Activities galore for Hazlegrove Pre-Prep on Apple Day

The Hazlegrove Pre-Prep curriculum took on a distinctively applely flavour on Apple Day. Weighing, rolling, peeling apples and measuring the length of the skin replaced the usual maths lessons and the creation of apple joke books was a big hit.

When you see a whole host of young children clutching apples on their way into school you know it must be Pre-Prep Apple Day. This annual event has become a firm favourite in the Hazlegrove calendar with the children enjoying an amazing array of apple activities.

Situated in a county where orchards abound and apple growing is important to the local economy, it is wonderful to be able to celebrate the humble apple with our young children. Apple Day was first introduced in Covent Garden by the charity Common Ground (now based in nearby Shaftesbury) and it has become a celebration of traditional orchards and the wonderful diversity of apples they produce.

The children brought in all sorts of different apples into school to weigh, roll and peel. Varieties for the children to taste included Royal Gala, Granny Smith, Braeburn and Golden Delicious and it was interesting for them to compare the colours, textures and flavours. Whilst not part of the official taste test, the favourite variety seemed to be the one dipped in chocolate!

Apple activities included making apple decorated baskets and bags so the children could take their goodies home with them and a popular new addition to this year’s apple day was the creation of ‘Apple Joke Books’ courtesy of our new Year 1 teacher, Mrs Jenkins. Here are some of our favourite apple jokes:

Why did the apple go to the doctor?
Because he felt rotten to the core!

Why did the apple cry?
It's peelings were hurt!

Why did the apple stop running?
Because he ran out of juice.

What do you call an old apple?
Granny Smith

What do you get if you cross an apple with a shellfish?
A crab apple!

Where do apples go to buy their toys?
Bramleys!

How do you make an apple puff?
You chase it round the garden.

All-in-all it was a fun-filled day at Hazlegrove Pre-Prep with the children celebrating apples from their own gardens and further afield.