PLAY OUTSIDE: Games to Play with wild plants, seeds and stones!
Compiled by Martha Orbach
Following her time as a visiting artist at CAMPLE LINE in 2023, Martha Orbach has compiled 14 different games that can be played outdoors. The activities all use natural materials such as wild plants, flowers, seeds, sticks and stones. No other materials are required.
These games can be played solo or with friends or family, in the garden or on a walk.
The activities are compiled in a handy, pocket-sized pamphlet. Printed copies can be purchased when you visit CAMPLE LINE (£3) or on our website via the button below for £3 + £1 p&p (UK only).
If you live outside the UK and would like to order a copy, please be in touch: info@campleline.org.uk
The activity pack can also be downloaded for free as a PDF by clicking on the adjacent image.
ABOUT THE ARTIST
Martha Orbach is a visual artist based in Glasgow. She makes work about our relationship with our environment, migration, how we speak about the unspeakable, or make a home in the aftermath. She often works with drawing, printmaking, and moving image, combining analogue and digital processes, text and image, fact and fiction.
A collaborative character, she’s worked with musicians, communities, and scientists, including at Bethlem Royal Hospital, TATE, and Freedom from Torture. She studied at the University of East Anglia, London College of Communication and Camberwell College of Art.
She’s one half of lanscape based printmaking collaboration Printwalks > and has studied with the RHS and at Great Dixter, co-run Culpeper Community Garden and the gardening programmes for Room to Heal. She was funded by the Merlin Trust to visit Japan and the U.S to learn about urban gardens and wellbeing.
Martha was visiting artist at CAMPLE LINE in 2023, and worked with local and seasonal materials to lead workshops in experimental basketry and screen-printing.
ABOUT THE ACTIVITIES
This pack contains 14 different outdoor games that children can play solo or with friends. Martha was inspired by memories of her own childhood spent outside in rural west Wales, making up games with many different species.
Additional thanks to Christiana Bissett for the rush arrows game, Caroline Dear for her take on leaf boats, and to Mrs Wilson and pupils from Closeburn Primary.
These activities are a great opportunity to learn about the identity of different plants. Some are more well-known and easier to identify than others, but if you are unfamiliar with anything then take time to check what it is before picking.
Always wash your hands thoroughly after handling any plant material.