Kids on the Coast Magazine - Sunshine Coast - Issue 68. May/June 2015.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

Raising an entrepreneur

ISSUE 68 May/June 2015 SUNSHINE COAST

Inspiring creativity

Creative classrooms

How to grow a green kid

68 Contents ISSUE

May/June 2015

Costume created by the fabulous Ligre from www.facebook.com/ storksnestdesigns

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FROM THE EDITOR

6

THE SOCIAL GATHERING

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WHAT’S NEWS

10 FEATURE: Raising an entrepreneur 16 CHECK THIS OUT 18 EDUCATION: Creative classrooms 26 THE P FILES: Inspiring creativity 32 PARENTS TALK: Do you enjoy playing with your kids?

34 C ALENDAR OF EVENTS: Find out what’s happening on the Coast during May & June 37 SPECIAL FEATURE: Back to nature 40 BABIES: The miracle of modern baby-making 44 TEENS: Ploughing a clear path 48 ONLY NATURAL: How to grow a green kid 50 GOOD HEALTH: Exercise: Essential food for the brain 54 DESTINATION: Under the stars 58 PARENTVILLE: The evolution of motherhood 59 COAST LIFE 60 YOU: Make Mum feel special

Rylan, 4yrs

62 CONVERSATION: Meet midwife Vicki Chan 66 REVIEWS

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: MEGAN BLANDFORD, JESSICA JANE SAMMUT, SANDRA SMITH, IMOGENE WHITTLE, MAXINE ARTHUR, KERRYN ANKER, LARA CAIN GRAY, DR JANE WILLIAMS, CHRISTINE HUMPHREYS, ROBYNA MAY, NATASHA HIGGINS 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. www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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WELCOME

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kids on the coast | in th

MEDIA PUBLISHED BY Mother Goose Media PTY LTD PO Box 491, Eumundi QLD 4562 PHONE: 1300 430 320 FAX: 07 5442 7253 ABN: 86 473 357 391 WEB: www.mothergoosemedia.com.au

This edition of Kids on the Coast is all about creativity and we have some wonderful articles to share with you. Kids are naturally creative, finding wonder in a whole host of ordinary objects and situations, and this innate creativity is such an important quality to nurture. Having our sofa turned into a pirate ship and not having any serving spoons for a few days is a small price to pay for sparking their rich imaginations!

To celebrate this edition we’ve brought some extra creativity to our cover. We love the cardboard box dinosaur creation worn by our cheeky cover model. I still remember my mum turning an old cardboard box into a much loved ‘raindrop’ dance costume when I was little. Share your cardboard creations with us on Instagram and don't forget to tag us @kidsonthecoastmagazine so we can see and share it!

As discussed in our ‘Inspiring Creativity’ P Files article, creativity is so much more than being good at art, singing or writing a story. Personally I have never considered myself a very creative person, but I do believe that everyone – yes, even me – has a creative spark within them that just takes a little work and practice to uncover and develop. Simply engaging in creative activities is a great place to start to encourage the creative mind to develop and work more freely.

And you’re bound to have fun at the same time!

Creativity also has an important place in the business world and the entrepreneurs of today are younger than you think. In our feature article we meet the business-minded kids who are taking the coast – and the world – by storm.

The importance of nurturing and teaching creativity from an early age is now being realised within the traditional education system, and our education article looks at how schools and teachers are embracing and encouraging creativity in the classroom.

Keep an eye out in May for our Education eGuide for the latest news and resources pertaining to all aspects of education – from day care through to high school plus a range of extracurricular educational activities and support.

Before we know it, it will be the end of June and the start of the next school holidays when we’ll share another school holiday guide full of heaps of ideas for holiday fun.

AVAILABLE

MID-MAY

T IONuide A C U ED eG

MAY 2015 - in the city

- on the coast

As always, we have a mountain of content online including topical news stories daily, blog posts, new articles and reviews on products, books, movies and more.

Please do stop by and a have a read.

We’d love to hear from you on our Facebook page too. Please feel free to contact our team via Facebook.com/kidsonthecoast, our website or email and don’t forget to sign up for our What’s On eNews that comes out weekly at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au Natasha Higgins, Editor

BEHIND THE SCENES … at our Verve Portraits cover shoot

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au www.kidsinthecitymagazine.com.au

EDITORIAL / PRODUCTION PUBLISHER: Toni Eggleston PRINT EDITOR: Natasha Higgins GROUP EDITOR - DIGITAL: Eva Lewis ADMIN: admin@mothergoosemedia.com.au SOCIAL MEDIA: Eva Lewis PRODUCTION DEPARTMENT: Phoebe Browning production@mothergoosemedia.com.au DESIGN: Michelle Craik & Phoebe Browning PRINTING: Print Works, 07 3865 4433 All editorial and advertising in Kids on the Coast and Kids in the City publications are 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 on the Coast is subject to copyright provisions.

No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher. Feedback/ comments/suggestions? Send to: editorial@ mothergoosemedia.com.au. 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.

DISTRIBUTION Distributed directly to parenting hotspots across South East Queensland.

Kids on the Coast (Sunshine Coast edition) is a free publication circulating over 20,000 copies from Caloundra to Noosa, including hinterland.

Separate editions cover the Gold Coast and Brisbane.

Kids on the Coast (Gold Coast edition) is a free publication circulating over 18,000 copies from Tweed Heads to Coomera, including hinterland.

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.

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The social gathering

by Eva Lewis

Daily conversation, inspiration and information

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We want to meet you so let's get social

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Snippets from our first ever live Facebook chat on bullying

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WE’VE BEEN OUT AND ABOUT THESE PAST COUPLE OF MONTHS AND HAVING LOADS OF FUN. CHECK OUT WHAT WE’VE BEEN UP TO ON INSTAGRAM...

KOTC SAID: IT SEEMS AS THOUGH BULLYING IS QUITE COMMON. IS IT ACTUALLY GETTING WORSE IN AUSTRALIA? Stymie.com.au said: Bullying is getting worse in Australia. In 2010, 1 in 10 kids were being bullied. We are now up to 1 in 4. In only 5 years. We can thank social media and technology for that. Too many kids are left to their devices on their own devices.

Ligre said: My daycare lady told me last week that my 3-year-old daughter gets left out at daycare by three other 3-year-olds, apparently they also run way from her and pull faces at her so she spends most of the day playing alone, she asks them to play but they say no or just run away. Have you come across bullying at 3 years old?!

I mean to me it sounds ridiculous, surely they can't know that they are bullying?

What can I do to build my daughters confidence?

Stymie.com.au said: It is happening at a very young age. Most of these behaviours are learned from older siblings, television and the flow on effect is awful.

Stymie.com.au said: In terms of building your daughter's confidence it is important for her to know that there are other kids. And you know, kids are always going to be awful to each other, this unfortunately is not necessarily bullying but something many kids go through.

Event Cinemas Chicks at the Flicks

y Day of Positivit for Kids Helpline

You can also read the Cinderella movie review on our website

OUR MOST POPULAR

ARTICLES

You certainly couldn’t get enough of these articles over the past two months!

Have you read them yet?

Stymie.com.au said: The main thing that parents can do is be aware of what your kids are up to. I can't tell you how frightening this point is. Parents are not being responsible or active enough in their boundary setting and supervision of kid’s internet access.

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“I recently discovered your beautiful magazine while holidaying and I just wanted to say how awesome it is - full of relevant articles, events and stunning imagery and design. Well done!" Thanks Sue!

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

Beth, one of our very happy prizewinners and a definite Barbie fan!

Scan to visit our website

There are always great prizes on our website.

Visit to enter. www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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Whatsnews 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 editorial@kidsonthecoast.com.au

Visit our website for more news, www.kidsonthecoast.com.au/news

MOTHER’S DAY WITH A SPECIAL MEANING FOR THE NAPPY COLLECTIVE

This Mother’s Day, the Australian public will be able to donate desperately needed nappies to mothers in shelters and families in crisis. From May 1 to 15, The Nappy Collective will hold its largest drive yet, collecting leftover unused nappies around the country including the Sunshine Coast. At the conclusion of the drive, the nappies (mostly destined for landfill) are then collected, sorted and donated to mothers in shelters and families in need in each locality. The concept behind the Melbourne based organisation is simple: many parents have a stash of outgrown nappies gathering dust in their cupboards.

At the same time, mothers fleeing family violence often struggle to provide for their young children, often changing their babies less frequently or forgoing other basic essentials to afford sufficient nappies. The Nappy Collective’s solution is to give parents an opportunity to collectively help families in crisis by donating their handful of nappies. For more information on where to donate, visit www.thenappycollective.com

SHINE FOR THOMAS FOUNDATION RACE DAY

The Shine for Thomas Foundation was started by Sunshine Coast locals Trudy and Andrew after losing their four-year-old son Thomas to a rare genetic condition called rhabdomyolysis – LPIN1. After losing little Thomas, Trudy and Andrew discovered three other Australian boys afflicted with this potentially fatal condition. They also discovered their daughter Sarah has the same condition as Thomas with both mutations of the gene and their daughter Laura is a carrier (with one part of the gene). The foundation’s mission is to raise funds for awareness, support and research regarding this frightening condition. Their next fundraising event is a fun-filled race day at the Sunshine Coast Turf Club on May 24 – the perfect opportunity to round up a group of friends. You can purchase single tickets or a table of ten which includes canapés, lunch, beverages and entry to the races.

The foundation is also seeking raffle prizes and donations.

For more information visit www.shineforthomas.com.au or www.facebook.com/ShineForThomasFoundation

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

NEW RECOMMENDATIONS FOR WHOOPING COUGH BOOSTERS IN THE THIRD TRIMESTER OF PREGNANCY

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PICASSO COULD DRAW BEFORE HE COULD WALK AND HIS FIRST WORD WAS THE SPANISH WORD FOR PENCIL.

Recently The Australian Immunisation Handbook for Pertussis (whooping cough) was updated to recommend that women have a whooping cough booster during the third trimester of every pregnancy. A representative at Northern Rivers Vaccination Supporters stated on their Facebook page that although it is still very important to have all who are in contact with the new baby, such as friends and family, to be vaccinated (cocooning) as it offers about 50% protection for babies, administration of third trimester boosters in every pregnancy offers an even better level of protection (about 90%).

The handbook states that the boosters are most effective when given between 28 and 32 weeks, as this gives an adequate amount of time for the mother’s body to produce antibodies and for these antibodies to cross to the placenta to protect the baby.

The handbook also states that the booster is safe to give up until birth and that a booster should be administered during every pregnancy for maximal protection to every infant, including pregnancies that are closely spaced. For adults, boosters should be given every 5-10 years because immunity does eventually wear off. For comprehensive information, visit the Immunise Australian Program website www.immunise.health.gov.au.

The Australian Immunisation Handbook for Pertussis can be found at www.health.gov.au

KIDS POSTER DESIGN COMPETITION FOR ALICE IN WONDERLAND

Coolum Theatre Players are on a mission to find a creative primary school age student to come up with a poster design for their Alice in Wonderland pantomime in July 2015.

None of the Beatles could read music.

Kids…think ‘outside the rabbit hole’ and be as creative as you wish for the chance to win over $650 worth of prizes: • $250 ‘Piggy Saver’ account at Bendigo Bank Marcoola • One term of acting classes at Little Seed Theatre Company • Family pass for five to Aussie World • Family pass for four to Alice in Wonderland

A SUBDIVISION IN COOLUM HAS STREETS NAMED ENTIRELY AFTER PLACES, PEOPLE AND THEMES FROM LORD OF THE RINGS.

Poster designer entries must be received by May 22, 2015.

Visit www.coolumtheatre.com.au for full details on the poster competition and show dates. Be sure to come along to a performance with prizes for the best dressed and the chance to meet the cast of characters after the show. www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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FEATURE

Raising an entrepreneur

by Megan Blandford

‘KIDS THESE DAYS’ IS A SAYING THAT NO LONGER NEEDS TO BE FOLLOWED WITH A LAMENTING SIGH, REPLACING THAT INSTEAD WITH A TONE OF WONDER AT THE AMAZING THINGS CHILDREN ARE ACHIEVING. Defined as managing an enterprise or business, entrepreneurship is rife in Australia and is set to become even more so. Generation Z is being described by researchers as the generation of digital entrepreneurs, with a prediction that there will be more people running businesses than ever before.

Some, though, can’t wait until adulthood to do this, choosing instead to practise their entrepreneurial skills during childhood.

Entrepreneurial kids are taking their future into their own hands, working hard to earn their own way, learn new skills and give back to their communities. And the adults in their lives are recognising these passions and making every effort possible to encourage them.

Why? Well, when you know it’s improving your child’s creativity, engagement, confidence and life skills, the question really is, why not?

So, does your child have what it takes to be an entrepreneur? Well, to begin with they need to have the right resources at their fingertips, with online platforms a strong basis for building a creatively managed business. The other thing they need is encouragement from us as parents, including helping their creativity flourish, giving them the chance to follow their passions and exposing them to different ideas. Even something as simple as not buying your child everything they want can encourage them to initiate a creative way to earn money. And, as the parents we’ve spoken to prove, the downsides are minimal, as long as children are supported in balancing their businesses with good old-fashioned play.

THE NEW WAY TO EARN POCKET MONEY When Michelle House’s daughter Kate asked for an iPad, she was given a simple one-word answer: no. Like most kids, Kate didn’t

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

like that response, so she started thinking of ways she could raise the funds to buy one for herself. The answer lay right in her bathroom, where her mum’s homemade beauty creams got Kate thinking about making her own bath and shower products.

“I have a business background, so as soon as I saw her interest, I ran with it,” Michelle explains. “When kids are interested in something, I think you have to get as much out of it as you can.”

The nine-year-old now sells her wares – under the name Sweet Kisses – through a Facebook page, using her business-like hobby as a way to fund her own pocket money.

Michelle sees this as a great educational experience. “She’s learning business skills, confidence, organisational skills and learning her strengths,” this Brisbane mum says. “I’ve shown her how to buy the containers and compare the price between buying them in a store and buying them in bulk and, at nine, she can read a profit and loss statement.”

The benefits of her daughter having an entrepreneurial interest are, Michelle believes, not just about using her creativity but in having time to use her brain without limitation. “It gives her that time to be in her own space and not be overstimulated by activity,” Michelle says. “She has her own project and her own plan that she’s doing in her own way and in her own time. I think that’s really important for children; it’s downtime to engage her brain in activities she’s chosen.”

What’s next for Kate? Well, this smart kid has life as a solopreneur in her sights. “I invested some capital to get her started: $100, so I’m a shareholder!” says Michelle. “She’s trying to buy me out now.”

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

FEATURE

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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FEATURE

WORKING WITH SCHOOLS Club Kidpreneur is one organisation that’s working with schools to take children in Years 5 and 6 through a real business experience.

“Each kid gets a backpack with the tools to build their own business,” explains general manager Deanna Coleman. They’re taken through basic process such as what their business does, how it fills a need, what the business name will be, designing a logo, prototyping their product, pricing strategies and goal-setting.

The program not only includes literacy and numeracy development that works with the curriculum, it’s also funded by the kids themselves. “On average, they’ll earn between $150 to $300 and the first $75 goes back to the foundation,” Deanna says.

The kids also donate some of their earnings to charities, giving them a taste of how it feels to give back to their local community.

“Kids love the idea of global citizenship,” says Deanna, “and if you teach them at a young age then it becomes part of who they are.”

Programs like this encourage kids to not just dream big, but to act on those fantasies too. “There are two sides of the coin,” says Deanna. “One is about following your dreams and passions, but you really need some skills around that. You can’t run an amazing business unless you’ve built some business skills. Then following that dream seems more realistic. Even if you’re a singer or a dancer, if you understand a bit about business fundamentals you’re probably going to be more successful.

The benefits to teaching entrepreneurial skills, she says, are endless. “The basic skills of business are not rocket science, and if you can remove some of that mystery around business while kids are young, that’s an amazing skill they can have throughout life.”

THINKING GLOBALLY Sunshine Coast brother and sister Ash and Ailish started their entrepreneurial efforts five years ago with a competition run

by Australia Zoo. Their video came second in the competition, and spawned a series they called Planet You, highlighting environmental issues to other kids.

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

It was in the evolution of this interest that the magic really happened. “They set out to record this video series,” explains their mum Cate Bolt, “and what happened was they started finding out about a lot of pretty crappy things going on in the world, and I guess they felt trying to fix the problems was more important … and the video series became secondary. The outcome was about $45,000 being raised for various charities.”

Their focus has since changed again, with now 19-year-old Ash focusing on his music (with a twist on raising money for charities and spreading important messages) and Ailish, 11, volunteering to help community causes whenever she can. But with a mum who runs an orphanage in Indonesia and is a strong human rights campaigner in her own right, it’s certain that the ideas of global community will always be in this pair’s minds. Certainly, Cate has worked to teach her children that an element of giving back to the community is always important.

Still, it can be difficult to be a bystander as your kids carve out their own path. “I think the hardest thing as a parent is letting kids make their own mistakes, because you want to protect them – and this is really fairly similar,” Cate explains. “I try to let them do their own thing as much as possible without interfering.”

Having entrepreneurial abilities is an important parenting value for Cate to share with her kids, having been passionate about it her whole life. She says, “I’ve raised all my kids to believe that there are options other than ‘working for the man'. It takes a lot of hard work and you really need to back yourself, but … I just believe kids should believe that they are capable of doing anything, whether that means their dream job or changing the world.”

In this family it seems entrepreneurialism could be contagious; Ash and Ailish’s younger brother, Charlie, has caught it and hopes to make a video series raising awareness of bugs. “I’d like to think that this video series is going to be finished, but it’s entirely up to the kids,” says Cate. “I won’t force them to do it.”

, ng hi yt an ng oi d of e bl pa ca e ar ey th at "I just beliethveerkithdats shmeaounsld betheiliervedretham job or changing the world.” whe

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FEATURE

LIFE-CHANGING EXPERIENCES

CREATIVITY AND FAME

When Bernie Kelly was asked to be involved in new Sunshine Coast initiative Generation Innovation he jumped at the opportunity.

Working with several teams of aspiring entrepreneurs aged 15 to 25, Bernie’s role was that of motivator and facilitator, and he says the talent at the recently run initial workshop astounded him.

For Gold Coast mum Simonne Kelly, allowing her daughters Charli, 9, and Ashlee, 6, to pursue their entrepreneurial efforts is simply about encouraging their interests. The only difference between her and any other parent giving their children the space to pursue a hobby is, it seems, the traction this one has gained.

Working with mentors to work through a business start-up, the young teams take a business from concept to pitching in an effort to receive capital and get those business ideas off the ground.

Operating through community micro-financing, founder Ted O’Brien says there’s nothing else like this happening globally.

