Y2: Potions & Elderflower Cordial

We had a mash up of potions today. Faced with a load of empty jars the group enjoyed foraging for ingredients, some of which included ground up poppies, other than the obvious reasons for not wanting to make potions with poppies, this led us to a great discussion about wildflowers and what they are for and how they grow. I told them about annuals vs perennials, and how annuals need the seeds for more flowers next year. Interestingly this was a curriculum topic for this week so Ms Wall was happy we covered it! Nothing like a bit of joined up learning to boost their understanding! The wild flower meadow is looking fabulously inviting so I can totally see what they would be attracted to the flowers.

The real potion... Tilly and I went on a mission around the walled garden to collect bunches of elderflower whilst Ava and Molly safety use the knife to chop up some lime and grapefruit to put into the hot syrup. Issy, Eloise and Flo stirred sugar into theatre and then added the elderflowers. We left it overnight and then the next day at lunchtime we strained and bottled it. The children had drawn their labels in the morning - dont they look great! I assumed the bottles would make their way home but I saw a load of children drinking it neat at pick up.. I hope they didn't come home too hyper on sugar!