USING your imagination and transporting yourself to another world is the aim of a new family attraction opened this summer in Newry.
The aptly named Imaginarium is the creation of Sticky Fingers Arts, the children's art organisation behind the highly successful Giant's Lair mythical land at Slieve Gullion Forest Park.
The Imaginarium is a magical interactive land where children can experience a whole new world of possibilities through creative play in a setting that has been carefully created by a team of professional artists.
Children are encouraged to use their imagination in a range of different play-based activities, from exploring the fairy village, searching for trolls and sailing the high seas to taking a trip on a rocket ship.
I brought my own two children, Noah (7) and Abigail (4), to explore Imaginarium for themselves. After being greeted and told a story by a costumed member of staff at the entrance to the secret door of the Imaginarium, they quickly went off in their own directions to explore.
Conforming to gender stereotypes, Noah was fascinated by the spaceship and quickly took over the wheel, while Abigail went to hunt for fairies.
It was a joy to watch as they happily explored, recreated the Three Billy Goats Gruff story on the drawbridge and then spontaneously started to roll down the artificial hill mounds – which I'm sure younger younger visitors will find reminiscent of the Teletubbies.
They then came together for countless games of hide and seek. The toadstools, meadows, space ships, tunnels and secret passageways were ideal for this timeless childhood game.
The second room in the Imaginarium is reminiscent of a desert island. The simple fishing boat, sand and spades are all that kids need for the perfect game of pirates.
When it's time for a breather, there are a number of art stations where children can make spaceships, fairy houses or draw pictures to be displayed.
The Imaginarium is located beside Sticky Fingers' Art Cafe, which as well as providing sustenance, has plenty of opportunities for children to enjoy crafts, games, book or run their own little toy cafe. There is also a dress-up area where children can become anything from princesses to crocodiles.
"The Imagination provides an innovative space for the imagination to grow, where children can freely explore their creativity in a magical environment where anything is possible," says Grainne Powell, Sticky Fingers CEO and artistic director.
"Play is essential for children to develop and the most natural way for them to play leads us quickly to the arts. Sticky Fingers Arts believes that every child has the right to engage in the arts and creative play and the Imaginarium provides a safe and accessible space for children of all ages and all abilities," she adds.
:: The Art Café and Imaginarium are open Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm with late night opening on Friday until 8pm. The Art Café is free to visit and admission to the Imaginarium is £3 per person (under-ones free). Stickyfingersarts.co.uk
