Thank you to everyone who entered our Sing-A-Long-A Sound of Music competition!
As you know, 2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the most successful movie musical of all time, The Sound of Music, and they plan to celebrate at Hamer Hall with Frauleins and Friedrichs, Louisas and Liesels, Baronesses and Brigittas!
So, who is going to be singing songs we have heard for fifty years?
Congratulations! Please contact us, Ellie, to arrange delivery of your tickets. We hope you have a fantastic time!
If you would love to go, tickets are still available (although, there’s not many!):
If you were hoping that this post would be a “we saw The Wiggles with the Melbourne Symphony Orchestra and they were fantastic” sort of post then you are going to be sadly mistaken! Venturing out with a 2 year is not for the faint hearted and if you have ever regretted your decision to leave the house then this post is for you!
The day we went to The Wiggles concert my 2 year old took at least 2 years off my life!
It’s no secret that I get motion sickness, any type of movement sets me off. So, deciding to take the train into Melbourne may not have been the best option but it was certainly the easiest with the concert being at the Melbourne Town Hall. So, I piled the pram up and hopped on board. All the seats would have me facing backwards (not ideal) and after 30 seconds, I decided to find another carriage and sat down next to another Mum and her delightful 8 month old baby boy. Oliver kept my kids occupied (especially baby loving Alegría) and we settled in. Isaac lost interest quickly and wanted to explore. I was not feeling great. Not totally sick, but a bit off. It was on this journey that I was thankful I wasn’t travelling very far or that I wasn’t stuck on a plane. Alone. With my kids. Isaac wouldn’t sit still but we made it and I was only a little bit stressed! We walked up to the Town Hall from Southern Cross Station and joined the line – around the block – of people with prams. So. many. prams. So many people. I was stopped by a lady asking what was going on! Oh, you know, a Wiggles concert!
We dropped our pram off, went to the loo and then went in to find our seats.
The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra with Wiggly Conductor
Cue MAJOR DRAMA #1.
I turned my back on the kids for the time it took to put my bag under my seat and Isaac disappeared. Gone. In a sea of kids his age. Hundreds of little kids and I couldn’t see mine. I grabbed Alegría and started looking. It was overwhelming and I had a moment standing there in front of the stage, looking out at all these people and kids, and thinking “I’m never going to see him again. I can’t find him”. Unfortunately for my kids, it seems that I am quick to give up! Luckily, I snapped out of it and sprung into action. I found a staff member but only got out “he is 2, has blonde curly hair and a … ” and I lost it. I couldn’t get the words ‘stripey top’ out because the lump in my throat was strangling me. Any parent who has ever lost their child knows how it feels.
I finally got my description out and continued my search. Some of the staff were helping but it was the “Mum Brigade” that came out in full force and helped me look. One mum took Alegría back to our seats and took care of her. She said “I could tell by your face that something was very wrong”. Others were running around shouting “Isaac”. One came outside with me onto Swanston Street and was searching. Panicked, I went back inside only to find a mum holding onto a little arm. “Is this him?” I look down to find a smiling little face looking up at me. Not scared. Not a bit fazed by his little adventure. Little turd. “YES! That’s him!” And I fell to my knees and hugged his happy self. She said, “This is the second kid I have found with a stripey top – the other one didn’t look like you so I let him go! This one matched the description so I wasn’t letting him go until I found you!” I never got to fully thank any of these wonderful women that stepped up and helped me find Isaac and take care of Alegría. If you are reading this … THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart.
Flustered, we sat down and the show began. To rapturous applause The Wiggles came on and sang Rock-A-Bye Your Bear. Alegría and Isaac stood up and did all the actions. After the song finished, Isaac turned to me and said “Mumma, Home”.
YOU HAVE TO BE KIDDING ME! I paid $120 for these tickets and you want to go home?
Isaac then spent the rest of the show running away, heading backstage to hang out with the ballerinas and rolling from one end of the stage to the other side through the all kids whose parents’ money had been much better spent.
