Supporting the families of children born in lockdownJoin us for family stay and play every Monday in term time.
Morning and afternoon drop-in sessions, 10.30am - 12noon and 1pm-2.30pm. These sessions provide indoor and outdoor creative play for local pre-school children and their carers. Organised in partnership with Sure Start Rusholme and Sure Start Fallowfield Children's Centres. Contact your local Sure Start to find out more, on 0161 510 000 (Rusholme) or 0161 219 6799 (Fallowfield). Or just come along on the day. Remember to ring the doorbell to let us know you're here! |
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This programme began in June 2021, in response to the Covid pandemic. Local health providers had identified the serious impact of lockdown on young children, isolated from their peers and at risk of delayed emotional, social and physical development.
Working with Sure Start outreach workers and artist Naomi Kendrick, we have devised a creative programme that focuses on socialisation, speech and language development, and emotional resilience. It also gives parents and carers the opportunity to socialise and form new supportive friendships, while taking part in activities that support attachment and bonding with their children.
Working with Sure Start outreach workers and artist Naomi Kendrick, we have devised a creative programme that focuses on socialisation, speech and language development, and emotional resilience. It also gives parents and carers the opportunity to socialise and form new supportive friendships, while taking part in activities that support attachment and bonding with their children.
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Families at Platt Hall
We've been observing how families and children respond to a range of stimulus for creative play, using both the studio space inside the Hall and the new community garden outside. Understanding how families and young children respond to the unique sensory and atmospheric qualities of the Hall will inform how we develop the building. Families Manager Katy McCall and freelance artist Naomi Kendrick have been keeping a diary of the programme to date. Some extracts are below.
Monday 7 June 2021
It was such a joy to welcome ‘babies born in lockdown’ who are now toddlers and their parents from Fallowfield and Rusholme Sure Start Children’s Centres to Platt Hall today.
Group 1 particularly enjoyed the outdoor area. The boxes of soil and water were a captivating focus, and the tools and magnifying glasses were intriguing. They encouraged sharing and collaboration, with a bit of negotiation. There was real enjoyment of the mud, two boys enjoyed flinging and moving it around, a real joy to watch. It would be great to create a mud kitchen in the garden.
One little girl particularly enjoyed running up and down the drainage grid lines and being in the space, next session we will create some more lines to follow with coloured sand or chalk. The children seemed to enjoy the chalk, holding it and putting it in the water. Parents did drawings with the chalk on the floor. One of the younger babies loved picking up all the little bits on the floor. It would be good to have a sensory baby bag.
Group 2 spent more time inside, apart from two boys who really loved the mud. Mark making on the paper went well and encouraged families to sit together and talk and play with their children. The den building worked well - perhaps we could pre-build a den for the next session and see how they navigate it? We will extend the mark making next week by bringing in some coloured ice cubes and jelly with animals hidden inside.
Storytime and singing was a lovely way to finish the sessions, it brought everyone together. The girl who had come to the session with Maria by pure chance, was beaming throughout the story and the song.
One little girl particularly enjoyed running up and down the drainage grid lines and being in the space, next session we will create some more lines to follow with coloured sand or chalk. The children seemed to enjoy the chalk, holding it and putting it in the water. Parents did drawings with the chalk on the floor. One of the younger babies loved picking up all the little bits on the floor. It would be good to have a sensory baby bag.
Group 2 spent more time inside, apart from two boys who really loved the mud. Mark making on the paper went well and encouraged families to sit together and talk and play with their children. The den building worked well - perhaps we could pre-build a den for the next session and see how they navigate it? We will extend the mark making next week by bringing in some coloured ice cubes and jelly with animals hidden inside.
Storytime and singing was a lovely way to finish the sessions, it brought everyone together. The girl who had come to the session with Maria by pure chance, was beaming throughout the story and the song.
