This workshop will include activities that can be used to help groups of all ages use language to explore, enjoy and celebrate their environment.   We will play with words to create instant stories, sudden poems, beautiful moments and laughing incidents. Then we will explore exciting ways of recording written words in bog books, wild scrolls, mapsticks, water pictures and handmade paper.   This day is aimed at professionals working with primary schools in literacy, art and environmental work.

A day to play with words, this workshop encourages participants to find “adventures everywhere”... anywhere. It will offer activities designed to draw inspiration from simple observation, fostering confidence in participants own skills and encouraging innovation within supportive activity structures. The activities used will also allow ideas to merge as a number of short activities flow together to give longer more intricate adventures

The activities used here have been tried and tested with family groups, on adult events and with school children - often in situations where Literacy is an issue and activities are needed that remove worry and fear and encourage simple enjoyment of words

Programme will include -

- first words: setting out on an adventure
- adventures everywhere: short activities with minimal equipment for use outside
- holding onto adventures: ways of recording our words
- bigger stories: working in groups to make quick, longer pieces

Activity options -

- developing story characters
- deriving adventures from found objects or artefacts
- making your own books
- the value of treasure
- story bundles

Location: This course will take place near Totnes, Devon.

Times: 9.30am - 4.30pm

Course Leader - Gordon MacLellan
One of the Britain’s leading environmental educators, Gordon, otherwise known as 'Creeping Toad', is a freelance community environmental arts worker and author of a number of influential and inspirational books in the field of environmental education and creativity.