The Wiggles and Dancers from the Australian Ballet Company
The stage had a curtain along the front which Isaac found led to a wonderfully dark world where the sound of singing and dancing above your head created an atmosphere of adventure as one was able to walk around all of the cables and scaffolds. Watching him disappear, I was up and out of my seat and crawling under the stage as the show was occurring above me. I met another mum retrieving her son from under there as well. “I’m so embarrassed”, she said. “I want to go home”, I replied. And we shared a knowing smile. It was true, I wanted to go home and I really didn’t care about the $120 anymore!
The Wiggles and their Wiggly Friends!
Alegría, on the other hand, loved the show! So, if you’re a number cruncher – it was really only $80 we wasted as her $40 was well spent! Emma, Lachy, Simon and Anthony were wonderful and the show was everything you would expect from a Wiggles concert. Dorothy, Henry, Wags and Captain Feathersword were all there and the dancers from the Australian Ballet School did a fantastic job! It seemed that everyone was excited about Emma and Lachy’s engagement and they were even given a handmade hobby horse to ride off into the sunset on! The Melbourne Symphony Orchestra were faultless and it was fantastic to introduce the kids Alegría to the joys of live music. The Melbourne Town Hall is truly a magnificent building and is open for tours (I highly recommend going and having a look!).
The Wiggles take their final bow
After The Wiggles had taken their bows, we joined the crowds as they made their way down the stairs to retrieve their prams.
Cue MAJOR DRAMA #2.
The stairs were chaotic and probably not the best place to be standing with hundreds of kids and, dare I say it, a few frazzled parents. We were all trying to wait patiently, and I was holding Isaac’s hand. Now, in the interest of full disclosure, I have no idea what happened. I wasn’t watching him. I can only assume he slipped off the stair. But, I looked down and he was taking that deep breath kids take before they scream the house down. True to form, he let out this scream that could make your ears bleed and I said to him “What’s wrong?” to which he replied “My arm”.
ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME? AND NO, I DIDN’T YANK AT IT!
It looked limp as he held it against his little body and I knew something was not right. The line moved quickly, possibly not quickly enough for the other parents listening to Isaac cry, but we got to the front of the queue and waited for our pram. I was holding Isaac and the bag so of course Alegría wanted me to carry her coat as well. Why do they do that? Anyway, the pram didn’t arrive so I grabbed a staff member, headed out the back and pointed it out. With Isaac strapped in by one arm, we were off.
Clearly not thinking straight, I headed into our private health fund to check if we have ambulance cover. Of course we do. I know that. I rang Tim and told him that something was wrong with Isaac’s arm and to keep his phone on him. Having ascertained that we have ambulance cover, I hopped on a tram to the Royal Children’s Hospital. Yes, you read that right. I hopped on the tram. Of course, it was not a direct tram and we had to change trams! The nice people of this world helped me on and off the tram with the pram. Alegría deserves a medal because she did not once complain of hunger or of anything else. Oh, except for the crying because we weren’t going home on the train. That little episode, however, was fixed quick smart by me threatening to cry in the middle of the tram. I wasn’t even kidding.
We arrived at the hospital and as luck would have it are seen almost immediately. I LOVE the Royal Children’s Hospital. It truly is the best. Our nurse examined Isaac, manipulated his arm and he screamed like someone was killing him. It took all my willpower not punch him in the face ask him to stop! Our nurse asked another nurse for a second opinion and she confirmed that his pulled elbow was now back in place. He had a dislocated elbow. Well, isn’t that just fantastic and it’s very common for under 5’s apparently. So now you know!
Tim arrived to take us home and as we all hoped in and he said, “Can you drive? My eyes are stinging. I’ve had a really big day!” I swear one of these days … I’ll give him stinging eyes!
Mine are still twitching.
Have you had a nightmare toddler experience? Share with me to make me feel better in the comments below!
