The premise of Discover Children’s Story Centre is to improve literacy, and their programme of workshops, installations and activities attempts to do this by encouraging creativity and imagination.

In practical terms, books are brought to life with multi-sensory displays, children are invited to follow indoor trails, play with musical instruments and dress up, immersing themselves in the stories. Children are also encouraged to participate in the storytelling of popular books like The Very Hungry Caterpillar and Clarice Bean.

There is an art area, a soft sculpture “forest” out of a fairytale, a food area with vaguely throne-like chairs, and some places to tell your own stories. Its all washed with natural light and open and cohesive visually.

There are lots of imaginative/role play exhibits in children’s museums. And there are an increasing number of quirky, playful designed environments that eschew bright colours and plastic materials as they do here. In that sense, Discover Stratford isn’t breaking new ground. But what Discover Stratford has really done well, and what sets it apart, is its ability to encourage parent-child interaction.

Here are a few of the elements that make Discover outstanding among other kids-oriented museums of London:

1) Exhibits appeal aesthetically to both adults and children. They are colourful and patterned but the shapes are fun, the colours are unusual, and the environment is playful rather than childish.

2) They have amenities for all users – like integrated seating, and the right height tables, and good sightlines that support independence. Chairs are comfortable for adults to sit in while allowing them to be part of the action.

3) They contain interactives that spontaneously engage kids with a combination of intrinsically motivating activities and an intuitive interface, and which at the same time offer adults roles to play that are appropriate for them. This approach takes adults seriously as learners, and it treats them as an integral part of the museum experience. So adults can let their kids climb and then reconnect with them at the top, or hold their hand as they cross the trip-trap bridge. The kid is taking the lead but the adult is still a play partner, coach, cheerleader, and aide.

4) Graphic communication is tuned to encourage adult/child interaction. The graphics were written for adults to read aloud, or to call attention to things the kids were doing and their accomplishments – so helping the adults notice and celebrate their children’s achievements.

5) The shape of tables and scale of activity areas encourage conversation by creating areas to cluster and work in parallel or collaborate. Just take the double stair as an example of how design can encourage participation.

Open hours: 

Tuesday – Friday 10am – 5pm
Saturday and Sunday 11am – 5pm
Open every day during the school holidays

383-387 Westfield Stratford City, London, Greater London E15 4QZ
+44 20 8536 5555