April on Elmington Estate

Last month we visited Elmington estate, taking with us lots of loose parts from the Shop of Possibilities for the children to explore and use in their existing play environments. We were there every Sunday afternoon, and supported the children in transforming, disrupting and extending the fixed playground structures that they use all the time.

Tree Swings

So last week we got some rope at the Shop of Possibilities and we also got some sunshine. This seemed like the catalyst for a week of climbing trees, making zip wires and of course making tree swings. Every session for the past week has seen a new variation on the theme. Take a look below for some of the examples.

 

The single wooden swing and the bucket swing.

The bucket swing in action.

 Click below to see more images.

Laser Mission (and the play that happened afterwards)

Today the Shop of Possibilities was full of excitable, creative, energetic kids playing together with very little help (and no input) required from us adults.

 

The result was 'Laser Mission' and associated games. The photos explain what happened...

 

 

Mega Water Balloon

Today we were lucky enough to have weather warm enough for lots of outdoor play. One of the play projects which took advantage of this was Chloe's water balloon which she made from the inside of an old rugby ball.

 

Removing the 'balloon' from inside.

Filling with water.

 

Getting ready to seal it up.

Testing it out.

Help from a friend.

Final preparations.

Throwing... the fun bit!

Play Fight: Exploring Pro-Social Conflict

Sat 20 Apr, 2-5.30pm, £5/£3 conc

South London Gallery

Clore Studio & Sceaux Gardens Estate

This afternoon symposium explores the social uses of conflict through looking at ‘play-fighting’ in various different forms, the ‘rough and tumble’ of children’s play, the role of conflict in socially-engaged art practices, as well as the organisational/community contexts through which the process of conflict and resolution take place.

Playworker, writer and activist Morgan Leichter-Saxby frames the debate, exploring the ways in which play can help us access aspects of ourselves that we fight against knowing or accepting. She argues that, both in psychological and neighbourhood contexts, play can be a process by which the marginalized becomes incorporated into the whole. Artists Laura Eldret and Anthony Schrag talk about their recent work with children exploring play-fighting, commissioned as part of SLG Local, along with contributions from young people and children themselves.

This event is part of SLG Local, which is sponsored by Bloomberg and funded by the National Lottery through the Big Lottery Fund.

Booking is essential. Book online or call 020 7703 6120.

Sounding is Doing

Text by Jack James, Children & Families Project Assistant.

During February 2013, children from Southampton Way estate, Sceaux Gardens estate and Bethwin Adventure Playground explored sound and space with artists Isa Suarez and Tom White as part of Play Local.

Recording: A Play Cue?

Both Isa and Tom gave children the opportunity to record sound through the introduction of digital and analogue tape recorders, devices that have a specific purpose but that invited an open response in their use.

When given the opportunity to record sound within the environment, the first instinct of the children was to listen to actions that they had created. Talking, shouting or singing into the tape recorders or making contact with other objects. Most excitingly a tin was rolled down the playground slide on Southampton Way estate to crash into a tape recorder at the bottom. The individual sounds created seemed less important than the realisation that those sounds were a consequence of actions. The presence of the recording equipment allowed for both the creation of new actions and a new type of reflection on the sounds that they made and their subsequent re-play.

The Claw

Sometimes at the Shop of Possibiities we have the pleasure of watching children who just have an instinctive desire to make. Often they will be drawn to certain types of materials and objects, and their actions can seem repetetive, however the child will be engaged in this repetition for a substansial amount of time. The photographs below show one of those occasions.

 

Using tape to wrap wooden pieces together.

During the making process I overhead an interesting exchange between the maker and one of the other children who was quizzing him amount what he was making. In response he simply replied "Just a play thing." The Shop of Possibilities is able to provide time and space for children to explore their own drive to make, without it having to be anything you can put a name to. 

Choosing where to display the finished item.

 Although the structure started off as "just a play thing" as the object progressed and got bigger it did turn into something named 'The Claw' because of the three sided wooden frames likeness to a claw.

 

The finished 'Claw'

 After three visits to the Shop of Possibilities, our maker has created seven different wooden structures, including an aeroplane and a sword.

 

JJ's other creations on display.

Ladders, Flowers and Photography

Here are a few of the activities which took place at the Shop of Possibilities today:

 

Ladder climbing...

Flower making...

Making cards and gifts for Mothers Day...

And the odd spot of play fighting!

One of our newest members, John aged 6, was very interested in taking photographs and he spent much of the afternoon with the camera. He was particularly interested in the objects and the architecture around him, and he got some great results:

Tom White: Sound Film

Artist Tom White worked with children from Sceaux Gardens and Southampton Way estates throughout February. Together they explored the sounds around them and the sounds they could make with their own voices. Alongside Tom, the children did much of the filming and the sound recording, and the result is this wonderfully noisy short film:

 

 

To watch the film in HD, please visit Tom's Vimeo page here:

http://vimeo.com/60823229

 

 

 

All photos and film: Tom White

 

http://www.tomwhitesound.com/

Fun with Water

Sometimes the simplest materials provide the most interesting play opportunities. Water is one that crops up time after time at the Shop of Possibilities, whatever the weather.

 

Making a big splash

Cleaning the windows

More window cleaning

Making patterns on the floor

Filling some bendy tubes with water...

...and then swinging them round to see how far the water can be flung!