If you liked this post, you may like these as well:
WaterMarc is a relatively new Multi Activity Regional Centre in Greensborough and is the largest aquatic and leisure facility in the northern region of Victoria. Banyule City Council invested $42 million in the centre and, whilst we haven’t experienced all that it has to offer, we LOVE the Aquatic area.
The Aquatic area included:
50 metre indoor pool which can be converted to 2 x 25m pools
Learn to swim pool
Leisure/toddler pool
Australia FIRST tantrum alley water slide
Huge water play space including a ‘zero depth’ play area
Warm water program pool
Spa, steam and sauna
Alegría was so excited to finally be over 107cm which means she can now go on the “big” water slide! There are two water slides – Tantrum Alley and Pipeline – Alegría now qualifies for the Pipeline! With much anticipation, Tim and Alegría got their wrist bands and headed off up the stairs. We all know by now that both of the children have no fear so she happily jumped on the tandem donut and giggled her way down the water slide. Her water slide appetite was insatiable and we’re sure she’d still be going down if Isaac didn’t need to have a nap!
Isaac loved the adventure playground and toddler pool. The pool is really warm and the perfect place to warm up after some time in the play area. For the two hours we were at WaterMarc, he didn’t stop moving and loved going down the little water slides in the play space. He did not, however, love the bucket pouring water all over his head – thanks Dadda! Alegría, on the other hand, heads straight for it as soon as the warning bell goes off!
Georgina Says
If possible, get there early and take one adult per child – especially with little ones. It’s really hard to keep an eye on two children as they head in different directions and you really need to be within arms reach! There is an onsite café for hungry tummies and a birthday party space which looked like fun.
If you are looking for somewhere to take the kids where they are guaranteed to have a great time and use up some energy then WaterMarc is right on the money!
Tim Says
If you are headed down the Great Ocean Road then stop by Leisurelink Waterpark in Grovedale, just outside of Geelong. Check it out HERE.
MORE INFORMATION
Location: 1 Flintoff St, Greensborough, Victoria, Australia
Phone: 03 9422 6111
Days and Times:
Learn to Swim/Leisure/Toddler Pools
Monday to Friday 8.30am – 9.30pm
Saturday & Sunday 8.30am – 7.30pm
Adventure Playground and Zero Depth
Monday to Friday 9.00am – 8.00pm
Saturday & Sunday 9.00am – 6.00pm
Water Slides
Monday to Friday 4.00pm – 8.00pm (7.00pm from Mon 4 May 2015)
Saturday & Sunday 9.00am – 6.00pm
School Holidays 9.00am – 6.00pm
Cost:
Casual Swim Fees — Standard without Waterslide
Adult* (16 years and over)
$7.00
Concession* (must provide relevant ID)
$5.60
Child* (4 – 15 years old)
$5.40
Child under 4 years
FREE
Family (2 adults, 2 children)
$21.50
Non Swimmer Adult Entry Fee
$3.00
Locker Hire – Photo ID required
$4.00
*Multi visit passes available, valid for 12 months from date of purchase and are non-refundable
Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS UNLESS OTHERWISE INDICATED. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.
*If you can’t see the entry form, please go to our website as it cannot be displayed on some media.
Don’t forget that you can also nominate a friend or family member for our June “Random Acts of Kid-ness” where they can win a double pass for the show as well!
MORE INFORMATION
Sing-A-Long-A Sound of Music – A fun event that is a worldwide phenomenon!
2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the most successful movie musical of all time, The Sound of Music and we plan to celebrate with Frauleins and Friedrichs, Louisas and Liesels, Baronesses and Brigittas. it’s that time of year again, the time when Hamer Hall comes alive with everyone’s favourite sing-a-long, The Sound of Music… with the songs we have heard for fifty years!
