Find out about Parents Centre

Great parents grow great kids

Arm yourself with knowledge as you grow as a parent alongside your child, by taking part in one of the Parents Centre programmes that run nationwide.

Having a new baby is a time of significant change – your brain is working overtime with questions and your body is going through amazing changes. It’s quite a journey.

Parents Centre has been supporting parents for almost 70 years. Become a member of Parents Centre and we can support you too! You’ll get access to quality pregnancy, childbirth and parent education that will help you gain invaluable knowledge on your pregnancy, childbirth and early parenting journey. It’s a great way to meet other new parents who are on the same journey as you. They often become lifelong friends. You get support through coffee groups that meet on a regular basis, and ongoing education programmes to help you navigate the stages of pregnancy and parenthood.

With 52 locations nationwide, we provide many opportunities for social engagement for both parents and children. Many of our Centres offer playgroups and music classes, and these are a great way to learn with your children while you get to socialise with other parents at the same time.

As a Parents Centre member you will receive loads of giveaways and free samples, as well as special discount shopping days, and discounted products and services exclusive to Parents Centre members. Who doesn’t love freebies and discounts?

Many of our members gain so much from being Parents Centre members that they want to ‘give back’ and become volunteers for their local Centres, ensuring that new parents can continue to benefit from the skills, knowledge, friendships and support they’ve received. You also gain skills and experience that will be a real asset when you decide to rejoin the workforce.

We look forward to having you join our Parents Centre family and supporting you on your parenting journey!

Early Pregnancy – a special programme tailored for your 12th to 24th weeks of pregnancy.

Pregnancy, Childbirth and Parent Education (Antenatal) – essential information to prepare you for childbirth and early parenting.

Baby and You – practical and sensible tips and advice for enjoying and making the most of those first months with your newborn.

Parenting with Purpose – consciously focusing on how you want to parent and how your child ticks.

Return to Work – advice on preparing for and returning to the paid workforce.

Magic Moments – strategies for positive communication and discipline with your child.

Moving and Munching – exploring baby’s first foods and developmental stages.

Music and Movement – stimulating music activities for your baby and toddler.

Tinies to Tots – positively encouraging your emerging adventurous toddler.

www.parentscentre.org.nz 

Preschool in a pandemic

Choosing an early learning centre during COVID-19

In a quality early learning centre, your child will benefit from great teachers and social interactions with other children. But choosing a centre that will work for both you and your child can seem daunting. Where do you start?

We recommend you visit three centres before deciding. Talk to other parents about how they’ve found the centre. Are they happy there? Do teachers come and go much or are they stable? Were parents happy with communication and steps taken by the centre during the lockdowns? Did they feel listened to? Did they feel their child was always safe?

Things to look out for

If you are deciding on a centre, there are many other things to look for. When visiting, check for respectful interactions between teachers and children. Are children engaged and happy? Talk to the teachers about what the centre’s values are and ask them how they will support your child. Tell them about your hopes.

Ask the team how they deal with challenging situations and check their last ERO (Education Review Office) report. Ask them about their COVID-19 safety precautions to keep children, wha -nau and staff safe.

When you visit a centre, you should feel that you could belong. Do you see your culture reflected on the walls or in the centre’s customs and language? Making the decision to attend an early learning centre will allow your child to learn in a caring, supportive environment. Trained teachers will know and understand your child’s physical, emotional and mental development and have the skills to extend their learning.

Early learning teachers will understand how to use language and be responsive to your young child’s verbal and non-verbal speech. They’ll provide activities to keep children amused and stimulated – and delighted and inspired to learn. They will be sensitive and responsive to your child’s needs and signals. Continued overleaf...

Some early childhood trained teachers have teaching diplomas, but most have three-year degrees, and all teachers work with the world-renowned early childhood curriculum, Te Wha -riki.

More than just play

There’s a huge amount of planning that goes into every day at an early learning service. Teachers are masters of setting up environments that challenge and grow children’s physical abilities, vocabularies, curiosity, and social interactions. They prompt, ask open-ended questions, and follow children’s interests to extend their understanding of the world around them. They follow every aspect of a child’s physical and emotional wellbeing.

We still find there’s the impression that children just ‘play’ at early childhood – that the real learning starts at school. However, research tells us that from zero to seven years, children’s brains are hardwired to learn through play. Children who have the best outcomes as adults are those that have had the most opportunities to learn this way.

In the early years, children are sorting through real-life situations that they experience through play – and this early learning can form the foundation of their lifelong patterns. They are busy learning how to form relationships, how to problemsolve, the excitement of curiosity, how good it feels to do exercise, how to negotiate, take turns, learn resilience, take safe risks, establish healthy eating habits and much, much more.

The skills that older children learn at early learning centres enable them to start school feeling confident and able to cope in a classroom and be excited lifelong learners.

