On Thursday morning, the long-awaited day finally arrived — Gan Tamar’s excursion to the Melbourne Museum! The children arrived full of excitement and anticipation, eager to board the bus and begin their adventure. As we drove through the city, many children eagerly pointed out familiar places they had visited before. A particularly exciting moment was when our bus crossed over the Birrarung (Yarra River) as the children looked out the window and observed how brown the river appeared.

After checking in, our first stop at the museum was the Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery, where the children had voted to play before sitting down for morning tea. The gallery was bursting with energy and wonder as the children: Climbed through the rope obstacle course; danced and leapt across interactive projections, trying to pop bubbles and catch beetles; dug for dinosaur eggs in the sandpit; went on a scavenger hunt to find the hidden lizard and mouse figurines throughout the outdoor play area.

After a well-earned break for morning tea, we visited the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre, where the children continued their exploration through a cultural lens. We looked closely at traditional tools and artefacts used by Aboriginal peoples, marvelling at the ingenuity of the designs. The children were fascinated by the possum cloaks display, commenting on how soft they felt, and learned how animal fur was used to create balls for traditional games among the Aboriginal children.

A quiet, thoughtful moment followed as we gathered around the majestic Bunjil installation. The children watched in awe as Bunjil’s wings slowly moved, accompanied by ambient sounds that filled the space, inviting us to reflect and listen.

Although it wasn’t the season to see the live eels in the Milawa Garden (as they hibernate during winter), we explored a display that showed how eel traps worked, adding to our understanding of the deep knowledge Aboriginal people hold about nature and sustainability.

All too soon, it was time to say goodbye to the museum and board the bus back to Kinder. The ride home was a little quieter, with some children even having a quick nap after such a big day of discovery and fun.

We are so grateful to our wonderful parent helpers Elie (Milo’s mum) and Erez (Yarden’s dad) for joining us and supporting the children throughout the day.

It was a truly memorable excursion, rich with learning, laughter, and connection to culture.

Lisa Lu
Kindergarten Teacher