Jack and the Flumflum Tree By Julia Donaldson
and David Roberts
Theme: Boats (October 2013)
Jack’s Granny has the moozles! And the only cure for moozles is the fruit of the
Flumflum tree. Jack and his crew set sail on an adventure to find the Flumflum
and cure Gran. An original rollicking rhyming tale, which will delight young and old!
Key Message for Parents: Children’s well being is critical to brain development and
learning
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Well being is a result of physical, social, emotional, cognitive and spiritual health
Children who are loved and nurtured will learn better
Positive relationships between adult and child is the key
The quality of these relationships in the early years lays the foundation for a wide range of
developmental outcomes
Learning Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners
 Challenge children with activities which promote self directed, independent learning
 Look for opportunities to extend their learning and thinking
 Value their learning and discoveries by sharing it with others or through displays or
presentations
 Consider using a “floorbook” to document and reflect upon the learning which takes place
Welcome
Ask carers to write nametags for themselves and their children.
Welcome everyone, introduce yourself, remind adults to turn their mobile phones off and remind them
that there will be time for adults to chat after the story and songs.
Sing Welcome Song (or your preferred song)
Have the words available as a handout or written on a board or butcher’s paper for the adults to read
and join in.
Good morning/afternoon
Good morning to you
Good morning to you
Good morning everybody
And welcome to you!
Song
The sailor went to sea, sea, sea
The sailor went to sea, sea, sea
To see what he could see, see, see
But all that he could see, see, see
Was the bottom of the deep blue sea, sea, sea!
The sailor went to chop, chop, chop
To see what he could chop, chop, chop
But all that he could chop, chop, chop
Was the bottom of the deep blue chop, chop, chop!
The sailor went to knee, knee, knee
To see what he could knee, knee, knee
But all that he could knee, knee, knee
Was the bottom of the deep blue knee, knee, knee!
(In the last verse sing A sailor went to sea, chop, knee)
Book Introduction
Look at the cover of the book together-what can we see? Take a close look at the Flumflum tree.
What can the children see in the middle of the tree? (The Flumflum!) Have a think about what a
Flumflum might be. Why are there balloons in the sky and so many sharks?!
During reading
Children will love Julia Donaldson’s repetitive rhyme when the children are faced with a dilemma
and Jack looks in his patchwork sack for a solution. Teach the children the rhyme so they can join
in (Don’t get your knickers in a twist said Jack, Let’s take a look in the patchwork sack!)
After reading
What did Jack have in his patchwork sack? Have a large picture of a sack drawn on a white board
or on butchers paper. To help children recall each item you might ask:
 What did they use to plug up the holes in the boat?
 What did they scare the sharks away with?
 What did they use to trick the monkey?
You could use the template of pictures provided and as the children guess each object, give them a
picture to place into the sack on the board!. If laminated, the pictures will stick onto the board with
blu-tak.
Song (To the tune of Miss Polly had a Dolly)
Jack had a granny who was sick sick sick
So he called for the doctor to come quick, quick quick
The Doctor came with his bag and his hat
And he knocked on the door with a rat-a -tat –tat!
He looked at Jack’s granny and he shook his head
He said “please Granny now go straight to bed!”
The only cure in the world you see
Is the purple spotted fruit from the flum flum tree!
Activity Time
Make a Flumflum tree!
Materials needed:
 Pom-poms (for the flumflum)
 Green paper of various shades
 Sticky-tape
 Scissors
 Small card for base
 Glue
How to make the Flum Flum Tree:
1. Roll the green paper to form the trunk. Cut two or three small slits on one end and fold
outwards
2. Tape these folds in place onto the cardboard base.
3. Cut long slits at top of trunk into small strips and open up to form the branches.
4. Glue or tape one pom-pom into the centre to create the flumflum.
5. You could also create Flumflum trees using cardboard rolls and strips of paper
Extension ideas
 Have a babies bath with water set up-explore the concepts of floating and sinking by
placing various objects into the water
 Jack used everyday objects in original and unusual ways! Have a 3 objects i.e a hairclip, an
apple, a piece of paper. Can the children think of some other uses for these objects?
 Set up a boat using cushions, a broomstick for a mast and an old sheet cut into a triangle
for a sail-let the children play boats!
 Set up a play hospital and provide toy doctors kit, some dolls or stuffed animals in boxes for
beds
 Play a memory game with the objects from the patchwork sack. Set them out on the floor
then give the children some time to study them, then while they are not looking, take one
away. Can they guess which one is missing?!
Goodbye
Conclude the session with some suggestions of books that parents might want to share with their
children.
 Who Sank The Boat by Pamela Allen
 Busy Boats by Tony Mitton
Depending on the size of your group, you may wish to insert each child’s name in the last line
rather than ‘library friends’ as it develops a more personal relationship between yourself, the child
and the family.
Sung to the tune of (Here We Go Round the Mulberry Bush) or your preferred choice.
Goodbye Song
This is the way we say goodbye (use a waving action)
Say goodbye, say goodbye
This is the way we say goodbye
To all our library friends (or) :) to our friend……)
What was in Granny’s sack?
These pictures can be cut out and used for a recount activity
For more book suggestions, tip sheets, nursery rhymes, songs and fun things to make and do please visit:
thelittlebigbookclub.com.au