National Playday at Young V&A (2026)

Join a day full of creative play at Young V&A. Join the Play Champions to explore a world of loose parts play in Constellation of Play. Be part of Get It Done’s Inflatable Playground or try out circus skills with the National Centre for Circus Arts. Meet young designers from Kingston School of Art in Design, Make and Parade and watch celebrate where play and animation meet with screenings by young people in The Stage.

National Playday Programme

Constellation of Play in The Community Room
Families will be invited to enter a 'Constellation of Play', a child-led space full of materials, textures, and loose parts. Inspired by activities across the Play Champion’s Play Programme at the museum, families will get to experience multiple styles of play including costume play, imaginative play, physical play, and a moment of quieter reflective play. Join us to celebrate the power of play!

Inflatable Playground in Build It

Get It Done join us in Build it for an all day drop-in workshop, inviting young people to construct DIY inflatable art and explore everyday materials in new, sustainable and sensory ways. Stick and construct inflatable objects, or just bounce and play with our creations.
www.getitdoneart.com

Design, Make and Parade with Kingston School of Art in Open Studio

Find your voice, show your personality and celebrate the everyday.​ Developed with recent graduates from​Foundation, BA Product and furniture, visual communication and Illustration Courses.

Circus workshops with National Centre for Circus Arts, North Lawn
Learn floor-based circus skills as a family in these drop-in workshops outside.

SideWays Play with Oily Cart in the Play Studio
Bookable sessions for children with for children with additional needs who enjoy a quieter, calmer experience, and their families to explore a new playspace with sensory theatre pioneers Oily Cart.
Book a free session here: SideWays Play for children with additional needs (gentle sessions) - Special event at Young V&A · V&A

Animation Screenings in The Stage
See animations made by young film-makersincluding Young V&A Collective, local school children and young artists with our community partners including Heart N Soul and A New Direction.

This activity is part of Young V&A’s Power of Play programme. The Power of Play is a collective impact consortium to bring quality learning through play to children in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets. The programme is funded by LEGO Foundation and co-ordinated by the LEGO Group in London. Young V&A is participating in the programme alongside the Institute of Imagination, Save the Children, EasyPeasy and Ambition Aspire Achieve.