The Forest Grannies and the Monster Trees!

2023-05-22T09:37:42+00:00

Week 3 Wednesday 17th May In the deep deep forest of Govan one can enjoy many interesting places and spot fantastic creatures. Have you ever seen a Silly Cat and Scary Cat hang out together? Or a Slithering Snake roaming in the undergrowth? What about a Crazy Dolphin bathing in a pond or a Dying Fly chilling on the ground? There’s a Small Ant over there and Big Elephant over here! A Sleepy Giraffe taking a nap, a Quacking Duck dancing about and a Barking Dog saying hello from afar! Then there’s the part of the woods where the Forest Grannies live… Granny Chibu likes cereal for breakfast. Granny Ala has a forest room inside her house! She has trees with apples, oranges and watermelon and she makes chips for breakfast! Granny Zakiyah has a medium sized tree house. She lives with her family and likes omelettes in the morning! Granny Anas lives in a candy house & Granny Tibyan lives in a treehouse. They both grow pumpkins and make pumpkin soup for breakfast.  Granny Firas and Granny Shams grow oranges, apples, mangos and pineapples and they have bread and milk & cookies for breakfast. And all these Grannies know that although it may sound like a rumour, the truth is that the trees at the far far end of their garden turn into Monster Trees when the [...]

The Forest Grannies and the Monster Trees!2023-05-22T09:37:42+00:00

A Day out with the Pirate Crew after a very Mucky Brew!

2023-05-15T10:24:02+00:00

Week 2 Wednesday 10th May ‘The sun and that is another sun. The fish. Fish fish fish fish!’  The Govan Pirate Crew lined up ready for inspection. What a collection of misfits! Captain Smelly Beard got everyone working on the ship scrubbing the deck, climbing the rigging and even walking the plank! This week we created fantastic pirates with our dressing up bag of old clothes and we met such brilliant looking characters: Captain Fiddle and Captain Silly, Captain Smelly Pirate Silly Potato and a beautifully dressed pirate who claimed ‘I’m from Paris!’ We went on a Sea Adventure and we swam, surfed and discovered that the sea can be calm and relaxing and stormy and terrible too! And it’s full of fish, fish, fish! We had a fire at the shore to cook some fish we caught, they had incredible flavours like  Chocolate, fish, marshmallow and pineapple. And to top it all up we had some sticky marshmallows too! But before all that we got stuck into a very Mucky Brew. We wore, amongst other things, an ostrich egg, mango, strawberries more strawberries and sliced banana, peanut butter & jelly, water, hot chocolate and avocado…all over our bodies! What a Mucky Mucky Brew! Another great afternoon with our families in Govan enjoying the possibilities of our imaginations, eating together and having a right good laugh. ‘I drew [...]

A Day out with the Pirate Crew after a very Mucky Brew!2023-05-15T10:24:02+00:00

Can you Dance like a Witch in Pants?

2023-05-05T11:48:59+00:00

Wednesday 3rd May Ha ha haa, the witchy fingers of Govan! When they dance they whirl and twirl They might trick you with their witchy words! We had a fabulous time back at the Pearce Institute this week with our Porridge & Play pals! The music played and we had a good old boogie around. We dressed up in marvellous clothes, self-expression was the way. And of course, some of our four legged friends joined us for Storyplay… The Bear and Hare and Ox and Fox got us started then others came to join the party! The Naughty Rabbit which gallops around, The Jumping Giraffe which goes bounce bounce bouce! The Good Crocodile which doesn’t go snap, And don’t forget the Really Nice Cat! There was the Rawr Tiger and the Dancing Monkey, And last but not least the Mother Ducky! Then we flew off in our Flying Balloons and saw fire and sun, perhaps the moon.  The cold Antarctic lay below… Next week, I wonder where we’ll go? Hope to see you there! Sarah, Taz, Steven, Ruby and Virginia The Licketyspit Art Gallery! Some of your reflective drawings and what you said about them. What you said Artist Bayan That’s me, that’s Taz, that’s Virginia, that’s Ruby. [...]

