The Enchanted Maze Garden

55 Purves Road, Arthurs Seat (Mel 159 E12)






The Enchanted Maze Garden is one of Melbourne's real treasures for under-fives and on a sunny day it is a simply magical place to visit.

Located in the beautiful hinterland of Arthurs Seat, above Dromana on the Mornington Peninsula, it offers an amazing array of activities for children of all ages. There are several mazes, including a dedicated Children's Maze with a fairy garden, animal sculptures, rabbit enclosure, sand pit and an interactive game of snakes & ladders.

The main Hedge Maze is fun to explore, and small enough to let your kids do so independently or in teams, whilst The Turf Maze with the Loch Ness Monster in the middle makes for a fun game of tiggy without stepping on the grass.

The Bush Scramble obstacle course is better for kids aged 4+ but our younger ones still enjoyed exploring it where they could, and they loved going into the chook and duck enclosure located closeby.

The real hit with the kids (and the adults too) are the giant tube slides. This is a lot of work with under-fives as you have to pull the large tubes (and children perhaps) up a steep slope and then you need to ride with them, but it's well worth the effort if you can manage it. These are are not water slides, so there is no need to cater especially for this activity (although you may want a dry pair of undies for mum!) For parents with multiple children under five, it is recommended that you visit with more than one adult for this activity. My husband and I went with four kids aged 2, 3, 5 & 6 years of age and all of the kids rode the tube slides several times - the older girls together, and the younger boys with each adult.

Moving on through the stunningly landscaped gardens, you will encounter many different sculptures, including the King and Queen's Thrones and Ken Blum's chainsaw art pieces. You will also discover The Obstacle Course which includes a rope swing, swaying bridge, tunnel, bouncy planks and a see-through maze.

Make sure you rub the tummies of the smiling Buddhas lining the steps up to The 3D Indoor Maze before you prepare your children for the Spooky Maze. The website for this attraction advises that this maze may scare children under five so you need to judge for yourself whether this is appropriate for your child. We went through with all four kids, and yes they found it scary, but they understood that by taking off their 3D glasses it became less scary. There are no live actors within the maze but there is a moving rotation bridge that you can bypass if it all gets too much. I would advise leaving prams at the entrance/exit and holding any children aged under 3.

Entry to The Enchanted Maze Garden is fairly expensive ($91 for 2 adults & 4 kids), but this is a set fee that covers all activities including multiple mazes, animals, obstacle courses, tube slides and the 3D spooky maze. Personally I felt that it was well worth the admission price given the number of activities it offered and the work that has gone into creating and maintaining this attraction.

The Amazing Lolly Shop is located at the main entrance and offers sweets, snacks, coffee and re-usable water bottles for kids. There is also a cafe located upstairs, but we did not dine here on this occasion. Alternatively you can bring your own picnic to have on the lawns or in one of the several marquees scattered throughout the grounds.

The Enchanted Maze Garden is open everyday of the year 10am to 6pm (except Xmas Day). The Tube slides and Indoor 3D Maze are open until 4pm weekdays and 5pm on weekends, public holidays and school holidays. Prices are as follows;
Adults $29
Children 3-17 years (must be accompanied by an adult)$19
Children 2 and under Free
Family Pass (2 adults + 2 children)$79 -additional children with Family Pass rate $12
Seniors $23
Aged Pensioners $19
For more information, visit The Enchanted Maze Garden website.

Playdough Recipe

A couple of years ago I did a playdough recipe post, but thanks to my friend Sophie (a kindergarten teacher) I now use this very easy recipe that doesn't require any cooking. This playdough has a great consistency (not too oily or sticky) and it lasts for ages when kept in a snaplock container in the pantry. This is a huge amount, so we usually split it into two bowls and make two different colours.

4 cups plain flour
2 cups cooking salt
4 tablespoons cooking oil
1 packet of cream or tartar
4 cups freshly boiled water
food colour

Place all dry ingredients in a bowl
Add food colouring (if desired)
Pour in boiled water and stir with a wooden spoon. Add oil and mix again.
Once cool enough to handle, knead together on a board.
Store in an airtight container.

