This December, children across County Durham, Northumberland and Cumbria were whisked off on an unexpected Antarctic adventure thanks to ‘Penguins’, a beautiful interactive experience from JAM JAR Theatre, programmed by Highlights Rural Touring Scheme.
The tour visited Cockfield, Green Lane, Whalton, Cambo, Stannington and Crosby Ravensworth primary schools, as well as St Mary’s Methodist Church in Kirkby Lonsdale. In every venue the shimmering igloo set was met with delighted gasps and chatter.
At Cambo First School, teachers described the show as perfectly pitched for their pupils and closely connected to work they were already doing in class, including themes around wellbeing. Children were completely taken by the experience, with comments including: “Wow, it’s an igloo!” and “I want to do that again, Mrs C!”
The mix of humour, movement and storytelling offered a warm and memorable way to explore ideas about friendship and the natural world.
At Stannington First School, staff spoke particularly warmly about the preparation pack they received in advance, which helped them build the performance into their “Brr, it’s cold!” topic and their Eco Schools work. For many of their youngest pupils, Penguins was their first taste of immersive live theatre; learning when to join in, when to listen, and how a story can unfold on stage.
The show sparked a flurry of creative energy: drawings, writing, and plenty of talk about penguins and life in Antarctica. Pupils reflected afterwards, saying, “I loved making the penguin,” and “That was really, really fun!”
Staff reported that everyone was fully engaged and asked, “Can we book again?”
Across the tour, Penguins proved how valuable it is to bring high-quality arts experiences directly into rural schools and communities. Highlights is proud to support work that fires the imagination, supports learning, and gives children something truly special to remember.
Find out more about ‘Participate’, Highlights’ programme for schools.