See the classic movie on the big screen, re-mastered to its original cinematic glory. Admit it, you know the words – and if you don’t there are song-sub-titles so EVERYONE can sing a-long! Sing-A-Long –A Sound of Music is an audience participation event where host Chelsea Plumley leads a vocal warm-up, gives a guide to the use of the interactive fun pack and accompanying actions and (with a little help from the audience) judges the Costume Parade – a highlight of the night that separates the die-hards from the dabblers!
Terms and Conditions: Open to Australian residents only. By entering this competition, you agree to sign up to the Kidding Around Australia mailing list, if you are not already signed up. You can unsubscribe at any time.
By entering this competition, you are also agreeing to all other terms and conditions.
This is a game of skill not a game of chance. Entries not filling in all the required fields and answering the question will be deemed invalid. The winner will be chosen by originality and creative merit, by a non involved party. The Judge’s decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.
The winner will be drawn 17/06/15 5.00pm AEST and announced on this website shortly thereafter. The winner will also be contacted via email.
The prize is two (2) tickets to the Sing-A-Long-A Sound of Music performance on Saturday 27 June 2015 at 7:30pm. Prizes are not transferable, changeable or redeemable for cash. Kidding Around Australia will not be held responsible for any loss, injury or damage that occurs by attending this performance.
To celebrate Disney On Ice presents Dare to Dream coming to Melbourne from the 2 – 6 July 2015 we were invited to a Princess Party celebration of royal proportions!
The anticipation leading up to “Princess Party” day was palpable in our house. Costumes were carefully picked out. Speculation was rife as to who the special guests would be. Finally, the big day arrived and happily the party had everything a Prince or Princess could ever dream of!
Faces were painted, balloon animals were created, jewellery boxes were decorated, glass slippers were glitter-fied, pictures were coloured in, the movie Cinderella was on for those who wanted to take five on a bean bag, stories were read, dress-ups were tried on and there were many, many photos taken!
Little tummies were well catered for with cupcakes, sandwiches, popcorn and drinks. The candy buffet was the ultimate “choose your own” lolly bag with little boxes supplied that said “Thanks for coming!”. No, thank you Disney on Ice for having us!
Alegría Says
This was the best party ever! This was the best day EVER!
The special guests for the day were Cinderella and Rapunzel. They were so beautiful with the little Princesses, answering questions, giving hugs and posing for photographs.
One little Prince we know fell in love… Just look at that face!
The Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream Princess Party was a fabulous launch party for the Melbourne season of Disney on Ice presents Dare to Dream which we are so excited to see in July! Don’t forget to get your tickets, they are on sale now!
MORE INFORMATION
DISNEY ON ICE PRESENTS DARE TO DREAM
A Celebration of Royal Proportions!
COMING TO MELBOURNE 2-6 JULY 2015
Tickets on sale NOW!
Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream comes to Melbourne from 2-6 July, 2015 and will be the ultimate princess experience, taking audiences on a journey to fulfil their dreams. Bringing two of Disney’s modern day princess stories Tangled and, The Princess and the Frog and two most beloved fairytales Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and Cinderella, this action packed skating spectacle is a classic meets contemporary celebration of 75 years of Disney Princess stories. Produced by Feld Entertainment, Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream opens its national tour in Perth on 5 June and travels to Adelaide, Newcastle, Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney until 12 July.
Laugh at Disney’s hilarious hair-raising escapade, Tangled, as Rapunzel, Flynn and Maximus, embark on an uproarious journey that takes adventure to new lengths! Travel to the enchanted forest with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs as Snow White escapes from the Evil Queen in her search for her one true love. Watch as fanciful dreams become reality as Cinderella meets her Prince Charming, with a glass slipper fit for an unforgettable fantasy come true. And boogie to the beat of the bayou in a magical, musical journey that celebrates the story of The Princess and the Frog with Princess Tiana and Prince Naveen.
Australian audiences will experience the beauty, sparkle, and adventure when Disney On Ice presents Dare To Dream comes to a city near you!
