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Our ethos
Far from having green gimmicks, sustainability is central. From the handmade Treasure Basket from organic Norfolk willow, the Sensac made locally from azo free fleece, and the 50 hand-picked items, many sourced locally to reduce air miles. As well as giving great play value, the fact that hundreds of different games can be played with the same 50 objects provides a stark contrast to many new toys, abandoned after just one play.
By evolving with the child, Playscope offers an alternative to a disposable society. It also proves you can benefit people and the environment. Adults with learning difficulties have made many of the Basket items. For example, doorstops and napkin rings are made from reclaimed wood at Shire Hill Enterprise, and the knitted and batik purses and lavender bags made using reclaimed materials and organic lavender at the Red House in Essex.
Playscope’s inclusive approach extends to its ‘customers’ too. Thanks to the input of nearly 100 specialists, the games are designed to cater for all children, including those with special educational needs (SEN).
A report has recently been commissioned by the Department for Business, Enterprise & Regulatory Reform (BERR) and the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, and it flags up Playscope as the only resource that embodies as well as educates on the principles of sustainability. A series of Stories will provide teachers and nursery practitioners with background information that they can use as appropriate e.g. a focus on what is a Loofah, where does it grow, etc. These could be used flexibly, as a springboard to a related topic or simply to increase practitioner’s confidence about their ability to answer questions!
In October the Playscope Treasure Basket and Activity Cards were showcased at the WorldDidac event in Basel, Switzerland as part of the UK Trade and Investments first ever Education for Sustainable development Stand. As you can see below, the purpose-built stand (with the Playscope Treasure Basket, just visible in the centre of the picture), looked great. The UKTI reports that the 18 educational suppliers, of which Play to Z Ltd is one, attracted considerable interest. The exhibition is now on its way to Hong Kong and then on to Dubai for the GESS 2009 Show. Interest has also been received from Argentina and Malaysia. A brochure has been produced by the UKTI to support the exhibition and showcase British expertise in Educational Sustainable Development (right click on the picture, top right, and select Save Target As to download).
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