It's getting awfully cold around here, which imposes a different level of challenge when it comes to activities to do with kids. Warmer weather failsafes like parks, extended outdoor play and water in all its many forms are less appealing when it's chilly and raining!
Fortunately, Melbourne comes to the rescue with a swathe of child-oriented winter indoor fun. And just like in the adult sphere, winter is heavy on the cultural / arts side. Kids too can join the throng of basic-black-clad, hot-drinking-sipping, culture-absorbing people soaking up our southern winter consolations :-)
There is a lot on, but I've picked out a few that look awesome to me, and that I'm intending to visit with my children. If you have any other gems, please feel free to let me know!
Wallace and Gromit at Scienceworks
Scienceworks often has fantastically awesome special exhibitions - I cannot tell you how much my three kids all adored last year's Explore-a-saurus, for instance - but this one looks like it's level-up even in those terms. Well-loved claymation characters? Games to play and things to invent? A kid-friendly lesson on intellectual property and why it matters? Yes please!
After reading several fulsome reviews from parents I trust about it, we cannot wait to get there and check it out for ourselves. My husband is as keen, if not keener, than the kids :-)
You can check out all the details of the exhibition at http://museumvictoria.com.au/scienceworks/discoverycentre/wallace-and-gromit/
Game Masters Exhibition at ACMI
This is another one that has great grownup-appeal. Featuring the work of over 125 game designers, across all the platforms you can think of (and some you probably can't), this exhibition promises interactivity, gameplay and a rather intriguing peek behind the scenes at how all those Mario adventures come together. We thought we might do this one as a family day in the city.
You can check out all the details of the exhibition at http://www.acmi.net.au/game-masters.aspx
Dreaming as One
St Francis Pastoral Centre (326 Lonsdale St, Melbourne) is hosting an art exhibition as part of Reconciliation Week 2012, showcasing Indigenous and Non-Indigenous Art. The promotion site states that "artists have been invited to create works which explore Indigenous culture, country and history from its origins to the present and into the future."
Given how central indigenous art, culture, dispossession, and justice is - and must be - to any Australian child's understanding of their cultural and ethical landscape, we won't be missing this one.
Dreaming as One runs from 22 May 2012 - 04 Jun 2012, 9-5pm Monday to Friday, 9-3pm Sundays.
An Aboriginal Moomba – ‘Out of the Dark’
I've heard about this and am intrigued by the opportunity to learn more:
"Re-visit a Moomba performance that brought Aboriginal culture to the national and international stage. In 1951, an arts festival was planned through Melbourne to celebrate Victoria’s Centenary and the 50th anniversary of Australia’s Federation. Incensed to find that an Aboriginal presence had been excluded, Aboriginal community members organised a performance at the Princess Theatre to critical and popular acclaim." (National Reconciliation Week website).
An Aboriginal Moomba runs from 21 May 2012 - 08 Jun 2012 at the West Footscray Library, 539 Barkly Street, West Footscray. You can check out the full details by contacting West Footscray Library on 9688 0292 or Email library@maribyrnong.vic.gov.au
MSO Education Week
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra is putting on a fantastic week of concerts and events aimed at children and teachers from 5-9 June. Included in this is one of their wonderful MSO Classic Kids events, this time featuring PlaySchool's Jay Laga'aia. We have been lucky enough to be given tickets to this event, and, after the wonderful time we had at the Melvin Tix show last year, we're looking forward to it hugely! (A post-concert blog will doubtless follow :-)
The MSO does extremely well in their mission to make classical music accessible, interesting and fun for children. I have been greatly impressed by the mix of professionalism and joie de vivre they bring to these events, and the genuine love for music that communicates to the kids. I don't think you'd be disappointed if you took the time for one of these concerts.
You can check out the full Education Week program at http://www.mso.com.au/education/education-week/
Melbourne Writers' Festival Schools Program
Aimed at older children (grade 4 level and up), the extensive program offered by the MWF for children and young adults just gets better every year. I am seriously considering giving my kids a day off school on Wednesday 29 August so I can take them to the wonderful Bureau of Mysteries session and to meet their beloved Emily Rodda. I reckon that'd be a pretty edumucational day out, hey?
You can check out the full Schools program at http://mwf.com.au/2012/?name=Schools-Program-Events
Disclaimer: I am not affiliated with any of the organisations or events listed in this post. None of them requested that their material be included and no payment was offered nor accepted for any part of this content.
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