Educational fun is the holy grail of parenting right now.

And if you’re running low on ideas as the lockdown rumbles on, Cork City Council and Creative Ireland have a full day of imaginative free activities for young people planned on Saturday, July 13th.

More than 22 online events are being hosted by 18 cultural venues across the city for Cruinniú na nÓg, a nationwide initiative designed to spark kids’ enthusiasm for culture and creativity.

In keeping with the government guidelines of social distance and staying safe, all events this year will take place online, but this year still marks the biggest programme in the event’s three-year history.

Here’s a preview of what’s happening:

Cork Opera House will host a series of interactive workshops where young people will be taught how to write and perform a well-known song by expert vocal coach Anna Mitchell from Youngstars Music School.

Graffiti Theatre and UCC Youth Theatre are organising theatre workshops.

Cork International Film Festival is screening a selection of youth-focused shorts while Teatro Container in association with Cork Midsummer Festival, Cork artists Francesca Castellano and filmmaker Linda Curtin will present Little Druids for Humanity, a magical virtual arts project where children will learn the art of wizardry and ancient magic potions.

Crawford Art Gallery and Rosie from Broken Crow will host a special art and storytelling workshop while actor Dominic Moore and the Munster Literature Centre will perform a child-friendly Puppet Show.

Sing along with the Cork Academy of Music to Galway Girl, watch new performances and videos by Music Generation Cork City and listen to a live traditional music concert from St Peter’s.

The Everyman is offering virtual tours of their 123-year-old auditorium while the Unfinished Book of Poetry 2020 featuring poems from 50 transition year students from five Cork secondary schools will be launched online.

Actor George Hanover in association with Triskel Arts Centre will read stories written by young Cork writers while an online exhibition featuring artwork by young people describing their experiences during COVID 19 will take place on artsforall.ie as part of the Lord Mayor of Cork Cllr. John Sheehan Creative Call.

Basher the Puppet from the Cork Butter Museum will introduce butter making to young people using equipment available in the home.

The Glucksman is inviting young people to design posters celebrating their community and surroundings.

Cork Printmakers in collaboration with Cork Migrant Centre at Nano Nagle Place will present an online exhibition of participants of their creative teen’s workshops.

Cork Community Artlink will present Rebel Streets 2020, an online participative street arts project celebrating resilience in a diverse variety of art forms.

Cork City Libraries will host a series of interactive events aimed at young children, including Learn how to Draw on the Farm with Rita Dineen, singalong and Storytime with Deirdre Ryan and Draw your Favourite Story Character Chibi Style with Fiona Boniwell.

For links to the events and a full schedule, click here.