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1. Innovation takes centre stage at Education Show 2010 | Resource | theguardian.com
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Resource
Innovation takes centre stage at
Education Show 2010
This year's show promises a wealth of cutting-edge products
designed to improve and expand learning possibilities. Don't
miss out
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Diane Hofkins
theguardian.com
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Playforce magic: pupils with their instruments at Avonmore primary, London.
Photograph: Mimi Mollica
A mix of dazzling colours, textures and sounds makes the Education
Show a giant bazaar for shoppers. And this year, they will be thinking
big. The national emphasis on the learning environment and creativity,
and government funding for play equipment, means there is money in
many school budgets to spend on innovative products.
http://www.theguardian.com/resource/innovation-on-display[25/11/2013 11:45:47]

2. Innovation takes centre stage at Education Show 2010 | Resource | theguardian.com
"Outdoor learning and play is a big area now," says Ray Barker, director
of the British Educational Suppliers Association. "It fits in with Every Child
Matters. There is lots of big play equipment – big animals kids can climb
on, huge musical instruments that stay outside."
Play equipment specialist Playforce has developed seven big outdoor
instruments, including bells, bongos and bat pipes. The instruments give
children experience of sounds from around the world. This links to the
curriculum and provides experience of different elements of music, such
as tempo, pitch and timbre. Individual instruments cost £1,195, and
combinations of all seven, such as the Musical Trail, start at £7,995. As
with many companies exhibiting, there are special offers at the Education
Show.
Meanwhile, Handmade Places has wellcrafted "play sculptures",
including huge animals which children can climb, sit or balance on or
jump over. The dragonfly and the frog, among others, cost £1,075, while
the sea monster, in four sections, costs £4,425. This company, too,
offers big, organic-looking outdoor instruments.
There's innovation at the smaller end of outdoor play, too. The
lightweight Kiddiwash (£141) holds enough warm water for 10 thorough
washes of little hands at the touch of a fingertip tap.
Pupils of all ages can plant a mini-Eden Project or host a moon base in
toughened glass and aluminium geodesic domes from Solardome, sized
from 4.52m to 10m wide and priced between £20,000 and £60,000 per
project. Outdoor activities from Outdoor Innovation are designed help
develop personal skills and teamwork as children cooperate to build
structures and solve problems.
Innovative design is leading developments in indoor furniture, too, says
Barker. One example is the DLB chair, which stands for "don't lean
back". It's designed to prevent some of the 7,000 accidents a year
involving children going to hospital after toppling over because of leaning
back on chairs. Not only is the chair (£20) impossible to tip over, it is
98% recycled.
For smaller treats, head to Innovation Alley, where young companies are
showing new ideas. Asian-e software covers the whole curriculum using
Asian characters, and Letter Roads may tempt reluctant boy readers into
steering little cars over lettershaped roads.
And don't forget a range of competitions, including the chance to win an
iPod Touch from School-Reach or a school minibus from Berol.
Weblinks
Besa: besa.org.uk
Berol: berol.com
Outdoor Innovation: outdoorinnovation.co.uk
Playforce: playforce.co.uk
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http://www.theguardian.com/resource/innovation-on-display[25/11/2013 11:45:47]