Summer of Play 2025: A Celebration of Creativity, Movement, and Community

The Story: This summer, over 450 children and young people in and around Stranraer joined us for the Summer of Play 2025, an exciting mix of activities designed to spark creativity, encourage movement, and bring the community together, all completely free of charge. From the youngest 5-year-olds to teens aged 16, our activities offered spaces to play, learn, explore, and connect in safe, welcoming environments.

Our Art and Crafts programme proved a huge hit, giving participants the chance to experiment with paints, collage, drawing, even some robots, dragons and more. Children and young people were encouraged to express themselves freely, try out new techniques, and explore their imagination.

Feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with many young people asking for more arts opportunities in the future,  a request we are excited to act on. These sessions not only nurtured creativity but also boosted confidence, promoted emotional well-being, and provided a joyful outlet for self-expression.

Our dance classes added a bit of rhythm and movement to the summer, with sessions tailored to ages 5–7 and 8–11. Participants had the chance to develop coordination, enjoy physical activity, and make new friendships in a supportive environment. The classes were so well-received that two new young people have already joined a class that we host regularly here at the centre, Emma Louise Dance School, showing the lasting impact these experiences can have.

Yogi Kids sessions provided a calmer, mindful side to the programme. Younger children enjoyed Yoga Story Sessions, combining movement with imaginative storytelling, while slightly older participants explored basic yoga poses. These sessions encouraged balance, focus, relaxation, and creativity, introducing children to mindfulness in a fun, playful way.

Our Family Fun Evening was a highlight of the programme, bringing together children, young people, and their families for an evening packed with laughter and activities. Inflatables, Glitter Tattoos, gaming areas, and entertainers ensured that there was something for everyone. A bistro-style outdoor area offered free snacks, juice, cake, and pizza, keeping young people fuelled and energised. The evening created a lively, inclusive atmosphere where families could enjoy activities together, no matter the weather, thanks to our indoor spaces.

Every activity in Summer of Play 2025 was designed to support children and young people in building confidence, developing social and life skills, and learning the value of teamwork. By spending time together in groups, participants strengthened friendships, discovered new talents, and experienced the pride that comes from trying something new. Snacks and refreshments at each session helped create welcoming spaces where young people could enjoy themselves and feel included.

The programme also strengthened connections within the local community. By working with local organisations, businesses and creating spaces for families to come together, we built networks of support, shared learning, and collective enjoyment. Young people left with a sense of achievement, new skills, and positive memories of a summer filled with fun, creativity, and friendship.

Summer of Play 2025 has been a celebration of curiosity, energy, and community spirit. From art and dance to yoga and our much-loved Fun Evening, we have seen young people grow, laugh, and connect in ways that will leave lasting impressions. The success of this programme is a testament to the power of play, the value of shared experiences, and the importance of creating opportunities that are free, inclusive, and full of joy. We look forward to continuing this journey and bringing even more fun, inspiration, and learning to our young people in the days, weeks, months and years ahead.

The numbers:

Although our activities are open to everyone, the chart shows that we also reached people from groups who may be more likely to experience barriers. This is important because it means they had the chance to take part in activities that are welcoming, affordable, and designed to be inclusive. For many, it offered opportunities to connect with others, build friendships, develop new skills, and feel part of the wider community. These experiences can help reduce isolation, improve confidence, and open the door to further opportunities that might otherwise have been out of reach.

The heatmap illustrates where our visitors travelled from, highlighting patterns across the wider region, nearby localities, and within Stranraer itself. It provides a visual picture of our reach, showing both the breadth of our audience and the areas with the highest levels of engagement. The heat maps below show: Regional , the immediate area to the Millennium Centre and Stranraer

 We learn from all our feedback and always continually improve. It is great to receive so many feedback responses, and we look forward to inviting everyone back shortly.