Kids in the City Magazine - Brisbane - Issue 08
36
ISSUE 08 November/December 2014 BRISBANE www.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au L e t i t S h i n e Rough play at school Christmas Gift Guide Parenting a sensitive child Laptops vs Learning kidsinthecity
-
Upload
mother-goose-media -
Category
Documents
-
view
223 -
download
0
description
Kids in the City, Brisbane, Issue 08, November/December 2014. Let it Shine. Christmas Gift Guide. #parenting #kids #family #brisbane #southeastqld www.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au
Transcript of Kids in the City Magazine - Brisbane - Issue 08
ISSUE 08 November/December 2014 BRISBANEwww.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au
Let it ShineRough play at school Christmas Gift GuideParenting a sensitive child Laptops vs Learning
kidsinthecity
Kasper Lebrun, 2yrs
Clothing - Bardot JuniorClothing stylist - Nicole Zaini
Star Moon by Ligre Ward, Stork's Nest Designs
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 – Kids in the City 3
ISSUE08
EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: BELINDA HOPPER, JESSICA JANE SAMMUT, DR KELLY BOWERS, JASMIN FORSYTH, MAXINE ARTHUR
COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: VERVE PORTRAITS
Printed with vegetable/soy based inks on paper supplied using pulp sourced from sustainable forests and manufactured to environmentally accredited systems. WE ENCOURAGE RECYCLING. Please keep this issue for future reference, pass onto your friends and family, use for craft projects or place into the recycling bin.
ContentsNovember/December 2014
4 FROM THE EDITOR6 THE SOCIAL GATHERING8 WHAT’S NEWS10 FEATURE: Cartwheels and rough play
14 CHECK THIS OUT: Christmas gift guide
16 EDUCATION: Laptops in the classroom
18 CALENDAR OF EVENTS: Find out what’s happening in Brisbane during November & December
22 THE ‘P’ FILES: IS MY CHILD TOO SENSITIVE?24 SPECIAL FEATURE: Get set for a swimtastic season
28 BABIES: Starting solids
32 CONVERSATION: Tim Jackman
34 REVIEWS
- on the coast
- on the coast
- in the city
- in the city
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au4 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
WELCOME
PUBLISHED BYMother Goose Media PTY LTDPO Box 491, Eumundi QLD 4562
PHONE: 1300 430 320FAX: 07 5442 7253ABN: 86 473 357 391 WEB: www.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au
EDITORIAL / PRODUCTIONPUBLISHER: Toni Eggleston
EDITOR IN CHIEF/DIGITAL EDITOR: Carolyn Tate
PRINT EDITOR: Natasha Higgins
ADMINISTRATION: Kellie Kruger [email protected]
PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT: Alana Falk [email protected]
GRAPHIC DESIGN: Michelle Craik & Alana Falk
PRINTING: Print Works, 07 3865 4433
All editorial and advertising in Kids on the Coast and Kids in the City publications is published in good faith based on material, verbal or written, provided by contributors and advertisers. No responsibility is taken for errors or omissions and opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect those of the publisher. All material in Kids in the City is subject to copyright provisions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Feedback/comments/suggestions? Send to: [email protected]. We aim to reply to all correspondence but don’t guarantee to do so. Letters to the editor may be edited for length or clarity.
DISTRIBUTIONDistributed directly to parenting hotspots across South East Queensland.
Kids in the City (Brisbane edition) is a free publication circulating over 20,000 copies from North Lakes to Springwood and covering all suburbs to Jindalee.
Separate editions cover the Sunshine and Gold Coasts.
Kids on the Coast (Sunshine Coast edition) is a free publication circulating over 20,000 copies from Caloundra to Noosa, including hinterland.
Kids on the Coast (Gold Coast edition) is a free publication circulating over 18,000 copies from Tweed Heads to Coomera, including hinterland.
For distribution enquiries phone: 1300 430 320 or email: [email protected]
ADVERTISINGCall 1300 430 320 or email your Sales Account Manager.
BRISBANE Joanne - [email protected]
SUNSHINE COAST Jo - [email protected]
GOLD COAST Nicole - [email protected]
When I picked up my first copy of Kids in the City, I never would have thought that I’d one day be writing to you,
our readers, in my dream job as editor of the magazine.
As a busy mum of two daughters, Briar and Naima, I have been an avid reader of Kids in the City and have loved
seeing it grow, just like I have as a mum. I am excited about my new journey and cannot wait to share this with
my girls, my family and with all of you.
I’m fortunate to be surrounded by such a talented and passionate team, and together we look forward to
continuing to bring you a magazine filled with informative and entertaining stories, news, events details, product
information and reviews.
The countdown to the end of the year has started, which of course means Christmas is not far away. We’ve put
together a fabulous Christmas gift guide full of ideas for all the family and review some fantastic movies to watch
during the Christmas school holidays.
This edition, we also explore the increasing restrictions on free play and activities available during school hours
and the impact of this on our children. Keeping our focus at school, we also take a look at the pros and perils of
learning with technology in the classroom.
With the warmer weather comes swimming season and we share a timely reminder of the best swim safety and
water quality tips to ensure a safe summer by and in the pool. We also share valuable tips for identifying and
parenting a sensitive child, some great recipes to try when introducing your baby to solids and so much more.
We would love to hear what you think. All of our articles are online and we welcome you to comment and
discuss the topics on our website and Facebook page. We add topical news stories daily as well as blogs, new
articles and reviews on products, movies, books and apps.
Do you have something that you want to share? Please feel free to contact our team via Facebook.com/
kidsinthecitymagazine, our website or email. Don’t forget to sign up for our What’s On eNews that comes out
weekly at www.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au.
The entire Kids in the City team would like to wish you and your family an amazing Christmas filled with happy
times. Enjoy the read – we can’t wait to see you again in January!
Natasha Higgins, Editor
MEDIA
kids on the coast | in the city
mothermother
MEDIA
BURSTING WITH SUMMER-HOLIDAY
ACTIVITY IDEASDownload the Ultimate
Guide to School Holiday FunVisit www.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au
BOOST EXPOSURE OF YOUR EVENT IN OUR NEXT GUIDE! Call 1300 430 320
MerryChristmas
KIDS IN THE CITYfrom
Wishing you
holiday
DECEMBER 2014 / JANUARY 2015
- in the city
- in the city
- on the coast
- on the coast
eGUIDE
AVAILABLE DEC 5
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 – Kids in the City 5
FORTITUDE VALLEY, BRISBANELevel 1, Homemaker City, 1058 Ann St. 3620 6600
(Free underground parking) 284262_FTV
*1. Single and king single quilt cover sets each consist of 1x quilt cover and 1x standard pillowcase. Double, queen, king and super king quilt cover sets each consist of 1x quilt cover and 2x standard pillowcases. *2. Single and king single sheet sets eachconsist of 1x fitted sheet, 1x flat sheet and 1x standard pillowcase. Double, queen, king and super king sheet sets each consist of 1x fitted sheet, 1x flat sheet and 2x standard pillowcases.
Visit www.domayne.com.auDomayne® stores are operated by independent franchisees.
Ends 31/12/14. Accessories shown are not included.
DELICATEDREAMS
DELICATEDREAMS
$949 MORGANSINGLE BED WITH SLATS
$999
Also Available: ‘Morgan’ King Single $1099
| 2-Drawer Bedside Table (not shown) $749,
3-Drawer Bedside Table $899 Bed Linen: ‘Bonne
Nuit’ Single Quilt Cover Set*1 $129.95 in Pink |
‘Mclean’ Single Sheet Set*2 $99 Available in White
or Silver | ‘Splice’ Cushion $69.95 | ‘Studio’ Vase
Large $49.95 in Peach | ‘Peony’ Bud Vase $29.95
in White/Clear | ‘Spotty’ Desk Lamp $59 in PinkWHITE−PAINTED
PANELLED EFFECTWHITE−PAINTED
PANELLED EFFECT
1300 423 278 www.adaptitgroup.com.au
adaptit group pty. ltd. bsa 1184136 abn 63 131 868 751
Create that outdoor area you have always dreamed of.Call Adaptit today and speak with one of our sales team to arrange your on-site inspection. Our experienced team is the most reliable
in the industry. Put us to the test.
FOLLOW US
Check out our channel!
LIVING THIS
BOOKNOW
What if you could transform your home & entertain your family and friends in style?Adaptit Group are you home adaption experts. We employ cutting edge 3D design to underpin our entire construction process. From design to reality with ease. That’s the Adaptit 3D experience.
PATIOS • DECKS • CARPORTS • BLINDS • ENCLOSURES • 3D DESIGN
IMAGINE THIS
OVER THIS?
Design it, see it, then build it with Adaptit!
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au6 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
Kids in the City Magazine @kidsinthecityBR kidsinthecitymagazine KIDS on the Coast/in the City issuu.com/kidsonthecoastmagazine
The social gathering
www.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au
TO ENTER - REGISTERto receive our weekly What's On
MEET OUR ENTRANTS! Wow! What a fantastic response we had to our recent
competition to win the chance to appear on our cover. Loads
of gorgeous babies, toddlers and teens to choose from.
Here's a sneak peek of some of our entrants and winners.
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
Finalist
RunnerupRunnerup
StarCover
Kasper lights up!Fishing for stars……
- in the city
- in the city
*See website promotion for details. Conditions apply. Aquila Noosa is a new luxurious holiday home nestled on two acres of bush sanctuary, on the outskirts of Noosa.
7 NIGHTS ACCOMMODATION FOR 8 PEOPLE AT AQUILA NOOSA
Daily conversation, inspiration and information We want to meet you so let's get social
Finalist
Visit our website
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 – Kids in the City 7
Kids on the coast full page ad.indd 1 14/10/14 11:52 AM
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au8 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
Stay up to date with your local community news. If you have any unique news that you’d
like to share, please contact our editor at [email protected]
Whatsnews DID YOU KNOW
The chameleon has a tongue 1.5 times the
length of its body
FINGERNAILS
GROW 4 X FASTER
THAN YOUR TOENAILS
The average housefly lives for ONE month
Vincent Van Gogh only ever sold
one painting in his lifetime – and that was to his brother
THE HOTTEST RECORDED TOWN
IN THE WORLD IS MARBLE BAR,
WESTERN AUSTRALIA.
Visit our website for more news, www.kidsinthecitymagazine/news
GRANDPARENTS’ SUPPORT KEY TO HAVING MORE KIDSGrandparents can significantly influence parents'
decisions to have additional children and the well-
being of grandchildren, according to a recent study
completed at the University of Eastern Finland. In
his PhD study, Dr Antti O. Tanskanen observed that
grandparents' help with childcare and emotional
support is linked to mothers' willingness to have
a second or a third child. Furthermore, parents of
small children who obtain support from paternal
grandparents are also more likely to have
additional children. The involvement of maternal
grandparents in the lives of their grandchildren was
associated to fewer emotional and behavioural
problems. The study also discovered that children
who have their grandmother as their primary
minder between the age of nine months and three
years are more likely to be overweight at the age
of three than children whose primary minder is
their own parent. This indicates that grandparents'
tendencies to invest in their grandchildren can also
result in unintentional, negative consequences.
NEW BOOK FOR KIDS OF FLY-IN FLY-OUT FAMILIESLocal mum of three and
now author Jo Emery has
just published My Dad is
a FIFO Dad, a children’s
picture book that will
touch many families who
experience separation
because of FIFO/DIDO
work arrangements. My Dad is a FIFO Dad is a
heartwarming and funny story about a child who
feels the love of her Dad even when he is absent at
work. This story will help to reassure children of all
ages that despite distance, fathers can be present
in heart, mind and spirit in many situations. With this
book Jo aims to encourage an ‘I’m OK when Dad’s
Away’ mindset and help children and families to
build and maintain resilience, strength and unity to
make FIFO/DIDO rosters fit seamlessly into their
lifestyle. For more information or to purchase the
book visit www.facebook.com/mydadisaFIFOdad.
FAIRY TALES BACK IN FASHION FOR THE QUEENSLAND BALLETQueensland Ballet’s Artistic Director Li Cunxin continues to
dream big in his third season for the Company, announcing
a program of four magical ballets by celebrated international
choreographers for the 2015 season - Peter Schaufuss’ La
Sylphide, Trey McIntyre’s Peter Pan, Greg Horsman’s The
Sleeping Beauty and Ben Stevenson’s The Nutcracker. The
Company’s main stage season begins in March with an
enduring Romantic classic, La Sylphide. Peter Pan will be on
every family’s wish list for the school holidays in June. Based
on JM Barrie’s famous tale, Peter Pan will transport audiences
into a fantastical dream world of fairies, mermaids and
pirates. This ballet is a brilliant mix of dance and theatre, with
sword fights, giant puppets and characters who literally fly.
NEW PLAYGROUND TO TAKE PATIENTS ON A GARDEN ADVENTUREPatients and visitors to the new Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital
(opening November 29) will be able to escape to an enchanted
garden thanks to the installation of the new George Gregan
Foundation playground. Located near the hospital’s pet
visiting area on level two, children will be able to explore the
playground while surrounded by oversized animal and plant
sculptures. Children’s Health Queensland Chief Executive Dr
Peter Steer said, “The designs for the new playground … are
amazing and something we are all very excited to see come
to life. The playground will provide a welcome distraction
for patients, their siblings and visitors and will allow children
to take a seat on a mushroom, hide away in a secret tree or
crawl through a giant log.” Dr Steer said the foundation should
also be commended for creating a play area that catered to
children with varying abilities and needs. “The playground
has considered children who are required to be attached
to an IV or monitoring device, has wheelchair access and
also interactive features for children who have a hearing or
vision impairment.” George Gregan Foundation Director Erica
Gregan said an important part of the design process involved
collaboration with the hospital community in order to create
a play space that not only offers physical access but also
experiences of sound, sight, smell, interaction and language to
encourage communication and experience to all who visit.
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 – Kids in the City 9
Growing Australia’s best children’s health system.
Advertisement.
Authorised by the Queensland Government, Brisbane.
Queensland is growing Australia’s best children’s health system and at its heart is the new Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital near South Bank. The Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital opens its doors on 29th November 2014, combining the staff and services from the Royal and Mater children’s hospitals to offer one of the best paediatric facilities in the country.
To ensure your child gets the best possible care in an emergency, you should call 000 or go to your closest hospital that treats children. If necessary, your child will then be treated and transported to the Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital.
To find out more about improvements in children’s health in Queensland, call 13 HEALTH or visit health.qld.gov.au/childrenshealth
How to find your nearest branch in Brisbane
Caboolture
Redcliffe
Lady Cilento Children’s Hospital
RedlandLogan
Ipswich
The PrinceCharles
CARTWHEELS AND ROUGH
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au10 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
FEATURE
By Belinda Hopperplay
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 – Kids in the City 11
FEATURE
IF WE TRIED TO PREVENT EVERY FORESEEABLE ACCIDENT AND POTENTIAL INJURY KIDS COULD SUSTAIN IN A TYPICAL DAY IN A TYPICAL SCHOOL PLAYGROUND, THERE IS PROBABLY NO WAY WE
WOULD SUCCEED. BUT JUST SAY WE COULD: SHOULD WE? WHAT WOULD BE LOST AND WHAT WOULD BE GAINED?
The trend in recent years towards tightening safety regulations in
the school playground has sparked a rash of studies and coined
the term ‘surplus safety’. While restrictions on kids’ free play are
made with the best intentions, research findings suggest that we
need to carefully weigh up the perceived benefits against the
apparent losses to physical, emotional and social development.
While increased restrictions to play in the school playground are,
for the most part, motivated by a desire to keep children safe, some
studies argue that isolated incidents and injuries are leading to
broader and more inclusive restrictions, eliminating many ‘positive
play’ activities with the reasoning that it’s better to be safe than sorry.
According to child psychologist and educator Collett Smart, “We
seem to have stolen childhood in the name of sanitised, politically
correct play. Children are increasingly kept indoors, away from
‘dangerous’ games, play equipment or any potentially knee-scuffing
competitive activity… Our children’s lives tend to be micromanaged
and over-planned, with very little allowance for freedom and
autonomy.” Smart is concerned about the consequences of
micromanagement of the playground. “Play for children is the
greatest classroom yet it seems we have stripped [kids] of the
very experiences that will teach them about healthy socialisation,
enhance gross motor skills and develop a sense of self-worth.”
Some experts are concerned that while parents and teachers seek
to negate or minimise risks on behalf of children, the knock-on
effect is that children miss out on learning to navigate and assess
risks for themselves, while the stakes are still relatively low.
The Sydney Playground Project study in 2011 found that adult fears
are often disproportionate to actual risk: “While children can be
injured when playing outdoors, most are minor cuts and bruises.
On the other hand, restricting children's outdoor play activities
may have unintended consequences, such as reducing children's
opportunities for reasonable age-appropriate risk-taking.”
