Kids on the Coast Magazine | Sunshine Coast - #110 Summer: 2022/23

Discover. Achieve. Belong.

At Immanuel, the whole person is the whole point. Contact us today to discover the Immanuel difference and to register for our next Open Morning.

Phew, we made it. The end of another ridoncliously* crazy year spent raising little people. Pat on the back to every parent out there. You rock!

I must admit, I’m starting summer with a sense of inner conflict this year. I’m superexcited for some family time and a couple of mojitos, but I’m also dreading the coming weeks of sibling rivalry.

I love love love the excitement of Christmas but, like most families and small business owners, the budget is veeeeery tight right now. I worry about how we can give the kids’ memory banks a summer to cherish, whilst also trying to pay bills, work, wash and feed the tribe every day.

Being grateful for what we do have certainly doesn’t make spinning all those plates less challenging. Yep, there isn’t a time that I feel the ups and downs of the parenting rollercoaster more than the start of summer.

Well, for all those parents doing the juggle over the next few months, our Summer issue is here to help you through the sunny yet sometimes sticky days ahead.

Not started your Christmas shopping yet? (Me either!) Our Christmas Gift Guide is here to help you tick off those lists, crammed with gift ideas for kids of all ages.

To keep you feeling fabulous, we have a bunch of tips on being kind to your tummy through the festive period. And our What’s On pages are filled with plenty of familyfriendly activities that everyone will love.

Heading into the new year, we’ve got some tips on keeping little brains engaged over the summer break. And for those moments when you are secretly counting down the remaining days of school holidays (guilty!), we have a huge back to school section. (Don’t miss the full Back to School Guide published on our website in January!) We visit Sunshine Coast Grammar School to explore their new Primary Precinct and see how play-based learning is having significant impact in the early years. And Immanuel Lutheran College joins us with tips on developing resilience in little ones.

Have a wonderful Christmas, summer and everything in-between!

THE TEAM

facebook.com/kidsonthecoast kidsonthecoastmagazine pinterest.com/kidsonthecoast issuu.com/kidsonthecoastmagazine

OWNER & EDITOR IN CHIEF

Angela Sutherland

OWNER & PUBLISHER

Helen Rush

DIGITAL EDITOR

Calista Bruschi

NATIONAL

Natalie Rayment

DIGITAL MARKETING MANAGER

Rebecca Pinese

GRAPHIC DESIGN

Emma Henderson

Tanya Nissen

*Not a typo, this is how my bambinos like to refer to next-level ridiculousness!

FEATURES

EDUCATION: Play. Question. Learn. How inquiry learning is helping little ones grow at Sunshine Coast Grammar School.

CHRISTMAS: Not finished your Christmas shopping yet? Our Christmas Gift Guide is crammed with ideas for kids of all ages.

PUBLISHED BY

SH RE

MEDIA

PO Box 852, Coolum Beach, QLD 4573 inbox@shoremedia.com.au

More than a magazine, we are a vibrant community, bringing the best in local news, events, features and more to parents across the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane. Made by local parents, for local parents, we strive to be the first place that families come to connect; where they are understood, supported and inspired.

ENQUIRIES:

helen@shoremedia.com.au 0424 577 706 natalie@shoremedia.com.au 0416 245 290 lauren@shoremedia.com.au 0457 845 018

REGULARS

FROM THE EDITOR 3

WHAT’S ON: Events and activities for kids this summer........................................................ 6

NEWS: Community news from across the Sunshine Coast 10

STYLE: Fab summer style for little fashionistas 24

THINGS TO DO: What’s on for kids this summer at Kawana 26

WELLBEING: Developing resilience and the importance of failure 28

EARLY LEARNING: The ELC with big plans for little ones’ growth ................................. 26

TUTORING: Signs your child is struggling at school and what you can do 34

EDUCATION: How to support your child starting secondary school 37

PREP: Smoothing the transition to Prep ............................................................................... 40

SCHOOL NEWS: Nirimba State Primary School turns one! 43

EDUCATION: Where Preps flourish into lifelong learners ................................................. 46

KINDY: Preparing your child for childcare 48

TERTIARY: Meet the 20-year-old turning her passion into a rewarding career 50

LITERACY: Easy ways to keep your child’s literacy up during the summer break ............ 52

PARENTING: New Year - a good time to reflect, reset and look after you 54

THERAPY: Early intervention and it’s importance in childhood wellbeing ......................... 57

ACTIVE: Expert advice on getting kids safely onto a skateboard 58

EDUCATION: The Sunshine Coast school that is changing the world 59

HEALTH: Top tips for a healthy gut this Christmas.............................................................. 60

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.

AUTUMN 2023

BOOKING DEADLINES

Booking deadline: 7 Feb 2023 Published: 2 Mar 2023

Distributed directly to parenting hotspots across Southeast Queensland: Brisbane, Gold Coast & Sunshine Coast. For distribution enquiries inbox@shoremedia.com.au

Printed at Print Works

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 and Kids in the City is subject to copyright provisions. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission from the publisher.

Feedback, comments or suggestions? Send to: inbox@shoremedia.com.au We aim to reply to all correspondence.

We are committed to bringing you editorial with integrity. Any assistance we do receive from local businesses to produce stories does not compromise the integrity of our coverage.

THE COAST’S TRUSTED INVESTMENT PROPERTY PROVIDER

It’s a matter of fact, people need somewhere to live. The rental crisis here on the Sunshine Coast is not abating, as demand for property outstrips supply. A big contributor to this crisis is that everyone who visits the Sunshine Coast wants to move here. And why wouldn’t you!

