With more than 100 collaborators from Sheffield’s cultural sector, specially curated podcasts, films, exhibits and performances, Festival of the Mind will once again showcase Sheffield's creative talent with the University’s world-leading research with engaging, interactive and inspiring events.
Maker{Futures}, a project from the School of Education which aims to support and promote maker education in schools, libraries, museums and at home, will be part of the festival’s interactive events.
Following the themes of Sustainability, Extinction, Hope, Artificial Intelligence, Climate Change and Health, this year’s festival will put creative talent and culture back into the heart of the city, and Maker{Futures} are no exception.
The programme explores the idea of play and how adults and children can construct play together. As part of Festival of the Mind, programme leads Dr Yinka Olusoga and Dr Alison Buxton have created interactive resource packs including a booklet to encourage adventure and storytelling, digital how-to videos, and an array of crafts, tape, rubber bands and kits to make circuits, lights and motors.
Dr Olusoga, Lecturer in Education, said: ‘Our interest in play has enabled us to produce the creative kits for children to make their own props and crafts. Instead of needing a new plastic toy – which children often don’t get much out of – they can make things to entertain them.
‘It’s a way to empower children to make things themselves with bits and bobs around the house. So if they come across a ‘need’ in their play, they can fabricate it. The sustainability angle is around perceiving play as creativity, rather than being a consumer.’
Parents can apply for the creative kit from the Maker{futures} website and the pack will be posted out to enjoy throughout the festival.
‘We’re keen to encourage parents and children to play together,’ said Dr Olusoga. ‘We know play can act as a forum for parents and children to have interesting and meaningful conversations. Anything we can do to support dialogue and social development is great and to put children at the forefront of their parents’ attention.
‘Parents often feel they have to be the expert in certain dialogue and show children how to do things, but I think this is an opportunity for that to be subverted and for both parties to learn together. Plus families with children of different ages can come together and bring different skills to the table.’
The resources, including online videos and tutorials, will be live on Thursday 17 September and families and schools will have the opportunity to upload videos of their creations and play adventures to an online exhibition.
For more information on the Maker{Futures} project and to order a craft kit, visit makerfutures.org.