Bringing Fire into the Play Setting

Aim

To give playworkers the knowledge of how to safely bring fire activities into their play setting and the confidence to challenge others in supporting the importance of risk taking and the use of fire.

Learning Outcomes

By the end of the course participants will be able to:

1. Have reviewed their understanding of play and playwork using the playwork principles.
2. Explored issues of risk taking and safety in bringing fire into the play setting.
3. Built bonfires and demonstrated the ability to safely build the fire
4. Undertaken and explored a number of fire activities for different play opportunities from: fire trails, fire pictures, fire pois, effigies, fire sculpture, ceremonial fires.
5. Experienced the properties and usage of different types of wood, and other resources.
6. Discussed folklore and respect for trees and the natural environment.
7. Discussed issues about singing songs round the fire.
8. Discussed issues about cooking and eating different types of food using the fire, including non-European food and discussed the possibilities in such activity.
9. Demonstrated the ability to safely offer a fire activity to other participants, within the context of the playwork principles.

Assesment criteria.

Building a fire.

Selecting right space,
Safely preparing space,
Laying fire correctly,
Collecting appropriate wood,
Due care and consideration to environment,
Lighting fire correctly,
Due care and consideration to safety of self and others,

Offering a fire experience.

Good idea of what they are going to do,
Recognition that they are offering,
Within what ever they are doing participants are involved in discussion and agreement of ground rules, including safety of self and others and care of environment.
Ability to handle the materials for what they are doing with confidence and safety,
Showing an awareness of safety issues,
That the opportunity they are offering, and the way they offer it, fits within the context of the playwork principles.