Tinkers Collage - states of feeling 

The Mighty Creatives TMC- Creative Development training + shared practice for Creative mentors and TMC Staff 2023
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Tinkers Collage is the nickname coined for my vast collection of recycled domestic and industrial tat and treasure! As part of loose parts play it makes for an agile and diverse resource. We all love to fiddle, sort and organise - patterns tell stories, patterns help us feel calm and give us insights. The act of tinkering offers a "light touch" and yet powerful ease of purpose - connecting hands, heart, head readily, creatively and so often therapeutically. Used across all ages and intergeneration-ally towards art and design, choreographic scores, story telling and literacy, geography, science, engineering and all the 'ologies' - the areas of application are endless. It's fun and also brings so much social engagement to life. 

The versatility of  Tinkers Collage gives space for the imagination and invention that exceeds paper + pencil. Its tactile 3 dimensional qualities animate the embodiment of language for characters in novels or for ourselves. In exploring the spectrum of 'feeling states' as part of PSHE, wellbeing or emotional literacy, especially in younger groups, I ask if we can record the children's sharings, their spoken language exceeds their written language in wonderful ways! 
​Unity, diversity, empathy, kindness, humanity: one of the most common feedback from both adults and children is they are amazed that others might also feel stuck or stressed and they are not alone... 

How powerful is nature to this young girls happiness ! 7.5yrs old
Part of Creative Collaboratives Programme "how do we teach for creativity and nurture children capacities and curiosities about the world around them"  Two videos from my Residency at Greenfeilds Community School Nottingham 2022-2024 

Children's innate wisdom and inner knowing shine! This pupil not only creates a space for her happiness that is a wonderful  example of civic design at play  - but for those interested in the poly-vagal theory (our self regulating system) she speaks of feeling her happiness in her heart, head and stomach! 7.5 yrs old

"Can we do this again - I love it, I feel happy and calm at the same time!"  Mandala and textile project. School enquiry 'exploring the impact of creative approaches on confidence and self esteem of our vulnerable learners' Lantern Lane Primary and Nursery School Loughborough 2009 Creative Partnerships