The Kelly girls’ YouTube cooking show Charli’s Crafty Kitchen started three years ago when their aunt (who has her own YouTube cooking channel) suggested Charli might enjoy this outlet. Charli’s Crafty Kitchen began with then six-year-old Charli taking control and her little sister, then three, getting into the action whenever she could. “Charli is very creative and Ashlee just loves food!”

Simonne laughs, as she speaks of the roles each of them plays.

Bernie adds, “The reality is that for some of them, this could give them a business. The real question, though, is what is that going to do for some of these kids? This is going to give them a feeling of self-worth, that even if this particular business doesn’t work they now have the process and the experience to apply to another business idea. For them, they’ve launched a journey of possibilities that’s not only related to the current business they’re looking at but maybe future businesses.”

For those who don’t get as far through the process, coming out the other side without a real life business shouldn’t be a disappointing ending, Bernie says. “They’ve been in a positive environment of acceptance and belief,” he explains. “They’re gaining from it just from being part of the process, whether they get seeding or funding or not.”

There’s more to it than a competition to pitch for funding, with a bigger picture at play. “It’s a win all round,” says Bernie, “and the win for us is that we are initiating a formula that can create belief and self-worth in kids to the point where we can help and assist them to create businesses and answer the unemployment problem on the Sunshine Coast.”

This is life-changing stuff. Bernie says, “The kids that walked out were very different to the kids that walked in.”

ways to encourage your kidpreneur

consider a program 1. Ask your school to ur. such as Club Kidprene ey ildren about how mon 2. Speak with your ch is earned. such as the Sunshine 3. Seek opportunities ovation workshops.

Coast’s Generation Inn izenship and how 4. Talk about global cit hers. we can give back to ot an interest in 5. If your child shows with it! entrepreneurship, run 14

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

Their YouTube channel now receives around a million views each day. They have fans at school, get recognised on the street and sign autographs, making this a hobby with a life of its own. “We never really expected it to go so well,” says Simonne. “It was just a hobby – two kids mucking around in the kitchen – and it took off.

At first I was a little bit nervous about it, but the girls are loving it.”

For parents, there’s often an internal battle between seeing your children stick to an activity and wanting them to have free time for playing. That’s why Simonne and her husband take on all the behind-the-scenes work for Charli’s Crafty Kitchen, so that it doesn’t impede on the kids’ free time much at all. “The part of it that the girls do is quite quick; they’re having fun in the kitchen once a week,” Simonne says, adding that the bigger workload is on them as parents. “The editing, the admin and the social hosting all falls on us.”

That doesn’t mean the girls don’t have a say in what happens on their YouTube channel. Quite the opposite actually. “Charli is the boss of the channel,” her mum says, “and both girls get a say in what they do, and when other opportunities come up they get to say if they want to do them.” In fact, Simonne sees this as the greatest benefit of her children’s entrepreneurial endeavours. “The most important thing with this channel has been to let the girls have some creative input into the channel and to take ownership of it, within reason. We don’t do anything they don’t feel comfortable with. At this age there has to be a lot of parental control, but Charli and Ash get a lot of say in the decisions we make.”

With that parental control comes a constant monitoring of whether it’s the right thing for the kids, too. “I don’t want any pressure on them to do it for any reason other than fun,” says Simonne. Having said that, she adds, it’s like a modern day public speaking practice that gives them skills that will take them into the future. “It teaches them a lot and gives them more confidence. Charli says it makes her feel more confident in herself and feel like she can go on stage and perform.”

Simonne says she’s happy to let Charli and Ashlee keep going with their show for as long as they’d like to. “It’s a lot of fun for the girls,” she says. “As long as they’re enjoying it we’ll keep going.”

RESOURCES Club Kidpreneur: www.clubkidpreneur.com Generation Innovation: www.generationinnovation.com.au Sweet Kisses: www.facebook.com/pages/Sweet-Kisses/644700985560415?ref=hl Charli’s Crafty Kitchen: www.youtube.com/charliscraftykitchen www.kidsonthecoast.com.au Planet You: www.planetyou.org.au

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Develop the right attitude for Home & School

Misaligned bones in babies’ spines – due to the birth process – can cause pain & discomfort.

Therefore babies may be fussy, become upset, pull off during a feed & have attachment issues (often not opening the mouth wide enough).

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Many mothers are forced to give up on breastfeeding due to the difficulty.

Research studies have shown that chiropractic treatment may be useful as part of multidisciplinary care where spinal misalignment may prevent an infant feeding properly. (1)

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(1) Miller,J. Miller.L et al.Contribution of chiropractic therapy to resolving suboptimal breastfeeding. A case study of 114 infants.

JMPT. 32,81,670-674

Welcome Dr Sarah!

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Martial Arts Classes for SUCCESS in School and in Life

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We are excited to announce our newest addition to the team, Dr Sarah Drovandi, also specializing in Chiro Paediatrics.

Dr Sarah will be conducting a free BREASTFEEDING INFO SESSION on Thursday 28th May at our Buderim practise at 10am - learn how Chiropractic can help your breastfeeding issues!

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CALOUNDRA Shop 11 Centrepoint Plaza, 50 Bulcock St, Caloundra BUDERIM Shop 3-4 86 Burnett St, Buderim Mall

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Est 2000

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Preferred providers with Medibank Private and MBF

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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CHECKthisOUT Seriously cool products to encourage kids to create, imagine, draw and play!

BLANK CANVAS GIFTS

Blank Canvas Gifts are beautiful handcrafted gifts for children who love to paint and create their own designer art. Each pack contains a high quality, pure white ‘blank canvas’ matched with premium fabric paints and/or markers. The ‘canvases’ are things children can use every day like library bags, cushions, tees, shoes, etc. With an inspiration booklet, reusable calico bag and gift tag, the packs are an affordable, quality gift priced between $30 to $45 for single packs. Duo and party packs are also available. www.blankcanvasgifts.com.au

HIPPY AT HEART PUPPETS

These funky and colourful little monster puppets by Hippy at Heart are handmade with love from all sorts of crafty materials. Imagine the hours of imaginative play you and your little one will have with these crazy creatures and the fun stories they will create. Available at Podie Pie, an artist collective of handmade treasures located in Howard Street, Nambour. RRP $20.

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

LOCK ACTIVITY BOX

The Lock Activity Box is a wonderful way to amuse young and curious minds.

Watch the delight on your child's face as they explore the different latches and openings to discover what is behind each door. This superbly crafted solid hardwood lock box is perfect for developing fine motor skills and dexterity during free play and also provides opportunities for parents to join in with fun memory and hiding games. The carry handle makes it a perfect toy to take along on outings. The lock activity box measures 31cm x 13cm x 12cm and is recommended for 3 years and over. Available online through various retailers.

OSMO GAMING ACCESSORY

Osmo is a unique educational gaming system that fosters social intelligence and creative thinking by opening up the iPad to the endless possibilities of physical play. Simply attach the reflector and stand to your iPad to transform the physical space in front of the iPad into a digital game board. Arrange tangible puzzle pieces into matching on-screen shapes; guess and spell out the on-screen hidden word by tossing down real-life letters using the onscreen picture as a clue; or use inventive objects such as a hand-drawn basket, Dad’s keys or anything around you to guide falling on-screen balls into targeted zones. Suitable for everyone from 6 years – bringing kids and families together in the real world! www.playosmo.com

SPARROW & B CUTE COSTUMES FOR KIDS

Sparrow & B cater for all the costume wishes your child could ever have!

Are they a rainbow bird, a stripey tiger or a purple owl? Or maybe a viking, a queen or a strongman? Sparrow & B design and stitch dozens of different costumes in their Melbourne studio using mixed fabrics of fabulous print and texture. The costumes are super cute, fun, comfortable to wear and best of all, will last the distance when it comes to hours of play. Custom orders are welcome – the sky is the limit to your child’s imagination and theirs! www.sparrowandb.com.au

DIY EMBROIDERY HOOP KITS

These DIY mini embroidery kits from dandelyne are great for beginners (ages 7+) and include everything you need to get started and create beautiful mini embroidery masterpieces – fabric, needles, floss, design ideas, transfer paper, basic stitch instructions. The ‘Fun Starter Embroidery Hoop Kit’ has everything you need to stitch up to four special designs for your miniature embroidery hoops. You can also purchase a special kit to frame your stitchy designs to wear as a brooch or necklace. The options are endless! Check out the range at www.etsy.com/shop/dandelyne

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7 nights at Lagoons 1770 Resort & Spa - Agnes Water 7 nights in a two bedroom, swim out apartment for two adults and two kids including daily breakfast. *Holiday can be booked during school holidays. Except for close out dates 21 – 27 December. Reservation must be made by 30 Nov 2015.

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Open Day

May 3, 2015

PACIFIC LUTHERAN EARLY LEARNING

Specialist early childhood teachers and assistants inspire a love of learning in children. Creativity and confidence are nurtured as children explore the Queensland Kindergarten Guidelines. Pacific offers a kindergarten program within a long day care model for 3½ and 4 year olds.

PHONE Chris Henschke, College Registrar on 5436 7321 LOCATION Woodlands Boulevard, Meridan Plains 4551 www.pacificlutheran.qld.edu.au SCAN to visit our website.

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MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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EDUCATION

Creative Classrooms

By Jessica Jane Sammut

WITH TRADITIONAL EDUCATION DESIGNED TO TEACH OUR KIDS HOW TO BE GOOD WORKERS RATHER THAN CREATIVE THINKERS, COULD IT BE TIME FOR A CHANGE OF APPROACH? “Here's to the crazy ones. The misfits. The rebels. The troublemakers. The round pegs in the square holes.

The ones who see things differently. They're not fond of rules. And they have no respect for the status quo. You can quote them, disagree with them, glorify or vilify them.

About the only thing you can't do is ignore them. Because they change things. They push the human race forward.

And while some may see them as the crazy ones, we see genius. Because the people who are crazy enough to think they can change the world, are the ones who do.”

It’s a powerful quote from the late Steve Jobs of Apple Inc., and it’s true. Creativity is the backbone of progression. Without it, there would be no entrepreneurs, no digital age, no cures for disease, no air travel, no books, no music, no recipes for chocolate mud cake – PANIC! In fact, creative thinking is arguably one of the major components of our uniqueness as a human race, separating us from other life forms. We are not ‘sheep’ – we are free thinkers, and our ability to transcend such conformity is pretty powerful.

So why is it that when it comes to structured education, this kind of innovative and independent thinking is brought into question, with emphasis instead placed on traditional rote learning and memorisation?

It’s a landscape that is thankfully changing (albeit slowly), with more schools endeavouring to establish creativity as a part of their school culture (in recognition of its importance), but until imagination is placed alongside intelligence as an indicator of brilliance, such efforts will always be stilted.

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

WHY IS CREATIVE LEARNING SO IMPORTANT? “Every child is unique and learns in a unique way,” explains leading clinical neuropsychologist Dr Ash Nayate. “Creative learning means that children have the freedom to tap into their strengths and learn in the most effective and enjoyable way for them, whether that's through visual images, hands-on work, demonstration or verbal instruction.

This encourages happiness and confidence. As a result, children learn to love learning rather than seeing it as boring or a chore, and this continues into adulthood. The most successful people are the ones who keep learning and keep growing. However, many people turn away from learning because of their early negative experiences.”

“Tapping into creativity engages children in their learning,” agrees Jenny Atkinson, a primary school teacher of 30 years experience, and now an education transition specialist and founder of Sparks Education Australia (www.sparkseducation.com.au). “Creative thinking is an important companion to critical thinking and helps develop a flexible mindset, as well as increasing self-esteem, motivation and achievement.”

Child development consultant and founder of Thrive Education and Wellness (www.ThriveEducationAndWellness.com.au) Clare Crew agrees.

“True learning is about making connections, applying discoveries and layering new skills on top of those that have already been grasped. We want children to feel valued for who they are, not just what they do.”

In this way, not only does creative thinking encourage acumen, it also has a fundamental role to play in the future wellbeing of our little ones.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

TWO-WEEK FREE TRIAL Must Register by 11 May!

Trial the Kumon English or Maths Programme from 18–31 May 2015.

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Open Day

May 3, 2015

FOUNDATION COLLEGE (PREP TO YEAR 2) Specialist early childhood teachers support a strong focus on literacy, numeracy and problem solving. A warm, stimulating, nurturing environment founded on Christian values, featuring: • Strong parent partnerships • High levels of teacher aide support • A fostering of creativity and imagination PHONE Chris Henschke, College Registrar on 5436 7321 LOCATION Woodlands Boulevard, Meridan Plains 4551

www.pacificlutheran.qld.edu.au SCAN to visit our website.

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MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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EDUCATION

DOES THE TRADITIONAL EDUCATION SYSTEM SUPPORT CREATIVE LEARNING? Traditionally, creativity exists in education in relation to subjects, i.e. music, art, craft or creative writing activities. However, it is now thought that creativity has a place in every topic and should be drawn upon as such, with more focus on how children are learning.

“Educators are increasingly trying to encourage children to be creative to enhance the learning/discovery phase across all curriculum areas,” explains Jenny. “It is being recognised that creativity can enhance and develop a child’s understanding of new concepts.”

In many instances, Dr Ash believes this is still not enough.

“I think we're heading in the right direction, but not fast enough.

Our traditional education system values getting good grades as opposed to true learning.”

Clare concurs, looking not just to the education system, but to the role of parents also.

“Parents are pushing for academic learning at a younger and younger age now, and we have standardised testing for primary school students. Both of these factors have over-inflated the importance of academic learning to the detriment of a more holistic approach to child development.”

ARE CREATIVE PROGRAMS POSSIBLE WITHIN THE NEW AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM? The good news is that the new Australian Curriculum details ‘critical and creative thinking’ as one of the seven ‘general capabilities’ that, along with specific curriculum content, aim to enable students to live and work successfully in the twenty-first century. Teachers are also being encouraged to find additional ways of strengthening such talents through their choice of activities.

Clare explains, “The Australian Curriculum is a framework for teachers, providing guidance about the teaching and learning scope for each year level, as well as achievement standards to work towards. It is by no means a script for how each lesson must be taught, and there is a large degree of flexibility for teachers to bring creativity into their classrooms. Ultimately though, this will only happen if educators and school leaders believe in its value in the first place.”

THE TOP FIVE BENEFITS OF CREATIVE THINKING DEVELOPS PROBLEM-SOLVING SKILLS Creative thinking allows kids to look at life laterally from all angles and to think outside the box. Many professions depend upon this skill, as well as it being an essential life tool.

ENCOURAGES CHILDREN TO FEEL SAFE AND CONFIDENT IN TAKING RISKS Creative thinking encourages children to enquire, make connections, imagine and explore ideas – which are all necessary for innovation. When kids are accustomed to a ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ way of doing things, they are robbed of the opportunity to grow.

INCREASES TOLERANCE FOR DIFFERENCE All children are magnificent, not just the ones who do things conventionally. Kids who have been able to learn creatively are less likely to succumb to peer pressure as adolescents as they are better at understanding individual thinking. Kids learn to be non-judgmental through creative learning.

ALLOWS CHILDREN TO EXPERIENCE THE ABSOLUTE JOY AND FULFILMENT THAT CREATIVITY OFFERS Kids crave creative outlets. These experiences re-energise them. The more engaged, involved and interested children are in their learning, the more likely they are to retain their learning.

SHOWS KIDS THEY ARE WHOLE, INTEGRATED HUMAN BEINGS Children are more than just a brain. They have talents and competencies and creative potential that extend beyond their academic capabilities. These are highly valued beyond school life, so why not within it too?

“CREATIVE THINKING IS AN IMPORTANT COMPANION TO CRITICAL THINKING AND HELPS DEVELOP A FLEXIBLE MINDSET, AS WELL AS INCREASING SELF-ESTEEM, MOTIVATION AND ACHIEVEMENT.”

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

Why choose C&K Give your child an awesome start in their lifelong education journey at one of the C&K Sunshine Coast services.

Learning through play, engaging with nature and fun in the sun – that’s what C&K services are all about.

C&K knows how to get your child ready for school.

We’ve been educating and caring for Queensland children for over a century.

Our services are ready to welcome your child into the C&K community and support them to achieve their best in everything they do.

Our programs are guided by Building waterfalls, C&K’s internationally recognised teaching and learning guidelines which build on the national Early Years Learning Framework. We want your child to build strong foundations for lifelong learning.

“I have sent all three of my children to C&K Tewantin long daycare. The centre provides a fabulous foundation to transition them to school life as well as allowing them to play and be children in a safe and natural environment.

Thank you!” - Jodi Holzapfel, Parent

ENROL NOW for 2015 Visit www.candk.asn.au/sunshinecoast or call 1800 177 092 and find out about the C&K difference Proudly funded and supported by the Queensland Government.

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MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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EDUCATION

CREATIVE SCHOOLS We look at two schools that are encouraging creativity in their classrooms.

LINDISFARNE ANGLICAN GRAMMAR SCHOOL, TWEED VALLEY Visible thinking routines are an integral component of day-to-day teaching at Lindisfarne, where students are explicitly taught brainstorming techniques, how to generate new ideas, and how to refine and evaluate those ideas.

Teachers are also trained in how to promote growth mindsets in children.

Pupils are encouraged to experiment and innovate, while teachers are encouraged not to provide all the answers, but instead arm students with strategies to find out what the answers might be, helping them discover new possibilities through enquiry-based learning.

Flexible learning spaces are also promoted, with pupils taught to work creatively with others, readily communicating new ideas and considering differing perspectives.

The school also implements the ‘Seek-Think-Wonder’ thinking routine: ‘What do you see? What do you think about that? What does it make you wonder?’

SUNSHINE COAST GRAMMAR SCHOOL, SUNSHINE COAST WHAT CAN SCHOOLS DO TO GIVE CREATIVITY A VOICE? When it comes to making education more creative across the board (including in academic subjects such as maths), teachers should try to find ways to inject imagination and innovation into each topic, encouraging children to explore, discover and solve the issues before them.

“EDUCATORS ARE INCREASINGLY TRYING TO ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO BE CREATIVE TO ENHANCE THE LEARNING/ DISCOVERY PHASE ACROSS ALL CURRICULUM AREAS.”

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“Teachers need to tap into a child’s curiosity,” advises Jenny. “Let them discover lessons for themselves – learning through enquirybased activities. Teachers should also encourage discussion by asking open-ended questions and by allowing children to bounce ideas off each other – exploring different opinions and finding new ways of looking at things in doing so. And finally, lessons should cater for a variety of learning styles, for example visual (learning by seeing), auditory (learning by hearing) and tactile (learning by doing).”

“All contributions should be valued in a learning environment, not just the ‘right’ ones,” adds Clare. “Each child’s input should be valued, with the focus on the process of learning rather than the end product.”

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

Sunshine Coast Grammar says its aim is to create thinkers, problems solvers and innovators, with the school having engaged in staff professional learning programs in this arena over the past three years.