Early childhood teachers are skilled in supporting and extending children in this important first stage of their learning journey. A teacher who encourages, suggests, plays, and leads with passion and kindness can make a lasting impression on a child’s life.

For all these reasons and more, we believe that children benefit enormously from attending quality early learning centres.

What lockdown meant for wha nau

Many of you have been affected by lockdown in early childhood centres. You might have delayed starting your child at an early childhood centre. Many parents have had to take their children home to spend lockdown together. You might have had to work from home, trying to meet the needs of both work and your child. Your child would be out of their usual schedule, missing their teachers, activities and friends.

We think parents deserve huge acknowledgement for what they achieved during this time. We also want to reassure families there are big benefits for children attending well-run, quality early education centres in these uncertain times. Choosing a centre that will suit your child is important, as is knowing it will be responsive during lockdown.

From an early childhood centre operator’s perspective, this time of COVID-19 has been a challenging time too. When BestStart went into lockdown in Alert Level 4, there wasn’t much time to prepare. We set about organising our centre teams, children and families, as well as reorganising our personal lives.

At BestStart we have 265 centres and around 18,000 families through Aotearoa. We knew we had to be there for our children and staff – and of utmost importance was our connection with our families during lockdown.

We decided to develop online home learning for the duration of lockdown. It was a massive task, but we designed and delivered

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BestStart@Home, an online daily programme connecting centre teachers to their children.

Our teams made videos, held Zoom meetings, took mat times and set awesome activities for our tamariki. All this was safely achieved from the teachers’ homes. This made life a little easier for families during lockdown. Children were engaged, kept learning, and maintained their sense of connection with their friends and teachers.

From a national perspective, in every early learning centre the safety and wellbeing of children and teaching teams must be at the forefront of COVID-19-related decisions. Your centre should be in close contact with the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Education. Depending on the Alert Level we go to, there are rigorous procedures that must always be followed.

When a change of Alert Level occurs, all centres should send families communication clearly outlining procedures. You might have many questions including about fees, benefits and how to keep in touch. You should always know what staff are doing to keep your child safe, and what you, as part of the family community, will need to do, particularly if your child isn’t feeling well, or if social distancing is required at drop-off and pick-up.

Will my child be safe?

Many parents worry about their child rejoining their centre when lockdown is over.

If this is you, we recommend you ask centre staff the questions that are worrying you. Never be brushed off by a busy centre team member. Your concerns are important, and you should never feel uncomfortable about sending your child back to the centre.

Despite the challenging times, early childhood teachers are still laughing, loving and teaching our nation’s youngest. We hope that this has been some reassurance for all those currently enrolled or thinking of enrolling in an early childhood centre. Remember – expect great communication and ask about things you’re not sure of. You are your child’s greatest advocate. 

Fiona Hughes

Fiona is the Deputy Chief Executive of BestStart. For many years she has been responsible for building BestStart’s reputation for quality early childhood education and care for preschoolers. Fiona is passionate about equal access for all children, especially those not yet participating in early childhood education and care.

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Member only savings!

Parents Centre members can can get exclusive discounts on selected styles from The Sleep Store! Go to thesleepstore.co.nz/content/parents-centre for further details & start saving today!

Free expert sleep advice & New Zealand’s best infant sleep & parenting essentials.

Swim for your life

Summer is fast approaching, and once again it’s time to hit the water! Enjoying the outdoors is an integral part of the Kiwi way of life and every summer thousands of people will head to our beautiful and refreshing beaches, rivers and lakes. This poses a huge risk to those who cannot swim or are not comfortable in the water.

Every year more than 100 people drown in our waterways and this is largely due to a lack of simple education and basic water skills. While you can never drown-proof someone, having some basic skills such as floating and kicking can mean the difference between a wonderful summer holiday or one that ends with tragedy.

“I have been lucky enough to work in this industry with some awesome people and organisations, but I have also encountered some horrific situations that have torn families apart and taken a heavy toll on those left to pick up the pieces. It was these stories that inspired us to look at this problem in a different way,” says Phil Waggott from SplashSave.

When we look at the issue of drowning in New Zealand there are several factors that have led to Aotearoa ranking as one of the worst countries per capita when it comes to drowning. Some of these are the closure of school pools, access to lessons being out of reach for a lot of people, and the daily struggle in busy lives to find time to commit to swimming lessons or other alternatives. “People generally think there is no option but to take their child to swimming lessons for them to learn these vital skills,” says Phil. “However, the good news is that this is no longer true.”

Phil and his brother Richard are on a mission to let all parents know that they can they take control of their child’s aquatic education. Plus, it is really fun and enjoyable to play with your child in the water while you watch them grow and learn new skills.

