Home > Join Us at the Living Well Centre > Sheep Themed Resources and Activities

Sheep Themed Resources and Activities

To help keep you inspired and engaged during these challenging times, our Living Well Centre team is bringing you themed activities and resources every fortnight.

We hope you enjoyed the elephant-themed page; please send in pictures of work you have done, we love to see them. Some of the hospice staff have added to our gallery with a ‘holey elephant’ and a ‘welly-phant’!

Our theme for the next two weeks is sheep. We have included all things fluffy for you, with plenty of ‘baa-rilliant’ activities, book recommendations, interesting web links, history and horticulture!

We hope to help keep you entertained and inspired!

Creative Projects

Sheep to help you sleep

Having trouble sleeping? Make a rocking sheep to help you sleep. Keep a pen with your sheep so that when you are worrying about things you can write them inside or on the back of your sheep.

The sheep will hold your worries and help clear them from your head – gently touch the sheep to make it rock and think about the world of nature – count some sheep to help you sleep.

Maybe try listening to JS Bach – Sheep may Safely Graze – to soothe your mind and help you sleep.

Materials don’t have to be expensive – in fact you can use things you find around your home.

I used the cardboard from a cereal box and drew around a saucer to make a circle – when cut out I folded it in half to make a rocking semi-circle.

I used the inside of a junk mail envelope with a grey pattern to cut out the head and drew a face on it.

You can stick cotton wool, or wool, on your sheep – or use a piece of white chalk to make curly woolly lines. Alternatively, you could just leave it plain so you can write down your worries.

Take a look at these ideas for other sheep-themed crafts. Why not have a go yourself? Share your creations with us, if you would like us to add them to our online gallery.

Read how artist Henry Moore was inspired by the sheep in his sculpture work. View the presentation.

Sheep quiz

Do you know how many front teeth a sheep has, or where most breeds of sheep originate from? Test your knowledge with our sheep quiz!

Books and films with a sheep theme

Take a look at our list of books and films which have an sheep theme. Have you read, or seen, any of the titles on our list?

A historical link between mint and lamb

Ever wondered why mint sauce was paired with lamb? Read more to find one possible theory on the culinary connection.

Spring lambs enjoy the sunshine

We thought you might like to see some pictures of sheep that live on a farm not too far from the hospice. At this time of year there are lots of lambs in the fields.

Have a go at playing this well-loved nursery rhyme

Sheep by Carl Sandburg

Thousands of sheep, soft-footed, black-nosed sheep—

One by one going up the hill and over the fence—one by

One four-footed pattering up and over—one by one wiggling

Their stub tails as they take the short jump and go

Over—one by one silently unless for the multitudinous

Drumming of their hoofs as they move on and go over—

Thousands and thousands of them in the grey haze of

Evening just after sundown—one by one slanting in a

Long line to pass over the hill—

I am the slow, long-legged Sleepyman and I love you

Sheep in Persia, California, Argentine, Australia, or

Spain—you are the thoughts that help me when I, the

Sleepyman, lay my hands on the eyelids of the children

Of the world at eight o’clock every night—you thousands

And thousands of sheep in a procession of dusk making

An endless multitudinous drumming on the hills with

Your hoofs.

Exercises

Before taking on any exercise, please read our advice document by following this link.

This section may not be strictly sheep-themed, but if you would like to do some exercise here is a helpful link from the Chartered Society of Physiotherapy.

Six simple exercises for strength and balance: www.csp.org.uk/easyexercises

Nutrition, well-being, and a recipe

We are going through times of uncertainty and fear in relation to global and personal health. As well as taking the Government advice and staying safe at home, one of the most empowering things we can do at times when so much feels out of your control is to manage your health and well-being by taking charge of your diet. Read some top tips, and a recipe, from Pam Clark, Nutritional Therapist, who is a former Palliative Care Nurse at St Richard’s Hospice.

Sheep Gallery

We’ll be sharing pictures on this fortnight’s theme in our Sheep Gallery. If you’d like to contribute, please email Alison Mesley, hospice Art Therapist.