School Holidays Guide: July 2018

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School Holidays Guide: July 2018

By Annalisa Giudici

PERFORMANCE

The Hunting of the Snark: All children, animals and silly people are welcome in the wonderful world of Lewis Carroll in this fast-paced musical comedy adventure direct from London's West End. A ragtag gang of bold adventurers including the Boy, the Banker, the Butcher, the Baker, the Bellman and the knitting Beaver set off on a quest to catch the mythical Snark. July 11-15. $30.

Children can challenge themselves at Live Wire Park, Lorne.

Children can challenge themselves at Live Wire Park, Lorne.

Teeny Tiny Stevies Tea Party: After a glass of bubbles on arrival indulge in house-made cakes, pastries, tea and special treats for the children. Then the kids are entertained with a dance and sing-along. Features a special pre-concert boogie with Andrew McClelland's Starting School. Ages 3+. July 1, 11am. $55, child $35.

Swan Lake on Ice: The Imperial Ice Stars, the world's premier theatrical ice skating company return with their award-winning masterpiece. Contemporary ice dance is taken to a new level with Tchaikovsky's music, exhilarating new choreography and dazzling costumes. July 3-8. From $89.90.

A variety of colourful fun is on offer during the school holidays.

A variety of colourful fun is on offer during the school holidays.Credit: Sean Young

The above three shows at Arts Centre Melbourne, St Kilda Road. 1300 182 183, artscentremelbourne.com.au

Circus Oz Precarious: Inspired by the garden surrounds, Precarious is a 70-minute spectacle of acrobatic mayhem for all ages under the heated Big Top. Celebrating their 40th year, the ensemble unearth innovative circus acts to create an exciting three-dimensional world that examines the fragility that exists between humanity and nature. June 26-July 15. Royal Botanic Gardens, Southern Cross Law, enter via Observatory Gate, Birdwood Ave. $35-$60. 136 100, circusoz.com

Puffs: For seven years a certain boy wizard went to a certain wizard school and conquered evil. But this is the story of the Puffs, who just happened to be there too. Enjoy a new look at a familiar adventure from the perspective of three new heroes trying to make it through magic school. Evening shows recommended for ages 15+, matinee performances suits 8+. To July 8, varied times. Alex Theatre, St Kilda. From $69.90. puffstheplay.com/Australia

Disney On Ice celebrates 100 Years of Magic: Mickey Mouse leads a parade of your favourite characters including Minnie Mouse, Donald Duck, Goofy and an ensemble of Disney Princesses, plus moments from Disney Pixar's Toy Story, Finding Nemo, Disney's The Lion King, Beauty and the Beast, Aladdin and more. Suits all ages. July 5-10, various times. Hisense Arena, Melbourne Park. From $32. 132 849, disneyonice.com.au

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The Teeny Tiny Stevies will be performing at Arts Centre Melbourne.

The Teeny Tiny Stevies will be performing at Arts Centre Melbourne.Credit: Paul Smith

Sleeping Beauty – A Knight Avenger's Tale: Awake from your enchanted slumber and enjoy a fun-for-all-the family fairytale panto adventure. Featuring Rhonda Burchmore as the Bad Fairy, dazzling costumes, special effects, comedy and musical numbers. June 29 -July 8. Comedy Theatre, Exhibition Street, Melbourne. From $59.95. 136 100, ozpanto.com

By the Light of the Moon: Introduce your children to opera through Opera Australia's production exploring the untold tales of Edward Lear's beloved rhyme, The Owl and the Pussycat and some well-known opera tunes. Complete with beautiful costumes, engaging scenery, and professional opera singers performing the famous arias in English. Suits ages 5-12. July 2. Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. $26. melbournerecital.com.au

Mister Maker Returns: This new theatre show offers opportunities to interact with Mister Maker, games to be played and prizes to be won, with Mini Makers' artwork showcased at the theatre. July 5-7. Melbourne Recital Centre, Southbank. From $39.90. 9699 3333, melbournerecital.com.au