Helping under-five-year-olds to learn to swim is super easy because all you need to do is play games with them that help them gain confidence and competence in the water. “As a swim teacher, my biggest hurdle in teaching preschoolers was gaining the trust of the child to create a good learning environment for them.

“However, parents already have that bond and trust with their child so they will see the results more quickly as the child will be more willing to push themselves outside of their comfort zone.”

In order to be a successful swim teacher, you don't need to be able to swim yourself. But you should never put yourself in a position where both you and your child cannot touch the bottom if you’re not confident of your own swimming ability.

The key to learning to swim is the amount of time spent practising – taking a parent-led approach allows you to go to the pool as often as you like. The more they practise the quicker they will learn. The important thing is exposure to the water in a fun and safe environment – that’s how you get kids to learn, and learn quickly. “The quicker we can teach our preschoolers these basic skills at a young age, the less likely people will be to drown later in life,” says Phil. “The key to surviving is the ability to keep your head above the water for as long as possible and a simple skill like floating on your back can achieve this.”

No matter how well your child can swim, there is no better way to prevent them from drowning than constant supervision while around water (including the bath).

How do I start?

So, what are the next steps now you’re convinced that you can do something about your child’s water safety and survival?

Step one is to go to the pool with your child and help them practise things like putting their face in the water, getting comfortable and moving around to familiarise themselves with their surroundings. Above all, make sure whatever you are doing is both safe and fun.

No matter how well your child can swim, there is no better way to prevent them from drowning than constant supervision while around water (including the bath). As they get older educate them on the dangers associated with the water and how they can avoid these dangers.

Philip Waggott

Phil has been involved in teaching swimming and water safety for over 22 years. During this time, he has taught thousands of children to swim, was an expert advisor on the Water Skills for Life programme and developed the national police aquatic training module.

If you still don’t feel confident to teach your child, you can get help from the SplashSave Pack Phil and his brother Richard have created. The Pack has simpleto-follow steps, tips, and tricks you can use with your child to help them learn and grow their skills in the water. This SplashSave initiative has been endorsed and supported by Water Safety New Zealand and ACC and is a key component of the 2020 drowning prevention strategy.

“We urge parents to pick up the mantle and teach your little ones the basics,” says Phil. “This is so you can have more confidence when you go away for the summer that the whole family can enjoy the water safely.”

If you would like to purchase a SplashSave Pack, want more information or to see what the SplashSave Foundation is all about please visit: www.splashsave.org

Continued overleaf...

Parents Centre members quote PCNZ for a 30% discount

Ways to keep your child safe around water – from Water Safety New Zealand

Constant active adult supervision is important at all times

Always keep babies and toddlers within arm’s reach around water. It takes less than a minute for a child to drown.

If you’re in a group, have an active adult supervision roster

Don’t rely on older children to supervise younger ones in, on or around water. Constant active adult supervision is always required.

Identify water hazards in and around the home

Ensure your pool is properly fenced and complies with the safety requirements under the pool safety legislation and make sure your pool has properly working safety latches. Empty water from unused paddling pools, buckets and containers after use and ensure you have a safely fenced play area. Remember to check for water hazards when you are on holiday.

Use a bathmat

Using a bathmat in the bath stops your child from slipping but you should NEVER leave your baby or toddler unsupervised in the bath even to answer the phone. Don’t get distracted

Put your phone away when you’re supervising children around water. Their lives are in your hands and their safety requires your full attention. A child can drown in the time it takes for you to read a text message.

Teach your children water safety behaviour

As soon as they are old enough to understand, tell your children things like: “Never go near the water unless you’re with a grown up.” It is important to teach your children to enjoy water, but also to respect it.

Wear lifejackets

These are essential on a boat, and must fit snuggly and have a crotch strap. Lifejackets should be worn whenever your child is around water as accidental immersions are a leading cause of preventable drowning fatalities in New Zealand.

Support your child and give them fun and positive early experiences around water

It is important to begin your child’s aquatic education early and this can be as simple as taking them to a pool for a fun splash around. It is crucial that every Kiwi can learn to enjoy the water from an early age and gain the skills to keep them safe.

Water Safety New Zealand Watersafety.org.nz 

A picture paints a thousand words

Former Poet Laureate Selina Tusitala Marsh’s first book for children was the supreme winner at the 2020 New Zealand Book Awards for Children and Young Adults. Mophead was awarded the highest prize in children’s publishing – The Margaret Mahy Book of the Year – during a virtual presentation in August.

The judges called Mophead “clever, joyful and inspiring, with not a smidgen of pretension or condescension”. They described it as a taonga that should be placed in the hands of every child in Aotearoa, especially young Pasifika children who might not yet know their own creative power. “We love this book’s design and production. We love that it’s part picture book, part graphic novel, part memoir, part poem – its form is exactly what it wants and needs to be, which is the message of the book too,” says convenor of judges Jane Arthur.

