The following fantastic resources are all available for hire from SPARC:
- Badge Machine
- Play Parachutes
- Story Bags: Ghana, Kenya, Mexico, Forest & Woodlands, 3 (different) Koranic Story Bags
- Multicultural resource boxes on the topics of: Japan, India and the Rainforests
- Festival Bags celebrating Diwali, Hanukkah, Eide and Chinese New Year
- Puppet Making Resource Box
- Circus Skills Resource Box
- Batik, Papermaking and Marbling Kits
- Mask box
- Tile Nippers
- Bunting
- Mexico Box
- Aboriginal Box
- Plastic Flowers
- Giant Looms
- A Library of Craft Books
- Laminating
- Photocopying (including colour)
- Computer & Internet Access
- Workshop and Gallery/Exhibition Spaces
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Above, Left to right: Circus skills and juggling box, detail of the Green Man Story Bag, The Mask Box, and Islam Multi-cultural Resource Box
Badge Machine
All you need to make badges of your own design with pinned or magnetic fixings. To hire; £6 per week plus £5 deposit. Badges are £2.50 for 10, magnets £3.50 for 10 and mirrors £5.50 for 10.
Play Parachutes (large and small)
Multicoloured parachutes, one 20 ft diameter and another 12 ft diameter, with a book of games. To hire: £6/week + £5 deposit.
Multicultural Story Bags:
Mexico, Ghana, Kenya
These three Story Bags are based on different children's books.
Mexico: Nino's Mask - A little boy dreams of wearing a mask in his village fiesta. 4 years+.
Ghana: The Talking Cloth - An amazing river of patterned fabric which inspires many stories for an African girl. 5 years+.
Kenya: The Greedy Zebra - A traditional myth about how all the animals choose their clothing, except greedy zebra, who is left with all the pieces. 3 years+ .
Story Bags: Forests & Woodlands
You can find out all about the worlds' forests and woodlands, while enjoying a good read by hiring one of these inspiring resources.
Eight Story Bags, each about a different children's book with a common theme of forests and woodlands. £10 for two week's hire plus £10 deposit.
The Wild Wood 4+
Owl Babies 3+
The Tree in the Wood Any
The Green Man 6+
Well done Little Bear 4+
Where the Forest meets the Sea 8+
I don't want to go to Bed 3+
Hello Beaky 3+
NEW. Three new Koranic Story Bags, made by the women of Textiles on Tuesdays, supported by UnLtd*. These are based on tales from the Islamic Scriptures and are intended as an introduction to the Muslim faith.
"The Ark of Nuh" is a new telling of a familiar story, so inside the bag, as well as the ravishing story cloth which illustrates the tale, look for the brilliant finger puppets inside the cuddly Ark. As the storm rages, make your own sound effects with the musical instruments and, as the waters rise, become the animals fleeing the Flood with the jungle masks. Make your own masks, make a rain gauge, try Mrs Nuh's favourite recipes and play the exciting games suggested in the bag. When you fall down in exhaustion, listen to beautiful Sufi dance music while learning about Muslim culture and customs.
"The King's Magicians" may also be familiar to some and tells the story of Musa (Moses) and the escape from Egypt. Join in the thrills as the Magicians compete with one another for the most powerful spell, (eat your heart out, Harry Potter!), and perform your own magic with jeweled snakes. Wonder at the sumptuous treasure of the King and tremble with awe as the Red Sea parts to let you escape from his tyranny. After all this excitement, a gentle board game or two is just the thing to calm everybody down enough to learn more about Muslim culture and customs.
"The Story of Two Gardens" has a beautiful, interactive story cloth to accompany the tale and a selection of Muslim headgear to get you into role. You can learn how to grow your own plants, watch the weather, (always important for gardeners), harvest the fruits of your labours and become the devastating storm at the centre of the story using the musical instruments and shakers. Learn more about Islam, its culture and customs with the delightful book, "My Muslim Culture".
The bags are suitable for guided use by children of pre-school and primary age and are a useful tool for introducing notions of cultural diversity while enhancing children's understanding and imagination. They form part of SPARC's ever expanding multi-cultural resources and are suitable for both family and educational settings.
Story Bags are a great way of introducing literature to children through reading, hands-on activities, games music and dressing up. The Bags cost £10 for two week's hire plus £10 deposit.
Resource Boxes
We have Resource Boxes about Japan, India, Islam and The Rainforests. These treasure chests offer an opportunity to immerse yourselves in a subject and stimulate every sense through food, crafts, music, clothing and games. Hire cost is £25 per week plus £25 deposit. In the making is a box about Tunisia.
Festival Bags
Learn how to celebrate festivals from around the world, including:
Diwali
Hanukkah
Eide
Chinese New Year
£10 per week and £10 deposit.
Puppet - Making Resource Box
Discover the magical world of puppetry. Explore stages, plays and ways of making. Includes puppets of all sorts, marionettes and ideas for making puppets. To hire: £15 per week plus £10 deposit
Circus Skills: Learn amazing skills and have lots of fun with the Circus Workshop Box. This box contains equipment for children to practice spinning plates, tossing Diablos, juggling clubs, hand-held stilt walking, poys and devil sticks. There is also a bag of dressing up clothes. Suitable for 5 years upwards. The Circus Box can be hired for £25 per week plus £20 deposit.
Balloon Bags (2 available)
Have fun creating balloon models. Ideal for parties, fayres and finding a new creative skill. Includes Balloon Pump, Book and 20 Balloons. To hire £4/week + £5 deposit. Extra 20 balloons for £1.
Face Painting Kits
Everything you need to transform yourselves into creatures, characters and people of your dreams. Includes glitter, paints and books. To hire £6 per week plus £5 deposit.
Batik Boxes
A comprehensive box with everything, apart from the fabric or paper, you'll need to start Batik. £15 per week plus £10 deposit.
Papermaking Boxes
Equipped with blenders, frames and books with ideas and instructions. To hire £7.50 per week plus £5 deposit.
Marbling Kits
Including marbling trays and inks. To hire £8/week+£5 deposit.
Mask Box
Explore a variety of masks from all over the planet with worksheets and examples. To hire £10 per week + £10 deposit.
Tile Nippers
We have ten pairs of Mosaic Cutters to rent at £2.50 per week each plus a £5 deposit.
Bunting
Fabulous bunting for hire at £3 per week. £5 deposit.
For family occasions, Fetes and Fun. We have a box of bunting to help decorate and attract attention to your event. It's flowery and fun!
Giant Looms
(Two available) Try your hand at weaving huge wall hangings on our big looms. Roughly 4 foot by 5 foot and comes with tools. We have an artist available to accompany the looms and facilitate groups. £15 per week & £15 deposit for each loom.
Craft Book Library
A range of books available for loan; full of exciting ideas.
Computer Corner
Created with funding from South West Water.
You can use the computer and Internet access for just £2.50 per hour.
We have a colour photocopier, which is networked to the computer with A4/A3 sizes available at 50p per copy. There are also laminating facilities plus our usual black and white copying service. You will be able to access these services during normal hours. Many thanks to David Petts who has installed this for us.
For computer problems contact him on david@foggysoft.com