However, not all school playground injuries are minor. I personally
sustained two significant injuries myself (way back) in the ‘80s. In
year 4, I was running around playing chasey when I collided with my
girlfriend. My teeth cut her forehead and the impact snapped my
upper jaw. With no teacher in sight, I walked to the office with my
hands under my chin, ready to catch any teeth that might fall out. An
orthodontist snapped my jaw back in place, shoved my teeth back in
my gums and plastered a splint across my teeth, which stayed on for
two months. I still wear a mouthguard at night for jaw issues.
In year 9, under full teacher supervision, I was participating in high
jump but cleared the bar and the mats and landed in a crumpled heap
on the ground: followed by ambulance, hospital, x-rays, scans, MRI,
prescription pain killers, wheelchair, weeks off school, crutches and
three years of intensive physio. I still manage pain some 27 years later.
Both incidents happened while I was in the care of teachers and
one under direct teacher supervision, which points to the fact that
we cannot remove all risk of injury. Accidents happen and they’re
called accidents precisely because they are '“an undesirable or
unfortunate happening that occurs unintentionally”.
No parent wants a call saying his or her child is injured, as local mum
Maria can attest. Her 8-year-old son broke his arm by tripping over
a school bag laying on the floor. He needed surgery to place pins
in his arm. Maria says, “Schools do have a duty of care but parents
can’t expect a guarantee that children won’t get hurt.” To minimise
the risk of injury with general run-about play, the school her children
attend decided to do away with school ties. “They were seen as a
hazard when the children run around; someone could grab it which
would obviously lead to an injury.” Because most accidents happen
in general run-about play, it seems reasonable to restrict clothing
rather than the activities that make up childhood.
However, some injuries are a result of rough play. local mum Joanne
says, “My preppy was sitting at the top of a slide at school during
break time with two boys behind him kicking him in the back. He
couldn't move because the cord of his hat was caught in the slide.”
He yelled for the boys to stop but they didn’t and his neck ended up
“cut and bruised” by his hat cord. Joanne says the school dismissed
the injury as simply “rough play”. However Joanne believes that
the school’s policy of “not having teachers in the playground
but supervisors who come in only to monitor the children during
breaks” is the problem, as they don’t know the children or “have any
knowledge of behaviours to watch”. It is therefore a school’s policies
and procedures in dealing with children’s injuries that should be
closely monitored and maintained.
While the positive measure of more safety mats was instituted after
the high jump accident I experienced, I am relieved that neither
running around on grassy areas nor supervised high jump was
banned as a result. Macquarie University study ‘Ten Ways to Restrict
Children’s Freedom to Play: the problem of surplus safety’ argues that
there is the possibility of taking safety precautions too far, saying that
while risk management is an important “duty of care…management of
risk in a climate of surplus safety negatively impacts on the rights of
children and their growth, development and quality of life.”
That’s exactly what concerned parents and citizens decried when
Peregian Springs State School on the Sunshine Coast recently
banned cartwheels in the playground. The news reverberated
around the country and principal Gwen Sands was pushed to justify
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au12 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
FEATURE
her stance in the media due to community backlash. She pointed
to the number of students and the layout of the playground, to past
accidents and to the Queensland Education Department’s Policy and
Procedures Manual, which requires trained personnel and gym mats
be available when students are participating in activities requiring
inverted positions, including cartwheels and handstands. So if the
Principal was just complying with department regulations, then the
protest was really against the ever-growing list of restrictions added
to safety policies and procedures.
However, it is possible that the increased policies and procedures
are not only about child safety concerns, but also about teachers’
fears of being sued. The Macquarie University study suggests that
teachers are aware they restrict children’s freedom to play, but
are fearful of litigation should an injury occur while they have duty
of care. One teacher disclosed a threat of legal action and others
admitted to fears of their careers being jeopardised. Teachers
also suggested they did not feel protected by policy or relevant
authorities should a difficult situation arise, and therefore erred on
the side of ‘surplus safety’ rather than their understanding of child
development to determine their actions.
A fascinating 2012 study by Kate Darian-Smith ‘Australian children's
play in historical perspective: Continuity and change on the school
playground’ found that “much has changed in children's play over
half a century. For a start, there have been considerable alterations
to school grounds, both in terms of landscaping and the facilities
such as play equipment provided, as well as to school regulations
determining who plays where and when.”
The study also examined the shift towards extracurricular play and
organised sporting activities, and noted that there is still the element
of self-determined and voluntary play activities at school that involve
a level of physical exertion and skill that is more extensive than that
‘taught’ in formal organised sports. The study found that play in the
school playground is also more collaborative and less competitive
than formal sports, allowing for, “differing levels of skill and for the
involvement of complex social negotiations between children within
and across age and gender groupings.”
So despite the increasing restrictions on play in the school
playground, kids are still free to invent and adapt games and play
with a broader range of kids, developing a broader range of skills,
than they are in organised or formal play outside of school.
Another finding in the Australia-wide study was that schools on
the urban fringe of cities or in non-metropolitan areas generally
had playgrounds where native bush offered a distinct area for
play activities: “Children could climb trees, and use the nooks,
crannies and natural materials to make Fairy Gardens and dells.
They constructed cafés and shops, using leaves and twigs to make
pretend food. They were allowed to dig channels and make rivers,
and smash rocks. Inevitably, the opportunities for making their own
objects from the materials in the natural environment were greater
for children going to these schools.”
This may be the case in some urban fringe or non-metropolitan
schools, but each school is free to make their own policies or
rules that discourage or support particular games, based on the
school’s philosophies on learning, socialisation and physical
activity. In some schools, teachers make assembly announcements
reminding kids that sticks and stones and pine cones belong
on the ground; that the children are not free to play with them.
Perhaps the number of kids crowded into a play area influences
this decision, but it is possible that previous incidents and injuries
from kids wielding sticks as swords, or pine cones as grenades,
also has something to do with the decision.
The study spanned a progressive ‘alternative’ non-government
school where emphasis was placed on children's free expression
and creative interactions with the playground, through to
a government school in an area of high socio-economic
disadvantage where a program to build children's self-esteem and
positive behaviours had very restrictive rules on play. Findings
were that “most school communities had a philosophy and rules
that fell between these two extremes. The most prevalent school
rules forbade physical contact among children, especially pushing,
shoving and hitting, and designated anti-bullying policies.”
Interestingly, the tightening of school playground rules to reduce
bullying stands in contrast to the findings of a study published in 2013
by Auckland University of Technology and Otago University, where
four New Zealand primary schools participated in the radical, counter-
cultural experiment of removing playground rules altogether. The
children were free to climb trees, ride skateboards and play games
such as bullrush. Kids also played in a "loose parts pit" containing junk
pieces such as wood, old tyres and an old fire hose.
Swanson Primary School principal Bruce McLachlan deemed
the experiment a success. "The kids were motivated, busy and
engaged. In my experience, the time children get into trouble is
when they are not busy, motivated and engaged. It's during that
time they bully other kids, graffiti or wreck things around the school.
When you look at our playground, it looks chaotic. From an adult's
perspective, it looks like kids might get hurt, but they don't. We want
kids to be safe and to look after them, but we end up wrapping them
in cotton wool when in fact they should be able to fall over."
Perhaps then, it is the case that when kids feel frustration building up
at heavy-handed safety rules, it creates a culture of boredom which
leads to negative, anti-social behaviours. This idea is supported by
the findings of The Sydney Playground Project, which concluded,
“When children perceive that play settings are not demanding
enough, they may compensate by engaging in activities that yield
challenges -- in the context of undesirable behaviour (eg. bullying or
using play equipment in truly dangerous ways).”
In our attempt to keep kids safe in the school playground, it should not
come at the cost of their physical, social and emotional development.
Yes, schools have a duty of care. And yes, there should be sensible
safety policies and procedures in place, but we cannot ban childhood
with all its inherent dangers and risks, and we shouldn’t try. As Collett
Smart points out, the very challenges we seek to protect kids from
provide opportunities for them to learn and grow. “Success comes
through being allowed to fall and fail and then learn, with guidance, how
to improve the next time. Not sitting cocooned quietly on a bench.”
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 – Kids in the City 13
staysplash
save&
*Terms and Conditions apply.
1410636 SEA WORLD © 2014 & TM Sea World Property Trust. © 2014 Viacom International Inc.
$139*
$40
per person, per night, twin share*
From only
Bring the kids for only
per child, per night
Spend your next holiday close to home at the award-winning Sea World Resort.
With unlimited entry to Sea World during your stay, a free entry to Paradise Country’s Aussie
Farm Experience and free Wifi, there’s never been a better time for a family staycation.
1300 139 677Visit SeaWorldResort.com.au The heart of funand adventure
Maybe it should have been called the Elsa dress! Your daughter will look like a snow princess. With a soft jersey bodice in "Bloomsbury" floral, a delicate tulle sleeve, generous sash tie and a skirt made from oodles of tulle. www.oobi.com.au
The Melody Mix provides hours of musical fun and entertainment with its 10 different musical instruments. It is produced from sustainable rubber wood and finished with non-toxic child safe paints and lacquers. www.woodenwonderland.com.au
ISABELLA DRESS
RRP $69.95
MELODY MIX$88
Add fun to children's parties or dress up time with these cute photo booth props. Pick the KIDS set or Christmas set, each with a collection of 20 heavy-duty card props. The KIDS edition includes diving goggles, princess crown and wand, firemen’s hat, pirate hat and mic, while the Christmas set includes Santa hats, reindeer ears and candy canes … and so much more.http://shop.until.com.au
This retro wooden robot cracks tough nuts! Just place any nut in his belly, twist the key and crack open the shell. Easy to use, he will break into any nut: from the smallest hazelnut to the toughest walnut. Your new best friend is made from solid beechwood and finished with a gleaming retro paint-job.http://shop.until.com.au
ROBOT NUT CRACKERRRP $34.95
Fairy Garden Kits to nurture children's hearts and create precious memories. Inspire countless hours of creative play. Choose the perfect gift from our range of designer fairy garden kits, fairy houses and accessories. www.gardensparkle.com
THE GIFT OF FAIRY GARDENING
PHOTO BOOTH DRESS-UP PROPS
from $24.95
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au14 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
CHECK THIS OUT
XMAS SPECIAL
SNOW GLOBE
RRP $25.99
Give the gift of movies this Christmas with a BCC and Event Cinemas Movie Gift Card. Movie gift cards can be used on anything from tickets to popcorn and are on sale now at the box office or online at www.eventcinemas.com.au
EVENT CINEMAS MOVIE GIFT CARDSAny amount from $25
Do your Christmas shopping from home this year – shop online at twoscoops.com.au! Australia’s brightest new toy store has great prices on all the big brands, including LEGO®, Lalaloopsy, Barbie, Peppa Pig, Fisher-Price, Little Tikes and more!
twoscoops.com.auToys from $2!
The award-winning snow globe by Seedling gets a makeover for Christmas. A great activity for ages 6 years +, the kit contains a plastic globe, make and bake polymer clay, snow globe stand, glitter, EVA sheet and instructions. www.goodthingsforkids.com
Get the kids off the couch this Christmas with a pair of Kandy Skates. Available in 5 Fun colours, outdoor wheels. Size 11 kids to 9 Ladies. www.epicskate.shop033.com
KANDY SKATES
$109
This designer collection has been designed with an abundance of spots and stripes. Aprons feature a sweetheart neckline, striped waistline, 2 pockets with bows and a ruffled hemline. www.sierrarose.com.au
Keep their tools and materials organised. Designed to keep and inspire creativity. A lift-out compartment tray, pocket for patterns, built-in pin-cushion. Includes: scissors, pins, needles, thread, retractable tape, pencil, craft and button pieces, name tag, small stuffing pack and project sheet. www.sewsista.com.au
Show them it’s time to celebrate with this stylish market basket full of locally made treats. Clovely Estate Brut Reserve, Christmas Pudding made with natural ingredients, Rainforest Pearls (Australian native Riberries coated in chocolate), pure beeswax candle, and three handmade ceramic Christmas decorations. www.homegrowngifts.com.au
MUMMY AND MEFrom $25
SEW SISTA SEWING CASE
& ACCESSORIES$59.95
CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS GIFT BASKET
$129 A striking statement piece for a modern home, this Felty deer head in yellow will charm and delight guests this Christmas. www.domayne.com.au
FELTY DEER HEAD $49.95
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 – Kids in the City 15
CHECK THIS OUT
XMAS SPECIAL
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au16 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
EDUCATION
Laptops
in the
classroom
The pros + the
perils
By Jessica Jane Sammut
WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN FINDING THAT TECHNOLOGY SUCH AS LAPTOPS AND IPADS ARE A STANDARD PART OF THEIR SCHOOL DAY, JESSICA JANE SAMMUT ASKS THE QUESTION – ARE THEY A HELP OR A HINDRANCE?
It’s a digital age. Technology is racing forward, and with it, the world is changing
– but nowhere quite so much as in the classroom. As is the nature of momentum,
the face of education is an evolving and ever-changing landscape, constantly
appraised and improved upon to better help our children learn and grow.
However, when there are changes being made in the name of progress, we
must always be careful to step back and ask – IS this better? It’s true we can’t
stand still, but we must always be sure that any kind of amendment to a learning
method is a step forward and not a leap back. And in a modern terrain that is
obsessed with quick results, the temptation to cut corners can be all too real.
So is technology in the primary school classroom something to be embraced
or something to be ejected?
HOW DO PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN LEARN?“Students in primary school learn differently at different ages,” says leading
educator Nadia McCallum, who holds a Masters in Teaching and was recently
awarded The Director General’s Award for Excellence in Service to Public
Education and Training.
“When children begin school, their learning is very play based. As students
get older, they learn through discussion and experimentation. The common
thread is that they learn by doing and interacting with others. Students need
to interact and engage with what they are learning so that it is meaningful and
therefore more likely to be remembered and transferred to other contexts.”
“When we were at school, classrooms were focused on the teacher. Students
sat passively, listened quietly, took notes and memorised facts. Today,
classrooms are very different places. Classrooms have needed to move
with the times. Teachers are preparing students for the future. Students are
now required to think, question and generate independent thought from the
moment they enter kindergarten.”
So does technology help or hinder this approach? Are we dumbing down, or
are we moving with the times?
THE PROSPROMOTES INDEPENDENCE AND SELF-DIRECTIONIn order to become lifelong learners, students need to develop the skills
of research and inquiry, and this is where computers really excel. Today, a
teacher’s role is to guide students to find their own answers, rather than simply
telling them the answer. This form of guided inquiry happens from a very
young age. Therefore, technology is a necessary tool if students are to be
taught how to independently acquire such information.
“Computers allow students to be independent and self-directed in finding out
their own answers,” confirms Nadia. Jenny Atkinson, a primary school teacher
with 30 years of experience, and now an education transition specialist and
founder of Sparks Education Australia (www.sparkseducation.com.au), agrees.
“Laptops in classrooms provide students with the opportunity to be more
self-directed, with greater responsibility for their learning, whilst still under the
overall direction of a teacher,” Jenny confirms.
OFFERS IMMEDIATE ACCESS TO INFORMATION AND KNOWLEDGEOffering immediate access to information and resources, laptops in the
classroom encourage students to be curious. “Such learning can provide
greater access to the curriculum at an appropriate level to consolidate and
advance a child’s education, particularly for students with special needs,” says
Jenny. It also allows equal access to information for all students as they are not
reliant on having the ‘right’ books at hand.
CREATES A FUN LEARNING ENVIRONMENTWith many educational games now available on the laptop and tablet, such
technology can help make learning a source of fun, and the power of this can
never be underestimated in terms of how children view schoolwork.
Games that promote maths and literacy are often loved by young children who
don’t even realise they are learning when playing them. Platforms such at ABC’s
Reading Eggs and Mathseeds are two such games that deeply connect with
youngsters, enhancing their learning and nurturing their love of education. “Such
games can motivate children to keep trying, because they want to get to the next
level,” explains Jenny. “This is particularly good for children who struggle with their
work. This interest and motivation is difficult to replicate using worksheets.”
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 – Kids in the City 17
EDUCATION
WHAT OUR LITTLE LEARNERS THINK
“Laptops help me progress with my learning by giving me a wide variety of programs to use which help to extend my knowledge. They are more interesting to use than pen and paper because I can present my work in so many creative ways.” Year Six student: Hannah (12 years old)
“We use the laptops for maths. We play treasure hunt which helps my learning and is a fun game.” Year One Student: Ella (6 years old)
“We get to make presentations and documents about what we learn. We have fun by using games that help us with numbers and shapes.” Year Two Student: Lily (8 years old)
Other less obvious games, such as Minecraft, that don’t have a clear learning
goal at their core, can be equally as helpful in fostering and consolidating
essential skills. “In order to play Minecraft effectively, students need a sound
understanding of a broad range of mathematical concepts – numbers, area, time
and money to mention a few, and need to be able to work with others in order to
trade and build things, and plan ahead to meet targets,” confirms Nadia.
