Join us for a playful day of storytelling, sensory play, and art-making for children and families. Inspired by our exhibition Archipelago of Whispers and ECA’s Early Childhood Week theme Every Moment Matters, the day celebrates the small moments of creativity and connection that shape a child’s world.

The day begins with a tour of Archipelago of Whispers led by curators Deniz Kirkali and Elham Puriya Mehr, who will share how they created the exhibition and what it means to them. Afterward, drop-in activities will begin across our spaces, and you can move between them whenever you like.

Make a shaker, rainstick, or mini tambourine to take home. Press leaves and textures into air-dry clay, build tiny island worlds in sensory trays, or create characters for a shadow theater. Hang a story mobile in the Courtyard and see how sunlight changes its colors. Take part in telling a story that changes each time it is told. For quieter moments, we’ll have a reading corner of Arabic and English children’s books, and when you need a snack, the Majlis offers carnival treats like popcorn, slushies, and cotton candy.

This edition of 421 Family Day has been realized with support from Early Starters, Titter Totter, and Alice Visentin.

Accessibility & Participation

Lunch will be provided.

Suitable for families and children of all ages.

No prior experience required.

Language: English

Gallery 2

Exhibition tour: Meet curators Deniz Kirkali and Elham Puriya Mehr, and hear the stories behind the exhibition and what it means to them.

Studio Play

Let your senses guide you through an open-ended play area designed for younger children. Themed trays allow little ones to play with materials that have different textures, including water, shells and Moon Sand. Alongside the trays there will be a gentle immersive space with an ocean theme, giving children and families the chance to pause and reflect.

Studio Play will also feature the chance to decorate a paper island with a drawing or collage that will become a shared artwork growing throughout the day.

Exhibition Hall

Little Story Makers: Turn wooden spoons and craft sticks into characters, then bring them to life with a story in the shadow theater, all while exploring light, movement, and storytelling.

Studio 1

Sounds of Wonder: Play with sound at this station where you can choose a shaker, rainstick, or mini tambourine, decorate it your way, and take your instrument home.

Courtyard 4

Whispering Winds: Build a hanging mobile from colorful shapes and translucent paper, then carry it outside to see the sun and breeze set it moving while you observe the shifting colors and shadows.

The Meeting Room

Little Impressions: Press leaves and textures into soft clay and capture a memory of your day at 421 that you can take home.

Studio 4

Numerous Lips with Alice Visentin: In this playful storytelling session, each person will add another layer to a collective story. You will also transform this story into a visual work by drawing on a long transparent strip, layering your images and then watch the story change as it passes from person to person.

421 Plaza

Stories in the Open Air: Settle into a cozy reading corner with Arabic and English children’s books.

Slime Gelato and Bedazzling Station: Mix your own slime from a gelato cart and bedazzle the container.

The Majlis

Enjoy tasty carnival treats like popcorn, slushies, and cotton candy.

About the Instructors

Early Starters is a local educational distributor and book fair company. It’s all about creating experiences that encourage and promote a love of literacy. Early Starters specializes in curating each of their book events to their communities’ needs. Matching the perfect book to each reader. 

Titter Totter offers inclusive, play-based experiences that nurture every child’s growth and development. Our expert-designed programs encourage children of all abilities to explore, discover, and learn through meaningful play and hands-on activities that build confidence, curiosity, and imagination. 

Alice Visentin (1993, Turin, Italy) lives and works in Turin. She studied painting at the Accademia Albertina in Turin. In 2015, she co-founded Spaziobuonasera, a nonprofit art space, with fellow students.

Her group exhibitions include If It Is Untouchable It Is Not Beautiful, Monitor Gallery, Rome, 2019; Hypnagogia, Nevven Gallery, Gothenburg, 2019; Day In, Day Out, Tile Project Space, Milan, 2018; Ibrida, Castello di Perno, Monforte d’Alba, 2018; Sauvage, Dom, Palermo, 2018; Showroom, Frankfurt, 2018; L’isola portatile, ADA Project, Rome, 2018; and Artagon, The International Encounter of Art Schools, Paris, 2017.

In 2017, she held her first solo exhibition, Prima Persona Singolare, at Tile Project Space in Milan.