Polar Fun Days

Polar Fun Days - a community engagement event

The Polar Fun Days are designed to engage children and families in a series of unusual and entertaining activities to further educate about the Polar Regions, and to re-ignite enthusiasm and admiration for Captain Scott. From playing, painting and delving in gloop to measuring, designing and ice dipping, the Polar Fun Days are a way of having a tremendous day out, whilst learning within the framework of the National Curriculum.

The Polar Fun Days are aimed at children, but please do bring along your parents! We will be offering fun activities for all to get involved in, and you can even race your family to the South Pole on our special ski-machine! We will be hosting workshops for both primary and secondary aged children, and they will be tailored to the audience covering the following areas:

- Science -Our scientific workshops involve making glaciers out of gloop; wearing “blubber gloves” to demonstrate the insulation of Antarctic animals; learning about Antarctic ecosystems - "who eats who" in the Oceans...you will become a certain animal and hope that you're not at the bottom of the food chain! And then we will look at the effects of climate change...

- Literacy - Stiltskin Theatre & Arts company will be using theatrical devices to convey the stories of Scott and his expeditions, based on his diaries and biographies.

- Numeracy - Participants will develop their own route to the South Pole and measure the distance. They will also be working out lengths of expeditions depending on the speed at which they travel.

- Art - Art inspired by Antarctica in a variety of media, including making your own Penguin Mask

- History - The story of Captain Scott and its place in the history of exploration, our local area and its impact on the twentieth century

- Design - Comparison of the clothing and equipment of expeditions

- ICT- Follow ISCE 2012 on Education Through Expeditions

-Geography -Mapping the expedition, understanding the geological ice structures of our planet and understanding the Antarctic climate

The Polar Fun Days may also include musical activities and talks and presentations from Antony Jinman, who after last year’s successful trip to the Geographic North Pole, has countless stories and tales to tell of the modern day polar adventures . His wealth of experience has been told in over 150 schools already, educating them about the Polar regions and their importance... the Day will also include fun competitions.

And don't worry...it's not like lessons. All the activities will be hands on and interactive. Whether you like history, science, art, exploration or geography, you will soon learn that the Polar Regions can be loved by everyone.

Where possible, we will be giving trainee teachers experience outside of the classroom by asking them help us run the days events, making them think more about how to engage children in the classroom. Where possible, we also work with local arts and theatre groups - in Plymouth with Stiltskin - to create Scott focused plays and games with the children

Captain Scott was born in Plymouth and so the Polar Fun Days were recently launched at the Devonport Guildhall, where Scott’s father himself worked.

To arrange to have a Polar Fun Day in a school or Town near to you, please phone Laura Hobbs on 01752 588346, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Please note: all under 18s must be supervised by an adult over the age of 25 at all times.

The Polar Fun Days have been developed in association with Education Through Expeditions and are endorsed by the Children's University. We have also received assistance from Plymouth City Council [Services for Children and Young People (Lifelong Learning)], the Stilskin Theatre Company; the Bernard Sunley Foundation and the Ernest Cook Trust.