Mophead recounts Marsh’s journey from self-conscious child unsure of her place in the world to being New Zealand’s Poet Laureate rubbing shoulders with world leaders and literary luminaries, and delivers a powerful message that your difference is what makes a difference.

The Russell Clark Award for Illustration

Some of Aotearoa’s most gifted illustrators made the final cut of this category – stories encompass a river’s journey, a Kiwi Christmas, a dozy cat, striking histories and wildlife extravaganzas.

A pared back and powerful book claimed this Award. The judges described Mat Tait’s illustrations for The Adventures of Tupaia as having an urgent fire in their belly, and praised their ability to reach the reader on an intellectual, gut and aesthetic level.

The Adventures of Tupaia

Published by Allen & Unwin with Ta -maki Paenga Hira Auckland War Memorial Museum

Illustrated by Mat Tait (written by Courtney Sina Meredith)

The impacts on Pacific peoples of Tupaia’s journey with Captain Cook are sensitively explored in this large-format book. Careful use of point-of-view gives or takes power from the characters in different ways as we move through the story. The limited colour palette serves as a shortcut towards drama and emotional impact, while the pared-back illustrations are sophisticated, striking, dramatic and, ultimately, incredibly moving.

About Mat

Mat Tait is a South Island-based comics artist and writer. He gained a BFA in painting from Ilam School of Fine Arts and then lived in America and Britain before settling in Motueka, where he does freelance illustration and works on his art.

Dozer the Fire Cat

Published by Scholastic New Zealand

Illustrated by Jenny Cooper (written by Robyn Rokop)

Dozer is a characterful and cat-like cat – with his fluffyfooted stalking of prey, inelegant washing techniques, and contortionist sleeping positions. A thoughtful approach to composition can be seen on each spread, with lots of white space used around vignettes of Dozer and his human family. About Jenny Jenny Cooper has been illustrating children’s books for 20 years and lives in Amberley, near Christchurch. After gaining a qualification in graphic design, Jenny and her family moved to Samoa, where she taught art.

Santa’s Worst Christmas

Published by Huia Publishers

Illustrated by Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (written by Pania Tahau-Hodges and Bryony Walker)

A fabulous representation of extended wha nau (as well as Santa’s little green elves), with gorgeously composed, incredibly child-friendly illustrations. Each page is crammed with details – can you spot the koru on almost every page? How many different snacks can you count throughout the book? The result is joyous,

hilarious and charming.

About Isobel Isobel Joy Te Aho-White (Nga -ti Kahungunu, Nga -i Tahu) is a freelance graphic artist and illustrator. Isobel studied design at the Whanganui School of Design and Massey University and uses both digital and traditional media. She specialises in symbolism and metaphor, and her work is influenced by mythology and folk tales, botanical illustration and life experience.

Song of the River

Published by Gecko Press

Illustrated by Kimberly Andrews (written by Joy Cowley)

Cam lives in the mountains and wishes he could see the sea. He sets out to see where a trickle of water leads, and follows it as it grows into a creek, a stream, and finally a river flowing into the sea. Kimberly Andrews’ detailed illustrations using muted, natural colours capture the magic of this journey, and allow readers to soar along with Cam towards the sea – weaving between trees, high above the forest or underwater with the frogs. About Kimberly Kimberly Andrews is a trained biologist and geologist who grew up in the Canadian Rockies and has lived and worked in Borneo, the UK and New Zealand. She lives and works in a container house in Wellington.

Wildlife of Aotearoa

Published by Puffin, Penguin Random House

Illustrated and written by Gavin Bishop

This super-size book is full of lovingly rendered creatures of Aotearoa, in Gavin Bishop’s inimitable watercolour style. The backgrounds for each spread are stunning and depict different ecosystems, from wetlands to dark watery depths, and from night-time forest skies to cool, clear mountain air. The compositions move masterfully between a static poster and images that create the

perception of movement.

About Gavin

Gavin Bishop is an award-winning children’s picture book writer and illustrator who lives and works in Christchurch. The author and illustrator of approximately 60 books to date, his work ranges from original stories to retellings of Ma -ori myths, European fairy stories, and nursery rhymes. Gavin has had a long-held interest in depicting Aotearoa’s history through illustration.

Decorating to suit all the family

This lush jade green office with walls in Resene Mother Nature is a bold but gender-neutral colour, easily accessorised to switch looks – swap out the artwork and the chair, and it has a different feel. Layered with green and grey accessories, and using black Resene Noir as an accent, it’s dramatic but inviting. The floors are stained in Resene kiwiparent Colorwood Greywash for a relaxed, textural anchor to the room. Styling by Vanessa Nouwens; image by Melanie Jenkins.