The Otways with Kids

This fantastic post on The Otways is courtesy of Romy Mangan, mother to three children aged 6, 5 and 3. The Otways are located on the Great Ocean Road, about three hours drive from Melbourne.



During the recent July school holidays my family and I decided it was time to get away and occupy the kids with more than the usual round of museums and parks. So I booked us a short get away to the Otways , one of my favourite locations in Victoria. I hadn’t been back since I was pregnant with my 6 year old and have since added a 5 and a 3 year old to the mix so I was looking forward to visiting with them.

Booking couldn’t have been easier, there are many websites to choose from but I selected www.stayz.com for last minute deals. I was delighted to find a two bedroom cottage that was self catering and would be perfect for our needs. So we packed our bags with plenty of warm clothes and gumboots and off we went to our cottage, Nellie Nook which is located in Lavers Hill on the Great Ocean Road.

It is a 3 hour trip from the Eastern Suburbs so I knew we would need to stop for a break and something to eat. We chose the Winchelsea Shire Hall Tea Rooms. It was pleasant and very affordable and provided good food and plenty of space for the kids to run off some steam before we headed back on our journey. On the way we played counting coloured cars, I spy, I went on a picnic and took a….., which always ends in something silly and usually with my kids something involving a bodily function. But it kept them occupied until we got there.

Neal (the owner of Nellie Nook) was there to greet us and had lit the wood heater for us. He was a great host and took us off on a walk around his property which has some woods and a small waterfall. There is also a damn with frogs in it. When we got back he presented us with homemade bread which we scoffed in about 2 minutes.
We then took off for an exploration of Lavers Hill, which to be fair is set in beautiful surrounds but doesn’t offer the kids much so we headed for Hopetoun Falls. There are many waterfalls in the area abut we chose this as we knew our kids would make the walk there and back.

The falls were great and the kids were amazed at sound of the crashing water. A huge tree had fallen into the falls and the kids loved this as it showed the scale and power of the waterfall. They made the walk there and back up the many steps without a moan. Great!

We stopped in Lavers Hill at the motel for dinner. Unfortunately the menu selection wasn’t great and the food though ample in size was just OK, however if the kids were asked the same they would say thumbs up to the chips and sausage rolls for dinner. Our next adventure was to see the Glow Worms which were only a 3 minute drive away in Melba Gully Visit Victoria Glow Worms.

By 6 o’clock it was pitch black so we needed our torches to walk the 10 minutes to where the glow worms are. Neal had given us directions so we knew where we were going; otherwise I think we might have wandered off. The lights of the worms were just lovely and looked like twinkling fairy lights in the trees. After this it was back for a movie and cosy up on the sofa.

Next day we were up and about exploring Nellie Nook again and then we bundled everyone in to the car and set off to Otway Fly Tree Top Walk. This place is great. The Kookaburras were calling on arrival and helped to build the kids expectations from minute one. We booked the Tree Top walk which cost around $50. There is a zip fly wire tour but our kids were too young and also due to the cost, we thought we would wait until they were older and would appreciate it more. The walk through the forest is beautiful with huge gums towering above and the freshest air I’ve ever breathed. We then came to the dinosaur trail. It is a walk that the kids and we loved. There are replica models of various favourite dinosaurs, including Stegosaurus, Triceratops and T Rex. Along this part of the walk there were plenty of really good photo opportunities, we had great fun posing with the dinosaurs. After this walk it was on to the tree tops. If you are afraid of heights this may not be for you but it is perfectly safe and gets you up really high. The kids went charging on and climbed the tower pretending it was a spaceship. My youngest struggled a bit so she needed a shoulder ride from time to time but was able to cope very well.

We had a snack in the cafe which was well priced and went on to Apollo Bay. On our way there we saw a pod of migrating whales. This was the highlight of the trip for me. The kids loved it too but then got fed up with that and played on the beach in the winter sunshine. We had lunch in Apollo Bay and went for stroll. It was busy but it’s a lovely seaside town with plenty of shops to browse through if you don’t have impatient little ones in tow.

