Kids’ School Holiday Activities Melbourne – Summer 13/14

I am very much looking forward to the end of term. We will visit family for Christmas, but other than that we are planning to do some exploring and fun in Melbourne.

Here are some school holiday activities you might like to check out if you are in Melbourne this summer.

Australian Hip Hop and the Moving Image

School holiday activities ACMI

Thundamentals image courtesy of Obese Records

As part of  Australia Day celebrations at ACMI they are presenting Australian Hip Hop and the Moving Image, a unique cross-cultural event taking place on Sunday 26 January.

Exploring how video is used in Australian hip hop music and culture, this event ties into the current temporary exhibition –  Spectacle: The Music Video Exhibition, which is showing at ACMI until Sunday 23 February.

Hosted by MC Yung Philly, a founding member of Massive Hip Hop choir and a community development worker for youth music organisation The Push, Australian Hip Hop and the Moving Image will feature lively discussion, as well as performances by local hip hop artists including 16 year-old MC Ror.

When: 2pm to 3.30pm, Sunday 26 January 2014.
Where: Studio 1 at ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne
Cost: Entry is free but spaces are limited. Tickets are available on the day from the ACMI Tickets & Information Desk. Clips from Australian Hip Hop Culture will be broadcast on the outdoor screen in Federation Square throughout the Australia Day weekend.
For further information: acmi.net.au

LEGO at Melbourne Museum

540 melbourne museum kids school holiday activities

Source: Museum Victoria. Photographer: Rodney Start

If you have a LEGO fan in your house then the Melbourne Museum is the place to take them this school holidays. There are three key events the kids can get involved in:

 I think my kids would love to contribute to the mosaic!

When: 26 Dec 2013 – 27 Jan 2014 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM. With the exception of the meet the LEGO expert which has set times that you can see here.
Where: Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street, Carlton Gardens
Cost: Included in entry price (kids free, adults $10)
For further information: museumvictoria.com.au

Back to school craft fun

Highpoint Shopping Centre has some fun back to school craft for the kids these summer school holidays.

Notebook design

school holiday activities melbourne
Design your very own personalised notebook using self-adhesive foam stickers, colourful markers and other crafty bits and bobs. These fabulous creations will give kids a unique, customised piece of stationary to help start the new school year!
Location: Highpoint Shopping Centre – Level 2, near Ted’s Cameras
Dates: Monday 13 January – Friday 17 January
Time: 11am to 2pm
Age: 3 years to 12 years
Cost: FREE, no bookings needed

Pencil case art

school holiday activities melbourne
Stand out in the new year by designing a one off pencil case creation at Highpoint’s pencil case craft workshops. Using self-adhesive foam stickers and colourful fabric markers you can turn your plain canvas pencil case into a budding flower garden, a racing car or even a snapping crocodile! You are only limited by your imagination…
Location: Highpoint Shopping Centre – Level 2, near Ted’s Cameras
Dates: Monday 20 January – Friday 24 January
Time: 11am to 2pm
Age: 3 years to 12 years
Cost: FREE, no bookings needed

Dress like an opera diva

kids school holiday activities melbourne

Image © Shane Bell

Victorian Opera are holding a Diva Dress-ups event for families as part of the RACV Australia Day Picnic & Federation Vehicle Display on January 26.

This will include a free concert and a pop-up costume department for picnickers of all ages to dress as their favourite characters including the King and Queen from Sleeping Beauty, the Old Lady from The Magic Flute and the title character of Cinderella.
When: Sunday 26 January 2014, 10am – 5pm
Where: Kings Domain Gardens
Cost: Bookings not required. Admission FREE
For further information: victorianopera.com.au

Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show

school holidays melbourne
Abracadabra! Join in the magic with Mickey Mouse, Minnie Mouse and a host of Disney friends, including Donald Duck and Goofy; Cinderella and her Fairy Godmother; Alice in Wonderland and the Mad Hatter; and Disney princesses Jasmine, Belle and Snow White as they come together with international illusionist Zak Williams to perform a mystifying, energetic and hilarious magic show filled with spectacular illusions from legendary Disney films right before your eyes.  Disney Live! presents Mickey’s Magic Show tours Australia these Summer Holidays!

Date/s and Locations: 

  • Perth: Riverside Theatre, Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre. Fri-Sun 27-29 Dec
  • Gold Coast: Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre. Sat 4 Jan
  • Melbourne: The Plenary, Melbourne Convention Centre. Thurs-Sat 9-11 Jan
  • Wollongong: WIN Entertainment Centre. Wed 15 Jan
  • Adelaide: Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Sun 19 Jan

Cost: A Reserve $38.50 and B Reserve $29.50
Bookings:

More information: For more information, go to www.disneylive.com.au

Pick your own berries

school holiday activities melbourne

Source: Upick berries

There are many pick your own berries establishments in Melbourne. We visited this one a number of years ago and had a great time. Think now the kids are older we could come home with a huge batch of berries!