“Children who are engaged and interested are more likely to learn and retain
new learning,” adds Jenny. “They are also more likely to persevere with tasks if
they find them interesting. Many children are more motivated to complete work
and be actively engaged in their learning with technology-based activities.”
ENCOURAGES GLOBAL CONNECTIVITYStudents as young as five are now aware of a global world. Many students
travel internationally before entering school. Others see the wider world via
television shows and movies. Classrooms that reflect this global connectivity
via the use of technology offer a way to tap into it further. “It is not uncommon
for students to email or Skype other students in different countries using their
laptops,” explains Nadia. “By making such connections, the knowledge they
acquire becomes meaningful in a global context.”
PROMOTES DIGITAL LITERACY“Technology is so interwoven in how we operate in the wider world, that to
restrict it would not be doing a child any favours,” says Nadia. “Computers are
integral to the workplace and are only becoming more so.” It therefore makes
sense that our children are exposed to technology as a tool for learning. It is
reflective of how the ‘real world’ operates.
Like anything though, balance is key, and the use of technology should not
replace active play or other skills that are learnt at school. It should merely
complement or enhance such proficiencies. “The use of laptops in classrooms
teaches students to use, differentiate and examine/analyse information in a
way that is current,” confirms Jenny. “It prepares children for their participation
in the digital world.”
PROVIDES CONTEXTUAL LEARNINGThe opportunity for children to participate in their learning and find a context for their
theoretical knowledge is far greater with the use of technology. Children are better
able to understand the value of what they are learning which means they are more
likely to retain the learning.
ENCOURAGES HIGHER ORDER THINKING“Laptops can help a student think more widely, especially when they are
given a choice as to how they will present their learning/findings,” says Jenny.
They allow young students to think ‘outside the square’, providing access to
a variety of tools for presenting knowledge, which only serves to complement
the more traditional aspects of a learning structure.
SUPPLEMENTS LEARNINGLaptops in the classroom can be used as a tool to supplement learning: for
example, a child might write a story on paper, edit it and then publish it with a
laptop. More skills are being learnt than if the technology was not available.
THE PERILSENCOURAGES MULTI-TASKING MANIA AND DISTRACTIONResearch has shown that multi-tasking can decrease performance and overall
comprehension. Further to this, multi-tasking on a computer not only distracts
the user, but can also distract those around them. Dealing with this issue
effectively essentially comes down to the teacher in the classroom however.
“If a teacher is employing regular checks with students and making them
accountable for the progress they are making, they are more likely to attend to
the task at hand,” explains Nadia. “Children have the potential to be distracted
by other programs/activities on a laptop. Good classroom management/
monitoring by a teacher is therefore essential,” Jenny concurs.
PROVIDES ACCESS TO INAPPROPRIATE CONTENTAs we know, it is very easy for children to access the wrong kind of content on the
internet, and this is a common concern for parents. Some schools provide digital
devices to students where the devices stay at school and are protected by the
school Wi-Fi restrictions and filters. Other schools implement the BYOD (‘Bring
Your Own Device’) strategy where students can bring a device from home.
Cyber safety expert Leonie Smith (www.thecybersafetylady.com.au) advises, “Some
families are tech savvy and have parental controls set up on their child’s device,
but the majority of families do not. More education needs to happen around these
devices as to what controls and filters can be enabled to lessen the risk of exposure
to improper content if technology is to be a standard part of the school day.”
DEPLETES LEARNING TIME“Learning time can be wasted when technical issues arise, such as login
dramas, short battery life or the internet going offline,” warns Jenny. All can
deplete learning time. It’s the unexpected nature of laptop problems that can
create issues in the classroom, and even if teachers do have a back-up activity,
it is often not their first choice of learning experience. It is therefore vital that
laptops are up to date and reliable.
CREATES A SCHOOL/HOME TECHNOLOGY USE IMBALANCESome children may already spend too much time on technology at home.
“Health concerns such as eyestrain or posture problems can be an issue for
these children,” says Jenny. It can therefore be problematic to ensure there is
a good balance of technology use between home and school, especially as
this varies so much from one home (and classroom) to the next.
CREATES AN OVER-RELIANCE ON TOOLS Do laptops encourage laziness in children? Perhaps. With tools such as automatic spell
and grammar check, children can become apathetic about using their brains. “Teachers
need to teach children how to use such tools appropriately in an educationally
beneficial manner and also to understand their limitations,” reminds Jenny.
REPLACES TRADITIONAL LEARNINGTechnology is not the only tool available in learning and children should know this.
“Laptops and other technology should not replace the teacher’s effort in a classroom
nor should they replace any other learning experience,” says Jenny. And this is the
concern – that they might. Technology needs to be viewed as one tool amongst
many other educational tools available to assist children with their learning.
WHAT CAN TEACHERS DO? “Teachers need to be aware of both
the benefits and drawbacks of using technology in the classroom so that they
can provide balanced opportunities for learning that both engage children and
promote a lifelong love of learning,” says Jenny.
HOW CAN WE HELP OUR CHILDREN? “The best way for parents
to support this type of learning is to be involved with their children,” advises Nadia.
“Parents don’t have to completely understand the technology their kids are using,
but need to understand enough to know the value of what their children are doing
and if there is anything that might be a potential issue. If parents are unsure, they
should speak to their child’s teacher.”
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au
- CA
LEND
AR -
Br
isban
e
MARK
ETS
NO
VEM
BER
2 A
ND
DEC
EMB
ER 7
THE
HA
ND
MA
DE
EXP
O M
AR
KET
- M
OR
AYFI
ELD
Whe
re: L
eisu
re C
entr
e, M
oray
field
Roa
d, M
oray
field
Whe
n: 9
am to
2pm
A w
onde
rful
indo
or m
arke
t with
up
to 1
00
sta
llhol
ders
sel
ling
ever
ythi
ng h
and
mad
e, h
and
bake
d an
d ha
nd g
row
n. A
gre
at fa
mily
da
y ou
t with
som
ethi
ng fo
r eve
ryon
e.D
etai
ls: F
ree
entr
y an
d co
vere
d pa
rkin
g
ww
w.th
ehan
dmad
eexp
o.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
8 A
ND
DEC
EMB
ER 1
3B
RIS
STY
LE IN
DIE
MA
RK
ETW
here
: Bris
bane
City
Hal
l, An
n St
, Bris
bane
W
hen:
9am
to 3
pmSu
ppor
t loc
al in
die
artis
ans
and
shop
eth
ical
ly a
t Bris
bane
’s m
ost
gorg
eous
des
tinat
ion
for e
very
thin
g ha
ndm
ade.
Det
ails
: ww
w.b
risst
yle.
com
.au/
2014
-mar
kets
NO
VEM
BER
15
AN
D D
ECEM
BER
20
THE
HA
ND
MA
DE
EXP
O M
AR
KET
- IP
SWIC
HW
here
: The
Ipsw
ich
Turf
Clu
b, B
risba
ne R
oad,
Bun
dam
baW
hen:
8am
to 2
pmEx
celle
nce
in M
akin
g-Ba
king
-Gro
win
g w
ith u
p to
70
sta
llhol
ders
. W
hy n
ot ju
mp
on th
e Sw
anba
nk S
team
Tra
in a
fter l
unch
and
a s
pot o
f ha
ndm
ade
shop
ping
.D
etai
ls: F
ree
entr
y. F
ree
park
ing.
ww
w.th
ehan
dmad
eexp
o.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
30
THE
MU
MM
Y T
REE
MA
RK
ETS
Whe
re: R
iver
Par
k Pl
ace,
Col
Gar
dner
Driv
e, M
orni
ngsi
deW
hen:
9am
to 1
pmBe
autif
ul h
igh
qual
ity, u
niqu
e pr
oduc
ts a
nd s
ervi
ces
whi
ch a
re n
ot
mas
s-pr
oduc
ed o
r eas
ily fo
und
in s
hops
.D
etai
ls: w
ww
.them
umm
ytre
emar
kets
.com
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 5
BR
ISST
YLE
IND
IE T
WIL
IGH
T M
AR
KET
Whe
re: K
ing
Geo
rge
Squa
re, B
risba
neW
hen:
5pm
to 9
pmW
ith o
ver 8
0 s
talls
, enj
oy a
lant
ern
lit c
eleb
ratio
n of
loca
l ind
epen
dent
ar
t, cr
aft a
nd d
esig
n.D
etai
ls: w
ww
.bris
styl
e.co
m.a
u/20
14-m
arke
ts
DEC
EMB
ER 1
3B
ILLY
CA
RT
MA
RK
ETS
Whe
re: S
acre
d H
eart
Prim
ary
Scho
ol, 9
2 Br
ight
on R
oad,
San
dgat
eW
hen:
3pm
to 7
pmSt
ylis
h an
d un
ique
pro
duct
s fo
r litt
le p
eopl
e.D
etai
ls: F
ree.
ww
w.b
illyc
artm
arke
ts.c
om
EVER
Y S
ATU
RD
AY A
ND
SU
ND
AY
VA
LLEY
MA
RK
ETS
Whe
re: C
hina
tow
n M
all a
nd B
runs
wic
k St
reet
Mal
l, Br
unsw
ick
St,
Fort
itude
Val
ley
Whe
n: 8
am to
4pm
Show
casi
ng v
ario
us s
talls
sel
ling
vint
age
item
s, fa
shio
n, b
ric-a
-bra
c,
natu
ral o
rgan
ic p
rodu
ce, a
nd a
n ec
lect
ic ra
nge
of a
rts
and
craf
ts.
Det
ails
: Fre
e. C
onta
ct 0
7 34
03
3740
.
EVER
Y W
EEK
END
THE
CO
LLEC
TIV
E M
AR
KET
S (S
OU
TH B
AN
K M
AR
KET
S)W
here
: Sou
th B
ank
Plaz
a, S
tanl
ey S
tree
t, So
uth
Bris
bane
Whe
n: S
atur
days
from
10
am to
9pm
, Sun
days
from
9am
to 4
pmTh
e ne
w C
olle
ctiv
e M
arke
ts in
clud
es a
rts
and
craf
ts, h
omew
ares
, ob
ject
des
ign,
pho
togr
aphy
, fur
nitu
re, f
ood,
fash
ion,
jew
elle
ry, v
inta
ge
and
pre-
love
d cl
othi
ng, u
niqu
e w
ares
and
acc
esso
ries.
Det
ails
: w
ww
.sou
thba
nkm
arke
t.com
.au
WEE
KLY
GO
LD ‘N
’ KID
SC
ounc
il ru
ns G
OLD
'n' K
ids
(GnK
) act
iviti
es
(as
part
of t
he A
ctiv
e an
d H
ealth
y Li
fest
yle
prog
ram
) for
chi
ldre
n, a
ged
four
yea
rs a
nd
over
, and
sen
iors
to e
njoy
toge
ther
.w
ww
.bris
bane
.qld
.gov
.au/
wha
ts-o
n/ev
ents
-lis
ted-
type
/spo
rts-
recr
eatio
n-pr
ogra
ms/
gold
-n-k
ids
UN
TIL
NO
VEM
BER
30
TOP
SEC
RET
: LIC
ENC
E TO
SP
YW
here
: Sci
ence
ntre
, Lev
el 1
, Cor
ner o
f Gre
y &
M
elbo
urne
Str
eets
, Sou
th B
ank
Whe
n: 9
:30
am –
5pm
In T
op S
ecre
t: Li
cenc
e to
Spy
, act
as
a se
cret
ag
ent,
unco
verin
g fa
cts
and
inve
stig
atin
g le
ads
to d
eter
min
e w
hich
of t
he s
uspe
cts,
if
any,
can
be
impl
icat
ed in
the
crim
e.D
etai
ls: F
ree
with
Sci
ence
ntre
adm
issi
on.
ww
w.s
cien
cent
re.q
m.q
ld.g
ov.a
u
JULY
TO
DEC
EMB
ER 1
2TH
E SP
AC
E SH
OW
W
here
: Sci
ence
ntre
, Lev
el 1
, Cor
ner o
f Gre
y
& M
elbo
urne
Str
eets
, Sou
th B
ank
Whe
n: S
how
tim
es v
ary
daily
, che
ck o
n ad
mis
sion
Lear
n ab
out o
ur S
olar
Sys
tem
, gra
vity
, lig
ht,
rock
ets
and
mor
e.D
etai
ls: F
ree
with
Sci
ence
ntre
adm
issi
onw
ww
.sci
ence
ntre
.qm
.qld
.gov
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 1
3 TO
JU
LY 2
015
HU
MA
NO
ID D
ISC
OV
ERY
Whe
re: S
cien
cent
re, L
evel
1, C
orne
r of G
rey
&
Mel
bour
ne S
tree
ts, S
outh
Ban
kW
hen:
9:3
0am
– 5
pmSt
udy
your
ow
n bo
dy fr
om a
new
and
exc
iting
pe
rspe
ctiv
e!D
etai
ls: F
ree
with
Sci
ence
ntre
adm
issi
onw
ww
.sci
ence
ntre
.qm
.qld
.gov
.au
NO
VEM
BER
2 A
ND
16
, DEC
EMB
ER 7
AN
D 2
1ST
EAM
RA
ILW
AY S
UN
DAY
Whe
re: 1
994
Wyn
num
Roa
d, W
ynnu
m W
est
Whe
n: 1
0am
– 4
pm
Adul
ts a
nd c
hild
ren
alik
e ca
n cl
imb
aboa
rd th
e Ba
ysid
e’s
own
min
iatu
re s
team
eng
ines
for a
m
orni
ng o
f fun
!D
etai
ls: w
ww
.bris
bane
bays
ides
team
railw
ay.c
om.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
1 A
ND
DEC
EMB
ER 6
MO
VIE
S IN
TH
E PA
RK
Whe
re: L
ittle
Bay
side
Par
k, M
anly
Whe
n: M
arke
t sta
lls fr
om 3
pm, M
ovie
at 6
pmD
etai
ls: F
ree
NO
VEM
BER
8B
EN A
ND
JER
RY
’S O
PEN
AIR
CIN
EMA
- T
HE
BO
XTR
OLL
SW
here
: The
Rai
nfor
est G
reen
, Sou
th B
ank
Whe
n: G
ates
ope
n 5p
m; M
ovie
at 7
pmD
etai
ls: w
ww
.ope
nairc
inem
as.c
om.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
15
MO
VIE
S IN
TH
E PA
RK
– L
EGO
MO
VIE
Whe
re: S
treisa
nd D
ve P
ark,
Stre
isand
Dr,
McD
owal
lW
hen:
6 –
8pm
. Det
ails
: Fre
e
NOVE
MBER
REGU
LAR
EVEN
TSMO
VIES
NO
VEM
BER
1P
UP
PET
S A
ND
PLA
YW
here
: Fer
guso
n Pa
rk, E
nogg
era
Whe
n: 1
0am
– 1
2pm
Our
uni
que
orig
ami p
uppe
ts a
re s
o fu
n to
m
ake!
Afte
r get
ting
crea
tive,
chi
ldre
n w
ill p
lay
a ra
nge
of e
nerg
etic
gam
es to
cre
ate
thei
r ve
ry o
wn
inte
ract
ive
pupp
et p
lay!
Det
ails
: $5.
For
chi
ldre
n ov
er 5
yea
rs.
Book
ings
ess
entia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
2 A
ND
DEC
EMB
ER 7
STEA
M T
RA
IN S
UN
DAY
Whe
re: R
oma
Stre
et S
tatio
n, B
risba
ne
Whe
n: 1
0:1
5am
– 1
2:45
pmTa
ke in
the
view
of B
risba
ne b
ehin
d a
mag
nific
ently
rest
ored
ste
am lo
com
otiv
e as
the
train
win
ds it
s w
ay th
roug
h su
burb
s, c
ity s
tatio
ns,
past
land
mar
ks a
nd o
ver r
iver
cro
ssin
gs.
Det
ails
: Fam
ily $
64, a
dult
$22,
chi
ld (u
nder
15)
$1
3, U
nder
3 fr
ee.
ww
w.th
ewor
ksho
ps.q
m.q
ld.g
ov.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
2TY
CH
O T
O T
HE
MO
ON
Whe
re: S
ir Th
omas
Bris
bane
Pla
neta
rium
, Br
isba
ne B
otan
ic G
arde
ns, M
t Coo
t-th
aW
hen:
11:
30am
Blas
t off
on a
n am
azin
g rid
e in
to s
pace
with
Ty
cho,
a d
og th
at d
oesn
’t ju
st h
owl a
t the
moo
n –
but
wan
ts to
go
ther
e!D
etai
ls: A
dult
$14.
80, C
hild
ren
(und
er 1
5) $
9.
