The CBeebies Rainbow Adventure opened a few weeks ago to great acclaim. The BBC children’s channel has always been loved by children up and down the land, with generations of families tuning in for In the Night Garden or Bedtime Stories. The latest crop of popular hit characters include: Mr Tumble & Friends, Bluey, Hey Duggee and JoJo & Gran Gran and all four feature in the new CBeebies Rainbow Adventure.
Housed in the Westfield Shopping Centre in Shepherd’s Bush, the immersive experience can be found on Level 0, next to Next and is open to families with young children. The 55-minute theatrical extravaganza takes visitors through four interactive rooms with children invited to collect rainbow colours to complete the rainbow at the end. With exciting video imagery and props throughout, it’s the perfect way to entertain children throughout a busy and tiring shopping day trip.
We were lucky enough to catch up with Sandpit Creations, an award-nominated creative workshop based in London and one of the teams involved in bringing the CBeebies Rainbow Adventure to life.
Sandpit Creations is on a mission to create innovative sets, props, and experiences that both engage audiences and are built to withstand interaction. The team of widely skilled creatives include carpenters, creative and concept designers, scenic artists, textiles specialists, creative technologists, prop makers, sculptors, and metalworkers as well as writers, directors and performers.
From modern and traditional fabrication techniques including joinery, fibreglassing, textural effects, microelectronics, and robotics, Sandpit Creations deliver next-level special effects and theatrical immersive experiences.
Established in 2023, the award-winning team has already worked with high-profile clients like Samsung, Doc Martens, Aardman, Cupra, Kew Gardens and Wakehurst and completed projects in museums, attractions, bars and corporate events, with the dream team delivering perfect project management each time.
We caught up with Director Dan Barr to find out about this latest exciting project, “We worked on lots of different elements on this project: incorporating CBeebies archive video clips with set design and props, which was great as we got to work in a multidisciplinary way. In the Hey Duggee room, our brief was to design and make a traditional grandfather clock. Due to Building Regulations, we had to source fire-rated fire, which is not available from a standard Building Merchants and we had to use a specialist supplier. The clock features in an interactive ‘disco scene’ and the clock hands spin round, which was achieved by the clever insertion of an electric motor.”
“Our creative team loved working on the carved butterfly installation, involving a rope pulley from the ceiling. The butterflies are all painted with beautiful, bright, striking colours, which makes all the children smile.”
“The rainbow tool box is also made from fire-rated plywood and has toadstools and moss carved on to the toolboxes. It looks great and at the end, one of the CBeebies’ actors pushes the button to create the illusion of a rainbow, incorporating the best in micro-electronic programming.”
“The immersive theatrical experience is a long-term installation and we will be on hand to visit the site and carry out necessary safety checks and repairs as necessary.”
“Immersive experiences are here to stay and are increasingly popular in the hospitality sector, especially bars and restaurants, leisure complexes, water parks, through to retail outlets and museums.”
“We are a media-savvy generation, with younger people driving next-level technology, AI and robotics and immersive spaces add another layer of fun and enjoyment to public spaces.”
“It’s not an entirely new concept though: the Rainforest Cafe restaurant chain fashioned tropical rainforest ambiences across North/South America and the UK in the 1990’s. Utilising plastic plants, fog machines, waterfalls and the enchanting sounds of the rainforests, the restaurants tried to emulate the ‘first rainforest culinary experience.’ Diners would be greeted by faux ancient ruins, suspended papier-mâché birds and butterflies and even a statue of Atlas. The chain experimented with animatronic animals and the centrepiece was the simulated night sky on the ceiling, accompanied by atmospheric thunders storms. Though rather rudimentary and crude by today’s standards, this did set the wheels in motion and points to a captive audience dating over thirty years.”
If you have an idea for a project across the building, hospitality or other sectors, contact Sandpit Creations today:
T 07547 352391
info@sandpitcreations.com
https://www.sandpitcreations.com
#seeyouinthesandpit
To find out more about CBeebies Rainbow Adventure and to book tickets, click here:
https://www.cbeebiesrainbowadventure.com