A Day In the Life

Welcome to our next 'Day in the Life' blog.  A lot goes into making our museums wonderful places to visits and caring for our collections.  This series of blogs invites staff at Wakefield Museums to tell you about their day:

Louise Bragan

Learning Officer

Rather than focus on one day in my working life I would rather give an overview of what museums learning can provide to the wider Museums Team here at Wakefield. Having said that, today will see me write this blog post, plan and prepare for a 2-5s session for tomorrow, begin to research and write a new session on Charles Waterton for KS1 pupils, and go to buy ingredients for sessions on Wednesday.        

Egyptian shabti

          
Within Wakefield Museums Service I provide, with my colleague, schools workshops for pupils aged 4-16 years. Sessions include handling various objects from the collections to support traditional in school learning and help bring the past to life. From Egyptian artefacts to the remains of an Iron Age chariot, to the toys and games of the 1980s, we deliver sessions that allow pupils to come into direct contact with artefacts made by, used by and owned by real people in the past. 







We offer a core programme of sessions to schools, but we can also develop bespoke sessions upon request (providing we have the collections to support the theme!). This week will see the pilot of a Victorian Food session. 

Pupils will meet a resident of Wakefield's Victorian past - Ann Dixon, mother of 10 living in one of the worst areas of the town. By comparing and contrasting their own diet to that of Ann’s children, pupils will be able to develop empathy with people of the past. 

Along with the schools sessions we also deliver a programme of workshops to families during the holidays, inspired by the museum displays and collection. Currently I am doing my final planning for the February half term, including a boat themed workshop using the Viking era Log boat on display in Wakefield Library and a workshop using the collections to create a short animated story using iPads.

Each month I also run a session for 2-5year olds called Crafty Crocs at Wakefield Museum. This session allows the children and their grown ups to be creative - again taking inspiration from the museum collections and the wider world around us. For the session in February we are using the new 1950s display in Wakefield Museum as our stimulus for craft activities.

My role can be varied and allows me to come into contact with many of the museum's younger audience. I hope that we can inspire some of the youngsters we meet, help bring the textbooks and power points from school to life and help make the connections to the past become real. Through the hands on enquiry we provide, people have the opportunity to experience for themselves the achievements of past craftsmen and women, the daily jobs that people undertook and a chance to touch the past.

To see what Wakefield Museums have to offer for yourself, take a look at our sister blog – 
Wakefield Museums Learning

Get out of the house and do something creative!

A post from Louise, our Crafty Crocs leader:

As a toddler and young child of the late 1970s and early 1980s I remember there being much more hands-on activities and play then there seems to be today.

Louise -  a *few* years ago...

 

There are still many playgroups in church halls and community venues today but how many people think of taking their youngsters to the museum for a couple of hours?

Now, as back then, many parents and grandparents are looking for fun activities for their children to participate in at a minimal cost.  Something they can not provide at home. TV has programmes for children all hours of the day, channels for different ages and whilst I am guilty myself of cracking on with the housework and telling the kids “put the tv on whilst I get this done” I can not recall my own parents telling me to do this. In fact quite the opposite – Why don’t you get the pencils out and draw? Go in the garden and make the most of the weather.  Lets make a picnic and have it indoors (it was raining outside!)

Louise - showing her artistic ability at a young age

Here at Wakefield Museum we deliver a session of messy crafts, Crafty Crocs, which meet on the first Tuesday of every month.  The aim of this free session is for children and their grown-ups to come and be creative away from home (and the tv). Using the Learning Zone we set up different activities each month so that children can explore the museum collections and develop skills such as sensory enquiry and even just mastering the art of using scissors!

Crafty Crocs sessions are developed with ideas from the museum display as inspiration. For example the Waterton displays in the museum provide links to animals and nature, we draw animals using our hands and feet.  The museum Front Room enables us to look at activities related to home life in the past – we used plastic cutlery to paint.

  

So why not come and join us at our next Crafty Crocs?

Sessions run at 10 - 11am and 1:15 – 2:15pm on the first Tuesday of the month during term time.

Our next sessions are  on Tuesday 2^nd December. 

To book your place call 01924 302700 or e-mail 

Remember to wear messy clothes and feel free to bring your child a drink and small snack - in case they need more energy!

It certainly felt like Spring today at Wakefield Museum!

April's sessions of Crafty Crocs were held today with our group of 2-5 year old visitors to Wakefield Museum.

