WordPlay: Ages 0 – 2
Join us each fortnight for beautiful new songs and live music for you and your baby aged 0 – 2 to enjoy together, within a playful, squishy space.
Revel in the joy of playing and connecting with your little ones through singalongs, dancing and storytelling with plenty of space for connection and for imaginations to grow.
For 45 magical minutes, shake off the sleepless nights and wriggle on down to The Clore Ballroom to meet the WordPlay band, The Early Birds.
The accomplished trio bring beautiful original songs, live harp and playful moments to connect with your baby. There’s songs to sing together, beats to bounce around to, and music to carry with you all the way home.
WordPlay is set within a soft sensory environment for you and your child to enjoy, designed by theatre-designer Rosie Elnile.
The Early Birds are a new band for babies and their grown-ups, with poet and performer Arji Manuelpillai, songwriter and musician Emma-Lee Moss and harpist Serafina Steer.
WordPlay is the early years strand of Open Doors, the Southbank Centre’s programme of regular free events.
Need to know
The 10.30am session is designed for ages 0 – 2 and their grown-ups. There is a session for ages 3 – 5 at 11.30am. If you have children across both age groups, we recommend the 11.30am session.
All children must remain with an adult. No unaccompanied adults are allowed.
Rosie Elnile is an award-winning set and costume designer working between drama, opera and live art. She has been awarded a Jerwood Arts Grant to explore scenography as a sole narrative device in a work.
Arji Manuelpillai is a poet, performer and facilitator. He loves words and language and has toured the country encouraging people to express themselves together.
Emma-Lee Moss is a musician and writer. Under the name Emmy the Great, she released four full-length albums. Her original songs for WordPlay have been designed to introduce the joy of words, communication and connection to under-fives and their grown-ups.
Serafina Steer is a harpist, songwriter and instrumental teacher based in London.
Reviews
‘This has been a major part of our bonding, being here singing and the songs at home’
WordPlay visitor comment
‘heartwarming atmosphere and original live music’WordPlay visitor comment
Times & tickets
Dates, times and prices
Dates & times
Fri 18 Sep 2026, 10.30am
Fri 2 Oct 2026, 10.30am
Fri 23 Oct 2026, 10.30am
Fri 13 Nov 2026, 10.30am
Fri 20 Nov 2026, 10.30am
Fri 4 Dec 2026, 10.30am
Fri 18 Dec 2026, 10.30am
Run time
45 minutes (approx)
All timings are approximate and subject to change
Standard entry
Free – no ticket required
Concessions
Learn more about concession discounts
Refunds and exchanges
Find out more about our refund and exchange policy
Make a donation
Help us open up the arts to everyone by making a one-off or a recurring donation.
Access
Accessible events
This is a Relaxed event; it has a relaxed approach to noise and movement in the space, and you are free to enter and exit during the session. Noise-cancelling headphones are available for both adults and children.
The space is wheelchair accessible; we can provide early entry for wheelchair users to find their ideal spot in the space.
You can join our free Access Scheme through your online Southbank Centre account or via email.
Find out more about our Access Scheme
All our access information
For your visit
This event is held at the The Clore Ballroom Southbank Centre
The Clore Ballroom is open six days a week.
Tuesday, 10am – 6pm*
Wednesday – Sunday, 10am – 11pm
Monday, closed.
*If we’re hosting a performance, the building will stay open until the event ends.
Plan your visit
The Clore Ballroom is located inside our Royal Festival Hall on Level 2.
Getting here
Our address is Southbank Centre, Belvedere Road, London, SE1 8XX.
The nearest tube stations to us are Waterloo and Embankment; Waterloo is also the nearest train station. And more than 20 different London bus routes pass within 500 metres of our venues. More information on getting here by rail, road or river is available on our Getting here page.
We’re cash-free
Please note that we’re unable to accept cash payments across our venues.
Access
We’re working hard to remove barriers, so that our facilities and events can be accessible to as many people as possible.
All help points, toilets, performance and exhibition spaces at the Southbank Centre are accessible to all, as are the cafes, bars and restaurants. We also have excellent public transport links with step-free access.
There is step-free access to The Clore Ballroom, Level 2, Royal Festival Hall, via a ramp.
All information about booking wheelchair spaces, step-free access, blue badge parking, access maps and guides and other help available whilst you’re here, including details about our Access Scheme, can be found on our Access page.
Food & drink
Next to The Clore Ballroom is our Ballroom Cafe where you can grab a coffee and a piece of freshly made cake. Also on Level 2 of our Royal Festival Hall you can grab a slice of life by the Thames with drinks and freshly made pizza at our Festival Bar & Kitchen which opens out onto our Riverside Terrace.
From coffee to cocktails, filling favourites to fine dining, plus some of London’s best street food – it’s all here at the Southbank Centre.