Typical workshop sessions would involve all the children being guided to make their own individual willow item, which could be  used to create a display in the school environment or be taken home.

Working with groups of up to a dozen childen at a time works very well, but whole classes can be very effective when there are teachers and TAs available to support the children access the activity and there is sufficient space for the children to spread out.

If there is sufficient support, once children are working on their own items, children could work collaboratively on a joint piece supported in a small group.

 

If children are going to go on and develop their understanding of the flexibility and tolerances that willow works within in design and making activities, it is essential that children complete some of these basic workshop activities to get a good feel for how the material behaves.