Back to School Guide 2014
Solutions for Busy Mums
Stationery Spencil Girls Beach Eraser Set A great little pick me up for children that are tired, need a little motivation or simply as a reward for great behaviour. This cool girls eraser set comes with beach thongs and sunglasses shaped erasers. RRP: $4.95 from Spencil Smiggle Bubble Spot Pencil Case The Smiggle Large Hard top Bubble pencil case comes in a range of funky colours, each with embossed bubbles and the Smiggle logo on the top of the pencil case. The Large Bubble Hardtop Pencil case with lined with felt and includes 2 mesh pockets. At 35cm x 15cm it contains space for a large number of pens and pencils. RRP: $24.95 Available from: Smiggle
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Stand out with the Smiggle Treats Pop Out Pencil Case. Opens both sides and comes in 6 different colours with fun patterns to suit all personalities. Comes with a sharpener and a compass. RRP: $16.95 Available from: Smiggle
Tips for starting Kindy:
Sight Word Games
There is often much excitement around starting ‘big’ school and for most children the beginning of school signifies growing up, learning more and having fun with all the other children that are going to school. Now that the New Year has started there is really only 1 month left until your baby heads off to school 5 days a week. For some, this will be similar to your situation with childcare last year and for others, it will signify a new routine altogether. Here are my top 5 tips to get your child ready and excited for Kindy: 1. Teach your child how to go to the toilet without help. Reinforce the behaviour you would like them to follow (wash hands, close the cubicle door etc.). 2. Start using Lunchboxes & school times. Teach your child how to open their lunchboxes and snacks while trying to get them used to the times when they will have recess and lunch at school. Also teach them to control their food, so that they have something to eat at lunch and recess and don’t just eat everything at recess time and then starve later. 3. Invest in good school shoes. With your child spending 6 hours a day, 5 days a week in the same pair of shoes, I believe that it is important that their school shoes are comfortable and will not have a detrimental effect on their feet. Important factors to consider when choosing shoes are that both feet are measured properly (one may be larger than the other), there is room for growth in the shoes and that your child finds them comfortable and can both walk and run in them. 4. Get them to help label school uniforms. Letting your child be involved in the process of labelling their school items is exciting for them and is another grown up activity that they can enjoy with you that is all about them. 5. Enjoy your time together. Sure they are excited about starting school yet there will be a twinge of uncertainty about the whole process and possibly sadness at not having as much time with you. Take the January holidays to pamper to your child’s needs; spending lots of time making great memories and having fun together. With any uncertainty they may feel; I find it best not to ignore it altogether, but not to focus on it either by only answering questions when asked or by always talking of the good things about school.
FUEL FOR SCHOOL Packed with goodness and flavour, parents and kids will love this Wholemeal Date and Walnut Loaf Balancing nutrition and taste for kids can be challenging for even the most organised parents. In time for the new school term, Australian Eggs has taken the hard work out of the equation with this healthy Wholemeal Date and Walnut Loaf. Taking just fifteen minutes to prepare and with only four key ingredients, this homemade treat is the ideal way to spend a Sunday afternoon getting the little ones involved in the cooking process. Simply boil and cool dates, butter, sugar and water and combine with the eggs, walnuts and wholemeal flour. Spoon the mixture into a tin and place into the oven for 50 minutes. Both convenient and fun to make, the Wholemeal Date and Walnut Loaf will keep little tummies happy served as an afternoon snack or packed into school lunchboxes. Sharon Natoli, APD, Director of Food & Nutrition Australia and member of the Egg Nutrition Council (ENC) said: “With around a third of a child's total food intake for the day being consumed at school , it is important that the food included in your child's lunchbox provides much needed nutrients, including key vitamins and minerals needed for energy and growth. This Wholemeal Date and Walnut Loaf is a simple and tasty way to help fuel your child during the day. It also provides key nutrients including fibre, protein, vitamin A, folate and iron.� Not only will this Wholemeal Date and Walnut Loaf keep your kids feeling fuller for longer due to its fibre and protein content, it also provides them with an important amount of their daily nutritional needs including: 13% of the RDI* for folate Get the recipe 16% of the RDI for iron 20% of the RDI for vitamin A
More Lunchbox Favourites
Carrot and Museli Muffins
Silverbeet Frittatas
Savoury Pikelets Crunchy Cookies
Join our Lunchbox Show & Tell competition for the opportunity to win some fantastic prizes and gain great & practical lunchbox ideas from other school mums. Click here for details and Click here to see some of the great entries from last year See more great recipes or share yours with us here
Lunchboxes See the full guide here ABC Fun Lunch An alternative to lunchboxes, these lunch bags will gently show children each letter of the alphabet one at a time. These lunch bags have hand drawn images printed on them of things kids love from the natural world, story books, fun actions (such as zooming) and some cool man made things too. All designed to spark the imagination, while having them practice their letter and sound recognition too.
