Case Studies
Below are some case studies from our work with various settings which help to bring our work to life;
The Play Station Out of School Club
The Play Station is an Out of School Club for 4-11 year olds based in Ilkley. Over the past 3 years we have made use of all three APE services (play sessions, loans of resources and training workshops).
We have had a variety of play sessions over the years which have been great for both staff and children to have support when first using the resources. These experiences are then used when loaning the resources at later dates.
The resources we have loaned have been used in go-cart making, den building, fashion shows and generally are available to use and play with on a daily basis. We rely on these resources to provide the base for most if not all of our sessions.
In March this year several members of staff attended the "Swing into Adventure Conference" at Eccleshill Adventure Playground: The Big Swing. There was a workshop run by APE which gave us lots of background information and new ideas about using scrap resources at the setting.
APE has made a positive impact at our setting as it has altered the way we supply resources to the setting, looking more at recycled/random items as opposed to conventional toys/games. It has also offered more scope for creativity as the play is more open ended, without limitations.
For our children the benefits of using these resources are varied; creativity and imagination have improved aswell as social skills such as teamworking, helping each other and sharing. They have also enjoyed problem solving in group’s and having opportunity to use materials they wouldn’t come into contact with anywhere else.
Overall it is refreshing to see that when increasing the number of variables (scrap resources) in the setting, how this improves the quality of children’s play and inspires our staff too.
We see APE as an integral part of our organisation now. We have recommended the service to schools and other groups too. It fits with our aims as a club and supports our ethos of play.
Bronte House Holiday Club
Brontë House Holiday Club regularly approaches and uses the APE service during the school holidays. The Club which operates and caters for a vast age range of children from 3-11 years old has over the years loaned everything from junk modelling, art scrap boxes the large play packs and more recently the newly introduced sensory and imagination boxes.
Our provision is based within the spacious and rural grounds of Brontë House School which provides high quality care and extensive play opportunities within our safe, secure and happy environment. The provision is mainly used by children that attend the school but we also have children attending from outside. The children enjoy the latest technologies and equipment that we offer but using the loan pack especially brings the children and their learning, imagination and style of play to a whole new level!
All the packs we have loaned are so versatile and suit our setting really well. They lend themselves to all age groups which is something that is very hard to do and can be very frustrating when having to stop children playing with equipment because of certain risks. The large play pack is voted one of the best things we have in the summer months by the children. The play opportunities this equipment presents really engages the children minds to begin problem solving, improve and also use their imaginations. For example a simple carpet tube and large reel this summer has been an array of exciting things such as a cannon, a see saw, something to jump over when rolling down the grass verge and of course den building.
The arts and craft box really provoked the children’s minds as this was just left out to be used as they wished. At first it wasn’t used as arts and craft but it was a treasure box that the children went through, found things that they liked and were interested in and then were put to good use of making whatever came into their minds. Rather than being told what to make or what they could use this provoked conversation between all the ages of what they could do as a team. This was great to watch and observe. The older children gave direction and helped the younger children and took control of any situation that arose. Activities like this allow children to grow and increase independence when decision making and giving them more responsibility really does boost their confidence.
The sensory and imagination boxes were especially great for the younger end of the children of 3-5 years. The sensory box was placed in a quiet area with cushions and bean bags and the children looked through at their own leisure. As the children lay down on the cushions they would hold items up in the air, look and feel them and between themselves would discuss them. For example one child was feeling and looking at a shell. “Look at this shell its shiny and pointy” another child replied “can you see the sea?” “”yes it swishing look!” this conversation did not include any adults input but a simple object then became the objective of a role play game and a beach was made and the 2 children played out scenes of a sea side. This box promoted discussion, vocabulary and language skills which are extremely important for younger children so they can be more vocal and express themselves and be better understood by their friends,peers and adults.
