Do

Straight from the Horse’s Mouth: Oakbank 2018

Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival Saturday 31st March – Monday 2nd April Quit horsing around and pencil in Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival, because this year there will be a massive Easter egg hunt! Oakbank is not just a one trick pony. There will also be a designated kids zone and lots of other free activities for little ones all weekend. We’ve heard it straight from the horse’s mouth that this is an event not to be missed. Oakbank Racing Club (c1876) is located in South Australia’s picturesque Adelaide Hills just 25 minutes from the CBD in “blue grass” racing country. This historic club races just four times annually with the pinnacle event being the Oakbank Easter Racing Carnival, the world’s biggest picnic race meeting. Pack your picnic rugs and get ready for another fabulous family event in 2018   Stable Stars For all junior horse enthusiasts who want to stay in the know with what’s hot to trot, the Stable Stars club is a one-stop shop for everything pony related. Members receive a welcome pack on joining, birthday card on their special day and newsletters throughout the year packed full of information, fun facts, interviews, activities and competitions. Stable Stars Family Days ensure that our youngest horse fans have plenty of fun and free activities to keep them entertained during racedays. There are Stable Stars Family Days all over the state throughout the year so keep an eye out for a family friendly day in your local area soon! Join now www.theracessa.com.au www.facebook.com/TheRacesSA Images via Meaghan Coles Now and Then Photography 

Read More >

Carclew: That’s Sew Crafty!

