NGV Kids on Tour

Unleash your creativity these school holidays with NGV Kids on Tour! From wearable cat and dog ears to vibrant flower pompoms and delicate paper moths, there’s an art activity for every age.

Through a series of free workshops and activities, NGV Kids on Tour brings the joy of art-making to children and families across Victoria. Developed by the NGV in collaboration with inspiring artists and designers from around the world, each activity is designed to spark imagination, creative thinking, and self-expression.

NGV Kids on Tour at McClelland, is a free, ticketed event, hosted in the Sarah & Baillieu Myer Education Pavilion.

Tuesday 14 and 21 January 2025

Sessions available to book on each date:
Session 1 - 10.30am – 11.30am
Session 2 - 12.30pm – 1.30pm

To make sure everyone has a special experience, numbers are capped.

All activities listed below will run simultaneously allowing families to choose what works best for their children.

NGV Kids on Tour is an initiative of the National Gallery of Victoria. NGV extends sincerest thanks to Event Partner Officeworks, for their generous support of NGV Kids exhibitions and programs.

Furry Friend Headband

Dalmatians, tabby cats and labradoodles! Cats and dogs come in many different colours, patterns, shapes and sizes.
Celebrating the NGV exhibition Cats & Dogs, children can draw fur and other details inspired by their favourite pets on a set of cat or dog ears and wear them for the day – or even to bed! Creating these furry headbands will stimulate young minds, encouraging play, imagination and creativity.

Cats & Dogs is on display at The Ian Potter Centre: NGV Australia, Fed Square from 1 November 2024 – 20 July 2025.

For ages: 3–10+ years

Bogong Moths with Deanne Gilson

Dr Deanne Gilson is a proud Wadawurrung woman living on her ancestral Country of Ballarat. Her art is about her culture and looking after the environment. One of the stories she draws and paints is about the bogong moth.
In this activity children receive a paper template of the Australian bogong moth to make their own paper moth. While drawing eyes and patterns, discover the interesting facts about this special Australian insect, how it avoids predators, and its important place in our incredible natural environment.

For ages: 3–10+ years

Fashion, Culture & Creativity with Collective Closets

Melbourne-based fashion designers and sisters Fatuma and Laurinda Ndenzako celebrate the beauty and history of the African continent in their slow fashion label, Collective Closets. Founded in 2016, their designs feature vibrant prints and classic cuts that celebrate both the artisans who create each ensemble and the people who wear them.

In this activity, everyone can create a paper doll with its own wardrobe when they design sets of paper clothes in this activity created by Collective Closets. Mix and match your paper clothes and accessories to make endless creative outfit combinations while learning about fashion, design, colour and patterns.

For ages: Ages 5+ (young children may need the help of an adult)

Make a Pompom with Sophie Honess activity

Sophie Honess is a Gomeroi Yinarr artist based in Tamworth, New South Wales. Her works are inspired by her immediate environment, finding and exploring hidden beauty on Gomeroi country through colour and texture. Sophie creates textile works that celebrate the natural beauty of grasses, creek beds, grains of sand, and bush plants like wattle and eucalyptus flowers found on Country.
Designed especially for teens, this making activity invites participants to be inspired by the natural world around them.

Create a bush flower pompom using yarn, embroidery thread and colourful felts to then tag to your school bag, key chain or anything else!

For ages: 12+ years (Teens)