A new city centre activity space has opened for children and young people in St David’s Dewi Sant Cardiff.
The Winter of Wellbeing Festival pop-up is part of a scheme by Child Friendly Cardiff to engage children, young people and families within the community, following on from the popular Summer of Smiles in the city.
Open every day until Sunday March 27, the festival space is located next to the Apple Store at St David’s and will host a range of free drop-in workshops, crafts, games and activities for all ages from babies through to primary age children, teenagers and young adults.
Weekday workshops for toddlers will host music making, storytelling and crafts while after-school activities include comic book workshops with an illustrator, coding and robotics, ukulele lessons, street dancing, broadcast tasters, DJ skills and live performances alongside a youth service ‘hangout’ sessions. During weekends, there will be a full line-up of nature, craft and art activities from creating bird feeders and upcycled flowers to paint spinning and designing a mural for Cardiff’s Lamby Way Recycling Centre.
Visitors are encouraged to use the free space as a place to meet or relax with beanbags, sofas, dens, benches as well as table football and Instagram-able icons. For families, there are LEGO pods, games, books and art stations. In addition, the space will host employment and benefits sessions, ambassador training and a stand to engage young people in democracy.
The Winter of Wellbeing Festival is aimed at enhancing the wellbeing of children, young people and their families by supporting future generations’ social, emotional, mental and physical wellbeing. The selection of community-based interactive, creative and play-based initiatives will provide opportunities to further develop children’s and young people’s social skills, to express themselves through play and physical activity. Part of Child Friendly Cardiff, it is aligned with the city’s ambition to become the UK’s first Child Friendly City.
James Waugh, Centre Director of St David’s Cardiff, said: “The Child Friendly Cardiff pop-up is a creative and interactive space where families and young people can explore and express themselves. There are some fantastic initiatives on offer run by enthusiastic and talented partners – all free of charge. We’re really pleased to bring something so innovative and different to Cardiff and we’re hoping visitors will make the most of the space while we’re all lucky enough to have it.”
Lee Patterson, Cardiff Child Friendly Cities Co-Ordinator, added: “Child Friendly Cardiff have really enjoyed partnering with St David’s to provide a safe, creative space for children, young people and their families as part of our Winter of Wellbeing Festival.
“It is really important that children and young people are built into the thinking of city centres, providing them with a safe and accessible space to relax, learn and play. It shows them that they are welcome and respected which is so important.”
Partners hosting sessions at the festival pop-up include: Lalala Productions, Cardiff Parks Team, Arts Active Trust, RSPB, Cardiff Salad Garden, Technocamps, Green Squirrel, Pedal Emporium, Rubicon Dance, Ministry of Life, Radio Platform, Democracy Box, Into Work Cardiff, Grassroots, Play Services, Boss & Brew, Arup and Shiny Happy People.
The Child Friendly Cardiff pop-up is located next to the Apple store in St David’s for a limited time, open until March 27.
