The Southbank Centre’s Imagine Children’s Festival returns for it’s 20th year

London’s biggest festival for children is returning for its 20th year.

The Southbank Centre’s Imagine Children’s Festival will run from February 9 to 20 with over 160 events including children’s theatre, music, literature and dance.

The multi-arts line-up for 2022 includes some of the best-loved faces from children’s literature and television.

Jacqueline Wilson is set to appear to discuss her latest books, as well as poet and author Michael Rosen and Julia Donaldson, who will perform songs featuring characters from her books.

Kids can get their first taste of live music by joining Peppa Pig for Peppa Pig: My First Concert or saxophonist YolanDa for a live version of her CBeebies TV show.

The fun-filled days wind down with daily mindfulness and yoga in the Royal Festival Hall’s Clore Ballroom, run by mindfulness experts from the Tangled Feet theatre company’s Mindfulness Project.

Moments of calm continue with Slumber Stories as story-lovers are invited to drift into a calm and mindful night-time routine with tales and music from around the world, and with Cosmic Kids Yoga’s guided yoga and storytelling sessions.

Ruth Hardie, Festival Programmer at the Southbank Centre, said: “Now twenty years old, Imagine Children’s Festival is, as ever, about unlocking creativity and celebrating the individuality of every child – a festival for kids and their grown ups to explore, learn, discover and play.

Ruth Hardie, Festival Programmer at the Southbank Centre, said: “Now twenty years old, Imagine Children’s Festival is, as ever, about unlocking creativity and celebrating the individuality of every child – a festival for kids and their grown ups to explore, learn, discover and play.

“This year we are bursting at the seams with activities and events to inspire, engage and entertain, with a focus on wellbeing and championing the things that make each child unique.

“I’m particularly pleased with this year’s virtual, BSL-interpreted, relaxed and accessible events, as we continue our aim to bring diverse stories and the wonder of Imagine to as many children as possible.

“After the challenges of the past year, we’re really looking forward to seeing families use art to have fun and discover something incredible together at the Southbank Centre’s Imagine.”

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HIGHLIGHTS:

The Origins of Carmen Power
In this playful online quest, monsters, magic powers and unicorns help share Carmen’s real-life experience of cancer. On the quest, audiences will meet Carmen who shares her experience of having cancer when she was seven years old. In this self-guided online experience, Carmen uses play and imagination to express the challenges she faced and overcame. Innovative theatre-maker Toby Peach, who experienced cancer as a teenager, has developed this imaginative and often joyful digital story with Carmen in order to tell her story in her own words. While this is about one child’s story, it also has a universal message about finding our inner strength and resilience, and asks us what we can learn from life’s most unexpected moments.
February 9 to 20
Ages 7 to 13

We Touch, We Play, We Dance
We Touch, We Play, We Dance is a gentle performance for little ones aged 18 months to 3 years to discover the power of dance. Touch is an improvised and interactive dance show performed by four dancers and a DJ. Adults and children are offered the chance to watch, play and dance as the performers move to a live mixed music score. A beautifully crafted, gentle and playful experience that reaffirms the potency of touch and dance in the digital age. Second Hand Dance is a disabled-led dance company based in England that works locally, nationally and internationally. The company creates joyful, inspirational touring shows and digital dance experiences for children and adults.
February 9 to 11
Ages 18 months to 3

Peppa Pig: My First Concert
Everyone’s favourite Pig family leads a fun, interactive introduction to live orchestra for the whole family. Peppa Pig, along with Mummy Pig, Daddy Pig and George, invites you to Peppa Pig: My First Concert. Peppa and George learn all about the different sounds that instruments make together. Join them as they enjoy some of their favourite music from the show, as well as discovering some trotter-tapping orchestral pieces.
February 11 to 13
Ages 2+

