Like you, I’m deep in summer holiday mode at the moment - so it’s been a week of movies, board games, water parks and tennis action at Tot HQ.
And while I’m absolutely all about helping you make plans for family fun, here’s a little reminder that the best moments aren't necessarily the biggest ones - they're the spontaneous park visits, the ice cream stops, the "let's just see where this takes us" afternoons.
So here’s what we’ll bringing into 2026:
More ideas, resources, and opportunities to help you make happy memories from each moment - from creative play ideas to food finds, shopping discoveries, and travel inspiration.
Because making family life feel a bit easier (and a lot more fun) is genuinely what I'm here for.
Speaking of making plans easier...our Summer School Holidays Guide for January 2026 is live! It's your complete roundup of what's happening across Melbourne this month, so you can mix the planned adventures with those perfect spontaneous moments.
What about you, Reader? What are you wanting this year to bring?
P.S. Mark your calendars for Saturday 31 January — we're bringing Footscray Flow Lab to Byron Plaza with our friends at Scienceplay Kids! Children can design their own water-flow systems using recycled materials, and it's all completely free. The event is drop-in friendly, but pre-registering now means you skip the queue on the day.
Top Picks
Circus Centre Melbourne Open Day (Saturday 17 January) Try aerials, juggling, tumbling, and more at the Flying Fruit Fly Circus's new Melbourne home, with drop-in circus activities for all ages and abilities. Collingwood
Tinkerbell and the Dream Fairies (Saturday 17 January) Join Tinkerbell on a magical outdoor adventure to Bubble Land featuring songs, dancing, and fairy fun with the Australian Shakespeare Company. Mount Martha
Sandown Revival Motoring Festival (Saturday 17 - Sunday 18 January) Experience classic cars, Hot Wheels stunts, free laser tag, dodgem cars, and non-stop family entertainment at Melbourne's newest high-energy motoring event. Springvale
Summer Sundays at Aquanation (Sunday 18 January) Dive into free family fun with pool inflatables, games, Giant Connect Four, public dive pool access, plus food trucks and BBQ. Ringwood
St Albans Lunar Festival (Sunday 18 January) Celebrate cultural diversity with thousands of festival-goers enjoying food, entertainment, and the signature fireworks finale on Alfrieda Street. St Albans
Youth Hub Summer Activities (Mondays - Saturdays until 24 January) Teens aged 10-17 can enjoy free activities, video games, pool tables, art supplies, and food at three youth hubs across the peninsula. Hastings, Rosebud + Mornington
Ten Thousand Hours (Tuesdays - Sundays until 25 January) Watch eight world-class acrobats compress 10,000 hours of practice into 60 electrifying minutes of gravity-defying stunts, flawless execution, and nail-biting recoveries. Melbourne CBD
Melbourne Museum Summer School Holidays (Daily until Sunday 25 January) Discover Vikings, LEGO® Star Wars™, hands-on workshops, and Our Wondrous Planet exhibition across multiple galleries of family-friendly adventures. Carlton
RoboThespian Performance (Thursdays + Sundays until 29 January) Catch this theatrical robot's rare performances featuring Shakespeare soliloquies, movie scenes, and vintage musical numbers in exclusive 10-minute shows. Hawthorn
DIVA (Daily until Sunday 26 April) Explore over 250 stunning pieces celebrating iconic performers from Madonna and Lady Gaga to Kylie Minogue in this dazzling exhibition of show-stopping costumes, jewellery, and art. Southbank
We're teaming up with Scienceplay Kids to bring hands-on STEM challenges to Footscray this summer. Free water play, engineering experiments, and sustainability lessons all rolled into one.
Whether you're chasing xiao long bao or simple pork dumplings the kids will actually eat, this guide covers every corner of Melbourne's dumpling scene.
Just an hour from Melbourne, the Blue Lotus Water Garden in Yarra Junction blooms with thousands of floating water lilies and lotus flowers. Kids under 16 enter free until 21 April.