How exciting that spring is near!!!! I always find August dreary in Melbourne and start to pine for sunshine. So with a sense of optimism of sunshiny days to come, I have focused on active / outdoor type activities for my September list of children’s activities.
Also note that I haven’t included any school holiday activities in the list. I will be posting a separate list for the September school holidays in two weeks. (Edit: I have now posted this and click here for the school holiday post.)
1. Farm Family Day – Spring Babies
There is a great sense of Springs arrival at the Farm. The sheep have begun lambing, the goats are ready to kid and Zsa Zsa’s 9 ducklinngs are growing fast, exploring their world and being adorable balls of fluff.
Collingwood Children’s Farm has a Family Day each month and the theme for September is Spring Babies. The farm is open from 9am – 5pm and there will be free pony rides, hay rides, a BBQ and activities matching the monthly theme.
Entry Prices:
$16 Family
$8 Adult
$4 Child
Car parking is $4 all day.
2. Weedbuster Week
Weedbusting Autralia is hosting Weebbuster Week from 7 – 13 September across Australia. At the time I wrote this, there was 4 registered activities for Victoria, including sessions at Bittern, Blackburn and Emerald Lake. For most events you need to take along gloves and digging tools.
3. Footy Colours Day
Friday 4th September is Footy Colours Day. Footy Colours Day is the Fight Cancer Foundation’s national fundraising event and is the one day in September to fight cancer and change lives. If your kids school is not participating, why not have your own pie night and invite friends over, have some fun, raise some money and and help kids with cancer by donating money to support the “Back on Track” program.
4. Hire A Row Boat
Studley Park Boat House is located by the Yarra in Kew. You can hire a row boat, canoe or kayak by the half hour or hour. To hire a row boat for half an hour for 5 people is $22 (2 children under 5 = 1 adult). Studley Park is also a beautiful spot for a picnic on a sunny spring day. You can take your own or buy from the cafe there. (Image by Macinate.)
5. Sustainable House Day
Sustainable House Day is best summarised by this intro on the website:
The best thing about this event, is the co-operation of sustainable homeowners throughout Australia, who throw open their doors to the general public. In past years, the most positive feedback from visitors has been about the willingness of homeowners to share their stories. Talking about the lessons they’ve learnt – sharing the stories that have worked and the things that didn’t go so well – is just as valuable as looking through the house itself. It’s simply knowledge you couldn’t find just from a google search.
This is a national event and locations in Melbourne include Glen Waverley, Malvern, Werribee and Brunswick. Check out their website for more locations and specific details. House will be open from 10am to 4pm, on Sunday 13th Sept. These days provide a great opportunity to take the kids along and see how it is possible to make our footprint on this earth smaller.
6. Wave Pool
Well this is an active activity but it is indoors. You can never rely on Melbourne weather, so I thought I would throw this one in as well. Monash Aquatic and Recreation Centre has an indoor wave pool, that along with traditional wave sessions, has big board sessions where you can take along your body boards. Children under 10 must have an adult with them in the water.
The Big Board sessions are run on Tue and Fri nights from 5:00pm-6:00pm and
7:00pm-7:30pm. They also run on school holidays, but you will need to check the website for exact details. (Image by Tom@HK)
Costs:
Adults: $5.45
Child: $4.25 (2 – 15)
Family: (5 members 2 adults max) $18.20
7. Royal Botanical Gardens – Children’s Activities
The Ian Potter Foundation Children’s Garden closed in July for rest and maintenance. It will re-open at 10am on Wednesday 9 September. Coming up in September there is “Sing about spring and all things green!”
Play a guessing game before uncovering some of the secret places in the Children’s Garden where creatures make their homes. Then make a nest of your own to take home. Suitable for children aged 4 – 8 years. Adult participation is required.
Where: Meet at the Visitor Centre, Observatory Gate.
Cost: $12 per child
Bookings & enquiries: Tel: (03) 9252 2429. Bookings required.
Image by Looking Glass.
8. Spring Planting
Parks Victoria hosts a number of events outdoors in their parks. A highlight this month is the spring planting sessions where you are invited to:
Come along and join the fun of tree planting and help our native birds and animals. Please wear sturdy footwear and gloves. Tools will be supplied.
Sessions are as follows:
Karkarook Park
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Melway Ref: Map 78 D8
Getting There: Karkarook Park is easily accessible by vehicle as it is located alongside Warrigal Road. Take buses 700 and 701 from Oakleigh or Mentone.
Bookings Required: Yes
Bookings Details: For bookings contact the park office on 9265 7300.
Further Information: Parks Victoria Information Centre 13 1963
Braeside Park
Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009
Time: 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Melway Ref: Map 88 D8
Getting There: The park is reached via the Nepean or Princes Highway. The main entry is on Lower Dandenong Road (Melway ref: 88 D8). Another entrance exists on Governor Road (Melway ref: 93 F1). Bus services (811 and 812) run along Lower Dandenong Road connecting Dandenong, Springvale, Keysborough and Mentone.
Bookings Required: Yes
Bookings Details: For bookings contact the park office on 9265 7300.
Further Information: Parks Victoria Information Centre 13 1963
9. Diamond Valley Miniature Railway
Diamond Valley Miniature Railway in Eltham is a great family activity for those with little kids.
The track is laid to a gauge of 184mm (7&1/4 inches) and we run on about 2km of track, up and down hills, across bridges, and through tunnels. Our locos and rollingstock can typically be Steam, Diesel or Electric.
Cost: Only $3.00 per passenger. Children under 2 years ride free.
Location: Eltham Lower Park, Melways map 21 H10.
Times: Basically every Sunday 11am-5pm . (Melway ref: 78 D7).
Image by Owlhere.
10. Family Fun Run
My two older boys have been asking for a while to go on a fun run and The Yarra Valley Grape Run looks like a great one to do.
The Yarra Valley Grape run starts at the Royal Hotel, Yarra Glen and travels approx. 13.7km to Healesville. The course has many long, straight stretches as well as many rolling hills as it meanders through the Yarra Valley with wonderful views of the valley. There is a 5.2km run or walk from TarraWarra Estate.
Date: Saturday 5 September 2009
Location: Yarra Valley
Distance: 13.7km & 5.2km run/walk
Time: 10:00am
Cost: Family (2 adult & 2 children) $75, Adult $38 and Child $20.
Have fun whatever you get up to in September!