The Patch: a year under the wide-open sky
Patch Project
The Patch a year under the wide-open sky
A production project for 5 to 16 year olds documenting the stories, seasons & shared experiences at The Patch.
Since The Patch began eight years ago, thousands of children have come here to play, create and explore. Their ideas, curiosity and freedom have been integral to the way the site has evolved, and a partnership has emerged - where I provide the space, materials, invitations and facilitation, the children continually demonstrate what can happen when they are given permission to follow their interests, lead with curiosity, collaborate with others and allow their play to grow in unexpected directions.
The Patch has become a place of mutual experimentation — for me and for them. Children arrive, sometimes knowing nobody else, and within hours can be creating, inventing and playing together as though they have known one another for years. What began as an acre of mud has gradually become something much more.
From October 2026 to September 2027, I want to capture a little of that story. Through film, photography, artwork, conversations and shared experiences, we will explore what life and play under the wide-open sky can look like, what we can learn from the children who use this space, and how those lessons help us shape outdoors adventures for the children who come after them.
The children will not simply be the subject of the project. They will help make it — contributing ideas, sharing their thoughts and experiences, taking production roles and helping to shape a documentary that represents The Patch through their eyes.
Alongside the film we will create a Patch scrapbook, filled with photographs, illustrations, ideas, observations and reflections gathered throughout the year.
- Ages 5 to 16
No filmmaking, photography or production experience needed.
- October 2026 to September 2027
Come to one session, several sessions, or return throughout the year.
- A film and a scrapbook
Made with the children, showing The Patch through their eyes.
Frequently asked questions
Who can take part?
The project is open to children and young people aged 5 to 16.
Children do not need any previous filmmaking, photography or production experience. The project is about curiosity, participation and learning as we go.
Children and young people who have already been part of the journey of The Patch will be able to reserve their spaces before the project is advertised to the wider community. A separate booking email will give details on how this will work.
Does my child have to take part for the whole year?
No. Children can attend one session, several sessions, or return throughout the year.
Some children may become regular members of the production team while others might contribute to just one particular season or experience. All of those contributions are valuable.
When will the project take place?
The project runs from October 2026 to September 2027.
Sessions will alternate between dedicated weekend production days and Kids Only school-holiday projects, with additional special events including winter and summer solstice evenings.
July & August will include a larger three-week Kids Only programme followed by a community event.
What will the film be about?
The documentary will follow a year in the life of The Patch and capture many of the activities, traditions and experiences that have developed here over the past eight years.
We will document children using their hands, imaginations and growing practical skills: using palm drills, saws and hammers for nature crafts and woodwork; chopping wood, lighting fires and cooking over the campfire; finding frogs and other wildlife in the pond; and mixing pies and potions in the mud kitchen.
But the film will be about more than the activities themselves. It will give us a glimpse into what happens as children become increasingly capable and trusted — learning to use real tools and fire with care and respect, solving problems, helping one another and gradually building both confidence and competence in practical life skills.
Across the changing seasons, we will also capture the quieter things that are harder to describe: friendships forming, children becoming absorbed in an idea, older and younger children learning from one another, moments of independence, collaboration and imagination, and the unexpected directions that play can take when children are given the time and freedom to follow it.
What will my child get from taking part?
Children will have opportunities to develop skills on two levels.
Firstly, they will continue to experience the practical, creative and outdoor learning that sits at the heart of The Patch — using tools, making things, managing fire safely, cooking, exploring nature, solving problems, working collaboratively and becoming increasingly confident in what they can do for themselves.
Alongside this, they will have the opportunity to explore an entirely different set of creative production skills. Depending on their age and interests, this might include filming, photography, sound recording, interviewing, presenting, storytelling, documenting ideas, making creative decisions and helping to decide how the story of The Patch should be told.
They will also have the unusual experience of being asked to reflect on their own play and learning: what matters to them, what they have discovered, what makes The Patch different, what they would change and what they think adults can learn from the way children use the space.
The aim is not to teach every child the same set of skills. It is to create opportunities for them to discover what interests them, try unfamiliar roles, contribute something meaningful and see that contribution become part of a real finished film and book.
What happens during the weekend sessions?
The weekend sessions will have a stronger film and production focus.
Children will still experience The Patch in the usual way, but they will also have opportunities to work with cameras, photography, sound, interviews, storytelling and other production roles.
Parents and grown-ups will be invited to join us for the final hour, giving the children an opportunity to share what they have been doing and to involve their families in the experience.
What happens during school-holiday sessions?
School-holiday projects will remain primarily Kids Only Patch sessions, with play, creating, exploring and practical activities at their heart.
A smaller amount of filming, photography or recording will be woven naturally into these sessions rather than becoming the main focus of the day.
Does my child have to appear on camera?
Absolutely not.
There will be many ways to take part without appearing in the documentary, including photography, sound recording, interviewing, drawing, writing, observing, helping behind the camera and contributing ideas.
Children who do want to appear on camera will be asked for their permission for each piece that is filmed. Appropriate parental permissions will also be sought.
What is the Patch scrapbook?
The scrapbook will sit alongside the documentary and capture things that film alone cannot.
It might include photographs, children's drawings, handwritten thoughts, quotes, ideas, recipes, maps, things we discover, things we make, things that go wrong, things that surprise us and reflections from children, families and from me.
Together, the film and scrapbook will create a record of one year in the life of The Patch.
Why are you making it?
Because after eight years, I want to stop for a moment and look more closely at what this place has become.
I want to understand more about what happens when children are given space, freedom, permission and experienced facilitation in an outdoor shared environment — and what happens when they are trusted to gradually develop the skills and judgement to work with real tools, real fire and real responsibility.
Most importantly, I want us to listen to the children themselves — to celebrate what The Patch already is, challenge ourselves about what it could become, and learn something that we can carry forward for the children who come next.
