Some of Wellington’s youngest creative children had a special visit on Tuesday when Mayor Justin Lester stopped into Funington, Capital E’s crazy cardboard city of fun.
The Capital E public programmes creative team constructed Funington from cardboard boxes, transforming the free play space into a mini metropolis that nods to its capital surroundings. In Funington children can stroll down Lamington Quay and pop into the Unicorn Pet Store, or, they can pick up a cardboard car and drive to the Smelly Sock Factory. All cities have governing bodies, and Funington is no different with its very own cardboard Beehive, home to the Ministry of Silly Walks.
While visiting Funington, Justin was presented with a cardboard mayoral chain, popped into the Beehive for a quick visit, and got a tour of the city from its littlest residents.
Karen Carey, public programmes creative producer says “Funington was an absolute delight to create. We wanted an installation where young children could explore a city of pure fantasy and imagination, but also begin to think about the different things that make a great city.”
Caregivers have just a couple of weeks left to experience Funington with their children before a new installation opens. From April 16, the play space will be home to Imagi-Nation, an obscure, topsy-turvy world of tactile and sensory discovery. Children will be able to explore the landscape of Imagi-Nation, peek into mini-worlds of wonder, or listen to silly languages. Imagi-Nation can be anything you want it to be!
Capital E has been providing creative digital, theatre, and public experiences and events for children and young people for 21 years. The Queens Wharf play space is designed for under 6s to explore, craft, and create and Capital E regularly hosts free, engaging events for children and their caregivers.
