The outdoors can provide children with a whole host of learning opportunities and Impact Arts Creative Play sessions help ignite children’s imagination and encourage a deeper and more creative contact with the outdoors.
Not only can playing outdoors be more varied than a creative home environment, but it helps children increase their experience of the world around them from within safe boundaries. Even when using play equipment in the back garden, a child can be taking in different sights, sounds and smells from the world around them, both consciously and subconsciously.
There is something about stepping outdoors to play that opens up the imagination and the creativity even further. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a day at the beach, a walk in the park or enjoying garden play at home, they all unlock creativity. Skills like problem solving, role play and artistic tasks take on a whole new level in the outdoors.
Young minds are naturally creative. However, children don’t always have the opportunity to utilise them until they have the freedom to explore things on their own. It’s important for them to take part in outdoor activities with other children, be that within their own family or friends.
Outdoor play also benefits children’s health. Their physical strength is improved, with more room to play in children tend to be more active when playing outside the house. Finding ways to run, jump, throw balls and catch; these activities help them build stronger bones as well as burn off extra energy.
However it’s not only their physical health that can benefit from playing outdoors. Their mental well-being can improve through outdoor play. They often feel happier and calmer and it can help improve their ability to focus more in school.
There are endless reasons why in incorporating outdoor play in to your child’s day is important but at the end of the day, your child’s primary concern is having as much fun as possible. Being stuck inside all day doesn’t provide your child with fresh air, extensive exercise or the freedom to socialise and interact with nature.
If you are stuck for creative activities to do with your children then why not check out our Creative Play Booklet bursting with fun and creative ways to play outdoors.
Last week saw Impact Arts begin a new block of creative play sessions for children in Barrhead, aimed at sparking children’s imaginations and getting them outdoor and active.
Our Creative Play Rangers Natalie, Tara and Sarah visited St. Mark’s Primary School and Arthurlie Family Centre, telling tales of swamps, forrests and Gruffalos to get the children’s imaginations going, get them exploring their environment and – most importantly – having lots of fun, whatever the weather!
These sessions – taking place after school and nursery – are entirely free. It’s part of East Renfrewshire Council’s Early Years Places to Play initiative and funded by East Renfrewshire Early Years.
The sessions are running every Tuesday in November 2017:
St. Mark’s Primary School
- Tuesday 14th November 2017: 3pm – 4pm
- Tuesday 21st November 2017: 3pm – 4pm
- Tuesday 28th November 2017: 3pm – 4pm
Arthurlie Family Centre
- Tuesday 14th November 2017: 4pm – 5pm
- Tuesday 21st November 2017: 4pm – 5pm
- Tuesday 28th November 2017: 4pm – 5pm
The sessions at St. Mark’s are for Primary 4s, while the sessions at Arthurlie are aimed at 3-4 year olds.
For more information, please contact Impact Arts’ Children’s Co-ordinator on 0141 575 3001 or email [email protected].
Last week saw the launch of our latest Young Gallery exhibition, featuring the work of the talented Primary 5 artists of St. Anne’s and Dalmarnock Primary Schools in the East End of Glasgow.
The children have been working with our artists over the past few months to create work inspired by everyday toys and games. They were inspired by looking at the work of Piet Mondrian and Yayoi Kusama, building their own colourful patterned boxes.
The work is now on display at the Young Gallery in Dennistoun, Scotland’s only dedicated gallery space for children under 12. The exhibition is open to the public from 12pm – 5pm, Tuesday – Friday, from 7th February – 17th February 2017.
For more information about the Young Gallery, or if you would like your school to be involved, please contact Rob Gallagher on 0141 575 3001 or email [email protected].
We have started working with P6s from Dalmarnock and St Anne’s Primary Schools in the East End of Glasgow as part of our Young Gallery programme.
The theme running throughout this project is the topic of games and creative play, so with that in mind we visited Baltic Street Adventure Playground in Dalmarnock to help spark off some inspiration!
Open daily, the playground is child-led, meaning that the children who use the space make their own decisions and have the opportunity to build things wherever they choose. The children had an absolute blast, and the visit has set them up well for thinking about the work they will exhibit at the Young Gallery next year.
Click here to find out more about our work with children.
