Mrs Santa Claus sat next to two Christmas trees, reading a book.

Small Space Mrs Santa Special

Join us for a very special pre-Christmas Small Space Day, including a visit from Mrs Claus all the way from the North Pole!

  • Early Years Development Activities
  • Lots of Toddle Room
  • Premium Event - not included in the Annual Pass offer

Book Now

  1. A parent holding their baby. They are both smiling, the child is looking at the camera.

    Small Space Mrs Santa Special

    Join us for a very special pre-Christmas Small Space Day, including a visit from Mrs Claus all the way from the North Pole!

    Our friends at NORAD are getting ready to track Santa as he heads off, delivering gifts to all the children around the world.

    Come along and enjoy a special Christmas Small Space Day, with songs, stories, games and the whole Centre for the under 5s to explore.

    Book Now

Activities

  1. An adult and two children. One of the children is on the adults lap, the other is laying down. They are all smiling.

    Live Santa Science

    • 11:30, 12:30, and 13:30

    Over to the Elves to look at all the work they have to do to make Christmas magical, followed by our Sing-A-Long Snow Time Sensory Party - Time to dance and play in the snow. Lights, snow, and music all turn this into an out of this world sensory experience for the Christmas season.

  2. Mrs Santa Claus sat next to two Christmas trees, reading a book.

    Mrs Claus Storytime

    • 11:00, 12:00, 13:00 and 14:00

    Join Mrs Claus and the elves for a selection of Christmas stories. There will be time for a photo opportunity. 

  3. A child cheering.

    Make Reindeer Headbands

    • 11:00-15:00 (drop in)

    Looking for a special Christmas outfit to wear? Make your very own Rudolph, complete with bright colourful nose and googly eyes!

  4. An Education Presenter cutting paper with scissors. They are conducting a craft activity.

    Christmas Rocket Decoration

    • 11:00 - 15:00 (drop in)

    Decorate your own rocket Christmas decoration! Stick coloured tissue paper to the back for the ultimate momento to take home.

  5. A child in the Columbus Module model at the National Space Centre.

    Astronaut George Trail

    Astronaut George is travelling around our Solar System looking for samples that he can bring home… Can you help Astronaut George find all the missing aliens?

  6. Two parents holding and playing with a young child. They are all smiling and laughing.

    Tinytarium

    A tiny planetarium has been created, where Sunshine can explain all about Night and Day to our smallest visitors.

The Sir Patrick Moore Planetarium screen, displaying multiple 'Astronaut George' characters (the National Space Centre's mascot - a small orange character). They are in bubbles.

Planetarium Show

All day tickets include a fulldome planetarium show on your first visit. For Small Space Day we have three shows to choose from, including a very special show, created for toddlers to enjoy.

One show is included in your first visit. If you would like to add a second show, you can purchase additional tickets for £3 per person from the ticket desk.

  1. Astronaut George launching from Earth, towards the Sun and planets with smiley faces.

    Astronaut George Show

    • 10.45, 11.10, 11.35, 12.00, 13.10, and 13.35

    Which is the best planet to live on? What dangers will he find? But most importantly – will he find any alien friends to play with? Find out in this interplanetary adventure!

  2. A 3D rendering of a large inside theme park, with 'The Great Solar System Adventure' in carnival sign text front and centre.

    The Great Solar System Adventure

    • 12:30 and 15:10

    Join showman extraordinaire "The Great Schiaparelli" as he takes the audience on a death-defying space-time adventure within his wondrous Observatorium. From the sun-scorched surface of Mercury to the icy expanses of Pluto and beyond, prepare to be subjected to the myriad dangers and wonders of our Solar System, on a breath-taking tour that reveals just how precious our home planet really is. Be warned though, the Observatorium isn’t just for show. It will transport the audience right to the heart of some of the deadliest locations in our slice of the heavens. It’s going to take some fancy flying to get everyone back in one piece!

FAQs

This is a toddler event, so it is suitable for children aged 2-5. However, children younger than this may enjoy the sensory elements and children older than this will also enjoy visiting the Centre and the exhibition.

No. As the day is planned around small children and parents, we do not encourage or take group bookings. Please see our EDUCATION pages to see other programmes that will be more suitable for you.

The National Space Centre hosts four Small Space Days each year, three of which are included in the Annual Pass offer, so one ticket will gain you entry into all of them (don't forget to book your return visit online in advance). Our Small Space Mrs Santa Special is a Premium Event, so is one of the five days a year that are exempt from the Annual Pass offer (however, if you buy a ticket for this event you can enjoy the other three for FREE!) 

Yes. The event is aimed at providing a safe and educational space for all those looking to develop skills through play. We include many opportunities throughout the day, where children and parents can drop in and drop out at their leisure. We do not take large school or group bookings, so this is a special day for smaller children, or those who need a quieter and gentler pace to enjoy the Centre. You should also look out for our Accessible Afternoons and SEN/SEND Home Education Days.

No. The Centre is hosting this event for small children and their families. The galleries will be busy with children’s activities, and you will not get the best experience. Please do look at our Space Lates events, or consider visiting on a sunny weekend date, when we tend to be a lot quieter (sunny summer holiday midweek dates are also good).

No. All activities are open for children to participate in, but they must be supervised by a parent, grandparent or guardian at all times.