Newsletter 10

‘Playing with Heart around the Globe’

Malaysia Report 3

After our few days in Kuala Lumpur we all loaded into a minibus and started on the first stage of our journey to the Cameron Highlands, beloved of expats because of the more temperate climate, with its long-established tea plantations and boundless growth of huge strawberries (Strawberry Fields Forever, Beatles 1967, based on the name of the Salvation Army garden where John Lennon played as a child).

However there are also strawberry fields in the Cameron Highlands: the music is played in the shops and there is a lot of strawberry memorabilia, such as cushions, cuddly toys and throws!

We stayed in the Cameron Highlands for a couple of nights before moving on to the village where Jonnie lives, who is our Orang Asli coordinator and manager. We have known him literally from birth, as I helped to deliver him! He is highly efficient and has a working knowledge of the area so we can achieve all our intentions of activities during our stay. These activities included weaving, raft-building, singing, dancing, cooking, as well as jungle treks.

Please watch this video made by Andy Hickson to give a flavour of our trip - and thanks to Andy for all his organisational work, workshops, driving, translation, as well as photography!

There are some webinars coming up, including the Roots series, where you can see and hear about life in the rainforest – they are free for paid subscribers. See ‘Bits & Pieces’ later.

Also announcing our first Consultation for paid members: Friday 31 May, 8.00-9.00am, OR Wednesday 5 June 6.00-7.30pm, There is no charge and it will be wonderful opportunity and forum to exchange ideas and discuss current matters of importance. Please let us know if you are attending by emailing admin@ndpltd.org

With love,
Dr Sue
May 2024

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Main Article: NDP and forms of Play

We have discussed the basics of NDP in previous Newsletters, namely: Water Play, Rhythmic Play, Messy Play and Dramatic Play. Although water play probably starts it all off, these contrasting play-forms start and interact with each other, rather than following a developmental pathway.

“Rhythmic play usually gives safety and security, and messy play is the adventure for the curious!” (Jennings, 2024)

There in the background is the steady heartbeat, slowing down at night, speeding up again. Alerting us to danger when it beats really fast, calming us down when it slows to gentle rhythm, influenced by our breathing. One reason that bubble blowing can be helpful during any fear episodes, is that you need a deep, slow breath to make the bubbles happen.

‘From Rhythmic Play into Dramatic Play’

So we are calm with our heartbeats, we are rocked in arms or cradles, and spontaneously a song starts such as:   

‘Row, row, row the boat,
Gently down the stream,
Merrily, merrily, merrily, merrily,
Life is but a dream’.

Let’s just ponder those words for a moment; they are awesome! Rowing movement for the first line, then emphasising it is gentle on this stream (water play again!), the third line is in a happy mood, and the fourth line - what a statement! Our lives can be dream-lives, it says so, in the song. So before we move on to additional verses that bring in screaming and fears, let’s just stay with the fact that our lives can be dream-like!

More on my adventures and dreams next time!

With love,
Dr Sue

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Bits and Pieces

Book here

• Our newest Live NDP Short Course webinar - Messy Play for All - is fast approaching so book your places now for just £25 (plus Eventbrite’s booking fee) OR if you’re one of my wonderful paying subscribers (members of ‘The Nest’) then you can attend for free - just email us.

Book here

• The final in my series of ‘Roots’ webinars takes place on Wednesday 12 June and 12pm. Please see here to book. Again, members of The Nest can attend for free. Just email us.

• ANNOUNCING our Self-Guided NDP Diploma is ready! You may have already applied; in which case you will hear from us shortly. Otherwise, please visit our website page here for more information and to find the enrolment form.

• Applications are now open for the autumn intake of the ‘live’ NDP Diploma. For more details, course dates and the application form please visit our website page here.

• I have places left for my online Supervision Groups, monthly September-December:

  • Tuesdays 6.30-8.00pm - 2 places available:

  17 September, 15 October, 12 November, 10 December

  • Wednesday 6.00-7.30pm - 1 place available:
    18 September, 16 October, 13 November, 11 December

  £25 per session; £100 payable in advance.

  Contact admin@ndpltd.org to book in.

It is still the month of May – enjoy the flowers and songs while we can!

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And finally, our bed-time story. This time it is about life at a rural school after WW2…

Miss Penny-Weather’s Country School - The Story of Jimmy Swift, the Boy from Somerset

This is a story of courage, determination and kindness.

It was Monday morning and time for school to start! Miss Penny-Weather rang the school bell and twenty children walked or skipped towards the door, the teacher counting them  as they went in. She was about to close the door when another child came running in, breathless and hot. As she realised she did not know who he was, he had slipped in through the door to join the other children.

The class were sitting in a semi-circle and the new boy slipped in the room and found a free chair. Miss Penny-Weather welcomed the class, as she always did, and then turned to the boy, smiled, and said, ‘So you are a new boy? What is your name?’

‘Jimmy,’ said the boy confidently.  ‘Jimmy what?’ asked the teacher. ‘Umm.  Jimmy Swift,’ he said suddenly, after a thought.

‘Jimmy Swift, welcome to our school; now all the class will sing our welcome song for new children.’ And spontaneously the class stood up and sang their ‘Welcome, Jimmy Swift’ song.

Then everyone sat down and took their school books out of their bags, and Miss Penny-Weather immediately realised that Jimmy did not have a bag or any books. She went to the school cupboard and found a book for writing and drawing, and a brightly coloured reading book. She gave them to Jimmy with a pencil and some crayons.

To start with, the class were learning their letters and the teacher wrote the letters on the board with chalk, and the children copied them into their book. Then they could colour them and draw any picture beginning with the letter B.  Jimmy drew a narrowboat which Miss Penny-Weather said was very good and showed it to the rest of the class.

Just then everyone could hear a dog whining outside the school. It must be in the playground. Then they heard a scratching sound on the front door and more whining.  Miss Penny-Weather was just wondering what to do, when Jimmy jumped up and dashed for the door, saying, ‘I must be off! I will come again!’ He disappeared out of the door and there was his beloved dog waiting for him. They both fled out of the school gate and headed for the path, leading to the little wood. By the time Miss Penny-Weather reached the gate, there was no-one to be seen.

Reflections and activities:

1. Imagine you are going into school: some of you walk, some skip and some run very quickly.  Try all the different ways of moving.

2. Draw a picture of a canal barge.

3. Think about your own name for the barge and write it on your picture. Remember all boats and barges have different names.

4. Why do you think Jimmy ran out of school? Where do you think he lives?

5. Write your name in large letter and then colour everything in your favourite colours.

Miss Penny-Weather’s Country School story is based on events that the author experienced or that she heard about as a child in post-war Britain. It creates the atmosphere of the rural school and is a useful addition to lessons about social history. It will be published as a book later this year.