Book
ings
reco
mm
ende
d.w
ww
.bris
bane
.qld
.gov
.au
NO
VEM
BER
6TE
DD
Y B
EAR
S P
ICN
ICW
here
: Orie
l Par
k, 1
27 R
eeve
Str
eet,
Asco
t W
hen:
10
am –
2pm
Brin
g yo
ur te
ddy,
a h
ealth
y sn
ack
and
enjo
y a
tedd
y be
ars
picn
ic u
nder
the
tree
s. H
ear s
ome
stor
ies
and
play
a ra
nge
of fu
n ga
mes
!D
etai
ls: F
ree.
For
chi
ldre
n ag
ed 2
– 6
yea
rs.
Book
ings
ess
entia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
8D
AN
CIN
G P
RIN
CES
SW
here
: Sha
w P
ark,
151
Sha
w R
oad,
Wav
ell
Hei
ghts
W
hen:
2pm
– 4
pmC
raft,
gam
es a
nd d
anci
ng m
ake
this
wor
ksho
p fu
n fo
r eve
ry li
ttle
prin
cess
! Mak
e yo
ur o
wn
ribbo
n tw
irl a
nd b
ring
it to
life
with
exc
iting
tr
icks
and
flou
rishe
s.D
etai
ls: $
5. F
or a
ges
3+. B
ooki
ngs
esse
ntia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
8SA
NTA
’S A
RR
IVA
LW
here
: Wes
tfiel
d N
orth
Lak
es, C
nr A
nzac
Ave
an
d N
orth
Lak
es D
rive,
Nor
th L
akes
Whe
n: 10
amC
eleb
rate
San
ta’s
arr
ival
with
a g
rand
par
ade,
gi
veaw
ays,
ent
erta
inm
ent a
nd m
ore.
Det
ails
: Fre
e. w
ww
.wes
tfiel
d.co
m.a
u/no
rthla
kes
NO
VEM
BER
8 T
O D
ECEM
BER
24
MY
ER C
HR
ISTM
AS
WIN
DO
WS
&
SA
NTA
LAN
DW
here
: The
Mye
r Cen
tre,
Que
en S
tree
t Mal
l, Th
e C
ityW
hen:
Dai
ly
NO
VEM
BER
93,
2, 1
BLA
ST O
FF!
Whe
re: B
risba
ne B
otan
ic G
arde
ns, M
t Coo
t-tha
Whe
n: 2
pm –
4pm
Blas
t off
into
spa
ce w
ith th
is fu
n an
d en
erge
tic
activ
ity! S
torie
s, g
ames
and
an
adve
ntur
e w
alk
mak
e th
is w
orks
hop
an o
ut o
f thi
s w
orld
ex
perie
nce!
D
etai
ls: $
5. F
or c
hild
ren
3 ye
ars
and
over
. Bo
okin
gs e
ssen
tial.
ww
w.b
azilg
rum
ble.
com
.au
NO
VEM
BER
10
TO
14
REI
ND
EER
PET
TIN
G Z
OO
Whe
re: W
estfi
eld
Nor
th L
akes
, Cnr
Anz
ac A
ve
and
Nor
th L
akes
Driv
e, N
orth
Lak
esW
hen:
11am
– 5
pmC
ome
alon
g to
mee
t and
pet
real
live
re
inde
ers!
Det
ails
: Fre
e. w
ww
.wes
tfiel
d.co
m.a
u/no
rthla
kes
NO
VEM
BER
14
– 1
6, 2
1 –
23
AN
D 2
8 –
30
GIA
NT
SNO
W G
LOB
EW
here
: Too
mbu
l Sho
ppin
g C
entr
e, S
andg
ate
Road
, Too
mbu
lW
hen:
10
am –
3pm
Dai
lyC
ome
insi
de th
e gi
ant i
nfla
tabl
e Sn
ow G
lobe
an
d pl
ay in
the
snow
or g
rab
a ph
oto!
Fun
for
the
who
le fa
mily
!D
etai
ls: F
ree.
ww
w.to
ombu
lcen
tre.
com
.au
NO
VEM
BER
15
TO
DEC
EMB
ER 2
4V
ISIT
SA
NTA
IN H
IS M
AG
ICA
L W
INTE
R W
ON
DER
LAN
D!
Whe
re: T
oom
bul S
hopp
ing
Cen
tre,
San
dgat
e Ro
ad, T
oom
bul
Det
ails
: see
web
site
for v
isiti
ng h
ours
and
ph
oto
pack
ages
. ww
w.to
ombu
lcen
tre.
com
.au
NO
VEM
BER
19
TO
21
KID
DIE
S C
USH
ION
CO
NC
ERTS
–
SYM
PH
ON
IC S
AN
TAW
here
: The
Cou
rier-
Mai
l Pia
zza,
Sou
th B
ank
Park
land
s, S
outh
Ban
kW
hen:
10
am a
nd 1
1:30
am d
aily
Join
pre
sent
er J
ay L
aga’
aia
for a
n in
tera
ctiv
e co
ncer
t exp
erie
nce
to le
arn
abou
t how
the
mus
ic y
ou lo
ve is
cre
ated
. D
etai
ls: F
ree
NO
VEM
BER
22
PAR
ENTI
NG
AFT
ERN
OO
N
CH
AR
ITY
FU
ND
RA
ISER
Whe
re: “
Rive
rpoi
nt”,
55
Forb
es S
t, W
est E
ndW
hen:
2pm
– 4
:30
pmH
elp
crea
te a
brig
hter
futu
re fo
r fam
ilies
to
uche
d by
can
cer.
Dis
cove
r nat
ural
, in
nova
tive
Aust
ralia
n pr
oduc
ts &
exp
ert f
amily
fit
ness
tips
whi
le b
eing
trea
ted
to a
pet
ite h
igh
tea.
Gift
bag
s, g
ivea
way
s an
d m
ore.
Det
ails
: $15
, Lim
ited
num
bers
, boo
king
s es
sent
ial.
Con
tact
eve
nts@
lyns
labe
l.com
.au
or
041
0 8
60 8
83. w
ww
.lyns
labe
l.com
.au/
even
ts
OC
TOB
ER 2
2 –
DEC
EMB
ER 1
0A
CTI
VAT
E C
HIL
DR
EN’S
CLU
B
(AFT
ER S
CH
OO
L C
LUB
) W
here
: Frid
ays
at T
he L
akes
Par
klan
ds, F
ores
t La
ke. W
edne
sday
s at
Grin
stea
d Pa
rk A
lder
ley
Whe
n: 4
pm –
5pm
Com
e an
d ge
t hea
lthy
and
activ
e, m
eet n
ew
frie
nds
and
deve
lop
a ne
w s
kill
each
wee
k.
Det
ails
: Fre
e. 3
to 5
yea
rs o
r 6 to
10
yea
rs.
Book
ings
ess
entia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
NO
V 1
3
WO
RLD
K
IND
NES
S
DAY
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au
- in
the
city
- in
the
city
MARK
ETS
NO
VEM
BER
2 A
ND
DEC
EMB
ER 7
THE
HA
ND
MA
DE
EXP
O M
AR
KET
- M
OR
AYFI
ELD
Whe
re: L
eisu
re C
entr
e, M
oray
field
Roa
d, M
oray
field
Whe
n: 9
am to
2pm
A w
onde
rful
indo
or m
arke
t with
up
to 1
00
sta
llhol
ders
sel
ling
ever
ythi
ng h
and
mad
e, h
and
bake
d an
d ha
nd g
row
n. A
gre
at fa
mily
da
y ou
t with
som
ethi
ng fo
r eve
ryon
e.D
etai
ls: F
ree
entr
y an
d co
vere
d pa
rkin
g
ww
w.th
ehan
dmad
eexp
o.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
8 A
ND
DEC
EMB
ER 1
3B
RIS
STY
LE IN
DIE
MA
RK
ETW
here
: Bris
bane
City
Hal
l, An
n St
, Bris
bane
W
hen:
9am
to 3
pmSu
ppor
t loc
al in
die
artis
ans
and
shop
eth
ical
ly a
t Bris
bane
’s m
ost
gorg
eous
des
tinat
ion
for e
very
thin
g ha
ndm
ade.
Det
ails
: ww
w.b
risst
yle.
com
.au/
2014
-mar
kets
NO
VEM
BER
15
AN
D D
ECEM
BER
20
THE
HA
ND
MA
DE
EXP
O M
AR
KET
- IP
SWIC
HW
here
: The
Ipsw
ich
Turf
Clu
b, B
risba
ne R
oad,
Bun
dam
baW
hen:
8am
to 2
pmEx
celle
nce
in M
akin
g-Ba
king
-Gro
win
g w
ith u
p to
70
sta
llhol
ders
. W
hy n
ot ju
mp
on th
e Sw
anba
nk S
team
Tra
in a
fter l
unch
and
a s
pot o
f ha
ndm
ade
shop
ping
.D
etai
ls: F
ree
entr
y. F
ree
park
ing.
ww
w.th
ehan
dmad
eexp
o.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
30
THE
MU
MM
Y T
REE
MA
RK
ETS
Whe
re: R
iver
Par
k Pl
ace,
Col
Gar
dner
Driv
e, M
orni
ngsi
deW
hen:
9am
to 1
pmBe
autif
ul h
igh
qual
ity, u
niqu
e pr
oduc
ts a
nd s
ervi
ces
whi
ch a
re n
ot
mas
s-pr
oduc
ed o
r eas
ily fo
und
in s
hops
.D
etai
ls: w
ww
.them
umm
ytre
emar
kets
.com
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 5
BR
ISST
YLE
IND
IE T
WIL
IGH
T M
AR
KET
Whe
re: K
ing
Geo
rge
Squa
re, B
risba
neW
hen:
5pm
to 9
pmW
ith o
ver 8
0 s
talls
, enj
oy a
lant
ern
lit c
eleb
ratio
n of
loca
l ind
epen
dent
ar
t, cr
aft a
nd d
esig
n.D
etai
ls: w
ww
.bris
styl
e.co
m.a
u/20
14-m
arke
ts
DEC
EMB
ER 1
3B
ILLY
CA
RT
MA
RK
ETS
Whe
re: S
acre
d H
eart
Prim
ary
Scho
ol, 9
2 Br
ight
on R
oad,
San
dgat
eW
hen:
3pm
to 7
pmSt
ylis
h an
d un
ique
pro
duct
s fo
r litt
le p
eopl
e.D
etai
ls: F
ree.
ww
w.b
illyc
artm
arke
ts.c
om
EVER
Y S
ATU
RD
AY A
ND
SU
ND
AY
VA
LLEY
MA
RK
ETS
Whe
re: C
hina
tow
n M
all a
nd B
runs
wic
k St
reet
Mal
l, Br
unsw
ick
St,
Fort
itude
Val
ley
Whe
n: 8
am to
4pm
Show
casi
ng v
ario
us s
talls
sel
ling
vint
age
item
s, fa
shio
n, b
ric-a
-bra
c,
natu
ral o
rgan
ic p
rodu
ce, a
nd a
n ec
lect
ic ra
nge
of a
rts
and
craf
ts.
Det
ails
: Fre
e. C
onta
ct 0
7 34
03
3740
.
EVER
Y W
EEK
END
THE
CO
LLEC
TIV
E M
AR
KET
S (S
OU
TH B
AN
K M
AR
KET
S)W
here
: Sou
th B
ank
Plaz
a, S
tanl
ey S
tree
t, So
uth
Bris
bane
Whe
n: S
atur
days
from
10
am to
9pm
, Sun
days
from
9am
to 4
pmTh
e ne
w C
olle
ctiv
e M
arke
ts in
clud
es a
rts
and
craf
ts, h
omew
ares
, ob
ject
des
ign,
pho
togr
aphy
, fur
nitu
re, f
ood,
fash
ion,
jew
elle
ry, v
inta
ge
and
pre-
love
d cl
othi
ng, u
niqu
e w
ares
and
acc
esso
ries.
Det
ails
: w
ww
.sou
thba
nkm
arke
t.com
.au
TICKE
TSSE
PTE
MB
ER 2
7, 2
014
TO
JA
NU
AR
Y 2
5, 2
015
THE
LIO
N K
ING
Lyric
The
atre
, QPA
C. w
ww
4.qp
ac.c
om.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
15
TO
DEC
EMB
ER 2
1R
AP
UN
ZEL
Bris
bane
Art
s Th
eatr
ew
ww
.art
sthe
atre
.com
.au/
show
/rap
unze
l
NO
VEM
BER
27
& 2
8P
EPPA
PIG
LIV
E! T
REA
SUR
E H
UN
TQ
UT
Gar
dens
The
atre
ww
w.g
arde
nsth
eatr
e.qu
t.edu
.au/
wha
tson
/20
14/p
eppa
-pig
.jsp
DEC
EMB
ER 1
2 T
O 2
0Q
UEE
NSL
AN
D B
ALL
ET -
THE
NU
TCR
AC
KER
Lyric
The
atre
, QPA
C, B
risba
ne. w
ww
.qpa
c.co
m.a
u
DEC
EMB
ER 2
3TH
E W
IGG
LES
BIG
SH
OW
- LI
VE
IN C
ON
CER
TBr
isba
ne E
nter
tain
men
t Cen
tre
http
://pr
emie
r.tic
kete
k.co
m.a
u/sh
ows/
show
.asp
x?sh
=WIG
GLE
S14
JAN
UA
RY
3 T
O 1
1ER
TH’S
DIN
OSA
UR
ZO
OC
rem
orne
The
atre
, QPA
C. w
ww
.qpa
c.co
m.a
u
JAN
UA
RY
3 T
O 1
1G
IGG
LE A
ND
HO
OT
AN
D F
RIE
ND
SQ
PAC
Pla
yhou
se. w
ww
.qpa
c.co
m.a
u
JAN
UA
RY
17
DIS
NEY
LIV
E!Br
isba
ne E
nter
tain
men
t Cen
tre
ww
w.b
risen
t.com
.au/
Even
t_C
alen
dar/
Dis
ney_
Live
.asp
x
OP
ENS
10 A
PR
IL 2
015
CIR
QU
E D
U S
OLE
IL -
TOTE
MBr
isba
ne, N
orth
shor
e H
amilt
onht
tp://
prem
ier.t
icke
tek.
com
.au
NO
VEM
BER
1P
UP
PET
S A
ND
PLA
YW
here
: Fer
guso
n Pa
rk, E
nogg
era
Whe
n: 1
0am
– 1
2pm
Our
uni
que
orig
ami p
uppe
ts a
re s
o fu
n to
m
ake!
Afte
r get
ting
crea
tive,
chi
ldre
n w
ill p
lay
a ra
nge
of e
nerg
etic
gam
es to
cre
ate
thei
r ve
ry o
wn
inte
ract
ive
pupp
et p
lay!
Det
ails
: $5.
For
chi
ldre
n ov
er 5
yea
rs.
Book
ings
ess
entia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
2 A
ND
DEC
EMB
ER 7
STEA
M T
RA
IN S
UN
DAY
Whe
re: R
oma
Stre
et S
tatio
n, B
risba
ne
Whe
n: 1
0:1
5am
– 1
2:45
pmTa
ke in
the
view
of B
risba
ne b
ehin
d a
mag
nific
ently
rest
ored
ste
am lo
com
otiv
e as
the
train
win
ds it
s w
ay th
roug
h su
burb
s, c
ity s
tatio
ns,
past
land
mar
ks a
nd o
ver r
iver
cro
ssin
gs.
Det
ails
: Fam
ily $
64, a
dult
$22,
chi
ld (u
nder
15)
$1
3, U
nder
3 fr
ee.
ww
w.th
ewor
ksho
ps.q
m.q
ld.g
ov.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
2TY
CH
O T
O T
HE
MO
ON
Whe
re: S
ir Th
omas
Bris
bane
Pla
neta
rium
, Br
isba
ne B
otan
ic G
arde
ns, M
t Coo
t-th
aW
hen:
11:
30am
Blas
t off
on a
n am
azin
g rid
e in
to s
pace
with
Ty
cho,
a d
og th
at d
oesn
’t ju
st h
owl a
t the
moo
n –
but
wan
ts to
go
ther
e!D
etai
ls: A
dult
$14.
80, C
hild
ren
(und
er 1
5) $
9.
Book
ings
reco
mm
ende
d.w
ww
.bris
bane
.qld
.gov
.au
NO
VEM
BER
6TE
DD
Y B
EAR
S P
ICN
ICW
here
: Orie
l Par
k, 1
27 R
eeve
Str
eet,
Asco
t W
hen:
10
am –
2pm
Brin
g yo
ur te
ddy,
a h
ealth
y sn
ack
and
enjo
y a
tedd
y be
ars
picn
ic u
nder
the
tree
s. H
ear s
ome
stor
ies
and
play
a ra
nge
of fu
n ga
mes
!D
etai
ls: F
ree.
For
chi
ldre
n ag
ed 2
– 6
yea
rs.