“We have focused on developing a ‘Menu of Thinking’ professional learning scope for ‘Making Thinking Visible’” explains Genevieve Hudson, Assistant Head of Primary.

“Each teacher now has a range of ‘Thinking Tools’ they can competently use with students to extend their thinking.”

Grammar also promotes higher order thinking skills in every learning area, and tailors tasks to assess for thinking – with students consequently having wider opportunities to show their learning in creative ways.

“It is possible for creative teachers to present the Australian curriculum in ways that promote inquiry, investigations and enduring understandings,” says Genevieve. “Australia’s success in global perspectives depends on the innovations of our younger generation.”

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

Join Us. We’re on our way at Immanuel.

Finding the right school with supportive and nurturing teachers will set your child on a path of lifelong learning.

With outstanding academic results, unique outdoor education programs and great co-curricular opportunities, call us today to find out how your child can be on their way at Immanuel.

Enrolling now for Prep 2016 with limited places still available in the Junior School.

Call Us Today 07 5477 3441

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www.suncoastcc.qld.edu.au MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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EDUCATION

HOW CAN PARENTS ENCOURAGE CREATIVE LEARNING AT HOME? Remember that little ones are always learning, no matter where they are. So how can we, as parents, help our children continue the creative thinking process outside the classroom?

1.

Encourage wider thinking – When your child asks a question or poses a problem, first ask what they think. Encourage them to think about the possibilities and explore the answers/ solutions. Talk about their ideas and ask plenty of open-ended questions, such as ‘What if?’ and ‘How might you?’

2.

Fuel imagination – Provide toys that are fuelled by imagination, not batteries.

3. A dd a creative aspect to academia – If your child is doing a school project for homework, encourage them to record and present their information in a creative way that makes the most of their interests. For example, if you have a child who enjoys art, a poster with lots of drawings or visuals on it might be a great way to put together their findings.

4. E ncourage hands-on learning – If learning fractions, for example, use cut-up fruit to teach halves, quarters, wholes, etc.

5.

Promote incidental learning (learning in everyday life) – Help your child put their skills to the test such as reading menus, street signs, etc.

6.

Offer messy play – Allow messy play, such as finger painting and water play.

7. U tilise your child's natural interests – Harness your child’s passions and bring them into their learning. An interest in dinosaurs could be used to teach phonics, colours, shapes, counting, time, geography and history, as well as adding to vocabulary with words such as carnivore and herbivore.

FAMOUS CREATIVE LEARNING QUOTES! “WE DON’T GROW INTO CREATIVITY, WE GROW OUT OF IT. OR RATHER, WE GET EDUCATED OUT OF IT.” ~ Ken Robinson "TELL ME AND I FORGET. TEACH ME AND I REMEMBER. INVOLVE ME AND I LEARN." ~ Benjamin Franklin "THE JOY OF LEARNING IS AS INDISPENSABLE IN STUDY AS BREATHING IS IN RUNNING." ~ Simon Weil “65% OF TODAY’S PRE-SCHOOLERS WILL GROW UP TO WORK IN JOBS OR PURSUE CAREERS THAT DON’T YET EXIST.” ~ Cathy N. Davison “IMAGINATION IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN KNOWLEDGE.” ~ Albert Einstein

8. T ry to stop caring about your child’s achievements – Emphasise the learning process rather than the product.

Comments such as ‘I can see how interested you are in that topic’, ‘What have you learnt from doing that?’, or ‘Were you surprised by that?’ all help value a child’s creativity.

9. A llow your child to express a divergent thought – It’s okay for them to disagree with you! Encourage your child to discover there is often more than one solution to a problem. Challenge them to come up with different solutions.

10. Celebrate mistakes – Children who are afraid of failure and critical feedback are less likely to explore creative thought.

Viewing failure as part of the learning process is key in the development of innovative and creative thinking. Share mistakes you have made, so they know it is normal.

11.

Allow boredom – When a child has nothing to do, it’s surprising what creative ideas soon follow!

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

SO, WHAT FOR THE FUTURE? As we have seen, learning is not just a process of accruing information. It’s about creating new ways of thinking, transforming ideas, growing in understanding and applying knowledge in exciting and innovative ways. If we shut down the natural curiosity of our children by over-formalising and structuring education with little room for independent creative thought, we run the risk of also shutting down their love of experimentation – hindering thought expansion and progression as a result.

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ADVERTISEMENT/LOCAL BUSINESS

Developing Active Thinking Most parents of school age children will recently have been introduced to the phrases ‘21st century learning’ or ‘preparing children for the 21st century’.

But what does this mean?

Once upon a time primary school age children ‘cut and paste’ a range of materials, holding their creations together with glue. They used papers, scissors and sticky glue. Today’s students ‘cut and paste’ from a range of exciting ICT programs, but what skills do they need to ‘glue’ this together?

Today’s ‘glue’ for our children is to be able to think, both critically and creatively and to be innovative with ideas and solutions. Thinking is the glue which ties the understandings and skills together to be able to use them effectively for the future.

But how do we teach children to ‘think’? What does learning to ‘think’ involve? How can we make it visible in the curriculum? What do teachers need their students to know about thinking and be able to do? How do good schools ensure their teachers know how to use a range of thinking tools to teach thinking?

For prep age students the teaching should focus on teaching children to inquire, generate ideas and actions, and consider alternatives. Good schools develop their teachers to know how to provide their students with learning tasks which will encourage children to:

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au 8429_SCGS_Prep_Ad_KOTC PRF.indd 1

• • • • • • • • • • • •

pose factual and exploratory questions based on interests and experiences identify and describe familiar information and ideas during a discussion clarify information and ideas gather similar information or depictions from given sources predict what might happen in a given situation and when putting ideas into action suggest alternative and creative ways to approach a given situation or task imagine possibilities and connect ideas use imagination to view or create things in new ways and connect two things that seem different describe what they are thinking and give reasons why connect information from one setting to another identify the main elements of the steps in a thinking process apply logic and reasoning skills leading them to identify the thinking used to solve problems in given situations.

It is no longer enough for children to be taught to read, write, compute mathematical equations and have social skills. Becoming innovative and creative should be the result of being taught what ‘active thinking’ is so that children know how to think critically and creatively. Good schools should invest time and money to ensure that teachers have the teaching tools to share with their students so our children can take these skills into the 21st century and beyond.

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MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast 10/12/2014 9:41 am

THE P FILES

inspiring creativity

by Sandra Smith CREATIVITY IS SO MUCH MORE THAN BEING GOOD AT ART, SINGING OR WRITING A STORY. AT THE HEART OF CREATIVITY IS INNOVATION, INGENUITY AND PROBLEM SOLVING: SKILLS THAT ARE DEVELOPED IN CHILDHOOD. WHEN CHILDREN LEARN HOW TO THINK CREATIVELY, THEY BUILD INNER RESOURCES THAT PROVIDE FIRM FOUNDATIONS FOR ADULT LIFE. Psychologist Rena Toth says creativity is the process by which children come up with original ideas in order to make sense of their world. Creativity is far more important for children than adults, says Rena, because it promotes brain development and is crucial for the development of life skills, self-esteem and confidence.

feelings and needs. It engenders understanding, including selfunderstanding, and helps children be more productive.

“Children of all ages possess an innate creativity that far surpasses adults' creative possibilities,” says Rena. “Younger children particularly are, in a manner of speaking, a blank canvas and their creative sensibilities have not been biased or tainted by experience.”

Rena says creativity is part of everyday life and is not necessarily associated with art or creative pursuits.

Rena has worked with children using creative therapies and she says creativity enables children to communicate their ideas,

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

“Creativity is very important for child development and is integral to the learning and individuation process,” she says. “It nurtures independence, self-expression, diversity and acceptance in children.”

“We use creative processes in order to make decisions, solve problems, make choices, facilitate change and, most importantly, to have fun and explore,” she says.

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MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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THE P FILES

NURTURING CREATIVITY How do we help our children achieve their creative potential? Creativity can be encouraged and supported but it cannot be imposed on our children. All we can do is provide the right conditions, then step back and let children take charge. They need to be able to imagine and improvise, and do things at their own pace.

Rena recommends the following guidelines for nurturing children’s creativity: • Allow children freedom to explore and play in unstructured ways.

• Give children lots of choices and use open questions when trying to elicit ideas.

• Make the child's environment stimulating so that they are inspired to come up with creative play ideas.

• Offer children a variety of options and environments for play and exploration.

• Ask “What if?”

• Allow children to make decisions in safe and appropriate settings.

CREATIVE PLAY Simple things that we take for granted can generate hours of creative play for young children as they become absorbed in exploring the materials. We’ve all seen the fun children have with natural materials like leaves, shells, sand and water. Children have rich imaginations and can easily construct something unique and magical from ordinary objects.

Unstructured free play can include creative play alone or with others, imaginative games and make-believe, or exploring play spaces outdoors and indoors, according to the Raising Children Network website. By engaging in this type of play, kids learn to improvise, solve problems and make decisions.

CHILDREN OF ALL AGES POSSESS AN INNATE CREATIVITY THAT FAR SURPASSES ADULTS' CREATIVE POSSIBILITIES.

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Spontaneous play is child-driven, so they naturally take part in ageappropriate activities, whether it’s making a cubby, ‘cooking pizza’ in a pretend oven or drawing in the sand on a trip to the beach.

Having time to play and imagine is vital for children’s healthy development, advises Australian author and educator Angela Rossmanith.

“The whole point of play is that it’s fun. There’s no anxiety about competing with others, and no anxiety about having to ‘get it right’,” she says.

There is a lot of pressure on children to learn skills, to perform and excel from a very early age, so they need to have downtime where they can just relax and be kids, without having the pressure of organised activities and schedules.

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

GUIDING CREATIVITY AT HOME Giving children the freedom to make choices helps them become creative thinkers. They may need adult guidance and support, but they also need to have some autonomy. Our role as parents is to ensure a variety of materials is available and to suggest options.

Whatever the activity, parents should show interest, allow children to express their feelings and ask open questions that help them extend their ideas. We can encourage them by praising the effort and the uniqueness of the creative process.

When children engage in a creative activity, there is no right or wrong way to do it. Creativity is about thinking outside the box, so children learn to express themselves as individuals.

Fantasy play allows children to extend their world and explore different experiences in a safe way as they become pretend characters through dress-up games and role-play. This kind of free-flowing creative expression is important for children’s cognitive development.

Local mum Jill says that when her two children, Jorgette, 8, and Kent, 6, are absorbed in imaginative play at home, she steps back and lets them play independently. She does chores and other things, because they happily play their own games. However, when the children are getting started on a new craft activity at home, Jill works with them and supports them.

“If they’re getting into a role-playing game, I’ll just leave them to it,” she says. “If I’ve got to introduce a craft activity or something, I’ll do that with them. They still need guidance with craft. You’ve got to give them a few clues and then they’ll go for it. You can’t just give them a box of craft and say ‘make something’.”

Parents can support their children’s creativity at home by ensuring that the physical environment and resources will help sustain their creative project. For those quiet, introspective times, children need a space to create that is away from the television and electronic devices. It could be a corner of the room, made comfortable with a few cushions, or an outdoor area set up with a few simple materials.

Jill sets up craft at the kitchen table and packs everything away afterwards because of a lack of space. Like Jill and her partner Bob, most families don’t have the space for a permanent craft table at home. As a minimum, try to ensure paper and pencils are readily available so kids can draw whenever they want to.

Engaging the children in craft activities at home is easier if there is a basic toolkit of age-appropriate art supplies on hand; for example, crayons, glue, paint, cardboard, shells, beads and buttons. Keeping the supplies in good order and storing them in an accessible place also helps the process run smoothly.

Some arts and crafts tend to be highly structured with a limited scope and a pre-determined outcome; for example, colouring in. This type of craft leaves very little room for innovation or experimentation and may stifle children’s natural creativity. Instead, look for activities that are open-ended and focus on the process, not the outcome. The activity should ignite children’s curiosity and imagination.

Allow children to experiment and have fun with the materials set out for them. If they have some autonomy in how they are going to use the paint, glue or glitter, they will become more inventive and resourceful.

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After this time, you will be unable to do a property settlement without the leave of the Court. This leave is only given in cases whereby the Court is satisfied that there are special circumstances but it is the discretion of the Court. There can be no guarantee that a Court will extend the time limit and therefore it is recommended you seek legal advice early on to see what your rights are.

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

29

THE P FILES

CREATIVE OUTDOOR PLAY

TIME FOR CREATIVITY

Parents and caregivers first need to plan the play environment and ensure the materials used are safe, then allow kids the freedom to explore, imagine and improvise at their own pace. While keeping kids safe is vital, if we’re overprotective, we may inadvertently be creating a risk aversion in our children. An element of risk is healthy and teaches kids tenacity and independence.

Finding time for creative activities can be difficult for busy families.

Jill says the kids have a lot of homework to do every afternoon after school, and there are after-school activities, such as dance and swimming lessons and soccer, so they have very little time mid-week for creative play.

Parks, playgrounds and nature walks are a wonderful resource for modern families. Jill often takes Jorgette and Kent to local parks, where they make up their own games and role-play with friends.

A swinging hammock becomes a ship that rocks in the waves and a tree they climb becomes a house.

Jill says her children also play convoluted, complex games in the family swimming pool with their friends. The children are given the opportunity to work things out for themselves, thus developing skills in solving problem, but Jill sometimes finds she has to intervene if there is a crisis point in a game.

“If you don’t put the suggestion in, it would all go pear-shaped and the younger one would get frustrated and cry and walk off,” she says. “So I mediate, but it’s easy to just throw in an idea and they go ‘oh, yes’ and go off on that tangent.”

CREATIVE ROADBLOCKS Psychologist Rena advises that parents and caregivers can block children’s creativity by hovering over them and being too close or involved when they are playing. Children need personal space to play freely without this adult intrusion.

While children may get frustrated with a creative project when they run into a problem, our role as parents is to encourage them to work out a solution for themselves. It’s healthy for them to make mistakes and learn from that. When children formulate creative ideas and execute them, they gain self-confidence and independence.

“Instead of playing in a park or being creative, it’s a structured environment, but at the same time it’s an awesome exercise,” she says. “They love it. Also it’s dancing and singing; it’s such a joy.

They’re learning a skill, and they get to learn to create, to move their bodies.”

Jill finds the best time to bring creativity into her children’s lives is on weekends and school holidays. She often takes Jorgette and Kent to Brisbane’s Gallery of Modern Art (GOMA) and the State Library of Queensland, where there are excellent art spaces and school holiday activities for kids.

During the last school holidays, Jill says the kids enjoyed a monster-themed craft session at the State Library, where they put on aprons and splashed paint around. When the paint dried they could search for a monster.

“It was a big mess of paint and they could do whatever they wanted – stomp through it and just be really, really messy and have fun with it,” she says. “That was awesome. So brilliant.”

Children feel empowered by this kind of creative expression and, what’s more, it’s great fun. When we support our children’s creativity like this, we are helping them unlock their potential to become resourceful, innovative thinkers and effective problem-solvers.

Other adult behaviours that inhibit children’s creativity include making decisions for them, focusing on right and wrong answers, and making play too structured, advises Rena.

“Television is a huge obstacle to creativity. Passive activities, including reading, are opposite to the mechanisms needed for creativity,” Rena explains. “Creativity is more about output than input and in our modern world, particularly in the last decade or so, we have become more reliant on being stimulated passively – that is, doing nothing and being stimulated.”

Jill allows her children a short period of technological play on games such as Minecraft, which does have creative elements, but she ensures the kids don’t spend too much time using electronic devices.

“My son is totally into computer games, so I try to keep him off it,” she says. “Unless you remove the iPad or the PlayStation, they will use that as the first choice. I just let them play for 20 minutes and then it’s gone. They have to play with something else then.”

THEY STILL NEED GUIDANCE WITH CRAFT. YOU’VE GOT TO GIVE THEM A FEW CLUES AND THEN THEY’LL GO FOR IT. YOU CAN’T JUST GIVE THEM A BOX OF CRAFT AND SAY ‘MAKE SOMETHING’.

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Get started at home by establishing a ‘creativity box’ containing recyclables.

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MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

31

PARENTS TALK

TALK

Some of the best-loved parenting bloggers in South East Queensland join Kids on the Coast and Kids in the City to discuss the topics that matter to you.

Parents

We asked our group of parenting bloggers: Do you enjoy playing with your kids?

RENEE WILSON

LISA BARTON-COLLINS

Mummy, Wife, Me

Mrs BC's House of Chaos

Absolutely. I must be a kid at heart because I love sitting down with the kids to colour, play Barbies or dance to The Wiggles.

I love spending time with my children, and I also think it’s important for their development to spend time playing alone and with each other. And my personal development demands alone time too!! I always tell them that only boring people get bored, and I love to see them stretch their imagination. Together they play made up obstacle course type games that seem to involve a lot of weaponry, and this is not my cup of tea at all.

It is more than that though. When we spend time playing together we are all happy. We are working on our bond and everyone is more relaxed. I love seeing the joy on their faces when I play with them.

I love watching them grow and learn and see their personalities shine through.

When my youngest has her daytime nap, my four-year-old and I make up stories and turn them into books that we can read together later. We also love to play memory games and other board games.

Four is a great age because she is able to play games that interest me also. We are still learning how to be a good sport though.

With my two-year-old, we play blocks, blow bubbles or dance.

If you were to ask my husband, he would say I spend too much time playing with the kids and they need to learn how to play more independently. My two-year-old is good at this, my four-year-old not so much.

There are certain activities I can’t stand of course. Play dough being one of them. I die a little inside every time they ask to play with that.

I was one of those anti-gun mums, right up to until I had boys. Now I’ve just accepted my fate, and get out of their way so they can get on with it. Sigh! I also have no patience for craft and its associated mess, which works out well because neither do they (the craft obviously, they have zero issues with mess). Occasionally on a rainy holiday they might make robots or masks or weapons out of stuff in the recycling bin, but we are not the house that is full of glitter and paint creations.

What we do like to do together is play games. I am one of those boring educational mums so I love Bananagram, which is similar to Scrabble, and Math Dice, which is a thrilling game where you have to create the most sums within a certain period of time. The boys like it but not for a long time. We love playing Eye Spy on long journeys, as well as Twenty Questions and Build a Story – one person says a sentence, the next person adds a sentence, and so on. It makes for some bizarre conversations!

One of their recent game creations was Paper Rock Scissors Wildcard, which they invented during a very long time spent queuing for a ferry. It is an extension of Paper Rock Scissors, but at the end you add a wildcard of your own choosing, and then the wildcard item must battle with whatever the other person has chosen. So a rock might be doing battle with a Kraken, or a Laser Ninja might be doing battle with a giant starfish, or a pair of scissors might have to battle an invisible penguin. It is fun to play, and entertaining to watch – at least it was for the rest of the people in the queue!