The Big Bubble Show: Starring Britain's Samsam Bubbleman, and combining astonishing bubble magic, comedy, audience participation and dazzling lighting. Suits all ages. July 5. Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne. From $29.90. bubbleshowtickets.com

Splash Test Dummies: This acrobatic troupe deliver a splish-splashing circus set to drown you in tears of laughter, for ages 5+. July 9 & 10, Shirley Burke Theatre, Parkdale. $18. 9556 4440, kingstonarts.com.au; July 11 & 12. Gasworks Theatre, Albert Park. $23. 8606 4200, gasworks.org.au

Madagascar – A Musical Adventure JR: Move it, move it on a journey out of the zoo and onto the stage with your favourite friends from the blockbuster DreamWorks film. Presented by the Young Australian Broadway Chorus. Suits 3+. July 11-14, varied times. Union Theatre, University of Melbourne, Parkville. $22.50/$27.50. 8199 8344, madagascar-jr.com

Cinderella: A traditional panto with music, dance and comedy, for ages 3-10. July 4-10. Phoenix Theatre, Glen Huntly Road, Elwood. $20. 0428 397 767, wonderlandtheatre.com.au

Silvers Circus: Established in 1976, Silvers provides world-class family entertainment and fun with a line-up of international artists, Las Vegas-style illusions and captivating production techniques. July 1-22. Westfield Southland. $30-$45. 136 100, silverscircus.com.au

OUT, ABOUT & ACTIVE

Roola Boola Children's Arts Festival: Performances and workshops in theatre, music, circus, puppetry, drama, dance, craft and magic with Paper People, Candy Bowers, NICA, Asking for Trouble, Splash Test Dummies and more. Suits ages 3-12. July 3-13. Chapel off Chapel, Prahran. $15 per session, some free events. 8290 7000, roolaboola.com.au

Firelight Festival: Drawing on the traditions of the winter solstice, experience nightly pyrotechnics, flame jets and fire drums, roving performers and eclectic music. Includes a nightly burn of one of three handmade, giant wooden sculptures created by Melbourne-based artist Christian Patton. Jun 19-July 1, 5pm-10pm. New Quay Promenade, Harbour Esplanade & Victoria Harbour Promenade, Docklands. Free. 9658 9658, whatson.melbourne.vic.gov.au/winter/firelight/

Skating At Melbourne: Enjoy a 40-metre, open-air, pop-up ice skating rink, along the Yarra River, ideal for people of all ages and skill levels. To July 15, daily. Crown Riverwalk, Yarra Promenade, Southbank. From $10. melbourne.skatingat.com.au

Escape the Gaol: Children become inmates and explore the Gaol to discover all the clues to create the perfect escape plan, 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. Suits 6+. June 30-July 15 daily. Old Melbourne Gaol, Russell Street, Melbourne. $15-$28. 9656 9889, oldmelbournegaol.com.au

Walk the Plank: Attempt Eureka Skydeck's virtual reality test of balance – The Plank. The virtual activation simulates a treacherous balancing act, and you navigate from one end of the plank to the other, all while having two feet planted on solid ground. June 30-July 15. Eureka Skydeck 88, Riverside Quay, Southbank. From $11.50. 9693 8888 eurekaskydeck.melbourne

Sportwise & Soccerwise: Multisport half or full-day programs include cricket, AFL football, tennis, basketball, soccer and more, while Soccerwise focuses on soccer, for any fitness level or ability. Ages 4-12. July 2-13. Glen Eira College, Caulfield East and Bialik College, Hawthorn East. $45/$90 half/full day. 9568 5455, sportwise.com.au or soccerwise.com.au

Australian Sports Camps: One to three-day programs in AFL football, soccer, netball, basketball, hockey, golf, rock climbing/bouldering and more with coaching offered across many Melbourne locations. Ages 6-16. July 2-13, dates/clinics vary depending on locations. $100-$295. 1300 914 368, asc.camp/age

Golf Victoria Rookie Series Pitch 'n' Putt: Conducted over 18-holes, for ages 6-15. July 13, 9am-12.30pm. Australian Pitch 'n' Putt, Mulgrave. $20. 8545 6200, online entry only, golfvic.org.au/2018-junior-calendar

Circus: Run away and join one of the many circus classes on offer for all ages and abilities including National Institute Circus Arts (nica.com.au/short-courses.php), Circus Oz (circusoz.com), Little Devils Circus (littledevilscircus.com.au), or The Fly Factory (flyfactory.com.au).

