Field Notes

Last year we were commissioned to work with Kirklees Council asking the public and stakeholders ‘What would make Huddersfield a more playful town centre for all ages’

Here’s a short video we produced during the week we were in residence with our big blue Playbox004

Free Online Meet Up

Tuesday 7th September 10.30am to 12pm

What have you discovered during lockdown about learning or teaching online?

Whether you are an educator, a learner, a person who had to switch to home schooling, a practitioner with young people. a coach, an instructor, or somebody who has always blended online with physical learning we'd love to meet you....on Zoom. This meet up is co-facilatated with Nea Wearn, Senior Lecturer of Gameplay and Game Studies at Staffordshire University

This informal chat is a chance to share the good, the bad, the bonkers of your experience.

Does your child love to cook and bake? Would they like to make content for our YouTube Makers Channel and learn how to create, edit, caption and share content safely online?

Aged between 8-13? Register now for a free space on our funded 4 week YouTube Bakers Club

Starts Wednesday 12th August.

Playful Anywhere have joined forces with Solidaritech, Hyde Park Book Club and Foundation for Digital Creativity to help refurbish and redistribute devices, laptops, PC’s and tablets to get them into the hands of families who are struggling during lockdown. Can you help?

Our mission with play is to catalyse the conditions for creativity, connection and new friendships

Here’s a short film about where we’ve taken our 3 refurbished shipping containers over the last few years. And how we measure impact…may be a bit unorthodox

In the run up to Christmas we are getting creative and crafty at the Pop Up PlayLab, our home in the St John’s Centre

Fridays we have fun for the under 5’s and Saturdays is family fun for all ages.

Our team of Carl, Rachael and Steph took play to the streets of Otley 22nd September

Post by Racheal Buble - one of the Playful Crew and Maker of giant bubbles

The rain held off exactly as long we needed it to as we brought joy to Boroughbridge in Otley on Sunday for #CarFreeDay; we only got a bit wet while we put the Wonderdome together, which made it a perfect climate for pavement chalk and giant bubbles.

It’s our final day on New Street this Saturday 28th September and we want residents and visitors to come share their ideas for a more Playful Huddersfield. We’ve met such a diverse range of people in the 4 days we’ve spent in the town centre, and heard a great deal of positive ideas. All of which will be collated and shared. Come see us between 11-4pm. It’s Free and Fun

We are seeking between 4-6 enthusiastic people aged between 15-19 to come join us at a half day workshop at Parlour in Queensgate Market 12-4pm on the 14th September to hear more about the brief, learn what skills you already have, give some hints/tips and new skills and your creative challenge to then interview friends, neighbours and family members with a set of short questions about play in Huddersfield Town Centre

Full-size dinosaurs are coming to life all over Leeds this summer and the whole family can have a monster day out hunting them down! If you are in search of things to do this summer, there are five to find around the city – all you need to do is follow the Jurassic Trail to track them down….Come get creative with us Fridays during August at our Dino Drop in Days

image by Thom Bartley

Had a fantastic day yesterday at Port Loop Urban Splash’s new development in Ladywood Birmingham. 

The team at Impact Hub Birmingham pulled together a stunning day which included boat trips, giant bubbles, breakdancing, street art, collaborative murals, arts and crafts, cardboard cinema, kazoos and more

Leeds City Centre. Accessible Space.

If you have an event you would like to run during the first two weeks of October and you need a space which will seat 30 people (but are self organising, can set up, promote it, tidy up etc) we will offer you use of Playlab for a realistic pay as you feel donation* 

We were commissioned by Sanctuary Housing to take Playbox01 to Shiregreen, Sheffield for 5 days of play, creativity and community gathering in May Half Term 2019

We spent a wonderful week getting to know residents, and they each other in Concord Park. A week of wonderdome, doodlebots, story creation, Lego, magic, collaborative painting, slime and spacehoopers…oh and a finale feast