Boxes and Buckets and Chalk

Over the past few weeks, as 2016 has settled into gear, we’ve been lucky with the weather at outreach play sessions. This has contributed to a good, strong turn-out each time we’ve been out and about, but it’s not the only reason: it’s a real privilege to see the growing play community taking shape. Parents talk with other parents, make observations of play to us, and support the play of their children and others’ children. We see plenty of friendly, familiar faces returning for session after session (children and adults too!) and play has filled the patch of green . . .

Playworkers and parents, and children themselves, pull others around on the trolley (which was just a device to transport stuff, but then became a daily car or train or way to get around!) There’s always a crowd around the art stuff (glitter and glue and beads and paper and sticks and feathers, and so on). Parents and children are discovering, for the first time (or re-discovering), the joys of plasticine! We’ve tried to introduce some new elements every session: a long flexi-tube, pink hammocks, some guttering, some car tyres. What gets played with stays another day. What doesn’t get played with for a while may be brought back at a later date: re-thought about in any case.

What has been played with plenty lately are boxes and buckets (both of which can be many things) and chalk (which, when we tidy away, often leaving the place tidier than when we found it, stays on the paving for a few days till it rains: a message of ‘play was here’). Here is a flavour of play:

We found some big old boxes that once held sofas, which became forts for ball and beanbag battles (as well as ‘how many of us children can fit in a box?’ and ‘what happens if we stand in a big box and lean over?’)

Buckets and ropes and boxes found themselves converted into engineered systems, on trees and fixed equipment . . .

We’re reminded of the playwork thinking of ‘compound flexibility’, where ‘flexibility in the play environment leads to increased flexibility in the child. That child is then better able to make use of the flexible environment, and so on.’ (Brown, 2003) . . .

So, the more the environment can be changed by the child, the more the child is able to create ideas and be confident; the more that ideas and confidence take shape, the more the environment can be changed, and so on. All from just a few buckets and ropes and boxes!

Of course, buckets can be used for many things (as crash helmets when riding the trolley, as armour in big box beanbag battles, as steps to reach the hula hoops in the branches, hung in trees just to see if beanbags can be thrown in there, or simply as targets on the ground).

What if all the ground were played on? Just think: what if all the city’s streets were this colourful . . .

 
 

Reference:

Brown, F. (2003), Compound flexibility: the role of playwork in child development in Brown, F. (Ed) (2003), Playwork: theory and practice. 1st ed. Buckingham: Open University Press.

 
 
 
 

Object Play Out and About

Because of recent observations of object play during outreach sessions, we took a tub of bits and bobs (old barrel insides and casings of locks and other things you find as ornaments on doors) to a session last week:

A group of children sat out on the pavement for most of the session with the tub of bits and bobs and with hammers and nails and screws and screwdrivers. Plenty of focused play took place here and, on reflection, at least two of Bob Hughes’ 16 Play Types (probably more) were going on:

‘Object play [or] problem solving play . . . Playing with objects is a powerful revelatory element in the play process. Its repetitive and focused nature makes possible the discovery of uses and functions.’

‘Creative play [or] inventive play . . . When imaginatively provided for — where children have access to lots of different creative mediums and tools, where there is plenty of time . . . creative play can provide children with real insights into the meanings of colour, form, texture, beauty and their own abilities to create and combine.’

Though the process is often more important than the product, here’s something the children made, and discarded, earlier last week!

Reference:

Hughes, B. (2002), A playworker’s taxonomy of play types. 2nd Ed. London: Playlink.

 
 
 
 

Hammers and Nails Out and About

It’s about time we posted more photos of things going on in the Play Project! So much is happening in play, and provisions for it. Play can happen pretty much anywhere and with anything . . .

A big thank you too to all the parents and carers who are making time for their children’s play:

 
 
 
 

Outreach Play

Following a series of well-received and well-attended outreach play sessions this term (lately repurposing the newly refurbished area that was nominally set aside as an adult outside gym space on Canada Way, White City), below are a selection of photos from the most recent session. We’ve been trying out improvised swings in the parks, various ways of setting out the tarp, bringing play stuff for parents too (because they wanted it!), and making use of other loose parts bits and bobs. More photos from this session (including those of wrapping the gym area in cellophane — call it land art!) can be found on the Play Project’s Facebook page here.

 








 
 
 
 

Hammersmith Park Outreach Photos

Another good couple of sessions of Outreach this week with around 50 children playing, all told. On Wednesday in Wormholt Park, even though it was absolutely pouring down, we still went out in our waterproofs for a play session! Plenty of balls were kicked around in the rain. On Thursday at Hammersmith ‘BBC’ Park, the sun came out again and we had lots of children, parents and carers playing with the arty stuff and the sporty stuff. Thanks to all who came and thanks too to those who commented on and liked our Facebook page. Here are a few photos for tasters:

Flyers out to all those passing through the park.

Early on as play takes shape.

Our brand new promotional flags are there on the left, either side of the path.

Set up underneath the tree with bubbles and beads, glue and glitter, plasticine and paper aeroplanes, bats and balls and frisbees.

 

If you’re in the area on Wednesdays at Wormholt Park or Thursdays at Hammersmith (‘BBC’) Park, 3:15-5:00pm, you’re welcome in.

 
 
 
 

Play in the Parks Sessions (Autumn Term 2015)

Here’s the new flyer information for Play in the Parks outreach sessions: better produced than the throw-it-together paper flyers of summer! The things you can do with a little more time.

A good 65 children over two days this week. More welcome for next week onwards.

 
 
 
 

Play in the Park Sessions (Weeks Beginning August 17 and 24)

New rough and ready flyer for the last two weeks of August in the local parks (now with added contact details!)

 
 
 
 

Play in the Park Sessions (Week Beginning August 10)

A quick notice out to any local children and parents/carers/grandparents: we’re running a series of ‘play in the park’ sessions between now and the end of August. Following today’s session, here are details of next week. Come along and play. No need to pay.

Rough and ready flyer (which we’ll re-draft with new dates for the second half of August). No phone number on this but you can contact us on 020-8749-0909.