Mini Explorers NI

15/01/2025

Can’t wait to be part of this exciting project with Arts Ekta

Connecting to the Wonders of Nature! ✨🌿

We’re excited to launch a transformative sensory experience supported through the Arts Council of Northern Ireland Arts & Older People Programme.

is designed to immerse older people in the beauty of nature—right where they are. Through sight, sound, and touch, participants will embark on a creative journey that sparks joy, curiosity, and connection.

🌿 Tactile Art: crafting beautiful pieces inspired by natural textures like moss, shells, and wood with Peter Lee-Surginor

🎧 Soundscape Creations: collaborating to produce an evocative soundscape that captures their reflections and memories with Sound Spa Experiences by TESSA

🌟 Wellbeing Exercises: gentle, sensory-rich sessions designed to nurture mindfulness, creativity, and connection with Mini Explorers NI

Each session will foster joy, belonging, and purpose—combatting isolation and celebrating the richness of life and community.

Stay tuned as we share stories of creativity, resilience, and the beauty of our participants' artistic expression!

13/01/2025

19/12/2024

16/11/2024

15/11/2024

13/11/2024

Delighted to announce our annual Nursery Choices Afternoon 🎉
Come on down and meet some of our local nursery teachers and find out more about your nursery options for the coming year!

30/10/2024

Thank you Colin Neighbourhood Partnership for asking us to be pet of your Halloween celebrations again. It was such a brilliant event, so busy, a great buzz. We’ll don’t to all involved.

29/10/2024

Can’t wait to see everyone tomorrow New Lodge Arts annual Lantern festival.

Very excited to showcase local talent at tomorrow's Lantern Festival! Isla loves to sing Lara Grace Music Tóg go bog é and Yasmin Walker's Taylor Swift Tribute. The event is also supported by our amazing team of young people who will be performing, compering and leading on the arts crafts and games!
Final tickets available now!
https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/new-lodge-arts/t-jzdnklr

29/10/2024

🎇👻Tomorrow is our Big Halloween Spooktacular 🎇👻

💀Fancy dress disco - prizes for best dressed
🎃Fire throwing show in car park - 6.30pm
👻Spooky face painting
🎇Arts and crafts
👻Sensory area for any children with additional needs

Big finale @8.15pm - 🎇Community Fireworks Display 🎇

Entry to this event is free, Children must be accompanied by an adult 👨‍👨‍👦‍👦

We have a Coffee Cart and crepe van coming - these are the only things you will need to pay for 💵

Please share!! 🎃🎇

28/10/2024

This is amazing event! Check us out in Wednesday daytime in Alexandra park for some sensory Halloween fun

Buy tickets for North Belfast Lantern Festival at Alexandra Park

21/10/2024

Check us out bringing our sensory play to Lantern Festival

New Lodge Arts is a thriving community arts organisation based in North Belfast.

17/10/2024

🧚‍♀️ The TOOTH FAIRY is coming to dairy farm mall next Friday the 25th of October from 11am🥰
Children can meet and get their photo taken with the tooth fairy, learn about brushing their teeth and get a free oral health goodie bag.
There will also be a story, rhymes and a chance to 'dump the dummy' ❤️
We will then go into our next door unit and the children can play
If you would like to come along contact Orla on 07990072535
*Open to registered families*

16/10/2024

We’ve had a few parents ask us to host a session for children before the SEAG test.

We’ve designed a fun filled but ultimately relaxing workshop where they can experience, relaxation, learn self coping strategies ( which can be a lifelong skill, for example when they start big school), mindfulness games and mindset work.

We ultimately want children to boost their confidence, work on developing a positive mindset and go and smash their test equipped with the best skills.

Children will take home a little toolkit complete with resources to use at home.

To book just PM via facebook, instagram or email [email protected]

We can’t wait to meet you all

16/10/2024

10/10/2024

The theme World Mental Health Day is work place mental health.

In 2022/23, there were an estimated 875,000 workers suffering from work-related stress, depression or anxiety, resulting in 17.1 million working days lost.

Mini & Mind Explorers as a well-being organisation can see the impact of mental health challenges, stress & anxiety can have on people in the work place. An example being, we work in around 40 schools and education staff, like nearly every other sector can really feel the impact of stress and workload.

The key is for employers to create a non judgmental workspace that has policies and procedures put in place to help to support their employees, as for self employed people like us, self care and work boundaries should be priority.

09/10/2024

Mini & Mind Explorers have been working for a few months on new services, new courses and lots of newness. Keep your eyes peeled.

30/09/2024

Can’t wait for some spooky antics check us here with sensory fun

🎃 FREE Halloween Family Fun Day 🎃
Join us for a spooktacular day of fun at our Halloween Family Fun Day on Tuesday, 29th October, from 3-6 PM at Colin Town Square!

Get into the spirit of Halloween with thrilling activities for all ages:

Attractions:
• 🧙‍♀️ Racing Witches: Compete in a themed 8-player Roll-a-Ball race!
• 🎠 Kiddies Rides: Enjoy a spin on the Carousel.
• 🤸 Bungee Trampolines: Bounce to new heights!
• 🐂 Rodeo Bull: Test your skills and try to stay on!

Characters:
• 👻 Meet your favorite spooky characters, including the Sanderson Sisters, Wednesday Addams, Michael Myers, Leatherface, Valek, Jason, and the terrifying Clown!

Creative Activities:
• 🎨 Unleash your inner artist at our arts and crafts workshops! Make and take home your creations with the help of our talented artists.
• 🔍 Explore the wonders of nature with our mini explorers activity.
• 🎭 Get your face painted with spooky designs.
• 🎃 Carve your own pumpkins and show off your creativity!

Don’t miss out on this frightfully fun event for the whole family!
📸 Photos and videos will be taken at this event.

Kindly supported by The National Lottery Community Fund Northern Ireland and Department for Communities.

23/09/2024

These are great for our 1-1 sessions but we never use these at events, or in workshops! They’re are a really useful and effective sensory resource but only if supervised.

𝐖𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝐁𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐬 - 𝐒𝐚𝐟𝐞𝐭𝐲 𝐀𝐥𝐞𝐫𝐭 ⚠️

Please share with parents of kids under 5!

The Office for Product Safety and Standards (OPSS) have issued a safety alert to warn of the dangers of water beads. This follows action taken by OPSS to remove unsafe products from the market.

𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙖𝙛𝙚𝙩𝙮 𝘼𝙡𝙚𝙧𝙩 𝙖𝙙𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙚𝙨 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙬𝙖𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙗𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙨𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙡𝙙 𝙗𝙚 𝙠𝙚𝙥𝙩 𝙖𝙬𝙖𝙮 𝙛𝙧𝙤𝙢 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙣𝙜 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣, 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 5 𝙮𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙖𝙜𝙚, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙤𝙣𝙡𝙮 𝙪𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙬𝙞𝙩𝙝 𝙤𝙡𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙝𝙞𝙡𝙙𝙧𝙚𝙣 𝙤𝙧 𝙫𝙪𝙡𝙣𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙗𝙡𝙚 𝙖𝙙𝙪𝙡𝙩𝙨 𝙪𝙣𝙙𝙚𝙧 𝙘𝙡𝙤𝙨𝙚 𝙨𝙪𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙫𝙞𝙨𝙞𝙤𝙣.

Water beads are beads that can expand up to 400 times their original size when exposed to liquid. They are marketed for various purposes, including for use as toys, in crafting, as home decor or in floristry. They are sold under a variety of names including, but not limited to, jelly balls, water balls, sensory beads or water crystals.

For more information visit 🔗 https://brnw.ch/21wN2nS