With a steady stream of visiting friends over the Christmas holidays, and many with young children, we have been busy! Whilst we treated them to the hedonistic pleasures of the Aussie beach culture, we also spent a great deal of time indoors appreciating the ‘higher arts’. This can be tricky with young kids in tow, especially those who are jet-lagged and tantrum prone, but Melbourne has some fabulous museums and galleries, several of which are especially wonderful for children. Here are my top 3.
1. Melbourne Museum – This fabulous museum, located on the northern border of the Carlton Gardens behind the Royal Exhibition Building, is futuristic and interactive and connects architecture and nature – in the middle of the museum, you can walk through a forest! The Children’s Gallery is designed for children 3 to 8 but I would think it would delight even the younger toddler. The children’s exhibition, entitled 1,2,3 Grow, explores the many ways things, including humans, grow. Activities, children’s art, stories, an indoor sandpit with fossils beneath the sand which children are encouraged to discover, a kids puppet theatre and an outside play/picnic area including games such as skittles for the whole family, are just some of the attractions. It doesn’t matter how often we visit (we try to put our membership to good use after all) my children are always stimulated and engaged. Young children particularly love the insect section and the Forest gallery. Click here for more details.
2. Scienceworks – My kids’ favorite! This museum is situated in an old plumbing station and is simply brilliant. It is dynamic and interactive and a must for children who are inquisitive especially in matters relating to science and technology. The museum collection objects are combined with hands-on exhibits so you can test your reflexes, jumping and kicking abilities and are designed to be explored. Amazingly the exhibits continuously changes so repeat visits never get repetitive. The Planetarium is particularly fabulous and without fail my children always protest when it is time to leave! For more details click here.
3. Australian Centre for the Moving Image (ACMI) – One of our newest art spots in Federation Square, dedicated to the moving image in all its forms including cinema, television, computer games and interactive media arts. This place is amazing. I think the official emphasis here is on older kids but I could not get my 2-year-old out the first time we visited. In addition to the babies screenings there is so much child-centred programming, all very high tech — with free animated flicks and the annual International Childrens Festival. Kids can even create their own short film! The Games Lab is a changing exhibition of computer games with exhibits showing the development of the game and several consoles on which to play the current game. Needless to say, kids love this area and given that so many young children are techno savvy these days, even the toddlers can be seen having a go. The Memory Grid has more than 200 short films in free futuristic ‘lounge rooms’. Just brilliant. Small pods of seats surround a screen from which short films can be chosen from the touch screen. I cannot recommend it highly enough, for kids and for adults! See here for more information.
Oh, I think I have died and gone to heaven! Olive’s friend Pop is a collection of vintage-inspired clothing inspired by proper little-girls’ clothes of post WWII, from a time when little girls looked like…well…little girls. They call it ‘nostalgic playwear‘ — capes, bonnets, overalls, pinafores, aprons and so much more. Simply adorable!
The collection was designed by two very clever Aussie mothers who are quick to concede that whilst their clothes are indeed ’special’ they are not ’special occasion’ wear. The materials are durable and robust, to be worn… because let’s face it, little girls may like getting ‘dressed up’ but they love getting ‘grubbed up’ too (oh, indeed they do, especially mine).
I have a feeling this is a brand to watch out for. The Winter/Autumn range (pictured) is available through stockists listed here.
Another fabulous interactive colouring book just begging to be illustrated! They seem to be popping up everywhere these days and with good reason too. Created by talented Melbournian Nicole Mandile, in the first of her My Picture Storybooks series, The Magical Milky Way’s Super Galactic Zoo kept my rambunctious 4-year-old son in check on a long-haul airplane flight recently. So naturally I am a big fan. He was totally engrossed in creating, drawing and pasting away, each page providing the perfect canvas for his masterpiece. It helps that he has a complete fascination with all things galaxy-related.
The book is created using uncoated paper, a great surface to sketch on and is staple bound so the pages open flat. It is printed in Australia on 100% recycled paper. It isn’t too long or too short — just perfect to capture their little attention spans.
Available through weheartbooks for local and international shipment.
Is this little girl not absolutely adorable? That face! That hat! The vest…! I could practically eat her up! Luna Ninos is an Australian brand I discovered when my son was a baby. They design and knit their products in Melbourne without linking, sewing or seams… making their beanies and bonnets, booties, baby blankets and cardigans comfortable and lightweight. They use only the finest natural fibers — pure cotton or extrafine merino wool, and each season offer an array of delectable colours, from the more muted (mouse, spinach, bamboo…) to the very bright (aqua, rosa and tomato….). Luxurious yet practical — everything is machine-washable (fortunately as I have absolutely no patience for hand-washing!). I especially love their tree blankets — not only visually superb, but proceeds from their sale support the Wilderness Society of Australia, saving our beautiful old growth forests, which is a really good thing…
To view their stunning collection and for online orders, click here!