Can you Dance like a Witch in Pants?2023-05-05T11:48:59+00:00

New film demonstrates the power of Porridge & Play

2025-04-02T23:42:57+00:00

Monday 27th March Thanks to the National Lottery Community Fund, Licketyspit’s Porridge & Play sessions will be back in 6 Glasgow communities and online for 2023/24. Now in its 7th year, Big Porridge & Play Glasgow will take place in Govan, Maryhill, Whiteinch and online, as well as in Bridgeton, Castlemilk & Cranhill. The east end and Castlemilk groups were started last year as part of the Scottish Government’s New Scots Integration Strategy, and the Lottery have stepped up to fund their continuation. Children and parents highlight the positive impact the sessions have on their confidence, mental health and wellbeing, relationships and sense of belonging, as well as children’s learning and development. “When I come here I feel like you can be you and feel free and you can laugh.” 6 year old, Porridge & Play Castlemilk Scroll down to watch the new film! “First week we came they were very shy but now very good. We all really enjoy this. I have met new friends, our language is better because of this” “Like nothing else we do. Great early drama/improvisation. Lots of imagination. Inclusive and child led!” “You won’t be alone here. I’ll be your friend” “Don’t know where we’d be without this. No-ones judging, there’s lots of acceptance, feel like we’re being brought into the community.” We [...]

New film demonstrates the power of Porridge & Play2025-04-02T23:42:57+00:00

An Out of This World Variety Show

2025-04-02T23:54:53+00:00

Welcome to the Porridge & Play Online blog where we share our stories and adventures! Saturday 11th March 2023 Fabulous Producer and her partner in show Top Hat Producer were in need of some fresh, innovative, entertaining and inspiring acts for their Variety Show. Everyone knows that what makes a Variety Show really, really good is to have various different acts that can entertain and make audiences happy and that can show to the world the hilarity and ingenuity of the different artists!. ‘But Our Variety Show is getting tired and old. We haven’t had new acts for quite some time now, partner.' 'We need new talent!’ ‘Well, have you heard of the Licketyspit Saturday Pals? I hear very good things! They seem to be a very creative and playful bunch…. Let’s put a call out for Variety Acts to them!’ The Licketyspit Saturday pals did not disappoint and attended the Call Out in droves! The most exquisite costumes were created for the occasion and some brilliant acts were waiting to burst out and amaze the Theatre Producers… ‘Welcome y’all! It is fabulous to be here and hopefully it will also be fabulous to see and like your acts because…we really need some fresh material!’ ‘Thanks for coming. Now…let’s begin. First up is…Muizza Madame Singer, please!’ ‘Hello, I’m Madame Singer and I sing and dance. [...]

An Out of This World Variety Show2025-04-02T23:54:53+00:00

Happy International Women’s Day!

2023-03-08T12:34:51+00:00

Wednesday 8th March 2023 Fridays are LicketyMums time! We gather to hang out, play, reconnect with our body and mind and to share our news of the week. LicketyMums sessions were first created because lots of Licketyspit Mums asked us for them. Many mums support their children to enjoy Storyplay and generally put their children's needs first. Mums are very eloquent about the positive impact of Storyplay on their children’s confidence, social skills, language development and happiness. They know that these are positive things we all need!  Licketypit families know they get all that from playing and socialising together like we do in our Storyplay and Porridge & Play sessions. So it made perfect sense to have LicketyMums sessions that are also about sisterhood, feeling connected to each other, supporting each other and sharing knowledge, experience and ideas! We always start with a dance!  We all have busy lives and dancing is a phenomenal way to release stress and helps increasing serotonin, or as I call it ‘the happiness hormone’ and it’s great fun too. A good boogie even in your kitchen can do wonders for your mental and physical health! ‘It says LicketyMums disco ONLY for mums. We could have Massage rooms! Then even if you are a bit depressed you can see some light coming through that tunnel!’  ‘After [...]

Happy International Women’s Day!2023-03-08T12:34:51+00:00

A Rollicking time in Ruchill!!

2022-11-24T10:52:45+00:00

Saturday 19th November 2022 We had an amazing time at our Porridge & Play Ruchill & Online celebration! It was so lovely to see all our families together in one big space and wonderful to join up with our online crew too and have so much fun together! We all started with a brilliant boogie which warmed us up ready for an afternoon adventure. As well as the Funky Chicken, we also met the Funky Unicorn, the Cheeky Cheetah and the Funky Dinosaur and many other fascinating creatures! Then, when we dressed up as forest creatures, Sean turned into a fox, Gabby became a squirrel,  Fares was a super spinning animal, Bukky was a cat  and we also had a buffalo, a bear, elephants, deer and a spiritual animal! We all looked for the Magic Ball and Gabby found it very quickly, which was marvellous, and with so many friends, we blew it up in no time at all. Very soon we found ourselves in a forest and as we moved through the trees, we spied a bear who had lost his cave, so we had to help him find it again. When we got there it was very dark, but also nice and cosy and we soon realised that the bear was hungry. Well, we wanted to make the bear happy again and luckily we figured out that Bear liked honey and [...]

