Hi Reader

Children’s Week kicks off this Saturday, and it might be one of my favourite things on the calendar.

It’s a nine-day celebration of what kids can do, what they’re good at and what they deserve, and this year’s theme is every child’s right to their own language, culture and religion.

Events are free for families with kids up to 12, and the official Children’s Week website has a map and a full list to help you find one near you. Councils, community groups, schools and early childhood services are running them, so there’s often something close to home.

I’d love to hear what your kids are into right now, the proud, quirky, slightly obsessive stuff. Hit reply and tell me about one thing.

Joyce xx

🌟 Featured Event

​Djerriwarrh Festival 2026 (Saturday 7 Nov) Free family festival on High Street from 2pm to 9pm, with giant bubbles, circus, live music, 20-plus food vendors and fireworks. 📍⁠Melton

🗓️ Melbourne CBD ➝ More CBD picks

​Festival Indonesia (Saturday 24 Oct) A free day of Indonesian food, music and dance, with hands-on workshops for kids in fan painting, crafts and angklung. 📍⁠CBD

​Melbourne International Jazz (Daily until Sunday 25 Oct) It’s the final weekend of Australia’s biggest jazz festival, with live music at Hamer Hall and venues across the city. 📍⁠Southbank

🗓️ Melbourne NORTH ➝ More north-side picks ​

​Bendigo Agricultural Show (Friday 23 – Saturday 24 Oct) Rides, competitions and kids’ activities, plus a fireworks display, at Bendigo’s annual spring show. 📍⁠North Bendigo

​Convent Sounds – Outdoor Brass Concert (Sunday 25 Oct) Bring a picnic rug for live brass from MSO and ANAM musicians on the Heritage Gardens lawn, free for under 18s with a ticket. 📍⁠Abbotsford

🗓️ Melbourne SOUTH ➝ More south-side picks ​

​Melbourne Sculpture Biennale 2026: Soft Systems (Daily until Sunday 25 Oct) It’s the final weekend to see 20 artists’ sculptural installations take over the heritage Billilla Mansion. 📍⁠Brighton

​Luna Dark: Day Sessions (Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 Oct) A family-friendly Halloween day at Luna Park with unlimited rides, the Elk Puppets show, face painting and a costume competition, minus the night-time scares. 📍⁠St Kilda

🗓️ Melbourne EAST ➝ More east-side picks ​

​LEGOLAND Discovery Centre Sensory Sessions (Saturday 24 Oct) A calmer LEGOLAND evening with reduced sound and light and trained staff, for sensory-sensitive kids and adults. 📍⁠Chadstone

​Ashburton Village Pumpkin Hunt (Saturday 24 Oct) Dress up, find the pumpkins in the village shop windows and swap your form for a Giant Halloween Freckle. Free, no registration needed. 📍⁠Ashburton

🗓️ Melbourne WEST ➝ More west-side picks ​

​Jazz at the Stables (Saturday 24 Oct) Bring a picnic rug for a free afternoon of jazz and a guided Sound Walk at the heritage stables, suitable for all ages. 📍⁠Flemington

​Melbourne’s Halloween Fest 2026 (Saturday 24 – Sunday 25 Oct) Trick or treating, magic and reptile shows, pony rides and jumping castles. Prices range from free to $28. 📍⁠Tarneit