Every child in the world has a hobby such as gardening, collecting stamps, reading, drawing, collecting pictures of famous people and visiting famous places. My hobby is writing to the Funday Times.

Whenever I am free, I write to the Funday Times. But free or not I read the Funday Times every Sunday.
I was so sad that I couldn't write to the Funday Times for the past months because I was busy with the scholarship exam. But I always read the paper. When I need articles, pictures or details for school, I find them from the Funday Times. Every week I improve my knowledge by reading the Funday Times.

I learn new words, details about countries, animals, plants, trees, fruits, flowers and many more. I love to answer the fun quizzes too. I have won for the fun quiz, essay competition and Panther fun games. I hope to keep my hobby till I grow big. I thank the Sunday Times for publishing a paper like this for little ones like us.

My visit to Ice-cream Island

By Manith Goonaratne (Year 4), Asian International School

When I was going to India with my friends, our ship crashed and we were thrown onto Ice-cream Island. It was very cold and there were only nine other boys on the island. We used a currency called 'creams.' I felt funny and surprised when we stayed in an igloo.

The island was very nice and we played with ice-cream balls. It was so much fun! The other boys and I used ice-cream guns to play. We ate such a lot of ice-creams in different flavours because we could have anything we wanted.

But now I don't like it here because no-one can get out of here. But my mother and father came to visit me so there is nothing wrong in staying here now.

The park

By Naveeka Pelpola (Grade 2), Visakha Vidyalaya

The park is a nice place. It is the best place for us to play in because it has many swings, see-saws and slides. I go to the park with my sister and my parents. My sister is scared to go on the swings and slides. But I enjoy both of them. I love the park very much.

My mother

By Anjaly (9 years), Colombo South International School

My mother is very kind. Her name is Malathi. She cooks tasty food. She helps me to do my work. She is very fair. She is thirty eight years old. She has long hair. She is tall.

We both play when we finish our lunch and homework. Her favourite drink is apple juice. Her favourite colour is white. Her favourite animal is the lion and flower is jasmine.

She teaches me good habits. I love my mother a lot. My mother loves me too.

My favourite toys

By Kavinu Undugodage (7 years), S. Thomas' Preparatory School, Colombo 3

My favourite toys are my Ben10 car and my big long truck. My Ben10 car is green in colour. My truck is blue. My grandparents in Galle gave me the blue truck. It has ten wheels. I like to play with my toys.

My favourite sports

By Dinuka Mathaarachchi (10 years), Royal Institute International School, Nugegoda

Sports are very important for human beings. Everyone does sports to be healthy. My favourite sports are
cricket, cycling and athletics. Cricket is a very interesting and enjoyable sport. We can bat, field, and bowl when playing cricket. Two teams can play cricket.

I also play cricket with my brother in my leisure time. Cycling is also an important sport. I ride my bicycle with my brother. During our leisure time we have races on our bicycles.

My bicycle is a Tomahawk and my brother's is a Bitten. Athletics is also a very essential sport for our bodies because we can get rid of many illnesses by doing athletics. My brother and I do athletics at the grounds. It brings us happiness. When we do sports we win and lose, so we must agree whether we win or lose.

Sports teach us how to work together. When we do sports we refresh our minds. There is a saying that "Sports and games keeps us mentally fit," so it is good to do sports daily.

My school

By Sheneli Fernando (7 years), St. Bridget's Convent

My school is St. Bridget's Convent. It is in Colombo 7. It is a very big school. Our principal is Sr. Mary Renuka. My class is Grade 2s4. My class teacher is Mrs. Mihipali Amarathunga. I love my school. I am lucky to be a Bridgetine.

My lovely doll

By Hasna Kareem (13 years), Crescent Girls' School

Tring! Tring! Tring!
The postman has come
Oh! Today I have a letter
No, it is a gift

I took the gift
And I remove the pack
Wow, it is a doll
A lovely doll

It is very special,
Because it is made in Japan
My brother is in Japan
He has sent that gift
to me

I play with her
And I sleep with her
She is like a princess
So, I called her
Cinderella

Her hair is gold
Her eyes are like gems
Her cheeks are like a rose
If she is not there
I can't live
Because I love her
so… much

My brother

By Janani Nethmini (10 years), Kadangoda

My brother's name is Sadun Lalitha. He is eight years old. He is in Grade One. He can study well. He likes to go to school.

