Thank you to everyone who entered our ‘Start-Write’ competition and shared your lockdown experiences with us. Your creative and wonderful entries have made us laugh and cry. It’s such an unusual time in all our lives and hearing how your children are coping by sharing their creative thoughts with us is truly inspiring.
We are delighted to share the two winning entries below (to keep it fair, they were picked at random from all the entries), and they have each won a year’s worth of Start-Rite Shoes and a fabulous Eco scooter from Micro Scooters Congratulations.
WINNER 1
Grace Brewer, age 3
“Mummy, I'm sad that we can't go to the wildlife park or the park with swings and a roundabout, because it’s raining and there's poorly people in the world. Maybe when it's sunny everyone will be better. It's okay though, as I like painting with my hands and bricks and making pictures to go on the wall.
“I like baking gingerbread and making cakes, oh and playing fairies that sprinkle fairy dust. Can we play fe fi fo thumb later and see my friends soon?
“Mummy mummy, don't forget we need to go to the shops when they open... as I've got to get my sister some ducks for the bath and hair clips for a present and make a yummy cake. She's only allowed one chocolate mummy, but don't worry we can put sprinkles on it to make it pretty… Will we get a balloon and make a den in the lounge with lights, like for daddy’s birthday, and eat pizza?
“Soon we can see granny and auntie Claire and play with my cousin and show her my fairies and pirate ship. Can she come for my birthday and have mermaid cake if there's no poorly people...? I want to cuddle her, it's so long now and I like to play with her. I love her.”
WINNER 2
Charlotte Corrall, age 9
Covid -19, made a scene,
Covid -19, was very mean,
Covid -19, BoJo introduced rules, I was not keen,
Covid -19, there was even a speech from The Queen,
Covid -19, we are stuck inside, like a sardine,
Covid -19, I had to learn at home, like a machine,
Covid -19, we have to keep everything clean,
Covid -19, I can't go out to see the green,
Covid -19, can it go back to '18?
Covid - 19, we have to keep to a boring routine,
Covid - 19, this is something unforeseen,
Covid - 19, we really need a vaccine.
As we received so many wonderful entries, we wanted to share some more with you…
Murrey, age 6
“This last year has been very strange… My favourite thing during lockdown has been going on nice long walks, then being cosy and warm at home afterwards. I really miss going swimming though. My mummy taught me how to ride a bike without stabilizers - she held me under my arms, and I pedalled really fast, then I could do it by myself. I love riding my bike through puddles. If I could have any superpower it would be to make poorly people better and happy. My mummy still goes to work during lockdown so I'm spending more time with my nanna which I like. I hope this year everyone is allowed to go to school so we can play together. I hope I can go swimming and to the seaside. If anyone is feeling sad I'd say go out for a walk and wave and smile at people.”
Ariane Boyd, age 10
My life in Lockdown poem...
We have to stay inside to stay safe, that's the message on the news each day,
It's to help stop the spread of the virus so they say.
I'm so thankful for my home, my family and my friends,
I like to watch films, read books and play and pretend.
I can imagine I'm anywhere and with anyone,
Put pen to paper, write a story a poem or a song.
I love to be creative in many ways,
Cooking, organising and crafting away the days.
If I'm feeling lonely, I reach out to a friend, on the phone, video call or play a game online,
I talk to my family, play with my cats, and play with my brother who is nine.
If I could have one superpower it would be to find a cure for all the nasty bugs,
Then life could be normal again and I could see my family and friends for lots and lots of hugs!
Violette, age 3
“Lockdown makes me sad sometimes because I’m missing going to the beach and seeing all my friends at music and swimming. But I also love lockdown because I get to spend lots of time with mummy, daddy and my sister. Playing games, planting seeds and going to the park. We bake lots of cakes during lockdown, which are very yummy. I like writing letters and making things for my best friend, which mummy and daddy then post for me.”
Frankie Hammond, age 9
“Being in lockdown again first made me sad, because I couldn’t see all of my friends, teachers and family again. My mum said I could use her phone to talk to people and I could video call them if I wanted to so that made me feel better. I miss not going to school, but I am still doing my school work. My mum is a good teacher. I really hope we will not be in lockdown for a long time because I miss not being able to go out to fun places like bowling or the cinema. Last summer we went to the seaside and London Zoo so I would like to do that again soon. I really hope we can go on holiday this year because our holiday from last year got cancelled. I like being at home with my mum and my brothers. We are all trying to be good for our mum. I like taking my two dogs on walks for our exercise, I sometimes take my bike. If I get upset about anything I talk to my mum or my big brothers.”
Nova, age 5
“I don't like being inside. I’ve been inside for a long time because I am poorly. I can't see my grandma or grandad. This makes me feel sad. I have learnt some new skills, I can draw. I can jump. I can bake cakes with my sister. If I had a superpower, I would to fly to see grandma and grandad. I like to jump on my trampoline. Mummy reads me lots of books and daddy plays games with me. Sometimes I am happy but sometimes I am sad. I want to see grandma and grandad. I want to go to school and see my teacher and friends. I enjoyed spending time with mummy and daddy and my sister.”
Mahli Avalon Crump, age 9
It’s 2021 now, but everyone’s still sad,
The state of the coronavirus is getting pretty bad.
We’re in another lockdown, which is getting us all down,
The smiles we used to see on faces have turned into a frown.
The teachers’ sending work on Teams for us to do at home,
But all my sisters seem to do is mess around and moan.
Happily on the weekend my sisters and I have fun,
But relaxing times and chilling out is definitely for mum!
Wake up, eat, and do some work, work, then eat some more,
But all we really want to do is go out and explore!
It’s been so long since school was here, we’re really missing friends,
I really hope this nasty virus will soon come to an end!!
Peaches, age 10
“My favourite thing during lockdown is that I got to spend a lot of time with my new baby brother Max, who was born in August. My least favourite thing about lockdown is that I don’t get to see my friends. I try to stay positive that it will all be over soon and I tell my friends the same. I am currently learning from home on Microsoft Teams and I sometimes find it difficult, but my teacher helps us a lot. During my spare time I like to read books, David Walliams ‘code name bananas’ is my favourite and I have learnt how to ride my Segway. I sometimes wish I had an invisibility cloak like Harry Potter so I could go sneak to see my family and friends. I hope that everything will go back to normal and we can book our holiday to Disney World Florida!”
Ahaana Aggarwal, age 9
“I wake up every day to the same old room in the same old house. I stare through the windows to watch the fluorescent world bloom and flourish as I’m stuck in here miles away from my friends, yearning to be with them as the hours tick by. We blankly gaze at our screens , day in and day out. As I see my friend in boxes my doubts grow like weeds, will we ever go back to a life of ease? Lesson after lesson, task after task, when lunch comes around I feel more astray, at this time we would be playing and running or quarrelling and making amends , whereas now we just sit waiting for the next subject to begin. I miss my ecstatic friends and I’m in a glass box. I feel like I’m trapped forever more and the key is lost at sea. I hope that times get better soon so I can just be me.”
Storm, age 5
“I have liked lockdown as I got to see my mummy lots. She’s shown me how to ride my bike with no stabilizers. I liked dancing in the kitchen when I waited for the cake. It burnt in the oven, it was funny we just danced too long. If I had a superpower I want to be invisible so I can sneak to see nanny and grandad. I love them.”
Olivia, age 4
“During lockdown I have learnt how to ride my bike and I'm going to show all my friends when I go back to school. I love spending more time with my mummy and Jordy and eating lots of cake. I don't not like anything about being at home I LOVE IT!”