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Monday 21 June 2021
I feel like we are properly in the swing of things now and everyone has relaxed into the sessions. Parents are definitely bonding with each other and children are making relationships. Two mothers commented on how their children are now best friends 😊
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We really want to show families upstairs in the hall and have been talking about how it is different from a community or children’s centre. Putting the dinosaur costume on one of the mannequins on the stairs definitely encouraged more awareness of the building and collections.
One mum had done a textiles course and visited Platt when it was the Costume Gallery. Be good to give parents the opportunity to make, one mum helped us make coloured leaf shapes for the learning tree. And making together meant we had a right good chat! Many of the families are now coming regularly. One mum has been to every session even though her son is asleep for most of it. Her older daughter is experiencing mental health issues and I was able to pass on to our family outreach worker to ensure she had the right support. We have invited the mother to come to the earlier session when her son will be awake. A new mum with two children with special educational needs came to the second session, she commented that she is unable to take her son out as he is always looking for ways to escape. The inside/outside free flow approach to the sessions and high fence enabled her to relax a little. We really hope she comes back as both her children responded really well to the activities and spaces. |
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Monday 15 November 2021
Ice ice baby! Well, toddler. Today, we brought leaves and giant bouncy balls trapped in ice and some paint ice cubes. One boy collected all of the paint ice cubes with great focus and put them all carefully into a watering can full of water, we gave the can a stir and poured out some rainbow coloured water. He also enjoyed painting the big block of ice with purple paint, he seemed really interested in the surface of the ice.
One family enjoyed writing numbers on the foil in paint, the mum had brought her eldest along and told me he had just learned how to write number 5 and she was really happy that he had drawn it in paint. He and his little sister really enjoyed running in and out of the materials on the washing line too. Rolling paint with a roller was popular, and noticing the sounds that the tin foil on the floor made when you walked or painted onto it. One little girl created a 'puddle party' by pouring out water from the watering can onto the ground and watching where the water moved too, this attracted a few other children who enjoyed tapping their feet in the water together. Pouring water is a favourite activity in these sessions I have noticed.
Its really nice to see the returning families each week, as well as meeting new ones. I feel I am really getting to know them and their children. One mum said her son had been impatiently saying 'Park, Park' that morning, as he knew he was coming to the session.
One family enjoyed writing numbers on the foil in paint, the mum had brought her eldest along and told me he had just learned how to write number 5 and she was really happy that he had drawn it in paint. He and his little sister really enjoyed running in and out of the materials on the washing line too. Rolling paint with a roller was popular, and noticing the sounds that the tin foil on the floor made when you walked or painted onto it. One little girl created a 'puddle party' by pouring out water from the watering can onto the ground and watching where the water moved too, this attracted a few other children who enjoyed tapping their feet in the water together. Pouring water is a favourite activity in these sessions I have noticed.
Its really nice to see the returning families each week, as well as meeting new ones. I feel I am really getting to know them and their children. One mum said her son had been impatiently saying 'Park, Park' that morning, as he knew he was coming to the session.
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Monday 22 November 2021
This week I wanted to build on the children's love of running across and exploring the large outdoor area at Platt. I drew chalk arrows on the floor that lead you across the space, and zones leading off those arrows with different materials to explore. The materials included jelly, cardboard boxes to stack and knock over, an area for painting logs (which they prefer to painting on a traditional surface), mark making, a washing line with objects to reach up and grab and fabric to run through/squirt with paint and, of course, water play.
The children seemed to enjoy this set up and really engaged with each of the materials zones, (except the space blanket/cellophane and leaves pile so I'll rethink that). I also noticed a lot more exploring of the whole space, and more physical activity (running from one zone to another). One child enjoyed watching the cars and buses go by at one end of the space and discovered features of the outside of the building like a 'secret door'. I've noticed the regular children are really confident in mark making, they just dive right in with a paint brush/chalk etc.
