Fantastical & Magical: The Discover Children’s Story Centre
The Discover Children’s Story Centre in Stratford, East London is a fantastical and magical place for immersive learning and creativity.
For an afternoon of hands-on fun, look no further than the magical Discover Children’s Story Centre in Stratford. On a cold and dreary February day, Lady Yeya and I on the DLR to East London to visit this magical place. As Lady Yeya has been here before on a father-daughter day out, she was eager to show me around this fantastical and magical place.
Multi-Storey of Sensory Fun
This multi-storey building with a massive outdoor space is a wonderful place for children. The Discover Children’s Story Centre inspires the love of reading and storytime. Every nook and corner from floor to ceiling is magical to spark imagination and creativity. On the ground floor, there’s a whimsical tree house, dragon’s castle, caves, and a sailboat. Each area also encourages sensory play with music and lights.
On the second floor, kids can fly to the moon on a giant space rocket. Or they can explore the skies on the iconic lollipopter which is one part helicopter and one part bus. The Story Factory is a cool space to explore especially for the book lover. The indoor slide and the magical “clouds” section are also fun. Across the two floors, there are many hidden cosy reading corners filled with age-appropriate books and hand puppets. A fantastical and magical place, there will not be a dull moment during your two-hour visit.
Storytime, Arts & Crafts, and Special Snow Exhibition
Storytime is a big focus at the Discover Children’s Story Centre. Kids are invited to join the staff for an animated story session near the sailboat throughout their stay. Special emphasis is also on arts-and-crafts, as evident on the messy crafts corner where kiddos are busy making Forky-inspired spoon puppets.
For this winter season, there is a special free drop-in “Snow” immersive audio space. Anna and Elsa of Arendelle would approve of the dazzling wintery scene with sparkling snowflakes and fairy lights. Comfortable bean bags, snowballs, and oversized polar animals with an audio story make this special space fantastical and magical. If it is not too busy, it is a perfect chill out space.
Outdoor Playground
In addition to the immersive indoor space, there is a lovely outdoor playground. In keeping to the whimsical theme, children can climb on “The Smeds and the Smoos” inspired play structures. Colourful treehouses and oversized musical instruments encourage sensory learning and exploring. It is a great space to burn off a little extra energy, that is if it not raining.
Overall, the Discover Children’s Story Centre is a lovely place that combines outdoor exploration with indoor immersive learning. Best of all, it encourages the love of books, creativity, and reading. It is truly a fantastical and magical day out for the whole family.
