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Winter has truly descended, but that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t step out with your family during the weekend! This week, why not take your children to the Melbourne Museum? It has a vast collection of exciting and educational experiences for young children many of which have been designed using the Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework guidelines.
The Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery
The Melbourne Museum has a special section designed for children between the ages of 0 and 5; the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery.
It has been developed with advice and inputs from museum learning experts, specialists and professionals as well as using theories from Piaget and Vygotsky. As a result, the experiences at the Gallery are child-centered and based in play and socialisation.
Programs For Little Learners
Our most recent STEM session at the Moonglade Studio led by Starting Bright was called ‘Little Beasts for Little Scientists’, which focused on insects. The science module explored questions like ‘What are insects’ and ‘What do scientists wear when studying insects’ while in the numeracy module the children practiced their numeracy skills by counting bugs.
The Melbourne Museum also has a insect focused, program which will take your child’s learning forward. The program allows children to examine real life specimens of insects and learn about concepts like classification and predictions. Hands-on programs like these allow children to develop into confident and involved learners, an approach which they will carry forward into their school years and later life.
Source: Museum Victoria
Photo: Benjamin Healley
The Dinosaur Skeletons programm is another hands-on learning experience which will turn little ones into junior paleontologists by allowing them to touch and study dinosaur fossils and casts. As they ask questions about dinosaurs, your children will develop their communication skills and their curiosity.
Children are also welcomed to the Bunjilaka Melbourne Museum which introduces them to the First Peoples of Victoria. Kinder children are taken on a special tour which teaches them about Melbourne’s history and the First Peoples. Through this tour, children will become more capable, confident learners, connect to the world around them and understand more about their own individual identities.
Of course, parents, caregivers and educators are welcome to explore the gallery and museum with their children at their own pace and take them past the Children’s Gallery. At present, the Museum is holding a ‘Vikings Beyond the Legend’ exhibition which is showcasing over 400 Viking artefacts that will fascinate both you and your child. The Melbourne Story, Phar Lap, Forest Secrets and Dynamic Earth are all excellent exhibitions to explore with children.
Source: Museum Victoria
Photo: James Geer
Facilities at the Museum
It’s no surprise, consider the focus on child-centered exhibitions and programs, that the Melbourne Museum has several facilities that make family visits more comfortable.
It has Nursing and Change areas, Highchairs at the cafe and a Pram Hire booth.
Additionally, tickets for children upto 16 are free!
Have a trip to our 3 year old kinder in Melbourne CBD and 3 year old kinder in Doncaster.
