Design a Christmas card for the soldiers in Afghanistan

The National Army Museum, London, has a great competition for you this October half-term 2009 - and you can enter online!

They'd like you to design a Christmas card for the British soldiers fighting in Afghanistan over Christmas to cheer them up.

But hurry - the competition closes on November 1 2009!

To help you with your design, the theme is 'A Soldier's Christmas' - don't forget to write a message inside your card.


Illustrations © Michael Foreman, courtesy National Army Museum

Competition entries will be judged by illustrator and writer, Michael Foreman.

These pictures are from his book, War Game, set in WWI.

The soldiers are seen celebrating Christmas Day.

Competition entries will be split into two age categories; aged 3 - 7 and aged 8 - 12. A winner will be chosen from each category.

The best two designs will be printed up as National Army Museum cards and sold in the Museum shop.

The winners will also be invited to the National Army Museum to meet Michael Foreman - that's him in the photo!

They will then get a framed copy of their completed artwork.

All photographs © Rachel Hayward / Culture24

Application details and cards can also be collected from the National Army Museum's Front Desk along with a full set of terms and conditions.

If you can get along to the National Army Museum in London, there's a wonderful exhibition called War Boy.

It's based on Michael Foreman's childhood in WWII.

Here's a copy of the Morrison shelter that Michael had as a child in WWII.

Michael used to lie on the bed underneath the table and read his comics!

You can play ping pong, like Michael and his brothers used to do, on the table.

You can also visit his mum's corner shop complete with sweets. Sorry you can't eat them but they are real!

The National Army Museum has loads more activities for kids to do in the half-term, so check out their website for what's on.