LAUREN MATHESON

SHARI BREWER

Create Bake Make

Teenage Survival Coach

Ooh this is a tough one! I have to say it really does depend on what the activity is and how long I'm expected/ required to play – I know that sounds terrible! I'm more than happy to sit on the lounge room floor constructing elaborate Lego Duplo towers only to have them immediately destroyed, drive matchbox cars and trucks around on the tiles or dig in the sandpit – for short periods of time.

At the risk of being sent straight to the naughty corner, I must admit playing with my children is not something that has come easily to me.

I do it because I want to be with them in their world, but I will often find myself distracted by mental grocery lists or just a nagging desire to be sleeping.

Don't get me wrong, I genuinely do enjoy playing with my boys and I love watching my three-year-old beginning to construct elaborate scenarios and stories which he includes his little brother in, but I don't want to (and honestly can't afford to) spend my entire day playing with them. The time they spend playing together is my opportunity to clean up the kitchen, put some washing away or even take 10 minutes to sit down and have a HOT cup of coffee.

While I'm open to most games and activities, I'm not a huge fan of (or overly comfortable with) wrestling with them or their latest obsession of cannon balls off the couch, and I happily leave these activities in the capable hands (I hope) of my husband.

Please don’t misunderstand – I love, adore and cherish my children. Truly, I do. I’m just not one of those mums with an innate knack for play dough, glitter or Lego. I’ll stick my hand up to own it right now and let you know most activities involving a glue stick, feathers and paddle pop sticks make me scream and then shrivel a little bit on the inside.

At one stage I was resentful and angry at myself for not enjoying playtime more, but I’ve come to accept the realities of parenting are such that there is no ‘right’ mum prototype.

When my teen boys were little ones, I admit to having much more energy and therefore trips to the park were fun, sandpits were bearable and playing chase was something I could partake in knowing it would have the double win of tiring them for an early bedtime. But many years on, I’m not physically as agile. So maybe it was just lucky my third and last was a little girl. She’s still super energetic and there’s been no gender play engineering … but I am coping a bit better with imaginary cups of tea, nurses and dolls than I did with space machines and sword fights.

Real-life activities such as cooking (usually badly) or exploring and hunting with the kids is much more enjoyable than imaginary play is for me. I also like to cuddle up and read with them, though the almost 18-year-old is not so keen on this anymore.

Join the conversation...

Look for Parents Talk topics at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au/articles 32

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

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MAY 26 TO JUNE 2

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MAY 24

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Where: Tanawha Tourist Dr, Tanawha Time: 10am – 4pm A visit to the maze can be as active or relaxed as you like with activities to suit all ages. Try your skills in the new hedge maze, play 18 holes of mini golf, visit the birds in the aviary or just sit in the café and enjoy your favourite coffee!

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THURSDAY TO MONDAY

BELLINGHAM MAZE FUN

APRIL 23 TO MAY 17

MOTHER'S DAY

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Where: Caloundra Regional Gallery, Omrah Ave, Caloundra Join in the fun with a focus on digital technology where kids can design cool ideas for paddle pop stick creations.

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CALOUNDRA REGIONAL GALLERY KIDS CLUB

FIRST SATURDAY OF THE MONTH

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CIRQUE ESPACE

WEDNESDAY TO SUNDAY

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MONDAY, WEDNESDAY & FRIDAY

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Where: Ocean St, Maroochydore Time: 5pm – 9pm An evening of art, craft and culture held in the new epicentre of Maroochydore. www.nightsonocean.com.au

NIGHTS ON OCEAN

MAY 8 & JUNE 12

Where: Bulcock Street, Caloundra Time: 8am – 1pm There is something for the whole family with activities for kids, handcrafted locally made products and art, live entertainment and street theatre. www.caloundrastreetfair.com.au

CALOUNDRA STREET FAIR

EVERY SUNDAY

Where: Big Pineapple, Nambour Connection Road, Woombye Time: 6:30am – 1pm The biggest all-weather market with fresh fruit and veggies plus an array of art, amazing food, clothing and more. www.bigpineapple.com.au/saturday-growers-markets

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EVERY SATURDAY

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NOOSA KIDS AND BABY MARKET

MAY 31 & JUNE 28

Where: Talara Primary College, Talara St, Currimundi Time: 9am – 12pm Come along to this market to find new and beautiful handmade items for your little one or stock up on affordable pre-loved essentials.

Details: $2 entry (kids free). Free jumping castle, yummy food and bounty bags! www.sunnycoastbabykidsmarket.com.au

SUNNY COAST BABY AND KIDS MARKET

MAY 17

Where: Maple St, Cooroy Time: 7am – 12pm A community based market full of homemade, organic, fresh, recycled, original natural local stalls. www.grassrootsmarkets.org

COOROY GRASS ROOTS MARKET

MAY 2, 16 & 30 AND JUNE 6 & 20

Where: Memorial Drive, Eumundi Time: Wednesday, 8am – 1:30pm / Saturday, 7am – 2pm You’ll find original artworks, sculptures, furniture, handmade toys, home wares, skincare as well as cutting edge fashion and jewellery by local designers, all guided by the ethos “make it, bake it, sew it, grow it”. www.eumundimarkets.com.au

EUMUNDI MARKETS

EVERY WED & SAT

MARKETS

- CALENDAR -

REGULAR EVENTS

Sun

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Where: Weir Park, Grand Pde, Kawana Island Time: 7am – 11am Bring your family and friends for this great morning event to raise awareness and funds for breast cancer research. Food and merchandise stalls and guest speakers.

Details: $20 (concession $10). Email Merrill: mdcsunshinecoast@gmail.com events.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

FUN RUN & WALK FOR BREAST CANCER

MAY 10

Where: Woombye Main Street and Community Garden Time: 8.30am – 12pm Come down to decorate a cupcake, have a sausage and check out the woodwork workshop ready for Mother’s Day. Details: Cupcake decorating $2.

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MOTHER'S DAY CUPCAKE AND WOODWORK EVENT

MAY 9

MAY 28

MAY 19

Scrap the car, leave the bike at home and grab your walking shoes! By walking to school, you reduce traffic and promote a healthier lifestyle to our children. www.walk.com.au

WALK SAFELY TO SCHOOL DAY

MAY 22

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Tickets $18. www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

I AM JACK

Maleny Showgrounds, Stanley River Rd, Maleny

Where: Goomeri, 78km from Gympie Enjoy a smashing, fun filled day at the Goomeri Pumpkin Festival. Roll a pumpkin down Policeman’s Hill, enjoy novelty pumpkin competitions, a street parade, live entertainment, street markets, demonstrations, displays and more.

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JUNE 19 – 21

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JUNE 26

Where: From 8:30am for family walk Join in a 10km or 3km run, or the whole family can take in the scenery with a 3km family walk over Moffat Headland. A great way to start a Sunday morning.

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JUNE 21

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Contact Samantha: info@kiahpark.com.au www.kiahpark.com.au

7- DAY HORSE RIDING CAMPS

JUNE 20 TO 27 / JUNE 27 TO JULY 4 / JULY 4 TO 11

.au

tymagazine.com

| www.kidsintheci

June/July 201 5

“ Things to do, places to go!”

DOWNLOAD

www.kidsonthec oast.com.au

Guide

- in the city

HOLIDAY

- on the coast

Sunshine Coast

WINTER

Brisbane

AVAILABLE JUNE 26

Sign up at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au for our weekly What’s On guide. We also have a special comprehensive activity and event eGuide every school holidays, covering all of South East Queensland. You can sign up online to be notified when the guide is launched and to receive the link to download your personal copy.

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KEEP THE KIDS BUSY THIS WINTER HOLIDAY!

Gold Coast

CHECK OUT YOUR LOCAL LIBRARY! Did you know that council libraries have free events, classes, workshops and activities for babies and children? www.library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au www.libraries.noosa.qld.gov.au/kids

Don’t miss out on any events!

Where: Kiah Park Horse Riding Camp, 578 Beenham Valley Road, Beenham Valley Time: 5pm on Friday to 3pm on Monday Weekend riding camp for children 6 years to teens, with all riding abilities welcome.

Children adopt their own horse/pony for the weekend. They enjoy scenic trail rides, a fun gymkhana and heaps of outdoor activity.

Details: $410 all-inclusive. Bookings essential.

Contact Samantha: info@kiahpark.com.au www.kiahpark.com.au

LONG WEEKEND HORSE RIDING CAMP SUNSHINE COAST AGRICULTURAL SHOW

JUNE 12 TO 14

JUNE 5 TO 8

Caboolture Showgrounds, Beerburrum Rd, Caboolture

CABOOLTURE SHOW

JUNE 5 TO 7

Where: University of The Sunshine Coast Time: 10am – 4pm This free family fun event showcases innovative developments in arts, fashion, food and sustainability – raising awareness and educating as you have fun.

Details: Free. www.wed.org.au

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY FESTIVAL

JUNE 7

Come together to ensure a cleaner, greener future.

WORLD ENVIRONMENT DAY

JUNE 5

JUNE

QUEEN'S BIRTHDAY

8

JUNE

Visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au for more events

Where: Aussie World Time: from 12 midday Sunday Roast, live entertainment and cold beers!

Details: Adults $20. Children $15. www.aussieworld.com.au

SUNDAY SESSIONS IN THE SHED

MAY 3 & 17

Where: Australia Zoo, Steve Irwin Way, Beerwah Time: Runner check-in from 6am / Fun and festivities 7am – 9:30am Hop, slither, waddle, glide… Come and Run on the Wild Side! Join Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors for a morning of fun, fitness and wildlife conservation as we Run on the Wild Side!

Details: $50 – 14 and over / $35 – under 14 www.everydayhero.com.au/event/runonthewildside

RUN ON THE WILD SIDE AT AUSTRALIA ZOO

MAY 3

Where: Maleny Showgrounds, Stanley River Rd, Maleny Time: 9am – 5pm Two days of clean country family fun – from chainsaws to fine furniture plus loads of free activities and street theatre.

Details: $15 per ticket. Under 16 free. www.malenywoodexpo.com

MAY 16 – 6:30PM SURF’S UP (PG) Peregian Park. Entry by donation – to Noosa Nippers

MAY 8 – 6:30PM BACK TO THE FUTURE (PG) Noosaville Lions Park, Gympie Tce Entry by donation – to RSPCA

MAY 1 – 6:30PM RAIDER OF THE LOST ARK (PG) Cooroy Library Rooftop, Maple St Cooroy Gold coin donation

- on the coast

The Events Centre Caloundra www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

OCTONAUTS LIVE!

JULY 1

Brisbane Entertainment Centre www.brisent.com.au

DISNEY ON ICE

JUNE 27 TO 29

Brisbane Entertainment Centre www.brisent.com.au

HARLEM GLOBETROTTERS

JUNE 21

The Events Centre Caloundra www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

THE WIGGLES – ROCK & ROLL PRESCHOOL TOUR!

JUNE 18

The Events Centre Caloundra www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

THE GRUFFALO’S CHILD

JUNE 16

Lake Kawana Community Centre www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

I AM JACK

MAY 19

Lake Kawana Community Centre www.kidspromotions.com.au

OCTONAUTS LIVE!

PLAY SCHOOL LIVE IN CONCERT – ONCE UPON A TIME

* We publish information based on what is supplied to us - to the best of our knowledge all details are correct at the time of printing, however we do recommend you check event details with the organisers

Nambour Civic Centre www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

THE 26-STOREY TREEHOUSE

JULY 9

Concert Hall, QPAC, South Bank www.qpac.com.au

MISTER MAKER

JULY 7 & 8

Nambour Civic Centre www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

THE FAIRIES – LIVE IN CONCERT

JULY 5

Coolum Civic Centre, Park St, Coolum Alice takes a trip down the rabbit hole in this panto version of the classic tale, meeting all the usual suspects, playing croquet, looking after babies and having a tea party.

General Admission – $15 each www.coolumtheatre.com.au

ALICE IN WONDERLAND

JULY 4, 5, 11 & 12

Nambour Civic Centre www.scvenuesandevents.com.au

JULY 2

MAY 14

SHOWTIME

Outdoor Movies

We believe that all children are full of remarkable capabilities and have a right to a childhood filled with play, exploration and excitement about learning.

Child Centres and Kindergartens

Child Centres and Kindergartens Children are encouraged to let their feelings guide their imagination and creativity and are encouraged to communicate what they know, understand, wonder about, question, feel and imagine in many different ways - it is their “natural language” Please come and visit us soon for a tour.

We are pleased to offer you two services on the Sunshine Coast:

SPORTSMANS PARADE

INNOVATION PARKWAY

(next to the Lake Kawana Community Centre)

(next door to the Kawana Private Hospital)

Phone 5437 8401

Phone 5437 8326

Alternatively email Narelle Whatham at narelle@greenbeginnings.com.au for both services.

Children are encouraged to explore, investigate, ponder, create, take risks, imagine, and wonder as they smell, touch, listen to, and taste everything that is real in the world around them.

Green Beginnings Government Approved Kindergartens are within the grounds of our child centres and provide an educational program for children 4 to 5 years old. Our program is run by professional, dedicated and passionate university trained Early Childhood Teachers. Our Kindergartens are certainly a space to visit…you will love them!!”

Nature children wonder and wondering is a 36 Kidsmakes on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015 powerful tool for lifelong learning.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

www.greenbeginnings.com.au

SPECIAL FEATURE

BACK TO

Nature REDISCOVER THE MAGIC OF NATURE AND CREATIVE PLAY OUTDOORS

By Imogene Whittle, Nature Play QLD WHAT WERE YOUR FAVOURITE MEMORIES OF PLAYING AS A CHILD? WHILE MANY OF THEM MAY BE MEMORIES OF TIME SPENT WITH YOUR FAMILY, IT’S ALSO LIKELY THAT MANY WILL BE OF COUNTLESS HOURS SPENT IN UNSTRUCTURED OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES, IN PLAY THAT WAS LARGELY UNMONITORED BY YOUR PARENTS. You’re not mistaken in thinking you don’t see as many children playing in your neighbourhood as you remember as a child.

The amount of time spent by children indoors and in sedentary activities is increasing at an alarming rate. It’s a worrying trend and it’s time for a change. It’s time we restore outside play – for children now and in the future.

children’s free outdoor playtime dropped by an estimated 25% between 1981 and 1997. The change was driven by an upsurge in structured activities for children and an increase in competing passive activities such as watching television or playing video games. A similar or even larger drop can be expected in the period since 1997.

WORRYING TRENDS

The influence of Richard Louv, author of the international bestselling book Last Child in the Woods and chairman of the Children and Nature Network, has been pivotal to the revival of nature play. He has written broadly about the ever-increasing amount of screen time spent by children in diminishing unstructured play hours. He has identified that whereas in previous generations a connection with nature was inevitable, children are now more inclined to stay indoors due to the increase in technology use for recreation.

Most adults intrinsically understand that time in nature is beneficial for health and wellbeing, yet too many of our children are still not getting the outdoor contact they need.

REDUCED OUTDOOR PLAY TIME

Concerns over the loss of unstructured outdoor play are well documented, not simply products of an overactive nostalgic memory.

According to the USA study ‘Changes in American Children’s Time’,

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

INCREASE IN SCREEN TIME

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

37

SPECIAL FEATURE

Louv says when children become more connected – and even addicted – to their technology, they become less connected to their natural environment. Addictions to technology also lead to children becoming disconnected from each other and to society around them.

‘The Health of Queenslanders 2014’ report of the Chief Health Officer Queensland outlines the staggering statistics that only 41% of Queensland children aged 5-17 years undertook sufficient physical activity and 34% exceeded recommended screen time for entertainment.

While it is necessary to understand the importance of technology as part of modern day life, it is vital to encourage mindful and purposeful use of that technology balanced with nature play every day. In reality, the more high-tech our lives become, the more nature we need.

DECREASE IN PHYSICAL AND MENTAL HEALTH

Outdoor play is vital to children’s physical and mental health and development. The most visible result of an increased sedentary lifestyle is health problems and in particular overweight and obese children. According to ‘The Health of Queenslanders 2014’ report, 75,000 Queensland children were identified as obese and 146,000 were overweight. That’s a combined total of 29% of children and young people aged 5-17 years classed as being overweight or obese in Queensland – close to a third of all children.

Imogene Whittle shares her thoughts

Equally concerning outcomes from a lack of outdoor play include reduced motor development and diminished mental and psychological health, including lack of attention, learning ability and creativity. Louv coined the term ‘nature-deficit disorder’ to describe such side effects due to diminished nature play.

It is up to us, as parents, to create time and space for our children to develop a meaningful relationship with the natural world. Not only do we want an inherent understanding of nature for our children, but for the natural environment to remain for generations to come.

According to ‘Beyond Blue to Green’, a 2010 Australian report on the benefits of contact with nature for mental health and wellbeing, if we don’t take drastic changes to curb current sedentary indoor lifestyle trends, it is foreseeable that obesity, depression, stress, anxiety and mental health – which are all closely linked – will continue to rapidly increase.

WHAT STORIES AND MEMORIES WILL YOUR CHILD HAVE?

As a mother, I see it as essential for my child to be able to embrace nature and incorporate it into her everyday life in order to be a truly balanced person. The way I create a foundation for that is by teaching her to confidently play outdoors in an unstructured way. Down the track, I know that she will be educated about the environment and its demise, or even how it might be fixed. But what’s immediately important is to let her little legs and vivid imagination run wild in nature so that she may first learn to love it.

If not, what stories of nature, connection to the natural world and outdoor adventures will our children have to tell?

IMPORTANCE OF NATURE PLAY Nature play – unstructured play outdoors in nature – is pivotal to a healthy childhood.

Time in the outdoors inspires magic, wonder, appreciation of natural beauty, and awe of the unknown and of new possibilities.

Nature play encourages the joy of movement. It nurtures creativity, imagination, friendships, social connections and behaviour. It’s an understanding that lasts forever.

Playing outdoors gives children the freedom and opportunities to experiment in new environments – to see how things feel, to test their limits with how much they can do and to find out ‘what happens if…?’

Beyond that, the need for nature play is a subconscious deepseated need. It’s important for children to connect with their environment and community, and their memories of it, as an essential part of forming their identity. Nature play activities undertaken by children, and the environment children identify with, play a large role in shaping their personalities and how they connect with society and nature.

According to Yale University School of Forestry and Environmental Studies professor Stephen R. Kellert, there is a moment when children aged between 6 and 12 years have life-altering experiences in nature which create a lasting impression that shape their identity and the way they see nature for the rest of their lives.

NATURE PLAY QLD This is where Nature Play QLD comes in. Nature Play QLD is a collaborative organisation working with partner groups throughout Queensland to encourage the community to value nature play and support families to prioritise this type of activity in children’s lives. Nature Play QLD supports parents, educators, community groups and carers to increase the time Queensland kids spend in unstructured play outdoors.

