Best cultural experiences for kids in Lake Mac
Published on 22 November 2023
Are you raising a budding artist? Or perhaps you’re keen to encourage the kids to take a break from their screens and get creative. Either way, Lake Mac has plenty of kid-friendly cultural experiences to delight each family member.
The newest addition to the exciting Lake Arts Precinct, the unusual cube shape and interactive experiences at the Multi Arts Pavilion, mima (MAP mima) are sure to appeal to creative young minds. Check out the incredible variety of multi-media exhibitions, and explore the building’s outdoor interactive soundscape (tiny movement activated speakers), read the morse code built into the bricks, climb and discover the new Lady of Lake sculpture by renowned artist Sanne Mestrom, or book into a fun-filled school holiday activity.
This summer’s beautiful and bizarre interactive show by Joel Zika will immerse you in a Valley of a Thousand Plants. See the exhibition during Press Play, a weekend of art, workshops, music and dancing held in February. The festival celebrates the end of summer and includes a kids’ disco and food trucks for a fun family night out.
Also in February is a Family Immersive Disco to coincide with the 2024 Australian Deaf Games. This all-inclusive dance-off features visual projections and night markets as part of the regular summer-long Friday Night Foodies. In April, Dreaming Alice with Whale Chorus is a performance inspired by Alice in Wonderland that uses interactive theatre to explore this iconic story.
Every Sunday, ARTSPACE at the Museum of Art and Culture, yapang (MAC yapang) offers free art activities for kids that are guided by knowledgeable art museum educators. The 10am and 11am sessions are popular so make sure you book to avoid missing out. Explore MAC yapang’s 15 outdoor sculptures and pick up a Sculpture Park activity for families at the information desk anytime, or download a copy from the website.
Join an impressive MAC Holiday Workshop in January and try your hand at the art of Printmaking, or experiment with different materials and forms to create an off-beat Abstract Wall Sculpture.
Renowned for their exceedingly high-energy and interactive performances, the Hot Potato Band Family Concert is set to blow the roof off in April at Rathmines Theatre, nawayiba. This massively fun brass collective will perform two sessions at 11am and 1pm. Keep an eye on the program at Warners Bay Theatre, baramayiba for more live performances that appeal to the whole family.
For family movie buffs, relive the excitement of Star Wars, Raiders of the Lost Ark and Jurassic Park as you hear the famous soundtracks performed by the Lake Macquarie Philharmonic Orchestra in a concert Celebrating 70 Years of John Williams in November.
History Kids is an exciting new program launching at the Sugar Valley Library Museum, kirantakamyari in 2024 where kids can engage with history through fun and interactive tours. Held over a variety of dates, workshops include Night at the Library Museum, Portraits of Water for Kids and Eat Your History.
Who’s the ultimate Lego master in your house? Find out at one of the regular Lego Builders sessions held at SEEN@Swansea. Or create your own art project inspired by a current exhibit at the Art Play workshops, held on the last Saturday of each month.
Head to the Wangi Library Creative Hub, wanji wanji for Big Draw, a fantastic community project that invites you to sketch a postcard based on this year's theme, Drawing the Senses. Postcards are collected and exhibited during the summer school holidays, then stamped and sent to a loved one after the exhibition. While you’re at the hub, enjoy some peace and quiet with Mindful Colouring. Choose a Lake Mac kids colouring page, bring your own book, or participate in the communal colouring.
Plan your next cultural day out with the family by downloading a copy of the 2024 Arts Guide. Become a Lake Mac Arts member to enjoy special discounts, VIP invitations and complimentary tickets, while supporting the city’s vibrant arts scene.
Images:
Top: Motherload at MAP mima, 2022
Second from top: James Price Wildlife 2023. Installation view from Press Play 2023 Multi-Arts Pavilion, mima. Courtesy MAP mima.
Second from bottom: ARTSPACE at MAC yapang
Bottom: History Kids at Sugar Valley Library Museum