Imaginary Communities®
Imaginary Communities® is a playful and inclusive story-making process that supports children to co-create imaginary worlds, take on their own unique characters, and share their ideas through the unfolding plot.
Imagine walking into a classroom where stories fill the air and children and teachers work side by side to build whole new worlds. Through drama, play and imagination, Imaginary Communities® (IC®) invites everyone to become a storyteller and co-creator.
Developed over the last 15 years, IC® has become the beating heart of Chol’s work. It’s both a creative learning methodology and the foundation of our Caring and Creative Schools programme. The process begins with ideas from children and teachers themselves – they shape the setting, characters and story, stepping into and out of role to explore their ideas together. Every participant, whether five or fifty, becomes an equal playmaker in the story they create.
Imaginary Communities® grew from our belief that creativity and care belong at the heart of learning. When children and teachers co-create together, confidence, curiosity and connection thrive. We see it every day – and our research backs it up.
Teachers tell us that when their classes take part in IC®, children engage more deeply in all areas of learning. Writing improves, confidence grows, and wellbeing in the classroom is lifted. Teachers also discover new ways of working creatively, strengthening relationships and finding joy in their teaching again.
“For the first time this year he is engaged with learning – I wanted to cry with joy.”
Year 5 Teacher, Kirklees
Grounded in research and years of classroom experience, Imaginary Communities® has been tried, tested and evaluated. Evidence shows it helps to:
- Engage children in learning across the curriculum
- Increase attainment in writing
- Strengthen teacher confidence in playful, arts-based teaching
- Nurture positive mental health and wellbeing in the classroom
Each IC® project can be tailored around a theme or topic, or begin entirely from scratch, discovering where the group’s imagination will take them.
We’ve created a range of resources and toolkits to help teachers start their own Imaginary Community, including an introductory handbook and a ready-to-use classroom kit.
Recently, we’ve been expanding IC® in new directions…
Working with Dutch researchers at the Leyden Academy, we’ve explored how the process can support intergenerational play, bringing creativity and connection to older and younger people alike. As with all our work at Chol, IC® continues to evolve through curiosity, care and collaboration.
Imaginary Communities® is more than a creative learning tool, it’s a way of working that helps children, teachers and communities imagine better worlds together. If you’re interested in our intergenerational plans, please drop us a line: info@wearechol.co.uk