NATURE PLAY ACTIVITIES TO TRY THIS WINTER

1. Put on your gumboots and go dance in some puddles.

2. Go beachcombing after it rains.

3. Collect colourful leaves and make a collage.

4. Take a walk and notice or photograph how the season has changed the plants around you.

5. Construct a cubby with twigs and branches.

6. Inspect bugs and insects together.

7. Create a mud kitchen and ‘cook’ a mud pie.

8. Plant something and watch it grow.

9. Find rocks, pine cones and dried leaves and paint them.

10. Celebrate the wind by flying a kite.

For hundreds more activities, go to www.natureplayqld.org.au/activity-finder

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

TOP 10 TIPS TO NATURE PLAY

SPECIAL FEATURE

1. Challenge your children by encouraging them undertake outdoor Nature Play missions. Undertake Nature Play QLD’s ‘49 Things to do before you’re 5’ or ‘51 Things to do before you’re 12’ challenge and check out hundreds of activities at www.natureplayqld.org.au.

2. Celebrate the missions accomplished as they are completed. Register for a free Nature Play Passport, and stamp off activities as you go. www.natureplayqld.org.au/programs/passport-to-an-amazing-childhood 3. Make a regular date with other families to do nature play together. Join a Nature Play QLD Family Nature Club or start one in your neighbourhood.

4. Face your fears and gradually encourage the increase of your children’s confidence to explore independently.

Like anything, remember that children need practice playing outdoors.

5. View nature as an antidote to stress – the whole family can benefit together.

6. Remember this… There’s rarely bad weather for nature play, just unsuitable clothing.

7. Give young children a wide variety of experiences in nature. We don’t have any control over the memories that will stick, but know that some of these activities will be pivotal in shaping the adults they become.

8. Engage the grandparents and encourage them to pass down their outdoor wisdom.

9. Share stories with your children about your nature play as a child.

10. Schedule time for unplanned outdoor play every day.

QLD

to do before you’re

FACING BARRIERS OF FEAR AND RISK Nature Play QLD is helping to break down barriers to ensure all Queensland children benefit from time outdoors. The first step is for parents to unearth self-made barriers that may be impeding their child’s play.

A common barrier to children participating in everyday nature play in their neighbourhood or community is parental fear. Nature play is often seen by parents as scary, disgusting, uncomfortable or inconvenient.

Fear can range from the risk of getting dirty to the risk of injury or to perceived risks such as abductions. It’s time we face those fears.

While it is natural to want to protect your children and to pave easy paths for their activities, it is important to understand the reality that children have never been safer. While the perception of crime is heightened, levels are actually decreasing. Research by the Australian Institute of Criminology shows the chance of a child being abducted decreased by about 26% over the five years prior to 2011.

Author Mike Lanza conveys the following statistics in his book Playborhood (2012): Children are 40 times more likely to die in a motor vehicle accident than be killed by an abductor and 1600 times more likely to be injured in a motor vehicle accident than be abducted by a stranger at all.

Statistically speaking, the things that are most dangerous for children include driving, swimming pools, depression and a lack of exercise.

Nature Play QLD encourage parents to bestow children with the skills they need to confidently and safely venture out of the house on their own. Lenore Skenazy, creator of the Free-Range Kids movement and author of Free-Range Kids: How to Raise Safe, Self-Reliant Children (Without Going Nuts with Worry), states that in the US (where there generally is a substantially higher crime rate than Australia) “stranger abductions account for fewer than 150 incidents per year. When spread across all the children in the United States, this means that my son, statistically speaking, would have to stand on the street corner alone for upwards of 600,000 years in order to be abducted.”

at the beach

Children need practice being confident outdoors, but the more parents supervise children, the more children need to be supervised. By exposing your children to certain risks and giving them more control, you are teaching them to manage risk themselves, grow confidence in their own capabilities, develop intrinsic self-motivation and allowing them to develop ever-important resilience. Without it, they risk anxiety, behaviour disorders and a reduced ability to think for themselves.

tureplayqld.org.au Find out why at www.nato do before you’re 12 and check out the 51

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HOW TO RE-WILD YOUR CHILD Nature Play QLD has a number of great programs aimed at getting kids playing outdoors more often. They are proven, practical ways to help parents raise healthy, resilient and creative children in our modern digital world.

The signature activity of Nature Play QLD is the ‘Passport to an Amazing Childhood’ program, developed to inspire children to reconnect with unstructured play in nature. You can register online at www.natureplayqld.org.au to order a free passport and find a series of age-appropriate nature play missions to undertake.

Families, carers and educators can order the free passports, which children love to use to record their nature play adventures.

Family Nature Clubs are another Nature Play QLD initiative; they are groups of families who gather together to share outdoor adventures and reconnect with nature. Consider joining a family nature club or create one with your family and friends. All family nature clubs share the basic goal to get out in nature on a regular basis and experience the benefits of time spent outside.

Many educators have been ordering Nature Play QLD passports for their students and have been assigning them as homework or in-class projects. Educators can request to have a Nature Play team member visit to talk to the children, parents and other educators about what nature play is and why it is so important.

The goal of Nature Play QLD is to impart the magic of nature and outdoor creative play, working together with families to ensure that children experience the powerful lessons and wonderful impact that connecting with nature will create, for now and for generations to come.

For more information visit www.natureplayqld.org.au or Facebook.com/NaturePlayQLD

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

26 Search for shells rain obstacle course using 1 Run around in the 27 Invent your own in a garden rocks and sticks 2 Play hide-and-seek watch the clouds flower and make a wish 3 Lie on your back and 28 Blow on a dandelion tree and eat it ants, snails or birds 4 Pick fruit from a 29 Sit quietly and watch bush or a local reserve with a watering can plants some 5 Go for a hike in the Water 30 a big shady tree 6 Jump in a pile of leaves 31 Have a picnic under with a moat 7 Build a sandcastle 32 Jump in a puddle the garden branch, then drop around low a from butterflies Hang 8 33 Chase of leaves and feathers at an oval or on the beach 9 Make a collection 34 Play with a ball knees pool or a backyard wading slope on your hands and 10 Climb a steep 35 Paddle at the beach and leaves sunset a tree with seedpods 11 Watch a sunrise or 36 Play shops under Visit a botanical garden 12 Play with mud 37 glass with a magnifying log or some stepping stones 13 Explore your garden 38 Balance along a the garden in stream or torch a pond a with in 14 Float a leaf 39 Go for a night walk and watch for lightning look at the view 15 Listen to a storm 40 Climb a big hill and create your own 16 Chase your shadow 41 Explore a rock pool or in a creek on a rug 17 Search for tadpoles 42 Have story time outside bushes under a tree or in some tongue 18 Make a cubby 43 Catch rain on your in the dirt fast-growing seeds 19 Draw with a stick pot 44 Sprout some or patch a in behind a tree and veggies 20 Grow some herbs 45 Play ‘peek-a-boo’ from zoo to the park scooter or trike a 21 Visit a farm, or a petting ws 46 Ride and toast marshmallo 22 Sit around a campfire 47 Roll down a grassy hill in your yard for someone you love 23 Dig holes and trenches 48 Pick a posy of flowers and imitate their song dusk 24 Listen to the birds 49 Count the stars at and then release them 25 Catch some bugs

The complete article with reference list can be found on our website.

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

39

BABIES

The miracle of

MODERN BABY-MAKING: rife with ethical issues

by Maxine Arthur THE TERM ‘DESIGNER BABIES’ IS A BURR UNDER THE SADDLE BLANKET OF MOST FERTILITY SPECIALISTS. IT CONJURES UP FRIVOLOUS IMAGES OF A COUPLE CHOOSING DESIRED FEATURES FROM A CATALOGUE TO CREATE THEIR ‘PERFECT CHILD’ – SEX, HAIR AND EYE COLOUR, TALENTS AND CHARACTER TRAITS. CHECK THE BANK BALANCE, SIGN UP AND A BABY TO MATCH A DESIGNER LIFESTYLE IS GUARANTEED. The reality is that fertility specialists in Australia and the UK are focused on preventing serious and life-threatening diseases in newborns, assisting couples unlikely to bear a healthy child naturally. All accredited Assisted Reproductive Technology (ART) clinics in Australia must comply with the National Health and Medical Research Council ethical guidelines regarding the use of assisted reproductive technology. Sex selection, for example, is recommended only to reduce the transmission of a serious genetic condition. Otherwise, the guidelines say ‘…admission to life should not be conditional upon a child being a particular sex’.

Today, IVF clinics offer a range of fertility services including preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) to support patients who are at risk of inherited genetic conditions. The PGD procedure involves extracting several eggs from the mother via IVF which are then fertilised by the father’s sperm in a Petri dish. After three days, several eight-cell embryos will have developed. Fertility specialists examine the genetic make-up of the embryos, screening for specific genetic disorders and sex (where the disorder is sexlinked). Healthy embryos are then implanted in the mother.

Additional healthy embryos may be cryo-frozen for future use.

This doesn’t mean that the issues are clear-cut and the answers set in stone. The ‘designer baby’ scenario is looming and many scientists, doctors and ethicists describe assisted reproductive technology as a ‘minefield’. Scientists are developing increasingly sophisticated technologies with the potential to do enormous good. The public reaction is a mixture of excitement about new possibilities, religious and moral objections to ‘playing god’ and vague fears about where it all may lead. There is fierce debate on all sides revolving around the basic question – just because we can, does it mean we should?

Specialists using the procedure can now screen for almost any single gene disorder such as cystic fibrosis, sickle cell anaemia and Tay-Sachs disease. PGD provides couples with vital information within days of conception as an alternative to invasive testing in an established pregnancy. If difficult decisions must be made, many couples opt for the earliest diagnosis possible.

MANIPULATING MOTHER NATURE THE AUSTRALIAN COMMUNITY THINKS IT IS A VERY GOOD THING TO BE ABLE TO CREATE A HEALTHY CHILD BUT NOT A CERTAIN TYPE OF CHILD.

40

Louise Brown, born in 1978 in Britain, was the first reported live birth conceived by in-vitro fertilisation. ‘Test tube’ babies had arrived, giving hope to infertile couples everywhere.

In 1996 reports of the first mammal cloned (Dolly the sheep) were followed by the cloning of different animals in later years.

It was a short step to the cloning of human embryos, successfully achieved in the US in 2001 and subsequently replicated in other countries. Human clones living next door, thankfully, as yet only exist in Hollywood movies.

When The Human Genome Project announced in 2003 that it had mapped the first complete sequence of the genetic code of a single human, claimed to be accurate to 99.999%, genetics took a giant leap forward. Fertility experts now know the genetic makeup of over 200 diseases.

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

PROS AND CONS OF PGD Dr Joyce Harper, based at University College London (UCL), is one of the world’s experts in PGD having worked in the field of IVF since 1987. In a UCL paper Dr Harper wrote: “The patients that present for PGD are those who have experienced repeated terminations of pregnancy after prenatal diagnosis, those with moral objections to termination of pregnancy, and patients carrying chromosome abnormalities who experience infertility and/or recurrent miscarriages…”

In regard to ethical concerns Dr Harper said: “There has always been concern that PGD will be used for examining non-disease genes and this has already been applied.

PGD has been used in several countries for sex selection for social reasons… In the future, it may be possible to use PGD for other characteristics, or even for predisposition to certain characteristics…

However, PGD is being used for an increasing number of genetic and chromosomal abnormalities and offers a viable alternative for those couples that feel that prenatal diagnosis is not suitable

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MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

41

BABIES

for them. It is therefore important that all countries establish strict criteria for the use of PGD to avoid eugenics…”

SHOULD PGD BE ALLOWED FOR NON-MEDICAL REASONS? THE ‘DESIGNER BABY’ SCENARIO IS LOOMING AND MANY SCIENTISTS, DOCTORS AND ETHICISTS DESCRIBE ASSISTED REPRODUCTIVE TECHNOLOGY AS A ‘MINEFIELD’.

Sex selection for non-medical reasons is allowed in some countries. In Australia, gender selection is permitted only for medical reasons. In the US, the Fertility Institutes, headed by Dr Jeffrey Steinberg, offer sex selection, claiming a 99.99% success rate in selecting embryos of the chosen gender. The price tag is around $20,000. In 2008, William Kearns, a leading US geneticist, announced that he had extracted sufficient DNA from a cell to identify thousands of characteristics from the embryo.

Shortly afterwards, Dr Steinberg announced that his clinic would offer trait selection services. A storm of protest ensued, led by Kearns and other fertility specialists and backed by the public.

Dr Steinberg’s offer was quickly withdrawn.

Ronald Trent, Professor of Molecular Genetics at the University of Sydney, when asked about Australia’s position on non-medical sex selection, said: “As you would appreciate there are differing views on whether sex selection (also called family balancing) should be allowed. Those for it, base their views on individuals having the right (autonomy) to decide whether they want a boy or a girl and in what order. Those against base their arguments on: (1) limited health dollars and so these need to be directed to medical priorities; (2) the uncertainty in the longer term if the usual male/female ratio is altered because of preference for one sex. In countries like China or India for example, the male is preferred and so with the population effect in these countries there may be long term societal implications; (3) the ‘slippery slope’ argument - if sexing is allowed now, what next? (traits such as athletic, musical performance, colour of eyes?), and (4) sex selection is a form of discrimination because one sex is considered “superior” or “preferred” to the other”.

On the notion of trait selection Professor Trent said: “Once you get DNA from a fetus or embryo you can test for lots of things including traits. The technology is the same as sexing (although sexing is technically a little easier than testing for a trait or a disorder). The important question at the moment is - will testing for a trait tell you much? We know that lots of traits have a genetic component but equally important is the environmental effect and so it would be difficult on current knowledge to test and get an accurate assessment of a trait, for example, height, intelligence, sporting or musical prowess. Despite this, some companies are offering tests to suggest that traits can be measured. I am not sure that they are correct”.

Assistant Professor Peter Illingworth, Medical Director of IVF Australia, said that he thought current Australian guidelines were in line with community expectations. “The Australian community thinks it is a very good thing to be able to create a healthy child but not a certain type of child”, he said. Trait selection is therefore not under consideration. Assistant Professor Illingworth said that there have been rare cases where a couple has requested PGD to ensure the birth of a child who is genetically compatible, in order to help another of their children who has a serious or fatal disease.

These are sometimes referred to as ‘saviour children’.

The procedure has been done with medical approval.

The number of PGD procedures is ‘rapidly increasing’, Assistant Professor Illingworth said. There are two reasons why PGD is done, he said. One is to look for a single abnormal gene. There are 50 to 80 of these carried out per year in Australia. The second is where a woman has had repeated miscarriages, the main reason for which is defective chromosomes, and the specialist is screening for healthy embryos. There are hundreds of these procedures per year.

The success rate of the procedure varies with the woman’s age, Assistant Professor Illingworth said. PGD has an overall 30% success rate in the first cycle, with success rates for younger women being higher.

The cost of PGD is prohibitive for many people. Assistant Professor Illingworth estimated it costs $6000 for gene disorder testing. It may take many months to develop a particular test and is very labourintensive. Screening for healthy embryos costs less, he said. On top of this the IVF procedure costs $3-4000 after the Medicare rebate.

PGD has great potential to eradicate a particular disease in individual families but it is unlikely to wipe out chromosomal abnormalities across a population. “Many diseases crop up sporadically. The majority of mutations just happen in that gene”, Assistant Professor Illingworth said.

It seems that at present in Australia, rather than a ‘designer baby’, a ‘selected’ baby is possible whereby healthy embryos are selected for implantation via IVF. If you are determined to have a baby of a particular sex and you have very deep pockets, you could try researching options in other countries where sex selection for non-medical reasons is possible. This is usually done for ‘family balancing’ reasons, though one wonders whether those of us who have two girls are an ‘unbalanced family’. It doesn’t feel like it!

But if you truly have your heart set upon a ‘designer baby’ – a Hugh Jackman look-alike perhaps – you’re probably going to have to do it the old-fashioned way. Choose your partner carefully and cross your fingers.

What do you think about the pre-implantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) options available in Australia?

Join in the discussion online at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au or on our Facebook page.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION Dr Joyce Harper, University College London, Genetic Testing in the 21st Century, YouTube video. An excellent overview, focused on PGD: scientific information lightened by references to popular culture. Quite long (35 minutes), but worth the time.

42

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

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MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

43

TEENS

PLOUGHING A CLEAR PATH – THE COLD, HARD TRUTHS –

by Kerryn Anker A new parenting style has received a chilly reception from child experts, who believe ploughing a clear, unobstructed path for teenagers can in fact do more harm than good. Snowplough parenting has recently pushed aside the micromanaging helicopter and controlling tiger parenting, taking precedence as the popular parenting style of choice of today’s teenagers. Endeavouring to turn teenagers into achievement machines, the characteristics of this style of parenting sees the removal of all obstacles from a teenager's path to ensure optimum success and minimal failure.

MICROSCOPE ON SELF-WORTH University of the Sunshine Coast psychology lecturer and researcher Dr Rachael Sharman says snowplough parents don't just remove hurdles from the path of a teenager, they ensure the teenager never sees any obstructions in the first place.

"Over the last few decades there has been a strong push from society to continually praise a child, telling them how clever and special they are. This has resulted in a rise in parents obsessively protecting and inflating a child's self-esteem," she says.

"Due to this focus on self-worth, we've seen a real culture shift to boost a child's ego. This has been achieved by parents shielding their child from any sense of failure."

According to Rachael, an overprotective society and an everchanging social framework has resulted in a generation of narcissistic teenagers and fear-driven parents, for whom failure is seen as a very dirty word.

To ensure minimal emotional impact to a child's sense of self, snowplough parents are taking it upon themselves to clear all of the challenges and road blocks that may enter a teenager's path.

"A snowplough parent won't let their child on the monkey bars in the school playground. Sometimes they even go one step further to ask the school principal to remove them altogether," says Rachael.

44

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

A recent study looking into the origins of narcissism, published earlier this year in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, found that parental overvaluation and parents’ inflated view of their child can develop into narcissistic behaviour on the part of the child.

PARENTAL TRENDS AND THE FALLOUT Snowplough parenting is just one of a long list of parenting trends that have cemented their places in households across the country.

Firstly, there is the helicopter parent who hovers over a child's every move, becoming heavily involved in their everyday life. This style of parenting is all about micromanagement and directing a child's behaviour.

A helicopter parent works under fear, taking control in an endeavour to minimise any feelings of disappointment a child may experience.

Then there is the controversial and fierce tiger mum who gets her claws out when it comes to setting extremely high expectations for her child to succeed. The spotlight was first shone on this style of parenting after the release of the book The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother in 2011 by Yale professor Amy Chua. Chua received worldwide condemnation for her memoir which outlined her extremely strict style of parenting. Chua believed that academic and musical success should take priority over social activities.