2018 Carclew Explore Arts Summer School Holiday Workshops –  15 – 25 January We are wishing we could morph back into kiddos so that we could partake in  Carclew‘s awesome school holiday workshop program!  Carclew is offering full day and half-day creative activities for kids aged 5 – 17 years in their stunning North Adelaide venue. Their team of professional artists present a broad range of inspiring, hands-on experiences that will nurture your child’s inner-artist and allow them to try out new experiences and make new friends. Book stand alone half days or full days or book 2 in 1, 2 or 3 day intensives. Two Day Workshops | $140 / $110 conc Three Day Workshops | $200 /$140 conc Full day workshops | $85 / $65 conc | 9am – 5pm Half day workshops | $55 / $45 conc | Morning session 9am-12:45pm | Afternoon session 1:30-5pm All workshops located at Carclew, Kaurna Country, 11 Jeffcott St North Adelaide   Tuesday 16 January: Ages: 7 – 12 LAYERED PAINTING EXTRAVAGANZA A workshop full of colour, texture and paint! Use stencils, found objects and patterns to create exciting and abstract works of art. Layers of paint and texture will be added creating something fun, intuitive and unique. Artist: Ruby Chew Wednesday 17 January: Ages: 7 – 12 BIOTECH BEINGS Real world sculpture meets digital animation. Design and create your own unsettling, unusual and original critter, creature, or organism. Then, through the magic of cutting edge pseudo-science, scan your creation into the laboratory computers and bring them to life with amazing animation techniques. Artist: Luku Kuku Thursday 18 January: Ages: 5 – 12 COLLOGRAPH CREATURES Explore textures and let your imagination run wild to create your own creature collagraph prints! Using flat materials like leaves, sandpaper and textiles, bring your imagined character to life! Then link them up and run them through the press, making copies to share with your friends and family. Artist: Kerri Ann Wright   FAN FLAGS Explore textile techniques such as sewing, beading, embroidery and braiding, using scraps of materials and repetition to create textured and patterned surfaces.Participants will explore ideas of ‘fandom’; from sports teams to pop stars, which will inspire their flag design. Artist: Carly Snoswell Friday 19 January: Ages: 10 – 17 ELECTRIC FASHION Wearable Technology is the new black… quite literally! Create your own light-up garment by adding ElectroluminescentWire to your own denim jacket, jeans, or shorts. Design and sketch your own pattern on your garment then bring it to life by hand-sewing the wire and watch the light show begin! NOTE: Bring your own piece of denim clothing to transform. Artist: Belinda Zanello   Monday 22 January: Ages: 5 – 12 GLOW IN THE DARK STORY TELLING Artist Anna Dowling will lead kids through traditional Aboriginal symbol use. The symbols and images created will be illuminated in glow in the dark ink to inspire creative storytelling. Working together, you’ll make meaningful and visually inspiring art. Artist: Anna Dowling MEMORY MOBILES The aim of the workshop is to draw out curiosity and discovery inspired by treasured belongings. You will embellish a favourite teddy, toy or storybook using various materials and transform it into your very own memory mobile. NOTE: Please bring along a treasured toy to incorporate. Artist: Sam Gold MONDAY 15 – WEDNESDAY 17 JANUARY Ages 12 – 17 3-DAY LARGE SCALE ARTWORK INTENSIVE An exploration into a variety of different artforms that can be transformed from small scale ideas to large scale artworks. From murals and sculptures to stepping inside a camera obscura.   Day 1: Monday 15 January MURALS: STORYTELLING THROUGH IMAGES As a group you will use your creativity to expand on a fun theme. You will paint your ideas onto a large panel revealing a painting that collaboratively tells a story with bright and colourful images. Wear clothes to get messy in! Artist: Aida Azin Day 2: Tuesday 16 January PHOTOGRAPHY: THE BIGGER PICTURE Learn about how to manipulate photographic images through use and reuse creating new interpretations, objects and artworks. Create sculptural objects from glossy magazine images, with a focus on detail, colour and repetition. Then document your creations within a set made from recycled advertising banners. Artist: Emmaline Zanelli Day 3: Wednesday 17 January STEP ASIDE: CAMERA OBSCURA Have you ever wondered how a camera works? Working collaboratively you will construct a room sized camera obscura (Latin for darkened room) and then have the opportunity to creatively interact with the images as it illuminates and reflects the environment through drawing, photography and performance. Artist: Heidi Kenyon TUESDAY 23 – THURSDAY 25 JANUARY – 3-DAY MUSIC INTENSIVE (Ages 12 – 17) Explore the different ways of looking at music and sound. From the music that happens around you in nature, to different sounds you can make with your voice, to musical story-telling. Day 1: Tuesday 23 January USE YOUR VOICES Did you know that there is music in everything around you? Even in the very words you speak! Come along and enjoy this highly interactive musical experience where you will learn how to beatbox like a pro and create your own rap music! Artist: Joseph Burgess   Day 2: Wednesday 24 January TRANSCRIBE / DESCRIBE Anything can be a musical instrument! Use toys and other found objects to explore a series of listening and collaborative challenges. Participants in this workshop will explore how sounds can be used to represent stories, document what you see and hear around you, and allow space for unexpected outcomes! Artist: Lauren Abineri Day 3: Thursday 25 January LISTENING IN / PLAYING OUT Musicians love making noise, but sometimes being a good performer is about listening. In this workshop, explore music that happens when we’re quiet. Working with instruments, noise making implements & field. TUESDAY 23 – WEDNESDAY 24 JANUARY: 2-DAY STOP MOTION ANIMATION INTENSIVE (Ages 7 – 12) GooRoo Animation workshops teach students how to create their own movies in a range of stop motion animation techniques. Participants will get a behind the

