Museum & College make learning fun!
The National Waterways Museum, at Ellesmere Port (formerly the Boat Museum) hosted a fun family learning day with storytelling, puppet making and painting to show how learning can be fun.
At the crafts sessions, the younger visitors made their own puppets then put them to use while they listened to the tales of the Fussy Queen and Jasper the Cat. Older visitors tried out ‘rag rugging’ and canal folk art painting. The Healthy Living Centre was on hand to pass on great ideas for ‘one pot’ meals and showed how to make fruit kebabs and flapjacks. For those visitors who were looking for something more relaxing, there were demonstrations of Indian head massage. The day was part of the museum’s unique informal learning partnership with West Cheshire College which aims to encourage adults to try new learning experiences, develop new skills and meet new people in an informal, relaxed environment. Sharon Tinn from the Informal Learning Project said: “So many people are turned off by the idea of learning and the traditional classroom environment doesn’t work for everyone. Through these great family events we are showing that learning isn’t all about sitting at a desk; learning is hands on, learning is fun and learning is for everyone.” John Inch, museum Manager said: “We are delighted to have set up this unique relationship with West Cheshire College. The National Waterways Museum is a fantastic resource which can, should and is being used by people from across the community to discover enjoyable and inspiring learning opportunities.” The National Waterways Museum, at Ellesmere Port, is home to the national collection of historic working boats, some of which visitors can board to explore and find out how the working boat people used to live. The Museum also has a trip boat, hands-on exhibits, films, touch-screen displays, stables, a blacksmith, docks, pump houses, workers cottages and gardens, an archive, a soft play area, Museum shop and cafe. For more information call 0151 355 5017 or visit www.nwm.org.uk The Informal Learning Project is supported by the Department for Business, Innovation & Skills Transformation Fund.
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