A Rollicking time in Ruchill!!2022-11-24T10:52:45+00:00

A Week 6 Whiteinch Celebration!

2022-11-23T10:38:42+00:00

Wednesday 16th November 2022 This week we had our fabulous celebration! It was so much much fun getting dressed up as forest animals! We had lots of birds with one from the bird cave, a bear, a bat and a fox and also some unknown animals from unknown places. The Magic Ball was nowhere to be found until luckily Zofia found it and we climbed inside, zipped ourselves in and decided where we might go? Well, we ended up in a beautiful forest where the bird cave was and we started looking around for wolves until all of a sudden there was a mighty howling and we found two actual wolves! The only problem was, we couldn’t understand them, so Aseel and Ellie did a great job of communicating with them, because we soon discovered that the wolves were hungry and needed some food. We were so glad they were friendly wolves and didn’t want to eat us, so we happily fed them! After a while the biggest wolf started drawing a picture in the air and we wondered what he was trying to tell us, then suddenly, we realised he was drawing a clock-face and he just wanted to play his favourite game, which  was “What’s The Time Mr Wolf?" Well, we didn’t need to be asked  twice, we all love that game and were happy [...]

A Week 6 Whiteinch Celebration!2022-11-23T10:38:42+00:00

An Exciting Celebration at the Pearce!!!!

2022-11-23T10:35:27+00:00

Tuesday 15th November What an exciting Celebration we had in Govan to mark the final week of Porridge and Play at the Pearce Institute! The Magic Ball took us up into the sky and then we landed at the North Pole!! We met a sad looking penguin and Shadda thought the penguin needed his Mum so we all became penguins to make him feel better and decided to help him find his home. Penguin Shams led the way with a lovely penguin waddle and we  all walked like penguins. We found the Penguin’s house and discovered an underwater cave. We put on our underwater shoes and goggles and swam and surfed in the water. Whoosh! Penguin Mohammed found a magic egg and then finally Penguin Mujahid found the Penguin’s friends and we all celebrated again. As a special Celebration treat this week everyone brought along some special food to share. Asha brought a tasty tuna and tomato pasta and Wafa brought macaroni cheese. Ahlam brought some lovely salty cake with olives and feta and Maha brought delicious Gima. We had a flan from Sultana for desert! There was so much yummy food! The perfect way to celebrate a fantastic six weeks of Storyplay together. See you at the ceilidh! Hilde, Virginia, Camille, Ruby and Johnny [...]

An Exciting Celebration at the Pearce!!!!2022-11-23T10:35:27+00:00

Pirates of Govan!!!

2022-11-14T12:52:16+00:00

Tuesday 8th November Pirates of Govan!!! We had some new faces in Govan this week as we said hello to Virginia, Paul and Johnny who came along to join Hilde and the usual Govan Gang. We all showed Paul and Virginia how to be as Big As A Bear and then had a lovely dance. Mira saw a fish swimming in the sea and Azeem saw a fish too! Everyone dressed up as pirates and we ran around the Pirate Ship. Pirate Mohammed and Pirate Mujahid swabbed the decks and Pirate Shams and Pirate Ohi hoist the sail. Then there was a knock on the door and to everyone’s surprise a sad Pirate Paul appeared. He was speaking a beautiful language that Hilde said was Punjabi. Punjabi Pirate Paul was sad because it was his birthday and no-one had made a cake for him! It was Pirate Agi’s birthday too so everyone baked fantastic cakes for Pirate Paul and Pirate Agi then sang Happy Birthday to them. What a week in Govan! We can’t wait until the celebration next week. Hilde, Virginia, Paul and Johnny The Licketyspit Art Gallery! Some of your reflective drawings and what you said about them. Coming soon! What you [...]

Pirates of Govan!!!2022-11-14T12:52:16+00:00

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