From here we headed to the 12 Apostles. We went to the visitor centre but our kids weren’t interested in the geology of the area and got bored on the walk. I tried to liven it up by telling stories of shipwrecks and also about the penguins but they were over it so we headed back to our cottage. Maybe when they get older we will take them back. We saw heaps of Kangaroos on the drive back but sadly no wombats.

The next day we went to Johanna beach (Map for Johanna Beach) and went to the second car park which is closer to the river and if you fancy it can be an option for going for more explorations along its banks. We didn’t do it this time as the kids wanted to play on the beach. My two older boys got drenched playing in the rock pools and chasing waves. Great fun but I was glad they had a change of clothing. We also found huge cuttle fish bones washed up, the kids took home and have now been painted in technicolour glory!

On our way back to Melbourne we decided to stop off at Werribee Zoo. We have been here lots of times as we are Friends of the Zoo but thought as it was on our way it was a great choice for a break and dinner. The Zoo didn’t disappoint with the two highlights being the gorillas that were very active and in full view and the lions were right up next to the glass too. On the safari bus the rhinos were really close and in fact the bus had to move along to keep out of their way.

We got home tired and thinking that we must get down to the Otways again very soon.

Hot Rock Crayon Painting

I get heaps of great kids art ideas from The Artful Parent and this one is my new favourite.

Find some smooth stones from around the garden and give them a good clean. Then place them on a tray lined with baking paper and put them in the oven for 20-30 minutes.

Get your crayons ready. This is a good way of getting rid of old bits and pieces of crayons, or just buy a couple of cheap packs.

Set up some work trays on the bench and find some mittens or oven mitts for the kids to wear. The stones will be very hot, so this activity is best suited to kids 3 years and over.

When the stones are hot enough, remove them from the oven and (using an oven mitt or tongs) place them onto the work trays. Larger flat stones will be easier for kids to paint without having to touch them, and longer crayons will make the task easier.

Let the kids melt the crayons onto the hot stones. They will discover that they get better results by slowly moving the crayons over the stones - more like painting than drawing.

Let the rocks dry and then use them as decoration for the fairy garden or grouped together in a bowl.

Glow Stick Bath-Time

I've seen this idea on a few blogs and I've always wanted to try it. It seemed like the perfect time tonight after our visit to the snow.

Basically it's as easy as throwing a handful of glow sticks into a nice warm bath and turning the lights off. Suddenly bath time is way more exciting.

To make it even more ambient, make a few glow jars to place around the bathroom.

Glow sticks are really cheap and you can buy them on ebay. They are also handy for carols by candlelight celebrations and kids birthday parties.

Tobogganing at Lake Mountain

Today we took the kids to see snow for the first time. Lake Mountain is only 90 minutes from our place, so that seemed the obvious place to go and chains are not required as with other ski resorts.

The kids were super excited and it was so lovely to see their faces at the first glimpse of snow. It is definitely one of my favourite activities we have done as a family.

Lake Mountain is a cross country ski resort and is the closest resort to Melbourne, making it perfect for tobogganing and snow play with young kids. Furthermore, Lake Mountain tourism supports the bushfire recovery effort.

Today there were two slopes open for tobogganing. The snow was quite icy but not too slippery and the slopes were gentle and short enough for our five and three year olds to manage on their own. Its certainly not the soft pure white snow cover you get at Bulla or Hotham, but the kids are none the wiser yet and they loved making us run up and down pushing them faster and faster - exhausting work, so a few hours on the mountain is probably ample with under fives.

Costs

Vehicle Entry is $40 midweek ($30 online) and $49 weekends/public holidays/school holidays ($40 online).

Chains - these are only required in certain conditions. Its worth ringing the hotline on the morning of your visit and checking the snow report and road conditions - 03 5957 7232

Hire - The best deals are in Buxton,Narbethong and Marysville where you can get overpants, boots & toboggan hire for $16 per child. The same thing is $30 on the mountain.

