Young V&A Schools: Hero Arm & Beyond! OR Think Small - KS1-KS2 (Spring 2027)

Develop your class’s creative confidence at Young V&A. Our sessions, led by an artist/designer, will engage students with objects and themes in the Young V&A galleries and equip them with key creative skills that support the national curriculum. 

Choose from:

Hero Arm & Beyond (KS1 or KS2- Years 1 – 6)
60min 
Key curriculum links: Design & Technology, Citizenship

In this inspiring and thoughtful workshop, students will explore the concepts of design and disability. Your class will take on the role of inclusive designers, actively participating in the different stages of the design process- from responding to the needs of users and creating prototypes to sharing their ideas. They will also get the chance to interact with a ‘Hero Arm’, the world's first clinically approved 3D printed bionic prosthetic arm from our museum collection. This session will help learners develop empathy, expand their creative confidence, and express themselves through design. 

OR

 

Think Small (KS1 or KS2- Years 1 – 6)

60min
Key curriculum links: Design & Technology, Geography, and Citizenship. 

Put your students in the role of architects and clients in this playful introduction to user-centred design. They will develop a design brief for an animal’s home, before experimenting to design and build it using our miniature ‘Imagination Playground’ blue blocks and other creative materials. This session will help learners understand how design can meet user needs. They will develop empathy and gain confidence with collaboration. 

Each session can accommodate 1 class only (maximum 30 students, maximum 8 teachers/adults). 

We have multiple dates and timeslots to choose from. Each session is 60min long.

Included in your booking
As part of your booking, we will also reserve a 30-minute lunch slot in our Portal Trust Community Room for your group. This lunch slot cannot be changed. 

You are also welcome to explore the museum's free permanent galleries; Play, Imagine and Design on a self-guided visit before or after your workshop. 

You will receive an automated booking confirmation. If the information received is incorrect, please contact young@vam.ac.uk. 

Want to know more? Please email yvaschools@vam.ac.uk if you have any queries.