Hobsons Bay's 15th annual Children's Week celebrations will entertain and intrigue our youngest residents and their families with online art classes, science activities, outdoor scavenger hunts and live musical comedy, from Saturday 23 October to Sunday 31 October.
Bookings are now open and are free to all Hobsons Bay families. There are fun interactive activities scheduled on each day plus a suite of activities on demand.
Held every year in the last week of October, Children's Week is a national celebration that recognises the talents, skills, achievements and rights of children. The theme this year is all about friendship; 'Children have the right to choose their own friends and safely connect with others'.
Local art teacher Rachael from Little Art Big Art will hold special friendship themed online Anime classes (9-12 years) and creative drawing classes (less than 9 years) on Saturday 23 and Sunday 24 October 12pm and 1pm.
Children are invited to get creative and use art to express what friendship means to them and enter the Children's Week Virtual Art Competition. There will be prizes for first, second or third in each age category (3-5 years, 6-8 years and 9-12 years). The competition opens on Saturday 23 October and closes on Sunday 31 October.
Join Grow Do It on Sunday 24 October at 11am for a fun and musical tour of life in our soil, learning about how we can keep it healthy (and grow fabulous fruit and veggies!) through composting and worm farming at home.
The nature journey continues with Labcoat Learning on Monday 25 October at 4pm, children, aged three to eight, will be full of wonder of the world of butterflies, bugs and all things creepy crawly.
For parents and carers, the Australian Breastfeeding Association will host an interactive session on toddler activities, on Monday 25 October at 11am and don't miss a webinar on Raising an Emotionally Intelligent Child presented by Mums Matter Psychology on Wednesday 27 October at 7.30pm.
Parents and carers are also invited to an Understanding Children's Behaviour forum on Thursday 28 October at 7.30pm. The forum will provide practical strategies to support and guide children's behaviour.
On Friday 29 October, at 11.30am join Catherine from Hey Dee Ho on a musical adventure as she sings songs about all her friends in the interactive 'Let's Be Friends' concert (up to 5 years).
To close the week's entertainment and to celebrate National Grandparents Day, Amanda from Hullaballoo Music will encourage families to get up and moving in a fun and interactive musical comedy experience on Sunday 31 October at 11am. Grandparents are invited to join in and sing, dance and play!
During the week, Hobsons Bay Libraries will deliver a range of events covering all ages including Baby Play and Learn (0-12 months), Move it 4 Kids Hobsons Bay: Children's Week concert (up to 6 years), and Creative Kids Club (5-12 years).
There will also be pre-recorded events and activities available from Saturday 23 October including science experiments, water safety, and a puppetry workshop with the Trash Puppets to guide you through making your very own trash pet puppet!
This Children's Week event is presented in partnership with the Victorian Government.
For the full program and to book events visit, www.hobsonsbay.vic.gov.au/childrensweek or contact 1300 179 944.
All events are free however, bookings are essential.
Quotes attributable to Mayor of Hobsons Bay Cr Jonathon Marsden
"In partnership with the state government, Hobsons Bay has supported Children's Week for 15 years. The theme for this year's Children's Week is friendship and while we haven't been able to hug or spend as much time as we like with our friends, there are many ways we can teach our children how to remotely show love and care.
"The online arts classes for Children's Week teach children how to express what friendship means to them and all of the Children's Week activities are interactive. Reach out to other parents and book a couple of the same activities—your kids might even make new connections and friends."