Read More >

NEW POP-UP ALERT: Fringe Family precinct announced in Victoria Square

GROUNDED A new pop-up Fringe precinct for kids and their adults Opening Friday 16th February incorporating SUPERMASSIVE Family Music Festival featuring SARAH BLASKO Sunday 25th February Victoria Square/ Tarntanyangga, Adelaide Who says being GROUNDED is a bad thing? Being a bit naughty is a good thing, right? It means new discoveries and interesting people. If we all followed the rules, then nothing new would unfold. You’re allowed to be a little bit naughty at GROUNDED. WARNING: GROUNDED involves arty fun things to do, touch, hear, smell and see! GROUNDED is a new pop-up precinct created in Victoria Square/ Tarntanyangga during the Adelaide Fringe 2018. This much loved community space will transform into GROUNDED from Friday 16th February through to Sunday 25th February 2018. It’s irreverent, creative, unique, cool and daring, GROUNDED is all about being in the heart of Adelaide in summer and connecting young people and their adults to great experiences – a music festival, a film screening, theatre shows, interactive art installations, and great participatory workshops to name a few! There are plenty of FREE activities at GROUNDED along with great value and affordable event ticket prices for individuals, families and groups. GROUNDED is the creative concept of David Sefton, the four-time artistic director of the Adelaide Festival and Unsound Adelaide and Insite Arts, the Adelaide-based producers of Unsound and MONA’s Festival of Music and Art MONA FOMA in Tasmania. Liverpool-born Sefton felt that there should be a dedicated family friendly Adelaide Fringe precinct in 2018 that offers a broad and contemporary program of events for young families. “Victoria Square, the city central popular space located in the heart of Adelaide is its natural home and we are excited to be working with the support of the City of Adelaide as a key partner in its delivery on this site”, said David Sefton. “We’re also delighted to be working with Carclew, South Australia’s leading provider of creative opportunities for children and families, who, among other things, are a key partner in delivering the participatory program for GROUNDED”. Significant support from Arts SA, Adelaide City Council, and the Adelaide Fringe has made it possible to bring about this vision in 2018. “Grounded is a new event hub that offers many free activities as well as frontline ticketed shows, whilst relaxing amongst art installations, food and beverage trucks and a safe comfortable environment”, said Sefton. At the heart of the GROUNDED experience are the international theatrical events THE SECRET LIFE OF SUITCASES and SALTBUSH – CHILDREN’S CHEERING CARPET. Catering to children aged approximately from 3-10 years of age, these joyful shows offer delightful interactive experiences for young children in purpose-built theatres.   THE SECRET LIFE OF SUITCASES  is “a charming, ingenious piece of puppet theatre infused with a spirit of adventure” – The List. Larry’s world gets turned upside down by a fantastical flying suitcase that suddenly appears at this door. This suitcase has a mission and takes Larry further than he ever thought possible. Ailie Cohen’s Puppet Makers first staged this funny and enchanting puppet production in London in 2014. The Adelaide season will feature Ailie Cohen and Samuel Watson. SALTBUSH – CHILDREN’S CHEERING CARPET is an interactive journey through the culture and landscape of Aboriginal Australia, celebrated through live dance, music, song and stories. Adults watch on as children are invited to explore, play and dance with the performers as the landscape unfolds around them on a visually beautiful journey. An ensemble of Aboriginal artists including Lou Bennett, Deon Hastie and Delwyn Mannix collaborated with Insite Arts and the internationally acclaimed Compagnia TPO to create another beautiful piece in this highly acclaimed series. Premiering in Adelaide in 2009, Saltbush has since been staged in theatresaround the world in more than 20 other countries. Finishing off the two-week event on the final day at GROUNDED will be SUPERMASSIVE, a family music festival programmed specifically for families with a packed and unique program that ranges from slam poetry, music, dance and climbing gyms to art up close, installations that inspire, creative workshops, activities PLUS delicious food and great coffee! There will be something for everyone kicking off from 11am on Sunday 25th February and offering a full day of entertainment through to 7pm.   Headlining the SUPERMASSIVE lineup will be highly acclaimed Australian singer-songwriterSARAH BLASKO who is bringing an exclusive performance to Adelaide for the festival, featuring songs from her brand new sixth studio album “Depth Of Field”. Sarah’s genre-defining indie-rock and art-pop have made her a three-time ARIA Award winner including gongs for Best Pop Release (2007), Best Female Artist (2009) and Best Adult Alternative Album (2016). “Depth Of Field” will be released nationally on February 23rd, 2018. Also appearing at SUPERMASSIVE are Heaps Good Friends, Adam Page, 13 year old Australian slam poet champion Solli Raphael and DJ TR!P, with more artists to be announced soon. Throughout the two weeks of GROUNDED, Fringe goers can enjoy many free events which includes the opening night on Friday 16th February. The opening of the precinct will feature a strong indigenous cultural presentation on Kaurna country at Tarntanyangga (The Dreaming Place of the Red Kangaroo). Experience the Welcome to Country, cultural performances and presentations by Kurruru and Of Desert and Sea Dance and much more. The first performance of Saltbush – Children’s Cheering Carpet will take place at 6pm. On Saturday 24th February, GROUNDED will present an exclusive free outdoor screening of the movie GIRL ASLEEP. Based on the critically acclaimed production by Windmill Theatre, Girl Asleep is a journey into the absurd, scary and beautiful heart of the teenage mind. The movie was first released in 2015 at the Adelaide Film Festival and has become highly awarded, most recently taking out Best Film as voted by the 2017 Australian Film Critics Association. As the sun goes down over GROUNDED, families are invited to attend the pop up outdoor cinema and get amongst the summer vibes under a moonlit sky.   At GROUNDED you will also experience The Megaphone Project – an interactive collection of red megaphones of many shapes and

