******
Click here for September 2011 School Holidays.
******
I was so happy to write this post! September is coming. Spring is coming!!! I love the September school holidays, the sun is usually just starting to come out and it is such a lovely time to have a break from the school routine.
As always heaps of fun kids activities to do in Melbourne this September school holidays. If you are interested in any of them and they require bookings, I would recommend doing it soon as many of these events often book out.
1. Lego Workshops
LEGO Educational Centre (Moore Educational) is running a LEGO school holiday program. The details of which you can see above. You can check out their website for further information on exactly what each session entails.
The sessions are 45 minutes and book your child for a full morning or afternoon session (3 workshops) and your child receives free morning/afternoon tea and a free LEGO name badge.
Date and Time: From Mon 20th September- Fri 1st October, 2010
Location: LEGO Educational Centre, 37 Hall Street, Moonee Ponds, VIC
Cost: $12
Bookings: Phone bookings required
Ages: From 4 – 12 years old
2. National Sports Museum
We went to the National Sports Museum last holidays and had a fantastic time. It is an attraction that blends passive activities looking at the memorabilia and watching the holograms with full on physical activity in the Game On area. For more tips on getting the best out of your visit to the NSM, please see my post Review: National Sports Museum.
Date and Time: Monday September 20 – Friday September 24 and Monday September 27 – Friday October 1 2010. From 10.00am-5.00pm on all days.
Location:The National Sports Museum is located at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, on Brunton Avenue in Richmond within the confines of Yarra Park. (You need to enter near Gate 3.)
Cost: Adults $15, Children (5 – 15) $8, Children under 5 free. Family (2 adults and 4 children) $50. These are for admission only. If you wish do the tour, there is an additional cost.
Bookings: Not required.
Ages: While the preschooler did enjoy looking around, his participation was limited in the Game On area. I would recommend it for school age children.
3. Family Art
September holidays last year the children and I went to Box Hill Community Arts Centre (BHCAC) and painted a family canvas (as seen above!). We had a great time and it was really lovely to work together with the kids to produce a family piece of art. This September as part of their School Holiday Program they have Family Clay sessions! I have listed the family clay sessions below, but if you are after individual kids activities head to their website for more info.
Date and Time:Family Clay-Birdbath is on Monday 20th September from 9.30am – 11.30am and Family Clay- Family Of Ducks is on Thursday 30th September from 9.30am – 11.30am
Location: 470 Station Street, Box Hill
Cost: $32 per family (1 child and 1 adult) additional children are $13 each.
Bookings: Required on bhcac@whitehorse.vic.gov.au or call 9895 8888
Ages: Family
4. Wave Pools
Most indoor aquatic centres run school holiday programs that are relatively inexpensive and lots of fun. My kids love Wave Pools and this can be an enjoyable and active way to spend a number of hours during the holidays. As I mention in my post Review Melbourne Sports And Aquatic Centre Wave Pool (MSAC) if you are taking multiple children under the age 10 it is a good idea to have more than one adult as they must be accompanied, in the water, by a parent or guardian over the age of 16 while the waves are running.
During the school holidays MSAC runs SplashOut which on top of the wave sessions, includes things like water slide, water rock climbing wall and inflatables.
Date and Time: Weekdays through out school holidays. Please note that not all activities are available every day. Activities will be opened based upon availability which varies on a daily basis.
Location:Access to MSAC is either from Aughtie Drive or the Albert Road/ Cecil Street entrance in Albert Park.
