The Launch of Playful Green Hull by Kerrie Lee University of Hull
- Matthew K, Northall
- Mar 2
- 2 min read
In September 2024 the RSA (Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce) announce the start of its landmark Playful Green Planet programme which is guided by the principles:
For all children: accessible to every single child under 11 and to the early years, community and school settings that support them.
Co-creation in place: led by local people and co-created with the strengths and needs of the community, educators and children at the heart.
Triple benefits: provides measurable benefits that grow children’s ecological citizenship, community connection and nature regeneration.
Sustainable: embedded within the local offer and evolving to continue to deliver impact for the long term.
As one of the first pilot teams we at the University of Hull’s School of Education, we're proud to have been named Playful Green Planet Stewards. Through our Playful Green Hull project, we are working closely with local children to co-create spaces and experiences with the goal to create environments of inquiry across the local beautiful green spaces, building on strong partnerships with pupils, teachers, schools, and local authorities.
Autumn has always felt like a magical season, a time of change as we move from the Summer and Harvest toward the New Year. This sense of transformation is reflected in the celebrations of the season, from Samhain to Halloween, when many believe the veil between worlds is at its thinnest. To embrace this time of reflection and forward thinking, in October we invited our local community to an Autumn Magic launch day filled with enchantment and wonder, a perfect setting to celebrate play, nature, and togetherness.
Guests explored the playful side of nature and sustainability while immersing themselves in a world of magic, mystery, and folklore. We were thrilled to have the amazing support of author Alan Raw, who created a magical story for the event which will be published! The tale told the story of the ‘Tree-Hobs,’ mystical creatures said to live in the gardens. Alan truly embraced the spirit of the day, even crafting his own sustainably recycled costume to become the storyteller. He spent the day bringing the story to life, reading it countless times to children. Afterwards, the children were invited to draw their own interpretations of the Tree-Hobs, and Alan will use their wonderful artwork as inspiration for his final publication.
Children and families enjoyed a variety of creative activities, from making musical instruments out of recycled materials and crafting magical fairy lanterns with glass jars and foraged garden treasures, to shaping clay creations while listening to music. They also mixed-up enchanting potions using herbs from the garden and, of course, toasted marshmallows over the fire along with plenty of other fun and memorable experiences!
This is the first of what we hope will be many more creative, fun and sustainable events to come so follow us on Instagram (@playfulgreenhull) and keep an eye on our website for updates!
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