As heard straight from Melbourne kids in our programs!
Winter has arrived in Melbourne and the challenge is on to keep the kids happy, healthy, and entertained with memorable screen-free time. With a winter finally free from lockdowns, there’s much to explore with activities to suit any child’s interests. As afterschool teachers, here’s just a small selection of what we’re hearing on the grapevine that kids are looking forward to or enjoying this winter.
For creative kids this Winter
If winter means hot chocolates and yummy food, it also means warm cosy clothing. If your child is creative, we’re hearing that knitting is capturing their attention this winter and a great place to begin is with a knitted scarf. This low-cost activity is perfect for creating something from a simple ball of wool whilst boosting memory, exercising fine motor skills and even building a little rhythm with the clickety-clack of those knitting needles! Head to Spotlight or your local craft store and if a refresher is needed, YouTube can help!
A Winter show for drama kids
Melbourne is the city for kids who love drama and this winter, there are some shows that they’ll love and that our Drama teachers can definitely recommend. Watching the professionals on stage can inspire their imaginations and we see that translate often in our afterschool creative programs such as Drama Time and Dance Time.
- The big show that many of our program kids have seen and loved is of course – Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Reimagined So if you’re not one of the one million Victorians who have already seen it, it’s running right through winter.
- Local shows – check out performances on offer as part of Stonnington Council’s Roola Boola Children’s Arts Festival later this month here.
Weekly drama of the good kind
Winter can feel long for kids, but if they’ve got a weekly outlet for their creativity it keeps the spark and joy alive. For parents who want to have afterschool activities done before it’s dark and cold, look at what’s on offer at school during the winter months. Our Academe Time programs are loved by parents, kids and schools and offer up a variety of activities all within their school community.
Check them all out here.
Embracing the dark this Winter
For the kids who are happy to rug up and head out into the dark, then we’ve heard that the Lightscape event at the Royal Botanical Gardens has them marvelling at the transformation of trees into art through the use of more than 100,000 tiny lights. It’s creativity on show and encourages kids to see and imagine things in a new way.
Running through early winter, find tickets here.
Taking it indoors for sports-loving kids
Wintery Sunday mornings on the football oval aren’t for everyone! We know parents are very thankful for keeping them moving, fit and dry and warm by taking sport indoors! Ball sports that work on their coordination and team play are perfect. Afterschool programs often run in the school gym and will expend that pent up energy before bedtime.
Find indoor Sports Time here.
Sports with lots of laughs
For a bit of sports entertainment this winter, maybe take your kids to be wowed by the Harlem Globe Trotters at John Cain Arena in July. It will give their tummy muscles a workout from laughing!
Learn more here.
For the kids who love the peace and quiet of Winter
If noise, crowds and the hustle-bustle aren’t the idea of a great time for your child, play to the quiet that they seek. There’s a cosiness that’s perfect in winter to be found at a library. It might be your local library where they can spend some time curled up with a book or venture somewhere new.
If they’re a bookworm with an imagination try The State Library and the grand Latrobe Reading Room which never fails to impress. They can wonder at the volume and awe of so many books, revered with the quietness of those who visit.
Here’s what is on specifically for children at the State Library this winter
Winter quiet time with mindfulness
From our experience, we know that wintery school days with the fun, energy, noise, and learning contained inside their classrooms, means it can be hard to carve out some quiet space for the kids that need it. Yoga is a wonderful activity in winter to feel safe, secure and with a quiet space to reconnect. With practical kid-friendly yoga, our Yoga Time runs at lunchtime and afterschool in selected Melbourne schools.
Learn more here Yoga Time kids extra-curricular program
We love seeing how new experiences build confidence and resilience in growing children and there’s plenty on offer in Melbourne, their schools and local communities. Just rug up as you explore their interests and enrich their imaginations – enjoy!
