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Mini Play for Toddlers (May 2026)
Special workshop series for families with toddlers aged 1 – 3
Join us for a three-week programme of sensory and creative play, inspired by the Young V&A’s Play Gallery, especially designed for toddlers aged 1 – 3 and their parents and carers.
Mini Play is our sensory workshop series for toddlers aged 1 – 3 and their guardians to explore, play and get messy together. These open-ended sessions will encourage your child to use and develop creative, physical and cognitive skills through play.
Each session will be a combination of messy play, child-led and hands on activity, and exploring museum objects. Our resources include a bespoke set of Sensory Tiles designed and made by Play Build Play.
Typical workshop structure:
Mini Play is our sensory workshop series for toddlers aged 1 – 3 and their guardians to explore, play and get messy together. These open-ended sessions will encourage your child to use and develop creative, physical and cognitive skills through play.
Each session will be a combination of messy play, child-led and hands on activity, and exploring museum objects. Our resources include a bespoke set of Sensory Tiles designed and made by Play Build Play.
Typical workshop structure:
- Settling down and welcome (10 minutes)
- Free play and explorations (60 minutes)
- Circle time (20 minutes)
Please wear clothes that you and your child don’t mind getting messy.
Fridays with Sarina Mantle
Led by interdisciplinary artist Sarina Mantle, these sessions offer a sensory environment to explore growth, transformation and pattern through materials and play.
Fridays with Sarina Mantle
Led by interdisciplinary artist Sarina Mantle, these sessions offer a sensory environment to explore growth, transformation and pattern through materials and play.
1 May - Pattern and Colour: explore colour, repetition, and mark-making through playful layering and pattern-building.
8 May - Tracing Light: draw with light and shadow using projection, reflection, and translucent materials.
15 May - A Growing Garden: build and shape an imagined shared garden through layering, arranging, and transforming materials.
Mondays with Korinna Roeding
Led by artist educator Korinna Roeding, we will explore the themes and objects that are found in the Young V&A’s Play Gallery.
4 May – Touch, Texture and Construction: little explorer sensory boxes, landscape building, water play and scented playdough.
Mondays with Korinna Roeding
Led by artist educator Korinna Roeding, we will explore the themes and objects that are found in the Young V&A’s Play Gallery.
4 May – Touch, Texture and Construction: little explorer sensory boxes, landscape building, water play and scented playdough.
11 May - Visual Exploration, Light and Colour: light and shadow play, sensory tent, exploring liquids and printing.
18 May – Movement, Sound and Kinetic Motion: creating ball runs, music and heuristic play, kinetic sand and painting with unusual shapes.
Please see below booking information:
Please see below booking information:
- This workshop is for families with toddlers aged 1 – 3. If your child is under 1, please book onto Mini Play for Babies instead.
- Each booking is for individual sessions. On the booking page, please select all the dates you wish to attend.
- Each ticket admits one child and one accompanying adult. All children must be supervised by an adult throughout the session.
- Please double-check your selected dates before confirming your booking. Unfortunately, tickets are non-refundable.
- In the unlikely event that the V&A must cancel due to an emergency or circumstances beyond our control, we will either reschedule your session or issue a refund.
- These sessions are relaxed and designed with you and your child in mind. There will be time to let your child explore in their own time. In the 90 min session it's fine to take a short break, take your child out for a snack in the Community Room nearby or to breast feed in the workshop room.
- Please use our buggy park, as we don’t have a space for them in the studio and it can cause a potential fire or trip risk.
- We ask everyone to keep food items in their bags while in the workshop room in case of food allergies. Breastfeeding is allowed in the room anytime, or anywhere you feel comfortable in the museum if you prefer.
We know that visiting a museum as a family requires lots of planning. If you’d like more information or wish to share any specific needs your child may have, feel free to contact us at: yvalearningevent@vam.ac.uk