BUILT Lunchbags These adorable kids, insulating lunch sacks are perfect for keeping food and drinks cool on the way to school, kindergarten and day care.
RRP: $3.50 Available from: MumsDelivery Market
Mums and dads will appreciate how easily the interior wipes clean, and how the sturdy construction holds up to wear and tear. The lunch sack also features a kid-friendly handle with a buckle that unsnaps and attaches to backpacks, book bags, or strollers etc. Find out more here RRP: $29.95 Available online at www.builtny.com.au
Cheeki Insulated Food Jars Keep lunches warm in Winter with the Cheeki Insulated Food Jars. Manufactured from Premium 304 Stainless Steel with no inside lining, your food will taste fresher than ever before. The insulated design means your leftover dinners or soups will still be warm by lunchtime, and your salads crisp for hours. RRP: $23.95 Available from: MumsDelivery Market
Fridge to Go Fridge-to-go 8 hour cooler bags simplify life by keeping food and drink cool all day. The bags grow with your child from breastfeeding babies (transporting breast milk) right up to school aged kids. Feel confident in packing dairy, meat, fish, anything that requires cooling and know it will stay fresh and bacteria-free all day!
RRP: $34.95 See the review here green sprouts速 On Safari Bento Boxes Put the fun back in lunchtime with the On Safari Collection of animal inspired Bento Boxes. Kids will love the colourful coordinating designs and picking their animal. Parents will love that the On Safari collection is PVC and BPA free, reusable, and perfectly portable. Featuring a divided tray on top with and a bowl on the bottom, keeping snacks, food, and treats separate and RRP: 11.60 eliminating the need for multiple Available from: containers. The lid also doubles as a plate and has side snaplocks to keep For Baby and Up all the pieces together.
School Snacks On Safari Reusable Snack Bags The Reusable Snack bags keep food fresh for snack or lunch time. The pack consists of 2 sizes one for snacks and one for sandwiches. Each bag has a secure velcro closure to keep food contained and can be used over and over again – saving both money and the environment by reducing landfill waste. PVC and BPA free. RRP:$13.00 (2 pack) Available From: For Baby and Up That!™ Dairy Snack and That!™ Milkshake For parents it can be challenging to find healthy snacks that kids actually want, but with each pouch of That!™ Dairy Snack and That!™ Milkshake having as few calories as an apple, calcium for strong bones and being packed with the goodness of Aussie milk, it really is easy to say yes to That!™. Especially as they require no refrigeration, That!™ Dairy Snack and That!™ Milkshake are the perfect snacks for on-the-go. Importantly, all That!™ products are “Healthy Kids Registered Green”, contain only natural colours and flavours, have no preservatives and are gluten-free, too That!™ Dairy Snack can be found in the dessert aisle at Coles and Woolworths amongst the jellies and puddings (RRP $1.89). That!™ Milkshake is available exclusively at Woolworths in the chiller with the flavoured milk (RRP $1.69)
BUILT Kids Sandwich and Snack Packs Save the environment with the alternative to plastic zip lock bags zip lock freshness in the BUILT reusable combination sandwich and snack packs. Both bags are made with food safe materials with heat sealing technology to ensure that no crumbs are left behind. Easily wiped clean or rinsed to use again and a matching accessory to the BUILT kids lunch sacks. Ideal for School and Kindy, kids will never forget their lunches again with appealing designs in the Big Apple Buddy animals, Dog, Panda, Ladybug, Raccoon and Owl, and for the older kids Skelton Army, Robot Uprising, Summer of Love and Mosaic Flower. RRP: $19.95 Available online at www.builtny.com.au
Yummy Snack Ideas Click here for these and more....
