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Mini Play for Toddlers - Autumn Series
Special workshop series for families with toddlers aged between 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. We have designed activities inspired by the museum’s Play Gallery. These open-ended sessions will encourage your child to use and develop creative, physical and cognitive skills through play.
Mini Play is our sensory workshop series for toddlers aged 1 – 3 and their guardians to explore, play and get messy together. We have designed activities inspired by the museum’s Play Gallery. 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 (playbuildplay.org.uk)
Typical workshop structure:
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 Ella Phillips
Led by artist and author Ella Phillips, these sessions offer playful activities inspired by nature, words, and food.
2 October – Falling Leaves: explore autumn through movement, natural textures, and scented leaf patterns in modelling clay. Play with vibrant colours using edible dyes and take home a leaf keepsake.
9 October– Comfort Food: enjoy tactile, kitchen-inspired fun. Little hands can pulp pumpkins, explore utensils, and mix, stretch, and sprinkle ingredients to create their own sensory concoctions.
9 October– Comfort Food: enjoy tactile, kitchen-inspired fun. Little hands can pulp pumpkins, explore utensils, and mix, stretch, and sprinkle ingredients to create their own sensory concoctions.
16 October – Getting Cosy: experience the changing season through gentle play. Discover misted breath on mirrors, try footprint painting through autumn leaves, and explore soft, wrap-up-warm textures.
Mondays with Natalie Zervou-Kerruish
Led by artist Natalie Zervou-Kerruish, these sessions are inspired by fascinating themes and objects found in our Play Gallery.
Led by artist Natalie Zervou-Kerruish, these sessions are inspired by fascinating themes and objects found in our Play Gallery.
5 October – Twist and Turn: explore movement using our bodies and interesting, malleable materials. Little ones will interact with spinning structures, building shapes, and transforming the room with their actions.
12 October - Press and Squeeze: dive into a wonderful, squeezy tactile space. This sensory session will include soft playdough, scents, squishy sponges, and lots of textures for curious hands to discover.
19 October – Grab and Grasp: step into an immersive landscape of light and shadow. Babies and toddlers are invited to grab, grasp, and play with unusual objects to project exciting shapes across the space.
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 is 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
Header image: Sandra Ebert