What’s the big idea?

• Some of the reasons why people don't eat more fruit and vegetables are because they aren't always readily available, may be of dubious quality and are expensive.
  
• A mini-market in the playground could make it easier for families to get hold of good quality, affordable fruit and vegetables.
  
• A playground market could also encourage parental involvement, develop pupils' key skills, generate income and help forge links with the local community.

Local farmers and producers will be hesitant about setting up a stall in a playground until they have been shown that there will be profit in it for them. Therefore, start small!

Market research
Encourage the children to carry out an initial survey of parents, pupils and staff to find out what the interest is and what would be the most popular fruit and vegetables to sell.

Investigate potential sources of produce
You may already have made contact with a local greengrocer, wholesaler or supermarket as part of your other Grab 5! activities. Can you build on this contact and arrange for a regular delivery or collection of produce? If you want to explore the possibility of offering local and organic produce refer to information bank 13; Buy local produce.

Practicalities
How the market is run will depend on the school's needs and ambitions. It could be run by pupils, staff, parents, producers, a food co-operative or a combination of these. For more information on food co-ops refer to information bank 13, Buy local produce. It could be held as a one-off event, a termly event or as a regular weekly event. It could be held during the school day or at the start or end of the school day when children are being dropped off and collected from school. Playground markets are usually too time consuming for schools to run more than one per half term unless you can get an outside supplier to run it for you.

Setting up and running a playground market lends itself to many activities that could be linked to the curriculum, bringing subjects alive.

• Use the project as a business enterprise activity.
  
• Run cooking lessons using fruit and vegetables from the market.
  
• Design promotional materials as part of art lessons.
  
• Use data collected from the market research, sales and monitoring to teach children skills in data handling: collection, analysis and presentation of findings.
  
• Discuss issues of food production and health; local versus non-local, organic versus non-organic.

At Henry Fawcett Primary School parents ran their own playground market on two occasions in 2002. The events were publicised on posters outside the school. The day before each market, the Grab 5! helper visited various outlets to buy the least expensive items in bulk. This included not only fresh, but also tinned, dried and juiced produce. Items such as potatoes, carrots and onions were packaged into smaller bags and priced. The market was open for two 30 minute sessions each day - at drop-off and pick-up times. Sales were just under £200 and profits of around £15 were made.

"Parents and pupils were very enthusiastic and we had to go for extra supplies for the afternoon market. Parents enjoyed this. We would certainly recommend it and we will do it again if we can contact a wholesaler."

Sandford Primary School

More Information Info bank 1: Get your hands on some fruit and veg, info bank 6: Stay safe, info bank 7: Make a publicity splash, info bank 8: Do a survey, info bank 9: Healthy recipes, info bank13: Buy local produce