Big Play at Tend

Creative play sessions for parents and children to connect, explore, and have fun together.

Big Play is a welcoming space for families to connect through creativity, curiosity, and play.

Join us for a 45-minute Open Play Session designed for parents and children to explore together. Each slot is for one family, so total freedom and space – only for you and your party!

Big Play offers open-ended materials that don’t have a single “right” way to be used. Everyone is free to build, combine, imagine, and transform materials however they choose - doing nothing, slowing down, and exploring the present moment is all part of what Big Play is about.

Big Play is inspired by research into matrescence - the profound and often overlooked transition into motherhood. It offers adults permission to create, experiment, and have fun, while staying connected with their children in a relaxed, supportive environment.

These sessions are created in collaboration between visual artist Emma Zangs and textile artist Alice Bygraves, and hosted by Tend Collective.

What to Expect

• A safe, calm, and welcoming space for your family to play
• 45 minutes of play materials in a space for just one family at a time- no expectations for what to do.
• A space to connect and relax- no need to clean up, in fact, we encourage you to leave what you've made for the next family to discover!
• Open-ended play that sparks imagination and curiosity
• Time and space for adults to focus on their own creativity
• Hands-on, playful activities suitable for children of all ages, including babies under 1
• A sense of connection, care, and community
• A shared creative experience - what you make becomes part of the space, living on for other families to enjoy

Big Play isn’t about outcomes or instructions - it’s about being together, following curiosity, and discovering what happens when families are given time, materials, and permission to play.

Come as you are. Play together. Leave feeling connected.

photo credit: Denisa Ilie