Activity: Kitchen Spell (Free materials)
Artist Mélanie Matranga’s work explores shared space and time in domestic spaces. This activity focuses on developing conversation and shared experiences between families. Collect objects and share your thoughts to make your own kitchen spell and cast your wishes.
Go on, gather the family, and put the kettle on.
We have a Free materials pack to support this activity that includes, instructions, a tea bag (or two), a couple of biscuits (we do have vegan and diary free options), a large empty DIY tea bag, two card coasters, a pen and string.
Make this a super special, quality time for one another. The focus of this activity is to give time to talk and listen to one another over a cuppa. Find somewhere comfortable where you can chat and not get disturbed. Open your pack, watch the video, and follow the instructions below or click here.
This part is for the grown-ups. Start by putting the kettle on to make a cup of tea (remember to keep the used tea bag to add to your Kitchen Spell kit later), while the tea is brewing, play some music and sit together. You might want to find a few additional treats from home that you prefer.
Now it’s time for a little chat. Think about the place you call home and the time that you spend together as a family. Sit together with your drinks and snacks, and chat to each other. Let the conversation take its own course, see if you learn something new about each other.
You are now all set to make your Kitchen Spell. Seek and find four small ingredients from your kitchen that would quite easily fit inside the large empty tea bag. Then go around the house and garden to find four more small things that would also fit inside the empty tea bag. Try and pick objects that link to your conversation.
Arrange the objects on top the coaster, one coaster for the kitchen collection and one coaster for the other selection. Draw a simple outline and write/or draw the objects that you have picked. Number them next to the image write down where you found them on the back of the coasters.
If there are any words that link to your chat, you can also write them down too. Once you are done, put your name, the time and date on the coaster. This will mark the good time you spent together when you look at it again in the future. They are also safely stored in your memory, so don’t worry if you can’t draw or write properly.
Put all the little objects inside the empty tea bag provided and seal it. Tie the tea bag to the string, make knots on the string to position coaster 1 and then make another knot for coaster 2.
Grab your (dried) used tea bags and tie them onto the string too and hang it where the air flows.
Now the most important part… Make a wish! We hope all your wishes come true, do please tell us when it happens!
If you would like a free materials pack, email ljacques@nottinghamcontemporary.org to reserve and collect from reception or we can pop one in the post for you.
Do share your wishes on our social media #NCmaking
Tips at home:
• Please ensure hot drinks are kept away from small children
• Please check ingredients of biscuits if you have any allergies
• A cool, dry place with airflow is ideal to hang your finished Kitchen Spell kit.
This activity was created by Play and Learn Facilitator, Milee Lee.
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