The Monday/Tuesday GAP children enjoyed a wonderful excursion to the National Arboretum today.
We had an absolute ball exploring the acorn playground… and we soon found out that the arboretum has so much more to offer.
We enjoyed morning tea on a large deck overlooking sweeping views of Canberra. We could see Telstra Tower and all the way to Parliament House, where some of the children reckoned they might work one day.
Our absolutely wonderful guide, Heather, met us outside to tell us about the arboretum. Heather was so engaging and enthusiastic about our visit, we all immediately fell in love with her trees, seeds and animals, and it seemed the children had decided they would be prepared to follow her anywhere.
Off we went, faithfully following our wonderful Heather like the Piped Piper of Hamelin (very German). She showed us all sorts of interesting trees: some with needles instead of leaves, some with enormous pine cones, some with baby pine cones, some with “bird poo spiders” in them, some with secret “butter bum bird” nests in them. Heather’s explanations and nice big photos made it all really fascinating.
After our walk among the trees, we climbed the funny zigzag path back up the hill, encouraged again by our enthusiastic guide. Heather read us her story about a bonsai tree, and we sat all around her, listening and entranced. Imagining we were fairies, Lego people, birds, bees or tiny elves, we fluttered around all the bonsai plants in the garden and decided which one we would like to live in.
We then enjoyed another delicious hour exploring the acorn playground, had a big drink of water, and went to sit on some really big logs to sing songs while we waited for the bus to take us back to Turner.
The bus dropped us off on Barry Drive, and a short walk later, we arrived back at the GAP full of joy, in time for lunch and a well earned rest. It was a most enjoyable excursion!
Many thanks to mums and dads who dropped children off at the arboretum this morning, and to our adult helpers who accompanied us today.