If I had to name one wardrobe staple that my kids and I cannot live without, it would have to be our denim jeans. Sure, there are items I love more but I doubt there is an item of clothing more durable, more versatile or more enduring than a pair of well constructed denim jeans.
And so, when I discovered a cute little pop-up store in King Street, Prahran that specializes exclusively in children’s jeans, I couldn’t wait to spread the word.
Little Rivet Jeans is a gorgeous shop offering a seasonally relevant denim range for boys and girls aged 1-6 years where the focus is on fit, construction and quality – but without the ridiculously expensive price tag that we have come to expect from premium denim. The jeans are soft and simple, just as children’s jeans should be, in a really impressive range of fits and finishes — including a vibrant coloured range for the girls. And whilst they have a ‘vintage’ feel about them, they are still modern and trendy.
There are no itchy tags (a constant source of annoyance for my 4-year-old) or bothersome grommets (a constant source of annoyance for me!). Just good, wholesome classic jeans. And they all feature adjustable waistbands, another reason to rejoice! These are definitely jeans that are meant to be worn and handed down.
With Valentine’s Day approaching I am thinking that a trip to the Suga Candy Kitchen might be on the cards. This lolly shop is my kids’ version of heaven. What can be more exciting, more mesmerizing than handmade, delicious rock candy made right before your eyes (to be honest, I can think of many things but my kids, I’m sure, they can’t!). The lolliologists (highly trained lolly makers… really… I’m not kidding) stretch, pull and twist the hot molten candy, then chop it into jewel-sized bites. Yum! Fresh from the cooling slab they then generously hand out samples, and if you want to you can personalize your lollies with names or cute messages like ‘I love you’ and ‘you are sweet’ and ‘be mine’.
Oh….in case you were wondering, here in Australia we call a piece of what is called candy in the States, or sweets in the UK, as ’lollies’.
It is a fun place to go and I seriously defy anyone, sugar devotee or otherwise, to leave without having bought a bag or jar of some type of hard rock confection… A great Valentine’s treat for the children or a loved one. For more mouth watering details and Suga Candy Kitchen locations click here.
I love traditional toys that allow my children to use their imaginations — toys that inspire their creative play. I also love toys that look great in my home. (Hey, I haven’t earned the title ‘toy snob’ from my friends for nothing!) Enter Dobbin and Drum’s hobby horses. Just gorgeous. They are made from 100% natural fabrics — Australian hardwood dowel, leather trim and are filled with the highest quality 100% lightweight pure Australian merino wool. Now these hobby horses are no ordinary run of the mill horses, they are of heirloom quality and completely and lovingly hand-made. In a world of electronic toys and high tech gadgets, I am proud to say my children love their hobby horses and they regularly feature in their creative play. To be honest, they also make the odd appearance when they are fighting….
Dobbin and Drum are a small Australian company that produce a select range of natural fibre quality crafted toys — toys with ’soul and substance”. For the full range of hobby horses (including the fabulous unicorns and dragons) and for stockist information, refer to their website. Despite being a little tricky to wrap (I always end up resorting to just a ribbon) they make the perfect gift for a young child.
P.S. I can also recommend Dobbin and Drum’s teepee’s and drums — the verybest I have seen.
Most parents discover fairly early on that if they want to meet in a cafe with friends and have any hope of conversation (one that spans more than 10 seconds), then a distraction for the children in the form of a book/toy is imperative. It allows at least some semblance of communication between the adults whilst in the company of young children — where you can form a full sentence… in one go!!
Many cafes in Melbourne answer this need, providing crayons and butcher paper to occupy the kids. And that certainly helps! But Family Life Home & Café in Grattan Street, Prahran goes one step further. Not only is it a divine Balinese inspired space, incorporating a cafe and boutique, but it has a gorgeous imaginative play area for the children.
So… whilst you leisurely sip your cappuccino on a comfy couch, chat to friends, read the newspaper (without being interrupted every. single. sentence) and shop for hand-made toys, eco homewares, exotic recycled furniture and some great kidswear — the children are happily playing nearby in the enchanted forest or putting on a show in the gazebo! Happiness all around!