Youngsters and their grown-ups searched the museum for clues before making Spring inspired creations. 

From funky folded patterned eggs, to fuzzy paper feathered chicks to blooming card tulips our Crafty Crocs created a colourful display to brighten up their homes.

Much fun was had by all!

 

Our next session is ion Tuesday 6^th May – book now to reserve your place.

Crafty Crocs meets on the first Tuesday of each month, at 10 - 11am and 1:15 - 2:15pm, in the Learning Zone.  

Sessions are bookable on 01924 302700 or e-mail  to reserve your place.

Crocs and old bones!

We have been busy this half term with schools and family workshops.  From the Ancient Egyptians to creating animation on iPads we have provided inspiration, creativity and enjoyment.

Using iPads pupils have taken stills and short films, editing work together to create a short slideshow of visits to Wakefield Museum.  Pupils have used an object from the Waterton display, at Wakefield museum, as inspiration to draw their own amazing animals.

Inspired by the Waterton collection of 'created' animals, year 2 pupils designed their own on iPads!

Pupils have also had the opportunity to come up close to objects from the museum's archaeology collections.  Egyptian artefacts have been taken into school to support their learning.  The objects allowed pupils to gain further insight on the ancient beliefs and culture of the past.

A mummified crocodile was among the objects taken into school this week!

The explorer Charles Waterton was brought to life in a 'Specials Week'. KS1 Pupils were enthralled by the tales of Charles’ trips to the rainforests of South America and learned about the habitat of the caiman crocodile.

Charles Waterton (Histrionics) proud of his collection

This week we have also launched a completely new session in which pupils become archaeological scientists to examine the effects that diet can have on our bones.  This new session has been developed for the You Are What You Ate project – a collaboration with The University of Leeds and The University of Bradford, and has been very well received so far!

The teachers in the very first session said:

What immediate impact do you think the experience had on the pupils?

Interest in investigating and drawing up on conclusions from the evidence – this is something that we expect them to do during lessons and this workshop enabled them to see why we do this.

The class were very interested and it gave them the opportunity to use clues and look for evidence to develop their thinking. I am sure it developed their interest in learning about the past.

And the responses from pupils were just as enthusiastic:

What did you enjoy about your visit to the Museum?

About skeletons which will help me in my future because I am going to be a doctor.

I liked working with the bones and putting them together.

That I could learn with my friends and listening to other people.

These sessions: Skeleton Secrets, are being offered free for a limited time. If you would like to book a session for your school, please email or call 01924 302700 for more information.

Our Crafty Crocs have been busy creating fish and sea themed crafts.  From lolly stick fossils to turtle shell printing and seascape painting our group of 2-5year olds have been up to their elbows in paint.  The next Craft Croc session is on Tuesday March 4^th at 10-11am and 1:15 – 2:15pm – to book call 01924 302700 or e-mail 

If you are interested in learning and events with Wakefield Museums, do visit our new site, Museums Learning, where opportunities for schools, families and adults will be regularly updated.  

Family Fun!

This week saw the last Crafty Crocs of 2013.

Our theme was trees and wood. We looked in Wakefield Museum to find objects created out of wood.

Back in the Learning Zone our Crafty Crocs created some tree window decorations with tissue paper lights, a reindeer hat and to top our tree, our very own drinking straw star woven with wool.

Reindeer hat!

Christmas star!

Making a Christmas Tree

A finished tree!

These free sessions are run for 2-5 year olds at Wakefield Museum - creative fun inspired by the museum collections!

The next session takes place on Tuesday 7th January - booking is essential as places are limited.  Call 01924 302700 or email.

We have also started taking bookings for our February half-term workshops:

Tribal Trinkets
Monday 17 February 2014
Castleford Forum Museum
11am-2pm
Ages 4-12 years
Make your own amazing Iron Age-style jewels to take home.
Drop-in activity. No need to book.

Sculpture Culture
Tuesday 18 February 2014
Wakefield Museum & Learning Zone
11am-12.30pm or 1.30pm-3pm
Ages 6-12 years
This is your chance to make your own stupendous sculpture using inspiration from our sculptures 
Booking essential.

Florence
Wednesday 19 February 2014
Pontefract Museum
11am-2pm
Ages 4-12 years
Did you know Florence Nightingale almost married a man from Pontefract? Learn about the famous nurse and make a Florence Nightingale lamp to take home. 
Drop-in activity. No need to book.

