Isaac Acheampong, 6 October 2017 Session attended by me (isaac), Jo, Holly and Doreen. I called this session on behalf of my colleague at Hull Libraries, Ellen Biancini, who couldn't be here today. Ellen coordinates Hull's Big Malarkey children's literature festival, which saw it's inaugural launch in June 2017. Ellen has a vague idea of a ‘Lullaby Swap’, and wants to know what it is, could be, look like…etc. This was a session to put forward ideas rather than work out solutions. A brainstorming session. Contributions began prior to the session; A melodic, live, instrumental accompaniment to something..stories? Using instruments like a Kora? Families and people from different communities contributing, coming together to share lullabies. People might not want to sing out, so how do they share what they have to share? Could they record their lullabies and share them. Could they be written down? Would translators/interpreters be needed? What are the stories behind the lullabies? Explore lullabies passed down from (grand)parents? What is the ‘quality’ behind all lullabies? 'Quality' or reason for lullabies is about sleep. This brought up thoughts on sleep, health and well being. Other agencies could get involved e.g. NHS, sleep clinics…Funding rationale for health and well being through sleep awareness? Could this be looking wider at health support for families, for babies, toddlers, children? Baby massage workshops with lullabies for parents/carers? A festival could have a mellow tent space, a dedicated calm space for people, where lullabies rule! A calm space in a frantic children's festival could be very good for people with autism. It could teach children to be mindful of calmness, when and where to be calm and quiet..etc. In a mellow tent there could be chamomile cushion making workshops. Could choirs be engaged or formed to support a lullaby swap? Community lullaby choir? Linking storytelling with lullabies. Artists to consider; Mumbo Jambo, Just Soph, Hekima, Donna Smith…? How do you reach out with this project to parent/carer/baby/toddler groups? Do you get (people) together before The Big Malarky? How do you get (people) together before The Big Malarky? Getting (people) together before The Big Malarky could help form new friendships. Would you be looking at working within existing baby/toddler activity sessions or setting up new ones? Could children'd centres come on board? Could it be a city wide project/initiative? Involve BBC Radio Humberside? Persuade a radio show to have a season where they outro with a lullaby. Think ‘shipping forecast’! Radio listeners could call in with their favourite lullabies, or request them to be played. Has Ellen/anyone else seen or heard anything similar? If so, where? If so, how did it work? (case studies) Poetry/spoken word and lullabies? Poetry/whispered word!! Cards for people to tell their favourite lullabies. Book Trust/Book Start involvement? Are Lullabies only for children? Who else are lullabies for? Are there adult needs for lullabies? At this point i admitted to listening to lullaby music, fairly regularly, like some people listen to birdsong or ambient pan pipe music! Lullabies are about slowness, stillness, peace, as opposed to the frantic non stop switched on habits of engaging with modern technology and the pace of life….chill time! A lullaby ‘swap’ could be ‘swapping’ the tune of a lullaby with different lyrics and words! This is a standard practise from yesteryear, where people will involve themselves and loved ones in existing lullabies to make it relevant to them and their context and circumstances. Lullabies could/should be a simple tune that people can easily remember and be able to sing. Singing is a very memorable act. Connection between singing, memory, time…is evocative. Older people and children. There seems to be a particular bond between older people and children. There could be collaboration with preschoolers and older people's homes. We mentioned a new model of a combined nursery/older people's home in London as a model of good practise and proof of a great idea that supports inter generational collaboration. Tags: lullaby, parenting, Babies, carers, inter generational, babies, parents, Parents, lullaby swap, toddlers, caring, Children, lullabies, children, Parenting