Where: 27 Parker Road, Silvan
When: 7 DAYS 9AM – 5PM NOV – APRIL but MAKE SURE TO PHONE AHEAD TO ENSURE FRUIT AVAILABILITY

  • Blackberries mid Dec – Jan
  • Blueberries Dec – Jan
  • Boysenberries mid – late Dec
  • Cherries Nov – Dec
  • Loganberries early Dec
  • Raspberries mid Nov – Jan & early March – April
  • Strawberries Nov – Dec & Feb – April
  • Youngberries mid Dec

U-Pick Prices:
Adults: $13 ( Price includes 1 kilogram of fruit)
Children: $6.50 3yrs – 11 yrs ( Price includes half a kilogram of fruit) Under 3yrs free.
Price: $13 per kilo

Phone: 9737 9400 or 9737 9130 or check their website for more information

The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug 3D


The second Hobbit film is on the must see list of our 15 year old. The Hobbit: The Desolation Of Smaug continues the adventure of Bilbo Baggins as he journeys with the Wizard Gandalf and thirteen Dwarves, led by Thorin Oakenshield, on an epic quest to reclaim the lost Dwarf Kingdom of Erebor.
When:Release date: 26 December 2013. See website for full dates and times.
Where: IMAX Melbourne, Melbourne Museum, Nicholson Street, Carlton Gardens
Cost: Tickets are on sale now. $26.50 adult, $22.50 concession, $19.00 child, $78.00 family (2 adults & 2 children)
For further information: imaxmelbourne

Pizza Making Classes

kids cooking classes melbourne
Entertaining and feeding the kids at the same time! We did the last year and it was loved by all the kids. You can read my full review here- Ladro Kids’ Pizza Making Classes.

Cost: $35 per child
Ages: 3 – 14yrs old
When: 1st + 3rd Saturday of month
Time: 3 – 4:30pm (juniors must be ready to roll at 3pm sharp!)
Where: Ladro Greville 162 Greville St Prahran
For further information: ladro.com.au

Technology Workshops

TechKidsWebLogo

Allison Briscoe is a co-founder of new local business called Techkids. Allison is also a mum from the kinder my son attends and is one very smart lady, so I imagines these sessions will be fantastic.

The workshops run from 13 – 17 January 2014 at Camberwell Grammar School, 55 Mont Albert Rd Canterbury.

  • ROBOTICS with LEGO® WEDO (I) – School Year Levels 1-3 ($119) 13 January (Monday), 9am-3pm
  • MOVIE MAKING/ STOP MOTION ANIMATION – School Year Levels 2-6 ($119) 14 January (Tuesday), 9am-3pm
  • ROBOTICS with LEGO® WEDO (II) – School Year Levels 1-3 5 ($119) January (Wednesday), 9am – 3pm
  • ROBOTICS with CUBELETS and LEGO® – School Year Levels 4-6 ($69) 16 January (Thursday), 9am – 12pm

To read more about each session and to make bookings go to techkids.com.au

Trout Fishing

school holiday activities melbourne

Source: Marysville Trout and Salmon Ponds

This is definitely a day trip from Melbourne, but would be a great one for families with kids of all ages. Marysville Trout and Salmon Ponds is a great place to learn how to fish or hone up on your fishing skills, have picnic lunch or twilight dinner.

The fishing ponds have been lightly stocked with rainbow trout and Atlantic salmon and range in size from 500g up to 6kg (the big ones are hard to catch – very sneaky fish). It can take some time to catch a fish although we also have ponds where you can catch a trout in very quick time.

Picnic tables and gas barbecues are scattered around the ponds so you can have an enjoyable picnic and cook your fresh rainbow trout or salmon.

They have a special for these school holidays – FREE Family entry on Tuesdays and mention the secret code word ‘Kookaburra’ for a 10% discount on your fish!

Entry Costs: All persons entering the ponds are required to pay entry:

  • Adults $5.00
  • Pensioners $2.00
  • Children $2.50

Included in entry fee:

  • Use of all Facilities including BBQ / Barbeques
  • Catch and Keep fishing
  • Rod hire, bait, nets
  • Fish cleaning
  • All the fish you catch must be kept and paid for. You cannot throw fish back into the ponds.

Fish Costs:

  • Trout: $14.50/kg (live weight)
  • Atlantic Salmon: $24.00/kg (live weight)
  • Smoked Trout: Various size packs available
  • Smoked Atlantic Salmon: Various size packs available

Where: 261 Marysville Rd Marysville Vic 3779 Tel: (03) 5963 3558
When: We are Open 7 Days a Week from 10am until Sunset except Christmas Day
For further information: Marysville Trout and Salmon Ponds

What are you planning to do these summer school holidays?