Three groups of children at Eastfield School produced body outline surveys. All three groups put parents, friends and adult in charge quite firmly out front as the most important factors governing involvement in after school activities. Two groups also thought that which building was used, toys and equipment, money and culture were also important. Least important were transport and perhaps surprisingly, the activities themselves.

There was a lot of information from this school. Some children like to spend time with family and friends, some just expressed the preference to mess about and hang around. The ideal space for some is not to have to share a bedroom. Their dreams are to have lots of money and win the Lottery, so that they can have servants, have a swimming pool, a castle, a dolphin pool. In terms of future careers/things they’d like to do, many expressed an interest in sports and careers with animals. Some mention making it in the media world.

The children were quite clearly influenced by the media and sporting heroes. “When I leave school I will feel free and I will go and try to be a footballer.” Some wanted to be David Beckham, Michael Owen or characters on Pop Stars when they grew up but otherwise a wide range of jobs were mentioned - nursery teacher, illustrator, hairdresser, university graduate, shopkeeper and dolphin trainer - a number of children mentioned babies. Some children were aware of University and College and expected that would be the next stage for them after school. Many of the children expressed a specific interest in music, mainly singing. A few expressed an interest in becoming artists/arts teachers. “When I grow up I would like to be a teacher with nice children that are nice and not naughty, nobody that swears.”

Lots of children said they felt happy when leaving school, but some felt sad at the thought of missing friends. Other children expressed how tired they were after school - one child said that it was 9 p.m. before they got home after school! Children enjoy interacting with animals (lots of mentions of dolphins), playing with friends, swimming and football. They like it when they’re given things, such as sweets and food and like it when they’re treated as adults. Interestingly, several say that they like it ‘when adults disappear,’ which could mean that they feel they need more space without adult intervention.

In their ideal town, mention is made of massive swimming pools (dreams of being rich again - lots of money = happiness?) rides, fairs, theme parks, lots of opportunities for communal activities and fun with other kids.

Worries revolve around fears of death, killing and the dark, fears of being alone and actually being left alone and of being unsafe: ‘if someone I know gets killed’
‘because I think my hamster is dead’
‘when my little brother crosses the road’
‘if my house gets on fire’
‘when my dad tells scary stories when he’s drunk’
‘scared of the dark’
‘when I’m at home on my own and my mum and dad don’t come back until late;’
‘because somebody might get taken away.’

When asked what they were going to do after school the children said things like: ‘Go to town with big brother.’ ‘Go to the pub and play with cousin and meet dad.’ ‘Swimming – after I would like to eat.’ ‘Go to play with friends – play knock and run.’ ‘Skateboard, BMX with Goth friends – like to wear lipstick, have long hair. Mess about, hang around.’ When asked where they could go without a grown-up the children replied - shops and playing indoor games with friends.

In their ideal towns the children were mindful of the need for essential services, fire, police and medical services. Some expressed the desire to have a school so that they could teach people. Someone suggested a pub with a swimming pool (for the kids) and a reversal of licensing laws that meant 8 year olds could drink beer and grown ups orange juice. Having a pub seemed an important choice for a number of children. The idea of a swimming pool was also extremely popular. (This was a finding mirrored with teenagers in the village from a previous consultation and may say something about the nature of access to South Charnwood Leisure Centre.) There was a lot of interest in outdoor swimming and the potential to have a beach from which children could swim.

A children’s bike club was also suggested. A library with more and better books and a daily art club. There was a lot of interest in outdoor sports facilities. School was mentioned only as something that ought not to be there! The children expressed most enjoyment from playing games and playing with their friends and peer group and relatives, as well as ‘shopping, going on holiday, swimming and kissing the girls’.

A number of children cited things to do with school, particular subjects or the general engagement and fun of school. Sport was also popular, particularly football but also golf and motorcross. T.V. was also cited by a number of children as was art/drawing, playing outside the house, computer games and playing music.

Children expressed their satisfaction when: ‘adults listen to you and stop lending any money’; ‘adults make me laugh and play with me’; ‘when adults disappear’ - said by a number of children; ‘adults let us do what we want’, ‘choose my own food’. They also like it when adults buy them things/give them presents, are helpful and when they get really mad! They like to play with other children who are fun to play with.

In their ideal villages and ideal lives the children would like: more adventurous outdoor play, freedom to play without close adult supervision but to have adults close enough to feel safe. They would like more interesting environments designed by or with children in mind. The idea of better swimming facilities and outdoor swimming and beaches was also popular. There were lots of suggestions for the wasteland near Roundhill Community College and a lot of overlap with ideas from work carried out with 13 -15 year olds in the village in 1999. Basically the idea of an out of city leisure and entertainment complex that incorporates lots of exciting and imaginative facilities including specialist shops.

How could anyone beat this vision? ‘In my town I would like pretty flowers, dogs, cats, cartoons, my favourite drink and chocolate chip biscuits and tea. I would like to go for a walk to the wood and to dance, skip and hop happily. I would like to laugh and sing all day and to do fun things. I would like to pick flowers, smell lovely roses and sit in the sun. When I’m hot I would like to swim in a nice pool. Then I would go to the park and play there with my friends and play and play.’ In the perfect world it would be “clean, no bullying, no graffiti, rubbish in bins (no people to pick it up, people should do it themselves), hospitals, schools, fire brigade, etc.

When asked to play the memory game the children came up with some interesting information about who and what qualities they like in adults looking after them post school:
The adults in charge were – lifeguards, fireman, my mum or my dad (from a number of children), happy, a caring person, crazy, dumb, funky, mardy, kind, the teacher, childminder, my uncle, the adult in charge was 7 years old, smoking, watching TV, watching in a crowd.

Children felt safe where: they had an invisible friend, girlfriends, dads and sisters looking after them, things were funny, the person looking after them was caring, the building was strong. Others said: ‘I felt safe in there because there were loads of children inside’; ‘there were animals there’; ’there was an adult there’; ’there was lots of room’; ’no sharp things’; ’the adults are kind’.

The children came up with an enormous list of indoor and outdoor, supervised and unsupervised, team and individual sporting activities and re-iterated the points about being able to play outside. Playstations and computers were also important.

The role playing excercise also threw up a very long list of desires - these included sports, arts and craft clubs, skateboarding, a special playscheme for Sikh and Hindu children, more interesting houses, playing with friends, access to leisure facilities, a ‘Ready Steady Cook’ project for children, fairs, children’s play facilities next to pubs, beaches and water, an “assault course for young people with slime, woods, water – freezing cold, sticky gel things, stringy things that dangle down, wind tunnels, greasy ropes, proper clothing, water rollercoaster, rewards of bags of sweets.” Cinema, places with no cars, excercise rooms, more animals, outdoor events (lot of interest), parents getting time off in the summer, other relatives to take you out, better parks, woodland, more open spaces, places

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