A Winter Trip for Hedgerow School

Timmy and Tommy Mouse stood by their door,
Today was the day they'd been waiting for.
Their cases were packed with lots of warm clothes,
Gloves for their hands and thick socks for their toes.
The coach had arrived; they were ready to go,
To a place far away that always had snow.

Mummy Mouse tried very hard not to cry,
As she and Daddy Mouse waved them good-bye.
"Have a good time and make sure you take care!"
She worried so much when she couldn't be there.
After their cases were up on the rack,
The boys went and sat with their friends at the back.

They reached the hotel after traveling all day,
Just stopping for lunch and a drink on the way.
Tired and hungry but they didn't care,
As soon as they saw there was snow everywhere!
Miss Freda the Frog called to them and said,
"We'll go and have dinner and then go to bed."

Next day they all stood outside in the snow,
All wondering where they were going to go.
Miss Freda had told them it was a surprise,
And smiled at them all with a gleam in her eyes!
She looked at their clothing and saw without doubt,
They all were dressed warmly to keep the chill out.

Off they all went for a very short ride,
Each sat by a window and looking outside.
All of a sudden they heard Timmy shout,
"Hey, look over there, it's the sea!" he cried out.
Everyone looked and as sure as could be,
The coach really was heading down to the sea.

When the coach stopped and they'd all tumbled out,
They all found they couldn't stop slipping about.
Miss Freda then opened the box in her hand,
"I've brought you all snow sticks they'll help you to stand."
Once they were steady, she said, "Follow me,
We have some nice friends who live here by the sea."

They turned round the corner and there by the shore,
Were creatures that none of them had seen before!
"These are called Penguins, they live on the ice."
Miss Freda then told them, "They're all very nice.
Let's go and meet them." She said with a smile,
"I'm sure they would all like to talk for a while."

Just as they started, the penguins turned round,
The friends all stopped talking, not making a sound.
Watching the penguins glide over the ice,
They made it look easy, such fun and so nice.
"How do you do that?!" asked Reggie the Rat,
"You walk on the ice! I wish I could do that."

The first Penguin chuckled, "What is your name?"
And Reggie then told her, and she did the same.
"I'm Penny Penguin, have you come to play?
We'll teach you to ice walk if you'd like to stay."
Cyril the Squirrel nudged Reggie the Rat,
Then said to Miss Freda, "Please, can we do that?"

Miss Freda the Frog smiled down at them all,
"Well, that's what we've come for, but try not to fall!"
Reggie then told Penny all his friend's names,
Then Cyril hollered, "We like to play games."
So Penny's two brothers, Perky and Pin,
Said "Right now, it's time, let the lessons begin!"

Perky the Penguin showed them how to glide,
With feet pointed outward, so they wouldn't slide.
"Gracefully does it, one foot at a time.
I'll stand in the front so you all can see mine!"
Millie fell over, then Reggie the Rat,
Then Timmy and Vicky as down they both sat.

Tommy laughed so much he fell over too,
While Cyril just giggled, "Well, tickity boo!
With Penguins all laughing and fooling around,
When Miss Freda looked, they were all on the ground.
The loud noise they made, brought more Penguins there
And soon it was like all the fun at the fair!

Slipping and sliding they just couldn't stand,
They started to hold onto each other's hand!
Once they were up, they were soon falling down,
Just like at the circus, they acted like clowns!
Miss Freda stood watching and shaking her head,
"I think you had better calm down." she said.

Then one of the Penguins had an idea,
And calling his friends, said, "Come over here!
If we are going to show them our slide,
We'd best get our sled and give them a ride."
So Pinky and Pin went off in a rush,
Turning fresh snow into wet soggy slush!

Once in the sled they were all whisked away,
To a large ice slide where they could all play.
The Penguins then took them up to the top,
But when they slid down, they just couldn't stop!
Laughing and squealing, they had so much fun,
As back to the top they all went, one by one!

Soon it was time when they all had to go,
The Penguins went off to their homes in the snow.
Timmy and Tommy Mouse waved them good bye,
While Millie the Mole let out a long sigh.
Vicky the Vole said, "We'll see them some more."
And everyone nodded and said,"That's for sure!"