Final days of State Library Victoria’s summer kids’ festival promise stories, games and creativity

Families have just a few days left to enjoy State Library Victoria’s lively Library on the Lawn Kids Festival, with the final instalment running this week from January 13 to 15 on the Swanston Street forecourt.

The free outdoor festival has been drawing crowds throughout January, offering a packed program designed to keep children reading, engaged and learning during the long summer break – helping kids avoid the well-known “summer slide” in literacy.

Running from 10am to 1pm each day, the event transforms the library’s front lawn into a mini festival of stories, games and hands-on activities. Children can dive into free-reading books, join bubble dance parties at 10.15am and 12pm, and take part in Storytime sessions at 10.30am and 11.30am. Parachute play at 11am has quickly become a crowd favourite, alongside jumbo puzzles, soft toys, sensory play boxes, bean bags and craft activities where kids can build their own take-home showbag.

Families are also encouraged to venture inside for a scavenger hunt through the library’s spaces. From January 13 to 15, visitors can experience the Under the Love Umbrella installation in the Pauline Gandel Children’s Quarter, inspired by Davina Bell and Allison Colpoys’ beloved picture book. Children will be invited to respond to the question, “Who is under your Love Umbrella?” as part of the interactive display.

The festival supports Public Libraries Victoria’s BIG Summer Read, a statewide initiative helping young readers stay motivated over the holidays. Research shows that children who do not read over summer can fall behind when school resumes, while reading even a handful of books can help maintain literacy skills.

State Library Victoria – home to more than 4000 children’s books and a purpose-built Children’s Quarter – remains one of the city’s most welcoming, air-conditioned escapes for families seeking free and creative holiday fun.

The final days of Library on the Lawn run this Tuesday to Thursday, 10am to 1pm. No bookings required.