The people, the beaches, the hinterland, the weather. Even the property prices still give buyers ‘bang for their buck’, when compared to other states.

No-one understands this more than Korry Hoogesteger Owner of QLD Invest, who has spent many years providing investment properties on the Sunshine Coast.

“Over the last decade south-east Queensland has been an absolute gold mine for investors. Covid then put the cherry on the top for many, whose properties literally doubled in value over the last 12 months. As they say, ‘fortune favours the brave’ and for those that invested in property, it absolutely paid off,” says Korry.

“Despite the record property boom slowing down, we are still seeing exceptionally high weekly rental returns. Now the elephant in the room is rising interest rates.

QLD Invest’s focus is on returns that exceed these interest repayments costs, i.e. positive gearing.”

half of their business is from repeat investors.

“We work with each client’s budget, specialising in high return investment properties such as a dual-keys, duplexes and NDIS properties. With possible rental returns in excess of $80,000 per annum, it can mean that one parent doesn’t need to work anymore, which is lifechanging when you have young kids.”

This has been the case for many of QLD Invest’s ‘Mum and Dad investors’. Andy and India now earn an additional $1300 per week from their duplex in Nambour. The Higgs family sees a yield of 10 percent from their Sippy Downs dual-key.

“These results are so good to see!

“As a family, we wanted the freedom to do more of what we love. But for that to happen we had to make smart investment decisions; a solution we now feel very blessed to be able to share with other families.”

And now to support families looking to get ahead on the property ladder, QLD Invest is offering readers of Kids on the Coast $5,000 cash back on any new unconditional property investment through them. Call Korry for a free property advice consultation today. All QLD Invest services are free to you, the Investor.

CONTACT

Korry Hoogesteger on 0439 425 855

FB: queenslandinvestments www.qldinvest.com.au

“As a family we wanted the freedom to do more of what we love. But for that to happen we had to make smart investment decisions.”

Korry, Roma and their daughters at Mudjimba

WHAT’S ON

SUMMER ACTIVITIES FOR KIDS AND THEIR GROWN UPS

FRESH AS SUMMER

December 17, 2022 to January 22, 2023

SUMMER STEM CAMPS

December 12 2022 to January 13 2023

Various locations

Let Junior Engineers inspire your child this summer with their two- and three-day STEM camps. Whether your kid is a coding rookie or budding tech superstar, there is something for everyone. Classes include Lego Mindstorm, app development, film making, stop motion, robot building with Arduino and coding with Minecraft, Roblox and Micro:bits. Kids on the Coast readers get 10% off with code CITYCOAST10. jnrengineers.com.au/ school-holidays

Paradise Centre, Surfers Paradise Paradise Centre is feeling as Fresh As Summer, and so will you when you visit this December and January! They have the juiciest line up of fresh, fruity, and free entertainment, live DJs, giveaways and so much more to keep the whole family entertained. paradisecentre.net.au

KIDS' PLAYROOM

Daily Noosa Leisure Centre

The Kids’ Playroom is open for casual play sessions for pre-school aged children every day of the week. Let them climb, jump, swing, bounce and balance in an air-conditioned, safe environment while you relax with a coffee from the on-site café.

A visit costs just $5 per child. You can also save by purchasing 10 and 20 visit passes. noosaleisurecentre.com.au

SCHOOL HOLIDAY SWIM INTENSIVES

December 12, 2022 to January 20, 2023

Flying Fish Swim School

Do your kids need to strengthen their swim skills? Summer school holiday swim intensives are the perfect solution! Whether you are looking to improve your little one’s safety in the water and swimming technique or want to help your bigger kids develop endurance and strength, Flying Fish Swim School’s purpose-built learnto-swim and squad training facility has sessions available for every level. flyingfishswimschool.com.au

MOTHER GOOSE

January 7 to 22, 2023 // Noosa Arts Theatre

Limelight Scripts brings their fun family pantomime Mother Goose to the stage of Noosa Arts Theatre this summer. Mother Goose is desperate to recover her youthful looks, and agrees to let Demon Night have her precious Goose, Priscilla. But racked with guilt, she decides to rescue Priscilla from his evil clutches. www.noosaartstheatre.org.au

new Kindergarten room opening January 2023

Childcare Centre now open in Central Maroochydore

Award winning educators & professionals with over 35 years of experience in early childhood care and education, have designed this centre.

We offer busy families

Delicious meals for your children prepared on site by our chef

Appealing, well equipped, unique indoor and outdoor play spaces

Nappies for 0-3 yr olds

Opportunities to develop creative thinking

NINJA JUNGLE HOLIDAY PROGRAMS

December 12, 2022 - January 22, 2023

Ninja Jungle, Forest Glen Ninja Jungle is a playground for all ages, where fitness and fun go hand-in-hand! This purposedesigned jungle is a place for everyone to challenge their movement, strength and skills in a safe, fun and friendly environment. Ninja Jungle school holiday programs are scheduled throughout the school holidays. ninjajungle.com.au

WHAT’S ON

AIR-CONDITIONED PLAY

Daily throughout school holidays

Rush Adventureland, Maroochydore Keep cool at Rush Adventureland this summer! Kids can run, climb, slide their way around the huge multi-level soft-play indoor playground, as well as enjoy the thrills and challenges of ninja and high ropes courses, climbing walls, hyper bumper cars and a virtual reality simulator. Younger children have their own toddler friendly playground too! rushadventureland.com.au

