Children’s Week starts this weekend with free events for families across Victoria
From cooking demonstrations in Dandenong to drumming in Geelong, 164 not-for-profit groups are running free activities from 24 October to 1 November.
Children’s Week runs from Saturday 24 October to Sunday 1 November, with free activities for children and families across Victoria.
Minister for Children Lizzie Blandthorn announced grants totalling $152,600, shared by 164 not-for-profit organisations to run Children’s Week events.
What’s on
Activities range from sport, cooking demonstrations and interactive drumming sessions to dance performances and traditional craft-making. The events are free and are hosted by not-for-profit groups, libraries and community groups.
This year’s grant recipients include:
- Nourish Nation Foundation: cultural cooking demonstrations and activities in Dandenong
- Bluebird Foundation: interactive drumming, songs and movement, led by One Spirit Africa, in Geelong
- Malaysia-Singapore Sikh Association: Sikh and Punjabi festivities through dance, music, storytelling and cultural activities in Werribee
- Thai Education Centre of Victoria: Thai culture through craft, traditional games, language, food, music and dance in Ballarat
This year’s theme
The theme is “Children have the right to use their own language, celebrate their culture and practise their religion”, based on Article 30 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.
Last year, 29,500 children and families took part in 240 Children’s Week events supported by the Victorian Government.
Find an event
Events across the state are listed at vic.gov.au/childrens-week.
Adapted from “Free Family Fun For Children’s Week In 2026”, Victorian Government media release, 23 October 2026. © Copyright State Government of Victoria, used under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence; this version has been edited and shortened. Illustrations: The Dosage.