beating Glouscester), but it was a close game with lots of running with the ball. Elliott enjoyed it and especially enjoyed shouting "Irish" with the crowd. After the game we went home and finished building the Ferris Wheel before talking about this week's home learning (which was focused on conditions for settlements and how we can now build settlements in places early settlers wouldn't have been able to live). Then he had some garlic bread and toast for tea before bath, teeth and bed.

Han Solo Carbonite Star Wars Lego set

General 

Elliott was mainly good today. However he did get a little grumpy about the prospect of doing his homework at first as he thought it was hard. This soon passed though and I sat with him and it turned out he could do most of the sums himself after all. So afterwards we talked about trying and not giving up and practicing. 

Activities

After breakfast he did his first set of homework sums after a little encouragement. He was worried the sums looked to hard but when I sat with him he managed them on his own and could remember the methods to do them. After his sums he also wrote a thank you card for Harry and Jack Jenkins for their birthday presents. Then we watched some Art Ninja and he practiced his football skills with a small ball before we went to football. Panthers were a bit lethargic today and afterwards he thought they could have tried harder but he wasn't unhappy they lost and I told him I thought he'd payed quite well and chased well. After football we had some ham and cheese rolls for lunch and then went out to do some shopping.

After we got home we found the new Star Wars Han Solo Carbonite Lego set on the door step and he was very pleased. We made the set together and he did lots of the making without my help. In fact he only asked me to help because he was getting bored of building the set I think, not because he found it too difficult to follow the instructions. After we'd built the set he gathered his Star Wars Lego sets and figures together (both X-WIngs, mini Millennium Falcons and the Droids Escape Pod) and used his Lego animation app to make a movie. By the time he'd finished the film it was time for chicken fajitas for tea. Then after tea it he had his bath, brushed his teeth. read some more of George's Marvellous Medicine and then went to sleep.

Roman work

General 

Elliott was good after school today and had fish and chips for lunch. 

Activities

At the school pick up today we were invited in to Elliott's classroom to see his Roman work. I saw his history book and also he'd made a Roman shield, a Roman scroll with Roman numerals written on the paper, a Roman pouch where he'd done some sewing and he's painted a plant pot to look like a Roman pot. After he'd shown me his Roman work we drove home and stopped at Sainsburys for some quick shopping. After we got home we watched Blue Peter's Sport Relief special and he had toast for tea before he had his bath. After his bath we watched some of Sport Relief and he read some of his Star Wars encyclopedia before bed time.

Shopping

General 

Elliott was really good after school today and had pasta bake for lunch. 

Activities

After school we went shopping for food and then to swimming. His swimming lesson went well and he had a shower afterwards before we went home and he had toast for tea while we watched Blue Peter. Then Graham Jenkins came over to babysit as Andrea and I are seeing The Coral in Oxford and he played with his new birthday toys with Graham. Then he brushed his teeth, read some more of George's Marvellous Medicine and went to bed with no problems.

Armour up Baymax

General 

Elliott was mostly good today. He was very slow to get ready before swimming and then got upset about being a little bit late. He did calm down quickly and get on with it though and I suspect the last few days are catching up with him. 

Activities

After school we went home for tea and he watched Art Ninja while eating toast. Then it was time for his swimming lesson and he enjoyed it after he'd joined in. Then we headed home and he did two lots of his Maths sums homework (one still to go) and watched another Art Ninja imbetween. He got 11 out of 15 for both lots of Maths and because he'd done two thirds of his homework he then opened his final birthday presents from Graham, Barbara, Harry and Jack Jenkins - a Lego figure and an armour up Baymax. He was very pleased with these, especially the armour up Baymax. Then he read some more of George's Marvellous Medicine and it was time for brushing teeth and bed.

George's Marvellous Medicine

General 

Elliott was good today and didn't get up until 7am so hopefully caught up on some sleep after his WASMA late night finish. 

