Ship Ahoy for Sunderland pre-school children

Parents and children working on the Tall Ships Banner.

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.

Eria Raine, three, making her Tall Ships lunch.

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 in to 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.

(Left to right) Elliott Young, Ashley Rathbone and daughter Jay Jay Torgerson, Skyler Moralee with mum Louise Carolan.

She said: “The children had practised lots of creative techniques beforehand so were well prepared to work with the 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 will 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.”