Book
ings
ess
entia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
8D
AN
CIN
G P
RIN
CES
SW
here
: Sha
w P
ark,
151
Sha
w R
oad,
Wav
ell
Hei
ghts
W
hen:
2pm
– 4
pmC
raft,
gam
es a
nd d
anci
ng m
ake
this
wor
ksho
p fu
n fo
r eve
ry li
ttle
prin
cess
! Mak
e yo
ur o
wn
ribbo
n tw
irl a
nd b
ring
it to
life
with
exc
iting
tr
icks
and
flou
rishe
s.D
etai
ls: $
5. F
or a
ges
3+. B
ooki
ngs
esse
ntia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
NO
VEM
BER
8SA
NTA
’S A
RR
IVA
LW
here
: Wes
tfiel
d N
orth
Lak
es, C
nr A
nzac
Ave
an
d N
orth
Lak
es D
rive,
Nor
th L
akes
Whe
n: 10
amC
eleb
rate
San
ta’s
arr
ival
with
a g
rand
par
ade,
gi
veaw
ays,
ent
erta
inm
ent a
nd m
ore.
Det
ails
: Fre
e. w
ww
.wes
tfiel
d.co
m.a
u/no
rthla
kes
NO
VEM
BER
8 T
O D
ECEM
BER
24
MY
ER C
HR
ISTM
AS
WIN
DO
WS
&
SA
NTA
LAN
DW
here
: The
Mye
r Cen
tre,
Que
en S
tree
t Mal
l, Th
e C
ityW
hen:
Dai
ly
NO
VEM
BER
93,
2, 1
BLA
ST O
FF!
Whe
re: B
risba
ne B
otan
ic G
arde
ns, M
t Coo
t-tha
Whe
n: 2
pm –
4pm
Blas
t off
into
spa
ce w
ith th
is fu
n an
d en
erge
tic
activ
ity! S
torie
s, g
ames
and
an
adve
ntur
e w
alk
mak
e th
is w
orks
hop
an o
ut o
f thi
s w
orld
ex
perie
nce!
D
etai
ls: $
5. F
or c
hild
ren
3 ye
ars
and
over
. Bo
okin
gs e
ssen
tial.
ww
w.b
azilg
rum
ble.
com
.au
NO
VEM
BER
10
TO
14
REI
ND
EER
PET
TIN
G Z
OO
Whe
re: W
estfi
eld
Nor
th L
akes
, Cnr
Anz
ac A
ve
and
Nor
th L
akes
Driv
e, N
orth
Lak
esW
hen:
11am
– 5
pmC
ome
alon
g to
mee
t and
pet
real
live
re
inde
ers!
Det
ails
: Fre
e. w
ww
.wes
tfiel
d.co
m.a
u/no
rthla
kes
NO
VEM
BER
14
– 1
6, 2
1 –
23
AN
D 2
8 –
30
GIA
NT
SNO
W G
LOB
EW
here
: Too
mbu
l Sho
ppin
g C
entr
e, S
andg
ate
Road
, Too
mbu
lW
hen:
10
am –
3pm
Dai
lyC
ome
insi
de th
e gi
ant i
nfla
tabl
e Sn
ow G
lobe
an
d pl
ay in
the
snow
or g
rab
a ph
oto!
Fun
for
the
who
le fa
mily
!D
etai
ls: F
ree.
ww
w.to
ombu
lcen
tre.
com
.au
NO
VEM
BER
15
TO
DEC
EMB
ER 2
4V
ISIT
SA
NTA
IN H
IS M
AG
ICA
L W
INTE
R W
ON
DER
LAN
D!
Whe
re: T
oom
bul S
hopp
ing
Cen
tre,
San
dgat
e Ro
ad, T
oom
bul
Det
ails
: see
web
site
for v
isiti
ng h
ours
and
ph
oto
pack
ages
. ww
w.to
ombu
lcen
tre.
com
.au
NO
VEM
BER
19
TO
21
KID
DIE
S C
USH
ION
CO
NC
ERTS
–
SYM
PH
ON
IC S
AN
TAW
here
: The
Cou
rier-
Mai
l Pia
zza,
Sou
th B
ank
Park
land
s, S
outh
Ban
kW
hen:
10
am a
nd 1
1:30
am d
aily
Join
pre
sent
er J
ay L
aga’
aia
for a
n in
tera
ctiv
e co
ncer
t exp
erie
nce
to le
arn
abou
t how
the
mus
ic y
ou lo
ve is
cre
ated
. D
etai
ls: F
ree
NO
VEM
BER
22
PAR
ENTI
NG
AFT
ERN
OO
N
CH
AR
ITY
FU
ND
RA
ISER
Whe
re: “
Rive
rpoi
nt”,
55
Forb
es S
t, W
est E
ndW
hen:
2pm
– 4
:30
pmH
elp
crea
te a
brig
hter
futu
re fo
r fam
ilies
to
uche
d by
can
cer.
Dis
cove
r nat
ural
, in
nova
tive
Aust
ralia
n pr
oduc
ts &
exp
ert f
amily
fit
ness
tips
whi
le b
eing
trea
ted
to a
pet
ite h
igh
tea.
Gift
bag
s, g
ivea
way
s an
d m
ore.
Det
ails
: $15
, Lim
ited
num
bers
, boo
king
s es
sent
ial.
Con
tact
eve
nts@
lyns
labe
l.com
.au
or
041
0 8
60 8
83. w
ww
.lyns
labe
l.com
.au/
even
ts
OC
TOB
ER 2
2 –
DEC
EMB
ER 1
0A
CTI
VAT
E C
HIL
DR
EN’S
CLU
B
(AFT
ER S
CH
OO
L C
LUB
) W
here
: Frid
ays
at T
he L
akes
Par
klan
ds, F
ores
t La
ke. W
edne
sday
s at
Grin
stea
d Pa
rk A
lder
ley
Whe
n: 4
pm –
5pm
Com
e an
d ge
t hea
lthy
and
activ
e, m
eet n
ew
frie
nds
and
deve
lop
a ne
w s
kill
each
wee
k.
Det
ails
: Fre
e. 3
to 5
yea
rs o
r 6 to
10
yea
rs.
Book
ings
ess
entia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
Visit w
ww.ki
dsin
thec
itym
agaz
ine.c
om.au
for
mor
e ev
ents
DECE
MBER
DEC
EMB
ER 6
SUP
ER S
ATU
RD
AYW
here
: Wes
tfiel
d N
orth
Lak
es, C
nr A
nzac
Ave
an
d N
orth
Lak
es D
rive,
Nor
th L
akes
Whe
n: A
ll da
ySu
ppor
t the
Cer
ebra
l Pal
sy L
eagu
e w
ith a
ctiv
ities
, en
terta
inm
ent a
nd m
ore
thro
ugho
ut th
e da
y.D
etai
ls: G
old
coin
don
atio
n to
CPL
ww
w.w
estfi
eld.
com
.au/
nort
hlak
es
DEC
EMB
ER 6
PER
FEC
T LI
TTLE
PLA
NET
Whe
re: S
ir Th
omas
Bris
bane
Pla
neta
rium
, Br
isba
ne B
otan
ic G
arde
ns, M
t Coo
t-th
aW
hen:
12:
30pm
The
kids
will
love
this
sho
w a
s th
ey le
arn
abou
t our
sol
ar s
yste
m th
roug
h th
e ey
es o
f a
fam
ily o
f alie
ns o
n va
catio
n. R
ecom
men
ded
for c
hild
ren
aged
5 y
ears
and
ove
r.D
etai
ls: A
dult
$14.
80, C
hild
ren
(und
er 1
5) $
9.
ww
w.b
risba
ne.q
ld.g
ov.a
u
DEC
EMB
ER 8
H
UN
GR
Y H
UN
GR
Y C
ATER
PIL
LAR
SW
here
: Ray
mon
d Pa
rk18
4 W
ellin
gton
Roa
d,
Kang
aroo
Poi
nt
Whe
n: 1
0.0
0am
to 1
2.0
0pm
Lear
n al
l abo
ut a
ctiv
e, h
ealth
y bo
dies
. Enj
oy a
st
ory
and
then
get
act
ive
with
a fu
n fo
od re
lay
and
a w
iggl
y ca
terp
illar
race
! D
etai
ls: F
ree.
Rec
omm
ende
d fo
r age
s 2
– 6
. Bo
okin
gs e
ssen
tial.
ww
w.b
azilg
rum
ble.
com
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 1
0 T
O 1
2K
IDD
IES
CU
SHIO
N C
ON
CER
TS
– S
YM
PH
ON
IC S
AN
TAW
here
: The
Cou
rier-
Mai
l Pia
zza,
Sou
th B
ank
Park
land
s, S
outh
Ban
kW
hen:
9:3
0am
and
11a
m d
aily
Join
pre
sent
er J
ay L
aga’
aia
for a
n in
tera
ctiv
e co
ncer
t exp
erie
nce
to le
arn
abou
t how
the
mus
ic y
ou lo
ve is
cre
ated
. D
etai
ls: F
ree
DEC
EMB
ER 1
2 T
O 2
1M
YER
CH
RIS
TMA
S
PAR
AD
E &
PA
NTO
MIM
E W
here
: Que
en S
tree
t Mal
l & K
ing
Geo
rge
Squa
re, B
risba
ne C
ity
Whe
n: 5
pm
DEC
EMB
ER 1
2 T
O 2
4G
OLD
LO
TTO
CIT
Y H
ALL
LI
GH
T SP
ECTA
CU
LAR
Whe
re: C
ity H
all,
Bris
bane
City
W
hen:
7:3
0pm
to m
idni
ght (
ever
y 15
min
)
DEC
EMB
ER 1
3IG
A L
OR
D M
AYO
R’S
C
AR
OLS
IN T
HE
CIT
YW
here
: Riv
er S
tage
, Bris
bane
City
Whe
n: 5
pm
DEC
EMB
ER 1
3C
HR
ISTM
AS
CR
AFT
AN
D G
AM
ESW
here
: Vic
Luc
as P
ark,
152
Cou
tts S
t, Bu
limba
W
hen:
10.
00
am –
12.
00
pmSo
ngs,
cra
ft an
d st
oryt
ellin
g al
l bas
ed o
n fe
stiv
e th
emes
that
com
e to
geth
er to
mak
e th
is a
fun
and
inte
ract
ive
wor
ksho
p th
at w
ill
get e
very
one
into
the
spiri
t of C
hris
tmas
!D
etai
ls: $
5. F
or c
hild
ren
5 an
d ov
er. B
ooki
ngs
esse
ntia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
DEC
EMB
ER 1
4C
HR
ISTM
AS
EXP
RES
SW
here
: The
Wor
ksho
ps R
ail M
useu
m, N
orth
St
, Nor
th Ip
swic
hC
atch
the
Chr
istm
as s
pirit
with
a fe
stiv
e re
turn
st
eam
trai
n jo
urne
y. A
dd m
useu
m e
ntry
and
m
ake
a w
hole
day
of C
hris
tmas
act
iviti
es.
Det
ails
: Fam
ily $
152,
Chi
ld (u
nder
15)
$32
.50,
Ad
ult $
45. U
nder
3 fr
eew
ww
.thew
orks
hops
.qm
.qld
.gov
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 1
5R
AIN
BO
W A
DV
ENTU
RES
Whe
re: P
errin
Par
k, J
oslin
g St
reet
, Too
won
g W
hen:
10.
00
am –
12.
00
pmC
olou
rs e
very
whe
re!
On
the
eart
h an
d in
th
e ai
r! T
his
wor
ksho
p w
ill u
se d
ram
a an
d cr
eativ
e m
ovem
ent t
o le
arn
abou
t all
the
colo
urs
of th
e ra
inbo
w!
Det
ails
: Fre
e. R
ecom
men
ded
for a
ges
2 –
6.
Book
ings
ess
entia
l. w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
DEC
EMB
ER 1
5C
HR
ISTM
AS
CR
AFT
AN
D G
AM
ESW
here
: Roc
ks R
iver
side
Par
k, 5
Cou
niha
n Ro
ad, S
even
teen
Mile
Roc
ks
Whe
n: 3
.00
pm –
5.0
0pm
Song
s, c
raft
and
stor
ytel
ling
all b
ased
on
fest
ive
them
es th
at c
ome
toge
ther
to m
ake
this
a fu
n an
d in
tera
ctiv
e w
orks
hop
that
will
ge
t eve
ryon
e in
to th
e sp
irit o
f Chr
istm
as!
Det
ails
: $5.
For
chi
ldre
n 5
and
over
. Boo
king
s es
sent
ial.
Visi
t ww
w.b
azilg
rum
ble.
com
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 1
5 T
O 1
9FR
EE C
HR
ISTM
AS
CR
AFT
!W
here
: Cal
amva
le C
entr
al S
hopp
ing
Cen
tre,
66
2 C
ompt
on R
d, C
alam
vale
Whe
n: 1
0am
til 2
pm D
aily
Com
e al
ong
and
crea
te y
our o
wn
danc
ing
Sant
a or
rein
deer
. D
etai
ls: F
ree
DEC
EMB
ER 1
7 TO
23
DA
VID
HA
MIL
TON
PU
PP
ET S
HO
WS
Whe
re: T
oom
bul S
hopp
ing
Cen
tre,
San
dgat
e Ro
ad, T
oom
bul
Whe
n: 1
1am
and
1pm
dai
lyEn
joy
wor
ld-a
ccla
imed
cab
aret
pup
petr
y sh
ows
from
Dav
id H
amilt
on th
is C
hris
tmas
.D
etai
ls: F
ree.
ww
w.to
ombu
lcen
tre.
com
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 1
9
CR
EATE
A C
IRC
US
Whe
re: M
cCoo
k Pa
rk, 3
5 Ba
dger
Str
eet,
New
mar
ket
Whe
n: 1
0.0
0am
– 1
2.0
0pm
D
oes
your
chi
ld lo
ve d
ress
ing
up a
nd b
eing
th
e ce
ntre
of a
ttent
ion?
Thi
s is
a d
ram
a w
orks
hop
with
a d
iffer
ence
! D
etai
ls: F
ree.
For
age
s 5
and
over
. Boo
king
s es
sent
ial.
Visi
t ww
w.b
azilg
rum
ble.
com
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 2
0SH
OO
T FO
R T
HE
STA
RS!
P
OTT
ERY
AN
D A
DV
ENTU
RE
WA
LKW
here
: Bris
bane
Bot
anic
Gar
dens
, Mt C
oot-t
haW
hen:
10.
00
am –
12.
00
pmC
ome
alon
g to
this
fun
wor
ksho
p to
mak
e so
me
wei
rd a
nd w
onde
rful
alie
ns, a
ster
oids
an
d ro
cket
s fr
om c
lay.
D
etai
ls: $
5. F
or a
ges
3 an
d ov
er. B
ooki
ngs
esse
ntia
l. Vi
sit w
ww
.baz
ilgru
mbl
e.co
m.a
u
DEC
EMB
ER 2
0FL
YIN
G O
RIG
AM
I MA
RAT
HO
NW
here
: Kei
th P
ayne
Par
k, B
uddi
na S
t, St
affo
rd
Whe
n: 2
.00
pm –
4.0
0pm
Lear
n ne
w a
nd in
nova
tive
fold
ing
tech
niqu
es
to m
ake
your
ow
n pl
ane
soar
thro
ugh
the
park
fly
ing
high
er a
nd fa
ster
than
eve
r bef
ore.
D
etai
ls: F
ree.
For
age
s 4
and
over
. Boo
king
s es
sent
ial.
Visi
t ww
w.b
azilg
rum
ble.
com
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 2
1C
HR
ISTM
AS
CR
AFT
AN
D G
AM
ESW
here
: Dut
ton
Park
, Mem
oria
l Par
k D
rive,
D
utto
n Pa
rk
Whe
n: 1
0.0
0am
– 1
2.0
0pm
Son
gs, c
raft
and
stor
ytel
ling
all b
ased
on
fest
ive
them
es th
at c
ome
toge
ther
to m
ake
this
a fu
n an
d in
tera
ctiv
e w
orks
hop
that
will
ge
t eve
ryon
e in
to th
e sp
irit o
f Chr
istm
as!
Det
ails
: $5.
For
chi
ldre
n 5
and
over
. Boo
king
s es
sent
ial.
Visi
t ww
w.b
azilg
rum
ble.
com
.au
DEC
EMB
ER 2
6 –
FEB
RU
AR
Y 2
DAY
OU
T W
ITH
TH
OM
AS
20
15W
here
: The
Wor
ksho
ps R
ail M
useu
m, N
orth
St
, Nor
th Ip
swic
hW
hen:
9:3
0am
– 4
pmTh
omas
fun
for t
he w
hole
fam
ily! M
eet
Thom
as a
nd th
e Fa
t Con
trol
ler;
get b
usy
in th
e Th
omas
Pla
y Pi
t and
wat
ch a
dven
ture
s of
the
blue
eng
ine
in th
e ci
nem
a!