SUMMER OF SEALS

Daily throughout school holidays

SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast, Mooloolaba

SEA LIFE is celebrating the much-loved marine mammals this summer with a range of school holiday activities. There’s new interactive opportunities to get involved in the daily seal presentations. Families can take part in a new activity trail, discover fascinating facts at the artefacts table and take photos with the new seal mascot, and watch the seals take part in a daily enrichment session.

visitsealife.com/sunshine-coast

SCHOOL HOLIDAY

LEGO

WORKSHOPS

December 5, 2022 - January 20, 2023

Multiple locations across the Coast Bricks 4 Kidz LEGO® workshops allow students to be creative and learn new building skills as they spend the day immersed in building challenges inspired by popular themes such as Minecraft and Star Wars. With a seasonal twist there is also the opportunity to build Christmas themed models. bricks4kidz.com.au/qld-sunshine-coast

SUMMER READING CLUB

December 1, 2022 - January 31, 2023

Sunshine Coast Libraries

Get ready to have an adventurous summer with quests to complete, challenges to undertake and libraries full of amazing tales just waiting to be discovered. It’s really easy to be involved! Simply register for the Summer Reading Club online or at your local Sunshine Coast library, Pick up a copy of your Adventure Map, complete three Quests to receive or go in the draw for prizes. library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au

SEASIDE

CRAFT ZONE

Kawana Shoppingworld

January 9 21, 2023

Head into Kawana in the January school holidays for two weeks of craft at the Kawana Seaside Craft Zone! Escape the heat and enjoy beach-themed craft fun!

kawanashoppingworld.com.au

LOCAL NEWS

CRITICAL EARLY AUTISM SERVICE COMING

TO SUNSHINE COAST

underestimated.

“We know that good early intervention will set a child up for life, It will make a dramatic difference in the long-term plan, long-term goals and achievements of the child.”

For kids that rock!

When it comes to supporting autistic children, early intervention is key. But knowing how to access that support, or where to start, is not always clear cut.

Following 14 years of success in the US and three years in Melbourne, global disability organisation Early Autism Services (EAS) has announced plans to open clinics in Brisbane and Sunshine Coast.

Their aim is to help families navigate the system, work with the NDIS, and to support families and communities to get the early intervention and ongoing support they need.

“We like our families to walk into our space and feel safe, with no judgment. We never turn anybody away,” says Debra Goldfinch, Early Autism Services CEO.

Everybody has a different set of circumstances, therefore EAS can support children in a preschool, a kindergarten, and also work with the education department to provide support in the school environment.

Debra says that the benefits of early intervention for autistic children cannot be

“Current research is showing a deficit in children’s capabilities when they get to school. And it’s because they’ve not had intervention, so we really want to turn that around.”

For parents unsure of whether to pursue a diagnosis, Debra says that early intervention is the most valuable thing parents can get for their child.

“I always say to families, trust your judgement. If you intuitively feel something is not right and you are not getting the answer that satisfies you, don’t stop. You know your child better than anybody else. It’s really important and you are your child’s best advocate.”

EAS currently runs in-home and community based Early Intervention and Allied Health Services in Brisbane and the Gold Coast. They are currently looking at a clinical location in central Brisbane now, and will also look at one in the Sunshine Coast. Community based services will begin supporting Sunshine Coast families in 2023. Where they expand to after that depends on where they are most needed.

“We’ll open to demand. So if there’s sufficient people that want us in the area, that’s where we’ll go. We’d be interested to know where else people might like us to open!”

earlyautismservices.com.au

AC/DC SIGN OFF ON CHILDREN’S ALPHABET PICTURE BOOK

Rock legends AC/DC have signed off on a children’s picture book called The AC/DC AB/CD High-Voltage Alphabet The alphabet picture book is the fourth in a series of children’s picture books released by Australian music and lifestyle company, Love Police, headed up by Brian ‘BT’ Taranto. The series was first launched more than 15 years ago with kids alphabet book M is for Metal, which was an unexpected smash hit. The release of Never Mind Your Ps & Qs Here’s the Punk Alphabet and The Country and Western Alphabet Book followed with continued success.

Iconic artist and designer, Paul ‘The Mayor’ McNeil, has injected his bold ideas and punk attitude into The AC/DC AB/ CD High-Voltage Alphabet. The result is a fun and engaging alphabet picture book aimed at pre-schoolers that also keeps the grown-ups entertained. Each colourful page includes a letter of the alphabet with a corresponding band member, theme or historical fact (or fiction) from one of the most successful and enduring rock ‘n’ roll bands of all time.

The inception of The AC/DC AB/CD High-Voltage Alphabet came about when co-founder, lead guitarist, songwriter and sole original member of AC/DC, Angus Young, discovered the M is for Metal children’s book while in Australia during the pandemic. He contacted Love Police, and good fortune ended with Young and Taranto swapping war stories of amp stacks, ringing ears and antics on the road.

“Ask him if he wants me to create the ‘Highway to Spell’?” McNeil asked. They did! So he did!

“What an honour it is to work on this book!” Taranto says.

“To have had a connection to Angus for the real deal stuff makes it even more wild and special. Yeah, it’s a kids book, but any AC/DC or music fan will find something on every page.

The Mayor has done a sweet and rockin’ job. We are looking forward to educating another generation of rock and rollers!”

LOCAL NEWS

Matthew Flinders Anglican College among Australia’s most

INNOVATIVE SCHOOLS

Sunshine Coast school

Matthew Flinders Anglican College is among The Educator Magazine’s ‘5-Star Innovative Schools for 2022’.

