Kids' Stuff
Face-painting was on offer throughout the day at the Iveagh Gardens. In addition, lots of sporting activities took place over the course of the day, and all children at the event were encouraged to get involved. Workshops and activities for children also included:
Bang the Drum and African Mask-Making with Irish Aid
Every 45 minutes throughout the day at the Irish Aid Tent
Irish Aid presented 'Bang the Drum', African drumming workshops, for all ages, taking place every 45 minutes throughout the day. Visitors dropped in to the Irish Aid tent and learned how to play an African 'Djembé' drum. African masks for colouring-in were also available, and all aspiring drummers had the opportunity to win an Africa Day t-shirt.
Face-Painting with Habitat for Humanity's Blackhall Builders
African Bazaar
A team of facepainters from Habitat for Humanity's Blackhall Builders worked in the African Bazaar throughout the day. For a small fee (€1.50), they painted faces in fantastic African colours, and all monies raised went towards building houses in Zambia.
Habitat for Humanity is a worldwide non-profit organisation that works in partnership with families in need of shelter to build simple, decent, affordable homes. Blackhall Builders are a team of 18 trainee solicitors, qualified solicitors and Law Society staff travelling to Zambia this July to be part of the Habitat for Humanity Orphans and Vulnerable Children project in Lusaka. Previous teams built 4.5 houses and raised funds to build a total of 17 houses. This year's team will spend two weeks living and working with the local community: building houses, coaching soccer, working in an orphanage and visiting schools.
Traditional African Board Games
Arts Marquee
African for All facilitated African board game workshops throughout ‘Africa Day @ Iveagh Gardens’. The board game that was in use is sometimes referred to as the ‘African national game’ because of its immense popularity. It has been in existence for over 3,000 years and can be played by adults as a strategic and mathematical challenge, or by children as a game of chance.
It is played using a board (one between two players) with 48 counters. Each pair plays until a winner emerges. The essence of the game is to see who captures the most counters from their opponent.
Story-Telling and Origami Animals with the Hugh Lane Gallery
2.30-3.30pm (4-7 year-olds) and 3.30-4.30pm (8+), Kids' Zone, Arts Marquee
In June 2009, Dublin City Gallery - The Hugh Lane - is publishing a book of African short stories for children called 'Horses and Tortoises'. To celebrate the publication and mark Africa Day, some of the women from AkiDwA, the African Women’s Network - who were involved in compiling the book - told fables and children's stories during 'Africa Day @ Iveagh Gardens'. These were interactive workshops with storytelling and the opportunity to create African-inspired origami animals. Further information is available here.
Giant Family Jigsaw-Making with Trócaire
African Bazaar
To celebrate African families working with the organisation both overseas and in Ireland, Trócaire invited visitors to ‘Africa Day @ Iveagh Gardens’ to participate in fun jigsaw-making activities. Trócaire’s space at the event comprised a large jigsaw, made up of 11 pictures of different families, including:
- The families of African people who work in the organisation’s overseas offices and their offices in Maynooth, Belfast and Cork.
- The families of Trócaire’s partners overseas.
- The families of people their partners work with on the ground.
Visitors to the event were invited to try their hand at putting this giant jigsaw together. Blank mini-jigsaws were also available, on which young visitors could draw their own families and – afterwards – bring their newly-created jigsaws home.
Stands detailing the stories of four of the families featured in the giant jigsaw – and their connection with Trócaire – were also displayed.
Games and Competitions with Camara
African Bazaar
Camara is an Irish charity that refurbishes used computers in Ireland and then equips schools in seven African countries with computers, educational software and IT training.
During 'Africa Day @ Iveagh Gardens', Camara hosted various interactive games and competitions, welcoming both children and adults to take part. Activities included a 'PC Jigsaw', where vistors were challenged to take apart and re-assemble a hard-drive in record time; an African word-search quiz, and a Wikipedia quiz, all of which could be conducted on the computers at the Camara stand. Plenty of prizes were on offer, and Camara volunteers who taught computer skills in African schools were on hand to talk to anyone interested in learning more about the organisation's work.
African Art & Crafts
Every 30 minutes from 12.30pm onwards, Arts Marquee
Visitors to the 'African Art & Crafts' space near the Arts Marquee enjoyed fun art-based activities throughout the day. They made bookmarks adorned with Egyptian hieroglyphics or entered the drawing competition ('I went on safari and what did I see?...') to be in with a chance to win some fabulous Africa Day t-shirts.
AfroIrish Kideo Youth Club - Dance Performance 
4.30-5pm, Kids' Zone, Arts Marquee
Children from the AfroIrish Kideo Youth Club staged a thrilling dance performance - complete with costumes depicting African animals - in the Kids' Zone near the Arts Marquee from 4.30pm until 5pm.