UNLOCKING SUMMER'S POTENTIAL: THE POWER OF PLAY

As the summer holidays approach, parents often find themselves contemplating how to make the most of these precious weeks. The summer holidays offer a much needed break from routine and academic pressures. While vacations a nd day t rips are enjoyable, it's essential to recognize the value that unstructured time to play brings to children, enhancing and supporting their development. Play is a child's natural way of exploring the world and making sense of their experiences. As children engage in unstructured play, they experience the freedom to be themselves, fostering a sense of autonomy and self-esteem.

During the summ er holidays, children have opportunities to engage in a myriad of activities that stimulate cognitive development. From imaginative play in the backyard to constructing sandcastles on the beach, these activities encourage problem-solving, creativity, and critical thinking. Whether it's navigating through a make-believe world or strategizing the best way to build a tower or a cubby, during play, the brain is constantly at work, developing and refining cognitive skills. The summer holidays provide the perfect opportunity for children to break free from the constraints of indoor spaces and explore the great outdoors. The diverse terrain of outdoor environments challenges children's bodies in ways that structured indoor activities often cannot, fostering a more robust physical development.

Riding bikes, pl ayin g tag, or climbing trees not only contribute to physical fitness but also enhance gross motor skills. These activities promote coordination, balance, and strength, laying the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle. Many play activities are directly linked to a child’s performance in the classroom, such as the ability to build upper body strength through climbing is critical for a child’s ability to sit at a desk for an extended period.

Summer play is not just about physical and cognitive development; it's a social affair that helps children build essential interpersonal skills. Whether it's organizing a game of soccer with friends or collaborating on a sandcastle masterpiece with siblings, play encourages teamwork, cooperation, and effective communication. These social interactions are invaluable for developing emotional intelligence and establishing the foundation for successful relationships in the future.

Play is also a nat ural s tress reliever. The joy and curiosity sparked by play releases neurotransmitters in the brain like dopamine and serotonin, all offering the feel good factor for every child. Outdoor play also exposes children to sunlight, promoting the production of vitamin D and positively influencing mood and overall well-being.

This sum mer, let pl ay take centre stage in your child's holiday agenda. Consider the playgrounds, parks, and open spaces as more than just backdrops for fun – but dynamic arenas for fostering crucial skills that will benefit your child for a lifetime.

Embrace the u nstr uctured, spontaneous moments that unfold in parks, beaches, and your backyard. Recognize that each splash in the pool, climb up a tree, or game of hide-and-seek contributes significantly to your child's cognitive, physical, and social development. As parents, let's celebrate the power of play in shaping well-rounded, resilient individuals who approach life with curiosity, creativity, and a zest for exploration.

Summer is not just a brea k from school; it's a season of growth, discovery, and endless possibilities through the magic of play. Have a great summer!

Robyn Monro Miller AM Robyn Monro Miller is CEO of Play Australia and President of the International Play Association

Have your say on the future of Cooper Park

Cooper Park in Bellevue Hill is one of our most popular parks and provides the community with many options for staying active, connecting with nature and meeting with family and friends.

To ensure the Park continues to provide the best recreational options for future generations, we are seeking community feedback on the Draft Cooper Park Plan of Management and Master Plan. Take our short survey by Feb 4, 2024 at yoursay.woollahra.nsw.gov.au/cooper-park and let us know what you love and what you would like to see improved.

Help us protect Woollahra’s natural history Woollahra is home to some of Sydney's most wonderful trees. We are updating our Significant Tree Register and want to know which trees in our local area should be added to acknowledge their heritage value and protect them into the future.

End-of-year message

Mayor, Paula Masselos

As the year comes to a close, I’d like to take this opportunity to wish the Waverley community a merry Christmas, season's greetings, and happy Hanukkah. 2023 has been a year of highs and lows for many, so my wish for the community is that we continue to come together to support one another, to reflect and connect, and to act with kindness, compassion, and understanding for a more peaceful and brighter future.

The Bondi Pavilion has really come into its own this year, delivering a full program of events for all ages. We’ve also been lucky to play a part in some fantastic long running events such as Sculpture by the Sea, City2Surf and our very own Festival of the Winds at Bondi Beach. We’ve also had the privilege of delivering some important infrastructure and streetscape upgrades this year including the Bondi Junction Cycleway and Streetscape Upgrade, and streetscape upgrades along Tamarama Marine Drive, Glenayr Ave, North Bondi and Macpherson and St Thomas streets, Bronte, as well as a refresh of Bondi Junction Mall.

Christmas Events

You can learn more and nominate a tree by Feb 18, 2024 at: yoursay.woollahra.nsw.gov.

au/trees

Digital Literary Award

Congratulations to winners of the 2023 Woollahra Digital Literary Award, who were recognised at a special ceremony at Woollahra Library at Double Bay on Nov 22. Now in its seventh year, Woollahra Council founded the Award to support innovation in Australian literature and celebrate the work of local writers.

