Project year: 2018

Project partners: Surrey Arts

Singing Picnics give primary school children in Surrey a new opportunity to perform songs to each other, play singing games and enjoy a picnic lunch at parks across the county. With an emphasis on enjoyment the Singing Picnics are a great way for schools to participate in music-making in inspirational surroundings such as Kempton Park, Runnymede Pleasure Grounds, Woking Park, Lingfield Park Racecourse or Bury’s Field.

What happens at a Singing Picnic?

Schools bring around 30 children each, often one year group at KS2 level. Teachers prepare one or two simple songs to share at the Picnic. On arrival, each school is allocated a picnic spot and is visited by a professional vocal tutor who leads the children in singing games until all schools have arrived and settled.

All schools are then gathered into a big circle on the grass, and some group warm-up games are sung. Each school sings their prepared song for the others, after which the professional tutors lead the entire group in a call-and-response song with the assistance of the young singing leaders. The schools’ children then have their picnic lunches and play more singing games.

Legacy of Singing Picnics

The training of future singing leaders forms an integral part of the project, with opportunities for young leaders from secondary schools to help lead at the events, CPD workshops, and places for 2 trainee tutors allocated to each event throughout the project. In this way the project also supports the creation and maintenance of a county-wide singing network.

For further information on this project please contact Surrey Arts.