1000 STAIRS: WE DARE YOU!

Get active and make a difference to autistic children and adults.

We're calling all walkers, steppers and runners to join us at the picturesque harbour spot of Barangaroo to climb 1000 ‘giant’ steps to the top of Tower One in support of autism.

Join us on Sun, 6 Aug 6 at Tower One, 100 Barangaroo Ave, one of the world's most sustainable commercial precincts and Australia's first large-scale carbonneutral community.

The Tower One Stair Challenge is a great family activity, an excellent opportunity to come and challenge yourself to climb 40 floors and have fun. The Stair Challenge also encompasses walker and runner categories, so no matter your fitness level, you can do your bit for Giant Steps, one step at a time!

The money you raise will provide crucial support to children and adults on the autism spectrum. You’ll be supporting Giant Steps who have had remarkable success teaching autistic children to communicate more effectively, integrating them into mainstream schools, helping them develop functional life skills and providing them the opportunity to achieve milestones previously thought unattainable.

Giant Steps started 28 years ago when a small group of parents were looking for a school for their children with moderate to severe autism.

Today, Giant Steps operates a school, Adult Services Program, Mental Health Clinic and Autism Training Hub across Sydney and Melbourne. Giant Steps is also unique in that we don't charge any fees.

Are you ready to climb Tower One? Registrations open Tues, May 2. https://toweronestairchallenge.net.au/

To read more about Giant Steps, visit https://www.giantsteps.net.au/

We were invisible and we could fly – where would we go and what would be do?

3. Let your child h ave access to a of different items like disused household items, old packaging like foam, cardboard, boxes. They do not need toys to play. We call these “loose parts”. These items are good for supporting play as imagination can turn these into anything and create new ideas for play! When this happens, the part of a child’s brain responsible for problem solving gets a workout!

4. Let your ch ild alone or with friends create a space for their play. This may be as simple as a blanket in a corner, or a small hut made from a table and a sheet or perhaps a box. Creating a space for a child to retreat to and to indulge in play is an important step in them reclaiming some power and control over their environment.

5. Perhaps the simplest of them all… is give your child permission to play.

Sometimes in the mi dst of hurt and pain that children witness adults experiencing, they may not think they should play.

A final note to parents and carers… If your child is not playing, seek specialist support and advice.

Only a chil d that is unwell, physically, or mentally, does not instinctively play. Play is an important part of human biology.

Robyn

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