The Lost Words is a ‘book of spells’ that seeks to conjure back the near-lost magic and strangeness of the nature that surrounds us. It transcends age barriers inspiring children and moving adults with its wide appeal. It is a large hardback book – over A4 in size, and the gold lettering and eye catching ’charm’ of Goldfinches on the front cover give a hint of the treasures that lie within. Each lost word is conjured back to importance through Robert’s powerful spells. They are called ‘spells’ rather than poems as they are designed to be spoken (or sung!) out loud in order to summon back these words and creatures into our hearts. Robert explains: "We’ve got more than 50% of species in decline. And names, good names, well used can help us see and they help us care. We find it hard to love what we cannot give a name to. And what we do not love we will not save.”
The book began as a response to the removal of everyday nature words - among them "acorn", "bluebell", "kingfisher" and "wren" - from a widely used children’s dictionary, because those words were not being used enough by children to merit inclusion. But The Lost Words then grew to become a much broader protest at the loss of the natural world around us, as well as a celebration of the creatures and plants with which we share our lives, in all their wonderful, characterful glory."
This song is offered both in hope and light, and in grief for the losses and dark times yet to come.
This is a beautiful package of learning opportunities. All of them connect with outdoor learning and the arts in someway.
The pack provides a wide range of suggestions to embrace a cross-curricular approach, encouraging constructive curiosity and suggesting a variety of ways of communicating and responding creatively, using a wide range of interdisciplinary skills. Suggestions are made for individual and collaborative work, with the opportunity for some activities to involve the wider community.
Helicopter at Home was designed especially for parents, carers and childminders. It works in much the same way as Helicopter Stories but has been adapted for a smaller number of children.
In March 2020 a bunch of theaters* were producing plays, business as usual, when a global pandemic had other plans. Prioritizing the safety of their communities, they made difficult decisions to cease or postpone programming for the remainder of their seasons. But the story doesn’t end there. With a spirit of resilience, adaptation, and invitation, they came together to create the Play At Home project, a series of short plays commissioned specifically for this moment of unprecedented isolation to inspire joy and connection for all.
Each episode will include stories and tutorials in sculpture and illustration themed around a specific animal, with projects best suited for kids ages 6 to 12.
How to draw videos for the whole family.
Free drawing classes for kids of all ages with famous artists an illustrators.