It was very early in the morning when I was awakened from my sleep by my twins. Lightsabers swooshed and made battle noises around me.
My son Theo was dressed as an X Wing fighter pilot from Star Wars: The Force Awakens. His twin sister Luce was Rey, the heroine in this same sequel. They had brought me breakfast on a tray because it was my birthday. Soon the tray was set aside and I was combing and twirling my daughter’s hair into three buns like the scavenger Rey. It’s all true, I told them, the stories about the Dark Side and the Jedi.
It was a perfect excuse to head off into the woods for a Star Wars adventure. My kids would have a lightsaber battle in the woods just like Rey and the Dark side warrior Kylo Ren. The Force was calling them.
I know a place nearby in the woods which has an otherworldly feeling. Theo had found a deer skull here when we were scavenging for the Doll House bug hotel. Foresters had cut down trees leaving a clearing filled with cut wood and sawdust so that it looks like an alien planet’s surface. The surrounding forest is dark and moody.
Theo had wanted Kylo Ren’s red lightsaber while Luce naturally insisted hers had to be blue like Rey’s. Rey’s lightsabre had once belonged to the Jedi Luke and his father, Anakin Skywalker. Their toy versions make battle noises when the blades engage.
My two warriors soon fought their battle within the dark forest. Actually they just wanted to be in the darkest areas so that their lightsabers would glow in the early morning light! 
The best part of my birthday was watching the huge smiles on my twin’s faces as they imagined they were real Star Wars fighters on a distant planet far, far away in our woods.
Who won? I dare not say in case you haven’t seen this Star Wars sequel. There are glimpses of this epic lightsabre fight scene in the official trailers which you can see here or here.
I have a feeling that this winter when it snows they’ll want to head back into the woods for another lightsaber battle. If you’ve seen the film you’ll understand why.
Later in the day my twins attended a Star Wars themed party filled with aliens, heroines, resistance fighters and stormtroopers where once again they began battling with their lightsabers.
This sounds like our kinda adventure! My daddy is a massive Star Wars fan and we’re heading to Star Wars Celebrarions in London next week! We’d love to do this. My daddy has the full Obi Wan get-up and actually looks like Ewan! 😉 We did a little feature on him! #CountryKids xx
I absolutely adore this!! My 5yo is a huge Rey fan and has a costume too. We also live quite close to Puzzlewood where some of The Force Awakens was filmed – I might have to take her there for some lightsabre fighting! Thanks for the inspiration! #countrykids
I love the photos. They really do look like they are on a set on an alien world.
Memories made and an amazing battle. We’ve not seen the film yet though.
#countrykids
What a great way to bring the film to life. I know my kids used to love reenacting things like this and chose Star Wars for their Carnival Float last year. those lightsabers look great fun and you can really see them glow in the darker corners of the woods. You really do have the best natural playground there.
Thank you for sharing your adventure on #Counyry Kids
Love! I took the boys to see the movie, but really it’s me that’s the big fan 🙂 You’re right that these woods have an otherworldly feel, a perfect location for a lightsaber battle! Gorgeous photos Kriss x #countrykids
That looks like so much fun! The photos make it look like a flashback scene of the characters when they were younger. How great that they can combine sic-fi with the natural world 🙂
#countrykids
As I looked at your photos I was imagining a flash mob of children all with their lightsabres running around the woods recreating the scenes from the film
THis is like stills from the film! Another lovely way to get the kids to go to the woods too and this gave me an idea on what to do to lure my son out =)
Lovely lovely photos!
#countrykids
This is adorable, do they always play so well together? Your pictures make them look like they’re in an actual scene from Star Wars! #CountryKids
Who can resist battling with lightsabers? I hope you had a go too. Great fun. I’m imagining the chaos of lots of children battling at a party with lightsabres. #CountryKids
This is brilliant – what a wonderful way of encouraging their imagination and how lucky you are to have such a fabulous outdoor playground nearby to provide the perfect spot for recreating Star Wars. What a brilliant start to your birthday and I hope the rest of the day was also magical 🙂 #CountryKids
Wow! You always have fantastic ideas for outdoors fun. Looks like your twin are casting on a film and I am always a forever fan of your photos. <3