Det
ails
: Fam
ily $
59, A
dult
$20,
Chi
ld (3
-15)
$1
1.50
. ww
w.th
ewor
ksho
ps.q
m.q
ld.g
ov.a
u
DEC
EMB
ER
25 CH
RIS
TMA
S
holiday
DECEMBE
R 2
014
/ J
AN
UA
RY 2
015
- in
the
city
- in
the
city
- on
the
coas
t
- on
the
coas
t
eGUID
E
DO
WN
LOA
D
DEC
5 D
on’t
mis
s ou
t on
any
even
ts!
Sig
n u
p a
t w
ww
.kid
sin
the
cit
ym
ag
azi
ne
.co
m.a
u f
or
ou
r w
ee
kly
Wh
at’s
On
gu
ide
. We
als
o h
ave
a s
pe
cia
l co
mp
reh
en
sive
acti
vity
an
d e
ven
t e
Gu
ide
eve
ry s
ch
oo
l ho
lida
ys, c
ove
rin
g a
ll o
f S
ou
th E
ast
Qu
ee
nsl
an
d. Y
ou
ca
n s
ign
u
p o
nlin
e t
o b
e n
oti
fie
d w
he
n t
he
gu
ide
is la
un
ch
ed
an
d t
o r
ece
ive
th
e li
nk
to
do
wn
loa
d y
ou
r p
ers
on
al c
op
y.
* W
e pu
blis
h in
form
atio
n ba
sed
on w
hat i
s su
pplie
d to
us
- to
the
best
of
our
kno
wle
ge a
ll de
tails
are
cor
rect
at
the
time
of p
rintin
g,
how
ever
we
do
reco
mm
end
you
chec
k ev
ent d
etai
ls
with
the
orga
nise
rs
Hap
py N
ew Y
ear!
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au20 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
If you’re looking for a way to encourage your child to get active, become
more vibrant and increase confidence levels, then enrolling them at Infinity
Martial Arts may just be the answer.
Infinity Martial Arts offers a range of fun and interactive classes for 2-15 year
olds that have been designed to make sure every child is challenged and
given the chance to reach their full potential.
With classes starting for children as young as 2, it allows kids to get a head
start on learning vital skills such as paying attention, listening and showing
self-control. The classes focus on hand and eye coordination, which is
extremely important in early learning development.
Their programs not only teach children healthy and active habits from
a young age, but also endeavour to give every student valuable lessons
for life. All instructors at Infinity are full-time professionals that take pride
in teaching quality, child-friendly martial arts that will help tackle self-
confidence, bullying and socialisation issues.
The Infinity Martial Arts 6 Lessons for Life
1. Self-Discipline: research shows that children who train in martial arts
develop a high level of discipline that flows through to how they focus and
behave on a daily basis, in the classroom or at home.
2. Strength: physical and mental strength can be one of the most valuable
components to carry through life. Children are encouraged to push their
limits in both areas, which help them to stay fit, positive of mind and on the
right path the reaching their full potential in life.
3. Respect: the instructors at Infinity work one-on-one with the students
and strive to ensure all children learn the art of respect - teaching them to
behave appropriately and hold a high regard for teachers, parents and other
mentors that are present during their life.
4. Honour: all children will have the opportunity to progress through the
coloured belt rank system. This provides the building blocks for learning
how to set and achieve goals. The honour brings a positive social standing
and more importantly improves their overall self-esteem.
5. Personal Safety: students are trained to defend themselves against
bullies in and out of the schoolyard. infinity teach non-violent ways to deal
with the bully as well as providing valuable tools to make sure children don’t
become a bully themselves.
6. Self-confidence and self-esteem: people that high levels of self-
confidence and self-esteem are less likely to be bullied, or become a bully
for that matter. They are more likely to take on leadership roles in later life
and have the belief in themselves to chase their dreams. This is the single
most powerful life lesson, and one that they focus on most at Infinity.
“Your child deserves the best start in life - give them that with Infinity Martial
Arts!” Call 1300 INFINITY for more details.
ADVERTISEMENT/LOCAL BUSINESS
Infinity: more than Martial Arts
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 –Kids in the City 21
In a move sure to please both parents and kids, Australia’s favourite family
resort– Paradise Resort – has introduced birthday party packages to suit all
ages. Available seven days a week, the all-inclusive party options are suitable
for boys and girls and take advantage of a family-friendly environment, loaded
with fun extras. You can choose from an Ice-Skating or Waterpark party with
your food and entertainment taken care of so you can sit back, relax and enjoy
the party. if your kids are obsessed with the movie “Frozen” then Planet Chill
Ice-Skating Rink provides the perfect backdrop with packages including up to
2 hours of ice-skating, balloons, party bags, invitations and yummy party food
to ensure your kid has the coolest party ever! And if you can’t cut down the list
of invites there’s even an option to book out the entire ice-rink. Resort General
Manager, David Brook, believes the birthday packages will provide parents with
an exciting and affordable alternative for kid’s birthdays. “Catering to families is
our specialty and when you consider the cost and stress of hosting birthdays in
parks, homes and other locations, what we offer is very competitive.” “Apart from
the huge smiles and wonderful memories for party-goers another added benefit
is that parents can simply walk out the door without worrying about cleaning up.”
You can even add on extras such as popcorn and fairy floss, balloon
twisting and face painting as well as a menu of “parent platters” taking
the stress out of party hosting for the parents. Or for that extra special
touch you can even arrange a VIP meet and greet with one of the resort
mascots Captain, Cleo, Dusty or Astro who would be only too happy to join
in on the party fun. And while Planet Chill has a definite party vibe with
flashing lights and glow sticks, they also offer a complimentary jukebox to
select your own music (and yes “Let it Go” is on the list) the Zone 4 Kids
Waterpark Parties are a firm favourite as the weather heats up offering
hours of fun with a myriad of slides, water cannons, and climbing frames
designed to entertain children of all ages.
“We believe we have developed a birthday experience that is value for
money and, more importantly, provides great memories for both the kids
and the parents”, said Mr Brook.
For more information visit:
www.paradiseresort.com.au/parties/packages/
ADVERTISEMENT/LOCAL BUSINESS
Party on at Paradise Resort!
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au22 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
THE P FILES
by Dr Kelly Bowers, Psychologist, Youthrive Integrated Therapy Services
SENSITIVITY IS EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO OUR SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL DEVELOPMENT. IT HELPS US TO UNDERSTAND OURSELVES AND OTHERS AROUND US. BY BEING AWARE
OF OUR EMOTIONS WE ARE ABLE TO COMMUNICATE OUR NEEDS AND EXPERIENCES WITH THOSE WE HOLD DEAR. IN TURN, BY BEING SENSITIVE WE ARE ABLE TO COMPARE
OUR EXPERIENCES TO THOSE OF THE PEOPLE AROUND US AND TO SHOW EMPATHY AND COMPASSION IN RELATION TO THEM.
Those who ‘wear their hearts on their sleeve’ are able to let people
know who they are and what is important to them. The alternative is
to mask our emotions, only letting them out once in a while. This may
not only limit the number of people who we connect with, but may
also impact on the quality of our relationships with others if we don’t
let them see who we are on the inside. Expressing our emotions
and providing emotional support to others is the core of developing
relationships and is the crux of all humankind. Without them, our lives
would be largely unfulfilled. Think about the time when your child took
their first steps – imagine what that experience would have been like
if we were unable to feel emotions like pride, elation and joy.
Emotional expression is equally important to children. Because
the brain is still developing during childhood, our children often
have less ability to think rationally about their needs and to
communicate them appropriately. For example, a child who is
hungry may start crying or show signs of anger and frustration.
These are essentially signposts for caregivers to follow. Our
children rely on their emotions to let us know what they need.
Provided that we have experienced similar emotions and/or have
interpreted our child’s emotions correctly, we are then able to
provide our child with the relevant support they require.
But when are children too sensitive? This is similar to asking ‘how
long is a piece of string.’ A simple answer is that the expression of
feelings become problematic when emotions are easily and regularly
triggered by even the smallest of adversities. Similarly, children may
appear to be oversensitive if they become solely dependent on us as
caregivers to meet their needs. If emotions become debilitating and
prevent a child from completing everyday tasks or activities, we can
almost certainly determine that the child is ‘sensitive’ to something.
But this is not necessarily an easy thing to identify. Several contextual
factors often need to be considered first, before determining whether
a child has displayed an overreaction to a particular event. Things
that need to be considered are the developmental age of the child,
the child’s previous experiences that may be associated with the
emotion and our own expectations and beliefs about what degree of
emotional expression is appropriate.
CHILD DEVELOPMENTAL AGEWe wouldn’t consider a one-year-old child as being too sensitive
if they cried as a result of not being able to find their caregiver
in the exact moment that they needed them; however the
same cannot be said for a 12-year-old who we would expect
to communicate this need by using words. During infancy, our
children are obviously very dependent on us as caregivers to
support both their physical and emotional needs. When our
children cry, we are there to hold them and nurture them. As our
children begin to grow they not only tend to cry less often, but
they learn that crying in certain other ways will help their varying
needs to be met. For example, tantrums or clingy behaviours
are also tools that children use to communicate that they have
a requirement that needs to be met. As children get older
their thinking, reasoning and problem-solving abilities begin to
improve. This typically starts developing around 6–8 years of age
and may not be fully developed until they reach their mid-20s. As
their thinking abilities improve, children require less nurturing and
holding and are better equipped at trying to problem solve with
the support of their caregiver. While crying is a perfectly normal
and positive way to release and express emotions, children will
begin to rely on this mode of communication less frequently
as they get older. A child may be considered to be sensitive
to a specific situation if they frequently become emotional in a
particular circumstance time and time again.
PARENTAL EXPECTATIONSWe all tend to have different ideas about what emotions are
acceptable under particular conditions. As a society we tend to
place too much of a negative view on emotions such as anger or
sadness. They are often considered taboo. The fact is that these
are normal emotions that all people experience in varying forms
on a daily basis. Despite our best efforts, we will never be able
to completely protect our children from ever experiencing these
emotions. What makes them 'okay' or 'not okay' is the manner in
which they are expressed. The focus should not be on how to
prevent these emotions from occurring, but rather how we can
Is my child too sensitive?
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 –Kids in the City 23
THE P FILES
appropriately cope with them when they do occur. It is better that
we spend time supporting our children in learning how to manage
and cope with their emotions rather than trying to protect them
from ever experiencing the emotion in the first place. It is safe to
say that we can expect our children to express varying degrees
of emotions from time to time; in fact, we should encourage it.
However, if children do not possess the appropriate emotional
coping skills, it is more likely that they will experience emotional
distress from even small adversities. They may potentially even
develop a sensitivity to them.
PAST EXPERIENCESIt is common that children may display a particular sensitivity to a
negative situation or event that they have experienced in the past.
Often our emotions can be of benefit to us, as they may protect us
from harm, motivate us to complete particular tasks or help us to
seek security from loved ones. Nonetheless, if children perceive
a situation to be of threat to their wellbeing, it is reasonable to
expect that they may become alert to similar threats that may occur
again in the future. While this may be classed as being sensitive,
a response that is perhaps ‘too’ sensitive may be one that results
in avoidance of an activity and one that impairs the child’s ability
to participate in daily tasks. The way in which caregivers manage
these fears may determine the degree of sensitivity that children
experience in response to these situations again in the future.
PARENT-CHILD ATTACHMENTSChildren who feel safe and secure in their world are typically
better able to cope with adversity and to organise and manage
their emotions. The sense of feeling safe and secure within our
world is developed based on the relationship that we have with
our caregivers. If children have had their needs met consistently
by their caregivers and have been supported by their caregivers
to manage their emotions with increasing independence, then
they are less likely to become overly sensitive to life’s smaller
challenges. This is referred to as having a secure attachment
between the child and caregiver. The two extremes of less secure
attachments range from poor attachment in which caregivers
provide inconsistent support to their children to an over attachment
or ‘enmeshment’ between child and caregiver.
In poor attachments, the caregiver may not always make themselves
available to the child's emotional needs or may even prioritise their
own emotional needs ahead of their child's. In these instances,
amongst other difficulties, the child views the world as being
unpredictable and is constantly on alert for danger. Small adversities
may trigger large emotional reactions as the child does not possess
the adequate skills to cope with any ‘threat’ to their wellbeing.
Children who have experienced poor attachments are also less
likely to understand and respond appropriately to the emotions
expressed by others. The child’s emotional response often becomes
inconsistent and is difficult to predict. Here the child may appear to
be overly sensitive to a situation or circumstance.
On the other end of the spectrum are child-caregiver relationships
that have become enmeshed and the child becomes overly
dependent on the caregiver’s support.
These children typically do not learn to
cope with their emotions independently
and can only seem to manage their
emotions when their caregiver is present.
The problem here is that children cannot
remain in the care of their attachment
person indefinitely. At some point, children
start going to kindergarten, school, and
sleepovers at friends’ houses. Not to
mention when they start to fly the nest
and experience the big world on their
own accord in adolescence and early
adulthood. It is true that we have better
chance of success in later life if we have
had a secure base in which to launch
from, however in order to achieve this
children require opportunities to develop
their independence and to manage their
emotions without always having to rely on
the support of the caregiver.
WHAT CAN WE DO?It is our role as caregivers to model ways
in which to cope with distress to our
children. This includes ways to regulate
emotions and begin solving problems.
Without an adequate role model in the
area of emotional regulation, children
may potentially experience difficulty
regulating their own emotions in the future
and become overly sensitive to adverse
situations. In order to develop these skills,
we need to allow our children opportunities
to experience different emotions including
those not-so-pleasant ones from time to
time. But it is equally important to ensure
that we are there not only to pick our
children up when they fall, but to also
guide them in how they can learn from their
mistakes. The old saying rings true – we
learn from our mistakes and misfortunes.
Once we have experienced a negative
emotion and have had the appropriate
level of support from our caregiver, we are then better equipped to
cope with the same challenge if it presents itself again in the future.
As much as we delight in the youthful innocence of our children,
our long-term goal should always be to support our children in
becoming independent people who are capable of managing their
own emotions when needed, but who still feel comfortable seeking
support from others at the same time.
FOR MORE INFORMATION RELATING TO CHILD EMOTIONAL
DEVELOPMENT, PLEASE VISIT THE RAISING CHILDREN
NETWORK WEBSITE AT WWW.RAISINGCHILDREN.NET.AU.
1) Be presentYour child will look to you for guidance in times of distress. Stop what you are doing. Get down on your child’s level. Look at your child. Speak with a calm voice.
2) Put your child’s feelings into wordsGive them the words that you would like them to use. Eg. “You look sad”; “It sounds like you are cross”
3) Help your child to recognise what is happening to their body Bring body changes to their attention. Eg. “You look like you are puffing”; “Put your hand on your chest. Is it beating fast or slow?”.
4) Practice some relaxationTake some deep breaths or stretch your muscles
5) Empathise with your child and normalise their experienceLet them know that you understand what they are feeling. Eg. “I’d feel angry too if someone said that to me”
6) Problem solve togetherWork out a plan of action. Talk about what your child could the next time that situation occurs
TIPS TO INCREASE EMOTIONAL REGULATION AND INDEPENDENCE
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au24 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
SPECIAL FEATURE
WITH OVER 35,000KM OF COASTLINE, AS WELL AS ENDLESS PRISTINE BEACHES, NATURAL WATERWAYS, BACKYARD POOLS AND PUBLIC AQUATIC PLAYGROUNDS,
IT’S NO WONDER AUSSIE KIDS ARE BORN WATER BABIES.
But knowing how to swim properly is a learned skill and can
only come from ongoing water education, practice and parent
participation from a young age.
As the parent body to over 600 registered swim schools located
across the country, Swim Australia are the leaders in learn-to-swim
and water safety. They encourage parents to enrol children in
swimming lessons from as young as four months; enough time to
allow the infant’s immune system to strengthen and bonding to
occur with the primary caretaker.
“As the child progresses through the levels, the experience
can help strengthen the bond between parent and child and
can enhance a child’s concentration, behaviour and physical
coordination as they develop new skills and learn new abilities,”
says Swim Australia CEO Ross Gage.
“In turn their confidence should improve, which is wonderful for
their wellbeing as they grow up, interact with others and face new
challenges,” Mr Gage adds.
To avoid negative associations, the industry leaders insist children
should never be forced into lessons, especially if they are
genuinely afraid of the water. Informal water play can be a great
way to kickstart the process, however, through supervised bath
time with toys, splashing in a backyard sprinkler or through gradual
one-on-one play pool sessions.
“Swimming should be about having sensible fun, first and
foremost. However, it is a necessary and potentially life saving
skill, so is an ability that should be formally learned as soon as
possible, under the guidance of a qualified teacher and a swim
school registered with Swim Australia,” says Mr Gage.