The national awards recognise schools at the forefront of innovation. Those with groundbreaking educational programs and initiatives, new technologies and methodologies to support the 21st learner’s needs.

Flinders is one of 19 schools in Queensland, and one of only two on the Sunshine Coast, to be highlighted in the Awards.

Flinders Principal Stuart Meade says the College is thrilled to be among The Educator’s ‘5-Star Innovative Schools’.

“This award celebrates Flinders’ commitment to support and challenge our students in all areas of their education,” Stuart says.

“It recognises our quality staff who step up to embrace new technologies and approaches to empower our students to solve problems and innovate for a better world.

“There is a high degree of mutual respect between teachers and students at Flinders, which is crucial. After all, education is founded on relationships.”

He says genuine learning can only take place where those

relationships—with peers, teachers, coaches and mentors— are authentic and supportive.

Matthew Flinders Anglican College supports 1,380 students from Prep to Year 12 through a holistic, personalised and innovative approach to real-world learning.

In 2021’s NAPLAN, Flinders was the highest achieving Primary School on the Sunshine Coast. It ranked 15th in Queensland.

The graduating Class of 2021 achieved a strong median ATAR of 92.35, placing Flinders with Queensland’s highest performing schools and enabling its graduates to reach their potential.

In October, Flinders also became an ‘Apple Distinguished School’ for 2022. This recognition highlights the school’s commitment to guiding its students to become masterful and safe users of technology. www.mfac.edu.au

Sunshine Coast 8yo among Australia’s youngest published authors

Sunshine Coast resident Lincoln Rawlins has launched his debut book, Sprout’s Idea. At the tender age of eight he is not only inspiring a new generation of storytellers, but is one of Australia’s youngest published authors. Sprout’s Idea follows the story of a young seedling who inspired much older forest trees to work together to overcome a veil of negativity plaguing their home. The story has themes of hope and teamwork, as the main character uses kindness and positivity to overcome the evil Shade Man.

Even before the book was officially released in August, it was getting national attention from celebrated Australian author Andy Griffiths (the Treehouse book series).

“I love a good villain and there is no one as villainous as Shade Man,” Griffiths said earlier this year.

Having the support of someone as hugely successful as Griffiths is something Lincoln doesn’t take for granted. The Treehouse series has sold more than 10 million copies in Australia alone. Griffiths has also won numerous Australian Book Industry Awards.

“Who doesn’t like a story about trees? It’s got shade, it’s got light, it’s got heroes, it’s got villains … It has a wonderful message for all of us about shining a light onto the world and not putting others into the shade,” Mr Griffiths says.

Lincoln hopes anyone who reads his book think about the words they speak and their actions towards others. sproutsidea.com

CHECK THIS OUT

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR KIDS OF ALL AGES

Musical Cloud Light

If sleep features high on your Christmas gift list, look no further than the Hape Musical Cloud Light; it’s designed to help your little ones drift peacefully off to sleep.

The Hape Musical Cloud Light features three hanging raindrops. There are also three lighting settings—bright, weak and gentle— plus a selection of 10 audio tracks that includes eight gentle melodies, a soothing heartbeat and rain sounds.

You’ll appreciate the sleep timer and a sensor, which activate the cloud if your baby wakes up crying! It also attaches easily to a cot or stroller. RRP $39.95 // hape.com

BABIES

Beau Bunny

Designed by OB Designs of Byron Bay, this popular soft rattle toy is a great first Christmas gift. It helps develop motor skills and the wooden ring soothes teething pain. Plus, Beau Bunny is super cute! OB Designs prides itself on creating beautiful, ecofriendly, ethically made and delightful products for children.

The soft colour palette is inspired by Byron Bay and the interior is made from recycled material. Each comes with a sweet and fun bio. Suitable for children aged three months and older. RRP $24.95 // obdesigns.com.au

Knappie Bag

These fab nappy bags come in a variety of styles and features lightweight, high-grade nylon to withstand the test of childhood. The backpack has adjustable straps, cream interior lining, bottle holders, and a net pocket for various item storage. Each Knappie is printed to order and delivered direct. Comes in a range of designs to personalise. $64.99 with code INTRO10 // theknappie.com

Personalised ‘First Christmas’ onesie

This super-cute koala ‘My First Christmas’ onesie is sure to melt hearts on Christmas day. And, how adorable will the family photos be?! All bodysuits from Bespoke Baby are made from soft and breathable 100 percent cotton, and crafted to last wash after wash. Available in a variety of colours, they are designed and printed in Australia. Running late? Don’t fret—they have fast shipping too! $22 // bespokebaby.com.au

Felt Stories ‘Once Upon A Garden’

Bring back your fuzzy childhood memories with this beautifully illustrated Christmas gift from Tiger Tribe. Designed to foster creativity, pretend play and storytelling, Felt Stories ‘Once Upon a Garden’ encourages kids to use their imagination. The mix and match pieces allow kids to bring the garden to life on the fuzzy storyboard. It's a mess-free creative way for young ones to develop imagination and fine motor skills. They can create a new garden story every time they play. Suitable for kids aged three years and older.