2015 National Tour Dates
Perth – Perth Arena 5 – 7 June (Fri – Sun)
Adelaide – Adelaide Entertainment Centre 12 – 14 June (Fri – Sun)
Newcastle – Newcastle Entertainment Centre 19 – 21 June (Fri – Sun)
Brisbane – Brisbane Entertainment Centre 27 – 29 June (Sat – Mon)
Sydney – Allphones Arena, Sydney Olympic Park 8 – 12 July (Wed – Sun)
Purchase tickets from Ticketek: 132 849 or www.ticketek.com.au/disneyonice. Tickets start from just $29.50. Additional discounts apply on select performances. Credit card and transaction fees may also apply.
Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.
Our visits to the Melbourne Museum all follow a well worn path! We get our tickets, take a quick look at the display directly behind the counter and head straight out to the Forest Gallery. We look for fish and turtles, go under the waterfall and then make our way past the frogs to the bushfire memorial.
We then go down the ramp, back indoors, past the whale skeleton and into the “Dinosaur Museum” or the Dinosaur Walk, located in the Science and Life Gallery.
The Dinosaur Walk exhibition at Melbourne Museum brings dinosaurs and other ancient animals to life. This is where the kids can look at a range of amazing skeletons – combine them with ideas from science or let their imagination run wild!
Do you feel small, Isaac?For a little girl with a big thirst for knowledge, the Melbourne Museum is HEAVEN!
From here, we continue on to the animals, in the Evolution Gallery, which is a taxidermist’s dream! They have very cool interactive screens which you can point at an animal to find out what it is and all about it. There are also giant information touch screens that give information. Did you know that the Tasmanian Tiger was actually a relative of the wombat? You can see it if you look closely at the one on display. They have the same nose!
Point, click and get information on hundred’s of animals!Giant touch screens are at the perfect height for small fingers!
Alegría Says
I love the butterflies. I love all the pretty colours and learning how they grow. I also love the dinosaur bones, they are huge!
We then have a look at all of the bugs and butterflies and have a quick look at the semi-precious gems.
Poor Isaac, he needed a lift to see the ants!Why should the kids have all the fun?
That usually takes us about an hour and then we go to the Children’s Gallery and Children’s Garden. This room is specifically designed for children aged 3 – 10, however both Alegría and Isaac have enjoyed it from a much younger age.
Sometimes, you just want to re-enact a scene from “Finding Nemo”!!Looking at Larvae!
There are both indoor and outdoor activities covering a range of topics. Whether your children like puppets, building blocks, puzzles, animals, animals and more animals, lego, old-school games like hopscotch, quoits, jump rope, stilts, or running off all their energy they will find something to keep them occupied for at least an hour!
Maybe this will help me reach the dinosaurs!
Georgina Says
There is a café onsite, however, you could pack a few sandwiches and go out to the playground for a picnic. We learned first hand you can’t eat in the Galleries – oops! Really should take notice of the signs! The playground is at the opposite end of the Museum to the Children’s Gallery – up near the café.
We love the Melbourne Museum. It is a fantastic place to spend a few hours (or longer if you don’t have to take naps into consideration), it’s perfect for all weather conditions and for those on a budget!
The Melbourne Museum have plenty of Children’s programs running, more information can be found here. You can plan your own path using the Melbourne Museum map (PDF, 81 Kb) which shows the location of the main exhibition galleries and facilities.
MORE INFORMATION
Location: Nicholson Street, Carlton Gardens, Victoria, Australia
Days and Times: Open daily, 10am – 5pm (Closed Good Friday & Christmas Day)
Please note all details quoted are correct at the time of publishing. All details are subject to change without notice and Kidding Around Australia takes no responsibility for information contained in this post. Please check the appropriate website to ensure that information is still correct and current.
ALL PHOTOGRAPHIC IMAGES ON THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA WEBSITE ARE THE EXCLUSIVE PROPERTY OF THE KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA AUTHORS. ALL IMAGES ARE SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT AND CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT WRITTEN PERMISSION FROM KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA.
