Litha – KS1 Session Plan

Litha falls on or around 21st June, the longest day and the turning point of summer. Elderflower hangs in the hedgerows, bees argue over the best flowers, and at some point around midnight the year turns quietly and the days begin, very slowly, to shorten. In the old calendar this was Midsummer, marked by bonfires on hilltops and the belief that on this one night a fern might flower. This KS1 session plan marks that day outdoors, through story, observation, and making.

Centred on the original folklore story The Night the Sun Stood Still, the session moves children through a welcome circle and perimeter walk, the folklore story, a golden hunt and sun pattern made from found natural materials, turmeric dyeing on fabric, Midsummer Apple Rings cooked at the fire, and a mindfulness close. Includes a welcome and goodbye song, detailed SEND adaptations, and full KS1 curriculum links.

A complete, ready-to-deliver outdoor session for KS1. Three hours.