Play, education, community, storytelling

REGION: North
MUNICIPALITY: Frederikshavn
PROCEDURE: 2021
DAY OFFER: Sports kindergarten Bispevang

Snow story from Idrætsbørnehaven Bispevang

We have had a fun and educational program with Play Art. The adults have been challenged in their daily pedagogical practice and have had educational, but also challenging moments throughout the process.

The adults quickly realized that there was a big difference between the two groups, one of which was made up of 3 year olds and the other of 4-5 year olds. This required more control in the smaller group, where everyone wanted to be heard. There were therefore some initial difficulties, but after a few times the adults found peace in the process.

The children have been eager participants in our play-art process. We have had a boy who could tell stories well, but suddenly was confirmed and given space, which gave him the courage to reach new paths with his story, all while the other children were actively listening. We have also had the quiet girl who went from passive to active in an activity and we had not experienced this before. She suddenly felt valued/important in the group and had the courage to take control in a story where the others were completely on board with her proposed ideas.

We find that the little ones play more together. A lot of it is done with imagination. The individual games can also be linked to our play art program. We have specifically seen a game (zoo) being resumed a few days later, without adult intervention. We have also experienced that those who have not participated in the program are not in the same way part of the imaginative stories and the play art environment.

We have also had an evening meeting at the end of the play art process with our artist Lars. There we got in depth with professional talks about play, education and learning. It was also a meeting where those who have not directly been "play art adults" could get a better insight into how the process has been.

We must be good at getting this new way of letting the imagination run free to become part of our pedagogical everyday life. Can we use the concept of "Play Art" in the same way as if we are going swimming? "Today we will have Play Art" would be great to hear in the future.

Drama and theater is something we all want to dive into a little more. It has also been something the children have found fun and educational. We have also experienced that our circus has had lots of children who have wanted to step out on stage, which may also be an offshoot of our play art program.

We have had some lovely Mondays and the children have welcomed our artist with open arms, so definitely a successful play art program with us.

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