The Toddler Take Over 2026

This is Draíocht’s 11th Toddler Take Over event which celebrates the limitless imagination of the very young child and the magic that happens when it is combined with the world of artists and the arts. With a combination of self-led and artist-led events and happenings, children are invited to bring their insatiable curiosity and their adults to explore our spaces, discover a range of artforms, to create, play, draw, and nurture their creative potential, while having fun too.

So let your toddler take the lead, as we open up our building just for them and invite them to explore!

Programme - 5 Spaces to Explore

Makedy-Do Tent-Tastic Adventure | Ground Floor Gallery | Ground Floor

Tents of red and yellow and blue fill our Makedy-Do Tent-Tastic Adventure space. Build a fireless fire, add to the forest of wonky trees, find a wiggly worm ... then enjoy a pop-up theatre & story-making session with Eimear Morrissey and Leah Kavanagh ... Become part of the adventure in this character-led session 'The Weather Watchers'. Ready your imagination to go on an adventure together brought to life by our actors.

Dream World | Main Auditorium | Ground Floor

Enjoy our Dream World where you can explore materials that ebb and flow. Then what's that sound? A pop-up live music session with Ríona Sally Hartman. Get ready for a live music experience to surprise right in the middle of this space full of imagination, magic and beautiful sound that transport you to a brand new world.

Colourdy Painty Space | Workshop Room | Ground Floor

Paint, draw and explore inside our Colourdy Painty Space. Use a paint brush, your fingers or your toes to paint and draw and make your mark (or a mess), on the floor, on the walls, everywhere!

Mini Buildy Fally Downy | Upstairs Gallery | First Floor

Play, build, and chill on our beanbags in our Mini Buildy Fally Downy space ... maybe you need a snack, a feed or a little rest ... space for play in and out of little houses for mini exploration and a quieter time.

Dancing Shadowy Lights | The Studio | First Floor

A space of shadows and light with pop-up dancers that delight and surprise. With a series of themes and a range of movements, accompanied by rhythms and some interesting props to enhance exploration of movement, colour and rhythm, this is an interactive and responsive dance, sound and light session to engage and explore with in your own unique way.
With Dancers Jess Rowell, Anderson DeSouza & Mi DiChiaro.

"The Toddler Take Over has always been a magical and creatively productive time for me, ever since we invented the first one 11 years ago. A huge amount of background work goes into the Toddler Take Over, taking 4 weeks to build all the elements, but the team at Draíocht and the artists they engage with are champions at what they do; bringing together ideas, technical elements, materials, spaces and playfully gathering people to put things in motion. Draíocht is aptly named; it’s just magic to be a part of it!" - Lead Artist Órla Kelly

TTO Sensory Friendly Event
Wed 13 May / 10.30am-12.30pm
Suitable for Special Units/Schools
This year, we’ll also have a Sensory Friendly Toddler Morning, for special units and pre-schools catering for children with sensory needs in our local area. Please contact sarah@draiocht.ie directly to enquire, places are very limited.