I had an interesting question from a mum when her child was playing with the squeezy paint bottle, making marks on the floor. She asked me if she should tell him not to do that and only squirt it at the hanging fabric on the washing line. We had an interesting chat about child-led play and the learning that happens through that, and how I can build on that in what I put out for them next time. There is always something unexpected in how the children engage with what I leave for them. I'm aware sometimes that the parents feel the children should 'do' an activity in my presence, paint with the roller on paper and not on the log for example, and also say things like 'do it for the teacher' (meaning me).
The children seemed to enjoy this set up and really engaged with each of the materials zones, (except the space blanket/cellophane and leaves pile so I'll rethink that). I also noticed a lot more exploring of the whole space, and more physical activity (running from one zone to another). One child enjoyed watching the cars and buses go by at one end of the space and discovered features of the outside of the building like a 'secret door'. I've noticed the regular children are really confident in mark making, they just dive right in with a paint brush/chalk etc.
I had an interesting question from a mum when her child was playing with the squeezy paint bottle, making marks on the floor. She asked me if she should tell him not to do that and only squirt it at the hanging fabric on the washing line. We had an interesting chat about child-led play and the learning that happens through that, and how I can build on that in what I put out for them next time. There is always something unexpected in how the children engage with what I leave for them. I'm aware sometimes that the parents feel the children should 'do' an activity in my presence, paint with the roller on paper and not on the log for example, and also say things like 'do it for the teacher' (meaning me).
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Monday 24 January 2022
The studio has been painted and looks beautiful! The group all commented on how nice it is. I didn’t take any photos of children in action today, but we had a really productive time observing the children and planning next steps. We think it would be good to do another learning wall as we really enjoyed observing the children and parents in the session, we also made links to the Early Years and Foundation Stage curriculum and children’s developmental stages. To make this all visible is really important and would be good to share with families.
We observed
Next steps – it would be good to get a huge cardboard box to make into a space ship, play with boxes outside, den make outside – look at what happens when boxes get wet (weather changes), use mud to make paw prints, foot prints etc, space themed activities – we put out some black paper in the second session and drew stars and moons on them, be good to develop some light play activities as the children loved Naomi’s disco light in past sessions.
We observed
- Physical play – building with the boxes, climbing and rolling the cushions, running round in circles (Karim ran round so much he went dizzy!).
- Making relationships – lovely interactions between parent and child, game playing with mirrors, cushions becoming buses, using the silver foil to tickle each other, den building – and children making relationships with each other and with us.
- Language – parents talking to their children, asking questions, some chat from children but not lots (many children are still very quiet).
- Mark making (pre-writing) – the mark making is always a hit. I drew numbers on the large paper from 10 to 0 – thinking this linked to count down for space-ship, lots of mark making in this area.
- Patterns (maths) – the usual interest in taking pencils out of the pot and putting them somewhere else, I found a few oil pastels hidden under the baby change table and one child enjoyed lining up of toys.
Next steps – it would be good to get a huge cardboard box to make into a space ship, play with boxes outside, den make outside – look at what happens when boxes get wet (weather changes), use mud to make paw prints, foot prints etc, space themed activities – we put out some black paper in the second session and drew stars and moons on them, be good to develop some light play activities as the children loved Naomi’s disco light in past sessions.
Monday 7 March 2022
We had two lovely lively sessions today with lots of children attending each, leading to some lovely interactions between the children, and between the adults as well.
I set up for the usual favourite activities - sorting pegs into and out of various containers, bashing pots, babies 'eating' giant reflective spoons and balls, knocking down and being inside boxes, discovering various animals I had hidden (particularly within the dolls house), den building, balloon throwing and catching, painting and mark making.
This week I noticed again the children's love of painting an object rather than painting the flat surface of the paper, I'm not sure why they are so drawn to the 3D rather than 2D surface, it's fascinating and is something I remember my own son doing a lot too at that age. I put out boxes and plastic toys to encourage this further and at one point I noticed a girl completely focused on painting a teddy (who had accidentally made it into the paint area!). She was giving it such care and attention, selecting colours and steadily covering it with paint.
