By Clair Morton
Published: Wednesday, May 15, 2019
Children always want to grow up so fast, until they do. The DreamBIG Children’s Festival, from 22 May – 1 June, celebrates little peoples' big ideas through performance, exhibitions and events. Even better, there are plenty of free events the whole family can get involved in. Here’s our top 5.
The Boy Who Loved Tiny Things
22-26 May (bookings required)
The Armoury, South Australian Museum
This free, interactive theatre performance is all about taking time out to appreciate the little things. Armed with magnifying glasses and light, children will get to exercise their imaginations in the space, and even create their own tiny things to add to the performance’s collection.
Guru Dudu’s silent disco walking tour
22-31 May (2-3 performances a day)
Dunstan Playhouse foyer
If you’ve been on the streets of Adelaide during the Fringe Festival, you’ll know what silent disco tours are all about – the only difference is that children take centre stage here. There’ll be interpretive dancing, flash mob routines and heaps of fun for the whole family.
Firefly Forest
Open 10am–3pm, 22 May – 1 June
Adelaide Festival Centre
The Banquet Room of the Adelaide Festival Centre will be transformed into a thing of wonder this month as Firefly Forest, an immersive magical lighting installation, takes over the space.
Sit beneath it and be transported to another place, as the fireflies leave swirling trails of ember light above.
Big Family Weekend
25-26 May
Adelaide CBD
If you want to cram as much into your DreamBIG experience as possible, this is the weekend to do it. From weaving workshops to family yoga and 10 minute dance parties, there are more than 25 free events and activities on offer across the weekend for children of all ages. Theatres, galleries, museums, universities, libraries, and gardens across the Adelaide CBD will be filled with hundreds of children and big ideas.
Top tips: Look out for the RAA Rangers as you make your way through the activities. Download the Big Family Weekend adventure map to plan your weekend.
Of All the People in All the World
22-26 May, 28-31 May
Drill hall, Torrens Parade Ground
Have you ever wondered just how many people have walked on the moon, or how many people are born each day? Have you ever thought about what they’d look like as grains of rice?
This child-friendly but thought-provoking exhibition does just that – using grains of rice to represent statistics such as birth and death rates, and populations of towns and cities.