While tiger and helicopter parents' behavioural traits are based strongly on fear, a snowplough parent simply wants to make life easier on their child. Instead of micromanaging a situation, a snowplough parent removes the hurdle from the get go.

Although each individual style has its own framework of behavioural traits, the parents’ desired outcome to minimise any form of failure in a child's life is the common thread that weaves them all together.

Then we move to the other end of the spectrum to the much publicised free-range parent: a movement started by American author Lenore Skenazy who felt that parenting in modern society was based on fear, resulting in wrapping our children up in cotton wool.

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45

TEENS

FAILURE BUILDS TOLERANCE AND RESILIENCE. WITHOUT IT, THE LONG-TERM EFFECTS RESULT IN A GENERATION OF ADULTS WHO ARE HELPLESS, CAN'T COPE WITH DISAPPOINTMENT AND AVOID ANYTHING CHALLENGING AT ALL COSTS. Dubbed 'America's worst mum' after she allowed her nine-yearold to travel on the subway by himself, Lenore believes it is important for a child's development that they have the freedom to be unsupervised outdoors. She believes that giving your child greater freedom teaches them about responsibility and gives them independence to learn and grow.

FAILURE IS NOT A DIRTY WORD Despite so many styles dominating the parenting skyline, the mindset of a snowplough parent is to protect their child to ensure that they don't experience any of life’s pitfalls.

Snowplough parents aren’t malicious or evil, but instead want to protect their child from experiencing any form of failure or disappointment, similar to what they may have experienced themselves.

Rachael says that by ploughing through any obstacle in your teenager’s path, you may limit their ability to problem solve and stand on their own two feet. She believes that allowing a teenager to experience failure teaches them to cope with adversity and how to adapt and re-approach a task, providing them with an opportunity to better improve themselves.

"Failure builds tolerance and resilience. Without it, the long-term effects result in a generation of adults who are helpless, can't cope with disappointment and avoid anything challenging at all costs,” she says "For teenagers of snowplough parents, the lack of effective coping strategies and resilience can in fact increase anxiety. They have no idea about the concept that your actions can have consequences.”

Research shows that it is in the early stages of our childhood that we first form a view of ourselves. A consistent and positive approach to a child’s upbringing can encourage a healthy sense of self. Having confidence in a child to be able to do certain things for themselves will encourage them to be more willing to give things a go despite the challenges they may face. It is important that parents praise children for the effort that they put in and not focus on the final result. This will motivate the child to continue trying at a difficult task.

Matt adds that teenagers with a healthy sense of self are more likely to make friends easily as well as be happy, cooperative and successful at school. He says that these types of teenagers are able to deal with stress a lot more effectively and are generally a lot more fun to be around.

"It’s equally important for the development of healthy self-esteem that children learn how to deal with disappointment, such as if the child is not chosen for a sporting team,” he says.

"Rather than simply reassuring children that everything will be alright, parents should let them know they understand their disappointment. They should work with their children to find a reasonable way of dealing with that disappointment.”

Rachael adds that by giving your child the opportunity to fail, they learn to pick themselves up again and that the world will not crumble from one single roadblock.

PROMOTING HEALTHY SELF-ESTEEM

"Earlier on in life, parents can give their child a task that has a 50/50 chance of failure and success, like a jigsaw puzzle," she says.

Director of the Parenting and Family Support Centre, University of Queensland, and founder of the Triple P: Positive Parenting Program Professor Matt Sanders says it is counterproductive to teach your child about the highs in life while shielding them from the lows.

"As a parent, we can help guide our children. Ask them what worked and didn't work in a particular situation and tell them that it is okay to not excel at everything. This is what builds true character and becomes a valuable life lesson."

"The potential problem of this style of an approach to parenting is that, by trying to ensure their child’s success, parents are also limiting the possibility of failure," says Matt.

RESOURCES

"The important thing to remind ourselves is that part of growing up is learning to do things for ourselves. Children need to be allowed to make mistakes because they learn through experience. Life is all about living, occasionally making mistakes, learning from them and not repeating them.

46

"It’s also important that parents help their children develop a true sense of their own strengths and weaknesses."

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

Unfortunately there is no manual when it comes to raising teenagers, and everyone's parenting journey is unique. With studies indicating a rise in the level of fear and anxiety among parents, it's no wonder we've seen the snowplough style become more prevalent. Experts believe, however, that creating a balance and nurturing our children, while giving them the ability to experience some of the hurdles life presents them, can actually set a strong and positive foundation for their adult life.

The Triple P- Positive Parenting Program: www.triplep.net University of the Sunshine Coast, School of Social Sciences, Faculty of Arts and Business: www.usc.edu.au Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America: www.pnas.org Free-Range Kids: www.freerangekids.com Amy Chua, author of The Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother: www.amychua.com

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

. . . k l a t s t e l SAMI

HOMEWORK

I am sorry but all this talk of banning homework is crazy jibber to me. I admit, my children do not start school until next year, but the thought of messing with the matrix makes me feel uneasy. It must be the square bear in me because I think homework teaches us responsibility, commitment, time management and a work ethic. It teaches us not to give up, to chip away at things and to create routines. It teaches us there are consequences if we do not complete set tasks. They are surely necessary life skills?

We are asking for academic anarchy if we start scrapping homework. The critics say homework is too hard and not relevant. This is possibly true in some cases, but if focusing on some tough mental challenges is our biggest problem at night, then we still live in the luckiest country in the world. We have fresh food, fresh air, women can attend university and go on to run companies. We have men who on the whole treat women as equals and beautifully, we can all wear what we want in public, and we have a free public health system. Paradise. Oh, and we live on the Sunshine Coast and therefore we are the envy of the entire nation due to our endless supply of sea, salt air and sand. Life is good.

Perhaps we just need to draw a line in that golden sand to limit the amount of homework being sent home. I know I may regret these words in the near future when I am at home struggling to work out algorithms and going crazy trying to help the kids with homework but I will do what I suspect most parents do in those trying times: Google!

SIMONE (Kids on the Coast, Radio Panelist)

Aaaah, homework. I was never very good at it as a child, and have to say I’m not much better as a parent. I can blame the fact that I work full time (tired), and have a ‘work away from home’ husband (not just to get out of homework), or maybe it’s the fact that since my children asked for maths help in grade 3, I just feel really dumb (no memory cells left) and I just don’t want to do homework tonight (please don’t make me)!

Our children are supposed to be fit, healthy and social. We’ve attended more dancing lessons and sports aerobics that you could poke a stick at.

They need their sleep – bedtime is 8.30pm, even for my teenagers. They need to do chores – responsibility and all. And we need to be cooking nice healthy meals from scratch, which of course takes no time at all to prepare. Then not just one, but three need help with homework. Go on Mummy guilt – hit me while I’m down.

So teachers, instead of asking me to help with a question that starts off with 111.2* cos -1 [cos (148° - 116°) * cos 32° + sin 40° * sin 32°] why don’t you give

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them a chore? Ask them to help with a meal (or high schoolers can even cook a meal. All. By. Themselves). I’ll happily sign that one off! Include a footy training session as part of homework. Get them to count how many undies they fold, and then teach them distribution by assigning said undies to their owner’s bedrooms. I don’t envy you, teachers. I think you do an amazing job.

I really do. But I’m not sure my children argue with you like they do with me.

And at 8 o’clock at night, I just don’t want to play anymore.

TODD

Sure, I know what I have to say here is going to be about as popular as Mel Gibson at a Jewish Bar Mitzvah, but the following rant is simply what I reckon. Homework? Computer says NO. I was never a fan of homework as a kiddie. I mean you could give me 67 years to do my homework and I still wouldn’t do it until the night before. The best days at school, besides sports day and tuckshop day (every Friday…hot dog and choc milk), were the ones where your teacher wheeled a telly on a trolley into the classroom so you could watch “Infinity Limited” on high quality VHS video.

Sometimes a teacher might have a grainy copy of the kids’ gameshow “Now You See It” that they’d taped off the telly the day before. Remember Mike Meade and his little robot buddy? The only thing more ace than Mike Meade’s mullet was Melvin the Robot’s nutty jokes. But I digress…naturally the telly on a trolley type day could only ever be outclassed by a “no homework tonight class” type day.

I understand why people believe homework’s the bomb but seriously, I prefer my four kidlets to spend their arvos playing footy, surfing, reading something they want to read, swimming, walking along the beach poking a stick at dead stuff and ultimately engaging with their Mum and me. Surely this is more beneficial than six hours at school then another two at home with their head buried in a school book?

If there was a teacher that assigned the following as homework… master kung fu, or end world hunger, or climb a mountain, or do a cheese making course, or wear a fake moustache for a day…I might just roll with it, but an hour or two of maths problems?

No thanks. Give my kids a kick of the footy, some play fight karate under the sprinklers on the front lawn or a trip to Mudjimba to watch the planes take off any old arvy!

Oh, and for those who reckon there’s no good excuse to give a teacher for not doing homework, check this baby out: “Sorry I haven’t got my Science homework, Miss. I lost it fighting this kid who said you weren’t the best teacher in school.” C’mon, that’s an A right there, with a scratch n sniff sticker that says TOP EFFORT!

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

47

ONLY NATURAL

How to grow a

GREEN

KID

by Lara Cain Gray

WHY TEACHING YOUR CHILDREN TO REDUCE, REUSE AND RECYCLE IS GOOD FOR THE PLANET – AND GREAT FOR YOUR KIDS! Kermit famously said ‘it’s not easy being green’, but kids seem to have a natural way of making environmental activism part of their everyday lives. Whether they’re rescuing a wayward snail or asking curly questions about why the sky is blue, our children can often teach us a thing or two about paying closer attention to nature.

If you can harness this natural curiosity and encourage children to appreciate the planet and take action to protect it, you’re empowering them to feel they can make a real difference to the world around them. From easy garden projects to little days out with a green twist, there are many ways to encourage kids to reduce, reuse and recycle – and have fun while they’re at it.

EMPOWERING THROUGH EDUCATION With issues like global warming, water conservation and pollution management regularly in the news, our children can’t fail to be aware that our world faces major environmental challenges. Even as an adult, warnings about climate change, biodiversity or finite resources can be frightening and confusing, making it essential for us to talk about the issues sensitively with our kids.

Luckily, while politicians toss the climate change football back and forth in the media, kids across Australia are still connecting with nature and learning practical ways to go green thanks to environmental education in schools, recycling programs by local councils and nature play initiatives. Queensland’s Sustainable Schools program, for example, rolls out resources for educators so they can lead by example, engaging students in water conservation projects, food production, and waste management in classrooms and playgrounds.

48

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

Environmental education, however, needs to go beyond the classroom. According to the Sustainable Schools website, each Australian family produces enough waste per year to fill a 3-bedroom house; that’s around 1.9 tonnes of waste per person.

But the trouble with scary statistics like this is that they can feel so overwhelming that they numb us into inaction. Children can become depressed about the future of the planet when faced with ‘doom and gloom’ predictions about environmental disasters.

Queensland University of Technology (QUT) associate professor Julie Davis has written extensively about education on sustainability, with a focus on nurturing young children's capacities as agents of change. Julie says that making a child feel depressed or helpless is not good sustainability education. Rather, good teaching in this area should focus on positive, empowering opportunities to be “an active citizen for sustainability”; simple things like using the half flush in the toilet to save water can be explained to young children helping them feel engaged and empowered about ‘making a difference’.

And this sort of education doesn’t just benefit the planet – there are real benefits for kids too. Julie says that kids “get short-term benefits such as feeling good about protecting and caring for the planet” along with beneficial longer-term education. “They are establishing foundations for sustainable habits and ways of thinking that contribute to their own more sustainable futures,” Julie says.

So, what can we do as parents to provide positive messages about environmental awareness and help our kids to grow up green?

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

ONLY NATURAL

GREEN LIVING AT HOME

TAKING IT TO THE STREETS

One of the best lessons we can teach our kids is that environmental activism doesn’t have to mean making enormous personal sacrifices – and that little things add up to big changes.

Kids can help out every day with small but significant adjustments to household routines that benefit the environment.

If you need a little extra inspiration, keep the environmental agenda in mind on your next family day out.

• Be energy efficient. With water and electricity rates on the rise, it makes good financial, as well as environmental, sense to work smarter around the home. Teach kids to turn off the tap while they brush their teeth, water the garden sparingly or use the half flush function on the toilet to conserve water. Switch off lights when you’re not in the room, use energy-efficient light bulbs and don’t leave the television on standby when you go to bed. You could even create a roster or checklist for a ‘green audit’ of the house and get young activists involved in your progress.

• Reap what you sow. There’s something about homegrown veggies that just tastes better than anything you’ll find in the shops. And with the resurgence of interest in home cooking and nutrition, your local garden centre can show you lots of great ways to develop a kitchen garden with the kids. Why not encourage the children to plant a ‘pizza garden’ with easy to grow plants like tomatoes, basil and capsicum that can be harvested for a tasty, healthy meal down the track? Or have a growing race where each child adopts a seedling – whose plant will flower first? Worm farms and compost bins are also a great way to use up scraps and let the kids get hands on in the dirt.

Whether you end up with a fertile urban farm or just a few herbs in a window box, you’re teaching kids about the origins of their food and setting up healthy eating habits for life.

• One man’s trash. One easy way to reduce your household rubbish pile is with creative upcycling of boxes and packaging. Egg cartons are ideal for growing seedlings, for example, or as paint palettes for an arty afternoon. Margarine tubs can be cleaned out and stacked up to separate Lego or loom bands. Let the kids go wild with stickers and labels to personalise and organise their treasures.

Cut out pictures from magazines and catalogues to make creative collages. Or try this one: draw a person on a piece of paper, then mix and match outfits using magazine clippings, like old-fashioned paper dolls. Store sweet wrappers, bottle lids and twisty ties in an ice cream container and pull them out for wet weather craft projects.

And if you have bigger boxes lying around, it takes nothing but a little imagination to invent a cubby, racing car or shop. When it comes to household waste, get the whole family actively involved in sorting rubbish and reusing or recycling where possible.

• What better way to pique your child’s interest in the environment than by simply letting them play in nature? Climbing trees, swimming in the sea and looking at stars activate our children’s natural curiosity and help them understand why our planet is worth protecting.

• Make a note of national days of action on environmental issues and get involved. Every year Australians celebrate Earth Hour, Clean Up Australia Day and National Recycling Week, for example. You’ll find events taking place both online and in local parks and beaches that you can join with the family.

• Take advantage of environmental education programs at local museums and national parks. Local councils across Australia offer regular opportunities for kids to get up close and personal with wildlife in the area or explore local bush tracks or wetlands.

• Take the kids with you next time you visit the local tip. This is a great chance to discuss what happens to our rubbish, why we need to be concerned about landfill and why we separate our rubbish for recycling.

•M ake recycling creative and enjoyable by looking out for arts and crafts workshops involving natural or recycled materials. Sunshine Coast Council runs the Nature Connections program, for example, where kids can get crafty with organic materials.

Lillian Shewring coordinates the workshops at Reverse Garbage Queensland, a not-for-profit co-operative that repurposes industrial discards. She says that the hands-on nature of her children’s art workshops helps kids to visualise and remember what they’ve learned about recycling, as well as helping them think outside the box when it comes to repurposing the stuff that some people think of as rubbish. “They get to make and construct things, get their hands dirty and make a bit of a mess, which is always great fun,” Lillian says. “I guess one of the main positive things that the kids take away from our classes is the realisation that sustainability, recycling and reusing materials is not something that is beyond their capacity.

Actually they can easily do it at home, at school, anywhere really.”

By creating an awareness of environmental issues using positive, encouraging teaching approaches and hands-on activities, your child can learn to appreciate the planet and want to do more to protect it. Going green is good for the earth, but great for our kids too, who feel empowered by the chance to make a real difference.

Encourage your child to respect the planet – and have fun at the same time.

After all, the future really is in their hands.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION VISIT: Sustainable Schools Queensland: www.sustainableschools.qld.edu.au | Queensland National Parks Connect With Nature Program: www.nprsr.qld.gov.au The following locations offer environmental workshops and activities for kids throughout the year.

Sunshine Coast Council Nature Connections: www.community.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au | Kids In Action Conference: www.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

49

GOOD HEALTH

EXERCISE: Essential food for the BRAIN

by Dr Jane Williams THERE IS A SHOCKING TRUTH ABOUT AUSTRALIAN CHILDREN THAT IS UNEXPECTED FOR SUCH A SPORT CRAZY COUNTRY: OUR CHILDREN ARE SOME OF THE LEAST ACTIVE IN THE WORLD. 84% OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN FAIL TO GET ONE HOUR OF PHYSICAL ACTIVITY A DAY; 75% OF CHILDREN AGED TWO TO FOUR SPEND MORE THAN ONE HOUR IN FRONT OF A TELEVISION OR COMPUTER DAILY AND ABOUT 15% HAVE A SCREEN IN THEIR BEDROOM1.

As well as being essential to physical and emotional health, exercise has a significant role to play in the healthy development of your child’s brain and this affects your child’s ability to learn.

How well the brain develops is very dependent on the kinds of experiences and opportunities a child has from the moment they are born. While good nutrition and nurturing relationships are essential, movement also plays an important role. Dr Daniel Wolpert, a neuroscientist and engineer who studies how the brain controls the body, argues that the brain’s most important job is to learn, refine and control movement, because everything we do is movement based, even thinking2. When movement opportunities are reduced, the brain’s opportunity to learn and function to its potential capacity is considerably hampered.

50

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

To develop effective and efficient brain function, babies and children need to experience lots of movement opportunities – or exercise – particularly in the first years of life when the brain is busy ‘wiring up’ and creating the essential connections that enable them to think at a higher cognitive level when they are older3. Research into school-aged children by leading Canadian neuro-educationalist Professor Adele Diamond clearly shows that children who have excellent motor skills and high levels of cardiovascular fitness do much better at school4, 5, 6, 7. Children who engage in a daily exercise program improve not only in their physical capabilities, attention, concentration, classroom coping skills, social sensitivities and playground behaviour but also in their literacy and numeracy skills8.

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MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

51

GOOD HEALTH

HOW DO YOU ENCOURAGE CHILDREN TO ‘GET ACTIVE’?

Children look to adults for guidance on many areas of life – including exercise. Research has shown that parents who make exercise a regular part of their day are more likely to have young children who are also physically active9. The trick is to make exercise fun and make it look like you are having fun as well. The sooner you start, the better!

BABIES

TODDLERS & PRE-SCHOOLERS

Babies need to move, because even early exploratory movements soon after birth affects how the brain wires itself10.

Toddlers need lots of opportunities to gain good balance so that later motor skills have a solid foundation on which to function. It’s hard to hop or skip or even sit still in a chair if your balance is poor.

