This Perth Life

Dinosaurs Alive!!!

This sounds great and me and my two boys will certainly be visiting this new exhibition in the next couple of weeks...have to say we love the museum and the regular exhibitions have all been great.

The Western Australian Museum has an educative and fun-filled exhibition featuring robotic dinosaurs. It takes visitors along the 165-million-year journey of the Age of Dinosaurs.

You'll be able to marvel and learn about seven dinosaurs on display as you walk through the exhibition. You'll be seeing a Tyrannosaurus rex, Velociraptor, Stegosaurus, Apatosaurus, Allosaurus, Iguanodon and Triceratops in motion. The exhibition presents more wonderful learning opportunities with informative panels on climate change, flora and fauna, fossils, extinction theories, endangered species and Australian dinosaurs placed throughout the space.

There's also a shop with books, toys and a range of useful and educative dinosaur related products.

It takes about an hour to experience the whole exhibition but there is no time limit.

You can see DINOSAURS ALIVE! until 7th March 2010, admission fees apply.

For more information go to www.dinosaursalive.tv

Time Out with Yoga

Now this sounds like a little bit of heaven.

Monkey Bars, that wonderful child play place in Canning Vale, have now got Yoga sessions going on where they will look after your kids whilst you have a yoga class. How lovely and relaxing must that be?

They have two different sessions, one for Mums to be with Antenatal Yoga and one Just for Mums with the aformentioned child care thrown in.

If you fancy having a yoga session take a look at www.monkeybars.com.au so far the mums are looooving it.

Autumn School Holidays 2009

Once again this term has swished along and we're nearly at the first school holidays of the year.

Coming from England where the scheduling of many of the school holidays have a religious connotation (Easter, Whitsun, Christmas) it was a little strange to get here and find that it doesn't work that way. If Easter, for instance, happens to be in April then the school hols fit around it but if, like last year, it is early and in March then the holidays are nowhere near it. So I've started to call the holidays in April either the April school holidays or the Autumn school holidays and am trying to leave the word Easter out of it.

Enough of me whittering on, I started to write this to say that, with the holidays coming up, why don't you check out your local library for activities to interest the kids.

I know that my local libraries of Joondalup, Whitfords, Duncraig etc are having a space theme and that eldest son would love the hour and a half of "Jedi Training" for instance so I'm probably going to hop into their website and book him in after I've finished this sentence.

Anyway, if you're at a loose end (and not one of the mass exodus going up north for the holidays. I swear this year almost the whole of eldest son's school seem to be going to Shark Bay, Coral Bay or Exmouth) check out your local library but do it NOW because I know from experience that places go ever so fast.

Cbeebies Excitement!

Cbeebies cover
Originally uploaded by hahaharley.

Cbeebies are arriving on Foxtel on 1st November which is causing great excitement all over the place apparently, it's been the talk of the playground at my son's school for their younger siblings in particular.

In our house, we're hoping that "In the Night Garden" will actually be on at the time it was designed for, ie just before bed. And I've been wondering whether eldest son will remember any of the programmes from when he was much younger.

Youngest son hasn't a clue about what's going on but as long as there's the odd Thomas the Tank Engine and Bob the Builder, he'll be very happy.

Monkey Bars for Your Little Monkeys

For The Kids
Originally uploaded by thisperthlife.

Now this sounds good for all you parents who have young 'uns.

At first glance you think that it's another indoor play centre but you'd be wrong.

Monkey Bars is a new concept for play based learning and for anyone around the Canning Vale area it's just on your doorstep!

They welcome all kids aged from just 4 weeks to 4 years in their play and learn classes and there's even yoga for 2 to 5 year olds and a junior gym for the 5 plus age group with, I have to say, very competitive rates (I'm comparing their prices with swimming classes and they work much the same way where you pay by the term).

It opens on July 21st 2008 and they're taking enrolments right now so I'd be quick if I were you!

One question for the owners though - when will one arrive north of the River for all us "northerners"?!

Celebrate Easter at Lakelands Private Estate in Mandurah

Mandurah
Originally uploaded by thisperthlife.

It seems that Lakelands is going to be the perfect location for families to celebrate Easter!

Located on Catalina Drive, just off Mandurah Road, the recently opened Lakelands Private Estate builders display village will host two family fun days over the Easter long-weekend this Saturday and Sunday, March 22 and 23, and everyone is invited to come along!

Celebrate Easter with Mr Thumbles the Magician, the Larrikins Trio, Peppermint Jazz, Beardy’s Bouncy Castle, horse carts and face painters with the big Easter events taking place on Saturday with the Lakelands Bunny Hunt and on Sunday, a traditional Easter Egg Hunt.

Its family fun for all in Lakelands this Easter. Come and discover it for yourself!

For more information contact Lakelands Private Estate Sales Manager Francis Tas on (08) 9581 8835 or visit the Sales Office located on Catalina Drive, off Fremantle Road, Lakelands (Mandurah, Western Australia).

Scitech Toddler Week

Scitech Discovery Room
Originally uploaded by thisperthlife.

Scitech Toddler Week (18 to 22 February 2008) will have a load of entertaining science activities on offer to inspire and educate including play-dough, patting animals, blowing bubbles and a puppet show.

During the week you can help your toddler connect with science by playing with Scitech's interactive floor displays, including Discoverland and the new feature exhibition Amazing Backyard Adventures.

Informative talks will also be given throughout the day about children's brain development, behaviour management, what's in the food we are feeding our children, child safety, SIDS and more.

Don't miss out on this special program which is at Scitech for one week only. Let science arouse your toddler's interest and educate them about the world around them.

For more information on Toddler Week click here.

Christmas Nativity

Forrest Place Tree
Originally uploaded by Greg Kiossev.

Now this is something that you wouldn't see in the multi-cultural ultra politically correct UK! But I'm very pleased to be able to say that Australia is proud to be a christian country and as such has no qualms about offending anyone by putting on a Christmas nativity play.

The Christmas Nativity has become an annual fixture in Perth's Christmas calendar and is designed to entertain the entire family while faithfully telling the biblical Christmas story.

The 2007 Christmas Nativity combines a wide range of theatrical elements including the use of real sheep, camels and other animals!

Staged over three nights on December 19th, 20th and 21st, you can bring the family in to the City by catching the Santa Train along your nearest railway line (please stay tuned for details).

2007 Christmas Pageant

Post Office in Forrest Place Christmas Lights
Originally uploaded by thisperthlife.

The RAC Channel 7 Christmas Pageant has been going since 1972 and this year is no exception.

Led by the City Of Perth Band, this major event will feature approximately 14 bands, 40 floats and wheel sets, multi-cultural groups, clowns, camels, dogs, fairies, dancing groups and a cast of 2,500. The length of the parade is 2.2 kilometres and has over 100,000 lights.

The pageant is on Saturday 8 December 2007 at 8.30pm, click here for more details.

Christmas Lights Are Go

Christmas Tree In Forrest Place
Originally uploaded by thisperthlife.

The great Christmas Lights switch on in Perth happens this Friday night, 9 November 2007, at Forrest Place.

Starting at 7pm with a free Family Concert, the Christmas Lights will be switched on by Santa. At the same time, the Bethlehem Star will be switched on at Swan Bells down by Barrack St Jetty.