RRP $25 // tigertribe.com.au

Joseph Joseph Go Eat

Koala Walla Bing Bang

In this fun preschool game from Roo Games, children have to play in a group. They’ll help Wally the Koala climb the tree to reach his favourite eucalyptus leaves, then catch him using the playing cards when he starts sliding down the tree trunk. Made out of wood and beautifully designed with an Australiana theme, Koala Walla Bing Bang is ideal for young children as it helps build three preschool essentials: fine motor skills, gross motor skills, and hand-eye coordination. Also, Roo Games will donate five per cent of sales of Koala Walla Bing Bang to the Australian Koala Foundation. Available from all good toy stores. RRP $34.99

Poncho Pal

Use code KOTC10 at checkout for 10% off!

This super-cute lightweight micro-fibre hooded towel is perfect for little kids at the beach, swimming, or bath-time. Absorbent, fast-drying, and sand resistant, it comes in a range of fun prints for summer. Available in a closed-side and open-side option. $34.95 // coastalkidswear.com.au

PRESCHOOLERS

Joseph Joseph has cooked up a new line of toys, the perfect Christmas gift for your little chef!

Prepare the best sandwiches with this lunchbox play set. It includes four pieces of play food, Joseph Joseph’s iconic chop2pot cutting board and a lunch box to transport your child’s creation.

The range is perfect for practising fine motor skills, imaginative play, building creative minds and even functional baking and cooking. The range allows kids to pretend to bake, make, measure and cook and maybe most importantly, clean up afterwards! Available from all good toy stores. RRP $39.95

Bec & Bello Backpack

Start the new school year in style with this gorgeous backpack from Bec & Bello. Made from 100 percent coated cotton canvas with water resistant coating, it features adjustable padded shoulder straps and padded back panel for added comfort.

The backpack is part of a broader range of matching kids accessories including bento boxes and water bottles. Each of the designs feature a character that has their own unique set of attributes that aims to inspire and make the products a touch more personalised. $69.95 // becandbello.com

My Little Morphée

My Little Morphée is the kids version of Morphee—the popular non-digital sophrology device combining meditation, disconnection and a peaceful night’s sleep. With big, easy-to-use buttons, 16 guided meditations take your child into the universe of their choice. The meditative journeys contain visualisation, breathing and relaxation exercises. $149.99 // morphee.com.au

PRIMARY

Magic Adventures Microscope

Perfect for a budding scientist, kids can explore tiny worlds full of huge discoveries, zooming in on flowers, animals, food, minerals and more. There are eight doublesided smart slides that activate BBC videos and images. Children can also make their own discoveries by finding things around the house and getting a closer look using the reusable slides or large sample tray. They can capture and save the on-screen images too!

RRP $129.95

Osmo Genius Starter Kit

Make young minds explore creative ways to learn with the Osmo Genius Starter Kit! With five interactive games that transform your iPad into a hands-on learning tool, Osmo’s Genius Starter Kit teaches your child math, physics, and art. It also enables your little genius to hone their vocabulary and creative problem-solving skills. Available from Officeworks, JB Hi-Fi, Harvey Norman, The Good Guys. RRP $179.99

Plus-Plus animal sets

Plus-Plus blocks are perfect for small hands and big ideas. Get ready for hours of creative play that stimulates fine motor skills. Build puzzles, mosaics, and 3D constructions while mixing play and creativity! Contains 100 pieces in basic colours and easy-to-follow instructions. Each tube has a different design to build.

RRP $12.95 // goodtoplay.com

LEGO Technic McLaren Formula 1 Race Car

This very special collaboration between LEGO Technic designers and the designers at McLaren Racing makes for an ideal Christmas gift. Just like the real car, this LEGO Technic version features a V6 cylinder engine with moving pistons, steering, suspension and differential for precision cornering. Though the box recommends the McLaren Formula 1 Racing Car for those aged 18-plus, we tested it with a 13-year-old and they loved it! Available from all good toy stores. RRP $169

TWEENS & TEENS

Huawei Band 7

Felt Fox with Christmas Tree craft kit

For kids who love to craft, this Felt Fox with Christmas Tree craft kit from My Felt Lady will keep them inspired. The kit is suitable for most skill levels and includes everything to create this cute and fuzzy Christmas scene. A creative Christmas gift for the season.

RRP $34.50 // myfeltlady.com

TCL NXTPAPER 10s

The NXTPAPER 10s has been developed with a focus on eye wellness and protection. It has a hardware solution delivering 10 layers of protection to reduce blue light by more than 73 per cent, whilst retaining natural colours. Enjoy clear viewing from any angle, thanks to the display’s anti-glare finish. The fingerprint-free screen delivers a tactile feeling. Such innovation makes looking at screens safer and more comfortable. Available from Big W, Target, Mobileciti and online retailers. RRP $499

This stylish smart band is packed with value—it’s even cool enough to impress hard-to-buy-for teens. With fun features including taking an instant pic on your phone and the possibility to reply to messages directly from the watch, the Band 7 offers 14-day battery life (depending on usage), 96 workout modes and Huawei’s Healthy Living Shamrock. You can set daily goals and when you achieve them, the petals bloom. Available in black, green, pink and red. $159

PLAY QUESTION LEARN

With endless sources of information at your fingertips and the world changing faster than we have any hope of keeping up with, the traditional cookiecutter style of learning that we grew up with is redundant. Teaching can no longer be about imparting selected knowledge and memorising content. Now it’s about developing agile thinkers and nurturing learners to have a growth mindset.

“Ours is a culture where mistakes are embraced as a pathway to growth,” says Rachelle Brutnell, Dean of Primary Prep to Year 3 at Sunshine Coast Grammar School.

Nowadays we know a lot more about neuroscience, the plasticity of brains and their ability to continually evolve. Having a growth mindset, being able to display flexible thinking and to view things from different perspectives, is critical now.