Read More >

The Sky’s the Limit

Test your nerve on the ‘Crows Nest’ at Australia’s tallest aerial park in West Beach Warning Kiddos, this is not for the faint hearted, but if you’re up for a challenge the sky’s your limit at Mega Adventure! Australia’s first aerial park has opened its new attraction Crows Nest. The 30 metre, near vertical climb makes it the tallest adventure activity in Australia and perfect for families looking for a fun and interactive activity to tackle over the holiday period. The Crows Nest is the perfect challenge for anyone who has conquered the current Mega Adventure structure, SkyChallenge, or for someone looking to test their courage and resolve. Alex Blyth, CEO of the MegaAdventure Group said he was delighted to be releasing this new Mega challenge in time for the New Year. “This is the ultimate New Year’s Resolution. I think challenging yourself and overcoming your fears at the start of 2018 is the perfect way to set the tone on a fabulous year ahead,’ he said. Drawing inspiration from Adelaide’s rich shipping history, Mr Blyth went on to say that the attraction was named after the Crows Nest on the Clipper, the ship which transported 889 immigrants to Port Adelaide between 1864 and 1887. “The Clipper made 23 return voyages between London and Adelaide and was one of the fastest ships at the time. Our Crows Nest attraction is exactly the same height as the one on the ship. From our structure, you will be able to see the Adelaide Hills, the CBD, Glenelg and the West Beach shoreline and even as far as Kangaroo Island, on a clear day,” he said. All ages are welcome on the MegaAdventure structure which boasts more than 80 crossings, a free fall jump and now the Crows Nest climb. Recently celebrating its second year anniversary, the adventure park will open up an additional 8 crossings on level 4 as part of the Crows Nest Activity. Since launch thousands of locals and tourists alike have challenged themselves on the structure which calls Adelaide home. The MegaAdventure team will be on the ground and in the air to help kiddos and families alike experience the ultimate adventure this summer in a safe, but challenging environment. The park is open every day over summer between 11am-6pm and is located within Adelaide Shores on the corner of Military Road and Hamra Avenue in West Beach. For more information on height and weight visit Mega Adventure Facebook: @megaadventureAU Instagram: @megaadventureaustralia Tel: 1300 634 269 or Email: achieve@megaadventure.com Address: 4 Hamra Avenue, Adelaide Shores, West Beach SA, 5024 [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Read More >

Big Market Adventures for Little Foodies

There’s nothing more exciting than the hustle and bustle of The Adelaide Central Markets for young budding gourmands. Introduce your little ones to fascinating, new food and produce throughout the markets 70 stalls. Better yet, the Market is always a hive of activity during the school holidays! Activities are low cost or free and change every holidays so there is always something new to do and discover. My Market Bag Workshops – FREE (4+) Grote Street Dining Area Friday 12 January 2018 – 9.30AM – 12:00PM Help your little one find their inner artist with the Market bag decorating workshop these school holidays! Your child will decorate their very own calico Market Bag (and it’s theirs to keep for all of their future Market trips!). Smocks provided, bookings not required. Big Balloon Giveaway – FREE (all ages) Friday 12 January & Friday 19 January 2018 – from 10AM Baby Animal Nursery – FREE (all ages) Grote Street Dining Area Friday 19 January 2018- 9:30AM – 12:00PM The baby animal nursery is back by popular demand! A baby animal nursery which will provide a fresh, clean and safe environment for children to pet, hold and cuddle the baby animals. Hand washing facilities available. Adelaide Central Markets  www.facebook.com/mycentralmarket @adelaidecentralmarket  

Read More >

School Holiday Boredom? Lettuce Turnip the Beet!

