Up and over!

So we’re doing jumping sports today! First of all, Winston is having a go at the high jump.

winston stands looking at a high jump pole set up, with a crash mat

He’s running up….

winston is nearly at the jump

And HUP! What an excellent Fosbury Flop! Well done Winston!

Winston does a fosbury flop over the barWinston has landed on the crash mat

Oh, hello, Micro is going to have a go! Winston’s really not sure how he’s going to do it…

Micro stands looking at the jump

Micro starts to run up

Oh Micro! I think that’s cheating!

micro climbs a small step ladder to reach the bar

Well, says Micro, I am at a bit of a disadvantage!

Micro looks down on Winston from the top of the bar

Hello Ernest, what’s that pole for? Ah, of course, the pole vault!

ernest has a long pole

ernest looks at at high pole vault jump

Here he goes, running up and planting the pole….

ernest starts towards the jump

ernest plants the pole in the pit just ahead of the crash mat

And up he goes! Goodness that’s high!

Ernest is at the top of the curve, about to pass over the bar

And he’s over safely! Well done Ernest!

ernest lands on the crashmat

ernest takes a bow

Splash!

You join us back at the pool today, for the high diving. Vincent is going first, up he goes!

vincent looks up at a high diving board over a pool

Vincent is up at the top of the ladder

Hmm, I don’t think Vincent looks all that confident about being up there…

vincent is halfway along the board, lying downVincent peers over the edge of the board, still lying down

It is VERY high!

we see vincent lying on the board from above, looking down at the pool

Ah, he’s thought better of it!

vincent has headed back to the ladder without diving

 

I wonder if Microvaark will do better? Well, he seems more confident.

Microvaark has climbed up to the board watched by vincentmicro is half way along the boardMicro is at the end of the board

Goodness, he is confident, he’s going to go off backwards!

Micro is right at the end of the board, facing backwards

We see micro on the end of the board, from below

And off he goes, with a great spring upwards!

Micro has jumped up and is above the board

Goodness me, a somersault! Look at him twist in the air!

Micro is upside down above the board

micro is right way up below the board

micro is upside down just above the water

And then he stretches out for a lovely clean entry!

Micro’s snozzle is stretched out towards the water

Micro enters the water with a ripple

Well done Micro! So brave and skillful! Vincent is very impressed.

Micro peeks out over the edge of the pool as vincent looks on

 

Over the jumps!

Over to the equestrian ring today, for the show jumping. Vincent will be going first – first, the bars…

an arena with show jumps set up. Vincent rides a knitted unicorn to the first jump

Safely over the first, it’s time for the hedge and bar…

Vincent rides towards a jump with a hedge and bar

And finally, the water jump, let’s see how he does!

Vincent rides towards a jump with a water pit

Oops! Bit of a stumble on landing and Vincent is unseated. Bad luck! Fortunately, he’s not hurt, just damp!

vincent has fallen off into the water jump

So, let’s see how Micro does – the bars, the hedge, now, the water…

Micro rides a toy unicorn to the first jump

Micro rides to the hedge

Micro approaches the water jump

He’s clear! Well done Micro!

the unicorn has landed safely with Micro still on board

Micro is very pleased, his mount can have a nice juicy apple as a reward! Oh, hello Nano, are you going to have a go?

Micro gives his unicorn a green apple

Micro talks to Nano

Oh no! Says Nano. This horse is as exciting as I want to be!

nano is sitting on a little wooden rocking horse

In the long run…

A long event today – the marathon! Winston has kindly sponsored this event. We’ve got 4 competitors, and Fury is all ready with the starting gun.

Micro, vincent, winston and ofelia line up under a banner that says “Start”, “Sponsored by Winstons Used cars” and “they mostly go 26 miles”

Fury has a big cannon, and is wearing ear defenders

Ready, Steady, BOOM! Oh dear, I think the starting gun surprised everybody a bit too much!

the cannon fires with a cloud of smoke and all the competitors fall over

Ok, let’s go again, with a simple Ready, Steady, Go! And they’re off alright this time.

the competitors line up again

they start running

So, off they go, across the craft room floor, and the bedroom floor, and the kitchen worktop…

they run on a wooden floor

they run on a carpeted floorthey run on a kitchen worktop

Ofelia has had an idea. It’s getting on a bit, perhaps they should stop for a snack? Absolutely!

Ofelia stops to talk to the others

They sit around a cloth with teacups and a sponge cake

On they go out into the garden. Micro wants to be sure they’re going in the right direction, so they stop to check the route.

they run along the edge of a raised bed

they stop to look at a map held by microvaark

At last the end is in sight! It look like Winston might win, but oh! Microvaark has put on a sprint finish!

they approach the finishing line

Microvaark goes out in front

He’s won!

Microvaark breaks the finishing tape

Microvaark wonders if Winston is cross about not winning? No, no, says Winston, I’m just glad it’s over!

Everyone gathers round Winston who is flopped on the floor

On your bike!

It’s Cycling Day! Vincent and Micro are all ready to go, and comparing their machines.

Vincent and Microvaark, wearing helmets, are standing beside small bicycles

Ah, here’s Nano. He says he couldn’t get a helmet small enough, so he has to ride a tricycle.

Nano arrives on a tiny plastic tricycle

Right well, they’re all ready for the off, but is there a competitor missing?

vincent, micro and nano are lined up in numbered lanes

Oh, hello Esther, are you competing as well? Where’s your bike?

Esther arrives on the track

Ah. Esther says she must have mis-read the schedule. She thought it was re-cycling day!

Esther has a box with various bits of domestic recycling in it

Advaark 2020 Day 16: Tiddly pom pom!

Ofelia and Micro are going to have fun with yarn today. They’re making pompoms! They’ve got pompom makers, but you can use rings of card if you don’t have them.

Micro and Ofelia have a pompom maker each and two balls of yarn

First step is to wind the yarn round each half of the pompom maker. The more yarn the better the pompom!

ofelia is winding white yarn round one maker, and micro is winding brown yarn round the other

When the two halves are full, clip them together, and snip round the outside!

micro and ofelia have filled the pompom makers

Ofelia uses little scissors to snip the yarn round the edge

Then tie a piece of yarn tightly round the middle to hold it all together, and peel the bits of the maker apart!

micro ties a piece of yarn round his pompom

Well, look! Ofelia has added a bit of felt to make a sheep. Handy for a nativity scene!

Ofelia has added a felt face to make a sheep

What have you made Micro? Oh! A pompom Ferrero Rocher chocolate! Ambassador, with this pompom you are spoiling us!

Micro has put his pompom in a gold wrapper

Of course you don’t have to stick to one colour, with a bit of care you can make all sorts of patterns!

Micro and ofelia look at pompoms made to look like a robin and a christmas pudding

 

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