On your marks, get set, and toss those pancakes (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)

On your marks, get set, and toss those pancakes

75975-16CHILDREN at a Swindon nursery were celebrating the ancient art of pancake tossing.

The day's events at Drove Primary School's nursery show that it's never too early to learn about the Shrove Tuesday tradition.

Nursery teacher Mandy Cook said the youngsters, aged three and four, had great fun.

"It went really well. The children enjoyed it a lot," she said.

"Many of them don't have the chance to do this at home and they thought it was great fun.

"It was our way of celebrating Pancake Day. We told them it's a special day, marking the beginning of Lent, which is important for Christian people."

After the pancake making, the children went outside for pancake races.

Mrs Cook said: "The children had a play dough pancake and a toy frying pan, and they were tossing the pancakes as they ran. That was the idea, anyway."

The children are also getting an understanding of other beliefs.

Mrs Cook said: "Part of our curriculum is to create awareness of other people's beliefs. This week is the Chinese New Year and we'll be talking about that and building awareness in the children at a very young age."