Big Dreams Early Years Theatre Festival at Polka Theatre

A celebration of 45 years of Early Years Theatre and creativity.

With engaging UK and international shows, inspiring talks with famous Early Years authors, and free activities including a tongue-twisting installation, face-painting, glitter tattoos and more… enjoy an array of exciting creative experiences specially for our younger audiences and their families.

Shows on Saturday 28 September will be:

• Kaleidoscope, where a multi-coloured kaleidoscope is brought to life for babies aged 6 – 18 months;
• Wonder Gigs, a music-filled session for ages 0 – 4 years with props, puppets, bubbles and gentle child-led play – both from Filskit Theatre Company; and
• Second Hand Dance return to Polka, after a previous sell-out production at Big Dreams, with The Sticky Dance – tape, stick and groove in this interactive colourful performance installation for 3 – 5-year-olds.

Shows on Sunday 29 September will be:

• LàQua from Teatro Koreja, an exploration of senses, language, understanding and memory using polyphonic song and rhythms for ages 0 – 3 years; and 4 – 8-year-olds are invited to help the Boxville engineers to build their way through the story in Boxville from Cardboard Adventures.Wimbledon BookFest events with pictures book authors during the festival include: a story-telling and live draw-along session based upon the beloved Storm Whale stories with award-winning author and illustrator Benji Davies; a 25th anniversary celebration of Debi Gliori’s timeless classic No Matter What; an interactive reading and signing of World Book Day 2024 author Tọlá Okogwu’s moving and magical book Bekah and the Moon; and Gigantosaurus’ author Jonny Duddle will do a draw-along and readthrough of his brand-new book Doodle with Duddle: How to Draw Dinosaurs.

  Free activities during the festival include face painting, glitter tattoos, Seashells – a video installation by Greg Sinclair, activity sheets, and access to Polka’s indoor and outdoor play areas.

  Tickets for performances and talks are £12 each, with a multi-buy saving available when booking 2 or more events.