In the age of social distancing, finding a whole-class resource that’s easy to use, inclusive and safe is a tricky balance. Check out our 8 creative ways for how to use now>press>play to help children keep their distance, have fun and be creative.
“We're using now>press>play almost daily in school as it does allow social distancing - children just stay in their own space. Our children at home are also enjoying using it.”
1. Keep it Clean
- Make sure that teachers and children wash their hands before using the headphones.
- Sanitise your headsets after every use with antiseptic wipes or alcohol spray.
Some of our schools are:
- Using an additional bag or box to put used headsets in before cleaning them, while keeping all unused headphones in the box, to be used immediately.
- Letting the children keep their headsets in their trays or on their desks for the days or week that the class is using them!
2. Take it outside
If you have the space and the weather’s nice, charge the transmitter and take now>press>play outside. Segment the areas for each bubble by adding markers. The transmitter has a range of 300m so if you’re lucky enough to have the space you can go long!
3. Different Classrooms
The transmitter is a powerful unit that will usually travel through a single wall (depending on thickness and material). You could have children in adjoining classrooms participating in the same Experience as you. Check the sound quality is good enough through the wall/ across the hallway before you get started.
4. Microphone
Attach a microphone to the transmitter and you will be able to speak through the #pinkheadphones! It’s a lot of fun and will have everyone paying attention. If your groups are spread across different rooms you will be able to deliver the same lesson to them.
Don’t have a mic in school? Get in touch to add one to your subscription.
5. Small Groups
now>press>play can be used with a small group in a designated area and to deliver learning that is playful and light. It can help aid friendships, and develop listening, empathy and discussion skills.
6. Make it fun
Many children may not have had much contact with peers during lockdown so learning how to “play” while social distancing could be a big part of back to school in those first few weeks. Our Experiences are ready made lessons that are fun, active and memorable.
7. Travel without leaving the school
School trips are sadly not viable at the moment. But this doesn’t mean that you can’t travel through the power of the imagination… escape on a mission to Mars, swing through the rainforest and even time travel to the Stone Age and hunt a wooly mammoth!
8. Create a playful environment that leads to meaningful discussions
All of our Experiences have a strong PSHE element and the “real life” experiences that the children have often lead to rich discussions. The end of an Experience is a perfect moment to take your time to talk about how it made them feel and see what other emotions may have come up. There are PSHE questions in each Experience Guide.
9. Other audio sources
Connect your transmitter to other audio sources. Be mindful of everyone’s mood and if necessary play music through the headsets so children can opt in or out as they wish. You could also listen to a guided meditation, an audiobook, BBC School Radio, or listen to soundscapes or sound stimulus as a way to promote discussion or inspire literacy. For example:
- How do you feel when you listen to…
- How does the music make you want to move…
“Accessing a familiar tool such as now>press>play will help reassure pupils that they are at school just in a different way.”
Please share with us what you’re doing in school or at home — we love to comment and like the children’s hard work.
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