We have a 3m x 2m plinth of concrete in the middle of our courtyard. The children would run over it but that was the sum total of its worth. Boring and unimaginative, it had just sat there and glowered, until we set about brightening it up.
Our first 'bright' idea was to create an attractive mosaic to mark the Millennium, but the plan came to nothing. We had lots of tiles, for which a DIY shop recommended using swimming pool adhesive, and so we got started.
The children hunkered down with us, holding tiles and offering advice - as they do.
We spelled out some words and stuck down the letters, but by the time I arrived next day, the children had dislodged the tiles by running over the plinth, as they were accustomed to doing. Plan abandoned!
I then hit upon the idea of creating a fake pond and waterfall. Some boys from a local secondary school, Bellahouston Academy, helped us smash some concrete slabs and pile up the pieces to create a 'waterfall'. We cemented it into place, for safety's sake, and then staff and children painted it blue.
Next we painted another blue area in front of the waterfall, to make it look like water was cascading down the waterfall and filling a pond.
We edged the pond with cobble stones, put plants on the waterfall and around the edges of the pond, and painted the cobbles. A member of staff then suggested adding some stepping stones.
We discussed what to put on them and decided on writing 'love', 'happiness', 'peace' and 'friendship' in English and Chinese. We used gold paint and edged it in black, and it's very effective.
The children can still run over the area and a few cobbles have come loose, but it's not a problem. We have plenty of cement and adhesive!