Little in Canberra is now on Facebook!

Little in Canberra is taking a hiatus from blogging to trial having a Facebook page instead.

Find us here, like our page and receive updates in your newsfeed about events and activities and other fun for your little ones.

Hint: After you like our page, hover over the "Liked" button under our banner at the top of the page and make sure the "Show in News Feed" has a tick next to it. 

Swimming at the airport

Has anyone not discovered Kings pool at Majura? It's a purpose built swimming centre that holds swimming lessons for little ones, and no-so-little ones, as well as Aquacise for adults (though if you ask me, doing a swimming lesson with a baby is enough aquacise for anyone!).

The pools are warm, the air is warm, the showers are (usually) warm, the staff and teachers are friendly and supportive, it's clean and bright and there's heaps of space to get changed and get your baby or toddler or preschooler changed. Their swimming lessons begin from 6 months of age (with baby play sessions from 3 months of age) and run through until your child is a completely independent swimmer.

Not convinced? It's really easy to park, you can watch planes taking off and Majura Woolies across the carpark is the best supermarket I've ever been to, so you can combine swimming with grocery shopping if the logistics of taking little ones swimming is not enough exercise to kill you.

Still not convinced? They do free trial classes . . .

Baby karaoke

Here's something to do on a rainy day or with a cranky baby who just wants to be held and entertained: baby karaoke on the Raising Children Network parenting website. 

Baby karaoke is a gorgeous set of animated children's songs to watch and sing along to - the words are right there on the screen. There's even an iPhone app to download, so you can keep your little one entertained on the go.

The rest of the website has some useful info on parenting, including my favourite: parenting in pictures.

Disney classics at the movies

Greater Union in Manuka is currently showing a series of Disney animated classics which you might remember from your own childhood, like Dumbo and Bambi. All tickets are $8.

The sessions are on Saturdays and Sundays at 10.30am and 2pm. Find out more here and check out the session times here.

If your little one is too little for the movies, you might like to see one yourself at a Babes In Arms session. These are held on Wednesday mornings at 10am or 10.30am and cost $8.50. See the upcoming schedule here.

Weston Park train and sensory playground

Since 1971, Canberra children have been chuffing around on the miniature train in Weston Park. I took my three-year-old there today and he told me that he didn't want to go on it and "maybe next time" when I protested that I did.

Instead we played at the fabulous sensory playground across the lane which has a water play area and musical instruments built into it.

Nevertheless, the train is a big a hit with most children. They do children's parties and can be booked by play groups and child care centres for excursions. The surrounding area is very popular for family picnics and BBQs. (There are toilets, including ones with good disabled access.)

Find the train and cafe opening times here.

Weston Park is at the lake end of Banks St in Yarralumla. View a map of the park showing where to find the train.

The bus wash

If your child loves buses, you might like to suggest the bus wash to your childcare centre or preschool. 

ACTION provides free excursions to childcare centres and preschools. They take the kids on a bus ride, through a bus depot and then through a bus wash. 

It sounds like the ultimate in fun and adventure if you are three years old!

Art tours for babies and toddlers

The National Gallery of Art runs two different art tours for littles:

• A Little Look at Art, for babies to two-year-olds
• Art and Me, for two- and three-year-olds

 

We've been on one of these tours and thought it was fantastic. My then two-year-old seemed to get a lot out of it and I was surprised by the great drawing he did there.

 

See here for upcoming dates in April, May and June. Tours cost $12, or $10 if you're a member of the gallery. Prams are allowed in the gallery and they have baby change rooms. See here for directions and parking.

 

For outdoor fun nearby, see this post on fountains. 

SouthCare helicopter base open day, 1 April 2012

Some signs have sprouted by Canberra roadsides advertising the Snowy Hydro SouthCare base open day on Sunday 1 April 2012 from 10am to 3pm.

The open day is a little cryptic - here's all I can find about it. But it's a helicopter, it's sure to be wonderful for little ones. If you want to get them in the mood and are super-organised like me (just kidding!), you can download a colouring sheet from the bottom of this page (but note the competition has closed).

