Playpods
Watch a video of a PlayPod in action here
Sheffield Out of School Network is excited to have recently delivered, what we hope will be the first of many Scrapstore PlayPods™ in the north of England to schools in Sheffield and in Cleethorpes.
Scrapstore PlayPods originated from the Children’s Scrapstore in Bristol out of a pilot project funded through the BIG Lottery Playful Ideas Programme. PlayPods have since been rolled out to dozens of schools in the Bristol area and OSN have linked with the Children’s Scrapstore to become the first organisation to deliver the programme in the north.
The PlayPod is purpose built metal container or shed filled with all kinds of recycled scrap materials and equipment (loose parts) that encourage children to play creatively, use their imaginations and energy, make new friends, discover new skills, and enjoy their play times. All of the scrap used in the PlayPod, from dressing up clothes and suitcases to tyres, netting, tubing and even old telephones is clean and safe and is replenished throughout the year.
An important part of the Scrapstore PlayPod is the support that goes alongside it. Experienced Sheffield Out of School Network trainers, specially qualified to deliver the programme, run information and awareness raising sessions with governors, teaching staff and parents and deliver a nationally endorsed level 2 playwork course to lunchtime supervisors to provide them with the information, inspiration and tools to support children’s play outdoors using a Scrapstore PlayPod. Following the training experienced OSN Play Mentors work with lunchtime supervisors in the playground over a period of one month to model good playwork practice and support them to turn their learning into practical experience.
Since the success of our first PlayPod at Prince Edward Primary School, Sheffield Out of School Network has gone on to work with Middlethorpe Primary School in Cleethorpes. They completed their training and opened their PlayPod at the beginning of June and are now being supported by our Play Mentors. We are now working with several schools in Sheffield and South Yorkshire wanting a Scrapstore PlayPod in their own schools and, having seen for ourselves the remarkable benefits the PlayPod can bring, we are as excited as they are about the prospect. As our Training Manager Lynda Ray says - “Every school should have one!” For more information about Scrapstore PlayPods, please call OSN Training Manager Lynda Ray on 01142494941 or email info@osn.org.uk
View our Playpod News document for more information on Playpods