Food - There is a restaurant on the mountain that has hot food and drinks, and plenty of bakeries and cafes along the way. For a nice sit-down lunch, Innocent Bystander in Healesville is kid friendly and has fantastic pizza and tapas. The York on Lilydale is a good dinner option with kids as it has an indoor playroom and kids meal deals.

Ways to save money

Op Shop Ski Gear - Knowing we would probably visit the snow this season, I have been trawling the op shops for a few weeks, stocking up on warm and wet gear. They may not be the most attractive options, but they did the trick and the kids will outgrow them by next season. There are some good op shops in Healesville if you haven't got everything you need, plus the $2 shop have cheap kids snow gloves.

Self catering - we stocked up at the IGA in Coldstream on snacks, drinks and sandwich things and these kept the kids entertained in the car on the way up, plus the treats proved useful up the mountain.

Hardware Stores - I've seen a few hardware stores that sell toboggans for $20-30, This could be worthwhile if you will use them again - great for the slipperly slide in summer.

For further information, visit the Lake Mountain Alpine Resort website.

A fun way to warm up after a day at the snow is with a Glow Stick Bath.

A swim at Lysterfield Lake

Cnr Horswood Road and Logan Park Rd, Narre Warren North (melways ref. 108 D2)

I wasn't sure what to expect when my sister suggested we take the kids to Narre Warren North for a swim in the lake. I had never heard of Lysterfield Lake Park and I was amazed to discover it is a massive 3400 hectare nature reserve only 45 minutes from the city. Until the 1970's, Lysterfield Lake was a reservoir for the Mornington Peninsula. It was opened to the public in 1986 and then revamped with 20 kilometres of mountain bike tracks for the Commonwealth Games in 2006.

This is a great place to take the kids for a swim on a sunny day, especially if you don't want to get in yourself. There are two protected swimming bays with sandy beaches and a gradual increase in water depth. It is only a very short walk from the car to the beach and the water is warm and clear. It would be a great place for a mothers group catch up or a picnic with friends. My 18 month old, 3 year old and five year old all had a wonderful time paddling about with their cousins.

There are two large picnic areas along the lake shore with tables, toilets and bbq facilities. There are also some great bike tracks suitable for families, so it would be worth packing the bikes or just taking a walk with the pram.

Lysterfield Lake is open every day of the year from 8.30am. Access is from Horswwood Road which is off the Belgrave-Hallam Road. For further information, visit the Parks Victoria website - http://parkweb.vic.gov.au/explore/parks/lysterfield-park

Angelina Ballerina's Big Audition

The Arts Centre
Tuesday 24th January - Saturday 28th January
10.30am, 1.30pm & 3.30pm

This magical production features the Royal New Zealand Ballet dancers performing to a recorded arrangement of Tchaikovsky’s music. With choreography, sets and costumes from the English National Ballet.

Miss Lilly prepares Angelina for her big chance to dance in front of the judges and, although excited about the possibility of an exciting new adventure, Angelina worries about leaving home and Alice behind. During her audition at the Camembert Academy, Angelina meets lots of new friends who introduce her to exciting new twists on traditional ballet, from jazz to hip hop. Will Angelina’s dream of joining the Academy end in tears, or will this be an exciting new chapter in her life?

Total running time is 75 minutes including a 20 minute interval. Suitable for children aged 3 to 8 years. A Reserve tickets are $35. For more information and to book tickets, visit the Arts Centre website or call 1300 182 183. If you book tickets in August, each child recieves a set of hot pink mouse ears which will be posted prior to the event.

A few school holiday ideas

School holidays are here and the good weather has officially disappeared. So, here are a couple of indoor options for under-fives.

WORKSHOPS
- Allsportz sports camp, Prahran
- Petit Atelier Cooking Workshops, Prahran
- Fizz Kids, Mont Albert & East Malvern
- The Art Factory,Balwyn, Malvern & Essendon
- Little Devils Circus Workshops, Box Hill South
- Junk Puppetry Workshop at Chapel off Chapel
- Lego Workshop at Docklands
- Pottery Painting at Glazeit Studios, Elsternwick

THEATRE / MOVIES
- Puss N'Boots at The Tivoli Theatre
- Toy Story 3D - The Gruffalo's Child at The Arts Centre
- The Mighty BUZZniks at Melbourne Recital Centre


SHOPPING CENTRE ENTERTAINMENT
Best to look up your local shopping centre, but here a couple of examples. Most events are free, but some may incur a charge.