• Keep babies unwrapped and out of restrictive containers (like the car seat, pram, bouncer, etc.) for as much time as possible.

Of course, car seats are essential when baby is in the car.

• Keep hands and feet uncovered as much as possible to encourage movement.

• Tummy time when awake is very important. Tummy time enables those inbuilt, initial exploratory movement patterns to help the baby feel their body moving against the surface of the mat or your own body. This is the first step towards early independent movement.

• Move your baby’s limbs passively while you sing nursery rhymes or change baby’s nappies. Dance, swing, sway, slowly spin and rock your baby. All these movements help the baby’s brain be familiar with all the motions experienced when they begin to move on their tummy and all fours and then upright for balance.

• Avoid any screen time at all. Babies and children less than two years of age learn far more from moving and interacting with the world around them.

• Go for walks and encourage your toddler to balance along edges, planks, stepping stones and the like, and to run up and down grassy slopes. Balance needs repeated movement practice to refine. Good balance is essential for automatic control of the body.

• Put away that computer device and turn off the television.

Avoid screen time as much as possible and limit it to a maximum of one hour a day. No time at all is better, but challenging to implement. Screen time is non-moving time. If you do allow your toddler to watch a screen, chose an interactive show such as Playschool so children get up, dance and sing along. Get in there, and dance and sing along with them!

• Pre-schoolers need to engage in active movement play that finetunes motor skill development. Encourage lots of crossing under the overhead ladder (brachiating), jumping, hopping, marching, skipping, and scooter and bicycle riding. Visit your local park regularly and enjoy the bike paths and playground equipment. If your child is reluctant, try and find an activity that they enjoy, and gradually introduce more activities as success and confidence grows.

PARENTS WHO MAKE EXERCISE A REGULAR PART OF THEIR DAY ARE MORE LIKELY TO HAVE YOUNG CHILDREN WHO ARE ALSO PHYSICALLY ACTIVE.

52

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

GOOD HEALTH

ACTIVE MOVEMENT IMPROVES LEARNING

Experience-based data and evolving empirical data provides compelling evidence about the relationship between active movement and learning. In particular, children who have the essential motor skill patterns developed from infancy are more likely to do well academically.

PRIMARY SCHOOL CHILDREN Active Healthy Kids Australia1 report that only 19% of Australians aged 5-17 years and 15% of Australians aged 12-17 years meet the recommended Australian physical activity guidelines of accumulating at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day of the week. So how can you encourage your primary schoolers to get active?

• As for younger age groups, active parents encourage active children, so look for an activity you are happy to do with your children – start with a simple game of catch or cricket in the backyard. Once you all feel more confident, head out for a picnic to a local park with scooters or bicycles. Picnic near the playground equipment so children can still see you and you them while they play.

• This age group will spend hours playing in a swimming pool.

Make sure your children are swim safe – so lessons are essential first and they need to be supervised.

KINDYROO/GYMBAROO GRADUATES PERFORM BETTER AT SCHOOL GymbaROO and KindyROO programs provide activities that are fun for both parent and child and where parents are motivated through knowledge sharing to have fun reinforcing the program at home. Every song sung, every game played and every activity has been specifically designed and honed over 30 years to naturally reinforce the development of pathways of the brain that form the foundations for future learning of our little ones.

• A major Australian university is currently using NAPLAN results to compare the scholastic outcomes of: • graduates of KindyROO/GymbaROO programs who have reinforced the program at home daily (highest probability of best scholastic outcomes based on experience-based data) for approximately three years

• Monitor screen time – restrict television to a few favourite shows each day. Turn the television off once they are finished.

Try to avoid having the television on all the time. Make sure screens are off at least two hours before sleep time as exposure to the screen affects the quality of sleep.

• graduates of KindyROO/GymbaROO programs who have just attended once a week (without daily reinforcement) for approximately three years

TEENAGERS

• Ongoing studies of KindyROO/GymbaROO schools programs show:

The most active teenagers are those who grow up playing a sport and continue to do so during the teenage years. If your child is a reluctant exerciser and needs to be dragged kicking and screaming from a screen it’s definitely a challenge to get them active! Here are a few suggestions: • Start slowly. If you have a dog, make it the responsibility of the teenager in the house to walk the dog daily. Even if they just amble along for 10 minutes, it’s exercise they would not have otherwise had. Gradually encourage a longer walk.

• If watching television, try to build in some exercise when the commercials are on. Make a game of it. Who can do the most leg lifts in a row? How many push-ups can you do in the ad break?

• Boys love to have muscles. Encourage weight training – start with just their own body as the weight doing push-ups, the plank, crunches, etc. All build muscle bulk.

• Encourage participation sport. You may have to look around and try different sports until your child finds something that they enjoy.

Dr Jane Williams (PhD) is the Director of Research and Education for GymbaROO and KindyROO

• non-KindyROO/GymbaROO attendees from a similar socioeconomic background.

• NAPLAN results in the lowest three bands are significantly reduced • exceptional achievements • markedly improved social and emotional behaviour in the class.

• International universities are seeking projects with KindyROO to help them understand how and why KindyROO/GymbaROO graduates are more successful at school.

• Research published in the USA Journal of Pediatrics shows: • children with excellent motor skills and cardiovascular functionality scholastically outperform those with just high cardiovascular functionality • children with excellent motor skills and cardiovascular functionality scholastically outperform those with high muscular strength.

The complete article with full reference list can be found on our website.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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DESTINATON

home CLOSE TO

Under the Stars

by Christine Humphreys CAMPING IS UNDENIABLY A FAVOURITE HOLIDAY PASTIME OF AUSTRALIAN FAMILIES. WHETHER IN A CAMPING GROUND WITH ALL THE BELLS AND WHISTLES OR IN A REMOTE LOCATION WITH JUST THE BARE ESSENTIALS, A FAMILY CAMPING HOLIDAY IS CERTAIN TO MAKE LIFELONG MEMORIES FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY. Camping with your family is simple, hands on and, most of all, lots of fun. Everything is entertaining when camping – washing dishes in a bucket, sweeping out a tent, putting coins in the washing machine … all good clean fun!

Kids love making new friends with the relative freedom of dashing off through the campsite having their own adventures while being cared for by a community of campers. If you go to the same place regularly, you may meet up with the same ‘camping friends’ each year. Camping allows kids a chance to do things they normally can’t at home, like riding bikes

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

and scooters without the busy roads, walking everywhere without need of the car as well as endless play options.

Simple meals and relaxed routines mean enjoyable times for all the family. For parents it’s about letting go of the routines and rules of home, being together without the interruption of mundane chores and spending the evening relaxing with nothing but a drink and quiet conversation while the kids fall asleep nearby.

The beauty of camping is there is a style to suit everyone. Sand in the sheets, the dreaded air mattress and shared cold showers are definitely not most people’s idea

of a great holiday but thankfully the camping industry has kept up with the needs of Australian families. With options from tents to motor homes and camper trailers to caravans, and with most holiday parks offering a range of self-contained cabins, there is a solution to fit your lifestyle and budget.

Whatever style of camping you love, be it free camping, holiday park tents or cabins, heading off in the caravan or camper trailer, or even a touch of glamping, there are plenty of amazing camping spots close to home. We share some of our favourites and those of some of our Facebook followers.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

DESTINATON

home CLOSE TO

Tourism and Events Queensland

ELANDA POINT

MT BARNEY LODGE

Lake Flat Rd, Boreen Point

1093 Upper Logan Rd, Mt Barney

Rock up with your tent, caravan or campervan and chose your space … no bookings required. This is a wilderness camping park without powered sites so bring along your own power sources. The park is situated on Lake Cootharaba which is great for the kids and you can book some amazing nature tours through the surrounding wetlands. www.elanda.com.au

Only 90 minutes from Brisbane or the Gold Coast, drive your car, caravan or camper trailer directly onto grassy, shady campsites with a campfire, creek frontage and spectacular mountain views. You can also experience the amazing atmosphere in a homestead, rustic cabin or onsite camper trailer. With guided eco-walks, rock climbing and a jam-packed kids program over the school holidays, Mt Barney Lodge has something to suit everyone. www.mtbarneylodge.com.au

KENILWORTH HOMESTEAD

Eumundi-Kenilworth Rd, Kenilworth Kenilworth Homestead is a privately run outdoor recreation, family camping and function centre, situated right on the banks of the beautiful Mary River just 2km from the township of Kenilworth. Camping, caravan, camper and motor homes all are welcome. Spend your time swimming, exploring the river or feeding the farm animals. Kenilworth Homestead is open Friday til Monday year round and every day during school holidays. www.kenilworthhomestead.com.au NEURUM CREEK BUSH RETREAT

Rasmussen Rd, Neurum Neurum Creek Bush Retreat is nestled in the foothills of Mt Mee State forest. It is dog friendly and provides old-school outdoor fun for the whole family. Suitable for swags to motor home, stay a few days or just go for a day visit. Swim or kayak in the creek, check out the BMX track or go 4WDriving in the nearby state forest. www.ncbr.com.au FLINDERS BEACH

Stradbroke Island If you want back to basics camping this is for you – calm surf beaches, dog friendly, wildlife, fishing and lots to explore on Straddie. This is pure beach camping only accessibly by 4WD. Sites are unpowered with long-drop toilets the only facilities. www.straddiecamping.com.au/flinders_beach

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

TREASURE ISLAND HOLIDAY PARK

ADULTS ONLY SPICERS CANOPY

Off South Branch Rd, Tregony The perfect antidote to the stress and pressure of city living, Spicers Canopy is a luxurious safari-style camping escape in the heart of Queensland’s beautiful Scenic Rim region. With permanent tents and meals available through the lodge, this is an ideal getaway without the kids. www.spicersretreats.com/spicers-canopy

Biggera Waters, Gold Coast This is a true family resort with a water park, mini-golf, playgrounds, giant jumping pillow and three pools! With powered sites through to villas you can come here and enjoy a camping style holiday with all the luxuries of a 5-star resort. www.treasureisland.com.au TALLEBUDGERA CREEK TOURIST PARK

Tallebudgera Creek, Palm Beach Tallebudgera offers every camping option from unpowered tent sites to huge luxury villas. Located on a beautiful estuary which is safe for kids and a great spot to put the boat in and for all sorts of water-based activities. With three swimming pools and a children’s playground you won’t want to leave. www.goldcoasttouristparks.com.au/ tallebudgeracreek-parkhome FREE OR LOW COST CAMPING

Spicers Canopy

NIGHTFALL

Lamington National Park Intimate safari tent glamping … where less is more. The Nightfall luxury camping experience steps away from the excess and complications of modern life, redefining luxury with custom-designed, hand-built, permanent safari tents. Nightfall is limited to only six travellers at any one time ensuring privacy and intimacy. For those who crave adventure, energetic expeditions await, or just find a relaxing spot and indulge in a massage. www.nightfall.com.au

If you are planning a travelling holiday, camping overnight at the many free and low cost camps throughout Australia is a great way to maintain a healthy budget.

Check out www.freecampingaustralia.com.au and www.nprsr.qld.gov.au/parks, or download the WikiCamps app to have upto-date information on these sites.

Tourism and Events Queensland

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

55

FREE SUNGLASSES for your children when they get their eyes examined by a Looking Smart Optometrist.

Did you know…

30% of children have some type of eye condition that affects vision?

Free pair of sunglasses

In most cases if the eye condition is detected early enough, exercises can be given to avoid it developing into a vision problem at school. In some cases vision problems exhibit themselves in children who have short attention spans but often are undetected by the parents or carers.

(Up to RRP $19.95) for each of your children when they have an eye examination with a Looking Smart Optometrist.

(Age Limit from 6 months - 12 years)

At Looking Smart Optometrists we recommend a vision test for every child who is 6 months of age or older.

Easy parking

We bulk bill all eye tests so it costs you nothing to have it done, and you can feel secure that you are looking after your child’s eyesight.

Tests are fun for children

The test takes approx 15 minutes

All staff hold a current blue card Looking Smart Optometrists bulk bill

All eye examinations provided the patient has a Medicare or DVA card

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Phone: 5439 7844

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

Near Coles at Pelican Waters Shopping Centre, Pelican Waters Blvd, Pelican Waters Email: info@LSOPTOM.COM www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

ADVERTISEMENT/LOCAL BUSINESS

Voted Best Family Resort in Australia cannons and jets to entertain and engage the whole family, topped off with a giant bucket that fills with 600 litres of water before dumping it on the kids below in one enormous splash!

And in what can only be described as the ultimate family holiday amenity, the resort offers Zone 4 Kids Club – a fully supervised kids club offering separate play spaces ensuring age appropriate care and activities for kids aged 0-12. Unlike any other kids club in Australia, every accommodation package includes up to four hours of supervised care each day in the famous Zone 4 Kids Club for all kids 0-12 years, which allows parents time to escape the daily routine and indulge in some holiday sightseeing or precious down time.

For the ultimate in Gold Coast family fun, Paradise Resort Gold Coast has it all. Voted ‘Best Family Resort in Australia’, it’s been described as a mini theme park or a cruise ship on land. The resort offers a range of accommodation options throughout its 358 guest rooms, with family comfort paramount, including themed King and Junior Bunkhouse rooms with gaming consoles and free game hire.

The entire central resort area features a giant lagoon pool, large heated spa and two enormous Zone for Kids (Z4K) water park attractions. Both the 0-5 year and 5-12 year water park attractions sport a myriad of slides, water

Paradise Resort Gold Coast also has its own ice-skating rink, PLANET CHILL – the only permanent ice skating rink within a resort in the southern hemisphere. Designed to thrill and chill resort guests of all ages, PLANET CHILL is a unique drawcard for families travelling to the Gold Coast.

A memorable holiday is never complete without good food at economical prices, and to help the holiday budget the resort offers a ‘Kids Eat for $8’ offer valid at Bistro Zagame’s, the Poolside Café and Bar or the Zone 4 Kids Club.

With an indoor and outdoor playground, a range of free daily activities and entertainment, and an exclusive adults only bar and spa area, Paradise Resort is the perfect choice for your next family holiday.

Packages start from only $179* per room per night for travel on selected dates until 31 March 2016. Visit www.paradiseresort.com.au for full details. *Conditions apply

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

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PARENTVILLE

The evolution of

MOTHERHOOD

by Robyna May A group of bewildered young women are sitting together in a coffee shop in a shopping centre. They are new friends – their babies born within a few weeks of each other. Some of those babies are asleep in the humongous prams their mothers are only just learning to drive. Others are cuddled peacefully in laps. Yet others are being fed. Those breastfeeding are anxiously looking around to ensure that they are not embarrassing themselves or anyone around them. Those bottle-feeding are hoping desperately that no one is going to judge them. And they ask each other the rhetorical question all new mother’s ask: “Did you think it was going to be this hard?”

Another young mother walks slowly past them. She holds her toddler’s hand and awkwardly pushes an empty pram. The toddler has insisted she walk and the ten-minute shopping trip has turned into a two-hour long adventure. That mother looks over at the newly formed mothers group and smiles ruefully. She remembers those days. How hard it all seemed then. She thinks, “You ain’t seen nothing yet ladies”. She looks back fondly on the days filled with baby sleep, cuddles, coffee and friends on maternity leave. Nowadays, she meets her mother friends (the few that have not returned to work) at the local park. Coffee shops are a nightmare with children who refuse to sit still. She checks her watch and realises that her parking will soon expire and hurries into the supermarket to pick up the milk that never lasts for more than a day.

There, another mother is arguing with her son. "I WANT IT NOW!" he screams and sits down in the aisle, stubbornly refusing to budge. This mother looks to the heavens and wishes the ground would swallow her whole.

Onlookers either smile understandingly or scowl, depending on how long ago they had to deal with exactly the same situation. She watches the sweet toddling little girl, who is gurgling to herself in a language of entirely her own making. She remembers those days. When everything slowed down to the pace of a fascinated child just learning about the world. When the new words and new discoveries delighted her and her son in equal measure.

When opinions weren’t as hotly contested and distraction was always the solution. She closes her eyes briefly and stands her ground. Her son eventually quietens, stands and hugs her legs.

Another woman, another mother, is waiting in queue and watching the scene unfold. She tries to catch the younger woman's eye. To convey some sympathy, understanding and acknowledgement of parenting well done. It wasn’t so very long ago that her own children were throwing tantrums in supermarkets. But they are in school now and their worlds have expanded beyond her. Her days are filled with ferrying children to and from school and sports commitments. She is searching for that elusive job that would allow her to work school hours.

She worries about grades and good schools, and her children making wise choices. She wonders what her life will look like now that she has the deceptively short hours of 9:00 to 3:00 to herself. She longs for the days when they were babies, toddlers, preschoolers. When she was the single brightly shining star of their life. When they were each other’s everything.

The lady behind the service desk watches the prams, the babies and the children parade past her every day. She hears the mewling cries of newborns, the delighted whoops of preschoolers, the demands of toddlers and the exhaustion in their mothers’ voices. She wonders if they know how lucky they are to have these children in their lives. She had always wanted a child, but life didn’t turn out that way for her. And she hopes that, even amidst the hardships, these mothers know the exact precious weight of the children bundled in their arms.

Robyna May writes at the Mummy and the Minx (www.themummyandtheminx.com), a blog dedicated to empowering mothers and inspiring minxes. She writes about getting the mojo back into your life after kids and expanding possibilities when they contract after having babies. Her passions are writing and creating beautiful things. She lives in a house full of boys (including the dog). She spends her days balancing running a freelance business, blogging, and taking care of her young children.

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

COAST LIFE

Coast Life shares exciting products and services by businesses that cater to Sunshine Coast parents and families. We think local kids and parents deserve just as much choice, style, fun, innovation and value for money as those living anywhere else. So if you agree, please join us in helping these ventures by taking a look at what they’ve got to offer.

And if you’ve got a business you want to spread the word on, let us know!

KIAH PARK

BLI BLI OSHC

Ph: 07 5486 6166 www.kiahpark.com.au

Ph: 5458 2130 or 0448 582 130 bliblioshc@bigpond.com

Horse Riding Camps at Kiah Park are a great way for your child to enjoy a healthy, happy week of outdoor fun! For ages 6yrs – teens. Children are allocated their own horse to suit their riding ability. Camp includes accommodation, arena lesson, trail rides, learning to keep and care for your pony, gymkhana and fun night activities.

Camps: 20 - 27 June, 27 June - 4 July, 4 - 11 July. Long Weekend 5 - 8 June.

Bli Bli Outside School Hours Care works to provide for families a safe, happy, welcoming and nurturing place where children are encouraged to undertake new adventures in a fun and relaxed environment. We welcome children from all surrounding schools as well as our local Bli Bli State School.

TALK Parents

Some of the best-loved parenting bloggers in South East Queensland join Kids on the Coast and Kids in the City to discuss the topics that matter to you.

Join the conversation...