Banana Wrap
Butterflies Funny Face
Books & Diaries
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WAFF Books have a unique rubbery surface that feels and looks fun and trendy. A6 size is perfect balance between writing surface and portability. 120 pages of 80gsm lined paper. Clips can be moved and repositioned anywhere on the WAFF book. Great for kids, tweens, teens and adults, it is a unique gift. Available from MumsDelivery Market for only $12.99 - Save 13%
Make school book covering a breeze with the Spencil non-toxic slip on book covers. Available in A4, Exercise book and Sketch book sizes with a range of designs for both boys and girls. RRP: From $2.25 Available from: Spencil
This cute book comes is an A5 Softcover Notebook, complete with a PVC clear slipcase 80gsm, with 128 lined pages. RRP: $4.95 Available from: Spencil
Smiggle Sports Ball A5 Diary 2014 This A5 weekly diary comes with a sports ball print with a hard cover which is spiral bound. This diary provides a week to view and has yearly views for 2013,2014,2015 along with important dates, a section for notes, contacts and activities. The spaces allocated for each page are generous and the cute design will help get your boy to start taking notice of the important dates RRP: $14.95 Available from: Smiggle Tips for new school books 1. Cover it. Make your books last longer and stay looking good for longer by covering them. Covered books will also be better protected against leaky drink bottles, being ripped in and out of the school bag and everything else that is thrown on top of them. Save time when it comes to covering books with book covers like the ones from Spencil. They is no longer a need to waste time and effort putting contact on the school books only to be frustrated by stray air bubbles or skew contact. Find out more about the reusable book covers from Stencil here. 2. Label your books. Help your child by labelling each of their books so that they can quickly identify that the book is theirs and also which subject the book is for. Tips for last year’s books: 1. Any unused pages from the previous year’s books can be pulled out and used as scrap paper for drawing or to help with homework. 2. Rip out the best pages or pages that you want to keep and then let your children write or draw on any remaining pages until all complete at which point you can recycle the book. 3. For those who really are limited on space or do not wish to keep pages, you can take pictures of the best work or projects and then use up the empty pages prior to recycling.
Schoolwear Canvas Cargo Short The Stubbies Canvas Cargo Shorts are made from 190gsm Polyester/Cotton-Canvas. Featuring: • UPF 50+ • Endorsed by SunSmart • Elastic waist • Internal Draw Cord • Mock fly • 2 Cargo pockets with velcro closure • Longer leg length • Fob pocket
Get 30% off in our January Schoolwear Sale! Now only $16.95
Flat Front Skort The Flat Front Skort looks smart and like a skirt while giving the girls the cover gained from shorts. Made from Polyester/Viscose, 220gsm. Featuring: • UPF 50+ • Endorsed by SunSmart • 3/4 Elastic waist • Zip on right hand pocket • Flat front styling • Available in 5 colours
Get 20% off in our January Schoolwear Sale! Now only $19.95
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Stubbies Short Sleeve Polo Sports Shirt made from Polyester/Cotton, 215/230 gsm. Featuring: • UPF 50+ • Endorsed by SunSmart • Two button placket • Knitted collar • Under arm venting • Reinforced twin needle stitching
Get 10% off in our January Schoolwear Sale! Now only $15.30 Embossed Sports Short Stubbies Embossed Sport short: 100% with Polyester Interlock Featuring: • Elasticated waist short • Internal Draw Cord • Embossed Fabric • Multi Purpose Sport Short
Get 50% off in our January Schoolwear Sale! Now only $5.00
Homework Helping set good habits
