For those unaware, in the Eastern suburbs of Melbourne lies a very magical hub / house of classes and activities run by True Fairies. Among the many fairy parties (and other magical creatures like mermaids and wizards) hosted on the weekends (and midweek for the smallest of fairies), True Fairies have captured the attention of many families in the area by offering classes / experiences in all kinds of fairy activities and other early learning activities. Think music, yoga, dance, nature play, craft time and even fairy tea (my inner child is totally jealous!) Most of these experiences are aimed at 2-5 year olds, however some (like the music class) accept up to 6 year olds / have a wider age range.

My toddler, A, turns 2 in June and we did experience a music for babies session at the same venue when she was under one. I know my little one enjoys music so for Term 1 this year I decided to enrol A into Miss Green’s music class, which runs on Wednesday and/or Friday mornings. Miss Green herself always takes time at the start of the class to greet each of her little students, often kneeling down to their level. She also ensures that her hair looks the same (and is a magnificent shade of green) so that all her little students will come to know her over time / so it is less confusing for them. Miss Green has a welcoming presence, a gentle personality and a calm, happy nature. Miss Green takes time to interact with the class, and comments on students’ activity levels. With quieter students, Miss Green often sends them shy smiles and thanks them for helping to pack away musical items. Each student is able to participate as much or as little as they want to during the class, and each departs the class with a smile and a special memento from Miss Green.

While A doesn’t exactly launch herself into the room each week, she has come to know why we visit that room (and Miss Green) and by the end of the class she’s often on her feet and smiling / looking relaxed and happy. With most of term 1 now finished, I’ll definitely be enrolling A for term 2 of Miss Green’s music class.

There are many things that A and I enjoy about this class, but the standout benefits / highlights are:

– there’s no pressure to participate! Little ones are encouraged to participate as little or as much as they feel. Musical items are handed out for little ones to enjoy, however there’s no pressure to stand and dance or do actions during a song. Often, A will sit in my lap and shake a shaker or occasionally move her tambourine. At other times, I’ll be madly shaking the tambourine for her.

– The class sizes are small and capped at 10 participants. Most weeks, there are an average of 8 children in the class (each accompanied by a caregiver of course) which is a perfect amount of people for the room the class is held in. It doesn’t feel crowded / like too many people are crammed in the one space.

– While A isn’t currently in daycare it’s a great outlet for her to interact with and see her peers. Many of the attendees appear to be between 1.5 and 4 years old in our class, though the average age of class attendees will vary per class. For children not in structured daycare, this class is a fantastic opportunity for children to interact with their peers and enjoy an activity together. Also gets caregivers out of the house too!

For those in daycare, this is a good outing to break up a day at home / an opportunity to hone in on an activity that daycare may not cover / may not have time for.

– It’s cost effective at $15 per class as a casual attendee or a term of 10 classes for $100. I’m sure everyone is currently feeling the pinch of the economy, between soaring interest rates and our dollar providing way less value at supermarkets (not to mention the current price of nappies and baby supplies!!) Prior to commencing this class, I researched other local music based offerings and many of the classes had an average cost at $20 to $25 per class with some requesting that caregivers purchase an instrument set to use in the class (or even a t-shirt / class outfit etc). So if you’d after a cost effective local activity in the East, then True Fairies have you covered. In fact, many of True Fairies’ toddler classes are priced around $15 per class / $150 a term which is great value for our family outing budget.

In addition to all of the above, the True Fairies’ house (Moonlight Manor) is set in the Wyreena Community Arts Centre, which also includes a playground and a cafe. Having a place for coffee nearby is a must for me, and A simply won’t let us leave the area after music class with a quick (or not so quick) visit to the playground.

For further information (and a full calendar of children’s class offerings) check out the True Fairies website.
With term 2 commencing in late April (after Easter), if you’re thinking about a new activity for your little one next term now’s the time to start considering your options. I wouldn’t hesitate to book A in for next term’s music class (or any other class run by True Fairies that may take her interest in the coming years)

True Fairies also offer School Holiday activities for primary school aged children (aged 5 – 13 years), especially catering to those who’d love to be a wizard / witch and attend wizarding school! How exciting! Check out all the details here.

Hello readers, just wanted to open with a little thank you to those regular readers / those who pop by to read my posts and also a quick welcome to any new readers *waves* . From time to time here, you may see some slightly different content on this blog:
– the occasional personal piece / observation or life update
– some continued performer interviews (which appear to remain popular / are continually requested by producers and performers)

I’m excited to announce that in addition to the above, from time to time a “family focus” piece may appear here…that is, a review of a show or experience that may be toddler / child focused. Rest assured, the greater balance of reviews will still be skewed towards adult / 15+ shows with a keen eye on magic (of course!). If you don’t have special youngsters in your life (or can’t pass the relevant show review past a parent or caregiver) then feel free to breeze past those particular reviews. Around Melbourne Magic Festival time, I do have the opportunity to see more ‘family friendly’ shows, however this note specifically relates to child focused shows / experiences / classes happening outside of festivals. At this stage, I do not intend to create a separate review entity or blog for family focused content.

I also thought I’d take a moment to mention a current delay with reviews in March, which should be resolved by the end of the month! My attention this month has been taken up with some heavy family obligations within my wider family, plus a slew of ongoing dental work – yay!*

I thank everyone for their patience – both in terms of review posts and lags in correspondence times – and look forward to writing more for you all soon. Cheers, Tay.

*This point is only partially sarcastic: I have some truly wonderful dental professionals who help me take care of my teeth, and I have no fear of the dentist / generally enjoy my visits however I’ll admit that the most recent round of work I’ve had done has been especially painful (for both my mouth and hip pocket). *cue sad face*