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Mini Play for toddlers (Jan-Feb 2026)
Special workshop series for families with toddlers aged 1 – 3
+44 (0)20 7942 2000
Tickets available from 10.00 on Saturday, 20 December 2025
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:
- 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 Korinna Roeding
Led by creative early years practitioner Korinna Roeding, we will explore the themes and objects that are found in the Young V&A’s three permanent galleries – Play, Imagine and Design.
Led by creative early years practitioner Korinna Roeding, we will explore the themes and objects that are found in the Young V&A’s three permanent galleries – Play, Imagine and Design.
23 Jan – Inspired by the Play Gallery: construction play, kinetic sand, light and shadow play
30 Jan – Inspired by the Imagine Gallery: dressing up, den play, cornflour messy play
6 Feb – Inspired by the Design Gallery: exploring colours and contrasts, painting, salt dough
30 Jan – Inspired by the Imagine Gallery: dressing up, den play, cornflour messy play
6 Feb – Inspired by the Design Gallery: exploring colours and contrasts, painting, salt dough
Mondays with Abi Horn
Led by artist Abi Horn, whose practice is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, these sessions offer creative exploration of the museum’s collection through playful activities.
Led by artist Abi Horn, whose practice is inspired by the Reggio Emilia approach, these sessions offer creative exploration of the museum’s collection through playful activities.
25 Jan – Circles and Spirals: everyday object play (spinning, rolling and bouncing), mark-making
2 Feb - Mini Curators: Discover museum objects and play with boxes and display boards
9 Feb – Light and Shadow: shadow play, light-up objects, shiny and reflective objects play
2 Feb - Mini Curators: Discover museum objects and play with boxes and display boards
9 Feb – Light and Shadow: shadow play, light-up objects, shiny and reflective objects play
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 and 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
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Header image: Sandra Ebert