• What does Playshop mean to you?
• If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it?
• What would be the playful part of your playshop?

Female, Designer of Playshop 1999 and 2000

7/7/2000

	Female, Education-related work 20's	6/23/2000

I enjoy reading your articles. I have thought about "Playful" and would like to send you my opinions.
Q:	What does Playshop mean to you?
A:	I think Playshop is the idea of "Knowledge begins in WONDER!" taking shape. As we can see from these words, the feeling of awe in people, especially children, is the beginning of everything. The first step that leads to interest, action, discovery is the sense of surprise. If a place were designed to be playful and were to provide such an opportunity, it would truly live up to its name.
Q:	What kind of events would you plan?
A:	I would make it an event where there would be a mixture of children, adults, local shopkeepers, and company employees where we could all discover something about our daily lives. It would be a hands-on event similar to what can be seen at children's museums. I am looking forward to the future of Child Research Net.

	Female, Education-related work 60's	6/9/2000

Q:	What does Playshop mean to you?
A:	It was an opportunity to discover a new dimension of play. It gave me an opportunity to engage in child's play.
Q:	If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it? (Ex: would it be inside or outside school, for teachers or for junior high students?)
A:	At kindergartens (training for mother-child play, creative communication, pantomime) At children's centers and nurseries (training for mother-child play, creative communication, pantomime) For teachers at educational research centers (methods of playing, experiences, etc)

	Female, Education-related work 60's	5/26/2000

Q:	What does Playshop mean to you?
A:	Place to find oneself Place to engage in activities Place to find future direction
Q:	If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it? (Ex: would it be inside or outside school, for teachers or for junior high students?)
A:	If I were planning a Playshop for teachers, I would offer some activities as a workshop and include time for discussions or reports on what they experienced.

	Male, Education-related work 60's	5/12/2000

Q:	What does Playshop mean to you?
A:	It is a place where I encounter memories (find myself).
Q:	If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it? (Ex: would it be inside or outside school, for teachers or for junior high students?)
A:	I think that people always live by questioning themselves. Wouldn't it be interesting if we could provide each other with information on where we used to live when we were young, pictures, games, and newspapers of various times in our lives between kindergarten and university?

Male, Education-related work 60's

4/28/2000

Q:	What does Playshop mean to you?
A:	I would like the Playshop a place (perhaps outdoors) where adults and children can both experience interesting ways to play.

Q:	If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it? (Ex: would it be inside or outside school, for teachers or for junior high students?)
A:	I would like to carry out Playshops where teachers and students take part in an overnight program voluntarily. The ratio would be teachers 1: students 2.

Female, twenties, company employee

4/14/2000

Q:	What does Playshop mean to you?
A:	It can be of any kind if it's something that is exciting. I think the phrase "I was pulled into the playshop without realizing it!" would be the proper way to describe it.

Q:

If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it?

A:

It would be the same as the playshop we had in the sense that it would be handmade. However, I'd like to see more competition or games in the future. In addition to the good feelings we get from being absorbed in moving our bodies, I wish to direct the joy of coming up with strategies to outwit or trick the opponents. For example, I still remember a robot -making contest among junior high students that I saw 2 years ago. I think they so enthusiastic since they felt a strong sense of playfulness when making the computers. In my opinion, they used their minds to their full extent, thinking hard of how to outwit the others since there was a sense of winning and losing. (I think playing tag would also be the same)

Q:	What would be the playful part of your workshop?
A:	For me, there are two types of playfulness. One that stimulates the heart and another that stimulates my intelligence. Therefore, being able to experience both types would be the playful part.

Female, twenties, student

3/31/2000

Q:	What does Playshop mean to you?
A:	A place to enjoy yourself!

Q:	If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it?
A:	It would be nice if we could have events that would enable us to remember the other participants, even after the Playshop ends. That is why I'd like to split up into groups, collaborate on a piece of work, and have a contest among the groups.

Q:	What would be the playful part of your workshop?
A:	The feeling of satisfaction when we finish creating something together. The difficulty in this would be whether we'd be able to create an event where the participants would feel a sense of satisfaction in a short period of time.

Female, twenties, student

3/17/2000

Q:

What does Playshop mean to you?

A:

We have been made to think about the kinds of media and what they are trying to express in our daily lives. I am a student at an art school, and I have pursued self-expression by creating many pieces of art. However, in this playshop, it dawned on me that our actions and what we touch can all be considered as media that expresses us. I also became aware of how rich our bodies are able to express ourselves. A playshop for me is a place where I can express different kinds of expressions.

Q:

If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it?

