Our topic on witches started with the Reception children looking at books ranging from Hansel and Gretel to Winnie the Witch. It was clear from the start that the subject had grabbed the attention and imagination of a core group of children. We observed lots of play based on the Hansel and Gretel story and so decided to extend it into the playground by creating a sweet house and forest.
It was at this stage that we started to pose problems and make suggestions to develop the children’s play. First up for discussion was how to free Hansel and Gretel from the witch. The children decided that the solution was a magic potion that would turn the witch into a frog. When I explained that I didn’t know how to make a potion, the children set about writing recipes and finding the ingredients.
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