Live Wire Park: Australia's first completely off-grid, elevated adventure park features an easy canopy circuit, extreme zip line and super circuits designed to challenge. Daily 8.45am-5pm. 180 Erskine Falls Road, Lorne. Entry from $15, additional cost per course from $30. livewirepark.com.au

Enchanted Adventure Garden & Treesurfing Australia: Enjoy a maze garden, canopy walk, indoor maze and tube slides. Ticket add-ons include a high ropes course with 80 aerial challenges, a zip-line activity, plus a ''nippers'' tree surfing course. Ages 4+, height restrictions apply. 9am'6pm daily (10am-5pm for tube slide and 3D Spooky maze). Purves Road, Arthurs Seat. From $20 per child. 5981 8449, enchantedadventure.com.au

Wild Buggy: Drive your buggy off-road through this varied course and its challenges, including over logs, rocks, tyres and through water. Ages 7-17 in a dual-control buggy with an instructor. Boundary Rd, Heatherton. From $29/$55, child/adult. 1300 945 328, wildbuggy.com

Zoos Victoria: At Healesville Sanctuary you can enjoy open fires, puddle play and experiences with Wurrundjeri Elder Murrundindi or bring your favourite plush toy and receive a free health check at Teddy Vet Checks (11am-3pm daily). At Melbourne Zoo there are ''cat-themed'' activities and games at Wild About Cats! Over at Werribee Open Range Zoo Wild Nights returns (7-14 Jul, 5.30pm-8.30pm). Bring your torch and find out what really happens after dark, enjoy special activities including marshmallow toasting, a laser light show and dancing in the Glow Zone. During the day experience acrobatic performances from Cirque Africa underneath the heated Big Top with four performances daily ($8 extra).

June 30-July 15, 9am-5pm daily. $36/$18. Child (4-15years) free every weekend & Victorian school holidays; under 3s always free. 1300 966 784, zoo.org.au/whats-on

EXHIBITIONS, MUSEUMS & GALLERIES

Marvel Avengers S.T.A.T.I.O.N: Delve into the science, history, engineering, genetics and technology behind your favourite superheroes. Explore Avengers operational equipment such as Captain America's uniform and shield, Iron Man's MK 45 suit and The Hulkbuster suit, or try your strength on Thor's mighty hammer. Suits age 5+. June 24, June 28-July 15, timed entry slots. The Paddock (next to car park), Fed Square, Melbourne. $23-$42, families from $89. avengersstation.marvel.com.au

Wonderland: From the earliest optical toys to silent film, animation, puppetry, live-action cinema, videogames, CGI, 3D and beyond, Wonderland explores how the moving image has kept Lewis Carroll's timeless stories of Alice in the public consciousness, reinvented in contemporary contexts and mediums. Suits 6+. To October 7. ACMI, Federation Square, Melbourne. $25/$21/$16, 8663 2200, acmi.net.au

Melbourne Museum: Visit the Vikings: Beyond the Legend exhibition, with more than 450 artefacts (to August 26, daily, $28/$22/$14). Learn about the importance of bark canoes to the First Peoples of Australia, and make your own mini canoe to take home. Hear stories, share yarns and weave, or take a guided tour, all the while celebrating 2018's NAIDOC theme ''Because of Her, We Can!''. June 30-July 15. Nicholson Street, Carlton. $15, child/conc free. 131 102, museumsvictoria.com.au/our-museums/school-holidays/

