You might have spotted my post from earlier in the week when we were invited to the Little Tiger Picture Book Celebration. The event was held in Rotherham at a fantastically quirky place called Grimm & Co.
Grimm & Co is a difficult place to describe. On the surface, it’s a quirky shop full of magic and intrigue; full of potions and wonder. From the moment we were greeted at the door and asked if we would like to see how magical we are, to browsing the many many fascinating items to buy from magical bath potions, notebooks for dreams and phoenix feather writing implements.
We had much fun walking around, the children were open-mouthed as they darted from item to item and utter joy as they spotted the library of lost books – a nook up in the corner where there is a range of book free for anyone to re-home. Daniel quickly spotted a Roald Dahl he didn’t have, and Emma and Harry spotted a Kipper book and a space book to take home.
But, dig a little deeper into Grimm & Co and it is TRULY magical. Grimm & Co are a charity who work with children through the power of stories. They offer creative writing activities for young children in a truly magical setting. There’s a secret door hidden in the apothecary (shop) and it leads to the most wonderful place. There’s the imagination gym, the ‘writer’s closet’ and the Writers’ Pad – spaces that are sure to inspire.
They seek to champion the writer in each child – in turn, building confidence and skills. I’m keen to encourage creativity in my own children, and creative writing is something I plan to look at from the autumn, particularly with Daniel who has a really keen way with words; in part to his vociferous reading.
These workshops are offered free in a range of out of school clubs, and it’s something I plan to look at Daniel attending next spring when he’s old enough to join in (the age range if from 7).
Whilst we were at Grimm & Co. the children took a trip down the giant beanstalk, and Damian and I treated ourselves to a pinch of happiness (and I wish I’d treated myself to a journal whilst I was there too!)
What Grimm & Co does is to create a haven of magic and intrigue – if you have children you really *must* take a trip there – it’s incredibly refreshing to be somewhere that relies on simple good fun and magic and mystery – the stuff that you find in books that you lose yourself in from hours and the sort of thing that transports you to a whole other world. The staff are fantastic – and are so invested in the whole ‘story’ around the apothecary. You can’t help but be swept along in the mystery and magic of it all.
