The Wiggle Room: a look inside the digital playroom at The MAC, Belfast that was 'created by kids, for kids'

Located in The Common Room on the third floor of the Belfast venue, The Wiggle Room has been running since September 19, so we were somewhat late to the party when we brought our three young children along for a pre-Halloween visit on October 27.

The central feature of the exhibition is a large screen displaying a variety of computer-generated shapes, colourful images, and quirky characters.

But this isn’t just any old animation – using motion sensors along with four ‘hotspots’ on the floor, visitors can both interact with and influence what’s on screen. Our three young charges (aged two, six, and eight) delighted in seeing how wiggling their arms, dashing from side to side, and jumping up and down affected the display in real time.

Standing on the hotspots adds a further interactive element, giving the option of changing the type or size of the shapes on screen, adding further shapes, or ‘turning off gravity’ to make the objects float.

The Wiggle Room is geared towards children aged 5-11, but the bright colours, playful sounds, and interactive nature of the exhibition will also capture the imagination of younger children – our toddler was certainly enthralled. Adults are free to have a go, too – just bear in mind that the exhibit’s recommended capacity is four people at any one time, so if the exhibition space is already occupied when you arrive, you may have a short wait to use it.

Brought to life by Boom Clap Play in collaboration with Big Motive and Play Board NI, The Wiggle Room was commissioned by Belfast 2024.

The unique exhibition was co-designed with the help of Belfast’s own children through a series of fun and creative workshops.

Part of an open gallery experience at The MAC, The Wiggle Room is running until November 29, 2024, so there’s still plenty of time to experience the fun.

The galleries are open Tuesday – Sunday from 11am – 5pm.