PRACTICE EXAMPLE:
This video example shows Music Moves delivery with 2-yr-olds. This was Youth Music-funded project work in a Family Hub in North Tyneside in the 2-yr-provision. There are two early years practitioners and an artist (Kate).
The 1:1 interaction in this video shows what type of attuned movement play is possible with a non-speaking child, given the right environment and support.
This type of 1:1 work is rare in busy early years settings, due to constraints on time, space, and capacity.
This particular setting has just been Ofsted Outstanding, and you can see the quality of care and attention from the practitioners here.
Cocoon is uniquely different to our settings based work, because it is for individual families to access one-at-a-time, centred on the 2-yr-old in that family. It is hard and at times impossible for a 2-yr-old to share, so we are not going to ask them to.
Cocoon is inspired by the practice in this video.
It exists to make meaningful play connections with individual families. You will see there are no parents in this video. We believe that the home environment is the most important as are the relationships children have with those they live with. For this reason, we need to work with individual families in an independent setting with no agenda.
Cocoon looks, sound and feels different to this video. It is being transformed right now, and we have families we know testing it for us.
Cocoon is based in an old Barclays bank in North Shields, which is being converted into a magical music playspace for individual families to enjoy.
Picture this: step out of the shopping centre into our sanctuary away from the strains of everyday life and cost-of-living crisis. Our beautiful space contains: musician; movement practitioner; curated safe places to move freely; beautiful and high quality instruments (no headaches here); projections; lycra; voiles; shadow play; hammocks; rest cocoons; playful encounters; deep connection; celebration of you and your child.
why fund us?
Our work has strong community backing.
We have just completed a successful crowdfunded and raised over £10,000.
We got 100 backers.
See our campaign total here
We’re so excited to announce that we’re one of 11 recipients of @youthmusic’s Energiser Fund. The first-of-its-kind early years fund will enable us to offer Cocoon sessions to families in North Shields over three years. Let’s switch up the perception and practice of Early Years creativity nationwide.
This was a highly competitive fund, with almost 100 applications.
We can’t wait to get started! Big thanks to @ace_national for making this fund possible. https://youthmusic.org.uk/ announcing-11-recipients- energiser-fund
We specialise in working with 2-yr-olds and families, and have twenty years’ experience. We are currently piloting our new single family offer in North Shields. We are converting an empty Barclays bank unit into a magical musical playspace. Please support this much needed, innovative, creative work. Read more here.
Maines-Beasley Creative Ltd offers joyful music and movement opportunities for 2-4 year olds and their carers, meeting children’s human need to move, sing, dance and make music.
We are committed to partnership working, and to reflective practice and sharing learning across disciplines and sectors.
Our settings-based work has engaged early years practitioners as equal partners in reflection and provides opportunities for practitioners to share their learning with others.
We have a regional and national presence and were commissioned by Culture Bridge North East to develop and convene ‘Let’s Play’, the North East’s Early Years Creative Network, providing a series of online learning and networking events.
Our focus is on children and families in North Tyneside, particularly
North Shields, where families face multiple challenges.
We were recently consulted by
Youth Music to share our underlying approach and working practices to support their development of the emerging Energiser Fund for creative work with 2-4 yr-olds.
Core Values for Practice
These guide all of our creative work with children and families
Core Values For Partnership Working
These are at the heart of all of our interactions with adults when sharing and advocating for children's rights to play, sing, make music, dance, and play instruments