The collection

- mid-project slideset documenting 5 and 6 year olds’ ideas and interactions with a growing collection of finds and treasured objects, from the playground, forest and walks to school

The images and reflections here represent a stage in project development that is both reflective and generative. We were taking stock of what had happened so far, looking for and naming variations in children’s approaches to collecting and expressions of attachment to materials. As a group of MA students we considered: how the Collection represents children’s voices; how aesthetics and learning through the senses combine; how care and investigation can be part of the same material focus; how what we love drives our research.

‘Sometimes you can look and you can find actual rubbish but really it’s treasure.’

Paul (age 5)