In keeping with being cryptic, I'm not even exactly sure where the base is. But SouthCare's contact page gives an address.

Photo borrowed from SouthCare's website - thanks!

Hot Air Balloons, until 18 March 2012

If your kids naturally wake before dawn, you may as well do something fun! 

The Canberra Festival Balloon Spectacular is on every day until Sunday 18 March 2012.

Each morning from 6am, dozens of balloons - including two shaped like kangaroos - will float off from the lawns of Old Parliament House. Since most babies and toddlers love balloons, this should be a real treat for them.

At the bottom of this page are links to Facebook and Twitter updates as the event is weather-dependent. Happy ballooning! 

Fun at the library

Here are some things - aside from books and fun places to play - that Canberra's public libraries offer:

• Bookstart - a free book and library bag for Canberra babies
• Giggle and Wiggle - rhymes, songs and stories for under threes, held at various libraries around Canberra during term times
• Story Time - for three- to five-year-olds, held at various libraries around Canberra during term times
• from 13 to 30 March 2012, an exhibition based on Are We There Yet? by Alison Lester will be held at Civic Library and will include fun activities for children.

Library locations and opening times.

Sculpture Garden Sunday, Sunday 4 March 2012

Every year in March the National Gallery of Australia holds a day of arty activities for little ones in the Sculpture Garden on the lake side of the gallery.

The activities are suitable for even the littlest toddlers. In previous years we (or just I depending on the level of cooperation of my toddler) have:

• created a collage
• painted a masterpiece
• washed some baby dolls in little baby baths
• drawn with crayons
• stuck clay on a life-size sculpture of a man
• won a t-shirt for Daddy
• made a crazy hat.

Sculpture Garden Sunday is Sunday 4 March 2012 from 10.30am to 1.30pm. Here's how to get there and where to park. Get there early, it's extremely popular!

If, as happened to me last year, your toddler should decide that creating art is not for him that day, here are some other things to do at the gallery:

• have your photo taken with the pears on the other side of the gallery
• find the secret fern garden
• check out the new Play exhibition in the Children's Gallery. 

Canberra Show, 26-28 February 2012

I am not into fairy floss or side shows and I'd prefer if my children never found out about their existence. Taking them to a show is risky. But there is actually a lot for littles at the Canberra Show. I recommend: 

• the milking demonstration
• the petting zoo and farmyard nursery
• the cow, sheep and alpaca sheds 
• the parade of cows who have won ribbons
• the dogs - near the dog show ring you can find fly ball, which is great for babies who like balls and dogs, and the agility, which is like Gymbaroo for dogs
• the Australian Breastfeeding Association's baby feed and change room, which has friendly volunteers to pass you wipes and a place for toddlers to play. 

 

Here's the program, the show hours, and how to get there. Tickets are $22 for adults and free for children under six.  

Elmo's World Tour, 18-19 May 2012

Before I had children, I used to find Elmo quite irritating. But I now find him quite endearing, which could be because a fluffy toy Elmo helps my toddler go to bed each night.

 

Elmo's World Tour - featuring Elmo and lots of his friends from Sesame Street - will be stopping by Canberra on Friday 18 and Saturday 19 May 2012. The concert will be playing at Canberra Theatre and you can book your tickets here.

 

World's Biggest Playgroup 28/03/12

To celebrate National Playgroup Week, ACT Playgroups is holding a World's Biggest Playgroup from 9.45am to 11.45am on Wednesday 28 March 2012 at Wakefield Gardens in Ainslie, which is behind Ainslie Shops. There will be many fantastic activities for little guys.

The event is suitable for babies to five-year-olds.

Parking optimists and early birds might like to look for a spot at Ainslie Shops, otherwise park in a nearby street and walk.

N.B. This event incorporates Paint and Play, which is usually held at this time and place. 

Crace Carnival tomorrow!

In news just in, Crace in Gungahlin is having a pirate themed carnival from 4.30pm tomorrow, Saturday 18 February 2012. And everything appears to be free. Find out more here.

