Celebrating Roald Dahl day 2023

Roald Dahl is one of the most beloved children's authors of all time. His books, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, and Matilda, have been translated into over 50 languages and have sold over 250 million copies worldwide. Dahl's books are known for their humor, their imagination, and their often dark and twisted humor. They have been praised by critics and loved by children for generations.

His books will have no doubt inspired many a guiding pack holiday or camp.

Here are some ideas for your unit

Storytime:

Gather the girls and read them some of Roald Dahl's most famous stories, such as Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, James and the Giant Peach, or Matilda. You could also have the girls act out the stories or create their own illustrations.

Character creation:
Have the girls create their own Roald Dahl inspired characters. They could come up with a name, a personality, and a backstory for their character. They could also draw a picture of their character or write a short story about them.

Chocolate tasting:
This is a fun and delicious activity that is sure to be a hit with the girls. You could provide them with different types of chocolate to taste, such as milk chocolate, dark chocolate, and white chocolate. You even tie this in with a Fairtrade theme.

Golden Ticket hunt:
This is a fun activity that is inspired by Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. Hide golden tickets around the meeting place or in the surrounding area. The girls can then go on a hunt to find them. The first girl to find a golden ticket wins a prize.

Games:
There are also many different games that you can play based on the book. Some ideas include a giant peach relay race, a fox themed obstacle course, or a crocodile hide-and-seek.

Twit beards
Using sugar paper and scissors and elastic, create a Mr Twit beard. Remember to add the flies and bits of food! Cut out two identical beard shapes with a mouth hole and then cut both into strips up to the mouth hole. You can then curl this with a pencil. You can also add bits of wool!

 
 

A boy from Cardiff Bay

Roald Dahl was born in Cardiff, Wales, in 1916. He spent his childhood and school days in the city, and his early experiences there would later inspire some of his most famous works of children's literature.

Dahl's father, Harald, was a Norwegian shipbroker who came to Cardiff in the late 19th century. The family lived in a large house on Fairwater Road in Llandaff, a suburb of Cardiff. Dahl attended the Cathedral School in Llandaff, where he was known for his mischievousness and his love of writing.

One of Dahl's favorite places in Cardiff was the Norwegian Church, which is located in the docks. The church was built in 1868 to serve the Norwegian community in Cardiff, and Dahl and his family were regular attendees. Dahl was baptized in the church, and he later said that it was "a very important place" in his childhood.

Dahl's experiences in Cardiff would later find their way into his writing. The city's docks, for example, inspired the setting of his novel Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. And the Norwegian Church is said to have been the inspiration for the Twits' house in his book of the same name.

Dahl left Cardiff in 1931 to study at Repton School in Derbyshire. He later went on to serve in the Royal Air Force during World War II. After the war, he began writing children's books, and he quickly became one of the most popular authors in the world.

 

Places to Visit in Cardiff to Connect with Roald Dahl

If you're a fan of Roald Dahl, there are a few places in Cardiff that you can visit to connect with his legacy.

  • Roald Dahl Plass: This public square in the heart of Cardiff Bay is named after the author. It's a popular spot for events and concerts, and it's also home to a statue of the BFG.

  • The Norwegian Church Arts Centre: This church, which was originally located in the Cardiff Docks, was where Dahl was baptized. It's now been restored and converted into an arts centre.

  • The Cathedral School in Llandaff: This school is where Dahl attended school. It's still in operation today, and it's open to visitors.

  • The Water Tower: This sculpture by William Pye is located on Roald Dahl Plass. It's said to be inspired by the Twits' house in Dahl's book of the same name.

  • The Cardiff Bay Barrage has several Roald Dahl installations including a large crocodile!

 
Lisa Edwards