CHADSTONE
- Disney Storytelling @ Chadstone - 10am and 2pm, 4th-8th July
- Lego Workshops - every half hour between 11 and 1.30pm, 11th-15th July

VICTORIA GARDENS
- Plaster Fun House - 10am-4pm, 4th-16th July
- Do you believe in magic show - 11am and 1.30pm, 11th-15th July

TOORONGA
- Cooking Classes, 11am - 2pm, 4th-8th July
- Craft Activities, 11am - 3pm, 11th-15th July

OTHER EVENTS
- Art of the Brick exhibition at Federation Square AND Holiday Program
- KIDS GO Expo at Mornington Race Course, 7-10 July
- Cheeky Chooks at CERES on Wednesday 6th July, 9.30 - 12.30

If weather gets better, you might also want to consider
- Diamond Valley Railway in Eltham, every Wed and Sun during holidays
- Kew Traffic School

If none of these activities are covenient for you, the best thing to do is check your local newspaper for event listings. Also, check the websites of all your favourite places to go and its pretty much guaranteed there will be some kind of school holiday event on offer. Have a great holidays!

Kew Traffic School Holiday Program

Cnr Cotham and Grange Roads, Kew

Another one to keep in mind for next school holidays. Kew Traffic School is usually only open to schools and private bookings, so the holiday program provides a rare opportunity for the under-fives to practice their riding skills in a safe but realistic environment. The 2-5 year old session runs for two hours and includes a brief lesson on road rules from the school supervisor. There are bikes available to borrow, but you must bring your own helmet and your child might feel more comfortable on their own bike, trike or scooter. The traffic school is a mini-village with a police station, train station and other buildings along the roadside. Their is a roundabout and working traffic lights with pedestrian crossings, so the kids will play together as they follow the rules of the road. There are picnic areas off to the side for a byo lunch, and there is ample parking next to the school.

The cost is $10 per child and you must pre-book. Visit the Boroondara website or call 9278 4768. Bookings for next school holidays open on 20th June 2011.

Fizz Kidz School Holiday Program

This is definitely one to keep in mind for next school holidays. My 4 year old daughter attended their holiday program workshop yesterday and she loved it. Over three hours, they decorated a hat and apron and made chocolate lipgloss, soaps, bath bombs and slime. All the products are natural, so they make for lots of fun in the bath. Sessions cost $40 per child and parents are not required to stay. Fizz Kidz are in Malvern and Mont Albert. For more information, visit their website or call 9571 8416.

It's a Wrap

ArtPlay
Behind Federation Square, Birrarung Marr

What does an elephant look like when it’s wrapped? How do you wrap a bubble? How about you – what kind of package will you be when you’re covered up? Join Pocketfool and have fun as you swaddle, cover, roll up and hide. Make the ordinary extraordinary and extraordinary ordinary. Hmmm...what will ArtPlay look like all wrapped up?

When: Fridays 29 April and 6 May
Cost: $25 per adult and child pair, bookings essential
Time and age: 10.30am to 11.45am (2-3 years), 11.45am to 12.30pm (4-5 years)

Visit Artplay website for further details.

Lego Creative Building Event

In conjunction with Toyworld, Harbour Town Shopping Centre is holding a LEGO building competitions over six days in April.

Thursday 14th April-Tuesday 19th April
11.30am & 1.30pm 3-7 Year Olds (Boys & Girls)
Harbour Town Shopping Centre

How to Enter: On the day participants book a time with the Event Organizer or join the queue. For further information contact Harbour Town Centre Management on 03 9328 8600.

Farmyard Tiffin at The Langham Hotel

This is one of my favourite school holiday events and the farmyard twist sounds particularly fun for the under-fives.

