Taking place from 7th to 17th February 2024 at the Southbank Centre, London, Imagine Children’s Festival is heralded at the UK’s leading arts festival for children
A short walk from London’s Waterloo station the Imagine Children’s Festival offers fun-filled performances and experiences aimed at children aged 0 to 11.
There are over 130 events to choose from with almost half being completely free. Better still, they are welcoming to all with a relaxed atmosphere where children can make noise and get up and move around which is fab for our family.
Storytelling and comedy events at Imagine Children’s Festival, Southbank Centre, London
With storytelling from leading writers, speakers, poets and TV personalities including John Agard, Joseph Coelho, Dr Ronx, Rosie Jones and Michael Rosen. We personally cannot wait to see Michael Rosen, he is a firm favorite in our house: NO BREATHING – if you know, you know!
Families can giggle along to sketch comedy with Shelf: The Kids Show! (13 February), winners of
the Best Show at The UK Kids’ Comedy Festival and Leicester Comedy Festival 2023, which will
include an interactive workshop for the whole family to make their own sketches. Rosie Jones: The
Amazing Edie Eckhart (15 February) will also have the renowned TV comedian presenting her
sparky new story about a young girl with cerebral palsy and her adventure to find new friends.
Exploring a wide range of themes from newly released literature, budding scientists are introduced to human anatomy through fascinating games and fun-filled quizzes at Amazing Bodies with Dr. Ronx (16 February) and the world’s next medical engineers can discover pacemakers, bionic limbs and more in Human 2.0 (15 February) with campaigner Patrick Kane.
Meanwhile, garden lovers can meet Children’s Laureate Joseph Coelho and award-winning illustrator Fiona Lumbers as they showcase their newest book Luna Loves Gardening in an exclusive pre-publication event with performance and storytelling (17 February). Legendary author and performance poet John Agard is set to delight with a selection of readings from Windrush Child, plus works from his other children’s books, which include When Creature Met Creature and Follow That Word. Beloved British children’s author Michael Rosen is also set to tell the story of Gaston Le Dog (11 February).
Dance events at Imagine Children’s Festival
Visitors are invited to find their groove with interactive, engaging, tactile and colorful performance installation in a new world premiere The Sticky Dance (7 – 9 February), a Southbank Centre commission with The Place, created by Rosie Heafford and Takeshi Matsumoto with sensory adapted versions (8 February). Boxed In (10 – 11 February), a Daryl & Co and Half Moon co-production, is a heartfelt performance exploring the unspoken barriers of attitudes, social etiquette
and behaviour that surround us.
Zoo Nation’s Hip-Hop Half-Term
ZooNation’s Hip Hop Half Term (11 February) will also feature workshops, a DJ jam and an exclusive performance from ZooNation Youth Company. The River (12 February) is Bamboozle Theatre Company’s newest show for disabled children with complex needs. This show introduces children to a range of river animals, from salmon to herons, and even mystical creatures such as the water goddess, with live music and instruments with tactile vibrations.
Music at Imagine Children’s Festival, Southbank Centre, London
With music aplenty across the site, families can take a deep breath and dive underwater in the
concert hall submarine with the BBC Symphony Orchestra including CBeebies favourites JoJo and
Gran Gran in CBeebies Ocean Adventure (13 February). Classical music further joins the line-up
with Rockaby (13 – 15 February), a music experience inspired by an Arabic lullaby that the Syrian
composer Jaber Fayad listened to during his childhood. Visitors can also expect bold music and
brilliant puppetry in The Instrumentals (10 – 11 February), a first participatory gig experience for little ones with The David Gibb Big Band (7 February), and a live version of hit CBeebies TV show
YolanDa’s Band Jam and Friends (12 February).
Free activities on offer at Imagine Children’s Festival
The festival includes a range of free events and activities including a creative zone inspired by the
artist Bob and Roberta Smith’s book Art Makes People Powerful where everyone can discover their
inner artist through self-led creative activities. There’s also a day of games, competition and laughter in The Intergenerational Game: Lunar New Year Edition (10 February), a day of singing and beatboxing workshops with the incredible choir Trans Voices (14 February), a dance space powered by collective and electric dance energy in Prancer the Dancer’s DanceDanceDiscoPartyFunShow (12 February), and Wellbeing Wind Down (10 – 11, 13 – 16 February), a meditative space to help families manage stress while encouraging children’s creativity. The Mish Mash Family Trail (7 – 16 February), a Southbank Centre commission designed by Heart n Soul Feel Good Designers, arrives as a free and immersive journey with interactive art installations.
Imagine Children’s Festival – Full Event Listings
Wednesday 7 February – Saturday 17 February 2024
Free events are marked
FREE | GROW
Wed 7 Feb, 11am, 12.30pm & 2pm, The Clore Ballroom, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 2+
MUSIC | THE DAVID GIBB BIG BAND
Wed 7 Feb, 11:30am & 2.30pm, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £8 for groups of 10+, £9 for children and £12 for adults. For ages 2 – 5.
