Licketyspit has spent more than two decades championing a simple but transformative belief: children are experts in play, and when adults join them, extraordinary things happen.
At the heart of this work is Virginia Radcliffe – actor, theatre‑maker and founder of Licketyspit.
Her years running theatre companies, performing as an actor, and working with early‑years children all came together in the creation of Storyplay – a children’s‑rights‑led approach that now brings families from across Glasgow together, including many New Scots.
Here, Virginia shares what Storyplay is and how it brings families together.
“Children are the real play experts.”
Storyplay is a drama‑led way of working with early years children, aged 3–8. It comes from recognising that children are the real play experts. When actor‑pedagogues join children in play, imagination becomes a powerful tool for confidence, connection and belonging.
Storyplay is improvised, imaginary play that’s completely inclusive. You can be anyone, do anything and go anywhere. And everyone – whatever their language or background – has something valuable to bring.
A bridge into other’s worlds
A child can take a whole group of people to Pakistan and introduce them to their grandmother and have some mint tea and delicious custard. Or an East End grandmother can take a group of Sudanese families to the one‑bedroom tenement she grew up in with 10 children. These shared imaginative journeys can show how much people have in common.
Diverse groups, deep friendships
Licketyspit is not a refugee‑specific project, and that’s helpful. It means incredibly diverse groups of people come together. Parents consistently say that this diversity is something they can’t find anywhere else.
And because Storyplay adapts to each group, very quickly 30 or 40 strangers can end up playing together in the way people usually only play with those they know well.
A growing network of play
We now run seven community hubs, including one online, which became a lifeline for people during the pandemic. Word spread amongst New Scots of the online sessions. After the pandemic had passed, three new hubs were set up in areas where these refugee families live.
After families complete an introductory block of Storyplay sessions with us – getting to know how we play, getting to know each other, and feeling more at ease – they join our Children and Families Network and access our year round programme of Storyplay events where we head out together to Storyplay on trips to beaches, forests, museums and libraries, helping families connect with the wider community and what Glasgow and its surrounds have to offer.
Looking ahead
Storyplay offers children, families and professionals a powerful transformative tool-kit for shared play, friendship and possibility. Licketyspit sustains lasting relationships with children, many become Storyplay Champions, guiding and hosting its ‘family of families’. Robust evaluation of Storyplay demonstrates strong outcomes in relation to confidence, social skills, emotional literacy, language and problem solving. Storyplay is a trauma-informed approach that breaks down barriers to participation – opening doors to the limitless possibilities in every child.
In a world where children face increasing pressures and fewer opportunities for meaningful play, Storyplay offers something rare: a space where imagination builds confidence, community and belonging.
If you can imagine doing it in play, then you can imagine doing it in real life.