Are your kids getting a bit bored during the school holidays? Well it’s about thyme you lettuce turnip the beet a little bit with The Adelaide Botanic Garden January School Holiday Program! All classes are designed to promote fun, hands-on learning about plants, people and the environment for children aged 5-13 years. Prices range from FREE to $30, with running times between 1-1.5 hours and some activities are tailored for specific age groups. Botanic Art Framed 9-13 YEAR OLDS, 1.5 HOURS, $30 Explore the world of art and plants, capturing amazing Botanic Garden vistas through landscape painting. Let artist/educator Mark Fisher lead you on an imaginative journey using art to stimulate creativity, curiosity and wonder, while making your own masterpiece to take home. Will be held in the Lecture Theatre of the Goodman Building, Hackney Road. Please arrive 10 minutes early to check in. Story Time in the Little Sprouts Kitchen Garden 5-7 YEAR OLDS, 1 HOUR, $20 Who doesn’t love potatoes? Learn the story of the humble potato and how they grow through Pamela Allen’s children’s book ‘Potato People’. Harvest potatoes from the garden to create your own potato people. Take your potato people home and watch them change over the holidays, ready to plant in your garden and then share your freshly-grown produce with your family and friends… hmm mash potato or chips? Will be held in the Little Sprouts Kitchen Garden. Garden Critters 6-12 YEAR OLDS, 1 HR, $15 Create cute critters to take home using curious botanic bits. Combine leaves, sticks and googly eyes to bring your imagined creature to life! Due to use of hot glue guns during workshop, parents/carers must work with their children at all times; children under 6 years cannot be admitted into the activity. Will be held in the Lecture Theatre of the Goodman Building, Hackney Road. Making Fire, Making Glue 1 HOUR, FREE, NO BOOKINGS REQUIRED Learn how Aboriginal people make fire using just what is around them in the Australian bush. Make your own glue from plants! Meet on the Schomburgk Pavilion unless it’s raining, in which case it will be held in the Lecture Theatre of the Goodman Building. Dreaming Story Telling 1 HOUR, FREE, NO BOOKINGS REQUIRED Listen to Aboriginal Dreaming stories and understand what they can teach us about life. Learn how to identify tracks and traces in the environment. Meet at the Lecture Theatre, Goodman Building. BOOK ONLINE HERE  To book a place over the phone call 8222 9311. Download the program flyer and consent form . Head to the Adelaide Botanic Garden Visitor Information page to find a Garden maps, parking info and more.

Read More >

Cirque Nocturne: Run Away with the Circus

Was it really a childhood if you didn’t pack your Care Bear and some biscuits into your backpack at least once in preparation to run away to the circus? Think of the thrill which came from the idea of riding off into the sunset with clowns and acrobats after your mum denied buying you the latest Cabbage Patch Kid? Well now it’s time to live out your dreams and let your own children do the same, because Cirque Nocturne invites you to run away with their circus this January. To celebrate the summer holidays the Adelaide based circus company is presenting a free family spectacular, entitled “Litha”, in the city’s park lands. The event features come-and-try workshops in a variety of basic circus skills, and concludes with a spectacular FREE circus show performed by the best of Adelaide’s local circus performers, featuring artists with national and international performance prestige. It includes a wide variety of thrilling acts such as world-renowned hula hoop performers, jugglers, fire spinners and stunning aerial acts. The circus skills workshops are open to people of all ages. Yep that’s right big people, you’re invited too. This is your chance to avenge that unattained Cabbage Patch Doll and become one with the circus like you always dreamed. These workshops are a great introduction to recreational circus arts for the whole family. These will be taught by professional circus instructors from local circus schools, and will see participants try their hands at all manner of circus skills, from juggling to acrobatics, hula hoops, stilt walking and more. Cirque Nocturne was founded in 2016 and debut its first show at the Adelaide Cabaret Fringe. Since then, the company has performed shows throughout Adelaide and Melbourne to widespread acclaim. This will be the second time the company has presented Litha in the Adelaide CBD. The event is on the 6th of January at Rundle Park. Workshops begin at 3pm and the free performance starts at 8:30pm Facebook Event: Cirque Nocturne presents-Litha www.cirquenocturne.com www.facebook.com/cirquenocturneautralia @cirquenocturne