The Tiffin includes;
•Caramel Popcorn Lions
•Sheep Cupcakes
•Pig Cookie
•Frog in a pond
•Freckle Sandwiches
•Ham & Cheese sandwich
•Scones with jam & cream

For a little extra fun, children can design their very own troupe of eight farmyard creatures with a special craft pouch.

Monday to Friday only – 10.00am to 1.00pm (Mon 11th April-Tues 26th April)
ARIA Bar & Lounge, Melba Restaurant @ The Langham Hotel, 1 Southgate Avenue Southbank
$25.00 per child 3 – 12 years young*
$40.00 with animal finger puppets
*Children must be accompanied by an adult enjoying classic Tiffin, $39 per person.

Bookings: Reservations on 1800 641 107 or email rest.res@langhamhotels.com

Fairies in the Gardens

Fairies at the bottom of the Garden
Enchanting garden magic, storytelling, singing and planting. Fairies, bunyips and elves encouraged to wear own costumes. Suitable for children aged 3 to 5 years.
Royal Botanic Gardens - Children's Garden
22, 24, 28 & 30 September 2010
10am - 11am
$12 per child

Wildflower Fairies and Elves
Fly through the gardens looking for fairies and elves before settling among the wildflowers for fairy crafts. Fairies and elves encouraged to wear own costumes. Suitable for children aged 2 to 5 years.
RGB Cranbourne
21, 28 & 30 September 2010
9.30am - 10.30am
$6.50 per child

Children's Week at Skyhigh Mount Dandenong

Head to the hills during the second week of September school holidays and check out Skyhigh Children's Week at Mount Dandenong. The following children's activities are scheduled, dependant on weather.

Saturday 25th September
Black snake productions - Reptile displays 2pm-5pm
Bouncy castle from 10am to 2pm

Sunday 26th September
CFA display, fire engine and badge making. 10am - 3pm
Igor the Giant’s Treasure Hunt from 10.00am to 5pm

Monday 27th September
Half price maze entry from 11 am to 5pm.
Igor the Giant’s Treasure Hunt from 10.00am to 5pm

Tuesday 28th September
Pony rides from 1pm-4pm
Igor the Giant’s Treasure Hunt from 10.00am to 5pm

Wednesday 29th September
Adventure Walk with Parks Victoria 12.30pm & 2.00pm
Igor the Giant’s Treasure Hunt from 10.00am to 5pm

Thursday 30th September
Story Telling & Magic with Fairy Sarah 2.30pm – 4.30pm
Chalk drawing with Andrew the gardener @ 1pm – 3.00pm

Friday 1st October
Igor the Giant’s Treasure Hunt from 10.00am to 5pm
Didgeridoo Lessons with “Stax” from 12pm to 2pm

Gate fees apply but children's events are free. For more information on Children's Week, visit the Skyhigh website.

Also see my post on the Tesselaar Tulip Festival as there some days on which these two events overlap.

If possible, drive up via The Basin and visit Hand-me-Downs (see post under Shops category) and give the kids a play at the great playground across from the main group of shops there.

Snow Works at Harbour Town Docklands

Rug up the kids and take them for a play in the snow at Harbour Town in Docklands. Running until the 25th July and open weekdays from 11am to 4pm and weekends from 11am to 5pm.

For free entry present a receipt from any Harbour Town retailer for $15 or more. Play sessions are 25 minutes.

Children's Tiffin Morning Tea

Aria Restaurant
The Langham Hotel
Monday 28th June to Friday 9th July, 10am to 1pm

The three tiered childrens' Tiffin stand includes:
◦White chocolate brownie
◦Lemon cup cake
◦Marshmallow and fruit skewers
◦Frangipane tart
◦Frog in a pond
◦Scones with strawberry jam and chantilly cream
◦Ham & cheese sandwich
◦Chicken sandwich

Children are asked to bring a grownup for traditional Tiffin. $18.65 per child (3-12 years young).
For bookings calll 1800 641 107

School Holidays - June/July 2010

Puppets at Fed Square - 11 July 2010
Federation Square is set to come alive with a children's puppet playground during the winter school holidays, with a week long program of puppet shows, roving performances, workshops, films and parades. Cost: Free