Activities

After school we had tea in Subway as Elliott wanted to see the place that sponsors the Panthers. He had a pepperoni and cheese sandwich. Then, after we got home, he changed in to his football kit and practiced football in the flat gardens. Then it was off to football training where they practiced passing and moving and we had a new Panther come to train, Ella (she was pretty good). After we got home he had a quick bath and brushed his teeth, read some more of George's Marvellous Medicine and then I read him a chapter of Jack Stalwart before bed time.

WASMA watch

General 

Elliott was really good today and after we got home got ready for bed and went to sleep really quickly.

Activities

In the morning he wrote his home learning book report about Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Then we had a lazy time watching Dangermouse and we also did had some reading time where he read some of his Minecraft book, his Skylanders book and started reading George's Marvellous Medicine (which he was really taken with). We had ham sandwiches for lunch.

After lunch I dropped him at The Hexagon for his WASMA rehearsal. When I picked him up after the rehearsal he had really enjoyed himself and was excited about performing later and some of the tricks up their sleeves. We headed off to The Griffin for tea and he had chicken breast and chips. After tea we stopped off at the play equipment by the Rivermead Leisure Centre and he played there for about half an hour. Then it was back to The Hexagon for the WASMA watch performance which was really good. Afterwards, in the car on the way home, he said he'd enjoyed The Bare Necessities best and he had seen us watching and clapping along at the end. He was also really pleased to see his name in the programme. After we got him he brushed his teeth, put his pyjamas on and went straight to bed and he was asleep very quickly.

New scooter

General 

Elliott was good today.

Activities

In the morning we watched Splatalot and Airmagedden. Then Elliott used his new book to do some handwriting practice which went well and he wrote some thank you cards for his birthday presents. Then we headed off to football and today's win was excellent and I thought they all played well. After the game he did mention the pushing that went on and said he'd wanted to make sure he didn't let himself get pushed around by the bigger boy. After we got home he had pepperoni pizza for lunch while we watched Hugo.

After lunch we went to the skate park to try out his new scooter. He hadn't seen the new scooter before and he was very pleased with his present. He had a lot of fun at the skate park and, even though he fell off the scooter once, he got straight back up (I'd also bought him some new protective pads). After we got back from the skate park we watched the end of Hugo before bath time. Then we watched some Ant and Dec before he read the first paragraph of Harry Potter and the Philosophers Stone and I read him another Jack Stalwart chapter.

Poe Dameron's Lego X-Wing

General 

Elliott was really good today.

Activities

After he arrived in the morning we started building his Poe Dameron Lego X-Wing straight away. He also filmed a toy review before we started building, while we were building and after building. He started the build on his own and then I helped. It was a team effort and it took us over 2 hours, but he was really pleased with the results and the toy review:

After the toy review we had ham and mushroom pizza for lunch (he didn't know it was mushrooms but ate the pizza) and then headed in to town. 

When we got to town we had our hair cut and then we went to the toy shop where he bought a new Droid Escape Pod Star Wars Lego set with his birthday money. We also did some food shopping on the way home and he was very helpful while we were shopping. After we got home he built his new Lego set and built it almost totally on his own. Then we had chicken fajitas for tea while we watched Blue Peter. After tea it was bath time and then, as it was getting late, he went to bed straight away.

Birthday presents

General 

Elliott was good after school today. 

Activities

After we got home he opened his birthday presents and cards before going to swimming. He seemed very pleased with them all and we're going to make the Lego Poe Dameron's X-Wing at the weekend. He made his Stonehenge jigsaw and tested his new remote control car. Theo from football had also given him a packet of Match Attax cards in the birthday card he gave Elliott. He also had some toast for tea while we watched Dangermouse. Then it was time for his swimming lesson and a shower afterwards. After swimming he did his two sets of his homework sums and filmed a stop motion video of building his Stonehenge jigsaw imbetween. Then it was time for him to brush his teeth and bed time.