A day in the life of A BUG - 23rd July

Our animated yarn programme started off with the lovely story from "it's a bug's life"

Yarn 1

Have you ever noticed, as you stand along a riverbank, a mound of earth rising from the ground? Well, be careful not to disturb it, because within that mound exists an entire world - the world of Flik, Atta, Dot the Queen and thousands of other ants who once were engaged in a most extraordinary adventure!

It was an extremely busy day at the anthill with Atta, the eldest daughter of the Queen, leading all the ants in the annual gathering of the grain. The grain, however, was not for the ants in the colony.... it was for the enemies - the grasshoppers. Each year the ants had to place the collected grain onto an offering stone where the grasshoppers came and took it. In return the grasshoppers left the ants in peace. This year a clever ant named Flik invented a machine to gather the grain more quickly.

Flik was very fond of Atta but she was not impressed with Flik's grain gathering investion. "I'm never going to make a difference." Flik said to Dot. Suddenly a siren went off! The alarm meant only one thing - the grasshoppers had arrived to collect the grain the ants had gathered.



GAME: Collecting the grain

Divide the cubs into 5 teams - relay formation.

On go, the cubs run up, collect grain (rice crispies) with their straw and place in another bowl. See who collects the most.

YArN 2

Panic broke out and all the ants in the colony dropped their grain gathering and rushed into the anthill. Flik was the last and left outside. Unfortunately his invention accidentally knocked all the grain off the offering stone and over the cliff. now the ants had nothing to give the grasshoppers. Flik tried to tell Atta what happened but she was too busy.

The grasshoppers led by the hatefull hopper, his dimwitted brother Molt and the ferocious Thumper broke into the anthill. "Where is the Food?" shouted Hopper in a terrifying voice. "It was on top of the offering stone," said Atta. hopper glared at Atta. "There are still a few months until the rains come," he said. use that time to try again." The Queen stepped forward "But Hopper we need that time to gather food for ourselves," she explained. "If you don't keep your end of the bargain and gather that grain for us, I can't guarnatee your safety." snarled Hopper. "Someone could get hurt."

GAME: Run! ... Grasshoppers

5 of the cubs are the grasshoppes. The rest of the cubs run freely. If they get caught by the grasshoppers, they need to sit down. They can be freed if touched by another ant.

YARN 3

Flik hd to go before the Council. he had messed things up before so the council run by Atta, was not too pleased with him. Flik proposed that he leave the anthill to go to find some bigger bugs. ... "they could come back here and fight and forever rid us of hopper and his gang!" Happy to have him away from the anthill, the council agreed to let him go on his search.

Some of the ants did not think Flik could do it but Dot believed in him. "Good Luck Flik" she called as he waved goobye and floated away on a dandelion puff.

HANDCRAFT: Making a Whiligig

YARN 4

Meanwhile PT Flea World's greatest circus was performing the the nearby city. Rosie, the black widow spider tamed Dim the rhino beetle. Three clowns, Slim the walking stick, Francis the ladybug and heimlich the caterpillar, did their slapstick clown act. Manny the praying mantis and Gypsy moth put on a magic show. Tuck and roll, two Hungarian pillbugs, did a tumbling act. unfortunately PT Fleas World's Greatest Circus wasn't so great!

The audience booed louder and louder. finaly PT Flea gave up. "I have had it with you losers." he yelled. "You are all fired." The circus bugs left the circus tent dejectedly and ended up in a bar made from an old paint can. But even there, the circus bugs ran into trouble. Before long they got into a fight with a couple of touch flies who had heckled them during the show.

Flik arrived at the bar right in the middle of the fight. He mistook the circus bugs for warrior bugs and invited them to the anthill thinking they would help fight the grasshoppers. The circus bugs excitedly accepted the offer. They thought that Flik was inviting them to perform for the grasshoppers - not to battle them!

GAME: Playacting - the circus is coming to town.

Each Six is given a topic that they need to act out.

These were the tigers with the tamer.