By three years of age, children who have kept up their swimming
lessons from a young age should be able to perform certain life
saving skills, such as:
• Returning to the wall if they should fall in
• Climbing out from a pool ledge
• Swimming up to five metres
• Kicking with a kickboard
• Using basic arm stroke movements
• Possessing a general understanding of water safety rules such
as never swimming without an adult.
But sadly, accidental childhood drowning claims a greater number
of young Australian lives than any other trauma. In 2012/2013,
40 children between the ages of 0 and 14 drowned in Australian
waterways; 31 were under five years old.
Summer proves the nation’s peak drowning period. However, not
every drowning is fatal; one quarter of children admitted to hospital
following a non-fatal drowning will be left with a brain injury
resulting in lifelong disabilities.
But the industry experts insist drowning can be prevented.
By applying their unique 'Energy Australia SwimSAFER "Layers
of Protection"', Swim Australia claim drowning incidents can be
avoided simply by following four easy steps (see over page). By
applying the four layers together, the philosophy works that if one
layer fails, the remaining active layers will kick in and potentially
save a child's life.
GET SET FOR A
SWIMTASTIC SEASON
TOP SWIM TIPS FROM SWIM AUSTRALIA, THE LEADERS IN LEARN-TO-SWIM & WATER SAFETY
By Jasmin Forsyth, Swim Australia Media Manager
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 –Kids in the City 25
Your pool and water health check includes an equipment check, water balance test and recommendations on how to keep your pool safe and healthy all year round.
Book your poolside service today with your local Poolwerx team by giving us a call on 1800 009 000 or visiting our website.
T&C’s – Green pools excluded, excludes chemicals. Expires 31/12/14.
TM
proudly supports
For just $65, get your pool checked and ready for the warmer weather.
www.poolwerx.com.au 1800 009 000
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au26 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
4SPECIAL FEATURE
Teaching your kids to swim isn’t just a smart decision – recent
world first research has proven regular and ongoing pool practice
from a young age can actually make your kids smarter.
Results were recently published from a four-year study performed by
Griffith Institute for Educational Research and part funded by Swim
Australia in which around 7,000 parents of children aged five years
and under from Australia, New Zealand and the US were surveyed.
Griffith University lead-researcher Professor Robyn Jorgensen
says many results exceeded expectations and showed swimming
children had an advantage when starting school. “Children who
had learned how to swim from a young age were anywhere from
six to 15 months ahead of the normal population, when it came
to cognitive skills, problem solving in mathematics, counting,
language and following instructions,” says Professor Jorgensen.
Mr Gage adds, “For a long time we’ve understood the benefits
of swimming – physically, emotionally, socially – but we are very
excited to finally see the facts in black and white … swimming kids
are safer, smarter and stronger kids.”
Swim Australia insist even children who know how to swim should
never be left unaccompanied without an adult while in or around
water – including a pool, the beach, river, dam, a bucket of water,
animal water trough, irrigation channel or stream.
With the peak swimming period now upon us, families must ask
themselves whether they are swim season ready.
“No matter a child’s swimming ability, any time spent off or away
from the water – for example over winter – could affect their
capacity to stay afloat, swim and survive after jumping back in for
the first time come summer,” Mr Gage says.
“If your child – regardless of their age – didn’t swim during the cooler
months, then there’s a good chance they will have lost their touch for
the water; you simply can’t ever assume they’ll be right, or become
complacent, when children and water are combined,” adds Mr Gage.
While year-round swimming classes are advised, ‘booster blocks’,
‘intensity weeks’, ‘accelerator programs’ or even holiday swimming
classes are a fantastic way to help kids catch up on their swimming
skills, and quickly prepare them for the season ahead.
“Booster blocks promote more regular swimming classes across a short
period of time. Unlike regular swimming lessons where kids are exposed
to one session a week, the booster blocks provide up to five lessons
in one week. They have the potential to significantly improve a child’s
confidence, skill and performance in a short time frame,” Mr Gage says.
Be aware that drowning hazards can surface almost anywhere
water exists. For an inexperienced swimmer or infant a few inches
of water left exposed in or around the family home could also
prove a potential drowning death trap.
To help prevent a drowning disaster in and around your home, ensure:
• Wading pools or spas are gated or securely closed
• Nappy buckets filled with water are kept elevated or have a lid
• Drink and ice buckets are tightly closed or out of reach
• Dog bowls are kept shallow and away from children or
replaced with animal specific water bubblers
• Bird baths are elevated
• Water features have a wire mesh above the water line
• Livestock water containers or troughs are child restricted
• Toilets have a self-closing or fitted safety lid.
Although it may take a few minutes, proper preparation is the
key to a successful and safer swimming season.
SWIMMING – IT’S NOT JUST A LIFE SAVING SKILL, IT’S A SKILL FOR LIFE!
For further information on how to SwimSAFER
no matter the season, please check out the
Swim Australia website at www.swimaustralia.org.au.
SUMMER POOL CARE TIPS TO BRING YOUR POOL OUT OF HIBERNATIONWith the start of the warmer weather, it’s time to get your pool into tiptop condition
to ensure it is safe and healthy to swim in. Poolwerx offers the following tips to bring
your pool out of hibernation and set for summer.
Check all pool equipment is running properly
Ensure the pH level is within a healthy range
Make sure chlorine levels are adequate to destroy all disease-causing germs. Even though your pool may look clean, there could be a few bugs in there if it hasn’t been maintained over winter
Vacuum and skim the pool regularly
Cut costs and energy consumption by switching to an energy efficient pool pump
Make sure all pool chemicals are stored securely, out of view and reach of children
Organise a regular professional check up.
For more information about pool care contact Poolwerx on 1800 009 000 or visit their website www.poolwerx.com.au
SWIM AUSTRALIA'S ENERGYAUSTRALIA SWIMSAFER "LAYERS OF PROTECTION"
BE PREPARED: ALWAYS HAVE A PLAN IN
CASE OF EMERGENCY. Check the pool and other
waterways first if a child is missing,
then inspect bedrooms, cupboards,
etc. Ensure your resuscitation skills
are up-to-date and permanently
display at least one resuscitation
or CPR chart in the pool area.
3 BE CONFIDENT: LEARN TO SWIM AND HOW TO
GET TO SAFETY. Practicing water safety skills
provides another layer of
protection but should never be
substituted for proper supervision
and barriers.
2BE SECURE: KEEP
FENCES AND GATES LOCKED UP TIGHT. Pool fences and gates need
to be regularly inspected,
maintained and meet government
requirements. Objects and
potential climbing aids like pot
plants and chairs need to be
removed.
1BE AWARE: DON’T LET THE KIDS OUT OF
YOUR SIGHT.This is fundamental and
supervision should be carried out
by a responsible adult. All non-
swimmers and children under five
must be supervised within arm’s
reach.
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 –Kids in the City 27
This pet friendly
property offers
the ultimate family holiday
experience.
Private oasis + luxury holiday = Aquila Noosa
Phone: 07 5447 3566
Catering for individuals and families from Gold Coast to Noosa
p: 07 54 444 171e: [email protected]
www.assistfirstaid.com.au
Suite 12 PJ Burns Building21 Nicklin Way, Buddina Q 4575PO Box 1580, Buddina Q 4575
Assist First Aid - Nationally Accredited Courses· Baby and Child First Aid· Asthma and Anaphylaxis· School and Sport First Aid· Coverage and Event Responders· Professional development workshops for the Workplace· Supplies and Advice
Ask about First Aid Themed Parties
We supply the WHOLE Package
Can you afford not to!
LIMITED TIME ONLY!
Parent & BabyLife-SavingDrowning Prevention LessonsFREE LESSONS FOR 3-5 MONTH QLD BABIES TO THE VALUE OF $210! UP TO 12 LESSONS FREE! NO OBLIGATION.
* 1 FREE lesson per week until 6 months.Proof of date of birth must be provided.Fun, friendly, nurturing enviorment - indoors, in warm, very clean water! PLUS NEW EXCLUSIVE drowning prevention intensive programs and private programs now available!
Open all year, 6 days per week!
World class swimming programs. Learn to swim the RIGHT way!
Gold Coast 5529 4343 Brisbane 3323 3188
superfishswimschools.com.au
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au28 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
By Maxine Arthur
BABIES ARE ADEPT AT LETTING US KNOW WHAT THEY WANT. IF YOU NOTICE YOUR BABY WATCHING YOU EAT OR REACHING FOR
WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE HE’S PROBABLY READY TO TRY SOLID FOOD. COMMON SENSE, BACKED BY EXPERT ADVICE, WILL HELP
YOU CONFIDENTLY MOVE YOUR BABY FROM BREAST MILK OR FORMULA FEEDING ONLY TO A VARIED AND HEALTHY DIET OF
FAMILY FOODS BY 12 MONTHS.
WHEN TO START SOLIDS AND WHYAustralia's National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) recommends exclusive
breastfeeding for around the first six months and then for breastfeeding to continue
alongside complementary foods for one year or longer if desired. “Breastfeeding provides
sufficient nutrients until around the age of six months for most infants. There is almost
universal agreement that solids should not be started before the age of four months and that
they should not be delayed much beyond the age of six months.”
Introducing solid foods too early can burden an immature digestive system, increase
the risk of food allergies and impair the maternal milk supply. There is also evidence
that introducing solid foods before the baby is developmentally ready may be counter-
productive. If the tongue extrusion reflex (pushing the tongue out to prevent choking) is
still strong, the baby will reject the spoon.
According to the NHMRC, “The mother might then feel that the infant is rejecting
the food, when in fact it is rejecting the object placed in its mouth. Early
introduction of foods does not lead to earlier loss of the tongue extrusion
reflex; it just prolongs the length of introduction. Delaying the introduction
of solids until six months will considerably shorten this period.”
On the other hand, introducing solid foods too late can also cause
problems. After six months, breast milk (or infant formula) alone
provides insufficient nutrition for baby. Iron and zinc levels
in particular may drop and immune protection be
compromised. At around six months,
your baby is ready to learn to eat, to
experience new tastes and textures in
food, to develop his teeth and jaws
and build the motor skills needed
for speech.
If your baby has developed good
head and neck control and can sit
upright when supported, shows
an interest in what others are
eating and opens his mouth when
you offer food on a spoon, it’s
time to give solids a go.
Starting solidsBABIES
Intro
ducing baby to taste and texture
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 –Kids in the City 29
BABIES
FOOD, GLORIOUS FOODEmily Dupuche, Melbourne mother of three and author of a newly-
published book, Food Babies Love (A guide to introducing your
baby to solids), is passionate about the importance of feeding your
baby fresh home-cooked food.
“Research shows that by introducing a wide variety of tastes,
colour and textures to babies before the age of 12 months, they
will go on to enjoy a wider variety of foods throughout childhood
and into adulthood.”
Emily urges mums to, “Serve meals with flavour. Babies do not like
bland food.” She suggests flavouring food with fresh herbs and
gentler spices.
Occasional use of commercial baby food may be handy in an
emergency or when travelling but, as always, “fresh is best”.
Emily says, “As an advocate of fresh nutritious meals I’m not a fan
of ‘squeezies’ and jars”.
“Although convenient, they are not doing your baby or your wallet
any favours;
• The extreme heat treatment they undergo to make them shelf
stable KILLS the goodness.
• They taste really ordinary.
• They offer your baby no sensory stimulation.
• It’s easy to spend approx. $65 per week on squeeze pouches!
• Consistent use of pouches causes oral developmental issues.”
Many mums start with baby rice cereal because it is iron-rich
and smooth in texture. Try mixing it with a little of mother’s milk,
formula or cooled boiled water. Lightly steamed vegetables such
as zucchini, sweet potato, pumpkin and carrot, and fruit such as
avocado, banana, pear, melon and cooked apple make healthy
purees. Puree with a stick mixer or simply mash with a fork. There
is no need to add salt, sugar or honey.
Offer baby finger foods like cooked vegetable pieces such as
broccoli spears and soft bread crusts from around eight to nine
months. From nine months, full fat dairy products like yoghurt, custard,
grated cheese and cottage cheese can be added to baby’s meals. By
12 months, infants can be eating most of what the family eats.
The NHMRC guidelines say that the most important micronutrient
deficiency seen in Australia is iron, so be sure to include small amounts
of iron-rich foods such as meat, poultry and fish from the start.
Remember that breast milk or infant formula is baby’s most
important source of nutrition for the first 12 months. Solids are
complementary feeding only. Cooled boiled water is the only other
fluid suitable for infants under 12 months. Cow’s milk should not be
given as a drink until 12 months.
QUICK CHICKEN AND MUSHROOM RISOTTOAge: third month of eating, plusSuitable for freezingMakes: 1 servePrep time: 1 minuteCooking time: 4 minutes
¼ cup rice flakes*½ cup salt-reduced chicken stock50 g chicken mince (or ½ chicken tenderloin, finely chopped)3 button mushrooms, finely chopped2 teaspoons parmesan or tasty cheese, grated1-2 teaspoons ricotta cheese (optional)Chopped fresh parsley leaves*Available in the health food section of your supermarket or specialty health food stores.
This cheat’s risotto is ready in 5 minutes flat. It’s great for young babies getting used to new flavours and textures and a terrific speedy standby for toddlers. I love this dish as it’s so easy to prepare and my kids love it!
Place all the ingredients except the cheeses in a saucepan and simmer for 3–4 minutes, stirring regularly to break up the chicken mince. The rice flakes will soften and thicken to a porridge-like consistency.
Add the cheeses and stir to combine. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley for colour and freshness and allow to cool before serving.
For tasty variations on this dish, cook the rice flakes and stock as per above and:
• Replace the mushrooms with ¼ cup mashed pumpkin (steamed or roasted) to make a delicious pumpkin risotto
• Add ¼ cup roasted pumpkin and a cube of pear puree to the same quantity of rice flakes and cheeses to make a pumpkin and pear risotto
• Add ¼ cup cooked green peas and a few baby spinach leaves, washed and chopped, to make a green risotto
• Replace the chicken mince with finely chopped roast chicken (or any cooked chicken) and keep the cheeses for another tasty alternative.
TIP: Ricotta cheese is a great binding agent. Not only does it add a lovely mild flavour, it helps bind the risotto together on the spoon – a blessing for little people attempting to feed themselves.
RED LENTIL DHALAge: second month of eating, plusSuitable for freezingMakes: 2 cupsPrep time: 5 minutesCooking time: 30 minutes
½ butternut pumpkin, peeled and diced into 2 cm pieces*
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons butter
½ small onion, finely diced
1 garlic clove, minced
¼ teaspoon ground coriander
¼ teaspoon ground cumin
½ cup red lentils
1 ½ cups salt-reduced chicken or veggie stock
Plain full-fat yoghurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh coriander leaves
*You don’t need all of this but leftovers can be used as finger food.
I’ve always loved dhal. It’s tasty, filling and good for you. This dish is so simple to make and super delicious. For older children, it’s great served with warm roti bread, which is readily available from most supermarkets.
Preheat the oven to 180°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper.
Toss the pumpkin in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Place on the baking tray and roast for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Check the pumpkin is soft all the way through before removing from the oven.
To make the dhal, heat a saucepan over medium heat. Add the remaining oil and the butter and sauté the onion for 5 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté for a further minute. Add the ground spices and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add the lentils and stock and simmer, covered, for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and mushy. Add the chopped coriander.
Mash ¾ cup of roasted pumpkin pieces with a fork and stir into the cooked lentils until well combined.
Puree if required or leave as is. Serve warm with a dollop of yoghurt stirred through and some fresh coriander leaves as a garnish.
TIP: This dish will take you a long way – just adjust the spice levels as your baby grows.
Food Babies Love by Emily Dupuche, RRP $29.99, is available now from all good bookstores. It is full of simple
recipes, tips and advice about feeding young children.
For more information go to www.foodbabieslove.com.au
Research shows that by introducing a wide variety of tastes, colour and textures to babies before the age of 12 months, they will go on to enjoy a wider variety of foods throughout childhood and into adulthood.
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au30 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
BABIES
HOW TO BEGIN The Australian Breastfeeding Association
suggests the following approach:
• Make sure baby is sitting upright in a high chair or your lap.
• Eating is a social occasion so try to have at least one other family
member eat at the same time as baby even if it is only you.
• Try offering food from your own plate. Baby may feel that
eating food from your plate is ‘safer’ and be willing to try it.
• Respect your baby’s tastes. If he doesn’t seem to like a food,
leave it for a few days and try again.
• Some babies are quite happy to be spoon fed, although soon
they will want to try a spoon of their own.
• Some mothers begin with purees, but if your baby is about six
months, these will only be needed for a very short time. Some
babies want only finger foods. It is important for babies to
begin to chew soft foods from about seven months.
• However you start, be prepared for mess, at least for a while.
