A school holiday day out for little (and big) kids alike.

School holiday FOMO (fear of missing out) can strike many families. But you needn’t feel guilty about not taking your kids away during the break – sometimes the best idea is to stay in your home city and do something completely new and fun. This year, the Brickman Wonders of the World and Brickman Experience have got you sorted with interactive exhibitions made of LEGO® being held in Melbourne and Newcastle. Little kids and big kids (i.e. you) will love the experience and it’ll make you glad you didn’t hop on a plane or brave a long road trip.

My kids absolutely love spending time surrounded by their huge collection of LEGO® and it’s something I’ve always encouraged because I know they are learning as they share, build, create and play. The look of pride on their faces when they present me with their latest car/house/plane/structure-defying-description absolutely warms my heart while building their confidence and self-esteem. When my husband gets home from work he heads straight to ‘the construction zone’ and gets building with the kids. It’s a great way for him to unwind after work and remember what’s really important – brick symmetry.

Given the passion for LEGO® in our household I’m kind of excited that we’re staying put in our hometown of Melbourne these school holidays because it means I can take my LEGO®-obsessed family to the Brickman Wonders of the World exhibition at the Melbourne Museum. Running from 1 April to 7 May, it's the biggest exhibition of LEGO® models ever to come to Melbourne - so we're obviously pretty hyped up for it.

Since we booked our tickets, my kids (and husband) have started counting the sleeps until they see “the big LEGO® things”, which refers to the 50 incredible models of world famous landmarks that will be on display. The Empire State Building with King Kong on top, Arc De Triomphe, Big Ben and the Great Wall of China - you name it, they’ve built the lot. If you can see all the tourist attractions in one spot, why bother with 42 hours of travel, no leg room and a cranky flight attendant, amiright?

The models at the exhibition have been built by THE Brickman, Ryan McNaught, the only LEGO® Certified Professional in the Southern Hemisphere and one of only 14 in the world. In short, he’s a LEGO® overachiever with off-the-chart building skills. We can’t wait to view Ryan’s awesome creations and get hands-on with the interactive educational displays. My husband (who I frequently find building LEGO® structures long after the kids have gone to bed) is also pumped to put his building skills to the test in one of the eight master builder zones. In a cool twist, you can even build items that get added to the models, so it's a truly interactive experience.

Don’t live in Melbourne? Well, if you’re near Newcastle, you’re in luck because the Brickman Experience is heading to the Newcastle Entertainment Centre from 9 April to 30 April. The Brickman Experience is another interactive exhibition built by LEGO® sensei Ryan McNaught and his team. The man clearly hasn’t had a lunch break since 2010. The Newcastle exhibition features a range of Ryan’s masterpieces including the biggest ever LEGO® Star Wars X-wing, a model Airbus A380, a quarter scale LEGO® Ferrari and the world’s largest LEGO® flower.

Some of the models are made from more than 5 million LEGO® bricks which is 4.9999 million times more impressive than most of my efforts. After marvelling at Ryan’s work, you can get creative with your kids in the interactive building zones. There’s only one problem – no-one will want to go home.

There really is so much to love about these events – the opportunity to see incredible models, the chance to test your building skills in the interactive builder stations and an entry price so reasonable you can invite the grandparents, nieces and nephews along. The family ticket is great value – admit four is $95* (with at least one adult), and kids under three get in free.

The school holidays provide a great opportunity for us to hang out with our kids and get involved in fun and unique activities together. As far as awesome holiday events go, these exhibitions are definitely my pick of the bunch! Don’t miss out! Book through Ticketek today.

How are you keeping the little ones entertained without going away?

This content was created with thanks to our brand partner TEG Live.

*Melbourne family pass is $95. Newcastle family pass is $80.