Neutral monochromatic spaces will have wide appeal but don’t have to look dull. Using a crisp black like Resene Nero and white like Resene Alabaster with plenty of accessories and texture creates a layered and interesting space. It’s easy to pop in a few accents like ochres or greens to change out the look. Styling by Claudia Kozub; image by Melanie Jenkins.

Setting up house with someone or buying a property together is an exciting time – until one of you brings along a dodgy looking chair from student flat days, and the other wants to embrace a love of purple by painting all the walls lilac!

It would be a rare couple or family that agreed entirely on exactly how to decorate a house or what it should look like.

Decorating your own space when you don’t have to consider other tastes is easy – you could paint the ceiling pink if you really wanted to. But sharing can throw up all sorts of conflicts. There was talk of a Wellington couple who could never agree on which wallpaper to use… so spent 20 years in a stalemate, with wallpaper samples pinned to the unfinished wall linings, curling and yellowing as the years went by. You don’t want to be those people!

Someone in the family might like cheerful, upbeat colours, but another might feel better with cocooning dark colours. One might like clutter-free rooms, while the other borders on developing a hoarding problem. Maybe one likes modern and the other loves antiques.

Continued overleaf...

Moody navy blues, like the Resene Indian Ink on the lower wall, are making waves in the interior design world, and are a perfect restful colour for a main bedroom that would appeal to many tastes and suit many styles. Brass details and the ochre velvet chair provide touches of warmth and sophistication and the wall in Resene White Island stops the stormy navy from becoming too overpowering. The flooring is in Resene Raindance – a dusty blue-grey – while the bedside table looks bold in Resene Wishing Well. Pile on charcoal-onnavy-on-charcoal bedding and finish with a soft, lowpile rug in steel blue. Styling by Claudia Kozub; image by Melanie Jenkins.

Smouldering neutral hues create a maturelooking living room and are balanced out with softer shades and a mix of textures. Layers of cognac-coloured accessories in Resene Route 66 and Resene Barnstorm with hints of creamy Resene Poured Milk balance out the near-black walls and timber floors in Resene Suits. The smoky side table and basket in Resene Thunder Road and Resene Rebel layered alongside highly textured soft furnishings in leather, toasted marshmallow and toffee tones create a rich look that is steeped in depth. For a completely different look, near-blacks also look great with soft pastels such as lilacs, baby blues or peachy pinks. Styling by Vanessa Nouwens; image by Melanie Jenkins.

And then the children arrive…

Then you start to add children to your family, who develop their own likes and dislikes; these can of course be managed and restricted to their bedrooms. A request for bright orange can be softened to a pale melon, or a lurid green to a classic sage. A child’s bedroom should become their own sanctuary and somewhere they can express themselves creatively.

“They can even draw on the walls if you use Resene Write-on Wall Paint,” says Dunedin Resene colour consultant Jill Marsh. It’s a coating that’s applied on top of your chosen colour to turn the wall into a whiteboard-like surface. Or you could try Resene Blackboard Paint or Chalkboard Paint, which comes in a range of colours to provide a chalkboard surface.

Continued overleaf...

Get writing!

Let your ideas loose all over your walls with Resene Write-on Wall Paint.

Simply apply over your existing light coloured wall paint. Then once dry and cured you can use whiteboard markers to write all over the wall without damaging the surface. And when it’s time to delete an idea just grab a soft cloth or whiteboard eraser, rub out the marker and start again. With Resene Write-on Wall Paint there’s no limit to your ideas.

Bedroom colours

Talking of bedrooms, it can be tricky finding a colour scheme that not only works in a bedroom but pleases you both. Blues and greens of any type are calming and relaxing, and these colours are liked by many people of all genders and persuasions. Soft pastel versions of these colours will give you a zen-like lightness, whereas deep sea-storm colours will envelop you in an underwater calm. Try Resene Duck Egg Blue or Resene Secrets for a soothing colour that will help send you off to sleep.

“You could embrace one of the latest trends that work in bedrooms and across genders,” advises Jill. “Try eco style with soft greens, pale timbers and textured rugs, or an elegant resort-style room or one with a Scandi vibe with dove grey walls.”

One approach is to blend your styles – decide which bits you can each live with and which you can’t.

That painting of a zombie or the cutesy kitten picture may just not make the cut. You could approach it as you would picking a team at school, adding elements one at a time. Decide together what’s non-negotiable and what’s flexible.

Hit the shops together

Go homewares and furniture shopping together. You may find that while he doesn’t like that sofa, or she that chair, you both like the look of a third item. Shopping together for these items is also a good way to get an insight into each other’s tastes.

You can have quite separate spaces if space allows in your home – somewhere to call your own and decorate as you like. Even if you don’t have enough rooms for a she-shed or a he-den, it may be that one decides the style for the ensuite and the other decides the look of the TV room depending on who uses each room the most.

