Bubbles and lights as part of sensory play at Small Space day
National Space Centre

Toddlers Small Space - Space Travel

Join us for a toddler take over day and discover our world from space.

  • Early Years Development Activities
  • Lots of Toddle Room
  • No School Groups

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  1. Very happy child with a space shuttle toy at Small Space day
    National Space Centre

    Join us for a day dedicated to our littlest visitors, where we have lots of toddle room, hands on activities and a focus on Early Years Development for families to enjoy.

    All of our galleries are open to explore, there are special fulldome shows specifically for smaller children to enjoy and engage with, and our Discovery team have added lots of fun sessions to enjoy.

    Come along and enjoy Small Space Day, with songs, stories, games and the whole Centre for the under 5s to explore.

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Activities

  1. Bubbles and lights as part of sensory play in LIVE Space
    National Space Centre

    Sing-a-long-a-Spacecraft

    • 11:30, 12:30, and 13:30

    Head to LIVE Space for some well-known songs to sing, with a very special twist. Bubbles, lights, sound and participation all create an out of this world sensory experience for little ones to enjoy.

  2. A 3D rendering of a close up of an Astronaut. They are reaching towards the camera, with a shuttle seen in the reflection of their visor.

    Astronaut Spinners

    • 11:00-15:00 (drop in)

    Join the Discovery team and make your own magic astronaut space spinner with you as the astronaut.

  3. 01 Rocket S

    Rockets

    Colour and make your own fun rocket to travel through the space galleries.

  4. Education team member reads a story at Small Space day
    National Space Centre

    Storytime

    • 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00

    Join our Mission Commanders for a selection of stories from space and the imaginations of amazing authors. 

  5. Young girl in the Columbus Module at Small Space Day
    National Space Centre

    Astronaut George Trail

    Astronaut George is travelling around our Solar System looking for samples that he can bring home… Can you help Astronaut George find all the missing aliens?

  6. Adam Smith (2)

    Tinytarium

    A tiny planetarium has been created, where Sunshine can explain all about Night and Day to our smallest visitors.

2.0 characters in the Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium
National Space Centre

Planetarium Show

All day tickets include a fulldome planetarium show on your first visit. For Small Space Day we have three shows to choose from, including a very special show, created for toddlers to enjoy.

One show is included in your first visit. If you would like to add a second show, you can purchase additional tickets for £3 per person from the ticket desk.

  1. Astronaut George Show
    NSC Creative

    Astronaut George Show

    Which is the best planet to live on? What dangers will he find? But most importantly – will he find any alien friends to play with? Find out in this interplanetary adventure!

  2. The Great Solar System Adventure
    NSC Creative

    The Great Solar System Adventure

    Join showman extraordinaire "The Great Schiaparelli" as he takes the audience on a death-defying space-time adventure within his wondrous Observatorium. From the sun-scorched surface of Mercury to the icy expanses of Pluto and beyond, prepare to be subjected to the myriad dangers and wonders of our Solar System, on a breathtaking tour that reveals just how precious our home planet really is. Be warned though, the Observatorium isn’t just for show. It will transport the audience right to the heart of some of the deadliest locations in our slice of the heavens. It’s going to take some fancy flying to get everyone back in one piece!

FAQs

This is a toddler event, so it is suitable for children aged 2-5. However, children younger than this may enjoy the sensory elements and children older than this will also enjoy visiting the Centre and the exhibition.

No. As the day is planned around small children and parents, we do not encourage or take group bookings. Please see our EDUCATION pages to see other programmes that will be more suitable for you.

The National Space Centre hosts four Small Space Days each year, three of which are included in the Annual Pass offer, so one ticket will gain you entry into all of them (don't forget to book your return visit online in advance). Our Small Space Mrs Santa Special is a Premium Event, so is one of the five days a year that are exempt from the Annual Pass offer (however, if you buy a ticket for this event you can enjoy the other three for FREE!) 

Yes. The event is aimed at providing a safe and educational space for all those looking to develop skills through play. We include many opportunities throughout the day, where children and parents can drop in and drop out at their leisure. We do not take large school or group bookings, so this is a special day for smaller children, or those who need a quieter and gentler pace to enjoy the Centre. You should also look out for our Accessible Afternoons and SEN/SEND Home Education Days.

No. The Centre is hosting this event for small children and their families. The galleries will be busy with children’s activities, and you will not get the best experience. Please do look at our Space Lates events, or consider visiting on a sunny weekend date, when we tend to be a lot quieter (sunny summer holiday midweek dates are also good).

No. All activities are open for children to participate in, but they must be supervised by a parent, grandparent or guardian at all times.