Visit woollahra.nsw.gov.au/dla for further details on the Award and a full list of winners.

New Year’s Eve 2023

Plan ahead for a fun and safe evening in our local area by visiting woollahra.nsw.gov.au/nye, where you’ll find details on fireworks vantage points, local road closures and traffic management information.

Markets for Maroubra

Markets providing fresh produce, artisan and general goods will be held monthly on Sundays at Heffron Park and Maroubra Beach in 2024.

New off-leash dog parks for South Coogee and Kingsford

The number of off-leash dog parks in Randwick City will increase to 16.

Questions about racecourse hotel proposal

Building bulk, signage impacts, vehicle access and lighting impacts on the Grey-headed flying fox are among the concerns raised by Randwick Council about a proposal to build a hotel at Royal Randwick Racecourse. The proposal by the Australian Turf Club seeks consent for a seven-storey 190 room hotel including a registered club and function space.

Bushcare turns 30

We invite you to join us on Wed, Dec 13 from 5-8pm for Carols by the Sea at Bondi Park. Enjoy performances by the Rose Bay Secondary School jazz band, Bondi Public School choir and the School of Arts Academy of Dance, followed by Christmas tunes with Emma Pask, Cool Yule, the Australian Girls Choir, Bondi Brass and other special guests. WAYS Youth & Family is running a sausage sizzle and the Waverley Charitable trust will be selling Santa hats to raise money for charity. There will also be a visit from Santa!

Light Up Waverley

We also invite you to enter our Light Up Waverley festive lights competition. Light Up Waverley is open to all community members and there are six award categories to enter including best sustainable display. All you need to do is decorate your outdoor space - whether it's your front yard, balcony, window, school fence or store front - for the chance to win one of six $250 gift cards. To find out more and enter, visit haveyoursay.waverley.nsw. gov.au/light-waverley. Thank you to our sponsor Premium Solutions Group for helping make Light Up Waverley possible. Entries close 6pm, Dec 10.

NYE at Dudley Page Reserve, Dover Heights

Enjoy an unforgettable family-friendly New Year's Eve experience with one of the best views of the Sydney Harbour fireworks display. Tickets start at $32.65. To book, visit https://tinyurl.com/3fcj42dx.

Councillors officially congratulated local Bushcare volunteers who this year are marking 30 years of service. Since 1993 more than 500 volunteers have been involved in Randwick Bushcare providing more than 30,000 hours of voluntary service.

Vale Helena Carr

Councillors held a minute’s silence to honour the life of Helena Carr who passed away suddenly on Oct 26, 2023.

Maroubra Beach masterplan progresses

A plan for the future of Maroubra Beach will be put out to community consultation in the coming months. The plan, as endorsed by Council for feedback, proposes a range of second option proposes a $6.75m knockdown rebuild with a new building connecting the different functions, also doubling the female toilets and providing more storage for Lifeguards and Coogee Surf Club.

Burrows Park upgrade

Detailed site investigations will commence into extending the playing field and upgrading an amenities building at Burrows Park in Clovelly.

Grants for community groups

Eighteen community groups will be given cash and inkind support totalling almost $90,000 as part of Council’s latest round of funding for its Community Investment Program artwork project at Matraville Sports High.

Marjorie O'Neill MP MEMBER FOR COOGEE

Hi Everyone,

As the festive season approaches, there are many exciting events coming up in our community. One of the highlights of the holidays every year are Christmas Carols celebrated on our beautiful beaches.

Kicking of f the holiday spirit is Waverley Council, holding Carols by the Sea on Wed, Dec 13 from 5-8pm. Get together with family friends at Dolphin Court alongside Bondi Pavilion in the iconic Bondi Park, and enjoy views of sand and surf with Santa! Local performers from Rose Bay Secondary College’s Jazz Band, the Bondi Public School choir, and the Schools of Arts Academy of Dance will entertain throughout the evening. Christmas songs wil l be performed by special guests including Emma Pask, Jazz trio Cool Yule, the Australian Girls Choir, and the famous Bondi Brass. This is a perfect family evening out, with free face painting for kids and a sausage sizzle supporting local charities. To prepare your best carolling voice, head to the Waverley Council website for this year’s songbook!

Keep the festive feeling going with Randwick Council’s Coogee Carols, on the Dec 17 from 6.30-8.30pm. This event is always a community favourite, drawing talented performers from our local area and beyond for a relaxed night of fun opposite the gorgeous Coogee Beach! Look out for announcements of performers coming up before the event on the Randwick Council website and Coogee Carols social media pages!

I look forward to seeing you at these incredible community events. If you would like to keep up with events and news in the Coogee electorate, you can subscribe to my Community Newsletter by scanning the QR code

E: coogee@parliament.nsw.gov.au

W: https://marjorieoneill.com.au

Office: 15/53-55b Frenchmans Rd, Randwick

P: (02) 9398 1822