Children from the Lara Out of School Club in Battersea are being given the opportunity to make music through the expansion of the national music making initiative, Come and Play, providing children with a culturally diverse creative experience.
Through vibrant workshops, led by musicians from The Music House for Children, Come and Play is providing music to an audience not normally reached by the music education system. Besides teaching all styles and cultures of music, Come and Play is helping to develop the children’s life skills including self-esteem, respect, integration and teamwork.
Helen Jordan, lead playworker at Lara commented, “The children have always listened to music but never been able to interact with it - Come and Play is giving them the chance to actually play. It’s an excellent project for the children providing them with the musical skills they crave. The children are having great fun learning to take care of the instruments and have such pride in their music.”
Connor aged eight said, “It’s really interesting and people can learn from it. I especially love playing with the wood-blocks – the noise they make is brilliant!”
Seven clubs from the Wandsworth area, including Lara have been selected to take part in the national initiative. Others include, York Garden Adventure Playgrounds, Alton Children’s Centre, School’s Out, Belleville After School Club, Bolingbroke Out of School Club and the Childcare Education and Welfare Services Ltd.
Run by the national charity 4Children with support from Youth Music, the initiative targets children aged 4 - 14, especially those living in disadvantaged areas, who have had little access to music making opportunities.
The children from Lara out of School Club will showcase their new talents with an end performance to be staged later this year, in front of an audience of playworkers, parents, musicians and local guests.
Peter Garden, Head of Programmes at 4Children, said, “The Come and Play initiative provides a great chance to explore their creativity and engage with fun music making outside of the school curriculum. Come and Play is now in its second year and we are really pleased that it has been extended to include Wandsworth, reaching even more children!”
For further information contact the Media Team at 4Children on 020 7512 2112.
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