Read More >

Carclew: Stage Sparks

The house is clean, you’ve checked your emails, the kids are fed and the TV is on distracting them, wow the coast is clear! Maybe this is your chance to have one of those daytime naps you’ve been dreaming about… you spoke to soon… ‘MUUUUUUUUM?’. Welcome to school holidays, where the ‘MUUUUUUUUUUM?’ is just a tad too much more frequent than usual. If you think the kids are getting a little too restless Carclew has a super fun school holiday activity coming your way! Stage Sparks Summer Intensive FREE performance workshops are happening at The Arts Centre, Port Noarlunga in January 2018. Classes are  suitable for 5-12 year old(s). Workshops occur over three days covering theatre, singing, dance and circus skills. If this amount of activity doesn’t wear out your restless little jitterbugs then we don’t know what will. Ignite your child’s creative side with this lively introduction to the performing arts. This is a great opportunity for the curious beginner, aspirational artist and for participants who have attended previous classes, to build on what they have already learnt! Stage Sparks will encourage your kids to explore their imaginations and express themselves creatively whilst also developing their confidence. Stage Sparks Summer Intensive Tuesday 16, Wednesday 17 & Thursday 18 January Morning session: 10.30am – 1.00pm | Afternoon session 2.00 – 4.30pm The Arts Centre, 22 Gawler Street, Port Noarlunga TUESDAY 16 JANUARY 10:30am – 1:00pm Theatre (5-8 year olds) Singing (9-12 year olds) 2:00 – 4:30pm Singing (5-8 year olds) Theatre (9-12 year olds) WEDNESDAY 17 JANUARY 10:30am – 1:00pm Theatre (5-8 year olds) Dance (9-12 year olds) 2:00 – 4:30pm Dance (5-8 year olds) Theatre (9-12 year olds) THURSDAY 18 JANUARY 10:30am – 1:00pm Circus (5-8 year olds) Singing (9-12 year olds) 2:00 – 4:30pm Singing (5-8 year olds) Circus (9-12 year olds) Please note that there will be no supervision provided in between the morning & afternoon sessions.. COST The workshops are FREE, however with limited spaces available, bookings are essential. Click here to make a booking Carclew.com Facebook: CarclewHQ Instagram: @carclew [/et_pb_text][/et_pb_column][/et_pb_row][/et_pb_section]

Read More >

SA Museum: Dinosaur rEvolution

Nothing thrills the child within us more than setting off on an adventure to discover the wonders of the South Australian Museum. No matter what age there’s something about the eerie excitement of seeing the mummy in the Egyptian exhibit, which really never gets old. Or maybe the giant squid is the best thing? Nah it’s definitely the mineral crystal wall. Actually NO it’s a chance to try and mould our hand into the Antarctic ice wall, cough, NOPE to old for that, it’s 100% the taxidermy tiger, did you see it’s tail MOVE?!! Okay, okay the real dino-mite question here is… Dinosaurs reigned supreme in different environments all over the world for 169 million years and vanished 66 million years ago when the Earth was struck by an asteroid. Are they all really extinct? Surely the only place to discover the answer to this worldwide mystery would be the Museum. This question will be answered when the SA Museum brings everyone’s favourite reptiles and dinosaurs to town in February 2018 as part of a new touring exhibition from Gondwana Studios. Dinosaur rEvolution is an exciting and interactive display which will challenge people’s perceptions of dinosaurs. When the asteroid struck all those years ago, the global wildfires, ash clouds and fall in temperature made it unbearable for large animals, including most dinosaurs to survive. However research has shown that some small dinosaurs had already evolved to survive such a catastrophe – by taking to the air! Exceptionally well preserved fossils found in China have shown for the first time feathers and quills present in dinosaur skin. Birds are the last branch in the dinosaur family tree, to be living (and flying) with us today. South Australian Museum and Flinders University researcher Professor Mike Lee has spent his career researching reptile evolution and will help to curate the scientific content in the exhibition. “This exciting exhibition showcases the latest discoveries on how dinosaurs became birds,” Professor Lee said. “Children are always fascinated with dinosaurs but many adults will be just as engrossed. The exhibition is not just about bones and fossils, it brings these incredible creatures to life through animatronics, 3D models, life-sized murals and fossil casts that visitors can actually touch,” said Dr. Lee. Dinosaur rEvolution will be on at the South Australian Museum from 23 February – 06 May 2018. To purchase tickets please phone 0466 464 112, email foundation@samuseum.sa.gov.au, visit the Museum Shop or buy online here. www.samuseum.sa.gov.au Facebook: @southaustralianmuseum Instagram: @southaustralianmuseum

