Porridge & Play
Porridge & Play is an inter-generational imaginary play session for children under 12 and their families, based on the Lickety Playcard repertoire of 38 games, rhymes, songs, blanket play, traditional street-play and imaginary play activities.
What happens in Porridge & Play?
Porridge & Play (P&P) sessions begin with a delicious group meal of fruit, crusty bread, porridge for breakfast or homemade soup for lunch. Licketyspit’s actor-pedagogues then lead a fun and relaxed play session full of fantastic games, songs and imaginary play. The session ends with reflective drawing and the Licketyspit Gallery, where everyone presents their drawing and talks about what they thought about the session.
The games are illustrated in the Lickety Playcards, a set of 32 cards with song words, game instructions and colourful illustrations for each Porridge & Play activity. You can watch videos of some of the Playcards, here.
Why do we do Porridge & Play?
Porridge & Play was developed in response to parents and carers in north Glasgow whose children participated in LicketyLeap. They were astonished and delighted at their children’s confidence and creativity. They asked us, ‘how can we do more of this?!’
Porridge & Play was our response. The sessions are carefully crafted to develop children’s creativity, social skills, confidence and relationships, and we regularly consult children and their adults about how we can improve and develop the sessions.
Adults need and enjoy play as much as children do. It is wonderful for families to play together and to have a story-rich, fun family culture. The imaginary play within Porridge & Play is powerful. People can welcome each other to their homes in imaginary playworlds! We have been to Nigeria, Poland and Pakistan in our Magic Ball! This project exemplifies Licketyspit’s ambitions to empower children, to raise their status in society, to strengthen relationships in families and communities.
Our P&P Hubs
We have in person Porridge & Play sessions at our family & community hubs around Glasgow. You can visit each hub page & find details of past and upcoming sessions, by clicking on the list below:
– Cranhill
– Govan
Our P&P Projects
Big Porridge & Play Glasgow
Blocks of sessions in our 6 hubs, Maryhill, Govan, Whiteinch, Cranhill, Bridgeton & Castelmilk, previously in Ruchill & the Gorbals, supported by the National Lottery Community Fund since 2017.
Porridge & Play Hubs
In 2022 we opened Hubs in Bridgeton, Castlemilk & Cranhill which were developed in partnership for a New Scots Integration Project in 2022.
Big Porridge & Play Online
Online version of the sessions which takes place via Zoom (starting during the Coronavirus pandemic)
Picnic & Play
Sessions in museums, galleries, parks and gardens, where families from Licketyspit’s Children & Families Network meet to play and discover these places.
Bookplay
Porridge & Play using a brilliant children’s book as a stimulus for imaginary play
