The Activity Room is a place providing the children at Woodside with the opportunities to experience the fun of movement in a tailor made environment. It is a versatile room offering many ways to stimulate the senses, motivating play and learning.
We can mix and match the experiences using torches with the parachute, or rocking in a swing with feet on a sound box, or pulling on small performances. It can be a quiet room, used by a parent and child in sharing the hammock, swinging as they sing a favourite song. It can be a place to play games as a group and share each other's fun and laughter.
The tent is used to make mini-environments. Children may not be able to visit places so the tent is used to create environments. In the tent you will discover flashing pumpkins, large black spiders, webs and other horrors. The tent is a spooky experience. The scarves smell of oranges and apples. Experience the fluorescent lighting. It creates a strange atmosphere.
The curtains were a major consideration. The Activity Room needed to become a blackout experience. Making the room dark enhanced the effect of the projectors and will eventually darken the room for the use of fluorescent lighting. In the dark the children can work with torches.
The projectors have wheels which produce various effects. Some of the favourites are the flickering, coloured dots and the firework wheel. Different effects in the Activity Room can be created. The children can swing or rock in and through the lights. Alternatively use the sound activator to control the effect by turning on the microphone. This is found in the bag under the projector. This encourages the children to make sounds either using voice or movement.
There are a variety of swings on offer. Some children prefer to sit up, others to rock in the coracle. Families and carers can use the hammock seat and swing with their child. It was important to provide indoor swings as children may not be able to visit their local park due to the British weather. The coracle can be decorated to catch the projected light and can allow a child to reach for the wooden chimes. Different textured materials are inter-changed for the children to feel a range of textures.
There is a slide, mini-trampoline and rocking boat. These are the kind of things that many children enjoy climbing over and bouncing on.
The fibre optic curtain is stunning. It is a real source of attraction motivating the children to reach out and discover the unusual lights. The fibre optics move in a swirl of light. The interesting effect of the lights is eye catching. Look at the curtain from across the room or catch a handful of fibres and watch them change colour. Or move towards the curtain on the rolling tyre, stopping when you are inside. Put the mini-trampoline under the curtain or a mat on the floor. Access the curtain in different ways.
The textured wall hanging is beautiful. It was designed to be interactive. The wall hanging can be used in many ways. Move the squares round and make your own pattern. The lime and pink decorations were made at a Parents Creative Workshop. The bold designs were intended to be eye catching. Large areas of colour with good contrasts help the children to use their residual vision.
The Activity Room is valued for its floor. The activities at Woodside often require a large floor space. One such activity is parachute games. Adults gently ripple the parachute. Some children enjoy a billowy stormy parachute. We can roll balls in the parachute, make the parachute rise like a dome feeling the air build up and down. It's fun making a tent with everyone huddled inside. Parachute games provide lots or experiences and fun! Another favourite activity using the floor space is sliding and gliding and riding.
