20 years creating spaces of joy, laughter, and movement for kids in Cork and beyond

Stef McSherry will celebrate her 20th anniversary in business this year, during which time she moved country, developed an online programme prompted by the pandemic, and launched a weekly podcast.

And now she’s focused on designing her own range of sustainable kids’ costumes, which she hopes will be ready in time for Christmas.

Let’s just say this drama teacher is not one for standing still.

Originally from the UK, Stef met a Cork man on a ski holiday and moved here in 2008, and they were married in 2009.

At this point, she had already established Kinderama in the UK, and as she packed up her life, she brought the business with her, and it thrived.

“We visit schools, créches and events all over Munster with our multi-activity programme,” she said. 

Essentially, I provide an alternative to parents who aren’t sure if they want to sign their kids up for a full term of dance, or drama, or music. We’re about creating space for joy, laughter, self-awareness, and movement.

“The emphasis is on fun, without having to work towards an exam or an end-of-year show.

“I think there’s enough pressure on children already – I don’t want to add to it,” said Stef.

So far, so fabulous but... she had an itch to scratch, and she couldn’t ignore it.

“We’ve always had our costumes handmade for us for our classes, and for years we’ve had parents asking where they could get them, which got me thinking. But I wanted to create them in a sustainable way, so that’s what I’ve been trying to get over the line the past few months,” said Stef.

She earned a place on the prestigious Acorns programme, designed to nurture entrepreneurs living in rural Ireland.

“That was the first place I pitched my idea to people outside my own circle, and to get validation from them was what gave me permission to press the ‘go’ button on the project.

I hope to have them available for Christmas, and each costume will come with a little story, all designed to help stimulate young people’s imagination.

Kinderama teaches 1,000 kids a week. Stef is mum to a boy and a girl, aged 10 and 12, making hers a busy household, but she somehow still finds time to co-host a weekly podcast called ‘The Mum Mind Podcast’.

“I do that with another ‘blow-in’, psychotherapist Bethan O’Riordan, and we address a different parenting issue every week. Those who listen will know we’re very honest, and keep things real!

“I started my career working in radio so technically I’m able to do this quite easily. We record it remotely on a Friday, I edit it and it goes out on a Tuesday,” she said.

How does she do it all?

“I love what I do and I’m lucky as I can slot my work around my family life, working during school hours.”

Stef is grateful for what she has in life, and felt a lot of sympathy for parents during the pandemic, so much so that she took her classes online.

“It was like something took over and I realised all the stuff that I had available to me to entertain my kids, while some other parents had nothing. I had to act, and I still get messages from grateful parents saying that I got them through lockdown which means the world to me. It’s nice to know you can make a difference.”

Stef joined Network Cork in 2018: “It was the first time I’d met women who were supporting each other, as that is not always the case. 

It’s so helpful when you run your own business to have that back-up – you can’t put a price on it. I’ve made friends for life there.

Winning the Creative Professional award at the recent Network Cork Businesswoman of the Year awards was, she said, such a surprise.

Notably, she wore a Palestinian scarf (a keffiyeh) to the ceremony.

“I’m not an activist and I’m not political but I’m a mum, and I work with children and I’m absolutely heartbroken by what I’m seeing in Palestine. I knew there were going to be photographs taken, so I felt I had to make some sort of a statement.”

Stef did more than that – just like during the pandemic, she felt compelled to step up and act.

We weren’t actually supposed to make acceptance speeches on the night, but something sort of took over me and I had to use the platform to highlight what’s happening. I found my voice.

Living in Mallow, Stef regularly attends candle-lit vigils for Gaza in the town on a Sunday evening, along with the city centre marches on Saturdays.

“I have the real privilege of working with children and it’s just so heartbreaking to see all those images of young people being massacred,” she explained.

“We all feel powerless and helpless, but every time we can speak up or attend an event to highlight what’s happening, we have to seize that chance and be brave.”