To prepare students for a globally connected and information data-driven world, schools acknowledge the need to drastically shift their approach to learning.

“We want to develop the next generation of young adults to have a deep understanding of themselves as learners, to be curious and to actively seek to question, trial, design and create solutions to problems in the world. We want our learners to connect, to understand and to empathise with people and the environment. To be creators and solution finders,” says Mrs Brutnell.

Mrs Brutnell believes that sparking this curiosity starts with the littlest learners, with a child-centered, inquiry approach being a valuable part of the Grammar Primary curriculum.

“An inquiry approach allows teachers to design opportunities for exploration and this is often centered around an initial question. Inquiry is certainly not limited to, but lends itself to the Science and Hass curriculum and it can increase learner agency by igniting student’s curiosity and connecting prior knowledge to areas of interest in the curriculum,” says Mrs Brutnell.

Through inquiry, students learn the skills of empathising, questioning, thinking, designing and reflecting. The many skills they gain through inquiry and design thinking are

How inquiry learning is helping little ones grow.

transferable; students can apply them to new contexts of learning. These are all valuable assets for children, as many of the jobs they may occupy don’t even exist yet.

“The UN sustainability goals are a shared blueprint for peace and prosperity for people and the planet. They are a call for action. We live in our world where we are more often asked to collaborate across the globe in a collective effort to seek solutions at a universal level. We want to nurture our students to be creative and flexible, we want them to seek out information to build on their existing experiences to extend and refine their thinking and ideas. Our students use thinking routines, “First I thought..., now I think…” and they often have to rethink or test their ideas and solutions several times,” says Mrs Brutnell.

CREATING LEARNER AGENCY

The basis of this future-focused learning culture is around building ‘learning assets’ and instilling a love for learning. Learning assets are skills such as being a collaborator, a thinker, a communicator, a researcher, and a self-manager; those skills and dispositions that students need if they are to be successful in an evolving life of constant learning. To create learner agency in students—where they want to learn.

“A culture of curiosity and learning is something that is nurtured at Grammar from Prep all the way through to Year 12. Throughout the school, we focus on providing students with clarity in their learning through explicit learning intentions and understanding of the success criteria. It is through making thinking visible that we engage our students to question and wonder after their learning and the world around them,” says Mrs Brutnell.

“You want students exiting Year 12 who are thinkers that are willing to go out there and question the world and understand that you have to look at things from different perspectives. Young adults who can seek to have a positive impact in the world.” says Mrs Brutnell.

Creating a culture of learning must apply to teachers too.

“Everything that we ask of our students,

we also ask of our teachers,” says Mrs Brutnell. “We want them to be lifelong learners, we want them to have those same dispositions. We want them to be researchers and onto the latest trends in education so that we’ve got best practice and we’re knowledgeable in what the future holds. I think the change in education is within both students and teachers.”

WHAT DOES INQUIRY TEACHING LOOK LIKE?

Mrs Brutnell believes students need to do the heavy lifting in their learning, with teaching providing clarity and expectations.

“Teaching will and should look different in each classroom, as teachers choose from a range of approaches throughout their day to suit to their students’ needs and the learning intention. There will be teaching ranging from explicit instruction with the whole class, to teachers guiding individual students to independently take the next step in their learning.”

Through these carefully crafted lessons teachers encourage student to inquire, to question, to reflect and take their thinking

further before they act. Students are not just given a question and left to their own devices. A good inquiry teacher will scaffold and nurture the learning and explicitly teach both knowledge and skills throughout the investigation.

“I think an inquiry approach is sometimes misunderstood. When undertaking an inquiry, teachers will front-load students with a learning intention, knowledge, skills and a success criteria in the initial phases of the unit. Teachers will engage their learners through provocations or a ‘hook’ to increase their students’ interest and to stimulate wonder and bring relevance to their new learning.

“Together the teacher and student influence the path of learning depending on the student’s prior knowledge and curiosity. This may look different for various students with the goal for all students to demonstrate the success criteria and satisfy the learning intention. Carefully guided by skilled teachers, inquiry can allow students to connect to their learning, dive deeper into a subject and to gain a larger conceptual understanding.” says Mrs Brutnell.

“Inquiry can allow students to connect to their learning, dive deeper into a subject and to gain a larger conceptual understanding.”

THE NEW EARLY YEARS PRECINCT

The new Early Years Precinct at Sunshine Coast Grammar School has been designed to nurture and maximise access to inquiry, exploration and curiosity for their littlest learners.

“Exploring relationships of space, light and shape within its modern architecture, the curved structure can be likened to an eye wide open and taking in the world around it. It’s a very fitting metaphor, as the School sees its wide-eyed learners enter their journey in this aesthetic precinct in which every aspect has been carefully considered through the lens of a child,” says Mrs Brutnell.

The classrooms reflect new ideas and trends boasting teaching walls, high ceilings, reading nooks and purpose-built storage. Located on the second floor, the classrooms extend and merge into an enclosed gallery

that offers a hybrid of outside/inside learning. The area also includes naturally styled carpet alcoves for small group learning.

The purpose-built child-sized teaching kitchen is a clever addition to the space, and offers plenty of opportunity for cooking, experiments and science.

“The teaching kitchen is a familiar setting for our Prep students—everyone has one in their home. It provides a wonderful way to connect their learning to their everyday life. Students have that knowledge of a kitchen as a creative area where family members may often be fine tuning and experimenting with recipes and ingredients. The teaching and shared learning spaces assist to nurture a love of STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Maths) subjects as we can cook, experiment, design and create in this space.”

