Make Play - 16 June 2026

16 June 2026

11:00 am

2:00 pm

Join us for Make Play, a sensory creative space for children aged between 6 months and 5 years to explore with their parent and/or carer.

Make Play supports early years development through open-ended, hands-on sensory experiences. Children are invited to explore at their own pace, following their curiosity through materials that encourage discovery, problem-solving and experimentation. Playful activities support key areas of development including coordination, communication, confidence and imagination, while carers are encouraged to slow down and share in the experience.

What’s on this week:

Mark-Making
Use paint, chalk, markers and more to create a large-scale collaborative artwork on the wall.
Sand Prints
Inspired by Kira Freije’s casting techniques, use your hands and feet to create temporary impressions, patterns and textures in our sensory sand tray.
Gathering Drum
Explore sound through shells, shakers, sensory batons, headphones and our large gathering drum. How many different sounds can you make?
From the Feet Up
Discover different textures under your feet and in your hands as you play with sensory mats, tactile toys and stepping stones. Create your own obstacle course across the studio.
Little Fennel’s Potion Station
Inspired by Olivia Plender’s exhibition, mix colourful potions using flowers, herbs and water at our sensory water table. Finish by designing a unique label for your potion bottle.
Light and Shadow Play: Table Tunnel
Step inside our table fort and experiment with shadows, shapes and loose parts. Explore light boxes, torches, coloured silks and tiles as you play.

Each session offers a changing selection of materials and themes, designed to spark interest and support different ways of learning through play. Make Play is a welcoming space for families in Oxford looking for relaxed, creative activities for babies and toddlers.

Ticketing Information

We’re offering these tickets on a pay-what-you-can basis (£4.50 / £6.50 / £8.50), with higher-price options helping to support Modern Art Oxford as a charity and keep events like this accessible to more people. Booking is essential.

Booking is essential, and one ticket admits one child and one parent/carer. To help us manage capacity and ensure a safe, enjoyable experience for everyone, one adult attending with more than one child will need to book a ticket for each child.

We offer a range of facilities to ensure we are accessible to visitors. Please click here to find out more about visiting Modern Art Oxford. If you have any questions about your visit, please get in touch at info@modernartoxforg.org.uk