He gets up early in the morning and gets ready for school by himself. He is a very active little boy. I love him very much.

My lovely bunny

By Kaveesha Liyanapitharana (9 years), St. Nicholas International College, Negombo

I have a little bunny,
Which has a big tummy,
She is so white,
That she started to fight,
She is very tall,
In her tummy there is a small hole,
Her hair is so brown,
But she's like a clown,
I love my little tummy bunny.

My school bag

By Isuri Jayalath (7 years) , Dammissara N. S., Nattandiya

My school bag is my friend. It is always with me. Sometimes it is on my back. Other times it is beside me on the desk or near my bed.

My school bag is heavy but I like it. It has all the things I want, books, pencils, pen, eraser and ruler. It has five pockets. My mother puts the meal box at the bottom of the bag.

Journey through a forest

By Mufees Ismath (12 years), Lyceum International School, Ratnapura

Last week our science teacher told the class to bring a very exciting, strange plant. So I decided to go through a forest and my father accompanied me. We packed a camping bag and we started.
The forest was full of trees and it was very dangerous and I was searching for the plant but still hadn't found it. We went inside and inside.

On my way I found a humming bird with a beautiful beak and a mole trying to come out of the soil. Luckily we found a very strange, exciting plant and it had a heart shaped leaf with red veins. We plucked it and returned home.

I went to school in the morning and I showed my plant to our science teacher. She was very excited and all the children appreciated me.

Water

By Nipuni Wanasooriya (Grade 7) , Royal International School, Kurunegala

Water is life. Without water, this universe is just another dead piece of sun. Water is very useful for living things. It helps us for drinking, washing and for many other activities. Water is a tiny dew drop.

In Sri Lanka, the monarch, Parakramabahu the Great said, not even a drop of water from the rain must flow into the ocean without being made useful for man. Parakramabahu was the first king of Sri Lanka at that time to realize that the first thing in the continuation of life is giving water to humanity.

He built the Parakrama Samudraya by diverting the rivers flowing in Ceylon and making seas of water. Rice fields feeding the entire country are fed by this system. Our entire cultivations, vegetables, coconuts, tea and rubber live on water.

Festivals in Sri Lanka

By Dewmalee Jayamanne (Grade 4) Sussex College, Kurunegala

There are many communities in Sri Lanka. They are Sinhalese, Tamils, Muslims and Burghers. So we have different festivals.

Sinhalese and Tamils celebrate the Sinhala and Hindu New Year. It falls on the 13th of April. They make lots of sweets. They have an auspicious time to cook milk rice. They have special sports.

Sinhala Buddhists celebrate Vesak and Poson. For Vesak they make pandols and decorate their houses with colourful lanterns. They go to temples on Vesak poya day. They also celebrate Poson in the month of June. Buddhism was introduced to Sri Lanka on this day.

Christians celebrate Christmas on the 25th of December. It marks the birth of Jesus Christ. They go to church. They decorate a tree with beautiful lights and balloons.

Hindus celebrate Deepavali in the month of October. It is the festival of light. Thai Pongal is
celebrated in the month of January. They worship the sun for helping the farmers in their cultivation.

Muslims celebrate Ramazan and Hadji festivals. Muslims fast during the Ramazan period. They pray at the mosque and enjoy good food.

All these celebrations make the people happy.

My home garden

By Saara Ramzy (8 years) Sussex College, Galle

I have a beautiful home garden. There are many flower plants. There is a beautiful pond in my home garden. There are lotus and olu in my pond. There are many kinds of fish in my pond. Ducks and swans swim in my pond in the day time.

There are different colours of flowers and different kinds of flowers. Bees and butterflies come to drink honey. Sometimes I can see small birds also there. I spend my leisure time in my garden.

I love my home garden very much.

Christmas

By Chamodi Tharukshika (Grade 6), Sanghamitta Girls' College, Galle

At Christmas time there is laughing,
And good cheer, peace and goodwill,
Around the world.
For some weeks,
before Christmas day,
The shops are
Full of exciting things.
Mother and father,
Brothers and sisters and friends,
All go shopping.
Christmas is the time,
For giving and sharing.

My sister

By Savindu Edirisinghe (7 years), Holy Cross College, Kalutara

My sister's name is Senudi. She is two years old. She is a kind baby girl. Nanga looks like a doll. I like her very much.