Welcome to the Percussion Play Blog
We hope you'll be a regular visitor as we share stories about the instruments we make and the people who play them.
This is where we share our passion for music in the great outdoors! We'll share with you details of exciting new outdoor music projects and designs from around the globe. We'll share with you information about the instruments we sell and a little about the inspiration behind them
Most importantly, this blog is about what we love to do the most - help you create new and exciting ways to bring music to the great outdoors.
Thank you for reading, visiting, commenting and contributing - we’re excited to have you here!
Play an Instrument, Relieve Stress - National Stress Awareness Day
Today is National Stress Awareness Day. Created by mental health charity 'Mind', the national day aims to raise awareness of stress and is "a great opportunity to take a moment to think about our wellbeing". What better way for us at Percussion Play to mark the day than to remind us all of the tons of mindful health benefits that playing musical instruments and particularly outdoor musical instruments can provide.
Here are our Top 10 Reasons Playing A Musical Instrument Could Help Relieve Stress
- Mindfulness. Playing music helps you practice mindfulness. Mindfulness is the state of being fully aware of the current moment, without being distracted by past events or future worries. Meditation is a common way to exercise mindfulness, but improvising...
Outdoor Classroom Day
Outdoor Classroom Day is a global campaign to celebrate and inspire outdoor learning and play. On this day, thousands of schools around the world take lessons outdoors and prioritise playtime. The movement for outdoor learning is the brainchild of environmental educator Anna Portch, who started the project in 2012 as Empty Classroom Day. Originally attracting the attention of just a handful of schools in London by 2017, over 2.3 million children worldwide took part in upwards of 100 countries and more than 580,000 of those were in the UK and Ireland and 200,000 in Australia.
Teachers and schools are encouraged to be creative in using the day not only to enhance pupils’ learning experience, but also to foster a connection to nature in an era when young people are spending more and more of their time indoors. A survey carried out by the day’s organisers found that 65% of primary schools globally give pupils...
In Harmony With Autism
Percussion Play is delighted to have contributed to the Autumn edition of AuKids Magazine with the article 'How Musical Instruments Help Kids on the Spectrum'. The article explores the health benefits of playing musical instruments and particularly outdoor musical instruments including; improved self-confidence, increased attention span, reduced feelings of fear and anxiety, better communication skills, motor skill and coordination development and encouraging socialisation.
AuKids magazine is a positive quarterly print parenting magazine full of advice, ideas, stories and support for parents of children with autism spectrum conditions.
For a child living with autism, music may well be the most effective, as well as one of the most accessible, forms of therapy available to them today. Music never fails to engage us all and even hard-to-reach children seem able to connect with and respond to music on some...
International Day of the Girl 2018
Percussion Play Outdoor musical instruments are for everyone, everywhere. However, today on International Day of the Girl we are sharing some of our favourite images of girls and ladies making Music in the Great Outdoors.
Rhythm and the expression of it through dancing, drumming and fire tending brings communities together and helps them grow. This experience binds the circle in a spirit of friendship that crosses all lines of race, age, gender and faith. Lance A Brown
Percussion Play to exhibit at TES SEN Show
We are delighted to announce that Percussion Play will be exhibiting in London at the forthcoming TES SEN Show 5th-6th October 2018.
Held at the Business Design Centre, the TES SEN Show is the largest, most-established special educational needs show in the UK. The show brings the sector together for two days of inspiration, advice and networking for school leaders, teachers, support staff, parents and carers. Visitors attending the show can purchase resources, find new ideas, network and learn about all the latest developments in the special educational needs sector.
Percussion Play and SEN
Making music together can build a harmonious cooperative spirit of support and encouragement for everyone. Children who experience severe obstacles in forming relationships with other children, adults and their environment can achieve security and joy in making music outdoors in an inclusive playground.
Many Percussion Play instruments are ‘pentatonic’ which means that...
Percussion Play Attends NRPA 2018 Conference in Indianapolis
Percussion Play is once again exhibiting at the NRPA (National Recreational & Park Association) Annual Conference this year being held in Indianapolis, Indiana.
"We look forward to networking with park and recreation professionals at every level” comments Jody Ashfield, Managing Director at Percussion Play.
“Our outdoor musical instruments are perfect for parks, trails and recreation areas. Every year we try to bring along something new and innovative to show the NRPA attendees - this year we are particularly excited to demonstrate our fully mechanical Grand Floor Piano and invite you all to come and try it for yourselves! Fully inclusive, accessible and multi-generational, our floor pianos are engineered to suit all outdoor environments".
We’re eager to have lots of fantastic conversations with great people who are interested in all things park, recreation and music related. So, if you’re...