Read More >

Top Picks from The Garden

We have selected the finest, juiciest cream of the crop garden pickings from The Garden of Unearthly Delights 2018 Fringe Program. Juggling, acrobatics, puppetry, comedy and much more are all part of the harvest. The Garden of Unearthly Delights began with just one Spiegeltent in 2000. Over the past seventeen years it has evolved into the greatest arts event in town and the heart of Adelaide’s summer arts festival season. Its unique festival playground environment will include multiple performance venues, bars, carnival rides, an array of world foods, market stalls, and the most unexpected sideshow surprises. KAPUT  February 17, 18, 24, 25 and March 3, 4, 12 Kaput, the multi-award winning family show has melted hearts around the world, young and old, with its glorious brand of slapstick, acrobatics and total silliness. Slapstick and silent clowning at its absolute finest, star of Club Swizzle, Circus Oz and The Tom Tom Crew, Tom Flanagan amazes, delights and leaves audiences in stiches as he pays homage to the greats Charlie Chaplin and Buster Keaton in this one-man comedy for all ages. Wild Imagination… Drop and Go Nature Play Just For Kids! February 16 to March 18 NO PARENTS ALLOWED! Grown-ups, take a break and go see a show while your mini nature warrior will get into the wild world of nature play! Water play, potion making, nature crafts, loose parts play, tree climbing, bush cubbies and more! Supervised by qualified teachers with Police Checks and First Aid. Kids 5-12 years. Suitable for ages 5-12 Monski  10-12 March Why toddle when you can dance?! Selling out shows around the world, come find out why Adelaide’s own DJ Monski Mouse is a hit with the under fives and their parents/carers. Expect to do some high-energy smiling to retro hits, pop favourites and funky nursery rhymes as heads and shoulders, knees and toes bop till they drop. Get glam and put your disco-dancing- booties on! “The best dance party with your under 5-year-old that you’ve ever had… absolutely joyous” ★★★★★ Edinburgh Families. Suitable for ages 0-5 My Brown Paper Clouds March 10,11,12,17,18 This is a professional contemporary dance made specially for young audiences (aged 2-7) that takes you on a journey into the whims of imagination through dance, physical theatre, music and play. Drawing inspiration from the every day to the never-in-a-million-years, Splash Test Dummies  16 February to 18 March Rub-a- dub-dub, The Dummies are back with some splish splashing circus set to drown you in tears of laughter.From the makers of hit show Trash Test Dummies comes a new production of oceanic proportions! Splash Test Dummies are here, ready to roll out their beach towels and spring into a brand new hour of circus-filled hilarity for the whole family. See a brilliant array of catch-your-breath stunt work, acrobatics, juggling and the side-splitting, slapstick comedy for which the dummies are famous. For more information and ticket bookings visit www.adelaidefringe.com.au Instagram: @adlfringe Facebook: Adelaide Fringe 

