Bamboo

Easily obtained from local garden centres or online, this versatile resource is a must have. It is visually beautiful and resilient, and available in a variety of thicknesses and lengths, making it a useful resource for creating spaces and structures. It is easy to drill holes in, to enable secure fastening with rope or cable ties. The longer, thicker poles can quickly form the basis of many different structures, for example tepees, shacks, beach huts or temples. 
Build  large  structures  by  first  securing  bamboo  poles  to  firm attachment points  on  the  walls  or  ceiling.   Vertical  poles  can  often  be  hung  from the  ceiling  so  they  just  touch  the  floor,  and  then  secured  at  the  base   with  sandbags  or  stones  to  prevent  swinging.  Attach  bamboo  screens (available  from  garden  centres)  to  pole  structures  to  create  an enclosed  space. 
Tie  additional  poles  onto  the  basic  framework  to build  simple  dwellings that  can  create  the  feeling  of  a  large  space  or  give  focus  to  a  particular  area.

Tie  large  sheaves  of  leafy  bamboo  around  the  space  to  form  beautiful  forest  areas.  Shine  lights  or  torches  up   through  the  leaves  to  make  gigantic  moving  shadows  on  the  ceiling  and  walls.  Alternatively,  attach  leaves,  real  or  constructed,  to  vertical  poles  to  create  trees.
 
Initiate movement and fun through hiding and revealing games behind bamboo clumps.
Play with the rustling leaves to create an additional aural texture to the setting. 

Build  structures  that  encourage  participation  around  a  secure  vertical  pole,  such  as  a  cider  or  wine  press. 
Decorate  bamboo poles  i.e.  with  ribbons,  streamers,  bunting, to create alternative spaces - on board ship, at the fair for example
Build percussion racks, useful for gongs and bottle xylophones.
Tap and scrape bamboo with sticks and beaters to encourage rhythm making, play and movement

Source  bamboo  instruments  from  around  the  world  such as  xylophones, anklung,  rainsticks, gopichand  and  slapsticks, as  they  provide  unique  musical  qualities  for  participants  to  experience.
Bamboo has unique sound and textural qualities and is used around the world in the making of many intriguing instruments, which can also complement and reinforce different themes.

Alternative uses for bamboo... turn into torches with fairy lights and red cellophane, or a simple bamboo lamp

Bamboo pdf


Associated Workshops 

Bamboo
Cabin
Tiger
Search