A (sort of) Saturnalia

In collaboration with Dr Liz Stirling.

A Play / Story workshop led by a 3 year old and 4 year old, exploring chance and expectation within play and narrative generation. These were conducted as a series of workshops which supported two experts of play in the fulfilment of their own stories. The components of the session [in addition to the children] were neutral objects – materials which were empty so as not to not arrive with a narrative but to support the projection and fulfilment of one.

A (sort-of) Saturnalia references two approaches to creativity and development through play. The first is The Theory of Loose Parts by Simon Nicholson, a belief that the potential to play and create is increased by the number of elements that you provide. The second is Friedrich Froebel’s Kindergarten Gifts, a series of modular, interactive materials that allow children to develop their imagination, existence and relationships with others and the world around them.

Photograph by Eve Mansell.