A POP-UP Festival is a hands-on learning experience that you create by printing the activity “stations,” gathering simple materials, and inviting people to come together to learn & play. Each host decides which “stations” to print and adapts to their audience.

Here is an example of the POP-UP Festival kit in use:

On this page (above) there’s a form — click here to go to the signup form — when you fill in the form you’re signed up to receive the POP-UP Kit with activities & instructions. Then, you can decide how big of a festival you’ll hold… it can be a few people around a kitchen table, or a few hundred in a park!

After you sign up, you’ll start getting emails with instructions about the event. We have online meetings to help people get ready, and samples, and plenty of instructions.

We even have “mini festival” materials for you to practice with a small group.

The plan is to hold a POP-UP Festival — for ANY size group of children, adults, or both together. You can sign up as an individual volunteer or as an organization. Either way, here’s what you’ll receive:

A welcome email with our timeline, and invitation to help with translation and sharing of the event

Invitation to online meetings / webinars to discuss preparations — please also join our Facebook Group for additional Q&A.

A link to download resources to help you spread the word (slides, letter, invitation) that you can translate if needed, and begin scheduling your event(s).

A link to the POP-UP Festival Kit, which includes:

Instructions on how to organize, plan and run your event

Gallery of Activities to help you choose which you want to use (and materials for each — these are “simple” things like pens, tape, paper) The printable materials are listed with each activity. ( associated handouts, cards/games)

Instructions & Discussion Questions to tell you how to play and make the activities.  The content is mobile friendly– so you won’t need to print out.  The discussion at the end of each activity is the MOST important part of the POP-UP Festival.  It helps children link the activity they are learning to themselves, building the skills of EQ and developing the SDGs content.

The POP-UP Festival includes a wide range of activities. You choose the ones that fit your group, print them, and have a learning-together-party!

Why? It’s the most important work there is. If we can raise awareness, inspire hope, and fuel passion for young people to develop the skills for building the future… and adults with the skills to support them… everything is possible.

The United Nations declared Children’s Day to encourage societies to support the wellbeing of children. November 20th is the anniversary of the signing of Convention on the Rights of the Child, the most widely-signed human rights legislation in the history of the world. The purpose of the day, according to the U.N. is:

“Let us promote and celebrate children’s rights on the Universal Children’s Day, and continuously build up a living-friendly environment for children in the world through dialogue and actions.”

It’s also the date of the signing of the Declaration on the Rights of the Child (1959). In part, this Declaration was a response to the atrocities of WWII, and the growing recognition that children require special protection. 

To celebrate, we’re holding POP-UP Festivals in 175+ countries in November — where children and their adults will learn about emotions, wellbeing, children’s rights and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

Anywhere!

Your POP-UP Festival can be held at home, in a classroom or church, at an office lobby, a children’s museum, in the park…anywhere children and the people who love them live, work & play.

It really depends on what’s available to you / your friends & allies / and who you want to invite. Many people are planning a POP-UP Festival in their home with a few friends. Some are planning to hold dozens of Festivals in every school in their town… it’s a very adaptable project!

Here are suggestions for holding the POP-UP Festival in your workplace/office.

Everyone who cares about children who is able to…

• Bring a group of 2+ people together
• Find a space where the group will be able to gather (you’ll need either floor space or tables for the activities)
• Read through the materials, choose activities
• Print the activity instruction “stations” and the handouts or cards
• Gather simple resources like coloring pens/pencils, tape, color paper
• Welcome participants to explore and learn and play together in a loving, joyful experience

Many people are volunteering together with a friend or small group.

Volunteers so far include parents, police officers, teachers, teen service club members, nurses, nuns & other clergy members, club leaders, human resource departments, counselors, employee relations departments, union leaders, and more!

If your work or community group relates to children’s rights, wellbeing, or emotional intelligence — join as an organization:

1. Invite your members to sign up on http://6sec.org/popup to hold their own POP-UP Festivals
2. Contribute content by making a POP-UP Festival “station” that people around the world can use in their events
3. Have a POP-UP Festival with your organization / team
4. Help translate the kit
5. Help us spread the word by engaging influencers, journalists, bloggers to share about the event

POP-UP Festival materials were designed to be easy to deliver. It’s not a “presentation” or a “workshop” — the stations are self-guided, designed for children (who can read) or adults & children together, or adults, to explore, talk, play and learn-by-doing.

We will be holding optional “host trainings” online to answer your questions and give you support before you host your festival. In addition, you are very welcome to ask questions and get support in our Facebook Group.

There is no special equipment, materials or training needed to be a host! The requirements are simple (see the question above, “Who can hold a POP-UP Festival?”)

There are a range of festival stations to choose from, so if some seem too complex, no problem, you can skip those.  

You can host a festival anytime during the month of November! 

Please check out the media kit for fast facts, press releases, photos & videos, and social media resources: