Old Skills New Ways
Old Skills New Ways
8 July - 31 August 2020 (extended dates)
Making, planting, connecting - to protect nature and nurture young people’s creativity. Bringing wellbeing, enterprise, making, nature connection and afforestation to life in the curriculum.
Old Skills New Ways was started to address the dramatic loss of making in schools and as a way to get children out of the classroom and connected with nature. It’s a project for children of all abilities to experience the joy of seasonal making in the woods with local craftspersons.
Since 2018 it’s grown into a partnership with woodland owners and local schools to develop young people's practical skills, nurture nature connection, foster wellbeing and promote climate change action through programmes of tree planting in the local community.
This immersive exhibition explores all aspects of this project and celebrates the amazing craft handmade by the children and by the crafts people who have taught them.
On this page you will find a selection of resources, activities and exhibition sneak peaks. If you would like to learn more about the Old SKills New Ways project then you can head to their website: www.oldskillsnewways.org
In response to lockdown happening around us as we were completing the Old Skills New Ways exhibition install, we decided to make a film to try and capture the work of the project and to give a feel of the exhibition.
“Old Skills New Ways was started to address the dramatic loss of making in schools and as a way to get children out of the classroom and connected with nature. It’s a project for children of all abilities to experience the joy of seasonal making in the woods with local craftspeople”
ACTIVITIES - What do you notice?
As part of your daily exercise or from your window or backdoor. We invite you to take a breath, close your eyes and enjoy a moment or two of silence with nature.
When you are ready to….
See.
Open your eyes.
What shades of green do you notice?
Which are you most drawn to? Why?
Can you share an image of what you've noticed (drawing/photo/print/collage etc)?
Visit www.oldskillsnewways.org to sign up for a daily nature connection invitation.
Smell.
With your eyes still closed take another deep breath in through your nose.
What smell or smells do you notice?
Take another in breath.
How does it make you feel? Why?
Can you share an image of what you've noticed (a drawing/photo/print/ etc)?
What can we learn from each other?
Can you teach someone a skill? And then ask that they in turn teach you something?
Can you teach by telling, or by doing, or both?
Here are some examples we thought you might enjoy - finger knitting, cordage making, making a saw horse and making a super simple shave horse.
EDUCATION - Further references and resources list
10,000 trees were planted at The Young People's Forest for the Big Climate Fightback on 30 November 2019. Thank you to everyone who took part. If you missed out, it's not too late. You can still fight for the future of the planet. Get involved at woodlandtrust.org.uk/bigclimatefightback
Looking at how tree planting can link, enhance and maximise the different wildlife habitats offered by existing and landscape features such as wetland, ancient woodland and old hedges.
This was a year-long experiment with a time-lapse camera in a window, and 40,000 still images made into a short film.