Tiddalik the Thirsty Frog at the Melbourne Museum + Giveaway!

Product Talk by Nuffnang.
Disclaimer: This is NOT a paid sponsored post.

During the school holidays, we were given complimentary tickets to the Melbourne Museum to check out a performance featuring a Victorian aboriginal creation story, Tiddalik the Thirsty Frog. This was a live stage performance by the Bunjilaka Aboriginal Cultural Centre in collaboration with Ilbijerri Theatre Company.



I was excited! This was my first ever true taste of aboriginal storytelling. Having grown up in Malaysia, I know just very little (if anything) about the Australian history and culture. I must admit, I was nervous at the start. My own children will be starting school, and soon there will be endless questions to answer! My husband was born and bred in Australia, but he has NEVER heard of Tiddalik.....(gulp).

I packed all three kids in the car, nearly 2, nearly 4 and nearly 6 years old and explained that we were going to the museum to see Tiddalik. And as I was going to explain who and what it is all about, my nearly 6 spilled out EVERYTHING he knew about the thirsty frog. He learnt about it at kinder the year before. Now, I'm glad someone was paying attention!



Tiddalik tells the story of the Gunai people of Gippsland, Victoria. It's about a greedy frog that has drunk all the water in the land, all by himself, leaving the other animals and plants dry and withering. They needed to find a way to get the water back. It sends an important message about water conservation.


Uncle Herb played his gum leaf. There were lots of dancing, laughing and clapping.

The stage set up was bright and colourful, and the actors were so lively and engaging! The kids sat through 20 minutes of it all, with lots of laughter, dancing and clapping!

Now, if you would like to see Tiddalik, you have to be at the museum RIGHT about now. Unfortunately, today is the LAST day for the performance as part of the school holiday program. So I could not offer you a free ticket to watch Tiddalik. BUT. There are JUST SO MANY things to see and do at the Melbourne Museum. So if you would like to win a free adult pass to the Museum worth $10, (kids enter for free!) do read on.



The Melbourne Museum is one place you would bring the kids back again and again. There's just so much to do, and always too little time. Every little space has so much to explore. The dinosaur walk was one of the highlights of our trip.


Whooaahh dinosaur bones!!

The kids also checked out the dynamic earth, evolving over 600 million years in funky 3D glasses. It was such a stunning exhibition, they were immersed in the formation of the earth, and surrounded by active volcanoes!



Then it was off to the children's gallery, where there were just SO much to keep the kids entertained both inside and outside. The kids played hopscotch, hula hoops, stacked up blocks, skipped ropes and so much more. Now this is the one place you have difficulties getting your kids to leave!



It was such an enjoyable outing and I am sure we will be back for more in the near future.

Give Away – 1 Adult Entry to Melbourne Museum

Thanks to Nuffnang and the Melbourne Museum, I have an additional pass for an adult entry to the Melbourne Museum, valid until 30th of June 2012. To enter:

• Leave a comment below and tell me what kind of dinosaur you would like to be and why.
• The giveaway is open to Australian residents only.
  
• If outside of Melbourne you must be able to use the pass by 30th of June 2012.
• You may only enter once.
• Entries close at 5pm AEDST 12th Feb 2012.
• Good luck!

Fine print:

Excludes special exhibitions and events.
Not valid with any other offer. Not redeemable for cash.
Open daily 10am – 5pm (closed Good Friday)


Cost: Additional entry prices to Melbourne Museum – Adults are $10, children and concessions are free!

Mattel does 4 Way Cradle Swing n Glider

This post is sponsored by Nuffnang.



Lily Jade must be the luckiest baby girl of all times. Just after she was born, her grandparents arrived from Malaysia. She was cradled, soothed, rocked, held, sung to and talked to. And then, like most good things, it came to an end. My parents left. And I wished I had an extra 3 pairs of hands. Much to my relief, a parcel arrived in the mail from our sponsors at Nuffnang. We were so excited, the Little Lamb Cradle and Swing was such a handy little helper in our household. Lily loved it, as much as I did.

When the lovely people at Nuffnang contacted me once again, to see if I wanted to review yet another toy from Mattel, I could hardly contain my mirth and excitement! Oh yes please! And then this one arrived...

Fisher Price i-Glide Cradle and Swing.



So we have been spoilt by the option of swinging from left to right, front to back on left and front to back on right. And now, we have even more choices! The i-Glide is more than just a swing, as its name suggests, it also glides.



With the i-Glide, Lily can enjoy not only the swinging, but also a head-to-toe and side-to-side gliding motion. There are four different motions to soothe and entertain, all in the one baby cradle swing.

The cradle itself is quite easy to assemble. My four year old son and I put it all together. It's easy enough as long as you follow the instructions. The seat is a nice soft micro plush fabric in vibrant green and it is easy to take off and put on for washing.



Other features include a variety of jazzed up classic tunes, 6 different speed settings, a fun fluttery mobile and two-position recline for baby’s comfort. The control panel is down on the ground, with easy on-off buttons. It is really easy to work out the different modes, and the transition from swing to glide is made with just a push of two buttons. The seat can be rotated to the left or right.



I love the globe mirror on the mobile. Lily does enjoy looking at herself, and the colourful fluttery butterflies surely are engaging. The mobile does swing out of the way, so it makes it easier to put her in or take her out of the seat.



But perhaps my favourite bit of it all is that, not only does it use battery power (4 D size batteries), but there is also an option of using an AC adaptor. You have no idea how many batteries we have used in this household in the last 4 years. It is phenomenal! Not to mention spending a fortune on those exorbitant D-size batteries. And every time batteries need changing, it's my job to unscrew the itty bitty screws that hold the casing, and then replacing the batteries and the itty bitty screws! Oh how I disliked toys that ate up batteries! So I was really stoked with the thing that plugs into the wall.



The other important bits...

Product Dimensions:

76.2cm in height x 40cm x 27cm

Batteries are not included.



And you see, it has worked its magic again!



Sshhhh....baby's now asleep.



I don't know which one I would choose between the Little Lamb and the i-Glide. We are certainly spoilt for choices. The one thing I know, a cradle or a swing or a glider definitely comes in handy, for those sneaky times when mummy just needs to plonk baby down. And baby loves it. Real sweet.



www.fisher-price.com.au