A:

I'd throw a dance party. Each participant would come with a piece of music they've prepared beforehand. This music, unlike usual music, would be a piece that is a collection of sounds and rhythms that are heard while doing something that they like. When the piece a participant brought in is played, that person becomes the dance leader and dances a dance that expresses the action the music is about. The other participants would also imagine what that person is trying to express and moves his/her bodies. For example, if a music that is a collection of cooking sounds is played, the dance leader may dice onions using a knife, but there may be those who would put them in a mixer. There may be people who use heavy frying pans or others who uses a wok. It would be interesting since everyone would express the same actions differently.

Q:	What would be the playful part of your workshop?
A:	It's a lot of fun! We'd be able to express ourselves and understand others. Although it may be sensuous, I feel that it is the base of communication.

Female, twenties, student

3/3/2000

Q:	What does Playshop mean to you?
A:	A revitalization of my mental health

Q:

If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it?

A:

I would make "finding out what you want to do and doing it!" the concept of my Playshop. The Playshop that was held in November was planned so every child did the same activities. For example, they all experienced something that they've never done before (pantomime) or they were able to have a taste of doing something as one group and having fun. Both of these aspects were good, but I feel that where on one hand there are Playshops where we all participate as one, but on the other there are those where each individual finds something that is interesting and work on that. That is why I'd prepare a couple of events and have the children participate in the events that they're interested in. If possible, I would like to have devices where the child can come up with their own event when a good idea occurs to them. Also, by carrying out these events openly in front of other groups can see, it will allow the participants to choose what is playful for them. By having the participants presenting to others at the end of the Playshop, we can understand the different playfulness for each individual.

Q:	What would be the playful part of your workshop?
A:	There is something that one wants to do. --> That person can do that to their heart's desire. In my own life, I am unable to carry out these processes. So although I am ashamed to admit it, these 2 processes would be playful.

Female, twenties, student

2/18/2000

Q:

What does Playshop mean to you?

A:

I was so engrossed in making homepages on the day of the Playshop, I don't remember much in detail. However, when I looked at the plan for the Playshop on preparation day, I felt that there were a lot of activities where the participants had to express themselves in front of others. Since I go to a school where we study how to express ourselves, I know how difficult that can be. Truthfully speaking, that is why I thought "Maybe the children will not be intrigued." Expressing yourself in front of others can get a person very nervous. I was worried whether the participants would be able to do the activities right after the instructions were given. However, regardless of my worries, I found that they really looked like they were having a great time expressing themselves through gestures and words as I watched the participants taking part in the activities. I realized that there is a difference of feeling an obligation (such as "having to present although I don't want to" or "I must express myself") and expressing one's self out of interest. In this sense, I felt that this Playshop was a great learning experience.

Q:

If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it?

A:

I would have the adults and children get together to play games that I played in grade school (such as cops & robbers and Kori-oni, a different version of tag). I think that these games we played with our friends back then were games that used both our physical and mental abilities, and couldn't win without cooperating with others. Therefore, I feel that we can learn about working as groups while having fun at the same time (Actually I just want to play these games again).

Q:	What would be the playful part of your workshop?
A:	As I've mentioned above, I would like to play these games once more. I have an enjoyable memory of when I played these games, so I'd like to play them again. This would be a playful experience for me but for others, too.

Male, twenties, multi-media researcher

2/4/2000

Q:

What does Playshop mean to you?

A:

It is an event that every participant, including myself as a staff member, can enjoy. Participants can use whatever instruments they like and express themselves and communicate in any way they want. Some may move around, play music, or dance, and others may play with media tools, draw or write. If people start with something that is familiar to them, they will get interested in what others are doing, and start to communicate. Of course, the world of virtual-reality and reality co-exists at Playshop. It is a place where individual experience leads to personal growth in a very natural way.

Q:

If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it?

A:

I would invite interesting people and prepare many different items as if it were a playroom. Playing with others, I would discover a new self within myself and in others as if my heart and mind had returned to that of a child. I would keep in touch and continue to communicate with the participants through the Internet or by telephone or fax. Gradually, we would form small communities with the same interests and I would join one of them.

Q:	What would be the playful part of your Playshop?
A:	The playful part of using multimedia is that you can talk with the people you are interested in anytime and anywhere. And when you actually meet the person after communicating through multimedia, it helps both of you make new discoveries and learn how to use multimedia more in everyday life.

Male, 60 years old, education related work

1/21/2000

Q:	What does Playshop mean to you?
A:	A Playshop offers ways to develop many new aspects of one's potential as a human being through physical movement, creative expression, communication, relaxation, cooperation, working with others and learning how to engage in creative activities.

Q:	If you were to plan or produce a Playshop, how would you do it?
A:	I would try to conduct various training and study sessions (training teachers to be leaders) and plan Playshops for schools so teachers, children, and parents can participate together and region-specific Playshops such as gatherings for parents and for mental relaxation before a conference.