Immigration Museum: Dream Dancer is a family-fun craft, storytelling and dance workshop inspired by the story of Mao's last dancer, Li Cunxin (July 3-6 & 10-13, ages 5-10 years; free with museum entry). Take part in Chinese Square Dancing in the courtyard, with free participatory performances for young and old (July 5 & 12, noon-1pm, all ages, free). 400 Flinders Street, Melbourne. $15, kids/conc free. 131 102, museumsvictoria.com.au/our-museums/school-holidays/

Scienceworks: Come on a journey through the past and future of aeronautics to learn about the forces of flight in Winging It, a free 20-minute show (daily, all ages). June 30-July 15. Booker Street, Spotswood. $15, kids/conc free (extra for Planetarium & Lightning Room shows). 131 102, museumsvictoria.com.au/our-museums/school-holidays/

State Library: During Rare Book Week create a pop-up paper masterpiece (July 2-6, ages 5-12, free); learn about Aboriginal culture, with a focus on music, storytelling and Indigenous history with Ron Murray (July 5, 5-12, free); or join a workshop of Indigenous art and storytelling, inspired by Aunty Joy Murphy and Lisa Kennedy's Welcome to Country (July 3 & 5, ages 5-12, free). State Library of Victoria, Swanston Street. 8664 7099. slv.vic.gov.au/whats-on

NGV International: Inspired by works of modern and contemporary art in MoMA at NGV exhibition, drop-by drawing activities take over the Great Hall (July 2-6, 10am-1pm, no bookings, free); New York! New York! features a range of digital and tactile elements including a dedicated play zone for children to build their own miniature 3D New York streetscapes, this exhibition invites children and families to explore the sights, sounds and atmosphere of New York City (to October 7, no bookings, free). NGV International, St Kilda Road, Southbank. 8620 2222, ngv.vic.gov.au

NGV Australia: Top Arts 2018 showcases the works of 54 of Victoria's best and brightest VCE Art and VCE Studio Art students with an engaging display of materials and techniques, including sculpture and crochet, papier-mache and recycled fashion garments (to July 15). The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Federation Square. 8620 2222, ngv.vic.gov.au

Heide Museum of Modern Art: Two-hour drop-off workshops in mobiles, stencil, make a cushion, design, animation, painting and sculpture for children and teens, plus the self-guided Heide detective trails. Ages 5-12+. July 3-13. Templestowe Road, Bulleen. $38. 9850 1500, heide.com.au

WORKSHOPS & CLASSES

Monash University Faculty of Engineering Year 8 ChallENGe: Seven workshops run by experts across a range of engineering disciplines. For year 8 students only. July 2-4, 9am-3.45pm. Faculty of Engineering, Monash University, Clayton. $250. 9905 4895, eng.monash.edu/challENGe

PrimeSCI Science: Science and engineering activities and experiments that parents are welcome to attend with their children. Ages 4-14. July 2-6. KIOSC Discovery Centre, Swinburne University, Wantirna. $20 per one-hour session. 9210 1969, swinburne.edu.au/primesci

LEGO: Two-hour appropriate hands-on LEGO building sessions using coding, gears and tech machines, for ages 3-9+. July 2-13. LEGO Education Centre, Docklands. $15-$30 per session. 9602 1116, mooreed.com.au

ACMI workshops: ACMI's program offers cinema screenings and varied creative workshops and family days covering Minecraft, claymation, Lego robotics, movie-making, make a video game, animation, coding, virtual reality and more. June 30-July 15, check online for dates, sessions and costs. ACMI, Fed Square, Melbourne. 8663 2583, acmi.net.au/families

Gasworks Arts Park: Workshops include making slime, sherbet and bubble, the popular lightsabre or sword fighting fencing, LEGO Bricks Challenge, LEGO Robotics, tutu making, clay animals, circus skills, dance like Michael Jackson and more. Ages 3-14. July 3-13. Graham St, Albert Park. From $22. 8606 4200, gasworks.org.au

