PropsBox Booklet

PLAY ME

a compendium of games for families

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This collection of Props are for you to play with as you choose - there is no wrong way.

shares a few of the most popular games we discovered but we invite you to make up your own too. Children are experts at play so it works well to invite them to lead.

We’d love to hear how you get on so please post any comments on our blog (www.propsbox.org.uk).

Inspiration for the Props Box came from the many families we met during our research project Children take the Lead where the children showed us again and again how skillful they are at exploring and discovering the world through play.

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PLAY ME

I liked listening to myself and talking to myself. (Sophie, 10)

Ask the other players to close their eyes.

Now transmit sounds via the phono cups.

Can they guess what made the sounds?

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Sound me - Can you find somewhere in these spaces you can create sounds?

PHONO CUPS

Wobbly Whispers - Can you guess what your partner is whispering about?

Describing things to people with the blindfold was funny. You had to really think about it. This meant you saw the paintings differently.

Sue, grandparent and Phoebe, grandchild, 14)

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BLINDFOLD

Put the blindfold on.

Ask your family to spin you around and then lead you to artwork or object.

Listen to their descriptions.

Now spin around again and move away.

Remove blindfold.

Can you guess what was described?

Now swap round ‌

Take turns to rate the artworks or objects.

1 = most favourite 8 = least favourite Explain your choices for first and last artworks or objects.

Now choose another way to rate them (strangest, funniest, bluest, etc) and play game again.

PROPSBOX.ORG.UK PROPSBO NUMBER CARDS

Choose your favourite artwork or object.

Place the poncho like a blanket and share a pretend picnic.

How about having pudding somewhere different?

PROPSBOX.ORG.UK PROPSBO THE COROLLA

Roll the word dice.

Find an artwork or object that you think links to the word.

Can you explain why?

Now swap round ...

We used the dice to explore and talk about every painting.

My daughter wanted to go round all of them and repeat it. We talked in detail and shared really complex conversations.

(Mehrdad, father)

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WORD DICE

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Inventing games helped us with our own imagination. The games that were there already helped us get more ideas. Having something to touch was important.

(Adrianna, mother)

In this game, there are lots of right answers.

A question is like a door handle: it can open up a new way of looking at something ...

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Take turns to invent answers to the questions.

QUESTIONS DISCS

Write your questions about the artworks or objects and place them nearby.

Now imagine, invent and devise games of your own ...

Leave a note of your game with a member of staff or better still - post on our blog - we’d love to hear from you!

Please post comment on propsbox site www.propsbox.org.uk

PROPSBOX.ORG.UK PROPSBO

This was not the usual approach ... it was lively, more fun and there was more stuff to do. Having objects made it different.

They created more interactions with the art and encouraged dialogue. It helped you communicate with the work and the artists. Normally you stand and look so feel separate and distant but this was like a bridging thing that helps you cross that line.

(Anna, mother)

Cambridge Curiosity and Imagination (CCI), a not for profit organisation, is based in the East of England and works creatively with communities. www.cambridgecandi.org.uk The Props Box was developed by CCI artists Idit Nathan, Townley & Bradby and Helen Stratford, for the Children Take the Lead project, in partnership with local children and families and two leading contemporary art galleries in our region, Kettle’s Yard Gallery and Wysing Arts Centre. The Spinney Primary School in Cambridge and The Vine Primary School in Cambourne were also invaluable partners. www.propsbox.org.uk

www.propsbox.org.uk. www.cambridgecandi.org.uk