At Nicolai for Children, children get the space and tools to create their own art, whether it is a theatre play or painting.
Attraction of the Month, Denmark
When children become creators With a myriad of possibilities and only a few rules, Nicolai for børn (Nicolai for Children) is a bit of a Pippi Longstocking house. Located in Kolding, the activity house’s theatre, jungle room, and workshops are designed to awaken the creator in all children.
kids quickly get started on creating their very own make-up, costumes and roleplays on the professionally set stage.
By Signe Hansen | Photos: Peberman
Social, physical or creative – it’s all play
When adults enter the Nicolai for Children house, there might be a moment of hesitation – but not so for the children who are immediately drawn in by the foam blocks, climbing tower and floor-to-ceiling ropes of the jungle room. However, the jungle is just one of the centre’s many engaging activity areas. “The whole design of the house is centred around the wish to create a universe where the children become creators – it’s not about the result, but about the process,” explains head of 120 | Issue 124 | May 2019
Nicolai Culture, Mette Strømgaard Dalby. “When parents see the theatre’s make-up table, for instance, they often expect that an adult will draw pretty butterflies on the kids’ faces, but no, we’d rather that the kids do it themselves. And they do, wholeheartedly! The result might not always be too pretty, but they love it.” The theatre, like all the other activity spaces, has no rules and no adults to guide the fun. But, as Dalby explains, the
Designed by the award-winning architecture firm Dorte Mandrup Arkitekter, Nicolai for Children is a multi-layered universe of fun and creation for children aged two to 12. In addition to the different activity rooms, the house includes several creative workshops, including a woodwork workshop. “The activities appeal to different groups – those who like physical play, those who like social interaction and those who are into using their hands,” explains Dalby. “Of course, all children