August 2016
As the summer holidays draw to a close it is the perfect time to reflect on a jam-packed few months with some brilliant Year 6s from White City and Bethnal Green.
During July we curated an exhibition at Coram’s Fields in central London, attended by 385 children and adults.
Children performed theatrical sketches to show audiences what they have learned about World War One and its impact on children’s lives at that time. The performances covered everything from the Girl Guides’ role in the war and young boys working in factories, to children’s parks being taken over by the military.
The exhibition was packed full of intriguing information, with a reading corner, a chance to hear recordings of children during World War One, propaganda posters made by the children, traditional costumes and games from the time.
The performers led activities for our invited audience and showed them how to play traditional games from 100 years ago including Hoop and Stick, Jacks and traditional skipping rhymes.
The favourite bits of the day were the performances and playing old-fashioned games. With not an iPad in sight, hundreds of children took to using chalk outside, skipping rhymes, 5 stones and hoop and stick. What a fabulous celebration!
Missed the exhibition? Don’t worry – we are creating an online archive to share everything we have learned. The archive will be ready in early September so look out!
We are also really excited to share our film, made by the fabulous Carrie McAlinden. You can see it through our Youtube channel here.
This project has been gratefully funded by Heritage Lottery Fund.
