Work
Thank to the incredible folks at Transom.org for premiering the new radio story about The Land adventure playground! The piece inspired some lovely play memories in the comments and is airing locally around the country. Still looking for our national home!
Have you listened yet? Take a break, put on headphones, dim the lights and visit the land yourself. What makes you feel uncomfortable? What makes you swoon?
We're all drawn to fire, aren't we? It's warm, magical, turns objects to ash... it sparkles, crackles... is just cool. (Or, "mint," as I'm learning to say.) When we were kids, I remember melting candles on the porch for hours on summer afternoons - lighting the wicks and dripping wax onto wooden boards pulled out of the garage.
Fire play is a common and important element in adventure playgrounds. Above is a time lapse test from an afternoon at the fire pit - a hypnotic and beautiful bit of space on The Land.
Claire Griffiths runs the "The Land" Adventure Playground. She grew up in Plas Madoc, the neighborhood surrounding the play-site, and as a child played on the plot where "The Land" now lives. Her daughter, Darcey, is a regular now as well (you'll recognize Darcey as the girl in the opening shot of the trailer playing with fire).
For our interview, I asked Claire where she'd like to sit. I suggested the picnic table, maybe on the bridge... we looked around and Claire came to this lovely spot, under a tree, right in the grass unaware of the swinging hammock full of children just over her shoulder. The playground is grafittied with tributes to her from the children. Even her boots are scrawled with "I love Claire!" from a playground attendee.
I asked Claire, what does she see when she looks around the play site? "Possibilities," she answered. Please take one minute to hear more from Claire below about play, playwork, and the starting point.