All the packs we loan allow the children to look at our setting, activities and grounds in a different light. When we are outside using the reels, tubes,carpets, rope. A tree is no longer just a tree but a base for den building, a spaceship and object that can be used in many ways. All the children of all ages benefit from using the equipment in a vast amount of ways. If they think of something that wish to make they then need to work out how, they may need to talk to others to help, they have to explain and decide together the best way of using the equipment, they may encounter problems that need solving because the rope isn’t long enough, the tube is too small or the most common problem was that the carpet doesn’t fill their den!!!!!! They work through this and at the end the children are so proud of what they have achieved. It’s awonderful thing to see.
The APE service enables personal growth and is an invaluable resource for all our children.
Brontë House Holiday Club manager: Lisa Broscombe
Great Horton & Clayton Heights Extended Schools Cluster
Working as an Extended schools Project Manager in South Bradford I have been fortunate to work closely with BCEP’s Adventurous Play Team on several occasions.
My introduction to APE was in June 2008 when they brought their ‘loose parts’ activity to a community celebration event I had co-organised in Great Horton. The nature of the event was open ended, expected numbers were difficult to predict and families were free to come and go as the event went on. In these circumstances it can sometimes be difficult to offer activity that can occupy and stimulate children. What was more the event was to encourage parents to attend Neighbourhood Forum, events not noted for the ‘child friendly’ nature.
The participation of APE was an unequivocal success. The fact that a third of the hall space was covered in loose parts junk seemed a powerful statement of intent in itself! I think most of the adults looking at the giant cardboard boxes, tubes, wheels etc wanted to dive in and start constructing themselves, the children certainly didn’t need a second invitation. Quickly the hall was a hive of purposeful, imaginative activity. Some children worked co-operatively, chatting and laughing, others in isolation quietly and with intent. Loose parts created a magical opportunity for differing kinds of personality and temperament to be immersed in a totally creative way. It was this aspect of the Loose Parts activity which most impacted on me.
We are all different, intellectually and emotionally we are moved according to our own unique experiences and perspectives. It is often difficult for any of us to creatively express this individuality, but for children the loss of free play opportunities has been especially damaging. It is through this kind of play that children can listen to their own internal picture of the world and in an all be it limited way begin to create a physical, real world interpretation of it. This has amazing effects on the confidence and self-belief of children, it empowers, and gives significance to the child’s own viewpoint, it is the beginning of active citizenship and of having a voice.
For these reasons I have been keen to involve APE in the holiday activities I have organised as part of the extended schools programme in my cluster of Primary schools. We have been lucky enough to have the team offering the loose parts play at both our Summer and February holiday activities at Grange Sports Centre. In February we were also able to take loan of the Loose Parts equipment for the week-long duration of the ‘camp’ which was a fantastic extension to what we had been able to offer.
I hope that this is a partnership that we can continue and develop long in to the future.
Matt Hannam: Extended School Project Manager
Community Play and Activities Development Unit
Our Unit co-ordinates and delivers playschemes for children aged 5-16 throughout the Bradford District. As part of our lottery funded project we have delivered several open-access play schemes during half-terms in 2008/09.
During our play schemes we have tried to provide the children and young people with activities where-by they can be creative, imaginative and free to do what ever they feel like doing. The APE service and in particular the loose parts pack have been and excellent resource, with excellent feedback from the Children and Young People. Using the APE service was really simple and successful and this is the reason why our unit has used APE on many projects; including the Parks Project and the Big Lottery Fund.
One of the main reasons for using the loose parts is the diverse effect it has with the children and young people. One session at Cottingley demonstrates this diversity, where a number of children were working in small groups and using the equipment in varying ways; children were making houses, dens, cars, space ships, robots, hats and much more. There really was no end to the ideas that came from the children playing on their own.
Most of the children at the playschemes were involved in sport and playground games but rarely arts and crafts. Loose parts changed this and the impact of this was seeing more children creating, playing and developing their ideas. The socially interaction between children also improved with the loose parts and it allowed children to be creative with larger pieces of equipment and really be a part of their work.
APE is a fantastic service with help staff and an organised system. Our unit will definitely be using another loose part pack!
Joe Steel: BLF Community Play and Activities Worker
If you have worked with APE in the past and would like to submit a case study to raise your settings profile please email claire'at'bcep.org.uk