The show is playing in Melbourne from 15 to 23 May 2015 and is a tribute to a woman who has long been an icon of pop music and vocal ability, The Greatest Love Of All – The Whitney Houston Show celebrates Whitney Houston’s most loved songs with the breathtaking voice of South African singer Belinda Davids (pictured above).
After conducting over 15,000 auditions in 12 countries, accomplished South African vocalist Belinda Davids was selected to pay reverence to Houston with her carefully crafted renditions. She delivers the voice, charm and even the nuances and gestures of Houston.
The 2 ½ hour concert and stage show spans Houston’s 29 year career and includes hits How Will I Know, I Wanna Dance With Somebody, Where Do Broken Hearts Go, Didn’t We Almost Have It All, I’m Every Woman, Exhale (Shoop Shoop), Step by Step and I Will Always Love You.
To WIN one of two DOUBLE PASSES (worth $100 each) to The Greatest Love Of All – The Whitney Houston Show’s performance on Friday 15 May 2015 at 8pm simply fill in the form below.
Open to Australian residents only. Competition Closes 14/05/2015 at 9am AEST. Winner will be announced on 14/05/2015 at 9.30pm AEST. By entering, you agree to be subscriber to the Kidding Around Australia website.
We are all about sharing the love around here. We are very privileged to be able to experience the things we do Kidding Around Australia and we are grateful every day that our health and lifestyle allows us to do so. Each month we will be partnering with one of our fantastic brands to give someone a Random Act of Kid-ness!
Silvers Circus is a household name in Australia and after nearly three decades on the road maintains all the sparkle, glamour and death defying acts expected of Australia’s premier circus. Silvers Circus continues to provide draw dropping entertainment for the whole family with new locations just announced:
* PORTLAND, Alexandra Park – (First visit to Portland in 20 years) 6 May – 10 May
* MT GAMBIER, Mt Gambier Showgrounds 13 May – 24 May
* HAMILTON, Hamilton Showgrounds 27 May – 31 May
Established in 1976, Silvers Circus provides world class family entertainment and fun. With extraordinary artists continually arriving from all parts of the world, Silvers are proud of the ever changing program they are able to present. There is no other circus like Silvers Circus.
KIDDING AROUND AUSTRALIA’S RANDOM ACTS OF KID-NESS
This month, Silvers Circus has generously given us a family pass to their show in Portland and it just so happens that we know a family that would love to go!
Joan, Richard and their two boys
In February 2014, Joan found a breast lump through self examination and after various testing was found to have stage 3 Breast cancer. Not exactly what you expect when you’re a young family in your 30’s with 2 kids under 5. Joan has been through a whirlwind of tests and medical treatments; chemo, surgery, radiation and targeted treatment which has required travel to various hospitals throughout the state and Richard has been there right by her side. It has been a physical, mental & psychological battle for them all but with the love and care of family & friends and a positive attitude they aim to overcome this.
“It has made us look at life with a totally different perspective, things that seemed important, aren’t so important now. Quality time together and living the now is what it’s all about. Enjoying and appreciating the simple things in life. It is imperative that people (both female and male) do regular Breast checks – Breast Cancer is not gender nor age discriminative.” – Joan
Please remember to check your breasts – information on breast awareness and screening can be foundHERE.
We were overwhelmed with the amount of entries to our Octonauts Live Australia giveaway!
In the interest of fairness, we selected our Top 10 and gave those entries (without names) to an independent person to select the winner. Thank you so much for entering – we loved reading about your favourite Octonauts characters!
Shiver Me Whiskers, drum roll please ….
Kristy, we loved your entry and hope Harper enjoys her prizes! Please email us at info@kiddingaroundaustralia.com to organise delivery of your prize.
We are big Octonauts fans in the Kidding Around Australia house and can’t wait to see Octonauts Live! Operation Reef Shield again next month! It’s not to late to get your tickets either by visiting www.octonautslive.com.au.
Kidding Around Australia 