PERFORMANCE | THERE’S A MONSTER IN YOUR SHOW
Wed 7– Friday 9 Feb, Wed: 2pm & 4pm, Thurs: 10.30am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm and Fri: 10.30am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm, Purcell Room at Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £20 for adults and £15 for children.
DANCE | THE STICKY DANCE
Wed 7– Fri 9 Feb, 10.30am – 12.30pm and 2.30pm – 4.30pm (On Wed: 2pm & 4pm), The Blue Room, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £16 admit one child and one adult. For ages 3 – 5yrs.
Note Thu 8 Feb – Sensory adapted (Blue Room) at 10.30 & 11.30am. Suitable for ages 3 – 7
FREE | MISH MASH FAMILY TRAIL
Wed 7– Fri 16 Feb, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 3+
MUSIC | FREE | WONDER GIG
Thu 8 Feb,11.30am & 2pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 0 – 5
WORKSHOP | A MASHY, SQUISHY POTATO PARTY WITH MARYAM HUQ
Thu 8 Feb, 11.00am & 1.30pm, Level 5 Function Room, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £14 for an adult and child ticket. For ages 3+
FREE | RUG RHYMES
Fri 9 Feb, 10.30am & 2pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For all ages.
FREE | CHOOGH CHOOGH
Fri 9 Feb, 11.30am & 3pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. Recommended for ages 2+ but suitable for all ages.
DANCE | CHOTTO DESH
Fri 9 – Sat 10 Feb, Friday: 6.30pm and Saturday: 2.30pm & 6.30pm, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £10.50 – £24. For ages 7+
Note: 6.30pm performance on Sat 10 Feb will be Audio Described with Touch Tour available.
WORKSHOP | FREE | ART MAKES PEOPLE POWERFUL
Fri 9 – Thurs 14 Feb, 10.30 – 4.30pm (on the hour), Spirit Level Exhibition space, Royal Festival Hall. Free and ticketed. For ages 3 – 11
PERFORMANCE | THE INSTRUMENTALS
Sat 10- Sun 11 Feb, Sat: 2pm & 4.30pm and Sun: 11.30am & 2pm, Purcell Room. Tickets £10.50 for children and £14 for adults. For ages 4+
Note: The performance at 11.30am on Sun 11 Feb is Sensory Adapted.
PERFORMANCE | BOXED IN
Sat 10- Sun 11 Feb, 11.30am & 2.30pm, Blue Room, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £9 – £12. For ages 3 – 6 years.
Note: The performance at 2.30pm at Sat 10 is Sensory Adapted.
FREE | WELLBEING WIND DOWN
Sat 10 – Fri 16 Feb, except Mon 12 Feb, 3.30pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 5+
Note: The performances on Sun 11 Feb & Thurs 15 Feb are British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
LITERATURE & POETRY | ART | THE INTERGENERATIONAL GAME: LUNAR NEW YEAR EDITION
Sat 10 Feb, 10.30am & 1.30pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 5+
LITERATURE & POETRY | LEAP THROUGH TIME WITH PATIENCE AGBABI
Sat 10 Feb, 11am, Weston Pavilion, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £8 for adults and £6 for children. For ages 7+
DANCE | FREE | ZOONATION’S HIP HOP HALF TERM
Sun 11 Feb, 10.30am, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 5+
Note: Workshop announcements and instructions are British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
LITERATURE & POETRY | A MORNING WITH ROB BIDDULPH
Sun 11 Feb, 11am, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £12 for adults and £9 for children. For ages 5+
Note: This performance is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
LITERATURE & POETRY | AN AFTERNOON WITH MICHAEL ROSEN
Sun 11 Feb, 3pm, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £12 for adults and £9 children. For ages 6+
Note: This performance is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
DANCE | FREE | PRANCER THE DANCER’S DANCEDANCEDISCOPARTYFUNSHOW
Mon 12 Feb, 10.30am & 1.30pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 3+
WORKSHOP | FREE | ART | WHAT DO YOU WANT TO SAY
Mon 12 – Wed 14 Feb, 10.30am until 3.30pm, St Paul’s Pavilion, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed.
