It’s almost school holiday time again! We know finding activities to keep your kids entertained can be a bit of a challenge, particularly in winter, so we’ve enlisted the help of our Play Specialist Sue. Sue has put together a comprehensive list of fun activities to do with your kids, both in and outside of the home.
Community Activities:
WA Museum Boola Bardip 
If you love dinosaurs the museum is the place for you this school holidays! As well as a Dino focused exhibition there are Storytimes, Dino Disco, Dino Digs, animations – the list is endless. Some events require booking so jump on their website to have a look.
Interactive Storytime with Paper Bird
Paper Bird run a variety of wonderful events for all things books, art, illustrators, authors and more! Based in Fremantle, Paper Bird run events that cater for kids of all ages. Most events take place in the morning and are free. Booking is essential and can be done via the Paper Bird website.
The Big Fun Fest – Special Sensory Session
Enjoy unlimited access to all activities with a one-time entry fee at The Big Fun Fest! Test your skills and take on a challenge with BIG indoor family fun at Claremont Showground. Escape the winter weather and create an unforgettable experience these school holidays. A special sensory session will take place on Tuesday 5 July from 9am – 10.30am. To register to this session, click here.
State Theatre Of Western Australia
The State Theatre is hosting various kid-friendly performances these school holidays. Andy Griffiths and Terry Denton will bring their stories to life in the play The 13-Storey Treehouse. The Barking Gecko Theatre will also present their new adaptation of master-storyteller Shaun Tan’s much-loved Cicada on the stage with exquisite puppetry and visual storytelling. And last but not least – the classic children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar will emerge off the page in a masterful theatrical experience for children 18 months and over.
School’s Out Winter Festival
Perth’s favourite winter and carnival experiences are coming together at the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre! Glide around the ice rink, fly down the snow slide, wonder at the falling “snow”, take a ride on the show stopping dream swinger, enjoy the fast paced storm or daring runaway train. There’s sideshow games and Showbags on offer too! This Festival is open between 9am-3pm on Saturday 2 July – Sunday 17 July. Adult tickets start at $35 and include free entry for one child. Visit the website for more details and to book.
Fun and creative activities for the home:
Dark Den/Cubby
A dark den or Cubby is perfect for increasing focus and concentration by providing an
enclosed area for the child to experience and explore sensory play. Dens can be purchased from specialist suppliers or can be made at home from a cardboard box or sheets and the dining room table. The only essential component is that it is dark enough to give the child the feeling they have been transported somewhere else. Dark dens can offer an environment for children to relax and unwind or used as a learning space for a child with visual challenges. Possibilities for the use of a dark den are only limited by you and your child’s imagination.
Play Ideas
- Children love to create there own little spaces. Let them decide what they wants it to be. A castle, a cave etc
- Let them add something tactile, music lights, books etc.
- Dark Dens are great creative play areas and provide awesome opportunities for language building and story telling.
- Adding things that that they don’t expect into the space occasionally can add to the interest of their little space. Never knowing what they might find in there just adds to the fun.
Music
Home made musical instruments can be fun to make and give the children hours of noise making fun!! Here are a few ideas:
Balloon Drums
You will need:
- Old tin, mug or saucepan
- Deflated balloon
- Elastic Band
Method:
- Cut an opening into the balloon at its widest point making a semicircle-shaped incision. Now rinse the balloon with water, so that it sticks and stretch it over the top.
- If necessary, tape the edges down to hold it in place, but an elastic band should do the trick. Get the kids to hit the balloon skin with a wooden spoon or chopstick to make a drum beat.
- To jazz things up, let the children decorate the outside with bright colours for an extra fun look.
Shakers
Possibly the easiest instrument to make at home, limited only by imagination.
Containers and exploring what different things sound like. Collected from a walk in the park or the kitchen cupboards the children can experiment with all kinds of objects. Language building opportunities here are also endless. What do you think it will sound like? Is it heavy? What happens if we add more– take some out. Play really is a never ending opportunity for children to learn.