A strong gender-neutral colour, like navy blue or botanic green such as Resene Bunting or Resene Family Tree, allows you to create personalised zones within a shared space – a writing area, a reading area, a gaming area, for example – with the addition of a few favourite accessories.

Using neutral colours on the walls, such as Resene Black White or Resene Rice Cake, or on bigger items like the sofas can provide a happy middle ground; then everyone can have their say, by adding items in a style or colour they like: cushions, ornaments, rugs, etc.

Call in the experts

If you struggle to find common decorating ground with others in the household, bring in a ‘mediator’, such as a Resene colour consultant or an interior designer. An independent view can help clarify and unify varying tastes and they may come up with a scheme or products that none of you have thought of. 

Never too young

for science

There is no better time to start exploring the living world than when your children are young. Early childhood offers a window of opportunity to begin inspiring young children with the wonders of nature and science, instilling a deep respect for the environment as well as developing life skills that are important in all areas of their lives.

Young children are naturally curious. They constantly demand answers and are on a mission to discover and find reasons for everything they see, hear, smell, touch and even taste. Science provides fascinating answers to many of these questions. This is the time when parents can make a big difference in a child’s education by providing simple learning opportunities through creative play and exploration – taking time with their child to observe and discuss nature, discovering the answers to their barrage of questions!

Introducing natural science to children early on is important not only for their education, but also for the conservation of our environment. When children are wowed by nature, they fall in love with it. When this happens, they develop a desire to understand everything there is to know about the animals and plants they discover. Helping our children to understand the fragility of different ecosystems, and that all living things (including humans) are interlinked, encourages them to grow into environmentally responsible adults.

When children engage in science at a young age, they develop key life skills. They learn how to question and hypothesise, experiment, problem-solve, draw conclusions and communicate their findings. These important skills transfer into other areas of their lives.

Parents are the biggest influencers in a young child’s life and there is no age too young to encourage a love of science. You don’t have to be an Einstein, and in fact you don’t need to know much at all – your job is to inspire and excite them.

How parents can encourage a love of the living world

Kids are curious

Answer their questions if you can. If not, look up the answers with your child. They will love the idea that you are learning too. Why do elephants have long noses? Why do cacti have prickles? Why do fantails follow people in the bush? How long is a human intestine?

Why do elephants have long noses? Why do cacti have prickles? Why do fantails follow people in the bush? How long is a human intestine?

Teach your children to ‘see’

Point out interesting things. You don’t have to be out in the wilderness to do this – if you live in the city there is still plenty to see. When you are walking to preschool or to the shops or are just out in the garden, point out spider webs, bird nests, bees collecting pollen, lemons on a tree, ants on the pavement, interesting seedpods, or even some nasty mould on the bread – nature is everywhere.

Introduce scientific vocabulary

Language, language, language! It is the key to effective communication in any subject. Kids soak it up and remember easily. Wherever possible, use the correct name – why say ‘knee bone’ when you can say ‘patella’? When kids find animal bones, show them the equivalent bone on their body and name it correctly. Children love to compare things to themselves.

When experimenting, instead of asking what they think will happen, ask them to give you a hypothesis. Ask them their ‘conclusion’ after a simple experiment. When classifying animals use words such as vertebrates (animals with spines), invertebrates (without spines), reptiles, mammals, amphibians. Investigating the features and behaviours of animals opens up a world of new vocabulary – camouflage, hibernation, life cycle, food chain, predator, carnivore, herbivore.

Value kids’ collections

Shells, acorns and seedpods are only some of the treasures that small children gather in huge quantities and store in special containers and jars. Collections found in nature are what they value. Provide little jars or boxes for them to store their latest discovery. Talk about what their collection actually is. Where does it grow or live? What is its purpose in nature? Is it living?

Have fun, play and be creative

Through play and creative, hands-on activities, children will be fully engaged. Children learn best by doing and the best scientists are creative. When they are young, children don’t need to carry out complicated experiments to learn – simple things like using tweezers found in the bathroom cupboard can be gold. Provide children with a range of vegetables and fruits and get them to extract the seeds using tweezers.

The Living World

By Rachel Rohloff

The Living World is a fun and educational book for children that teaches scientific skills and key scientific vocabulary and explains the living world, with a focus on plants, animals and people.

Available from: www.curiate.co.nz www.newshootspublishing.co.nz and selected bookstores.

RRP $47.99.

This is a great opportunity to develop their fine motor skills as well as identifying different types of seeds. You can also have fun investigating habitats like the beach and recreate them in paintings, drawings and models.

Be prepared

Sometimes as parents we simply don’t have the time to run round the house searching for jars and containers or shopping for a magnifying glass every time our young scientist wants to do some investigating. Instead, spend a few hours one day and put together a basic kit so when your little one is keen to investigate nature, they can just crack on with it.

