We’ve been at it again! It was the first Sunday of the month last weekend, so we headed to ACMI to enjoy the Free Family Sunday activities.
August’s theme was Winter Fantasy and Fables, so the children were excited to be getting the chance to dress up like knights and princesses! We were ready to go and rescue some damsels in distress!!
First stop for us was The Cube, where the craft and Karaoke were set up. I honestly didn’t think we were going to get chance to see anything else! Poppy loves a sing song, and was blatantly hogging the mic! Thankfully, there was plenty to colour in, so Monty had lots to do whilst his sister belted out songs from Moana, The Jungle Book, Aladdin and Frozen. Parents watched on as groups of children got up to show off their singing prowess, hollering along to hits like “Let It Go” full blast! It was fab, if not a little painful at times! Bless! We pulled the microphone from Poppy’s grip, collected up the colouring in and made our way to the Stop Motion animation stations.
‘Stop Motion is created by moving and photographing inanimate objects, such as plasticine figures, one frame at a time, to produce the illusion of life and movement.’
We all had a go at the Stop Animation last time we came to ACMI, although this week there was a different app being used and we were making a GIF. This app allowed the children to see an “onion skin” of each movement. It made it a little easier for Monty to see where his snowman had been and where best to place it for the next shot. It was fascinating to see just how easily the children could turn their little picture into a moving GIF! We were all suitably impressed. (Although Mum didn’t email the GIFs to herself correctly so we came home without the masterpieces! OOPS).
After lunch, we made our way to the green screen. The kids chose their costumes from the huge selection, and got stuck in! It was hilarious. This is an activity they love! Maybe it’s the dressing up, maybe it’s the magic of being able to see themselves on the big screen slaying a dragon. It’s so wonderful to see them so enthralled.
Free Family Sundays at ACMI just wouldn’t be as awesome as they are without the staff! A day out with the kids can be super stressful, however, every single staff member at ACMI goes above and beyond to make the day as enjoyable, interactive, educational and stress free as possible for everyone. They joined in with the singing, they showed us exactly what we were supposed to be doing with the animation, they even hopped in front of the green screen to give the kids some tips. They are friendly, kind, super with the little ones, and they really know what they’re talking about! Poppy and Monty have a new love of all things ‘animation’, they’re creating morning, noon and night, and this is all down to the magic that happens at ACMI, and the staff putting fire in their bellies!
Family time is precious, and us parents need to fill it wisely. I highly recommend you get down to ACMI and check it out!!
Free Family Sunday
ACMI Family Sundays are free monthly activity days, each with a different theme. A reliable source of family entertainment and learning, ACMI Family Sundays combines hands on activities, performance and interactive displays with celebration and learning around the moving image.
Location: ACMI, Federation Square, Flinders St, Melbourne
Date: First Sunday of every month
Cost: FREE
Web: acmi.net.au
SCHOOL HOLIDAY WORKSHOPS 24 SEPT-08 OCT
A range of animation, film making, and coding workshops for your little darlings! You have to check it out!
NEXT FREE FAMILY SUNDAY- 3rd SEPTEMBER: SMART STORIES
Let the power of your imagination take you on a journey to a world of wonder through storytelling!
Everyone has a story to tell, and ACMI’s Smart Stories Family Sunday is the chance to tell yours. Families can hear from the experts with chances to meet and greet award-winning children’s authors and illustrators on the ACMI Lightwell stage.
Audiences can learn to generate their own choose-your-own adventure narrative with Twine, and write and animate their own simple storybook adventure with hand-drawn images and iPads. The kids can discover their inner monster with ACMI’s fun and interactive storytelling sessions.
ACMI will have a craft your own comic book or graphic novel creation corner, and families can also expect to play a range of narrative based video games in ACMI’s Games Lab.
Also on at ACMI
Wallace & Gromit and Friends -The Magic of Aardman
The Wilsons of Oz 