By placing the classrooms on the first level,

the precinct has a cool ground floor space that supports a broad range of activities including learning, perceptual motor program and play. The large undercroft will allow students to escape the elements and adds to the sensory landscaped playground.

““We live and learn in an amazing tropical part of the world that has seen an increase in wet weather patterns with predictions of more to come. We wanted to ensure we could continue to provide our youngest learners with the highly-desired opportunities for physical movement, gross motor skill development and play, regardless of the weather conditions,” says Mrs Brutnell.

YET, SUCCESS IS ABOUT MORE THAN ARCHITECTURE

Though impressive facilities are nice, successful learning is about so much more than the building it happens in.

“I think it comes down to relationships— the teachers’ and the students’ relationships are still the fundamental core of what drives who we are at Grammar and our community. We always put our students at the heart of everything that we do,” says Mrs Brutnell.

“Our goal is to drive curiosity and a love of learning through learning agency. We have teachers who are delving themselves into current research and making sure they’re on top of good practice and then being encompassed by an amazing building, it just makes for a lovely recipe for success in learning.”

2

1

BAMBOO AND COTTON MUSLIN WRAPS

Lightweight for summer, these ethically made bamboo and cotton muslin wraps are a must-have baby accessory for all parents. With chic designs and made from ecofriendly, ultra-soft bamboo and cotton, these muslins are used as baby swaddles, baby comforter and security blankets, baby nursing accessories, changing mats and more. Made from 70 percent bamboo and 30 percent cotton. // $19.95

2 BEACH BAMBINI BUCKET AND SPADE

This Beach Bambini bucket and spade set is perfect for days at the beach or in the backyard sand pit. Made of 100 percent food grade silicone, the beach bucket sets are super flexible and durable. Being non-toxic, silicone is also safe for your little one and the environment. Set includes 1 bucket, 1 spade and 4 moulds. // $49.95

3 4 5 stylin'

Summer

3 RETRO PRINT PLAYSUIT

This gorgeous sleeveless, short leg, bold retro floral print knit romper features a square neckline with shoulder ruffles, back neck button opening elasticated frilled leg opening and a concealed press stud opening for ease of dressing. Australian owned and designed. // $44.95

4 BAHAMAS BASEBALL CAP

This breathable and oh-so comfortable baseball cap features an adjustable velcro closure, a pre-curved peak and a metal logo. With an exterior made from a natural coloured woven straw, this neutral colour can perfectly paired with a range of looks for kids of all ages! // $32.00

5 BOUTIQUE KIDS THONGS

When only the best will do, Damien Hall Australian designer thongs are the ultimate choice. Made from the highest quality rubber, the delicate straps are embossed with a polished metal badge and they feature a comfortable heel strap to keep the thongs in place. Available in a neutral palette with a splash of bling, so the kids can be as stylish as Mum and Dad! // $29.95

6 TOUCAN TROPICAL SHORTS

These practical blue tropical leaf print linen blend shorts feature an elasticised waist with drawcord and side front pockets. Super comfy to wear, they are a staple for any summer wardrobe. // $49.95

Moobaba, the fab baby and kids store at The Wharf, has an adorable new range for summer. Here are a few of our favourites. Can’t make it into the store? No problem! Shop online at moobaba.com.au

7 CLAIRE SUNHAT

With a broad brim, this gorgeous Toshi sunhat offers increased sun protection to keep your little one safe. Featuring a head tie for adjustable sizing and a chin toggle to secure the hat. It also has a security release clasp for increased safety. Fully lined and made from the finest quality 100 percent cotton, it comes in a range of original and exclusive designs for the summer season. // $39.95

8 BRODY LONG-SLEEVED

RASHIE

This long-sleeved rashie is perfect for long summer days at the beach. With contrast stitching and side panels, it features a back neck zip opening, a dinosaur graphic on the front and is made with UPF50+ chlorine resistant fabric. Matching Brody board shorts and trunks available too! //$44.95

8 6 9 10

7

9 SEA CREATURE PLUSHIES

These plush toys are perfect for gifting and are a wonderful keepsake. Suitable for babies from birth, they are made to the highest standards with 100 percent polyester interior and exterior, and the interior is made from recycled material. Whichever creature you choose it is sure to become your little one’s most treasured softie this summer. // $39.95

10 JAX SHADES

Step up the style and sun protection game for your little one with these awesome sunnies! Fitted with UV400-rated lenses, they provide optimal protection from harmful UVA and UVB rays for your little one’s eyes. And with different coloured frame options, they effortlessly complement every child’s face.

Sized to fit toddlers and kids. // $22.00

CHRISTMAS

AT KAWANA SHOPPINGWORLD

From magical photo memories to Christmas childminding, Kawana Shoppingworld is making Christmas the BESTmas!

NOVEMBER 26

Christmas Paw Patrol Show Chase and Marshall are kicking off Christmas with a jolly kids' show in the food court!

Christmas Parade & Santa’s Arrival Join Santa, Mrs Claus and more Christmas characters for a magical parade.

NOVEMBER 26 TO CHRISTMAS EVE

Santa Photo Experience Capture your Christmas moment at Santa's new Beach House. The experience includes family, pet, sensory and extra Christmas character sessions.

Roving Christmas entertainment Meet The Naughty Christmas Tree plus enjoy extra Christmas characters to add to the festive joy in the week leading up to Christmas!