Children's Garden at Royal Botanical Gardens
Pumpkin soup
29 June, 1st July, 6th July, 11am – 12.15pm
What happens when a cat, a squirrel and a duck make soup? Find out in the enchanting story of Pumpkin Soup. Follow the trail where Duck might have gone, then help plant a winter vegetable soup garden and plant your own vegetable to take home. Finally, warm up with a delicious cup of hot pumpkin soup and a bread roll. Suitable for children aged 3 – 5 years; adult participation is required.Meet at the Visitor Centre, Observatory Gate. Cost: $15 per child / $5 per adult. Bookings required: Tel(03)9252 2429


Gasworks Arts Park
Mudcakes Concert - Ages 1-8
Monday 28 June at 11am
$15 Full, $13 Con/Child, Family of 4 $52, Groups 10+ $10 (+bf phone only)
Bookings: 9699 3253
The MUDCAKES, Sherry and Rick Plant are leaders in the movement towards organic adult-friendly children's music. Singing songs with accompaniment from Kazoos, ukuleles, bongos and harmonicas will all be spotted on stage in a quirky, fun-loving interactive show. With songs celebrating roots music and the ups and downs of family life

Gasworks Arts Park
Tiny Tortoises Paper Shapes - Ages 3-6
29 June to 6 July 2010
9.45am to 10.45am or 11.15am to 12.15pm
Art & Craft Room
Price: $20 +BYO Shoeb
Tiny tortoises swimming in a sea of colourful paper in a shoebox. Cut, bend, fold, curl and glue flat paper into wonderful 3D animals with paper-sculptor and illustrator Meredith Thomas.

Tivoli Theatre, 1390 High Street, Malvern
Alice in Wonderland Pantomine
28th June - 9th July
10.30am and 1.30pm, $17 per ticket (includes fairy bread & lemon drink)
Bookings - 9509 9066

Easter Holidays - What's On

Scienceworks - Circus of Spin
20 minute performance by CircaNICA suitable for all ages. Daily until 11th April. 12pm and 2pm. Included in museum entry

Werribee Open Range Zoo
Three exciting activities for children under five years
Village Dance Party - Dance and sing along to a colourful musical show featuring silhouettted dancing characters on a large screen. Free with admission. Mon to Fri 11m to 3pm.
Mini Zoo Keepers - 1.5 hour magical journey around zoo including face to face encounters with many animals. Tuesdays 9.15am. Adults & Children $40
Junior Safari - 35 minute bus ride aimed at five year olds with puppets, music and amazing animal action. Monday to Friday during school holidys, Tuesdays during school terms. 11.30am. Free with general admission.

Kids at the Library
The State Library have two free events suitable for little ones. Storytime for Pre-schoolers on Wednesday 3rd March 11am - 11.45am and the Baby Bounce Session for 8 mths-2yrs on Thursday 4th March 11am - 11.45am. Bookings on (03) 8664 7099 or bookings@slv.vic.gov.au

Fantastic Friends at Royal Botanical Gardens
Create your own fantastic friend from a range of items straight from the garden, including gum nuts, seed pods and banksias. Tuesday 6th, Wednesday 7th & Thursday 8th April 10.30am to 2pm. $4 per child. Plant Craft Cottage near H-gate.For bookings contact Jean (03) 85881824 or Christina (03) 96902145

SkyHigh Mount Dandenong Childrens Week
From 4th April until 10th April there are a range of activities on at SkyHigh including an easter egg hunt, pony rides and storytelling. All activities are free of charge but gate fees do apply.

NGV Kids Corner
A new space for kids with creative installations and activities designed just for them. Check website for full list of events.

Family Day at Collingwood Children's Farm
Ride a pony, milk a cow, enjoy hay rides and visit all the animals. Sunday 4th April 8am to 5pm. Rides 10.30am - 2.30pm. Adults $8, Children $4.

Local Community Centre
Check out the school holiday program at your local neighbourhood centre. Many offer a range of kindy activities. We're doing kindy clay and kindy canvas at our centre this week.