Footscray Community Arts Centre: Choose from a four-day theatre intensive for ages 6-12 (July 9-12, $300/$230) or Extreme Arts, three days of tasters including animation, circus, digital arts, pottery and theatre for ages 6-9 and 10-12 (July 3-5, $210/$100 three days/single day, conc. available). Footscray. 9362 8888, footscrayarts.com

Incinerator Gallery: Artist-led, two-hour workshops include Japanese calligraphy and ceramics. Ages 4-14. July 3-6. Holmes Road, Moonee Ponds. $17.50. 8325 1750, incineratorgallery.com.au

Box Hill Community Arts Centre: Activities include make a picture book, fun with clay, cooking, African dance and drumming, animation claymation, weaving, popular all-day art day and more. Ages 3-12+. July 2-15. $20–$93. 470 Station Street, Box Hill. 9895 8888, bhcac.com.au

ArtPlay: Workshops include making a camouflaged creature, drama, sew a stuffed toy, make a costume of your wild animal self, collaborative installation, design a custom tote bag, and free play in the ArtPlay Backyard. Ages 3-15+. July 1-15, varied dates & times. ArtPlay, Birrarung Marr, Melbourne. Free or $16-$20. 9658 7880, artplay.com.au

The Channel: Take a crash course in comedy from a professional comedian, ages 10-16 (July 9, $20); uncover the mysteries of magic with the Magic Workshop, ages 10-12 (July 11, $24); create a song and make a music video in Instant Rockstar, ages 8-12 (July 4 & 12, $24); explore the world of poster making and use Photoshop to create your own poster, ages 10-16 (July 5, $25); City Beats is a masterclass in audio production and beat making with artist producer Benji Miu, ages 14-18 (July 13, $25); the art of lyric writing with guidance from experienced songwriters, ages 10-16 (July 4, $25). Arts Centre Melbourne, The Channel, River Terrace. 1300 182 183, artscentremelbourne.com.au

VCA Teenflix: A three-day introduction to the key roles of writing, directing and cinematography for film and TV, for ages 13-18. July 2-4. VCA School of Film and TV, St Kilda Road, Southbank. $550. 9035 3480, vca.unimelb.edu.au/study/short-courses

National Institute of Dramatic Arts: NIDA offers introductory through to advanced courses for children and young adults in creative play, drama, screen acting, music theatre, singing, acting, public speaking and more. Suits grades K-12. July 3-13. Wesley College, St Kilda Rd, Melbourne. $335-$615. open.nida.edu.au/holiday-classes

Australian Shakespeare Company: Delve into the crazy world, plot twists, themes and language of one of the greatest rom-coms ever staged – Shakespeare's As You Like It. Ages 8 to 12 (July 2-7) and ages 13 to 17 (July 9-14). Athenaeum Theatre, Melbourne. $450. 8676 7511 shakespeareaustralia.com.au

Stage Left: Learn lines, sing songs and develop dance routines then put on a show. Five full days for ages 8-16, $405; five half-days for ages 4-7, $195. July 2-6 & July 9-13. Malvern East. 1300 369 443, stageleft.com.au

Studio Redhead: Five-day drama, dance and music programs encourage fun and inclusiveness, suits ages 6-12. July 2-13, Carlton Scout Hall, Carlton. $400. studioredhead.com.au

Australian School of Performing Arts: Two-day program that includes singing, dance and drama, suits ages 5-14. July 11 & 12. Genazzano College, Kew. $175. 1800 338 142, aspagroup.com.au

Thread Den: Sewing and craft classes for children and teens. July 2-13. 329 Brunswick Street, Fitzroy. $84-$99. 9486 9821, threadden.com

Frankston Arts Centre: Get crafty with creating paper bush creatures, bush hand puppets, handcrafted leaves, clay creatures, and more. Ages 4-12. July 2, 3, 5 & 6. Davey Street, Frankston. $15. 9784 1060, thefac.com.au

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