Usually I include events only for the forthcoming month, which in this case would be November. The majority of the kids activities in Melbourne listed are for November, but the first few are some very fun things that are actually on at the end of October. There are some great new activities listed this month.
1. St Kilda Cemetery Tour
What better place to play on Halloween than in a Grave Yard! Often seen as morbid, frightening places, cemeteries are in fact great repositories of history and knowledge, distilled insights into a world gone before us and the people who shaped our lives today.
Designed for kids of junior to middle primary school years, this entertaining and educational tour takes in graves such as Christine MacPherson, the woman who wrote the music to Waltzing Matilda, Captain James Kelly, who developed the first fire brigades in Victoria and the Phillips Brothers, who set up Luna Park.
Each child will receive a trick or treat basket and collect candies & gifts as they trick or treat through the tombstones. Prizes for our very own Halloween Fashion Parade.
Cost: $10 p/p plus $0.30 booking fee (incls treats and prizes)
When: Sunday October 31st @ 10.30am
Where: St Kilda Cemetery. Cnr Dandenong Rd & Hotham St, East St Kilda
Bookings: Required and can be made at www.foskc.org or on 9534 6352.
2. Eats & Treats Moonlight Market
The inaugural Eats & Treats Moonlight Market will be held on Friday the 29th October at Birdie Num Nums. The spacious rear courtyard of the restaurant will be transformed into a bustling market for the evening and there will be entertainment for the kids. Market entry is free, and an Eats & Treats dinner and drink package is available for just $25, which includes six delicious and generous canapés and drink.
Fundraising for the RCH Foundation will be via raffles, collection tins, with each stallholder also donating a portion of all proceeds from the evening. Ticket holders also get a chance to win door prizes. The market stallholders have been carefully selected, and consist of Melbourne designers and businesses with a range of gorgeous wares including jewellery, bags, books, children’s clothing, hats, stationery, candles and more.
Cost: Market is free, Eats and Treats Dinner $25 p/p
When: Friday the 29th October from 6pm
Where: Birdie Num Nums (745 Nicholson Street, North Carlton)
Bookings: For dinner can be made at bookings@eatsandtreats.com.au or on 0406 705 424
3. One Funky Monkey – Meet The Author Stacey McCleary
One Funky Monkey is a very cool little counting book that features some very hip animals with smooth moves like hip-hopping elephants, jiving giraffes, moonwalking meerkats and ‘lion’ dancing lions.
Stacey McCleary author of One Funky Monkey will be at Enchanted By Books reading from this her latest picture book. Children can also enjoy a free craft activity and there’s a prize for the best “funky monkey dancer”.
Cost: Free
When: Saturday 30th October at 2.00pm
Where: Enchanted By Books, 177 Ferguson St, Williamstown
Bookings: Bookings are essential and can be made on 03 9397 1154 or email events@enchantedbybooks.com.au
4. Magic of Growth – Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation
On 25 October 2010, the inside of Melbourne Central will be transformed into a giant living kitchen garden. Featuring growing vegetables, colourful fruit, herbs, scarecrows and bales of hay decorating the Shot Tower Square. The installation will celebrate the launch of The GPT Group’s (proprety company that owns shoping centres around Australia including Melbourne Central) long-term partnership with the Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden Foundation (SAKGF). Students from Collingwood College will join Stephanie Alexander herself in demonstrating the SAKGF’s pleasurable food education philosophy to guests and members of the public.
The conversion of Melbourne Central into a living garden launches The Magic of Growth program. The launch includes a week of events to teach people how to harvest and prepare wholesome food, and how to grow their own kitchen gardens at home. Throughout the year, The Magic of Growth program will feature seasonal events and make use of fresh produce from the kitchen gardens for free cooking workshops, free recipes, community outdoor garden clubs and gardening workshops.
I have listed the Victorian Centres that will be participating, but there are also centres in NSW. Check the GPT website for more details.
