Parenting Cafe – Conversations and Connections

When half term comes around, there’s always that little question at the back of your mind, what are we going to do this week?

During half term, we visited the Young V&A for one of their special holiday workshops for children. The museum was running a range of creative sessions, and we signed up for a film workshop led by illustrator Lucia Vinti. I took my two daughters along, and it turned out to be such a brilliant experience.

Entrance to the museum is free, which is always a bonus. Because it was half term, there was quite a long queue outside. However, since we had pre booked the workshop, we were allowed to enter without waiting, which made things much easier. The staff welcomed us warmly and showed us where the session would be held, which instantly made us feel comfortable.

Lucia began by explaining what filmmaking involves and talking through the different roles behind the scenes, including the director, camera operator, photographer, props team and sound. It was fascinating for the children to realise just how many people work together to bring a story to life.

Then came the main activity. The children were guided to create a storyboard by choosing two characters and a setting, using pictures from around the museum. They were encouraged to think about the relationship between their characters and how they would interact within that space. It was such a creative and thoughtful way to introduce storytelling.

Once their ideas were formed, they transformed their storyboard into a film poster. There were plenty of materials provided, including craft paper, colouring pencils and stencils, which made the activity feel hands on and exciting. I was honestly thrilled by how all the children were able to create such imaginative and beautiful posters for an imaginary film in just a two hour workshop.

After the workshop, we stopped for some food and drinks before exploring the museum properly. We visited the Imagine Gallery, which is calm and creative, encouraging children to build and explore ideas freely. The Play Gallery was more lively and interactive, with opportunities for role play and collaborative activities. The Design Gallery focused on how ideas become real objects, helping children think about materials, shapes and function in a practical way. There were also exhibitions to wander through, which led to some lovely conversations as we explored.

The Young V&A feels quite different from many traditional museums. It isn’t simply a place to view artefacts behind glass. It is designed to encourage children to explore, create and take part. I especially appreciated that it caters for such a wide age range, from babies right up to teenagers. There is even a beautifully colourful space for children under two, which I found fascinating.

We had such a wonderful day, and I would definitely recommend a visit, particularly during the school holidays. If you can, I would suggest booking a workshop alongside your visit, as it really adds another layer to the experience.

For us, it wasn’t just a museum trip. It was a day filled with creativity, learning and quality time together, which made it feel very worthwhile.

Did you discover something exciting this half term? I’d love to hear what your family got up to. Share in the comments.