Description of the workshop game
Do you need to kickstart your thoughts around your wishes, goals, etc. for your new playground? We can come out to you to conduct a workshop. The 'workshop game' is ideal for using in such a workshop. The game consists of several different types of picture cards, including a variety of product cards and mood cards.
The product cards - these show pictures of popular play equipment such as swings, slides and climbing frames. But the product maps also include pictures of exciting things like water slides and Go High tracks.
The mood cards - there are two types of mood card. One type is of happy images of children having fun together playing, doing sports, in lessons, cooking, etc. The second type of card shows pictures of unpleasant moods, such as a child being kept out of a game, or of a child who is upset because something has gone wrong.
The wide variety of images provides input for reflection and the opportunity to think 'out of the box'.
Each game also includes three Wish cards with the wording:
- I like that
- I would like to achieve that
- I would like to change that
Applications
It can be hard to agree on what a new playground should look like without having anything to relate to. That’s the aim of the game - it sets thoughts and ideas in motion and directs the conversation so that you can reach an agreement. We generally use the game together with a head teacher, an SFO leader, a sports teacher, pupils and other interested parties.
We start by placing the three Wish cards with the text facing upwards on the table (or one or two Wish cards), then all the picture cards are placed in one big messy pile. These are also displayed with the image side visible. Then we ask all participants to choose the picture card that they think best suits each of the three Wish Cards.
The result is three Wish cards with several picture cards on them. The images provide a great opportunity to discuss the school’s aims and wishes for its playground. The consultant from Elverdal can supplement with additional questions as needed, such as: what is most important to you? Answers could range from high levels of activity, a cosy area, or maintenance free equipment.
Depending on how quickly an agreement is reached, another option is for the school to borrow the game and complete a session without our participation. We will then typically return a few weeks later to hear the result. The most important thing is to use the game to clarify your wishes for the playground's functions, play equipment, etc. Because the better you can formulate what you want and what is most important to you, the better we can draw and build your new playground.
The workshop game is also highly suitable for use in specific groups of pupils, such as a student council. Here you need several games for the process to work. In these situations we tend to incorporate ready made A3 sheets, which relate to your particular outdoor space. These sheets provide a better opportunity to get an output from the workshop, which means that the results can be 'translated' directly into a design presentation for you.
Otherwise, the procedure is the same as described above. The only difference is that you stick the cards on the A3 sheets and write down comments and attitudes instead of just talking about them. This method allows several groups to work on the same question at the same time, and even if we don’t hear everything that is said, all the input can still be included.
Book a workshop
You can always book a workshop at