This is all part of your baby learning a new skill. Be patient.
Start with a small amount (one or two teaspoons). Increase to two or
three tablespoons and then to three meals a day at your baby’s pace.
Small amounts of food can be stored in ice cube trays and thawed
as needed.
As far as possible, try to adapt family meals rather than prepare separate
meals for baby. You can puree or mash baby’s portion as needed.
WHAT ABOUT ALLERGIES?Paediatric general practitioner Dr Scott Parsons offers the following
advice on his website www.childhealth.com.au:
“In the past it was advised to avoid potentially allergic foods, such
as egg white, peanuts and tree nuts. However this advice has no
scientific basis. In fact some studies have suggested that early
introduction of such foods may in fact induce a tolerance. Even if
a sibling is allergic there is only 7% chance that this will have been
passed on. The advice is to try a small amount on the lips, such as
smooth peanut butter, or scrambled eggs, then next time a small
taste and slowly increase amounts. If there is a reaction it will be
obvious and immediate, but never life threatening. Reactions include
rash around mouth, slight swelling of lips and immediate spitting or
even vomiting. In this instance do not repeat giving the particular
food. If there is a rash, take a photo and consult with your local GP.”
EVERY CHILD IS DIFFERENTJess and Richard are parents to Brandon, 6, and Taylor, 2. Jess
started Brandon on solids at five months.
“As Brandon was my first child I had no idea where to start when
it came to solids. Mum suggested that I try him on rice cereal. The
first few times, he ate no more than a teaspoon. I remember sitting
on the floor of the kitchen with Brandon in a booster seat pushed
up against the wall because we did not have a high chair and
hoping that he would not spit his Farex all over my work clothes.”
“Brandon began to watch us very intently when we ate and he
started to mimic chewing. It also seemed he was not content after
his bottles any more. I started feeding him around three teaspoons
of puree and Farex/Weetbix after his morning bottle. Once he
started eating a whole Weetbix with pureed fruit we stopped giving
him a morning bottle. This was around eight months.”
“A close friend of mine told me that as long as you start your child
on vegetables as soon as they start solids, they would grow up
enjoying them. It was because of this advice that Brandon was
given very little fruit and once I was confident with his chewing
action he was taken off purees and given mashed vegies instead.
Now both my kids will take vegies over fruit any day of the week.
They also both love to have raw vegies as snacks now. By the time
Brandon was eight months old I had become very tired of cooking
separate food for him and just started giving him what we were
eating. If it was things like spaghetti bolognaise, I would use a stick
blender on Brandon’s serve to make it the right consistency for him
and just chop the pasta into smaller pieces.”
“When my second child, Taylor, started solids it was a totally
different experience. When Taylor was on bottles she would throw
up more than she kept down at each feed and I was not looking
forward to starting solids. One day she just grabbed some food off
my plate and started to suck and gnaw at it. She was four months
old. From that day on we started feeding her when we sat down for
meals. She never really had purees; it was all mashed food. Taylor
was eight months when we stopped bottles as she could now hold
a sipper cup and was happy to drink her formula from that.”
“One thing that has worked for both my children has been giving
them their own spoon to play with while feeding. Yes, it does
create more mess but in the long run it helps them learn and can
keep them interested in the meal for longer.”
As far as possible, try to adapt family meals rather than prepare
separate meals for baby. You can puree or mash baby’s
portion as needed.
Some ideas for foods (adapted from the Australian Breastfeeding Association website). The best food for your baby to have at a particular meal is what you are preparing for the rest of the family, adapted as needed.
FRUIT: Grated apple or other fruit; piece of banana or ripe avocado; pieces of melon
or pawpaw (without seeds); an orange quarter, minus peel and seeds; stone fruit with stone
removed; peeled and cored apple or pear.
VEGETABLES: Cooked green stringless beans; cooked broccoli or cauliflower
floret; fingers of cooked potato, carrot or other vegetable; grated raw carrot. If baby has
teeth, try a piece of raw celery or other salad vegetables.
FISH: Homemade fish fingers or fish cakes; flakes of cooked fish with every bone removed.
MEAT OR ALTERNATIVE: A small amount of meat on a safe bone,
for example, chicken leg bone, lamb chop; rissoles or slices of homemade meat loaf; firm
tofu cooked in long thin slices.
BREAD: White ‘high-fibre’ or wholemeal (note that the type of fibre in wholemeal
bread can be a little harsh on the digestive system of a baby under nine months); homemade
rusks (bake thick slices or crusts in a very slow oven until they are quite crisp and dry); toast,
plain, buttered, or sometimes use a spread thinly; sandwiches.
PASTA: Boiled, cooled, pasta shapes, with meat/vegetables from a casserole.
EGGS: Pieces of hard-boiled egg yolk or whole egg; strips of omelette.
MILK PRODUCTS: Fingers of cheese; grated cheese; yoghurt. Very soft
cheeses and custard can be eaten by using other finger foods as dippers.
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 –Kids in the City 31
# TAG TO WIN!
Follow us on Instagram. # to enter our comps
/kidsinthecitymagazine
- in the city
- in the city
Want to get your kids active and eating well?
• PEACHTM stands for ‘Parenting Eating and Activity for Child Health’.• It is a FREE nutrition and activity program available to Queensland families.• It is a family-focused program that helps parents and carers make healthy
lifestyle choices.• It has been developed by dietitians and is
delivered by trained facilitators.
Contact us if you:• have a child aged 5 to 11 years.• are concerned they are above the
healthy weight range.
CRICOS No 00213JHLT-14-2511
The FREE PEACHTM program can help.
Registrations are now openFree call 1800 263 519 or visit www.peachqld.com.au
Promoting HealthyWeight in Children
‘Funded by the Queensland Government’.
The next best thing to you is a CHARLTON BROWN© Nanny
Professional Nannies | Casual Babysitting | Disability Workers Corporate Crèches | Government Approved Child Care Rebates (In Home Care)
1300 NANNIES | www.charltonbrown.com.au |
Placing Qualified and Quality Educators since 1985
Meeting your family needs in your own home
Call 5496 6399 now for a free consultation • www.wammed.com.au • [email protected]
• Vasectomies done in under 1 hour with no referral required• Medicare rebate available• Circumcisions performed on all males from birth to adults, again a medicare rebate is available• Very competitively priced• Extremely experienced doctors, over 35 years• Dedicated procedure room
Practitioners providing Vasectomy & Circumcision
DELIVERY AUSTRALIA WIDE www.babyvegas.com.au
Specialising in fabulous children's
goods,and collectibles!
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au32 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
CONVERSATION
Meet ‘King of the Kids’ Tim Jackman, an actor and musician who stacks shelves by night and entertains the preschool masses by day … almost like a superhero in reverse!
Interview by Natasha HigginsAfter a night of stacking shelves at his local supermarket, Tim can be found
realising his true passion for entertaining children. Tim has been entertaining
children and adults alike for over a decade with his two alter egos – one a
mad scientist with a paint-splattered lab coat and wild hairdo, and the other
a red fairy with wings and a flower crown – and revels in the “mostly-joyful
process of sharing music with wonderful little souls”.
With his guitar, kazoo and rock ‘n’ roll rhymes, Tim brings music and rhythm to
every audience. You’ll find him each week at ‘The Corner’ at the State Library of
Queensland enthralling a large group of under-8s with his show ‘Hickory Dickory
Rock!’, an all singing, all dancing, wild Woodstock-like ride of nursery rhymes. Tim has
also performed for the children of the Woodford Folk Festival for more than ten years
and is a regular at the Sydney Children’s Festival. He can also be found performing
at children’s birthday parties and other events where little people gather.
Tim and his wife Deborah have two rambunctious boys: Darcy, 3½ years, and Felix,
5 months. You can just imagine the fun and laughter in their home each day!
WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO START WORKING IN CHILDREN’S ENTERTAINMENT? In the late '90s I was performing at the old Cement
Box theatre at Queensland Uni with a lovely group of regulars, and we were
asked to stage a play for kids at the Woodford Folk Festival. We slogged
through the 44-degree heat in full costume(!), then coincidentally, the Children’s
Festival asked us back the next year as general roustabouts, and thus the
Fairies of Woodford were born! We’d have two fairies on every shift walking
around the Children’s Festival, making sure lost children/shoes/gumboot/
parents were returned to their rightful owners. It was a lovely gig, and I did
it for 13 years, but then my own family began. Meanwhile, in early 2008, the
State Library was outsourcing staff for ‘The Corner’, their dedicated space for
under-8s, and a friend found me some work there, just interacting with the kids
– building blocks and reading stories, that sort of thing. When the State Library
decided to staff it themselves, I was rehired under the proviso that myself and
six other ‘artsworkers’ all had a particular skill to share, so that there would be
something happening in the space seven days a week. I’d been playing guitar
for a couple of years at that point, so I said I’d sing nursery rhymes to the kids
… and that’s what I’ve been doing ever since!
WHAT HAS BEEN THE MOST REWARDING PART OF YOUR WORK? Just watching kids sing, dance and perform. I especially love the
moment when I’m singing an old classic and see a toddler gaze up at their
grandparent with a look of “How do you know this song, Nan?” There’s
something fantastic in bridging three generations instantly … but that’s the
meaning of folk music. ‘Folk’ is ‘volk’ – ‘people’ music.
WHAT HAS SURPRISED YOU MOST ABOUT CHILDREN’S REACTION TO YOU? Sometimes a child walks in and just gets straight
into it – singing and dancing without a second thought. I don’t think I did that as a kid, and I don’t think many adults do it in our daily lives!
HOW DO YOU BALANCE YOUR HOME LIFE AND WORK LIFE? Well, the big money I pull in keeps my wife happy … but seriously(!), the ability to work some nights and some days actually makes for a flexible timetable, plus my dear old mum has babysat one day a week from the start; it’s allowed me to have Darcy at home with me two days a week until he went to kindy this year, which we’ll hopefully repeat with the little chap.
WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST LIFE-DEFINING MOMENT? I was in Sri Lanka about a year after the tsunami. As part of our travels we’d planned to visit an orphanage, where we played cricket (my religion!) and some music with the kids. To see these beautiful children radiate so much joy despite all they’d been through put my ‘First World Problems’ into perspective … forever.
WHAT GENERAL ADVICE HAS HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU? “Slow down, you move too fast; You got to make the morning last …” (I reckon there could be a song in that …)
WHAT PARENTING ADVICE HAS HAD THE BIGGEST IMPACT ON YOU? “Let that boy boogie-woogie; It’s in him, and it got to come out.” (John Lee Hooker, I think)
HOW HAS HAVING CHILDREN CHANGED YOUR LIFE? I’m immeasurably stronger. I have banished my dependence on sanity, sleep and privacy.
WHAT LIFE MESSAGE DO YOU MOST WANT YOUR CHILDREN TO LEARN? Simple – Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Also, Max Ehrmann’s Desiderata should be learned by rote; it’s like sunlight distilled into words … it makes for a calm, happy heart.
WHAT’S THE MOTTO YOU LIVE BY REGARDING YOUR FAMILY AND BEING A PARENT? A minute without laughter is a minute wasted. “It wasn’t me; it was the dog!” is also handy.
DO YOU HAVE ANY OTHER ‘WORDS OF WISDOM’ TO SHARE? Read to your kids from as young as possible; Google Mem Fox’s Reading Commandments for tips, but just READ - everything flows from that. Children have a fundamental learning advantage if they are literate, because if you have the words, you can ask the questions. Last, but not least – MUSIC! Step 1: Buy a $25 dollar ukulele plus tuner (ask the salesperson to put a strap on the uke). Step 2: Buy the beginner-book by Aussie ukulele guru Mike Jackson and put the stickers on the uke as instructed. Step 3: Strum the THREE CHORDS YOU HAVE JUST INSTANTLY LEARNED! Step 4: Play the various songs in your book to your child. Step 5: Hand the uke to your child and watch them love it: “Mum/Dad play it, therefore it’s normal, therefore I’ll play it, too!” Step 6: Sit back and think, “Wow … if I’d been given a uke at the age of 2, I’d be the best guitarist in the world right now!” Step 7: Smile.
To find out more about Tim and hear some of his music, visit www.kingofthekids.com.au.
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014 –Kids in the City 33
/GoAndPlayAustralia
Unit 1, 178 Signato Drive Helensvale PH: 07 5580 6305 W: www.goandplay.com.au
OPEN SUNDAYS FROM NOW
UNTIL XMAS!Look for us at
Robina Town Centre
NEW!
F LY i N G F o x E s
W AT E R S L I D E S
F L AT L I N E S
T r a m P O L i N e S
p l a y g r o u n d s
- on the coast
- on the coast
- in the city
- in the city
Whats coming up
JANUARY/FEBRUARY ISSUE
NEWS, ARTICLES, REVIEWS, EVENTS
* Combined monthly readership from our printed publications, website, emarketing and social media channels
SPECIALFEATURE
PROMOTE YOUR PRODUCT IN TIME FOR THE NEW SCHOOL YEAR!
Don't miss out! Limited spaces.
Call 1300 430 320
www.kidsintheci tymagazine.com.au34 Kids in the City – NOVEMBER / DECEMBER 2014
REVIEWS
To see more visit www.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au
BOOKS, MOVIES, APPS, GAMES
BOOKSTHE LITTLE GIRL WHO LOST HER NAME / THE LITTLE BOY WHO LOST HIS NAMEA Lostmy.Name personalised book, Not in Shops,
RRP $33.95
A beautiful gift for children aged 2 – 6 years, these
magical personalised books tell the story of a child
who has lost his or her name and who bravely sets
off on a marvellous adventure to track down all the
missing letters. Along the way the child meets lots of
weird, wonderful and wise characters who all help
in the search. Each one has its own funny, surprising
and touching story, and each gives the child a
letter. A little girl called Emily would meet a forgetful
Elephant, a rather vain Mermaid, a cold-averse Inuit,
a misunderstood Lion and genial Yeti to discover
her lost name, while a little boy named David would
meet a not-so-ferocious Dragon, a kind-hearted
Aardvark, a rather unorthodox Viking, a cold-averse
Inuit, and a disgruntled Hole that throws out letter
Ds (among other things) to uncover his name. Each
name creates a different journey, designing a unique
story that will be special to every child.
SNAP MAGICAngela Sunde, Red Pedal Press, RRP $12.95
Something weird is going on...very weird. Long black
hairs keep sprouting from Lily’s chin and her dad
is looking more and more like a Yeti. Just what’s
behind this fuzz fest? And is Lily really turning into
a witch like her neighbour, Mrs Swan? Now the
prettiest and meanest girl in class is threatening to
tell the whole school, including the cute new boy.
Can Lily put her desperate plan into action before
the school bully strikes? And will the magical solution
Mrs Swan offers work? Written by Gold Coast based
author Angela Sunde, this is a bewitchingly funny
coming-of-age story about secrets, bullies and
pumpkin soup. Ideal for 9 – 12 year olds.
APPSBEDTIME FOR SARAH SULLIVAN(iPhone, iPod Touch, iPad, Android, Kindle) $2.99
– $3.21
The Bedtime for Sarah Sullivan app, based on the
award-winning book of the same name, offers a
positive twist on traditional bedtime stories with
its rewarding interactive experience. With three
storytelling modes – Read To Me, Auto Play and
Read By Myself – each of the 32 imaginative
interactive pages feature objects and characters
that make sounds, movement or speak upon touch,
bringing to life the character of Sarah, a modern
girl who is outgoing, bold and expressive. Two in-
app games and a special ‘dreams’ drawing activity
challenge, educate and entertain young readers.
MOVIESALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAYIn cinemas December 4. Rating: TBC
Follow 11-year-old Alexander as he experiences the
worst day of his young life in this Disney adaptation
of the award-winning children’s book. Alexander’s
day begins with gum stuck in his hair, followed by
one calamity after another. He finds little sympathy
from his family and being to wonder if bad things
only happen to him. He soon learns that he’s not
alone when his mum, dad, brother and sister all
find themselves living through their own terrible,
horrible, no good, very bad day.
PADDINGTONIn cinemas December 11. Rating: TBC
Adapted from Michael Bond’s universally beloved
books, Paddington follows the journey of an
optimistic and polite young bear from Peru who
travels to London in search of a home and a family.
When the Brown family invites him to stay with them,
little do they realise how much comic mayhem one
young bear will bring to their everyday life.
DARE TO ENTER QPAC’S DINOSAUR LAIR!
THE SELL-OUT HIT RETURNS
From 3 January 2015CREMORNE THEATRE, QPACBOOK NOW QPAC.COM.AU OR 136 246
- in the city
SUPPORTED BY KIDS IN THE CITY
*A $6.20 FEE APPLIES PER TRANSACTION
Adults at
children’s prices!
Tickets only
each$25*
An interactive LIVE indoor performance for children 5+
QPAC PRESENTS
An Erth Visual & Physical Production