Cost: Child Single Visit (3-15 years) $4.95, Family: 1 Adult, 2 Children $14.50, Family: 2 Adults, 2 Children $18.15, Additional Child $2.80
Bookings: Not Required
Ages: Family
5. European Masters: Städel Museum, 19th–20th Century – Kids Activities
August MACKE
German 1887–1914
Little Walter’s toys 1912
(Walterchens Spielsachen)
oil on canvas
50.0 x 60.0 cm
Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main
Acquired in 1959
European Masters: Städel Museum, 19th–20th Century is currently showing at NGV International. It brings together a remarkable collection of masterpieces from the Städel Museum in Frankfurt, one of the finest collections in Europe. Exhibition entry fees into European Masters apply (Adult $23 / Concession $18 / Child (ages 5 – 11) $11 / Family (2 adults, 3 children) $60) but there are many fantastic kids activities associated with the exhibition that you can participate in free:
Art Sparks: Städel Kids – Kids can join in special art activities. Parent/carer supervision required
Age: 3+
Date: Weekends Saturday 19 June – Sunday 10 October and school holidays Monday 20 September – Friday 1 October
Time: 10.30am-4.00pm
Where: Federation Court, Ground Level, NGV International
Cost: Free
Film: The Frog Princess (Muppets) (1972, 60mins, G)
When: Wed 22 September
Time: 10.30am
Cost: Free
Venue: Clemenger BBDO Auditorium, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
Film: Cinderella (1950, 74mins, G)
When: Wed 29 Sept
Time: 10.30am
Cost: Free
Venue: Clemenger BBDO Auditorium, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Rd, Melbourne
Städel Kids: Das Puzzle Haus – Solve the problems and put the masterpieces back together
Age: 3+
Date: Daily, Saturday 19 June – Sun 10 October
Time: 10.00am-5.00pm
Where: Federation Court, Ground Level, NGV International
Cost: Free
Städel Kids: Where is the ABC in Städel?
It’s as easy as ABC. Kids can have fun discovering and learning about masterpieces in the exhibition, when they find the alphabet wall labels written just for them!
When: Daily, Sat 19 Jun – Sun 10 Oct
Time: 10.00am – 5.00pm
Cost:Activity is free but exhibition entry fees into European Masters apply.
Venue: Ground Level, NGV International, 180 St Kilda Road, Melbourne
6. Sciencecworks
I find Scienceworks is always a hit with the kids and with new exhibitions and displays all the time, you can visit often and still have new things to explore. When we were last at Scienceworks we saw the fantastic Trekking Towards Tomorrow which ends in September.
Highlights to see during school holidays include Going Places: The Technology of Transport, where the kids can do things like ride a mini hovercraft, guide a blimp and land an aeroplane on the flight simulator and Humanoid Discovery where they can investigate the different layers within the skin, look at how long your intestines are and how food is digested.
Date and Time: All school holidays from 10am – 4:30pm.
Location: 2 Booker St, Spotswood
Cost: Adult $8, Concession* and Child (3–16 years) free entry. (Additional charges may apply for temporary exhibitions.) To ensure free-flowing access for all our visitors, prams and strollers are not permitted within the Planetarium and Lightning Room. A pram parking area is provided.
Bookings: Not required.
Ages: This is a family activity, but I think school age children are most suited to it.
7. The Gruffalo
A mouse took a stroll through the deep, dark wood… Who doesn’t love the story of The Gruffalo by JUlia Donaldson. My daughter saw this production with her school earlier this term and she just loved it! Head along for some school holiday pantomime action!
Date and Time: Monday 20th September, shows at 12pm and 2pm.
Location: Whitehorse Centre, 397 Whitehorse Road, (Maroondah Highway) Nunawading
Cost: $15 for single tickets, $13 for 4 or more tickets.
Bookings: Required online here
Ages: 3+
8. Calling All Rockstars
A hands on activity for older kids who love music at the Arts Centre in Melbourne.
“This workshop, designed to create and record your own song, will kickstart your music future. You will be introduced to ACID Pro 7, Sony’s easy to use music software, access our massive sample library, discover the art of mixing and record your own voice (if you like!).
At the end of the workshop you’ll burn your new track to CD to take home. The perfect launch pad for your music career!”
Date and Time: 23 September and 24 September 2010 at 10.30am (Runs for 90 minutes.)
Location: Digital Learning Hub at the Arts Cengtre. The Arts Centre is a couple of minutes walk from Flinders Street Station or take any tram (except tram no.1) along St Kilda Road and disembark at the Arts Centre. Stop number 14.
