Tuesday 12 January 2010

School Holiday Crisis: Averted!

We're well and truly in the swing of school holidays and the little dude is totes bored. TOTALLY BORED! Thankfully I had the foresight to book some 'intensive' swimming lessons that start tomorrow for the whole week. So that's 1/2 hour for each day taken care of. But what of the rest of the day?

I've been investigating some options around the city. Here's the scoop de la scoop that I WILL share because I am quite good like that. Sometimes. Here we go:
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Australian Museum
6 College Street, Sydney

1. The Dinosaur Show (1-26 January 2010)
Cost: $5 after general Museum entry. Tickets available at the door.
You can meet the museum's very own dinosaur, the Muttaburrasaurus puppet, Winny, and her keeper will entertain you in this fun show about the life of dinosaurs

2. Dinosnore Sleepover (15th January 2010)
Cost: Non-members $160 adults, $120 child. Members $130 adult, $100 child. For bookings, call 9320 6225.
Would you like to spend the night sleeping in Australia’s oldest Museum? You can join the Dinosnore sleepover and enjoy a special pizza dinner, fun craft activity, torchlight tour of the Museum and late night DVDs before catching some zzz’s in the Dinosaurs exhibition. NB: Children must be accompanied by an adult.
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500 Harris Street, Ultimo
(behind Darling Harbour and Chinatown)

Admission: Adults - $10, children (4-15) - $5, under 4 - free

3. The Thriller Experience (4-26 January 2010)
11:00am & 2:00pm

Take to the dance floor and be part of Michael Jackson’s Thriller in the holiday event guaranteed to embarrass and delight all ages. The choreographer will take you through your “zombie” paces as you learn some of the dance moves made famous in the Thriller music video. Definitely not something for me, since I am so unco!

4. Cogs Workshop (4-26 January 2010)
11:00am - 3:00pm
Children can make their own 'go-go gadget' in this cogs workshop a la Inspector Gadget. Suitable for under 8s. -------------------------------
Art Gallery of NSW
Domain Road, Sydney

5. Indian Summer workshop

Check website for dates (under 5s Thursday 14th January; 2-3pm)

Using plants, flowers and animals kids can create an artwork inspired by the maharaja's garden.

$25+

6. Tours for Tots (19 January - let's look at fancy dress; 23 February - let's look at battles and beauties)

2 sessions daily: 10:30am and 1:30pm sharp!

A fun adventure tour through the Gallery’s collection for 3-5 year olds (accompanied by an adult). Hear stories, play games and make your own art.
$15 per child

Bookings essential (limited numbers)

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Museum of Contemporary Art

Circular Quay

7. MCA Family Art Day (Sunday 17th January 2010)

Adult $15 /Student $12 /Child under 12 $10

Explore the MCA’s summer season of exhibitions with this fun-filled family event. Participate in hands-on art activities, family-friendly guided tours, performances and competitions.

8. Mad Mondays at the MCA (Monday 25 January 2010)

11:00am-12:30pm

5 – 12 year olds

Join these lively school holiday art-making sessions running every Monday* in January. Have fun exploring the current exhibitions and create your own artworks.

$12 (pre-bookings essential)

9. Kaleidoscopic Fun (Friday 22 January, 10.30am – 3.00pm)

8 – 12 year olds

See the world like Olafur Eliasson and use light, colour and shape to create your own magical kaleidoscopes. All materials and entry into exhibitions included. Bring your own lunch.

$40

Prepaid bookings essential

10. Art Baby (Thursday 28 January, 2.00 – 3.30pm)

Enjoy the MCA’s unique program for parents and carers with babies. Join MCA staff for a guided, one-hour tour, followed by coffee and biscuits in the MCA cafĂ©.

Prams and front packs welcome.

$15 (babies free)

Bookings essential

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Other places to go with smalls...



* visit the Royal Botanic Gardens and take a picnic!

* see a movie?

* stuck for inspiration?

What are you up to these holidays? We've been digging in the sand clam looking for treasure.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

PMM you make me miss Sydney hard. I think I'll dig around and see if this fair city has similar things on offer. Thanks for the tips.

Lisa said...

Wow thanks for the great list! We did the Maritime Museum yesterday and joined for the year and are already members of the Powerhouse, but hadn't thought of the others. Those baths do look very enticing on hot days like today.

Christina Lowry said...

Art Baby?! That's Cohen! :) He has been to so many galleries in his life time - openings of his Aunties work, QLD art gallery, GOMA, Melbourne Gallery, local galleries... but I like the idea of a group of carers and babies arting it up at the gallery!

What a shame some of these things aren't offered in Brisbane too. Although we did go to the APT and the dino's exhibit at the museum, where Cohen pointed and every dino and taxideried animal and proudly announced "cat!" He was also more interested in the lights above, rather than the exhibits below. :)

Anonymous said...

We went to the Maritime Museum last week and saw the Mythic creatures exhibition. My 21 month old was more interested in the giant helicopter than anything else but my friends 3 1/2 year old was very into the dragons etc
I'm thinking of the Museum of Sydney this week.
Darling Harbour is always a go, between the playground, the ride on train, chasing seagulls and the water features to play in Henry seems to love it!

Emma x

Cathie said...

wow, you have definitely done a bit of school holiday homework.
we are still too little for school holidays, we are just melting in the heat!
hope you have fun.

Aussie-waffler said...

You are totally the woman in the knows, yes you are. Now if you could just whip up one of those lists for the Gold Coast, that would be swell ;) x

Duyvken said...

We took the kids to the MCA on Weds and lasted about 30mins before hte drain of constantly dragginf our youngest away from touching every painting/exhibit/sculpture did my head in and we called it a day. Normally, they're fab at museums and galleries but they were totally wacky on Weds. We did feed them cupcakes beforehand which might have had something to do with it but I prefer not to blame myself for their errant behaviour.
I'll be using this list this coming week, thanks for putting it together!