Exploring outside

Castle Grove Infant School

 

We made puppets of Family members and children were following their own instincts and ideas to make a puppet in their own way (e.g. using a different method to build the body) which was really good to see. In the afternoon there was some lovely exploring of different spaces and imaginative play. The school grounds were well equipped with lots of features - wooden posts, tyres and trees, which leant itself to the activity. We made a trail of different places to visit with pieces of fabric to make tunnels, pathways and dens. Children worked together in groups of 3 or 4, made homes for their puppets to live and played with them, inventing stories. There was lots of interaction and conversation going on as they explored the space and the Class Teacher commented on how valuable it was to have time to observe the children’s interaction. In particular she noted that one child who has selective mutism was chatting away to other children.

'My Dad's got hair' and other stories

Crofton Infants' School

"My Dad! He doesn't have any hair so I've given him some now!" 

Adding the finishing touches to Puppet head 

  

Taking puppets outside to play, explore and invent stories 

At Crofton Infants School we made puppets of Family members which sparked lots of conversations during the day....

“I’m giving my dad a uniform cos he’s got a full job now. He didn’t have one before but now they’ve give him a uniform so it means they’re keeping him”  

.....and at home: 

I heard a tale from a parent picking up their child about her daughter jumping on the bed in the morning saying "Mummy I need to know what you look like, I've got to make puppet of you today" after some close examination she said "you've got a lot of spots mum but I won't put them on my puppet" 

Gift for Castle Grove Infants
A concertina book of  family portraits celebrating their skills and talents

The adventure so far...

View Me, My Puppet, Wakefield...The World ! in a larger map

To Crigglestone and beyond!

During March I worked with three primary schools all just a stones throw from each other: Mackie Hill J&I, West Bretton J&I and Dane Royd J & I School.
With each residency we made a variety of puppets and explored different ideas around connecting to our environment and each other.

Puppet making with natural materials at Mackie Hill J &I School 

 We gave our puppets special qualities and talents  

And made a gift for children at West Bretton with messages about how to care  for this nest of young chicks

At West Bretton J & I School we imagined what would happen if the sculptures came to life at YSP  and invented some brilliant puppets inspired by Yinka Shoibare FABRIC-ATION Exhibition 

Reception & Nursery Children at Dane Royd J &I School made bird puppets with found materials  and took them on  imaginative journeys to the moon, above the clouds, to Africa and all the way home! 

Families, Birds and Super-humans!

Hendal Primary School

I spent a week of the residency at Hendal Primary School in February, working with the whole school to make puppets exploring different aspects of our community and environment. From investigating our immediate outdoor environment with Foundation Stage to making Table top 'Super-human' puppets with Y 5 & 6, the week was full of imagination and invention. We also shared thoughts about our families with KS1 and made Bird puppets to look after the school with Y 3 & 4.

 

                                                               

                                                          

From South Kirby to China!

Stockingate Mill Junior and Infant School

In the 2 days at Stockingate Mill School we explored our connections to the wider world. We used maps of the local area and Cheng du province, China (location of their partner school) exploring the patterns, contours and features of the landscape to create puppet characters.

We made a 'Passport to South Kirby' as a gift to pass on to Hendal Primary School containing self portraits  and thoughts about the area.

Puppets about Town

Hemsworth Arts and Community College

I had a fantastic week residency at Hemsworth Arts and Community College at the end of January, working with year 7 and 8 pupils to explore and document the local community as inspiration for puppet making and storytelling.

The students noticed a lack of interaction and conversation going on in the town, so at the end of week, armed with our puppets we set off to change things and get people talking! 

“A different way of working and seeing the world - a social intervention” Hayley Somers (Teacher)