Start the kit off by adding these items: jars and recycled plastic containers with lids, basic craft supplies, glue, wobbly eyes (to make pet rocks and things), a magnifying glass (from the $2 shop), plastic funnels, a tape measure, ruler, flower seeds, vegetable seeds, grass seeds, tweezers, little pond dipping net, childfriendly scissors, recycled yoghurt containers and egg cartons (to plant seeds in) and of course a big plastic tablecloth to keep the mess under control.

Grow plants

Most children will embrace the responsibility of planting a seed and nurturing it to maturity and will soon learn what happens if a plant’s needs are not met! Growing vegetables fosters an appreciation and understanding of where food comes from and you may find your children are more enthusiastic about eating vegetables that they have grown themselves. Use interesting vessels to grow seeds in such as egg cartons and orange peels. Kids find it far more interesting and the seedlings can be planted straight into the garden – egg carton or orange peel included.

Be enthusiastic!

If you are excited about nature, your kids will be too! When children are engaged, they learn.

Outdoor adventures

The best learning takes place outside, and summer is the perfect time to be outdoors. So, pack up a picnic and spend the day at the beach exploring rockpools and collecting shells. Visit a farm or take a walk in the forest and listen to the different bird songs. Take a trip to the zoo or a wildlife centre. Your local gardening centre is lovely too – get the kids to choose some vegetable plants or seeds for the garden.

Children also never tire of a scavenger hunt, so this is a good option. Make the most of the outdoors when it is fine and send the children outside with a jar to fill with nature’s treasures.

The most important thing a parent can give their child is the freedom and encouragement to get outside and allow them to explore and discover the joy of the living world for themselves. 

Rachel Rohloff

Rachel was a classroom teacher, then spent a decade at a school for girls in London as Head of Design Technology and Science. She co-founded a notfor-profit company, The TestPod, creating science experiences for students and public events showcasing latest innovations.

Currently, Rachel is a director of New Zealand Schools Partnership, working with corporate clients to support New Zealand education.

Giftsfrom the kitchen

During the festive season gift giving has special meaning. It’s a way to thank all the people who have been there for you – teachers, coaches, neighbours, colleagues, people in your community, and friends who have supported you and your wha -nau through this challenging year. Baking gifts is the perfect way to say, “Thank you, I appreciate you!”

Encourage your little ones to get involved as well – even very young children can help mix, measure and stir. They are also learning lessons about the importance of gratitude and how to be thankful for the special people in their lives.

Best of all, the recipient will appreciate the time and thought you have put into creating a personalised token of your regard for them. Here are some delicious kitchen gift ideas by Chelsea Sugar made easy for everyone to enjoy.

Spiced Christmas cookies

A change from the traditional gingerbread dough, this dough is lighter in colour making them ideal for decorating!

Ingredients

125g butter, softened

¼ tsp vanilla essence

1 tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp each: ground nutmeg, allspice

½ cup Chelsea Caster Sugar

1 egg, lightly beaten

2 cups flour

Decorate with Chelsea Icing Sugar, silver balls, glace cherries, etc. Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C. In a food processor, mix the butter, vanilla, spices and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the egg and mix to combine. Add the flour to make a firm dough. Chill for 15 minutes in the fridge.

Roll the dough out to about 5mm thickness and cut into shapes with Christmas biscuit cutters. With a thick skewer, make a hole in the top of each biscuit large enough for a ribbon to be threaded through.

Place on an oven tray and bake for 10–15 minutes, until lightly browned.

When cool, decorate the biscuits with coloured icing and silver balls.

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Shortbread stars

This shortbread recipe holds together well, making it easy to roll out and press out fun shapes. It happens to be delicious too!

Ingredients

175g butter, softened

½ cup Chelsea Icing Sugar

1½ cups plain flour

½ cup cornflour

Pinch of salt

Optional: Chelsea Coffee Sugar Crystals, Demerara or Raw Sugar to decorate.

Method

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Grease or line an oven tray with baking paper.

Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift in the flour, cornflour and salt and mix thoroughly with the butter mixture until it forms a dough. Knead the dough, then roll out to 10mm thickness on a floured surface. Press out shapes using a biscuit cutter or cut into triangles and place on an oven tray. Press the remaining dough together and roll out again; press out shapes until the mixture is used up.

Bake for 30 minutes or until pale golden.

Makes: Approx 30 biscuits depending on the size of the cookie cutter.

Optional: For a crunchy topping, press on Chelsea Coffee Sugar Crystals, Demerara or Raw Sugar before baking.

Gingerbread people gift jar

See photo on page 70.