If you are visiting, be sure to check out the kidswear. Not only do they carry some great Aussie designers like Mill&Mia, Sudo and Jellyfish but they also carry a more obscure Balinese designer called Paul Ropp. His distinctive and vibrant pieces are truly amazing!
Family Life will also throw a fantastic kids birthday party, with every little detail taken care of!
It is the 17th book in the ‘This is…’ series and Sasek is visiting down under! This is Australia is a wonderful book to add to the classic travel series, first published in the ’70s, which Courtney posted about here!
In line with the later books in the series, the colours are slightly vintage and the images are retro and whimsical. And Sasek’s mode of travel to the land down under? Not in chains like the first British colonists, but on a Qantas big bird!! (which incidentally, ‘flies very well’, unlike the Australian penguin and emu!) I absolutely love these books — they introduce children to the people, customs and places of interest in cities around the world, captivating young readers with gorgeous illustrations and a witty narrative. I also think it’s fascinating to see each city from a 1960’s perspective. And…needless to say, in my family we just love the Aussie edition!
Nestled in a bend of the Yarra River, amongst the river red gum and paperbark trees (a very typical Australian setting!) is the Collingwood Children’s Farm…. a little slice of country life right in the heart of Melbourne, only 4 kilometres from the CBD. It’s a magical place for city children (and adults) and an absolute favorite with family and friends.
Here, children can get up close and personal with all the typical farmyard animals and immerse themselves in farm chores. They can get their hands dirty milking the cows, bottle feeding the lambs, waddling with the ducks, patting the rabbits, feeding grass to the horses and all the while marvel at the sight and smell of the pigs. They can also look for eggs — a great way to teach them that eggs and milk don’t come out of cartons (as I am lead to believe some ‘other’ children think is the case… not mine, of course! )
And, after all that exhausting animal frolicking, if you haven’t brought your own picnic, there is the delicious Farm Cafe where you can enjoy a decent coffee made with Eureka beans and a hearty farmer’s breakfast or lunch, always reliably good.
Needless to say, this is truly a hidden oasis for us Melbourne city dwellers. Every second Saturday of the month the farm hosts a wonderful farmers’ market selling fresh produce from the farm and from dozens of other Victorian producers. I am always gutted when I miss this. And despite a little mishap with an enthusiastic cow I was attempting to milk several months ago (I won’t divulge but it didn’t end so well for me), it really is one of my favorite places to take my children. We always have a ball.
ps. Should you happen to be a germaphobe like me, don’t forget this!
All those scorching Australian summers that I spent oiling myself with ‘Hawaiian Tropic’ –- how it makes me cringe! If only this product was around when I was in my late teens… okay, who am I kidding, I still would have ignored the facts, all for a deep bronze tan that didn’t ever last. The fact is that the sun ages your skin prematurely and causes cancer. Whilst I did come to my senses long ago, I am sure that I still wear the damage of those early reckless years. These days, I don’t leave home without having applied Invisible Zinc to each and every member of my family (husband excluded here, he is not partial to me assaulting him with ‘goo’ every morning — not for want of trying, mind you).
The concept behind Invisible Zinc is technology that provides a physical (not chemical) barrier between you and the sun’s UVA and UVB rays. They use a world patented form of Zinc Oxide that has been milled down so that it is no longer visible to the naked eye …fortunately you can banish all images of the white zinc-nosed, speedo-clad Aussie lifeguard, not quite the look I favor either when I head for the beach! Zinc Oxide is a natural sunscreen agent that sits on the skin reflecting dangerous UVA and UVB rays without unnecessary chemical sun-filters (incidentally, most chemical sunscreens offer little or no protection against UVA rays).
So Courtney, take note! This Aussie product is a must-have for you and your family over the coming months… and for those of you shivering in the Northern Hemisphere, as strange as it may seem, summer is just around the corner! (-:
I am completely smitten with a virtual wonderland called Kindergallery. Actually it is a very genius online art gallery but it might as well be a wonderland — it is so gorgeous and enchanting!
Based in Sydney (with a second home in Berlin), Kindergallery sources and sells exclusive art works for children — original paintings, limited edition works, prints, stretched canvases, box art and wall decals. It is the brainchild of Fiona Lang, mother of two and curator of the stunning collection. She gathers the very best of Australian and international artists including Ida Pearle, Shinzi Katoh, Anna Ventura and one of my personal favourites, Meredith Gaston.