Wattle and Daub
Wednesday 19 February 2014
Pontefract Castle
10.30am-12pm or 1pm-2.30pm
Ages 5-12 years
Have a go at making a wattle and daub panel using traditional materials. Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting messy! 
Booking essential.

From Mercury to Jupiter
Thursday 20 February 2014
Castleford Forum Museum
11am-2pm
Ages 4-12 years
Come and see an original Roman sculpture, then create your own god or goddess.
Drop-in activity. No need to book.

Dippy Candles
Friday 21 February 2014
Sandal Castle
10.30am-12pm or 1pm-2.30pm
Ages 6-12 years
Come and dip your own candle.
Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting messy!
Booking essential.

Hair Today, Gone Tomorrow
Friday 21 February 2014
Wakefield Museum & Learning Zone
10.30am-11.30am or 1.30pm-2.30pm
Ages 2-5 years
Come and look at hair in a whole new way.
Please wear clothes you don’t mind getting messy!
Booking essential.


For further information or to book your free place (numbers are limited)

Please contact us on: 01924 302700 or email

Fun for 2-5 year olds!

Yesterday was full of fun out of the sun for the Crafty Crocs at Wakefield Museum.  Our theme this month was shapes.  We looked in the museum for squares, rectangles, circles and triangles using squishy shapes as our guide.

Back in the learning zone our crafty crocs designed some shape monsters and created a collage of shapes on to a picture of a Cayman.

The best fun was had when we experimented with sticking foam shapes to a window with water – here are some of the pictures we created using our foam shapes.

The next Crafty Crocs sessions are on Tuesday 2 July 10 – 11am and 1:15 – 2:15pm booking on essential as places are limited.  Call 01924 302700 or e-mail 

Crafty Crocs

Today has seen our Crafty Crocs meet for the first time in 2013. Keeping in sync with the current weather our focus was on snow!  Children created snowless snowmen, hand print robins and star shaped foxes.

Today's Crafty Crocs  proudly showing their star-shaped foxes

Having creative fun!

Being creative can get messy!

Future sessions will be held on Tuesdays 5^th March, 7^th May, 4^th June and 2^nd July.  

Booking is essential on 01924 302700 (Booking line open Monday- Tuesday 9:30am – 4:45pm and Wednesday 9:30am – 1:30pm) or contact the team by e-mail.

Henry made a robin from his hand print

During February half term there will be a 2-5 years workshop on Thursday 21^st February.  

Rain, Rain Go Away will see our younger visitors create weather themed crafts in the warmth of the Learning Zone along with a visit to the Museum – Booking is essential.

More Crafty Crocs fun!

The second monthly session of Crafty Crocs took place at Wakefield Museum and Learning Zone yesterday.

Children aged 2-5 years (along with their grown-ups) took part in specially prepared festive crafts and looked at the museum collections.  Activities included using the museum for an i-spy trail before turning their list of objects into an advent calendar inspired craft.  They also used triangles to create Christmas trees with tissue paper baubles, and got messy hand printing antlers onto reindeer!

i-spy trail around the museum

'Advent calendar' of museum objects

Hand prints make perfect antlers!

The finished reindeer!

Sessions for the New Year are now being advertised, booking is essential as places are limited. 

Contact 01924 302700 or email to book your place for:

 February 5th, March 5th, May 7th, June 4th and July 2nd 2013

Crafty Crocs Launched!

The first of our brand new Crafty Crocs sessions was held in the Learning Zone at Wakefield Museum today.  Our younger visitors enjoyed creating some messy painted autumn crafts such as leaf-printed owls and even window painting!

Leaf  Printing!

A special paint was made especially for painting onto windows (so that it could easily be washed off!), and the Crafty Crocs had great fun being creative with it.  Hopefully it will have cheered up any passers-by on such a cold, wet day!

Painting  a monster onto  the window!

Painting the window with special washable paint was fun!

Messy creative fun on a wet day

The next Crafty Crocs sessions are on Tuesday December 4^th 2012 and the team are taking bookings now.  Sessions are for 2-5 year olds and please wear clothes you don’t mind getting messy!  (Photographs are published here with written consent of the parents).

Sessions run from 10am to 11am, and from 1.15pm to 2.15pm, and are free, but booking is essential as places are limited.

Call 01924 302700,  or email to book.