Cost: $18 (accompanying adult free). All kids must be accompanied by an adult for the duration of the workshop.
Bookings: Can be made online here or by phone on 1300 182 183
Ages: 8+
9. Make your own mini drought resistant garden
A super spring activity provided by Parks Victoria.
“Learn how to make a drought resistant garden with a minimum of fuss – and water! Join our gardening gurus Greg and Helen and discover a fun and healthy way to plant a garden that suits our warm Australian climate. Every child will take home their own mini drought resistant garden, presented in a garden pot, courtesy of Parks Victoria. No tools, gloves or equipment necessary, just don’t forget to bring your green thumb!”
Date and Time: Tuesday 21 September, Thursday 23 September, Tuesday 28 September and Thursday 30 September.
Location: Werribee Park, K Road (Gate 2), Werribee (Melway Map 201 D1)
Cost: Free
Bookings: Required on 13 1963 or bookingswerribee@parks.vic.gov.au
Ages: 5 – 12 years old
10. Honouring our Ancestors: Remembering Timor Leste
Another fantastic exhibition coming up at the Immigration Museum in Melbourne.
An exhibition about the rituals practised by the East Timorese community in Victoria.
This exhibition explores a ritual called Se Matebian, which takes place each year on All Souls Day and honours East Timorese ancestors. It looks at how the East Timorese community in Australia continues to practise this ritual today.
The school holiday program activities focus on this exhibition with weaving, story time and East Timor Kites.
Date and Time:
Daily, 18 September – 3 October 2010 from 10am – 5pm. Story time is only on at these times: Weekdays, 18 Sep – 3 Oct 2010 from 11.30am – 12.00pm and
1:30pm – 2:00pm.
Location: 400 Flinders Street, Melbourne
Cost: Adult $8 and Child (3–16 years) free entry.
Bookings: Not required
Ages: Family
PS. Of course the Royal Melbourne Show and the AFL Finals are on during September as well, but I am guessing everyone knows about that! The Melbourne Fringe Festival is also on, but at the time of writing their program wasn’t available.
EDIT: I have just come across these two fabulous activities that are also on this school holidays and just couldn’t resist adding them in!
11. The Northcote Kids Festival
Over two weeks during the September School Holidays, the Northcote Town Hall comes alive with a selection of theatre, music, magic, and workshops for children and their families. With 35 performances over 13 days, and workshops in theatre, music & performance, there’s something inspiring for all ages!
This year’s fab line up at Northcote Kids Festival includes performances from Pocketfool, The Mudcakes, Asking For Trouble, Ken Harper, Tim Ellis, Little Big Shots Film Festival, and Curious Legends. With 35+ performances & workshops you will be able to find something for everyone.
Date and Time:
Daily, 18 September – 3 October 2010 times of shows vary so see their website.
Location: Northcote Town Hall, 189 High St, Northcote
Cost: Varies nothing great than Regular $18, Concession $15
Bookings:
Ages: Family – but see specific age ranges stated for particular activities.
12. Natured Kids
Come exploring at the Briars, find nests constructed out of the most amazing materials. where do our feathered friends make their homes? Can you make one too? Make your own little nifty nest complete with a Banksia bird to take home.
For those who are not familiar with the Briars Park on Mornington Peninsula it contains an original farm from the 1840s and 96 hectares was never cleared and is now a Wildlife Reserve. On walks through the woodland you might see kangaroos, wallabies and koalas! which may be seen from the Woodland Walk. Waterbirds can also be viewed from the bird observation hides overlooking extensive wetlands. The Natured Kids school holiday activity takes kids on a wander to find our fantastic feathered friends.
Date and Time: Friday October 1st 1.1/2 hr sessions at 10am, 12 and 2pm
Location: The Briars Park 450 Nepean Hwy, Mount Martha
Cost: $14 per child. Adults free. Children must be accompanied by an adult.
Bookings: Booking and pre-payment essential. Phone Narelle 9783 5746 or 0431 79 13 79 or email oaks@bigpond.net.au.
Ages: 2-6 yrs