Family-Inspired Fun Transforms UBC for a Day!

You might know the University of British Columbia as a serious global centre for learning, teaching, and research, but for one special day each year, UBC transforms into a magical destination for children and their families to play their way across campus!

On Sunday, February 15, campus came alive with energy as 1500 kids and their grownups took over campus for the 9th annual Kids Take Over UBC Arts & Culture Festival.

Hosted by UBC Inspired in partnership with the Arts & Culture District, Kids Take Over UBC celebrates creativity and curiosity, inviting families to interact with UBC’s world-class assets and public spaces, from museums and galleries to performance venues and outdoor public spaces. Families explored arts, culture, music, and more, choosing their own adventures across a variety of hands-on, interactive activities hosted by over 20 UBC departments, faculties, venues, and student organizations.

Kids ruled the campus, as they learned, explored, and took part in family-inspired fun:

• A kid-powered dance party at Lee Square Plaza featuring DJ Rock n’ Beau, Thunder the mascot, and the Thunderbird Marching Band kicked the day off in style!
• Circus School was in full swing at the Chan Centre for the Performing Arts where families learned essential circus skills like juggling, slacklining, stilt-walking, and more.
• The Chemistry labs were alive with experiments, from mixing up chocolate nitrogen ice cream, to making lava lamps!
• A musical playground with an instrument petting zoo popped up at the School of Music.
• KPop Demon Hunters of all ages were moving and grooving through dance lessons by student group, KWave.
• Mining and Media were explored at the Pacific Museum of the Earth with engaging activities about the real-life rocks and minerals used to create technology and seen in popular video games such as Minecraft
• The Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) was buzzing with eco-friendly bee-themed crafts, courtesy of the Sustainability Hub.
• Future architects took over Frederic Lassere, using thousands of LEGO bricks to craft their creations!
• Dancing to the drums of the Proud Little Warriors, youth Sḵwx̱wú7mesh (Squamish) at the Museum of Anthropology.
• Looking for shapes, patterns, and surprises in The Structure of Smoke exhibition at Morris and Helen Belkin Art Gallery
• And so, so much more!

For one day, kids ruled campus—building, dancing, experimenting, and playing. Seeing UBC through their eyes reminds us how big, exciting, and fun this place really is. For those who live and work on campus, it was a fresh way to rediscover spaces they pass through each day and visit new buildings. And for alumni, the trip down memory lane was especially meaningful, as one described it, “full circle.” Watching their kids zoom from building to building on their bike brought them back to memories of racing across campus themselves, running from one class to the next.

Read more reflections from attending families below, and enjoy a few special moments captured from the day (Photo Credit: Arrowplane.Media & Anders Lee).

We’re already looking forward to next year’s takeover as we celebrate our 10th anniversary of this beloved campus tradition! Stay tuned to our website for details and tickets: kidstakeover.ubc.ca