Melbourne Central (VIC) www.melbournecentral.com.au
Tuesday 26 October Spring Time Cooking Class 11am – 2pm
Thursday 28 October Pot Planting Class 11am – 2pm
Friday 29 October Spring Cooking Class 11am – 2pm
Friday 29 October Herb Planting Class 11am – 2pm
Chirnside Park Shopping Centre (VIC) www.chirnsidepark.com.au
Wednesday 27 October Spring Time Kids Herb Planting Workshops 12pm – 2pm
Thursday 28 October Scarecrow Making Kids Activity Classes 11am – 2pm
Friday 29 October Kids Cooking Classes 11am, 12pm, 1pm
Monday 1 November Spring Cooking Shows 11am – 2pm
Wednesday 3 November Spring Cooking Shows 11am – 2pm
Parkmore Shopping Centre (VIC) www.parkmoreshopping.com.au
Tuesday 26 October Spring Time Kids Herb Planting Workshop 11am – 2pm
Wednesday 27 October Kids Cooking Classes 11am – 2pm
Thursday 28 October Scarecrow Making Kids Activity Classes 11am – 2pm
Wednesday 3 November Spring Cooking Shows 11am – 2pm
Thursday 4 November Spring Cooking Shows 11am – 2pm
5. SYN Comedy Workshop: That’s Hilarious!
Calling all class clowns and closet comedians – learn about writing comedy sketches for radio and try out some of your own materials at SYN’s upcoming Signal Comedy workshop. SYN’s comedy flagship, In Joke, will share their tips and tricks about making comedy on and off the radio. Through this workshop you will write and record your own short radio comedy sketch that may be aired on In Joke and podcast on SYN.org.au.
Head to That’s Melbourne for more details.
Cost: $5
When: Wednesday 3rd Nov from 5.30pm – 7pm
Where: House of SYN – 16 Cardigan St, Carlton
Bookings: email training@syn.org.au
6. Measure Island
There is a lot more to measuring than you think.
Consisting of 24 interactive exhibits, Measure Island makes measurement adventurous and fun!
Set in a fictional land themed around a long lost civilisation, see why some of our measurement systems exist. What are some of the measurement techniques that scientists use? What makes a good measurement? How do they benefit us?
We love Scienceworks and the new Measure Island exhibition sounds like a lot of fun, with some great learning involved!
Cost: Included with museum entry which is $8 for adults and free for children.
When: Daily from 30th Oct – 1 May 2011
Time: 10am until 4.30pm
Where: ScienceWorks 2 Booker Street, Spotswood.
Bookings: Not required.
7. Meet the Dogs of Melbourne
Find out what really goes on at a dog show, with ‘Meet the Dogs of Melbourne’. Hosted by DOGS Victoria this free, family event will take you behind the scenes of the judging process with agility tests, obedience trials and the all important ‘Best in Show’. Twenty-five dogs are set to compete, with the judge providing a running commentary on what they’re looking for. Come down and vote for your favourite!
Source: That’s Melbourne
I have mentioned before on the blog about my canine obsessed 4 year old, so there was no way I could not include this kids activity for November. This will be a must see for us.
Cost: Free
When: Sunday 14th Nov. It states from 10am – 3pm on the That’s Melbourne website. I would definitely check the Fed Square website closer to the date, to confirm times.
Where: Federation Square, Melbourne City
Bookings: Not required.
8. Big Aussie Swap
In November 1996, Planet Ark founded National Recycling Week as a community education and media campaign. The aim was to bring a national focus to recycling and the broader themes of minimising waste and managing material resources.
Now in its 15th year, National Recycling Week (NRW) is an established and highly regarded annual education and behaviour change campaign. National Recycling Week aims to improve the environmental benefits of kerbside, industrial and community recycling programs.
NRW is from 8 – 14 November and one of the key activities this year is the Big Aussie Swamp. Head to their website to the section for kids and teachers and find out how you can get you or your kids school involved. Its a great opportunity to get the kids thinking about our “throw-away” culture.
9. Children’s Cinema Nights at Piazza Italia
Free children’s movies and cartoons will be screened every Saturday night from 6 November to 11 December at Argyle Square in Carlton. Seating is provided and kids can enjoy the turf matting – bring a blanket in the event of a cool evening. Cartoons start at 8:00pm and the main feature will commence at 8.30pm.
Please note: Children’s cinema nights at Piazza Italia will be subject to cancellation in the event of inclement weather or rain. This is a free event sponsored by the City of Melbourne and the Carlton Business Association Precinct Inc. (CAPi).
Films: Saturday 6 November – Mr Bean’s Holiday, Saturday 13 November – UP, Saturday 20 November – Ice Age 2, Saturday 27 November – WALL E, Saturday 4 December – Horton Hears a Who, Saturday 11 December – Ratatouille. More info.