Sunderland Echo

Ship ahoy for youngsters

- By Sue Kirby sue.kirby@jpress.co.uk @suekirbyjp

Little ones are setting sail for fun to support a Sunderland venture.

The youngsters at Pennywell Early Years Centre have been celebratin­g the Tall Ships coming to the city.

Headteache­r Claire Nicholson said The Tall Ships Race 2018 will be such a big thing for Wearside everyone wanted to make sure the children got involved. To enable the youngest members of the city to join the fun, all of Sunderland’s nurseries are creating special banners.

At Pennywell Early Years Centre they turned the event into a whole family activity day to enable the children and their parents and carers to participat­e in the creative project and celebrate Sunderland’s seaside heritage.

Mrs Nicholson said: “The project has focused the children on a particular area of interest, but has widened their skills far beyond to improve their speech, language and communicat­ion developmen­t and to help them learn about our wider world.”

The day involved support from an artist and the opportunit­y for children and parents to explore lots of different creative techniques all linked to the event. She said: “The children had practisedl­otsofcreat­ivetechniq­ues beforehand so were well prepared to work with artist Alison Diamond on a collective banner. “Parents, wider family members, staff and children painted, printed and created a flotilla of small ships to represent Sunderland’s seaside heritage. “Everyone involved had a wonderful time and learned a lot about the event and people and places around the world.” All the creative work by the nursery children is hoped to go on display at the city’s university.

Mrs Nicholson added: “The day really brought everyone together and demonstrat­ed how creative and talented our young children are.”

 ??  ?? Working on the Tall Ships banner at Pennywell Early Years Centre. Right, Eria Raine, three, making her Tall Ships lunch.
Working on the Tall Ships banner at Pennywell Early Years Centre. Right, Eria Raine, three, making her Tall Ships lunch.
 ??  ?? Fromleft,ElliottYou­ng,AshleyRath­boneanddau­ghterJayJa­yTorgerson,SkylerMora­leeandmumL­ouiseCarol­an.
Fromleft,ElliottYou­ng,AshleyRath­boneanddau­ghterJayJa­yTorgerson,SkylerMora­leeandmumL­ouiseCarol­an.
 ??  ?? Alfie Doran, four, painting his ship.
Alfie Doran, four, painting his ship.

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United Kingdom