Thinking about ideas for the eco trail - seating, senses and play

Reflecting on what the children had made and said in the workshops on Saturday, it seemed like they really appreciated the peace and the nature from the visit to the Red River. 

This is a bit of what one group had written: 

Sounds from the birds
Sounds from the river
Trees whose names I've not heard of before
No longer surrounded by the suffocating air of the city
There's only the fresh air of nature 
The birds flying around
Standing by the riverside looking for food
The scenery was so peaceful, that I can find shelter 
It's a place with many beautiful landscapes 
There are green trees and sounds from the birds
Overhead is the bridge where everything is busy with traffic crossing over the bridge 
It's wonderful that there is still a place like this in Hanoi 

So the focus of the workshop for today in the school, was about spaces to relax (to sit and take time), ways to encourage people to use their senses and playful ways to get people to interact with the space. 

They came up with wonderful ideas: 

A spider playground where you can come and have a rest - it's a chair combined with a trampoline. there is also a swing so you can get a different perspective from up high

These are the words that P wrote to accompany her drawing: "The artwork recreates a corner of the Bo Vo Forest using rustic yet colorful cardboard material. The high block structure, shaped like a tower, symbolizes the heart of the Forest – a place where life and beautiful scenery converge. Patterns of stars, swirls, and water waves show that Red River Bank Forest is not only wild but also possesses the inherent beauty of a forest. The hand-drawn tree next to it highlights a close connection to nature, evoking a sense of peace. The dominant green color symbolizes rebirth and the forest's powerful vitality. Tiny creatures residing on the piece of cardboard create a lively feeling. The polygonal shape of the tower evokes the vastness and immensity of Red River Bank.The combination of freehand drawings and geometric structures creates an appearance that is chaotic yet harmonious, true to the nature of the 'Red River Bank' forest. Through the captured image, the light shining on the artwork makes it look like a living entity standing amidst a space full of trees and small creatures. The artwork clearly conveys the message: 'Red River Bank Forest, even if damaged, still carries within itself a resilient, lush green beauty.'"

It made me think of Jeff Kloon's puppy in Bibao

"My idea is a seven-colored bridge. It is made of colored glass so that when the sunlight shines down, it creates a delightful visual effect, and there are stars attached to the base of the bridge. The meaning of the bridge is to bring joy to everyone who passes across it."

"Why did we choose this idea?
In my opinion, a candy-shaped slide brings a sense of novelty and attraction that sparks the rich imagination of children. The vibrant colors and whimsical shapes of the different types of candy will delight children from the very first glance.
2. The Idea:
To create this candy slide, I have developed the following design concepts:
The support pillars: I will use round candies stacked on top of each other.
The slide (chute): I will use colorful strips of gummy candy.
The slide rails: The handrails will be made from pink cotton candy, shaped into cute little bows.
The stairs: I designed the stairs to resemble the shape of a cat scratching post, but replaced the materials with candy. "

My painting is titled 'Spring Swing,' with the theme being a swing set in the middle of a forest. I came up with this idea while walking in the forest, where I saw quite a few broken trees. I thought to myself: what if we utilized those broken trees to make a swing, creating a space for playing and taking photos?

So, I drew this painting so everyone could visualize my idea. In the painting, I didn't just draw a swing; I also added a tree branch, mushroom stools, and a table woven with flowers. The most special feature is the swing hanging from that dry branch. Next to the swing is a path, which isn't just for walking, but where everyone can sit down together like a picnic. I developed this idea with the hope that everyone could make use of those fallen trees!

Something with lots of colour

Clouds to sit on - solid but soft 
An instrument like a xylophone and a mushroom drum 
Pebbles 
Door which is a check point to another cloud 

A pink worm seat - could be made of plastic

Seat swing made from the broken treees 

Trees that fall down become benches and the ones that fall together become swings 

 A treehouse 

Water lillies 

A check-in frame - a spot to have your photo taken

Glass topped tables on top of tree stumps so you can count the rings of the trees

Bush, flower and magnifyer so you can see the worms 

stamping stations - so you can collect stamps (in your booklet?) to show where you have been