Dry ingredients

2½ cups plain flour

½ cup Chelsea Soft Brown Sugar 1 tbsp ground ginger

1 tsp mixed spice

1 tsp baking soda

Method

Layer all the dry ingredients in a decorative 500ml glass jar. Tie a gingerbread cookie cutter to the jar and a special note tag with the instructions below:

“Simply beat 125g soft butter with ½ cup treacle or golden syrup and 1 egg yolk until creamy and smooth then add the contents of the jar and mix until a soft dough forms. Knead into a ball, wrap and chill for 20 minutes. Preheat the oven to 170ºC and line two baking trays with baking paper. Roll out the gingerbread dough to about 3mm (if it’s sticky roll between two sheets of baking paper or cling film). Use the cookie cutter to make little people shapes. Transfer to baking trays and cook for 10–15 minutes until golden and set. Ice and decorate when cold.”

Raspberry macaroons

Ingredients

3 egg whites (extra large), at room temperature

¼ cup Chelsea Caster Sugar

1¼ cups Chelsea Pink Berry Flavoured Icing Sugar, sifted

1 cup ground almonds

Method

Preheat the oven to 150ºC conventional (130ºC fan forced). Line 2 trays with baking paper.

Beat the egg whites in a small bowl with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Add the caster sugar, a tablespoonful at a time, whisking until the mixture is thick and glossy (2–3 minutes).

Sift the icing sugar and almonds 3 times through a coarse sieve. In 2 batches, fold in the icing sugar/ almond mixture into the egg white base. Fill a piping bag fitted with a 2cm plain tube. Pipe 4cm rounds allowing space around each macaroon. Tap the trays on the bench so the macaroons spread slightly. Stand for 30 minutes on the bench to form a crust.

Bake the macaroons for 20 minutes. Cool on trays. When cool, pipe a round of filling onto half the macaroons and sandwich together. They will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for only 3–4 days so make sure if you’re giving them for a gift you prepare them the day before gifting. Makes 16 filled macaroons.

Chocolate fudge

Ingredients

Melted butter to grease

1 x 400g can sweetened condensed milk

100g butter, cubed

1¼ cups firmly packed Chelsea Soft Brown Sugar

1 tbsp Chelsea Golden Syrup

100g milk chocolate, finely chopped Method

Brush a 20cm square tin with the melted butter to grease, then line with non-stick baking paper.

Place the condensed milk, butter, brown sugar and golden syrup over a low heat. Cook, uncovered, for 10–12 minutes, stirring every 2 minutes until bubbles appear over the whole surface of the mixture. Add the chocolate and stir until smooth and well combined. Pour immediately into the prepared tin.

Place in the fridge for 1 hour or until firm. Cut the fudge squares as you would like them. Makes about 20 pieces.

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Chocolate truffles

Ingredients

125g butter or margarine

1 x 400g can sweetened condensed milk

1 cup Chelsea Icing Sugar

3 cups crushed biscuit crumbs

¼ cup cocoa

Method

Melt the butter or margarine in a large microwave-proof bowl on high. Stir in the condensed milk and microwave for another minute. Stir Presentation ideas Tin can gift holder Clean the used tin thoroughly and make sure there are no sharp edges – tie a piece of ribbon around the tin, or glue on some cheerful fabric. Mason jars These jars are perfect for bite-sized baked treats. Tie off the lid with some coloured ribbon or twine and add a candy cane or a sprig of rosemary to finish the presentation. in the icing sugar, crushed biscuits, cocoa, mixed spice and dried fruit. Mix well to combine.

Roll teaspoonfuls of the mixture into large marbles and place on a tinfoil covered tray in the fridge to chill until hard. This should be 3–4 hours in the fridge or 1 hour in the freezer.

Place the chocolate melts in a microwave-proof jug or small bowl. Cook on medium power for bursts of 30 seconds, stirring after each burst until the chocolate is just melted and runny.

Dip one cold truffle at a time in the melted chocolate. Stir it around to coat well and lift carefully out onto Leftover wallpaper Box up your baking and wrap it with leftover wallpaper – textured paper is especially effective! Muslin Plain coloured muslin makes very effective packaging and looks very stylish when finished off with twine and a po -hutukawa flower (or other foliage if the po -hutukawa are late). Children’s artwork If you have a budding artist, let them decorate plain butcher paper a tinfoil lined tray to set. A special dipping fork makes the job very easy or use 2 bamboo skewers.

Do not store the dipped truffles in the fridge as the chocolate tends to sweat; instead keep them in a covered container in a cool cupboard. The truffles can also be rolled in chocolate hail or coconut.

Makes about 60 truffles. (or repurpose some of those paintings that came home from day care or preschool) and use this to wrap up your edible treats. Simply package them in cardboard boxes or reuse plastic containers for a very personal present.

Paper bags

Brown paper bags are a more sustainable alternative to cellophane bags. Decorate the bags with glitter and stars, tie with twine or ribbon and attach a shaped cookie cutter, mini whisk or pinecone for a festive touch. 