As a new mum to the schooling life (Kindergarten last year) I am finding the ‘School’ experience somewhat overwhelming, especially the process of undertaking homework in the afternoons. Now the sad thing with all of this is that my daughter actually likes homework and wants to do it. I do think in Kindy that it is a bit early for Homework, however I agree with setting good habits and want to help her with it, yet some days we get busy doing other things and I simply forget. In some ways, I want to blame life for being too busy; along with my 5 year old I have a just4 year old and a baby, so let’s face it – some days I am doing well simply to be parked and at the school in time for drop off and pick up! Yet that doesn’t excuse me and it really isn’t a good way to set an example for the remainder of her school years. Homework provides a number of benefits for your children so the importance of developing and following a daily homework routine is important. Benefits of Homework: • Extending the skills learned in class to the home environment • Creating and building good work ethic • Involving the parents in the children’s learning process • At a later age, homework will help your child to understand time management and stress in coping with deadlines. Here are some tips on how to develop a routine encouraging your child to not only do their homework, but also to excel at it. When to do it Depending upon your child, they may wish to do the homework straight away and get it out of the way or later after they have unwound and had a play. Determine what works best for you as a family. Really active children may need a break to let off some steam before they sit down again, while those that are tired may need to get it done right away before they become over tired and
upset by it. If your child struggles to do homework then you may want to stop them from watching TV or playing on the computer until they do the homework so that the TV or computer games act as a motivator. Where to do it Help your child create a special space for their homework time. This could simply be through clearing a spot next to you at the Kitchen table or by giving them their own desk/area specifically for their homework items. Special pens or pencils may help to convert a reluctant child. How to do it As the parent helping with the homework, you will achieve a greater result if you can dedicate the time to that child and their needs. Switch off the computer, phone and other distractions and focus solely on them, watching their minds learn while internally they are proud to show you their abilities or can easily ask you for help if needed. If they don’t want you with them, be nearby doing paperwork or bills so that you can offer assistance if you notice the need. Take a positive approach to homework as it is then more likely that your child will view it in a positive manner as well. What to do when… You’re on Struggle Street. Try to think of interesting and unique ways that you can make the homework or learning’s more fun. A mum in our class is playing ‘hide and seek’ sight words with her boy to encourage his learning process. What about Alphabet iSpy? If the homework becomes a major hassle and point of argument between you and your child, perhaps turn to some other people/ resources your child can go to for help with homework. See more game ideas here. Talking to your child’s teacher is also a great tool when it comes to your child’s homework as it can shed light on how to address problems that you have noticed and/or to understand if there are any issues they have noticed that they would like you to focus on. Ultimately your goal as parent should be to continuously encourage your child, praise them for the work that they do and encourage them to solve their hurdles. Help them to think of interesting and different ways to solve the problem.