Look for Parents Talk topics at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au/articles www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

59

YOU

MAKE MUM FEEL SPECIAL ON MOTHER’S DAY AND EVERY DAY…

“IN A CHILD'S EYES, A MOTHER IS A GODDESS. SHE CAN BE GLORIOUS OR TERRIBLE, BENEVOLENT OR FILLED WITH WRATH, BUT SHE COMMANDS LOVE EITHER WAY. I AM CONVINCED THAT THIS IS THE GREATEST POWER IN THE UNIVERSE.” – N.K. Jemisin

“MOTHERHOOD: ALL LOVE BEGINS AND ENDS THERE.” – Robert Browning

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

Cut out & keep

Madeline Pendant $595 solid 9ct gold and sterling silver pendants Sophie Pendant $50 sterling silver pendant

If you could choose a piece of jewellery that reflects who you are, what would you choose? Would it be a beautiful pendant, a delicate bracelet or do you prefer something a bit more edgy – a leather cuff set with a silver disc that sets you a part from the crowd? Whatever your tastes, the dynamic sister duo Stacey Clayton and Lisa O’Keefe that are Koolaman will have something that you’ll want to make yours. With a passion for creating bespoke jewellery which has a stylish functionality that sees it simultaneously suited to country-casual and urban chic, Lisa and Stacey happily admit they’re invested in Koolaman, heart and soul. The personalised stamped designs that make every piece uniquely personal are inspired by the sisters' desire to celebrate life's special moments. Clearly, this is an idea that’s shared by many other women. A large proportion of their customers are mothers, wanting a special piece of jewellery that celebrates their children and keeps them close to their hearts. www.koolaman.com.au 1300 789 524

The Ginger Factory is the perfect place to treat Mum on a family day out on any day of the year … just because. Relax, unwind and enjoy the delicious menu at the all-new, fully licensed Ginger Café with its superb range of meals showcasing the best of the Sunshine Coast’s seasonal produce.

In need of a gift for Mother’s Day or a special occasion? You’ll be sure to find the perfect gift at the Ginger Shop with its extensive and unique selection of gourmet foods, designer kitchenware, beauty products and home wares, as well as the largest selection of Buderim Ginger products in the world.

REDEEMABLE GIFT VOUCHER

REDEEMABLE GIFT VOUCHER

...BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME & I DESERVE IT!

...BECAUSE YOU LOVE ME & I DESERVE IT!

1 MOTHER’S DAY MASSAGE

1 MOTHER’S DAY BREAKFAST IN BED

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

YOU

HAPPY HOMEGROWN GIFTS

As part of the launch of its Autumn Winter fashion event from May 2 to 9, 2015, Sunshine Plaza is offering an exclusive opportunity to book a personal or home styling session, which includes a personal shopping experience. Expert designer stylists Simone Barter, founder of style.com.au, Kimberley Gardner, fashion editor for Q Weekend and Brisbane News and Adele Frost, professional model and personal shopper, will be on hand to provide a personal or home styling session.

To book your styling session between May 2 & 9, contact customer service on (07) 5443 4133.

Visit www.sunshineplaza.com for more information.

Homegrown Gifts brings together style, quality and environmental awareness, offering a range of Australian handmade gifts and ecofriendly gift baskets. The Kitchen Garden Basket makes the perfect gift for the keen gardener or cook. It contains a hand printed linen tea towel, two ceramic dishes, a ceramic jug, a native daisy gift of seeds and is presented in a gorgeous Zillpa rope plant hanger. $99. www.homegrowngifts.com.au

“Sometimes when you pick up your child you can feel the map of your own bones beneath your hands, or smell the scent of your skin in the nape of his neck. This is the most extraordinary thing about motherhood finding a piece of yourself separate and apart that all the same you could not live without.”

– JODI PICOULT

Also part of the week-long fashion event, pampering sessions are on offer at the Jurlique Style Lounge where shoppers can take a break, relax and choose from two, five or ten minute express treatments and take home a personalised complimentary gift bag. The Style Lounge will also offer a Mother’s Day gift wrap and tag service.

Local calligrapher and watercolour artist, Cass Deller has custom designed the wrapping paper and will be in-store to personally hand write Mother’s Day gift tags in beautiful calligraphy.

TOP TIP: Leave this page open for dad to see

Customers who spend $70 or more in a single purchase at selected specialty stores will take home a special gift with purchase of a cup and saucer plus 10 assorted T2 teas, valued at $28.

“MOTHERS AND THEIR CHILDREN ARE IN A CATEGORY ALL THEIR OWN. THERE’S NO BOND SO STRONG IN THE ENTIRE WORLD. NO LOVE SO INSTANTANEOUS AND FORGIVING.” – Gail Tsukiyama

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

61

CONVERSATION

Meet

VICKI CHAN

Vicki with founder & administrator Moffat and head doctor Fred at FreMo Birth Centre

By Natasha Higgins FROM QUEENSLAND’S SUNSHINE COAST TO THE SLUMS OF NAIROBI, KENYA, MIDWIFE VICKI CHAN SHINES AS A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR BIRTHING WOMEN ACROSS THE WORLD. PARENTING IS A GREAT ADVENTURE, AND VICKI HAS EXPERIENCED SOME TRULY AMAZING MOMENTS DURING HER 32 YEARS AS A MIDWIFE. SHE HAS WORKED IN MANY SETTINGS FROM A LARGE PUBLIC HOSPITAL TO A PRIVATE BIRTH CENTRE AS WELL AS WITH WOMEN WHO CHOOSE TO BIRTH AT HOME. She currently works part-time at a private hospital on the Sunshine Coast and attends some births privately in the same hospital alongside an obstetrician. She also co-facilitates Better Birth workshops for birth workers all over the country together with fellow midwife Lynne Staff, and has spoken about birth matters in the UK, USA and Italy.

A project that is very dear to Vicki’s heart is helping to set up the FreMo Medical and Birth Centre in Kenya which she still remains deeply committed to today.

We catch up with Vicki to get an insight into her experiences of midwifery near and far.

PLEASE TELL US ABOUT YOUR FAMILY. I am the mother of four children – a son Brendan (30) and three daughters Alison (27), Evi (18) and Glenys (15). I love the grand human beings my children are and feel very honoured to be their mother.

WHAT ARE YOUR BELIEFS REGARDING WOMEN, PREGNANCY AND BIRTH THAT MOTIVATE THE WORK YOU DO? I work with a woman to achieve the best possible birth in the circumstances that arise. I believe that for most women that can be a drug free, intervention free birth. I understand that everything I do, say and believe as a birth-worker impacts upon a woman, her birth, her baby, her relationships and the whole of her life … for better or for worse.

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Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

I see – and research supports this – that women birth best when supported by a known midwife.

When the goal is the best possible birth and women know that everything has been done to support that goal, there is no room for failure, and we can celebrate the epidural and/or the surgically assisted birth as beautifully and mindfully as we can the spontaneous vaginal birth.

My experience is that when women have access to unbiased information including risk and alternatives, are central in the role of decision maker and are well supported by and trust their chosen loved ones and caregivers, they most likely will emerge happier, more confident mothers, even when birth is complicated and a more complex level of care is required. This is good for women, good for babies, good for partnerships, families and communities, and should be pursued relentlessly.

Birth should be a peak experience in a woman’s life. It is very disturbing to see the large number of women who are traumatised by their birth experience. Our modern maternity systems are letting women and families down by letting technology, protocols, money and power rule with the simple human rights of compassion, kindness, respect and self-determination forgotten.

We should appreciate the advances of medicine and science without being blinded to the miracle of life.

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

ADVERTISEMENT/LOCAL BUSINESS

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Joe, Peregian Beach: 2014

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We offer an initial FREE half hour consultation T: 5430 6667 E: candice@rbfamilylaw.com.au W: www.rbfamilylaw.com.au

Dr Petra Ladwig from Suncoast Women’s Centre understands the problems most women face after giving birth. One of the most embarrassing side effects is often incontinence which can occur due to weakened pelvic floor muscles. A lot of women simply put up with this as the natural course of being a woman after child birth but this need not be the case. If addressed early these problems can be managed, improved and even cured by something as simple and painless as sitting in a chair, fully clothed for 20 minutes!

The pelvic floor controls your urinary, bowel and sexual functions yet these muscles are your most neglected. The new ‘Wave Brilliance’ Magnetic Pelvic Floor Stimulation chair (magnetic chair) uses magnetic fields to stimulate nerve impulses which rapidly flex and tighten your pelvic floor muscles.

This is the equivalent of approximately 200 pelvic floor contractions every minute at 20 times greater the intensity than the patient can do themselves!

It is the ideal way to kick start or regenerate the pelvic floor and surrounding muscles to restore strength, endurance and continence.

Treatments are tailored to individual patients but a typical therapy program consists of two 20 minute treatments per week for eight weeks. Of course children are most welcome to attend with you and can simply sit and play whilst you undergo your treatment.

For more information about the new Wave Brilliance magnetic chair treatment phone the Suncoast Women’s Centre on 5437 7244 or visit Suite 5, 5 Innovation Parkway, Birtinya (Kawana). Medicare rebates available.

Visit our website for your chance to these great prizes!

Play School Concert Family Pass & Prizes

“ ouse of Dreams” Hi-5 H Ticket Giveaway

Octonauts Live!

Family Passes worth $200

“Fairy Dancing Girl” Concert Ticket Giveaway

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www.petraladwig.com MAY / JUNE 2015 – Kids on the Coast

63

CONVERSATION

WHAT INSPIRED YOU TO BECOME SUCH A PASSIONATE ADVOCATE FOR BIRTHING WOMEN?

Kenyan midwife and her assistant off to do post-natal visits

Vicki catching up on some sleep during the early days of the clinic

I was a newly qualified midwife at the time of my first birth, an experience that might have gone very differently had I listened to those who should have known better. I had rarely seen a natural birth and I was told by my obstetrician that I should plan for a caesarean section as “There is no way you’ll be getting a baby through that pelvis”. Well, 'that pelvis', small as it was, was the only one I had, so I figured I would have to trust that it knew what it was doing. Turns out that it knew well as I birthed without drugs or instruments much to the surprise of those around me – the doctor because “I would have sworn that pelvis was too small”, the midwives because “Well, why would you?” and my dad because “Let’s face it, Vicki, you are a wuss!”

In fact, I learned that I was stronger than I thought and that giving birth could be a wonderful, exciting and transformative event in one’s life. It certainly changed mine.

I knew that feeling stronger, safer, happier and in charge of my own experience made mothering easier and life more joyful. As a midwife, I knew also that I could assist women arrive at that place and have dedicated my life to do so.

The new birth room

Post-birth support for a new mum

The original wash station – now the clinic has flush toilets and water on tap with sinks in every room

HOW DID YOU GET INVOLVED WITH HELPING WOMEN IN KENYA AND HOW HAVE CIRCUMSTANCES CHANGED FOR KENYAN WOMEN AS A RESULT? A series of events led me to come across a remarkable young man Moffat Osoro who was running a small medical centre in one of the slums of Nairobi with babies being born under extreme and often dire circumstances. I have been ‘called’ before into midwifery and I shall use the terminology again without reference to any religious or do-gooding stance but to a deep internal knowing that that was where I was meant to be.

Within a couple of months after that ‘call’, I landed in Nairobi and began work. We have had very little money but have changed the physical environment to provide basic necessities, the service environment to provide skills and attention, and the emotional environment to provide love and compassion.

Four years down the track, the clinic has overseen well over 1000 births with both the safety and satisfaction level high. The centre now boasts around a 96% normal birth rate with minimal complications and zero maternal deaths, which is quite something in a community that would be considered 100% high risk by Western measures.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS FOR THE FREMO MEDICAL AND BIRTH CENTRE IN KENYA? We are working on a project to raise money for our own land. At the moment we are in a rented building so all our improvements (water/electricity/floors/ceilings/paint) belong to the landlord.

Clinic founder and administrator Moffat Osoro trying out the first water running to the clinic

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I am also looking for an architect/designer to assist me to create a prefabricated birth centre, perhaps in a shipping container. Such a centre could then be transported anywhere in the world, ready to serve.

Our team could provide the training for working in the FreMo way.

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

CONGRATULATIONS ON ALSO BEING A PUBLISHED AUTHOR. HOW DID WRITING A BOOK COME ABOUT? I am always writing something and my book Libbi-Lou Ventures Out began as a poem. A French couch-surfer read the poem and the visuals started popping into her head. She had no option but to draw and thus the book was born.

As it turned out, both kids and adults love Libbi-Lou, a vexatious child whose plans for the afternoon are thwarted when the television doesn’t work! I had a letter last week telling me the teachers were cheering as it was read and the kids absolutely loved the story. That is very rewarding.

HOW DO YOU BALANCE FAMILY LIFE AND WORK DEMANDS? I work in wild bursts, then take it easy… I have never had a high priority on money and will always choose family first. As the only income earner in the house, I have managed on an average of two paid days a week but am good with what I get and am an op-shop queen! Still, I am working on charging for my time so I can continue to work for those who cannot pay.

WHAT HAS BEEN YOUR MOST REWARDING EXPERIENCE – PROFESSIONALLY AND PERSONALLY? This is my 32nd year as a midwife and I feel so lucky to have found the work of my heart so very young. How many people get to say they witness a miracle as often as I do? Birth is a mystery, and I am both grateful and honoured to have witnessed it physically through the births of my own children and then to have been gifted to share it with so many families. It never gets old, and I am as moved by the experiences of birth today as I ever was.

IN WHAT WAYS CAN PREGNANT WOMEN ON THE SUNSHINE COAST GET YOUR ASSISTANCE AND SUPPORT? I have decided to do Better Birth Workshops for pregnant women and their support people where I will be sharing beautiful films, serious talk, groovy moves, tears and laughter to ease the birth journey. These should be up and running on the Sunshine Coast

by May 2015. Watch the Better Birth Workshops page on Facebook for news of these birth and parenting workshops. If someone wants these workshops elsewhere or wants a private session, I am happy to discuss this. I am available for book readings for libraries and schools for my little book Libbi-Lou Ventures Out. For more information on the upcoming Better Birth Workshops, email Vicki at betterbirthworkshop@gmail.com.

To learn more about Vicki and the projects dear to her heart, visit: Facebook: Better Birth Workshops Facebook: Support FreMo Medical and Birth Centre Facebook: Libbi-Lou Ventures Out Vicki's blog 'A Passionate Life': vicki-chan.blogspot.com

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

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REVIEWS BOOKS, MOVIES, APPS, GAMES

BOOKS THE ANTI JOURNAL David Sinden and Nikalas Catlow, Macmillan, RRP $19.99

MOVIES TOMMORROWLAND In cinemas May 28. Rating: TBC

APPS SPOT

By David Wiesner. (iPad) $6.99 Five fantastical worlds intertwine in this wordless book app devised by David Wiesner, three-time winner of the Caldecott Medal. Spot is a visual adventure – one that is never the same twice – which unfolds as you travel through spaces that transition into one another. With a pinch and a zoom on your iPad, you move through dazzling scenes, delving into worlds within worlds, each one a story in itself, all rendered in gorgeous original artwork. This beautifully-designed exploratory app provides settings and props to inspire curious kids.

Children of all ages can explore various worlds and characters, using their discoveries as the jumping off place to tell their own creative stories. Peek under an armchair and visit the dust bunnies in Lower Rügg where they’re waiting to be characters in your story. Wander among the robotic shoppers in the marketplace of Mekanikos, or watch the glorious cat parade in Katzaluna. Hotspots transport you from world to world, and it’s up to you to decide what happen next in the story! The useful parent and educator guide that accompanies this app provides creative storytelling prompts as well as unique writing activities to enhance the imaginative experience.

From Disney comes the riveting mystery adventure Tomorrowland, starring Academy Award® winner George Clooney. Bound by a shared destiny, former boy-genius Frank (Clooney), jaded by disillusionment, and Casey (Britt Robertson), a bright, optimistic teen bursting with scientific curiosity, embark on a danger-filled mission to unearth the secrets of an enigmatic place somewhere in time and space known only as ‘Tomorrowland’. What they must do there changes the world – and them – forever.

DISNEY PIXAR – INSIDE OUT In cinemas June 18. Rating: TBC Disney•Pixar’s Inside Out will take you to the most extraordinary location of all – inside the mind. Growing up can be a bumpy road, and it’s no exception for Riley, who is uprooted from her Midwest life when her father starts a new job in San Francisco. Like all of us, Riley is guided by her emotions – Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust and Sadness. The emotions live in Headquarters, the control centre inside Riley’s mind, where they help advise her through everyday life. As Riley and her emotions struggle to adjust to a new life in San Francisco, turmoil ensues in Headquarters.

Although Joy, Riley's main and most important emotion, tries to keep things positive, the emotions conflict on how best to navigate a new city, house and school.

Also coming soon…

MINIONS (In cinemas June 18) JURASSIC WORLD (In cinemas June 11)

The Anti Journal is no ordinary journal – it’s journaling outside the box. In the Anti Journal you can doodle, cut, create, mess up and even throw things at the page. It’s all about creative discovery and seeing things differently.

It’s a journal for those who want to be creative and follow their own rules. When you see the name ‘Anti Journal’ you may wonder what’s so ‘anti’ about it. The fact is, it goes beyond the traditional journal and forces you to reach into your creative side and gain different perspectives by doing some crazy fun things. One of the first pages is a perfect example where you have to throw a wet teabag at the page! Flick forward a few more pages and you’re asked to open an unwanted book at random and cut the first word from each line – then rearrange them. If that’s not abstract enough, then what about another page for creating pets out of pocket fluff or creating patterns with a hole punch.

The Anti Journal is great for children and adults, and is the perfect way to change your mindset and reignite that creative spark.

THE GIANT BOOK OF CREATIVITY FOR KIDS

500 Activities to Encourage Creativity in Kids Ages 2 to 12--Play, Pretend, Draw, Dance, Sing, Write, Build, Tinker Bobbi Conner, Random House Australia (Shambhala), RRP $32.99 For parents who don't feel they are creative, this book provides an easy entry point for raising creative kids.

This book is your guide for being a creativity mentor, your handbook for raising kids rich with creative habits and skills, and your toolbox full of ideas and activities.

Creativity is an essential ingredient for a happy childhood, and this is the ultimate book of ideas for arts and crafts, building and tinkering, writing and rhyming, singing and dancing, and more. With 500 hands-on activities for children ages two to twelve, this book goes beyond the simple arts and crafts found in most kids’ creativity books and offers fun ideas for a generous range of imaginative and creative play – all in one giant book. There is a good mix of simple and more involved activities with an emphasis on fun for everyone, and even a practical ‘Creativity Guide for Parents’ that provides tips for guiding those creative endeavours.

To see more reviews visit www.kidsonthecoast.com.au 66

Kids on the Coast – MAY / JUNE 2015

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au