By Tina Edward Gunawardhana 

The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival has, in just a few short editions, become one of Colombo’s most anticipated cultural gatherings. This year, Edition Three places a special spotlight on its youngest audience with a thoughtfully curated Children’s Festival, designed to spark imagination, nurture creativity and cultivate a lifelong love of reading, storytelling and the arts.

Held at Cinnamon Lakeside, the Children’s Festival will feature 15 engaging sessions for children aged 4 to 16, all guided by the theme Create. Play. Grow. True to its name, the programme blends literature, theatre, music, visual art and movement, offering children immersive experiences that encourage curiosity, independent thinking and creative expression in a joyful, play-led environment.

At a time when screens often dominate childhood, the festival’s children’s programme serves as a timely reminder of the magic of books, stories and shared creative experiences. Each session is carefully designed not just to entertain, but to build confidence, empathy, communication skills and critical thinking—while gently reinforcing the importance of reading and self-expression.

The Children’s Festival opens on Friday, 13th February with An Introduction to Playback Theatre by the Basement Playback Theatre, from 3.00 to 5.00 pm. Aimed at ages 12 to 16, this guided group activity invites young participants to create characters inspired by their own real-life experiences. Through theatre and improvisation, children learn to listen, reflect and transform personal stories into shared narratives—an empowering exercise that nurtures emotional intelligence and collaborative thinking.

Saturday 14th February offers a full day of vibrant, hands-on sessions catering to a wide age range. The morning begins with My Story by Wonder Seekers, a lively interactive storytelling experience for children aged 7 to 10. Combining puppetry, music and dance, the 60-minute session encourages children to step into the story themselves. Participants are coached in storytelling, movement and basic puppeteering, helping them understand narrative structure while engaging their bodies and imaginations.

Running concurrently is Heart Lines: From Stories to Magic by Artika Aurora Bakshi, designed for younger children aged 4 to 8. Through conversation, shared reading and gentle creative prompts, children are encouraged to craft their own stories. Packed with interactive and introspective activities, the workshop nurtures early creative writing skills while showing children that their thoughts, feelings and ideas are worth putting on paper.

At midday, children can gather for a special book reading by popular children’s author Rukshani Weerasooriya Wijemanne. A former corporate lawyer turned writer, she will read from her latest book, The Ginger Beer Snail. The charming story of a little snail who lived almost a century ago introduces young listeners to big ideas in an accessible way, showing how stories can connect the past and present. Ideal for ages 4 to 8, the session also includes a fun craft activity, making the experience both literary and tactile.

Creativity continues with an Interactive Art Experience led by artist Rajani Serasinghe. Using recycled materials, children aged 4 to 10 will create their own mosaics, learning about sustainability while developing fine motor skills. Guided by an experienced artist, each child leaves with a unique artwork—an enduring reminder of their creative journey.

In the afternoon, internationally acclaimed children’s author and poet Joseph Coelho takes the stage with The Power of Poetry. Suitable for ages 7 to 14, this dynamic session introduces children to poems from his “Out Loud” series—some designed to make them laugh, others to inspire courage. Participants actively help create poems while learning about poetic devices, rhythm and language, discovering that poetry can be playful, powerful and deeply personal.

The day concludes with Story and Sound by Musicmatters, a multisensory workshop for ages 11 to 16. Led by professional musicians, the session explores the connection between sound, movement, storytelling and visual art. Children learn where musical ideas come from—feelings, rhythms, stories or everyday experiences—and how to shape them into lyrics, melodies and soundscapes.

Together, these sessions form a rich tapestry of experiences that celebrate creativity in all its forms. The HSBC Ceylon Literary & Arts Festival Children’s Programme is more than a series of workshops; it is an invitation for young minds to explore, imagine and grow—while discovering that reading, storytelling, and the arts are gateways to understanding themselves and the world around them.

For more information or to book passes, visit ceylonliteraryfestival.com.