I am building up a relationship with the children and parents in a way I wouldn't normally do in a drop-in workshop at the Art Gallery in town. I spoke to Katy and Maimuna about a mum I am a little worried about, she has just started getting support for her daughter from a "special school", but I have noticed her becoming more anxious about her daughter's behaviour in the sessions. It is so important to have Surestart workers here, so they can give her and others the professional support they may need.
Spring feels on it's way so next week we are going to use the outside space as well, weather permitting.
I set up for the usual favourite activities - sorting pegs into and out of various containers, bashing pots, babies 'eating' giant reflective spoons and balls, knocking down and being inside boxes, discovering various animals I had hidden (particularly within the dolls house), den building, balloon throwing and catching, painting and mark making.
This week I noticed again the children's love of painting an object rather than painting the flat surface of the paper, I'm not sure why they are so drawn to the 3D rather than 2D surface, it's fascinating and is something I remember my own son doing a lot too at that age. I put out boxes and plastic toys to encourage this further and at one point I noticed a girl completely focused on painting a teddy (who had accidentally made it into the paint area!). She was giving it such care and attention, selecting colours and steadily covering it with paint.
I am building up a relationship with the children and parents in a way I wouldn't normally do in a drop-in workshop at the Art Gallery in town. I spoke to Katy and Maimuna about a mum I am a little worried about, she has just started getting support for her daughter from a "special school", but I have noticed her becoming more anxious about her daughter's behaviour in the sessions. It is so important to have Surestart workers here, so they can give her and others the professional support they may need.
Spring feels on it's way so next week we are going to use the outside space as well, weather permitting.
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Monday 14 March 2022
The sun was shining (for a bit) yesterday at Platt Hall so we were able to go outside for the first time this year, reminding me of how much the children love this wide open space. It was a good chance to try out our new 'mud kitchen' which was very water focused yesterday. The children also enjoyed looking at the different plants and flowers, and sending conkers and pine cones down the giant tube with their parents. One boy was really excited to tell me that he had learned how to fill up the watering can from our outside tap by himself (many times!)
A real highlight was one little girl who I have mentioned here before, who has problems with her language development, waved at us at the end and said "Bye Bye" her mum said she had never done that before.
A real highlight was one little girl who I have mentioned here before, who has problems with her language development, waved at us at the end and said "Bye Bye" her mum said she had never done that before.
Monday 21 March 2022
Today we enjoyed being outside again, with a more extensive set up than last week as the focus shifts from inside to outside with the changing of the seasons. I had put the cardboard tube out last week and noticed a parent and child pick it up and shoot objects down it which the child loved so I decided to build on this. The children loved sending the fircones down it today, listening to the noise it made and waiting for them to pop out the end. One child wanted me to attach the other tube to the first so there would be two tubes to send fir cones down which I did. A mum and daughter enjoyed playing with this for ages, the mum caught each fir cone as it came out which made her daughter laugh every time.
The space itself was the was interacted with a lot, plants were watered, the edge of the flower bed became a step to stand on and observe from, and lots of walking around the raised beds and going up to the gates. Maimuna pointed out that being in the outdoor space means the children are far more active than when they just spend time in the indoor space. During the sessions the children were also busy splashing in water puddles, painting objects including logs, chewing on colanders (babies) 'stirring' mud and bowls of pegs and straws.
I've had some nice feedback from parents saying they have been inspired to offer their children similar materials at home such as the bubbles, lights, silver blankets and whisks.
The space itself was the was interacted with a lot, plants were watered, the edge of the flower bed became a step to stand on and observe from, and lots of walking around the raised beds and going up to the gates. Maimuna pointed out that being in the outdoor space means the children are far more active than when they just spend time in the indoor space. During the sessions the children were also busy splashing in water puddles, painting objects including logs, chewing on colanders (babies) 'stirring' mud and bowls of pegs and straws.
I've had some nice feedback from parents saying they have been inspired to offer their children similar materials at home such as the bubbles, lights, silver blankets and whisks.
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