What I love about this collection is that each piece has clearly been handpicked to inspire the imaginations of young kids, but will also appeal to the discerning, style-conscious parent. And the best part? There is something for every budget! Works can be purchased for under AU$50, but Kindergallery also focus on providing that really special, once in a life time purchase too.
Whether you are in the market for some artwork or not — have a look at the website, it is guaranteed to make you smile!
My family is in the grip of ‘Masterchef’ fever! My kids are so enthused by this reality television program that I practically have my youngest deriding me for not making the terrine for his school lunch. And while the downside for me is that the bar has been raised (my rather unspectacular cooking now looks even more… unspectacular), the show has reinforced the value of good eating, team-building and the importance of accepting constructive criticism. My daughter particularly has been caught by the cooking bug. This morning she made us a lovely, albeit slightly burnt dish of scrambled eggs, grilled tomato, and baby spinach — we devoured it… every char-grilled morsel!
A friend recently introduced me to a great children’s cooking website called Wholesome Productions which creates a fabulous range of children’s cooking kits. They also sell party cooking kits for those brave enough to host their own kid’s cooking party.
The Pizza Baking Kit (pictured) is particularly adorable because it comes in a genuine pizza box and includes an apron, chef’s hat, a pan, rolling pin and an easy-to-follow washable recipe book… a great present for this holiday season! I have also found a ton of kid’s cooking utensils and baking sets at Mini Whisk and these are worth a mention because they come in a range of cool themes (Australiana, love hearts, flying etc.) and they are really well-priced too. Alternatively, add a cute little recipe book to some mini-sized cooking tools, or a little chef’s hat to a pint sized rolling pin and there you have some practical and fun gift ideas for all the aspiring master chefs out there!
These baby loafers and ballet slippers by Australian-based company Czarque are exquisiteand so, so chic. My only gripe is that they were not around when my children were babies!!
They are delicate and soft, understated and …. just so very adorable! Not to mention, they come in the most gorgeous of textures (honestly, I’m not sure that these pictures do them justice). They are perfect for the special occasions in life or ‘just because’. After all, there is nothing more frustrating than spending money on something special for your children only to have them outgrow it after two wears. What a waste!
Czarque baby shoes are handcrafted in Australia in the finest quality Australian leather and they all feature soft, flexible brushed suede soles that are perfect for babies’ delicate feet (from newborn size to age 2). As a first shoe I think that they would make the sweetest keepsake.
They are available at Bon Bon Tresor for both local and international shipment.
Well… it’s almost summer here and we all know what that means: summer clothes! I always find it exciting shopping for summer clothes – it’s the promise of hot days on the beach, long balmy evenings, lashings of sorbet, endless swimming and those delicious summer fruits…. and as much as we complain about the heat (oh, do we ever, and don’t even get me started on those pesky flies) it really is my favorite time of the year! Now, the first place I will head to is Seed.
Seed is one of those kid’s labels that you can always rely on to deliver the essential basic pieces (the plain t-shirts, the perfect pair of cargo shorts, the classic linen shirt) and then some more. No logos, no excessive detail or styling, just lovely comfortable, clean-cut classics and always with a modern directional twist… think playground chic!
Seed’s gorgeous signature stores are located throughout Australia and Hong Kong. For the rest of the world, international shipping is available online.
Aren’t these personalised plates just fabulous? My kids get a real thrill from seeing their name on things so I think they will be super excited when they receive theirs. The perfect Christmas or birthday gift for someone special — personal, functional and a lovely keepsake for when they grow out of them. What’s more, they are BPA-free, made of a lightweight yet durable melamine and are dishwasher safe. So, they tick all the boxes in my opinion! I bet they could even entice the fussiest of eaters.
You can order them from BébéOnline or, if you are local to Melbourne, from ‘Bebe Boutique’ in South Yarra.
I thrash my hands. Hot water, cleaning products, using my fingernails as tools… you name it… most mothers will understand! As a result, my hands are often flaky and dry — not unlike sandpaper. Over the years I have tried dozens of hand lotions, but none have worked their magic like a potion from Australian skin care range Aesop. The lotion is called Aesop Ressurection Aromatique Hand Balm and I honestly think it is the holy grail of all hand creams.
I first discovered Aesop several years ago in the restroom of a local Melbourne restaurant. It smelled and felt so intoxicatingly good that I kept going back for more (really!), and I have been hooked ever since. It soaks in, leaving no greasy residue and you can literally smell the botanical and fruity ingredients permeating your skin (rosemary, mandarin and cedarwood……delicious). In our dry Australian climate it’s no wonder this product has become somewhat of an Aussie cult favorite.
