Spring is sprung, Floriade is blooming and the spring school holidays start in the ACT today, Friday 23 September. (Unless you took today off to make the most of yesterday’s one-off public holiday, in which case your break started on Wednesday. Clever you.)
There’s a host of things to do in and around the capital. Here are just seven ideas to keep all the family entertained.
Floriade
As well as enjoying the spectacle of thousands of colourful blooms in carefully designed garden beds, Australia’s biggest celebration of spring also offers a host of activities and free entertainment. The Funk Fairy drop-in kids music workshops run on weekends 1-3.30pm (including the Monday 3 October public holiday).
On Sunday 25 September, catch gardening guru Costa Georgiadis at 10-11am, 12-1pm and 2-3pm.
Floriade is open daily 9am-5.30pm (last admissions 5.15pm) until Sunday 16 October.
Entry to Floriade is free; NightFest (29 September-2 October 6.30-10.30pm) is a ticketed event.
For the full program, visit floriadeaustralia.com
School of Magic at Canberra Outlet
The Kids Club invites local families to have fantastical fun throughout the spring school holidays at Canberra Outlet.
From Saturday 24 September to Sunday 9 October, the Canberra Outlet School of Magic will open its doors near Focus on Furniture.
Little witches and wizards from ages three to 12 are cordially invited to attend potions classes, make a magic wand, hatch dragon eggs, and join lessons for spells and sorcery.
Kids can enjoy different activities each day from 11am to 2pm and make their own magical creations to take home.
Kids Club’s School of Magic is free; however, parent supervision is required.
For a limited time only, you will receive a surprise toy and colour-in backpack when you sign up with Canberra Outlet Kids Club. Take the entertainment home with you. The kids can create a one-of-a-kind backpack to take to school with them when the holidays are over.
Learn more by visiting canberraoutlet.com.au
Track dinosaurs at Westfield Belconnen
Mission control needs your help; five dinosaurs have escaped their pens and are roaming free at Westfield Belconnen.
From Monday 26 September to Sunday 9 October, Jurassic World Dominion: Dinosaur Discovery Trail calls on the bravest adventurers and paleontologists to track down the roaming creatures. Those brave enough to take on the challenge can collect their trackers near Target, then follow the clues, roars, and footprints to uncover the hiding places.
Those who manage to find them all will go in the running to win a family pass to see more dinosaurs safely inside their enclosures at the National Dinosaur Museum. Westfield Plus members can redeem a bonus gift for completing the track.
The dinosaur adventure is free and trackers are available 10am-4pm each day.
Find out more at westfield.com.au
Tough Nutterz
Keep the kids active these school holidays with Australia’s biggest inflatable play park at Parkes Place West Lawns from Sunday 25 September to Saturday 8 October.
The supersize maze has 30 challenges to push the limits of your strength and coordination.
This time, the team has prepared a mini-course so little ones can get in on the adrenaline rush.
Once the course has been completed, enjoy some downtime in the shade with cool tunes, and food and ice-cream trucks on site.
Open to all ages with four 45-minute sessions each day, two in the morning and two in the afternoon.
Prices start at $27 with pre-booking online strongly encouraged.
For more details, head to eventbrite.com.au
Canberra Cat Fest
It’s the purrfect day for feline fanatics when Canberra Cat Fest comes to the Old Bus Depot Markets on Saturday 1 October.
Children are invited to celebrate all things feline with face painting, a treasure hunt, and carnival games at Stray Cat Alley.
The stalls include local shelters, cat beds, toys and treats, professional pet photographers, and feline themed wears.
Keep an eye out for special appearances from celebrity cats, and there will also be cats available for pets and adoption.
Grab something to eat and settle in for a screening of A Street Cat Named Bob.
The festival runs from 10am-5pm with tickets starting at $10, kids under 3 enter for free.
Grab your tickets at eventbrite.com
Holiday activities at Canberra Centre
The Canberra Centre invites everyone to contribute to the Lego Brick Community Garden, located one level one outside Zara.
Head into the Lego store and create two complimentary flowers, one to help the garden grow and one to take home; the new flowers will be added each night so the garden grows as Floriade does. Available until 30 September.
While there, enter a guessing competition that could see you win two Floriade NightFest tickets and a $500 Canberra Centre gift card.
Then, Kids Best Fest encourages children to unleash their inner artist with workshops run by MattyBro at 11am on 29 and 30 September. Children are taught styling techniques by one of the country’s most famous street artists, creating their own canvas to take home. Tickets cost $20 and include all the supplies to create a masterpiece.
Fing more information on the Canberra Centre activities at canberracentre.qicre.com
Roald Dahl and the Imagination Seekers
The stories of one of the world’s favourtite children’s authors come to life at Tuggeranong Arts Centre from Thursday 6 to Saturday 8 October.
Fresh from a hit tour of the UK, the top-secret Ancient Guild of Taletellers share their theatrical magic to ensure the words of Dahl live on.
Children will be thrilled by interactive games and immersive storytelling techniques as stories like The BFG and The Twits hit the stage.
Experience the wonder. Tickets: $20 for children, $30 for adults and family passes; bookings via allevents.in
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