Big Play at Tend

Creative play sessions for parents and children to connect, explore, and have fun together. Big Play is a welcoming space for families to connect through creativity, curiosity, and play. Join us for a 45-minute Open Play Session designed for parents and children to explore together. Each slot is for one family, so total freedom and space – only for you and your party! Big Play offers open-ended materials that don’t have a single “right” way to be used. Everyone is free to build, combine, imagine, and transform materials however they choose - doing nothing, slowing down, and exploring the present moment is all part of what Big Play is about. Big Play is inspired by research into matrescence - the profound and often overlooked transition into motherhood. It offers adults permission to create, experiment, and have fun, while staying connected with their children in a relaxed, supportive environment. These sessions are created in collaboration between visual artist Emma Zangs and textile artist Alice Bygraves, and hosted by Tend Collective. This day of Big Play is free for families to attend, thanks to funding from the National Lottery Awards for All through Tend Collective’s Playing For Change project. What to Expect • A safe, calm, and welcoming space for your family to play • 45 minutes of play materials in a space for just one family at a time- no expectations for what to do. • A space to connect and relax- no need to clean up, in fact, we encourage you to leave what you've made for the next family to discover! • Open-ended play that sparks imagination and curiosity • Time and space for adults to focus on their own creativity • Hands-on, playful activities suitable for children of all ages, including babies under 1 • A sense of connection, care, and community • A shared creative experience - what you make becomes part of the space, living on for other families to enjoy Big Play isn’t about outcomes or instructions - it’s about being together, following curiosity, and discovering what happens when families are given time, materials, and permission to play. Come as you are. Play together. Leave feeling connected. photo credit: Denisa Ilie