Our Biggest Playscheme Ever
Over the past four hot summer weeks, 89 children and teens have joined us for our incredible playscheme. As well as plenty of our long-standing regular attendees, we were thrilled to welcome a lot of new faces. Many children joining us for a single trial day, which then turned into weeks of fun! Across both Playschemes we had a total of 48 activities this year, meaning there was something for everyone.
A brilliant music workshop for the Youth
Our groups meet at our wonderful venues in Catford and Islington every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We generally kick the day off with a fun BSL game before the Youth and Children groups split up to take part in their different activities and trips.
At North Playscheme, the children visited farms, adventure playgrounds, the cinema, the Horniman Museum and rounded off an exciting summer with a visit to DeafSELF Playscheme for the summer party! But do not worry, staying in at Laycock Primary School did not stop their fun. Getting creative, and messy, making clay models and volcanic eruptions, and even making short films with acting professional, Kitty Devlin.
The youth didn’t allow the children to have all the fun, going on their fair share of trips kayaking down the Thames, trampolining, BMX biking at Queen Elizabeth’s Olympic Park, RollerNation and ending the Summer Playscheme with a day out by sea in sunny Brighton. With all these exciting and adventurous trips, staying in and hiding from the sun has never been so needed, with a calming embroidery workshop with a professional from the Royal School of Needlework, graffiti designs on T-shirts and caps (which we saw got plenty of wear at Playscheme!) and pottery workshop led by Playschemes own volunteer.
Of course, it wouldn’t have been North Playscheme without lots of football matches, endless UNO!, some beautiful colouring and a few ice creams…We’re already looking forward to October!
The children visited Vauxhall City Farm
Over in Catford, DeafSELF children were making a bang at the drumming workshop, solving mysteries on their top-secret mission, getting competitive, and tasty, at their very own Bake Off, before jumping up to the sky on the bouncy castle. They also got wet paddleboarding, got to stroke and feed plenty of farm animals and met up with North Playscheme at the Horniman Museum.
DeafSELF youth too tried paddleboarding, and kayaking with North, made an even louder bang at the drumming workshop and were amazing at the Lee Valley BMX Racetrack. Lee Valley staff were amazed, stating all were ‘naturals’, we could not be prouder! They youth also got crafty, making tie-dye shirts and clay sculptures to take home, as well as their own short films in a day.
Playscheme is a vital community resource, giving the children the opportunity to make new friends, learn new skills, and be immersed in a BSL environment over the long summer holiday.