This month I had the pleasure of accompanying Austin's daycare class to the Great Pumpkin Ball at the Botanical Gardens. I'd seen the advertisements for the display of pumpkins and the activities for kids that the Gardens had organised and I was very excited to see the real thing!
Our first stop was Esmeralda the Witch and the winding trail of pumpkins on display in the glass house. Over 800 pumpkins and squashes of all shapes and sizes had been decorated by children and adults alike and presented for visitors. Each was labelled with the creators and age group in the competition for best pumpkin.
Our first stop was Esmeralda the Witch and the winding trail of pumpkins on display in the glass house. Over 800 pumpkins and squashes of all shapes and sizes had been decorated by children and adults alike and presented for visitors. Each was labelled with the creators and age group in the competition for best pumpkin.
Among the decorated pumpkins there were popular children's characters like Nemo and the Barbapapa family of the 70s, as well as whole scenes including skiing squash people and farm pumpkin people. My favourite was this display of animals, all decorated by children from a local daycare. So clever!
As we walked through the gallery, we were taken down to the home of Esmeralda the Witch who put on a performance each time a group of children arrived. She was very funny and the kids were mesmerised by her show.
Another show we saw after visiting the pumpkins and Esmeralda, was Pépo the Pumpkin's voyage of self-discovery. We all piled into the theatre and for half an hour were enchanted by Pépo and the characters he visited on his quest to find his origins. Parts of the show were a little scary but most of the kids in Austin's class enjoyed it.
Another show we saw after visiting the pumpkins and Esmeralda, was Pépo the Pumpkin's voyage of self-discovery. We all piled into the theatre and for half an hour were enchanted by Pépo and the characters he visited on his quest to find his origins. Parts of the show were a little scary but most of the kids in Austin's class enjoyed it.
Time for lunch and all the kids visiting with schools and daycares packed into a tent set up with tables and chairs to eat their sandwiches. After lunch they had a play in the Little Monsters Courtyard which had piles of pumpkins and lots of playground activities for the kids to run around in. I have to hand it to the teachers, looking out for 12 odd kids with 5 of us was stressful enough, but they do it every day with only 2 or 3 of them!
After a quick revisit to the Witch Esmeralda, we piled back into our minibus and headed home to the daycare centre. The day was well-organised and such a great thing for children to do. Being able to touch and feel pumpkins and squash of all different colours and sizes, and all with a Halloween theme, was something I know I won't forget for a while.
The Great Pumpkin Ball is organised at the Botanical Gardens every year and information can be found at their website: http://calendrier.espacepourlavie.ca/the-great-pumpkin-ball
After a quick revisit to the Witch Esmeralda, we piled back into our minibus and headed home to the daycare centre. The day was well-organised and such a great thing for children to do. Being able to touch and feel pumpkins and squash of all different colours and sizes, and all with a Halloween theme, was something I know I won't forget for a while.
The Great Pumpkin Ball is organised at the Botanical Gardens every year and information can be found at their website: http://calendrier.espacepourlavie.ca/the-great-pumpkin-ball