Love a Tree : a Playful Museums event for the under 5s

Love a Tree : Come and join us for a fun filled morning at Armagh Robinson Library and No 5!

As part of the Playful Museums Festival 2025 we will offer three play sessions for Under 5s. The children will enjoy lots of fun activities that focus on trees: storytelling, games and an art activity. They will be able to take their art home in a ‘Robinson Eco Pack’.

The sessions will be facilitated by Ursula Monaghan, our former Education and Outreach Officer.

10.30am-11.30am
Thursday 13 February 2025
Friday 14 February 2025
Saturday 15 February 2025

Admission is free, but booking is essential: armaghrobinsonlibrary.co.uk or 028 37523142

The team at Armagh Robinson Library and No 5 Vicars’ Hill is delighted to take part in the 2025 Playful Museums Festival. The Festival is made possible by grants and support from the Northern Ireland Museums Council (NIMC) and this year, due to early demand, three sessions will be held for pre-school children and their carers. Each session will start at 10.30am on each of the mornings, Thursday 13, Friday 14 and Saturday 15 February 2025.

This year’s theme is ‘Love a Tree’ and each session will include stories about trees, physical actions about trees and then the drawing of trees on a card for the children to take home in a ‘Robinson eco pack’. The aim is to engage young families about climate change and sustainable development in an age-appropriate way.

The project facilitator will be Ursula Monaghan, who was employed on a short-term basis in the museum last year and who is warmly welcomed back for these three sessions. Speaking ahead of the Playful Museums Festival sessions, Ursula said

I’m thrilled to return to Armagh Robinson Library to facilitate the 2025 Playful Museum activities. This year’s theme, ‘Love a Tree,’ holds great significance, providing a fun and interactive way for pre-school children to learn about environmental respect by caring for and nurturing trees, and understanding their positive impact on the planet.

A big congratulations to the Museum team for their dedication in encouraging young children to appreciate our native trees and educating them on the importance of planting in safe and secure spaces.  It’s also wonderful to see the Northern Ireland Museums Council supporting such an impactful initiative.

The Library’s Assistant Keeper, Carol Conlin, said

Not only will we welcome Ursula, we also look forward to welcoming staff members and families of ArKe Sure Start. ArKe Sure Start has been so supportive of our activities as we develop this community engagement as a playful museum. Following previous events, we have had the pleasure of being stopped in Armagh by parents to thank us for the Playful Museums events which they attended and how appropriate the sessions were. We hope that the same will happen this year.

The Library’s Keeper, the Very Revd Shane Forster, added

‘Love a Tree’ is such an appropriate theme, following Storm Eowyn, when many trees were felled or damaged. Hopefully many new trees will be planted in their place. Trees are such a wonderful symbol of knowledge, growth and the link between past and present.

All three sessions will be offered free of charge and are open to families with children under 5 years old. Booking is essential by telephoning 028 37523142 or e-mailing admin@armaghrobinsonlibrary.co.uk