What does a texture sound like? How do colours feel?
Welcome to the SideWays World! Here, you’ll discover more than five senses, and the fun begins when you mix them up. Side-by-side(ways), children and grown-ups will explore an accessible, immersive sensory landscape, where everything’s sort of the same… but a little bit more.
Join us this summer as we develop ideas for an accessible sensory playspace for families.
Relaxed, self-led play-testing sessions at Young V&A in Bethnal Green, bOing! Festival in Canterbury, and Oily Cart in Wandsworth invite families to tune into their senses and each other. There will be a chance to share your ideas and feedback in every session. Play your way, and help us shape SideWays Play.
Dates and Places
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Young V&A in Bethnal Green, London
Wednesday 5 – Saturday 22 August 2026
Young V&A access informationBookable sessions for disabled children are now fully booked.
There are still drop-in sessions available:
- For children under 5: https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/0wd0K7pBPE/sideways-play-drop-in-for-early-years-aug-2026
- For children of all ages: https://www.vam.ac.uk/event/LzoRnOzd1/sideways-play-drop-in-for-all-aug-2026
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bOing! Festival at Gulbenkian Arts Centre, Canterbury
Saturday 29 – Sunday 30 August 2026
Gulbenkian Arts Centre access information
Bookable sessions for disabled children, under 5s and children of all ages: https://thegulbenkian.co.uk/events/boing-2026-insideways/
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Oily Cart in Wandsworth, London
Friday 4 September
Bookable sessions for children under 5: https://www.tickettailor.com/events/oilycart/2339384
Acknowledgements
SideWays Play is inspired by InSideWays, an international collaboration between Oily Cart (UK) and Scen:se, Folkteatern Gävleborg and Estrad Norr (Sweden).
With thanks to Arts Council England, Cantiacorum Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, Kent Community Foundation through the Crown Charitable Fund, The National Lottery Community Fund, Wandsworth Council, funders that wish to remain anonymous and individual donors.