MUSIC | MENDELSSOHN AND THE MOVING MACHINES
Mon 12 Feb & Tue 13 Feb, 10.30am, 11.45am, 1pm & 2.15pm. Level 5 Function Room, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £8 for children and £10 for adults. For ages 0 – 5
WORKSHOP | LITERATURE & POETRY | PICTURE A POEM: WRITING & ILLUSTRATION WORKSHOP WITH ANTOINETTE BROOKS
Mon 12 Feb, 10.45am, National Poetry Library. Tickets £10 (admits one child and one adult). For ages 3 – 6
DANCE | THE RIVER
Mon 12 Feb, 11am, 1.30pm & 3pm, Blue Room, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £16 (admits one child and up to three accompanying adults). For ages 6 – 14
WORKSHOP | LITERATURE & POETRY | POEMS ALOUD! A WRITING & SHARING WORKSHOP WITH SHAGUFTA K. IQBAL
Mon 12 Feb, 1pm, National Poetry Library. Tickets £10 (admits one child and one adult). For ages 5 – 7
MUSIC | YOLANDA’S BAND JAM AND FRIENDS
Mon 12 Feb, 2.30pm, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £9-£20. For ages 3-11yrs
Note: This performance is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
WORKSHOP | LITERATURE & POETRY | PUTTING IT IN A LETTER: POETRY WRITING WORKSHOP WITH STEPHEN LIGHTBROWN
Mon 12 Feb, 2.45pm, National Poetry Library. Tickets £10 (admits one child and one adult). For ages 7 – 11
COMEDY | FREE | SHELF THE KID’S SHOW
Tue 13 Feb, 10.30am & 1.30pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 5+
MUSIC | CBEEBIES OCEAN ADVENTURE
Tue 13 Feb, 1.30pm & 3.45pm. Tickets £9 – £24. Recommended for ages 3+ but suitable for all ages.
MUSIC | ROCKABY
Tue 13 Feb – Thu 15 Feb, Tue: 11.30am, 1pm & 2.30pm, Wed: 10.45am, 12.30pm & 2pm and Thu: 11.30am, 1pm and 2.30pm. Blue Room, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £8. All babies and adults need a ticket. For ages 6 – 18 months
MUSIC | FREE | LITTLE BIG SING WITH TRANS VOICES
Wed 14 Feb, 10.30am & 1.30pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 5+
MUSIC | GROOVING WITH PIRATES
Wed 14 – Thurs 15 Feb, Wed:11.30am, 2.00pm & 4.30pm, Thu: 11.30am, 2pm, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £14 for adults and £10.50 for children. For ages 3 – 7
Note: The performance on Thu at11.30am is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
LITERATURE & POETRY | FREE | SPIN: RAPS, POEMS, AND STORIES
Thu 15 Feb, 10.30am & 1.30pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 5+.
Note: The performance at 1.30pm is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
MUSIC | LITERATURE & POETRY | DAVID LITCHFIELD AND HIS MERRY BAND OF BEARS
Thu 15 Feb, 11am, Level 5 Function Room, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £8 for adults and £6 for children. For ages 3+
Note: This performance is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
LITERATURE & POETRY | HUMAN 2.0 BY PATRICK KANE
Thu 15 Feb, 1pm, Level 5 Function Room, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £8 for adults and £6 for children. For ages 8+
Note: This performance is British Sign Language (BSL).
WORKSHOP | WRITE AWAY WITH NIKHIL AND JAY WORKSHOP
Thu 15 Feb, 11am & 1.30pm, Sunley Pavilion, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £10 for an adult and child ticket. For ages 5 – 7
DANCE | STARCHITECTS: A COSMIC ADVENTURE
Thurs 15- Sat 17 Feb, Thurs: 1pm & 4.30pm, Fri: 11am & 2pm and Sat: 11am & 2pm, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £9 – £20. For ages 3+ but suitable for all the family.
Note: 11am performance on 16 Feb will be Audio Described with Touch Tour.
LITERATURE & POETRY | ROSIE JONES: THE AMAZING EDIE ECKHART
Thur 15 Feb, 3pm, Level 5 Function Room, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £8 for adults and £6 for children. For ages 8-11 yrs.
Note: This performance is British Sign Language interpreted (BSL).
LITERATURE & POETRY | FREE | TOP DRAW!
Fri 16 Feb, 10.30am & 1.30pm, Clore Ballroom, Royal Festival Hall. Free and unticketed. For ages 5+
LITERATURE & POETRY | AMAZING BODIES WITH DR RONX
Fri 16 Feb, 10.45am, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £10 for adults and £7.50 for children. For ages 6-9yrs.
WORKSHOP | LITERATURE & POETRY | WRITING WORKSHOP WITH YASSMIN ABDEL-MAGIED
Fri 16 Feb, 11am & 1.30pm, Sunley Pavilion, Royal Festival Hall. Tickets £10 (admits one child and one accompanying adult). For ages 9+
LITERATURE & POETRY | JOHN AGARD: WINDRUSH CHILD & OTHER STORIES
Fri 16 Feb, 1.15pm, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £10 for adults and £7.50 for children. For ages 5-11yrs.
LITERATURE & POETRY | AN AFTERNOON WITH M.G.LEONARD
Fri 16 Feb, 3.30pm, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets at £10 for adults and £7.50 for children. For ages 7+
LITERATURE & POETRY | JOSEPH COELHO: LUNA LOVES GARDENING
Sat 17 Feb, 10.45am, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £10 for adults and £7.50 for children. For ages 3+
PERFORMANCE | LITERATURE & POETRY | THE MARVELLOUS MYTH HUNTER: MAD MONSTERZZ
Sat 17 Feb, 1.30pm, Purcell Room, Queen Elizabeth Hall. Tickets £9-£12. For ages 6+
PERFORMANCE | LITERATURE & POETRY | THE MARVELLOUS MYTH HUNTER: FAMILY FEUDS
