Families gathered in Union Square this morning to check out the shopping centre’s school holiday offering.
Friendly staff welcomed the kids who were first to the mark, inviting them to discover everything on offer.
There were smiles all around as children from a range of ages began taking part in various activities, from art workshops to a mini fashion studio.
What are the features of My Mini Aberdeen?
The installation, set up over the past two days, features four main stalls: a mini oil rig, a mini shop, a library and a fashion studio.
The stalls have been designed with an emphasis on imaginary play and interaction, with moving parts on the oil rig for a role-playing experience, and a range of costumes in the fashion studio to try on.
The organisers collaborated with Aberdeen Library and the charity Children 1st, who made donations to fill the library with a range of books for children to read at their leisure.
There are also free art workshops taking place on the 25th, 30th and 31st of July.
The workshops offer children the chance to learn about t-shirt printing, pot decoration and still-life drawing.
Four workshops will take place each day on the hour from 11am to 2pm. There are 16 places available for each workshop, operating on a first-come, first-served basis.
What do the kids make of My Mini Aberdeen?
Three-year-old Reema had her eye on the fashion studio and brought out her best poses as she dazzled in a princess outfit.
Her mother, Azhar Zahran, was impressed with how the event had turned out. After seeing things being set up the day before, she and her children returned for the grand opening this morning.
She added: “It’s really nice for the kids, and definitely a step up from what was on offer last year.”
Families ‘stumble’ on Union Square event
Saif Almaamari and his daughter Oman had just arrived into Aberdeen on the train from Glasgow.
Oman was finding out what it takes to work on an oil rig.
As she put on her jacket and helmet, Saif said: “We just stumbled upon this on our way into the city. It’s great fun.”
Another group had also come across the installation by chance.
Sisters Ailith and Calla Moore were having a look through the Roald Dahl books to see which ones were missing from their collection.
Samantha James and Lisa Fowlie, who were with them, thought the library was a brilliant addition to the installation. Samantha added: “This is fantastic. It’s great to encourage learning in such a friendly environment.”
My Mini Aberdeen will be open for free every day from 10.30am to 3.30pm until Sunday 4th August. Find out more here.
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