Accessories Give them the ability to tell the time and not be late for class with these funky Smiggle Treats Watches. The Smiggle treats watches provide an analog time display with floating graphic elements on a silicone band. There are 5 colours to choose from, each with their own design. RRP: $19.95 Available from: Smiggle Spencil Dinosaur Library Bag This cute dinosaur bag will make any boy proud to visit the library and to put his books in. PVC coated nylon with velcro fastening, name pocket and handle the cute pictures are perfect for school newcomers. Priced reasonably there is a range of dinosaur accessories (pencil case etc.) to complete the look. RRP: $12.95 Available from: Spencil Website
Smiggle Flashing Ear Budz Motion activated earbudz! Turn these on and they will light up as you dance! Press the button again and the light will flash consistently. Batteries included. Not only will your children love it, their friends will find it so cool. RRP: $19.95 Available from: Smiggle
Smiggle Jumpin Clock Your kids won't be late when they wake up with the super fun jumping clock! Requires 4 x AA and 2 x AAA batteries (not included),displays time, date and temperature. Alarm and stopwatch functions, lights up, sings and bounces! RRP: $34.95 Available from: Smiggle On Safari Pocket Raincoat: The On Safari Pocket Raincoat is a lightweight raincoat that is designed to fold into the front pocket, making it easy to put into the On Safari Backpack, a purse or travel bag for those unannounced rain showers. For full coverage, it features an elasticised hood and snap-front closure. Co-ordinating with the rest of the On Safari collection it comes in five colourful animal designs. PVC free. RRP: $19.90 Available from: For Baby and Up
See the full guide here Smiggle Loopz Fan Keep cool this summer with this desktop fan while you work at your desk or computer. Safe soft fan blades, USB or battery operated, uses 2 x AA batteries (batteries not included) 1.2 metre power cord included. Suitable for ages 6 and up. RRP: $19.95 Available from: Smiggle
Preventing Head Lice Just say the word ‘Lice’ and I start itching. The minute little bugs caused great grief in our household the first year of school with a number of infestations. So after going slightly insane, threatening to shave the heads in our household and becoming a woman of paranoia; here are my tips on preventing lice infestation: 1. Don’t go near other kids! This would be the ultimate prevention measure, however if you are not stuck on an island in the middle of nowhere, it is rather futile apart from the fact that it would drive you insane. Instead make sure that if your children are near others at school or childcare you tie their hair up. This helps hinder the ability of the lice to get through the hair to the scalp. 2. Don’t share combs, hats or other head equipment. Teach your children not to share hair brushes, hats or other similar objects with their friends. For those with children attending school or childcare, ensure you always have a spare hat in the car so that when they forget their hat, you do not need to borrow the office hat (yuk!) 3. Keep a vigil. Check your child’s hair from time to time, especially if you notice that they are scratching or complain of an itchy head or neck. Look out for nits (little white eggs the size of a pin prick), lice, red spots on the scalp or rash like bumps on the neck. If you spot these, quarantine and treat your child immediately. At the same time, check other children within your family to see if they are infected and need treatment. 4. Make friends with Tea Tree Oil. Although I cannot bring myself to do this yet (I may if we get any more infections…) many mums at the school spray their child’s hair everyday (after tying it up) with water that has some Tea Tree Oil in it. Apparently the lice do not like this at all. You could also add Lavender Oil. 5. Dirty = lice free. Lice do not like dirty hair and while I cannot bring myself not to wash my children’s hair, I now only wash it every 3-4 days so that it is not always sparkly clean. 6. Style it Up. As a busy mum, this is not something I have the ability to offer my children on a daily basis, however hairspray and gel are good barriers in preventing lice. So if you have the time to style your child’s hair, this method could work well for you. 7. Teach your children not to rub heads. It seems strange, but children do not have the same personal space understanding as adults and will often put their heads together when playing or talking, so teaching them not to ‘rub heads’ is a good idea.
Click here to enter our Competition to win a Head Lice Treatment Kit from Plunketts
Volunteering for your School I had always dreamed of being involved at my child’s school when they attended, however since starting Kindy this year I have to admit that the constant calls for parental help and involvement is overwhelming. Add that to a busy schedule of working, mothering and keeping house and no wonder it is a struggle for schools to get parents to volunteer. Being involved in your child’s school can be rewarding and offers a number of positive kickbacks for their schooling. There are a number of Benefits for you, the parent, for them, your child along with a vast number of volunteer opportunities to fit in with your schedule. Benefits of volunteering at your child’s school - For you: • Learning more about your child. Being involved in their school activities can help you to learn more about your child, to better understand what they do, watch them interact with their classmates and get to know the other children around them. • Bonding with their teacher. Being involved in their school activities provides you with the opportunity to bond with your child’s teacher in a non-obtrusive way. This can provide invaluable feedback and information on your child as well as give you the opportunity to ask any questions or provide feedback. • Bonding with other parents. Developing relationships with other school parents is a great way to learn about what is happening at school (many mouths paint a better overall picture) as well as helping you develop friendships which could potentially help your child in forming friendships as well as possibly helping steer the direction of their friendships. It can also be handy to have a mum or two that you can turn to for help if you are running late, have an important meeting or just need a hand with school drop off, pick up or play dates during the holidays. • Improving the relationship with your child. Knowing more about the children in their class, their classroom learning’s and understanding how/what they do better, helps you when trying to communicate with them. You can construct your questions better, giving you a greater opportunity to talk and learn more from your child about their school life. • Improve/learn new skills. Volunteering at your school can help you learn new skills or improve existing skills, both of which will benefit you when returning to the work or on your current CV. If you want to volunteer for your school or want to find out more, read some of our other articles on volunteering at your school.
