This wooden castle is one of those toys that gets hours of play. We chose it because, unlike traditional square castles, it has a more open layout so the boys can play alongside each other without fighting to get to the action in the centre.
Resources
- Castle – ours is a Beaumont Castle from Great Little Trading Co.
- Knights and King
- Castle furniture and catapult
- Mike the Knight characters, buildings and trebuchet
- Vikings and Viking longboat
Method
The boys assemble the castle independently. It is made of 15 prebuilt, solid wooden pieces to slot together in various configurations. Their favourite parts are the drawbridge, a portcullis, a trap door into the dungeon, the throne room and the flag towers.
Their favourite game is taking it in turns to defend the castle from Viking invaders.
Ioan’s knights were using the trebuchet to make progress hard for Finn’s Vikings. We had to swap the wooden boulders that came with the castle, for scrunched up wrapping paper because of the height they were getting with the trebuchet – see the top of the picture below!
DfES Early Learning Goals (2017)
Communication and language
ELG 01 – Listening and attention:
Children give their attention to what others say and respond appropriately, while engaged in another activity.
ELG 03 – Speaking:
Children use past, present and future forms accurately when talking about events that have happened or are to happen in the future. They develop their own narratives and explanations by connecting ideas or events.
Physical development
ELG 04 – Moving and handling:
Children show good control and co-ordination in large and small movements. They handle equipment and tools effectively.
Personal, social and emotional development
ELG 08 – Making relationships:
Children play co-operatively, taking turns with others. They take account of one another’s ideas about how to organise their activity. They show sensitivity to others’ needs and feelings, and form positive relationships with adults and other children.
Understanding the world
ELG 13 – People and communities:
Children talk about past and present events. They know about similarities and differences between themselves and others, and among families, communities and traditions.
