There is lot’s on these September school holidays in Melbourne. This is not an exhaustive list – feel free to leave as a comment other activities that you know are coming up.
Escape the Gaol at the Old Melbourne Gaol
The Old Melbourne Gaol’s hugely popular ‘Escape the Gaol’ interactive and educational experience exclusively for kids is returning for a limited time during the school holidays from 22 September – 7 October.
Aimed at children aged six and up, Escape the Gaol participants get to become inmates and must explore the Gaol to discover all the necessary clues to create the perfect escape plan – all without being discovered by the prison guards. Each ‘prisoner’ will be given a notebook containing a number of riddles, which must be deciphered in order to receive directions to hidden clues.
Once the clues are discovered, prisoners must secretly hunt through the Gaol to uncover the answers to pull off a fool-proof escape plan.
Tickets to the Old Melbourne Gaol are highly affordable, making the Gaol an attractive option for a fun, family day out during the school holidays. Family ticket options include $48 for one adult and two children, or $65 for two adults and two children, with additional children $5 each.
Individual tickets start at $15 for children (5 to 15 years), $23 for concession and $28 for adults.
Silvers Circus
We were fortunate enough to catch Silvers Circus before
The fabulous Silver Circus has opened at Burnley Oval, Richmond for the September holidays and then heads off to Melton at Woodgrove Shopping Centre.
Silvers Circus is a household name in Australia and after forty years on the road has evolved into one of the Top 10 Circuses of the World. Silvers maintains all the sparkle, glamour and death defying acts expected of Australia’s premier circus, dedicated to constant innovation and modernisation with extraordinary artists continually arriving from all parts of the world. Silvers circus presents a line up of stunning international artists, Las Vegas style illusions and captivating production techniques.
Richmond – Burnley Oval – Wednesday 5th September – Sunday 7th October, 2018
Melton – Woodgrove Shopping Centre – Wednesday 10th – Sunday 21st October, 2018For all show details visit – www.silverscircus.com.au
Jurassic Creatures
Jurassic Creatures got a huge tick of approval from my own eight year old who attended the opening as a special birthday activity. Life sized animatronic dinosaurs and interactive dinosaur themed activities make this an event that educational and fun.
The event includes:
- A spectacular dinosaur exhibition with realistic animatronics
- An Interactive Fossil digging area
- Dinosaur Sand painting
- 3D Jigsaw Land
- Dinosaur Inflatable Activity Lands
Dates: Saturday 15 September 2018 – Sunday 14 October 2018
Location: St Kilda Triangle, adjacent to Palais Theatre
Prices: General Admission $31.56. Family Ticket $99.44 (2 adults, 2 children).
Under 2 year old are free – Sessions are 3 hrs each
Website www.jurassiccreatures.com.au
Tickets: www.ticketmaster.com.au
Melbourne Museum
Melbourne Museum invites kids aged 5-11 to learn about the staggering array of animals in the collection. They’ll be set ‘wild’ with colouring and clay activities themed around conservation. Two special ‘Meet the Experts’ sessions will take kids and adults behind the scenes, showing off our museum at work. For parents of younger children; don’t forget that object-driven, expert presented Melbourne History Playdates will run every Tuesday from October 16 to December 11.
Museums Victoria partner Powershop will also be on-site at Melbourne Museum throughout the school holidays. In the Science & Life Gallery, Powershop and Melbourne Museum are aiming to break the world record for the largest display of toy pinwheels. Learn about renewable power, make a pinwheel and add it to the display; they’re aiming for 2240! See the full Melbourne Museum school holiday program here.
Scienceworks
Scienceworks will ask important questions in their fun and exciting live show ‘Winging It’. Learn about the forces of flight in this free 20 minute show. Ever wanted to walk in space? Kids 10+ can try out the incredible Earthlight: Spacewalk virtual reality experience, and see how NASA astronauts train for space. Daily Planetarium shows will reveal the wonders of the universe, the Lightening Room will be positively hair-raising, and collection store tours will take kids behind the scenes. Beyond Perception: Seeing the Unseen reveals to young adults the mysteries of unseen science and provides atmospheric chill spaces. Teens can also experience Scienceworks after dark on September 22, at the all-ages Sync live music event. Above & Beyond, the ultimate interactive flight exhibition, will virtually blast visitors into the stratosphere. See the full Scienceworks program here.
Immigration Museum
Immigration Museum will educate and engage children in knowledge of other cultures. On day one of the holidays, Saturday 16 September, families can join in a range of Turkish cultural activities (and food options!) at the Sofra Festival. Bring the kids to relax in the Turkish-inspired Yuva (meaning nest, or home) while learning about Turkish traditions and culture. There are free Ebru (paper marbling) workshops on 26 September and 3 October. For young people who love to move, Mao’s Last Dancer the Exhibition: A Portrait of Li Cunxin tells the incredible story of ballet dancer Li Cunxin’s journey from poverty-stricken rural China to world renowned ballet dancer. The Queensland Ballet will also be visiting the museum, running Tiny Dancers workshops for littlies aged 2 to 5. More information on all activities at Immigration Museum available here.
Werribee City Centre – Children are Stinky and More
Your mission should you choose to accept it…is to head into Werribee City Centre for a jam-packed program of school holiday fun!
This spring, choose your own adventure with award-winning circus, shadow puppets and a superhero hunt.
Winners of the coveted Children’s Choice Award and 5 Star sell out Edinburgh Fringe sensation in 2016 and 2017, Children are Stinky is a high calibre circus with a rocking soundtrack and loads of belly laughs.
The duo’s attempts to prove that kids are stinky are met with messy, ridiculous, hysterical twists. They only succeed in proving that children are awesome and they know it! Expect daredevil stunts, lighting fast hula hoops and mischievous fun for kids and adults alike.
For those budding acrobatics, Circus Trick Tease will host a special Circus Skills workshop on 25 September ahead of their performance on 26 September in Kelly Park Centre.
Wyndham Cultural Centre will be the place for puppetry fun, as Bunk Puppets transform household junk into flying chickens, brain transplants and sneaky ninjas in the wonderful, Sticks Stones Broken Bones on 2 October.
Kids will also have an opportunity to make their very own puppet and learn how to bring it to life with a DIY puppet workshop on 1 October.
The school holiday season will finish with a bang, as superheroes assemble for Werribee’s annual Superhero Hunt, with craft workshops, face painting and prizes for the best dressed (jedis, ninja turtles and supervillains also welcome!).
Tickets are limited – for full program details visit www.wyndham.vic.gov.au
Kids High Teas
Both the Sheraton and the Langham hotels are having kids high teas. The Sheraton themed “Under the Sea” and the Langham is themed “Barbie Cooking and Baking” Both of these should be booked direct with the hotels but get in quick as they book out quickly.
