For those of you thinking about how to keep your family entertained during the upcoming school holidays I’ve brought you my regular Melbourne school holiday guide. For those of you that love escaping the city there are some great day trips and adventures in regional Victoria as well. If there is an activity I’ve left off that you think should be included don’t forget to drop me a line.
Melbourne Museum
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Museums Victoria is pleased to present a range of family-friendly Autumn school holiday programming running from March 31–April 15 2018. Kids are invited to explore, learn and play in a range of hands on, creative activities and tours.
How did the Vikings really live? What did they make, eat and trade? How did they fight and play? Why not come and be a Viking yourself. Join Melbourne’s own recreation groups the New Varangian Guard, Joms Vikings and Wessex, who will be living at Melbourne Museum for the second week of the school holidays. They’ll bring to life diverse aspects of the Vikings. You’ll see Vikings costumes, tents, furs, pottery, cooking, games, blacksmithing, textiles, spinning, knitting, weaving and much more. Free with museum entry
Scienceworks
Child constructing a paper automaton in The Lab Workshop, part of Test Lab activities in Scienceworks
These Autumn school holidays Scienceworks will be celebrating all things engineering! Held in the historical Spotswood Pumping Station Design Build Test will have kids using their ingenuity and creativity, combining gears, levers, pipes, all the tools of the engineering trade to solve a simple task.
The Great Luna Park Easter Egg Hunt
A Melbourne Easter tradition the Luna Park Easter Egg Hunt will be held over Sat 31st of March and Sunday April 1st, the Easter egg hunts are staged by ages and included in kids Unlimited Ride tickets.
Western Arts Theatre Peter Pan Junior
Community theatre is a wonderful way to introduce kids to live performance. Peter Pan Junior is Western Arts Theatre Production opening Friday the 6th of April in Essendon. Featuring an extremely talented cast under the age of 18 (I’m a little biased, my son is one of the cast) expect sword fight and song from the young stars of tomorrow. Opening Friday 6th April and running for 8 shows Western Arts Theatre has a “Celebrate the last day of School Holidays” 20% off ticket discount for their 2PM show! Use code HOOK! at checkout.
Movies
Sherlock Gnomes and Early Man (a good pick for soccer mad kids) are two kids movies out these school holidays. For a completely family friendly cinema experience visit a V Junior Cinema – there are two new ones opening in time for the school holidays at Sunshine and Plenty Valley. Cinemas have playtime before the movie, a slide in the theatre which kids enjoy before and during intermission, and kids meals.
Kids performance workshops out west.
Those of you on the west side of town have the opportunity to foster your children’s performance creativity via a variety of performance workshops at Wyndham Cultural Centre.
How to be a Rockstar
Release your inner rock legend with air guitar, dance moves and hit song lyrics! Multi-award-winning comedian Tessa Waters leads an hour of hilarious, high energy fun for the whole family promoting body positivity and confidence to make you feel like a rock star. Suitable for audiences of all ages.
Date: Wednesday 4 April
Time: 10.30am + 1.30pm
Venue: Wyndham Cultural Centre, 177 Watton Street Werribee
Bookings: Secure your tickets early to avoid missing out
Tickets: $15 + booking fee | Family $50 + booking fee
https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/whats-on/comedy-kids-how-be-rock-star
How to be a Rockstar: Workshop
Part disco/part rockstar-training school, learn the essential skills required to explode the dancefloor and the audiences minds! A wonderful two hours about body positivity and feeling like a rock star with multi-award-winning comedian Tessa Waters.
Date: Tuesday 3 April
Time: 11.00am
Venue: Wyndham Cultural Centre, 177 Watton Street Werribee
Bookings: Secure your tickets early to avoid missing out
Tickets: $15 + booking fee | Parents/Carers FREE
https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/whats-on/comedy-kids-how-be-rock-star-workshop
Super Amazing Giant Girl
A hilarious tale of strength, fragility and triumph, exploring the challenges of fitting in when you’re a Super Amazing Giant! Action packed and interactive, this theatre show for kids combines thrilling circus, absurd comedy and ingenious physical theatre. Suitable for audiences of all ages.
Date: Thursday 5 April
Time: 10.30am + 1.30pm
Venue: Wyndham Cultural Centre, 177 Watton Street Werribee
Bookings: Secure your tickets early to avoid missing out
Tickets: $15 + booking fee | Family $50 + booking fee
https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/whats-on/comedy-kids-how-be-rock-star
Super Amazing Giant Girl: Circus Workshop
Learn super amazing circus skills in this two hour workshop hosted by Anna Lumb, teacher and mentor at Circus Oz. Kids will come together to learn skills such as hula hoops, bottle-balancing, and basic acrobatics and also learn about accepting differences and body positivity.
Date: Friday 6 April
Time: 11.00am
Venue: Wyndham Cultural Centre, 177 Watton Street Werribee
Bookings: Secure your tickets early to avoid missing out
Tickets: $15 + booking fee | Parents/Carers FREE
https://www.wyndham.vic.gov.au/whats-on/comedy-kids-super-amazing-giant-girl-circus-workshop
Regional Victoria/Day trips from Melbourne
Adventure Park Geeloing Easter Egg Hunt
Thousands of delicious chocolate Easter eggs will be up for grabs this Easter as part of Adventure Park’s Giant Easter Egg Hunt on Sunday 1 April 2018
When: Easter Egg Hunt starts at 2pm | Meet the Easter Bunny 1.30pm to 2.30pm Easter Sunday 1 April 2018
Adventure Park is open 10am-5pm 30 March to 8 April 2018.
Where: Adventure Park, Bellarine Highway, Wallington Vic
Cost: FREE included with cost of admission. See park entry ticket prices here: www.adventurepark.com.au/tickets/ Visit www.adventurepark.com.au for further information.
A new tree surfing adventure – Live Wire Park has opened on the Great Ocean Road
Live Wire Park, Australia’s first, and only outdoor adventure park to be completely powered by nature!
I love the idea that this park has been thoughtfully designed to have a minimal impact on the environment, whilst delivering kids outdoor adventure thrills for kids in nature.
The park features Australia’s most extreme zip line, the 525-metre-long Shockwave Zip Coaster, a supercharge 10m QuickJump bungee, and over 50 other hair-raising obstacles to overcome whilst suspended high in the treetops. A preview video can be watched here. Kids can also test their agility on the Short Circuit designed to be safe, secure and ultimately fun.
Kids Adventure Outdoors Festival
Surfing lessons were led by the folk at “Go Ride a Wave” who runs surf schools around Australia. FYA my son stood up 5 times.
Held over two days on the Great Ocean Road in Anglesea this festival offers kids as young as 3 the opportunity to experience a variety of adventure activities. In past years my kids have enjoyed canoeing, rock-climbing, surfing and more. This year the festival will be held April 7-8th with an optional camp out available too. Discover more on the Kids Adventure Outdoors Festival here.
Gumbuya World
Progressive PR; Gumbya World; Opening
Beat the school holiday blues and plan a day with the kids at Victoria’s newest theme park, Gumbuya World. Open everyday of the school holidays, including Good Friday, come and explore four worlds of fun from 10am to 6pm daily. Located in Melbourne’s South-East and only 50 minutes from the CBD on the Princes Hwy (M1), Gumbuya World opened in December to smashing reviews.
