Museum boosts outdoor play
The Halifax children's museum Eureka! is marking National Playday on 6 August by opening a new outdoor 'PlayScape'.
The attraction will provide a child-led, free-play space and is the first part of a plan to develop outdoor areas across the site. Children will be encouraged to interact with their surroundings, explore and take risks.
Play and learning director Rebecca Johnson said, 'We're known nationally as a centre for play-based learning inside and we wanted to extend this outside. We're very aware of what's seen as good practice in play.'
An in-house designer has designed the space and artists have been commissioned to create structures using natural materials and recycled industrial products, which include images of food and healthy eating.
'The most important thing is about having fun and playing but we also want children to be aware of how food gets to the plate,' said Ms Johnson. 'There will be lots of boxes of resources so that children can build dens, and lots of wood. There will be an undulating structure, stepping stones, a tube, and carved wooden spindles.'
PlayScape has been funded through a partnership with local wholefood wholesale distributor Suma, who have also helped to develop the design.
Andrew Mackintosh of Suma said, 'Suma is passionate about health and well-being and our partnership with Eureka! encourages this through play. This is a new direction of community investment and one which we are proud to be a part of.'
