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Pilot Playwork at Svatoplukova Elementary School in Olomouc

Written by Jana HOFFMANNOVÁ


Students of the Master Program of Recreation and Leisure Studies, Faculty of Physical Culture, Palacky University in Olomouc, Czech Republic, were acquainted with the concept of playwork within the course Play and Leisure. Students went on to prepare a pilot playwork program at Elementary School ZŠ Svatoplukova in Olomouc. In March 2018 met the students the head – teacher of our pilot school Mr Jiří Vymětal, who outlined his vision for the implementation of playwork in his school for them. His idea was based on discussions with the project partners and inspired by UK visit and consists of using the after-school clubs as the main target area. A large majority of children spend 2 to 4 hours a day in the school operated after-school care centre. Students visited the after-school club and also mapped out the school's outdoor area (playground and park). Each of the students prepared the properties for their play "nest". The play space that they would take care of during the event. The assignment was to use local terrain elements (trees, grass, sandbox, etc.) to help characterise possible play activities. Students obtained the material by addressing local companies (e.g. an electric construction company which has provided them with a number of different hoses, pipes, plastic protectors, cables, wooden coils, plastic shades for public lighting, etc.). Some material was provided by Academic Sports Centre of Palacky University in Olomouc (wooden pedal boots, foam bars, cones, balls, etc.) and materials from the methodological warehouse of the Department of Recreation and Leisure Studies at Faculty of Physical Culture in Olomouc (costumes, hangers and hangers) were also used. On 12th April during the morning was under a battalion of Luděk Šebek and Jana Hlávková Chaloupková a pilot action playwork in the park at the elementary school. A total of 48 children participated. The children quickly discovered the potential of the play space and treated the provided material creatively. For example, they created a costume carriage from a costume hanger. Pupils from different classes played most of the time separately but nevertheless shared the play in the case of building a den.


Video from the pilot playwork at Svatoplukova Elementary School in Olomouc:



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