Arboretum Nursery School, Nottingham

The pre-school children of Arboretum Nursery School, Nottingham worked with mixed media to produce The Magical Space. Under the guidance of teacher Ann Crampton and movement artist Usha Mahenthiralingham, they aimed to 'wake' a blank space up by exploring the idea of journeys.

Ribbons and masking tape were laid on the canvas and the children painted over this with fabric paints, covering other areas with large-scale drawings. When the masking tape was removed, the space was further transformed – much to the excitement of the young artists involved.

It wasn't only the children who were inspired by this innovative project – both parents and teachers alike became increasingly involved, making cushions and other props to help completely transform the space into somewhere for the children to continue to develop their artistic skills.

The colourful, innovative space is now used for a wide range of learning experiences, from speaking and listening to rhythm and movement. It also acts as a place to develop the children's imaginations through storytelling, drama, dance, music and art. A Magical Space indeed …

Arboretum Nursery School, Nottingham
http://nottingham.digitalbrain.com/nottingham/school/nottm-arboretumnursery/web/portal