These guys were the horses..

the jugglers

YARN 5

The Queen was pleasantly surprised when Flik returned with what everyone thought was a group of brave warriours. "I knew you could do it Flik" Dot said to him. The Queen held a banquet to honour the guests.

Flik chased after the circus bugs. Dot was looking all over for Flik and picked up a dandelion puff which was blown by a gust of wind which carried her high up into the sky. Oh dea, a bird starting chasing Dot and she lost her grip and began to fall, but luckily Francil caught her. All the circus bugs escaped from the bird.

Of course the bugs were greeted by thunderous applause from the grateful ants. Now the ants really throught the circus bugs were warrious.

That bird that almost had Dot gave Flik a wonderful idea. He knew that the grasshoppers were afraid of birds. So he suggested building a mechanical bird to scare the grasshoppers forever. The circus bugs proposed the idea to Atta who loved it, not knowing it was really Flik's idea. And so using stick, leaves and acorns, the ants and circus bugs put together a mechanical bird, operated from the inside. When the bird was completed the ants hid it in the knothole high up in a tree. That night there was a huge party to celebrate. Suddenly the party was interrupted by the arrival of PT Flea the owner of the circus! "I"ve been looking all over for you guys!" said PT FLea when he saw the bugs. The ants gasped " You mean you are not warriors?" Atta asked in disbelief - you are circus performers!"

the actobats

the hilarious clowns

and the tightrope walkers.

The beautiful horses doing their bit.

It was then time for instruction.

Here the New Chums are learning all about BP and being a cub.

some knotting

compass work

telling the time

YARN 6

What a mess! The ants were all mad at the circus bugs for having tricked them and Flik did not feel good inside. "You lied to me Flik" said Atta. "I just wanted to make a difference" said Flik sadly. "I want you to leave Flik" said Atta "and this time don't come back." Flik lowered his head sadly and left with PT Flea and the circus bugs. Dot was the only one who still thought Flik's idea was a good one.

Having lost faith in Flik, Atta couldn't believe that Flik's mechanical bird plan would work. She ordered the ants to quickly gather some grain for the grasshoppers.
After a while only a small pile had been gather and put on the offering stone. "That's it?" asked Atta. "There's got to be more - we will starve " said a council member. "Hopper won't accept this" replied Atta. Suddenly the buzzing of the grasshoppers filled the air. Hopper and the gang had arrived - furious at the small amount of grain.

Dot in the meantime had overheard the grasshoppers plan to kill her mother! She knew she had to do something and raced after Flik. She found him with the other circus bugs who were trying to cheer Flik up.

"Flik" Dot screamed, " Hopper's gang has taken over the anthill and when they have finished eating all our grain, they are going to squish my mother." "Please, we need to do something" wailed Dot. Flik just shook his head. "We believe in you!" Dot pleaded. Flik finally agreed to go. He would lead the others back to the anthill to stop the grasshoppers.
When the arrived back at the anthill the circus ants put on a wonderful circus act for the grasshoppers and this of course distracted them while Flik and Dot made the Queen disappear and got her to safety. Flik led Dot and her troop of blueberry cub scouts into the mechanical bird.

At first sight the mechanical bird scared Hopper but then it crashed. Hopper was furious! He grabbed Dot! Flik bravely stepped up before the bully. "Leave her alone" Flik said. "Ants are not meant to serve grasshoppers" Inspired by Flik's word the entire colony closed on the grasshoppers who fled in fear. Finally Flik managed to lead the evil Hopper to the real birds nest. The bird appeared and ate Hopper. At last, Flik stood proudly right next to Atta - as he waved goodbye to his friends.

GAME: Doves and Wagtails

Draw 2 circles on the ground - 1 for the doves and 1 for the wagtails.

Divide the pack into 2 - half doves, half wagtails

On the blow of the whistle, the doves must jump and the wagtails must hop to get into their circle. First lot of birds into their circle wins.

Till next Time

Keep Cubbing

Akela joy