Read More >

Coding for Kiddos

Could you have the world’s next tech genius in your fam? Turning your child into the next Bill Gates could definitely make retiring a whole lot more fun. Maybe priming them up for technological success at a young age isn’t such a bad thing. They could learn how to create an app while you can’t even remember your Apple ID. At Code Camp more than 27,000 kids have designed and built their own iPhone apps at 100+ locations! Code Camp hosts educational sessions at schools all around Australia and offer a variety of different options to suit different ages and capabilities. Little League Younger Kids – AGES 5-6 Little coders make their first small but important leap from consumers to creators of tech. Spark First Timers – AGES 7-12 This is the most popular camp designed specifically for first time Code Campers. Learn Drag & Drop coding with ‘Code Camp World’. Ignite Returning students – AGES 7-12 Start with Drag & Drop and then move to Line Coding with JavaScript (for kids who have completed Spark). Blast Advances – AGES 8-13 For the more advanced superheroes who have conquered Spark and Ignite and are ready for a full Code Camp in the world of JavaScript For more information and locations head to  codecamp.com.au Edit

Read More >

The Nature of Play

What is nature play all about? Once upon a time, and not all that long ago, children spent their free time climbing trees, exploring the local creek, building forts and cubbies and making all kinds of discoveries with their friends. Days were spent outdoors, unsupervised and unstructured. This is nature play. There were no smartphones, laptops or tablets to entertain. There were no structured play dates or indoor play centres and it was safe to roam around the neighbourhood and play with children in the street. But in just one generation, technology has become the substitute for free play and life for children has moved from outdoors to indoors, from active to sedentary. According to a 2013 Planet Ark study, 1 in 4 children have never even climbed a tree. 1 in 5 children today aged 6-9 years old, spend more than 2 hours/day in front of a TV, increasing as children get older. Children are losing their connection to the natural world. The loss of ‘nature play’, is having a negative impact on children’s physical, emotional and social development, their health and wellbeing, their ability to make decisions, solve problems, assess risks and become resilient young people and adults. So what can you do? There is loads you can do to help restore the balance for your children. The first step is to replace children’s screen time with green time. Allowing children the opportunity and permission to spend uninterrupted time outdoors will lay the groundwork for children to learn about themselves, the world around them and how they function in it. Their senses will be fully engaged, curiosity nurtured, problem solving skills put to the test and they will learn about their capabilities and limitations, lifelong skills that will be invaluable. Nature Play SA is a small not for profit organisation that understands how important it is for children to recapture the time to play and be in nature. It has been established to empower parents, educators and the broader community to help make unstructured time in nature, an everyday part of childhood. Nature Play SA’s website, Facebook and Instagram sites aim to make it easy for families seeking ideas, inspiration and guidance. Their website includes lists and information sheets you can download free. Affordable events families can enjoy throughout the year showcase nature play in action – cubby building, mud play, whittling and weaving, geocaching. The summer program of events will be released soon. A small online shop offers books to inspire and products to support children’s time outdoors. And a newly launched, unique membership program, designed for families, the Nature Play SA Collective, will provide members with ideas, encouragement and guidance on the little things you can do that will make a big difference. Get your family started with your very own backyard nature play space By using a few simple elements from nature, you can create an inspiring backyard for your children where they will be immersed in sensory stimulation that will provide endless creative fun, discovery and creativity. Excerpt from Natural Playspaces Families available on the Nature Play SA website Secret Places – children love hiding spaces and building cubbies and forts where they can play by themselves or with their friends. Water & Sand – a sandpit and water source, the perfect combination for hours of creative fun and play. Mud – the ultimate sensory experience. Build a mud kitchen, create a mud pit, or make a mud wheelbarrow. Something to climb – Climbing is instinctive for children and climbing trees, a rite of passage. It develops their fine and gross motor skills, co-ordination and risk-taking exploits. A Garden to grow – having their own little patch of garden to tend with their own tools, teaches children how to care for things and to understand where food comes from. Inspiring Creativity – provide a space and props to nurture your budding artist, actor, musician, explorer or engineer. Something to swing on – and make it long! There is nothing better than the freedom and exhilaration of seeing how high and fast you can go. Loose parts – unstructured play at its finest – build a collection of pinecones, log rounds, rocks, sticks and seedpods. They have no defined purpose so children can move, sort, cart, roll, build, carry, collect and manipulate how they wish. Nature play @natureplaysa natureplaysa.org.au 

Read More >