Benefits for your Child The Different Ways you can volunteer Making Volunteering work for you
Backpacks On Safari Backpack: The On Safari Backpacks have been specially designed for children in five bright animal designs. They have an easy magnetic closure plus a drawstring to keep the contents safely inside. The straps can be adjusted for a perfect fit for any sized child and the bag fits easily into a cubby or hung by the hanging loop. PVC and BPA free. RRP: $27 Available from: For Baby and Up The Optari backpack is destined to be the coolest pack at school this year. It features two large internal compartments, one large internal pocket, pens pockets, side net pockets, and a front panel for collecting our new Mini Fobbz collection. Available in six colours. RRP: $29.95 Available from: MumsDelivery Market
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Bobble Art designed Large Canvas Backpack. Perfect for kinder, school, day care, dance; even perfect for kids luggage for those fun trips away. It is a premium quality backpack bag made from soft and durable canvas material. Features include one large compartment which zips open along the top. Smaller zip pocket on the front. Adjustable straps that are slightly padded. Carry handle on top. Netting pockets on both sides of the bag. RRP: $44.95 Available from: MumsDelivery Market The Patch Buddy Backpack has a very cool combination of a super soft plush toy and a neat backpack. There is a special pocket for the little toy to sit in and always be part of the trip! Each plush toy comes with a very comfortable mini-blanket. The backpack itself is roomy enough for a change of clothes, a sun-hat, a water bottle, etc... Great for travel, sleepovers, daycare, back to school, etc. RRP: $19.95 Available from: MumsDelivery Market Tips for fitting your child’s backpack correctly • Make sure your child’s bag is size appropriate. • Chose a bag with padded shoulder straps and a hip strap. • Pack the heavy items closest to the back of the back pack (closest to the spine). • If you walk your child to and from school, why not carry their bag for them? • Be mindful of the weight of the bag • Be sure to have the back pack fit snuggly to the child’s back. The base of the bag should fit snuggly into the lower curve of the low back. • See the rest of these tips here
Getting Ready for Kindy 2015
Hammie Goes to School is an easy book to read out loud to your pre-schooler and also a good book for those learning to read to read out loud. With the rhyming words and the relatively easy language Master M found it an easy read. He loved sharing the story with Master S and talking about all the things he does at school and musing over whether his school would let a pig into his class. See the review here RRP: $24.95 Available from: Atom Children’s Books
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Getting Ready with LeapReader The first ever reading and writing system for children, LeapReader, is helping Aussie kids get ready for school. Designed to help children become confident, independent readers and writers by learning to build reading fundamentals, sound out words, read sentences and trace letters. According to Victoria University College of Education Professor Nicola Yelland, the new LeapReader encourages children to read because it is fun to use, but also allows them to playfully explore each book or game via a series of interconnected activities and games. With over 40 different books to choose from, the LeapFrog LeapReader library of Reading, Writing and Activity titles will help strengthen numerous skills and abilities. See the LeapReader review here Learn to Write Numbers with Mr Pencil teaches kids how to write numbers 0-9 and practice early Maths concepts like skip-counting and backward-counting. Read the review here.
Write It! Talking Words Factory teaches the next step after learning to write letters – how to make letters into words! Read the review here