Places to go with your mothers' group - part one

This post is for mothers of babies who are still in the cafe-friendly pre-crawling stage. Here are three places to go, user tested for parking, pram access, pram space at the table, yummy food and change facilities should your baby have a poo incident.

1. The Terrace, Australian War Memorial
This cafe is to the right as you face the War Memorial. Enter off Fairbairn Avenue, park underground at the far end of the car park, wheel your baby up the ramp and there you are. There is HEAPS of space for prams indoors and out, the food is great and well-priced and the service is fantastic. The disabled toiled has a fold down change table.
Note the cafe is changing hands and will be closed on 28 February.

2. Adore Tea, Gold Creek
Adore Tea does tea and sweet treats and is lovely. It has plenty of seats and pram space outdoors, but indoors is a different story, so it's not the best winter destination for mothers' groups. And don't even think about sitting indoors if you have a toddler with you. If you park behind Cockington Green, you can drive almost up to the door. There is a change table within one of the toilet cubicles in the ladies' toilets.

3. Cheeryseed, Gold Creek
This cafe sells exquisite cupcakes. It's tiny on the inside, but on a warm day it's lovely to picnic outside. They lend out picnic rugs. Parking is very close, turn into the gravel driveway on the left of The Chapel.

Fireman Sam in Canberra on Thursday!!!

Not sold on theAustralia Day train to Bungendore? Go to a free Fireman Sam concert instead!

Haven't heard of Fireman Sam? Head over to iview immediately and watch an episode . . .

The Fireman Sam concert is part of the ACT Government's activities for Australia Day. It's on at 8am, 9am and 11.15am, with a meet and greet at 10am. I'm so excited! Fireman Sam is my hero!

Australia Day in the Park will be held at Rond Terraces, Lake Burley Griffin. Here's how to get there.

Toot! Toot! It's the Australia Day train to Bungendore!

Who doesn't love trains! This Thursday you can take a vintage train from Canberra to Bungendore. It looks like it's a diesel train, not a steam train, but at least you won't get soot in your eyes when you look out the window. And you can book an Edwardian carriage and pretend to be your great grandmother.

It's a five-hour adventure, so might be a recipe for exhaustion for littles, or it might be a fun outing in Bungendore sandwiched by exiting train rides. And children under four are free, so how bad can it be?

The train departs from Canberra Station at 10.30am and you absolutely must book. Find out more here.

Honk if you love ducks!

My toddler picked up a flyer today with some ducks on it and said "I like ducks!"

It turned out to be a flyer for Honk! a musical by Ickle Pickle Productions based on the story of the ugly duckling.

It's suitable for all ages and is on this week and next at Belconnen Theatre. Find info and booking details here.

Snakes Alive!

Little Canberrans who like snakes can get close to some next week at the Botanic Gardens.

 

Snakes Alive is on from Monday 23 to Sunday 29 January 2012, from 10am to 4pm on the weekdays and 10am to 6pm on the weekend. The snakes will be fed at 11am and 2pm on weekdays and at 11am and 4pm on the weekend. 

 

It costs $2 for children and $5 for adults and the money supports research. 

 

Find out how to get there and where to park - take coins for parking. Then head to the Crosbie Morrison building to see the snakes.

Creation Station at the National Film and Sound Archive

I've posted about this before - it's fantastic.

Creation Station is on again the week of 30 January 2012. The theme is musical instruments.

Check it out here.

Holiday fun at the libraries

Most holiday fun seems to be for the over fives, but the ACT Libraries have a few things on for littles:

• "Read Light, Sleep Tight" is on at Dickson Library each Friday in January at 7pm for half an hour, featuring bedtime songs and stories.
• The "Going ballistics science show" is suitable for all ages and is on at Gungahlin Library TOMORROW Tuesday 10 January from 10.30am to 11am and later the same day at Tuggeranong Library from 2pm to 2.30pm. (The website does say this is fully booked, but I daresay they won't be checking tickets.)
• For parents of babies to six-year-olds, a session on understanding "Music and Early Literacy" is on at Gungahlin Library on Wednesday 25 January from 10.30am to 11.30am. You can take your little one along.