A new children’s festival dedicated to play, nature, science and imagination will take over the city of Melbourne in the winter school holidays from 29 June to 14 July.
Playbound, the 16-day extravaganza is presented by Museums Victoria, the City of Melbourne, ArtPlay, Melbourne Recital Centre, Road to Zero and Gowrie Victoria. It promises to deliver an array of fun-filled performances, workshops, exhibitions and activities for kids aged 0-12.
The city-wide celebration will have an emphasis on free and affordable programming so families can discover a new world of creativity and adventure these school holidays.
Playbound highlights include:
- NAIDOC Week Family Day at Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre: Celebrate the commencement of NAIDOC Week at Melbourne Museum with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, events, performances and family activities. Discover the incredible Dancing Dragonflies that once shared the Earth and create your own Kooyang Eel (Gunditjmara) mobile to take home at the renowned Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre.
- Peter and the Wolf with Inventi Ensemble at Melbourne Recital Centre: Inventi Ensemble will introduce children of all ages to the magic of music with Prokofiev’s century-old tale Peter and the Wolf. Through the story of young Peter, his grandfather, and their animal kingdom friends the bird, duck, and cat, audiences will explore this classic tale and develop a new appreciation for the music and sounds made by instruments often found in a symphony orchestra.
- The World is Lava, Please Calm Down at ArtPlay: An epic double-header event designed for children aged 5 to 11, this experience is part game, part challenge and part adventure land. Navigate an obstacle course themed around natural disasters and everyday anxieties like lost homework and eating the worst vegetable. Then, become special researchers to test out stations designed to achieve maximum calm and offer your expert opinion on what works best.
- Little Big Science Show at Community Hub at The Docks: Specifically designed for early learners, this engaging show makes science easy to understand for children aged 3 to 5 years. From rainbows and colour mixing through to vibrations in elephant tubes and giant bubbles, preschoolers will have a blast!
- Nature Play at Royal Park: Explore Royal Park through hands-on, child-led learning and sensory play through a range of nature-based activities, games, crafts, storytelling and songs. Join us for a bush walk focusing on movement, climbing and learning about the local flora and fauna from experienced educators.
- Little Senses Play Sessions at Kensington Maternal and Child Health Centre: These guided sessions encourage children to explore and build confidence at their own pace and invite parents to be actively involved in their child’s play including sensory activities, messy play, arts and crafts, and more.
- The Great Imaginormous Sketch Off at Kathleen Syme Library: A creative morning of drawing, colouring, and crafting inspired by Roald Dahl and Quentin Blake. Design your own paper garden and whimsical creatures, then borrow a Dahl book to enjoy at home as you nurture your imagination alongside your new creations.
- Picturing Family at the Immigration Museum: Discover the art of visual storytelling and celebrate your unique family history in this special workshop led by photographer Pia Johnson, the creative mind behind the Re-Orient exhibition at the Immigration Museum.
For further information and for the full program and city-wide map, visit Museums Victoria’s website.