Palaver Party
Palaver Party is about being free to be whoever you want to be. Drag, cabaret, performance and disco usher in a family extravaganza. This party is the perfect place to explore self-expression, difference and all the things that make us unique. It’s also a perfect way to mark 20 years of Imagine Children’s Festival. Wear whatever makes you happy, and get ready to dance the afternoon away.
February 14
All ages

Club Origami
What can we make with a single square of paper? With dance and live music, Club Origami invites the audience to create new ways of moving and thinking. This show sweeps kids through a spirited and inspiring adventure in a land made purely of paper and play.
February 16
Ages 2 to 5

YolanDa’s Band Jam
In a live version of her CBeebies TV show, saxophonist YolanDa introduces kids to the joys of music with singing, dancing and playing. Dubbed ‘Jools Holland for kids’, YolanDa’s Band Jam is an acclaimed kids TV show, which encourages children to explore music. Turning it into a stage show to share the fun in person, she brings crowd-pleasing songs and plenty of live music.
February 16
Ages 3 to 11

Make a comic book with Maisie Chan
Create your own comic book with mutant characters with the author of Danny Chung Does Not Do Maths, at an event for ages 7 – 11. Maisie Chan will tell audiences all about Danny Chung, the lead character from her book. Danny is a boy who hates maths, is annoyed and embarrassed by his Chinese grandmother and who loves drawing comics. Find out how a comic book is laid out and how to write and illustrate it as well as learning all about Chinese New Year.
February 18
Ages 7 to 11

Julia Donaldson & Friends: A Pocketful of Songs
Julia Donaldson presents a musical show filled with much-loved characters, including Zog, The Highway Rat, Superworm and The Gruffalo. Together with Julia’s guitar-playing husband Malcolm, two actors and a four-piece band, the author performs a medley of songs based on her picture books with Axel Scheffler. Funny and entertaining, the show encourages families to clap and sing along to songs based on the much-loved stories. This event celebrates the launch of A Pocketful of Songs, an illustrated book and CD.
February 19
Ages 4+

Adam Kay: A Hilarious & Gross History of the Human Body
Follow writer, comedian and former doctor Adam Kay on a hilarious and deliciously disgusting tour of the history of medicine and the human body. Kay answers questions like ‘why did hairdressers cut off their customers’ legs?’ and ‘why did people get paid for farting?’ The olden days were pretty fun if you liked wearing chainmail or chopping people’s heads off, but there was one tiny little problem back then, as Kay’s Marvellous Medicine confirms: doctors didn’t have the slightest clue about how our bodies worked. You can draw along with comedian, writer and illustrator Henry Paker and challenge your parents to the ultimate True or Poo quiz. A Q&A with Adam Kay will follow the event.
February 19
Ages 7+

Escape with Jacqueline Wilson
Join us for an afternoon with Dame Jacqueline Wilson and discover how she started her writing career, as well as hearing about her new books, The Runaway Girls and The Primrose Railway Children. Former children’s laureate and author of more than 100 books, Wilson is one of Britain’s bestselling children’s authors. Known for characters like Tracy Beaker and Hetty Feather, she has legions of loyal fans both in the UK and throughout the world.
February 20
Ages 8 to 12

Little Poets, Beautiful Voices with Joseph Coelho
Joseph Coelho shares his latest picture book, My Beautiful Voice, illustrated by Allison Colpoys, about a little girl who finds courage through poetry. Audiences can have fun guessing poetic riddles, pulling poetic faces and discovering just how easy it is to be courageous with poetry.
February 20
Ages 5 to 10

A Morning with Michael Rosen
The former Children’s Laureate introduces Sticky McStickstick, his moving and inspirational new picture book – a story of perseverance and hope. Chronicling Michael Rosen’s recovery from Covid-19, it is a testament to the support of family, doctors, nurses, therapists – and his trusty NHS walking stick. It speaks of the importance of overcoming fear and learning to accept help. Rosen also discusses and reads a selection of his best-loved poems and stories from his extensive writing career. An event full of fun and reflection, sprinkled with Rosen’s inimitable humour.
February 20
Ages 5+