Encouraging exploration and play in underused public spaces.
"Creating a space where people are encouraged to go outside of their dense living spaces, enjoy nature, be active and have activities for children is really important. We invite you to become Playful Explorers and hope our simple toolkit will help you to create a fun and inclusive opportunity for people in your community!" - Kim Weger and Clara J. Reich
Allowing for 12 stops per trail we estimate you will need a few hours to create the quiz and crossword to accompany each stop, an hour or two to set up the trail and then some time to tell everyone about it. Keeping the trail information up to date with quiz questions and of course prizes will take an hour each week but you can ask team members to take turns and we suggest stocking up on prizes at the beginning so you always have some on hand!
Choose a public space for the activity trail
Ideally, the space should be barrier-free so families with strollers and people with special needs can be included. It’s a plus if the space is a green space and or a space people are not so familiar with or has recently been opened up to the public. This is a possibility to engage people in discovering the hidden gems in their neighbourhood. Think about a possible route and how different stops can be spread out over the route that encourage users to notice previously overlooked parts of their community.
Think about whom you would like to engage?
Who is your target group? Maybe you would like to engage people in different age groups? Crossword puzzles will engage adult users, whereas simple activities (“The next sign is 10 meters away. An artic hare can hop over 2 meters in a single jump, so will take 5 hops to get to the next sign. How many hops does it take you?”) will engage children as well.
Plan your Trail
How many stops you would like?
We recommend 12 stops but of course, this is entirely up to you!
The Quiz/Crossword
Think of a crossword you would like to get then draft your quizzes. Your quiz questions can be easy or hard depending on whom you are writing them for. Maybe you want to have several quizzes at each station for different age groups or even create different activity trail routes? You could indicate them in different colours.
Print or write the questions on paper and laminate them or put them in plastic foil and close them to make them weatherproof. Included signs:
a. A map of the activity route at the beginning of the route (there can be more than one entry point, but then you will need to have the questions match up for the crossword puzzle).
b. A description of how to do the activity trail at the beginning of the route.
c. A Covid-19 sign explaining that signs should not be touched, and that users should write answers in their own electronic device or on their own paper.
d. Include a picture of the crossword on each sign with each question, as well as the directions for where to go next. Make sure it’s easy to read the questions. You can also include a ‘hint.’ We put one letter from the crossword on each question (for example a hint from the answer to question #2 on the sign for question #3).
Hang up the quizzes in the planned stops of your neighbourhood trail.
Prizes for the participants?
Local shops often set prizes aside for activities that support the local community. If you have a prize raffle include a way to contact you and the date you will have the raffle. Don’t want to have prizes? Maybe it’s a good idea to include a sheet with answers to the questions at the end of the route.
Invite your local community to participate in the activity trail. You can use different channels such as social media or the local newspaper. Don’t forget to share for whom this activity is. Mention where the route is and remind people to take a pen and paper or their phones to note down the quiz answers.
7.
Have fun
Enjoy the day exploring and engaging with your community. If you have a prize raffle: collect all the answers do a little lottery and send the prizes to the winners. Maybe invite them to create the next set of quizes and a new trail?
Don’t forget to take down the quizzes after a while so they won’t fall and litter the place.
