Nets are a forgotten resource that have tremendous value in education and play settings. Here’s a few examples to show you why

Firstly, remember the fun to be had, clambering under a cargo net as part of home-made assault courses? Simply pegging a net to the ground is fun. But what if the net became 3D and raised above the ground? You can see me clambering through an amazing structure at the Spirit of Play School in Denmark, WA several years ago.

Broxburn Family Centre have also had nets up at height on their holiday playschemes for children of all ages. Check out this blog post to be inspired. Some of the staff attended a Monkey Do training session many years ago, to learn the ropes and how to put up the nets safely.

The children at the school below adore the nets that are part of their Scrapstore Playpod. They make dens and homemade hammocks and traps with them in a wee woodland area. Over the years I’ve experimented with different types of nets for play and have loved most of them: fishing, golf and cricket in particular as they’ve all got a little bit more weight and can withstand wear and tear.

Netting is essential for keeping birds away from fruit crops such as raspberries and blackcurrants. Below, the netting area is tall enough for children to walk into and use as a den as well… shelter and food together!

Camouflage nets are popular for making dens. However, if pulled the wrong way or if they snag on a branch, they do rip apart very quickly, so care is needed. Extra camouflage is possible if long grass, ferns or other plant material is woven into any sort of net.

Children love being able to peek out through all the holes. It’s a good cover for a birdwatching hide, owing to the colour and visibility of the people inside. At the Cowgate Centre, it is used to provide a darker place. CD ROMs also hang down. Light objects can easily be attached to these and other nets.

Nets can be used as a storage system. , I’ve put mine up high in my container to store lightweight items

At Inverallochy School, the P6 and 7 children made the fishing net below under guidance from a local fisherman and turned it into this beautiful outdoor display of Doric words to describe what they could see or do in their outdoor space….

In the Czech Republic lots of schools used nets indoors to display work too. Below is work inspired by a series of weekly visits to local woods by a nursery class. As you can see, the paper is pegged to the net.

Below is a jute net that was used for display in a shell shop. I haggled with the shop keeper over a price and managed to buy it off him! The pegs below have miniature blackboards attached. I just feel these will work nicely for instructions and wee messages for children to read outside or in…

And in a little art shop in Fife, I spotted this net in a window. Again, indoors or out, interesting items can be added to nets by children. This could make a good memory net of a trip to the seaside or a visit elsewhere…

Nets come in all shapes, sizes, colours and contrasts. A worthwhile investment for learning, play or display! How do you use yours?

This blog post was originally published in August 2011.