Morgan and I had been home from Australia for exactly two weeks. Life had quickly returned to normal. I often found myself daydreaming about the warmth and wondering what it would be like if the UK were always sunny. If the weather were better, I’m sure people would spend much more time outdoors.
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| We took this photo in Swan Hill, VIC, where the temperature soared to a scorching 40°C during our Pop-Up Adventure Playground event. The kids didn’t mind, but the adults sought shelter in the only shade we had. |
It surprised me to learn that, in a country with such great weather, getting children outside could still be a challenge. I couldn’t imagine living in such a beautiful place like Australia and not wanting to explore the outdoors, even with the constant threat of mosquitoes. Yet, as we have seen in many countries, encouraging children to play outside has become increasingly difficult. Safety concerns, legislation, and the convenience of screen time often win out over child-directed play.
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| At one of our workshops, a participant spent some time playing inside a large box. Shortly after we took her photo, she managed to get herself stuck, and we had to help her out! |
Connecting with Australia’s play advocates
I often think about the incredible people we met in our Australia play adventure. There was so much enthusiasm for play, embraced at every level. People found creative ways to reintroduce the importance of child-directed play into everyday life. We were invited into communities, where we shared our message of play. It was humbling to see how people were working to overcome the barriers that hinder play and to keep play alive.
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| We also had the chance to visit a school where they gave us complete freedom in how we used the trees. The children loved it. |
Morgan and I are incredibly thankful for the opportunity to visit Australia. We’ve reflected on how our small organisation, which started with just one event, now reaches 14 countries through training and event support. Each week, we connect with over 10,000 people on social media. We never imagined that a local project would grow into something that took us across the globe. We’re truly grateful for all the support we’ve received over the last four years.
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| This picture was taken during our Pop-Up event at The Venny Adventure Playground. |
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| With tutors from three different countries, an opportunity for a photo like that may not come again for a long time. |
Gratitude for Team Malarkey’s support
Our adventure would not have been possible without the support of Team Malarkey. They welcomed us into their headquarters, ensuring we were well-fed and looked after throughout the trip. They also handled the logistics, making the journey much easier for us. We are deeply grateful for the time they spent with us, accompanying us on this adventure. Special thanks go to Justine and Donna—two wonderful women with an immense passion for play.
| Here you can see Donna and Justine, along with Marc Armitage, celebrating the first birthday of Malarkey. Hoorah! |
Finally, we had some exciting news—we were returning for another Australia play adventure in October! We couldn’t wait to visit this amazing country again and hope that the message of play and loose parts will be as warmly received as it was during our last visit. We had such a wonderful time and were already looking forward to the trip in October.
To follow Pop-Up Zan’s adventures, please visit her personal blog. For more on our next Australian tour, please go to the Malarkey website. Also, for more on Pop-Up Adventure Play, please go to our facebook page, or explore our website further.
By Zan