The hand cream can be purchased online but Aesop also have lovely signature stores in London, Paris, Zurich, Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei and across Australia and these are definitely worth a visit.
The only thing marring the great pleasure I get from my take-away morning coffee is guilt… and I don’t mean the guilt I feel when I add my two teaspoons of sugar! Rather the guilt I feel when I toss away my disposable, un-recyclable paper coffee cup. Australians use approximately 500 million disposable cups a year and discard 1.36 million disposable cups a day into landfill! Staggering isn’t it? Indeed, our love of take-away coffee is costing our environment dearly. Now, imagine this on a global scale!
With guilt in my heart and these figures in mind, today I purchased a KeepCup.
Designed and manufactured in Australia, the KeepCup is made of recyclable propylene and has a life span of four years. It is dishwasher safe, microwaveable, stackable, BPA-free and unlike those of the porcelain variety, very lightweight (so it is easy to tote around). It doesn’t leak and comes in three ‘barista standard’ sizes, so even your barista will love you for it!
Sustainable coffee cup consumption means zero guilt …now I just need to address my excessive sugar consumption!
Ever since an unfortunate incident involving permanent markers, a stamp set and a wall I had just painted, I had decreed that there would be no decorating permitted on bedroom walls! This week I changed my stance — I allowed my son to go crazy with a box of Moveables.
Moveables is gorgeous adhesive artwork that is removable and repositional… over and over again. Though I have never been partial to wall stickers or posters, I have to concede, they really do look quite gorgeous on his walls. They are beautifully made, never seem to lose their ‘stick’ (despite my son having moved them around dozens and dozens of times) and leave the walls completely intact, no sign of any residue! I am impressed!
My daughter who is 8 has now asked me for a box of the very sweet ‘red robin’ range (pictured). I can’t complain - only last week she was asking me if she could stick up posters of Hannah Montana!
Beautifully packaged in a keepsake box, I think that they would make a lovely gift. You can view the range online at Little Chipipi.
Now, I don’t want to come across all military or anything, because that’s definitely not my parenting style… but, sometimes things at home need a little shaking up. In a fun way of course!
You are probably familiar with the scenario where the morning routine is starting to go astray (I’m sure it can happen to even the most boot-camp style of households). As the year progresses and enthusiasm for school wanes, the children take longer to ‘get up and get going’ in the morning. Getting dressed and eating breakfast, brushing teeth and hair seems to take forever, and we are getting progressively later and later for school. The nightly routine isn’t faring any better; the kids don’t want to go upstairs for a bath, I finally get them up and they won’t get out! I guess that we are caught in a bit of a rut. And old incentives simply lose their… well… incentive!
I tried the ‘competition method’ of ‘let’s see who can get dressed first’ but with a 4-year gap between my two children and a highly competitive, very capable older sister, my sometimes clumsy son was bound to lose every time and that was not fair. So, I had to find another way…one that gave them an equal chance of winning! A challenge, rather than a competition…
Introducing the ‘Buzzer’, as we now affectionately call it! It is green and egg shaped and sometimes I have to wonder where it has been all my life (hiding in my spoon drawer in fact). Indeed it is my new parenting tool and an effective one too.
It works like this — I’ll challenge my children to be washed and out of the bath before the buzzer goes off in say, ‘5′ minutes. I just pluck a reasonable number (of minutes) and set the timer accordingly. I’ll then give them, say ‘7′ minutes to get dry, into their pyjamas and into bed with their chosen books. Oh, the excitement! My son, forever the enthusiast, is now asking me to set the buzzer when he goes to the toilet, blows his nose, does a somersault…..
Most people probably have a kitchen timer and if not even an alarm clock will do. But this gadget (similar ones available from Amazon) is fun and a novelty and is working a treat…..for now anyway!
ps. Just in case you were wondering — it doesn’t seem to work on husbands, I did try…….
With a steady stream of visiting friends over the Christmas holidays, and many with young children, we have been busy! Whilst we treated them to the hedonistic pleasures of the Aussie beach culture, we also spent a great deal of time indoors appreciating the ‘higher arts’. This can be tricky with young kids in tow, especially those who are jet-lagged and tantrum prone, but Melbourne has some fabulous museums and galleries, several of which are especially wonderful for children. Here are my top 3.
Sara in Melbourne
March 16th, 2010
2 comments
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Now, I don’t want to come across all military or anything, because that’s definitely not my parenting style… but, sometimes things at home need a little shaking up. In a fun way of course!