DECEMBER 1 TO CHRISTMAS EVE

‘Shop & Drop’ Christmas craft Drop the kids off to enjoy Christmas craft and do the shopping in peace!

Charity gift wrapping Have your Christmas gifts beautifully wrapped for just a gold coin donation.

THROUGH SUMMER

Enjoy a child-free date night With free childminding at Event Cinemas every month.

School holiday activities at Kawana Head into Kawana in the January school holidays for two weeks of craft at the Kawana Seaside Craft Zone!

DEVELOPING RESILIENCE

and the IMPORTANCE OF FAILURE

As

parents and caregivers, we all want what is best for our children. But are the measures we put into place to keep our children happy always in their best interests?

Unfortunately, the reality of life is that we are not always happy. We do not always win and, most certainly, things do not always go our way. But sometimes we inadvertently protect our young people from experiencing the ‘harder’ aspects of growing up, like disappointment, hurt, failure, frustration, sadness or fear.

Failure, a lack of success, is something as adults we have all experienced. It can feel uncomfortable or awkward, raising emotions of disappointment or regret. But what a valuable learning opportunity it presents.

Supporting our children to know that it’s ok to feel sad, disappointed, frustrated, or any other emotion that might arise when doing something new, is essential to developing resilience and maximising their learning potential. Being resilient means that you have the ability to bounce back and try again. A resilient child will often recover from challenges quicker, and feel more empowered to manage other problems when they next arise.

Learning anything is a series of taking risks—learning how to stand up and walk; learning how to communicate; learning how to share (if I give it to them, will they give it back?); learning how to read; the list goes on.

By supporting children through failure, not preventing it, we have an amazing opportunity to set our children up for success. Here are 5 simple things you can do to help embrace failure and build resilience:

1MODEL MISTAKE MAKING

In the earlier years, our kids think we are the greatest and we know everything (enjoy that because once they’re teenagers, we know nothing!). When we make a mistake, point it out. Don’t be afraid to say, ‘Oh dear, I made a mistake! I was supposed to…’

Letting our children understand that being ‘less than perfect’ is normal, puts them well on the way to becoming confident risk-takers in a learning environment.

2 THINK OUT LOUD

Thinking out loud is such a valuable learning experience for our children. By vocalising our thoughts, we are showing them that every mistake is just a problem waiting to be fixed.

3 INVENT SOLUTIONS

This really means teaching our children how to navigate the options available. Share a few ideas on how the problem (or failure) could be fixed. Ask your child to help you when coming up with solutions—what do they think would be the best option?

It’s also important to learn that not every problem can be fixed (for example, the death of a pet). But we can come up with solutions and model how to frame our thinking when this happens.

4 REFLECT ON CHOICES

After putting the solution into place, check in and see if the desired result has been achieved. It’s also an opportunity to model that maybe it’s not ‘exactly’ how we wanted things, but it’s the best we can do.

5 REPEAT!

Doing these steps often, and obviously, with your children should help them to develop skills to deal with the upsets of ‘real life’ in a supportive and constructive way. You will certainly nurture confident risk-takers and creative problemsolvers—what an unstoppable combination for success!

By Katrina Riley, Deputy Head of Primary School, Immanuel Lutheran College

Enquiries: Krystle Cullen on 5451 3648

Suncoast Christian College, Cnr Schubert & Kiels Mtn Road, Woombye www.suncoastlittlelearners.com.au

FROM BIG THINGS, LITTLE ONES GROW at Edge Early Learning

Committed to delivering exceptional learning experiences combined with quality care, Edge

Early Learning has plans to open up to ten new sites within the next year, as the early learning group grows to support the needs of families in south-east Queensland and surrounds.

Established in 2017 in Brisbane, Edge

Early Learning has grown from just a few centres to having more than 50 locations across three states— Queensland, ACT and South Australia—in just the past five years.

Looking ahead at the next year, the privately owned early learning group will continue at a similar pace to some of the region’s burgeoning suburbs.

To meet the population growth and demand for quality early learning centres within the booming locations, Edge has plans to open four centres across Queensland within the next six months.

In early 2023 Edge will open locations in Crestmead, Pimpama Village, and Silkstone,

with Morayfield East and Flagstone to follow later in the year.

Edge Early Learning CEO Annie Bryce says there has already been huge interest in the planned locations, with children registered on waitlists.

“Families are looking for a positive early learning environment that meets all their family’s requirements. They are looking for a place that not only their child will love, but also understands and supports their learning and development,” Mrs Bryce says.

“We’ve been undertaking a lot of research at Edge to ensure we expand our footprint in locations that require quality early learning centres. Some of the centres, such as Pimpama Village and Crestmead, have already had a huge amount of interest, with families joining the waitlist ahead of the official openings next year.”

“A large proportion of the areas we are expanding into are growing. We want to be perfectly positioned to support parents,

families and carers with a place for their children to learn, grow and foster a love of learning before starting school,” Mrs Bryce says.

ENRICHING LEARNING EXPERIENCES

Edge provides enriching learning experiences by instilling a love for learning through playbased experiences and modern resources.

Focusing on four pillars—education, wellbeing, relationships and sustainability— Edge aims to set a high benchmark for early learning expectations.

“We’re proud of the development of our four fundamental pillars and these details, we believe, are what sets us apart,” Mrs Bryce says.

“The first pillar is quality education, as early learning is critical for every child’s development at this time of their life. We’re also very passionate about health and wellbeing and that is why our program promotes healthy eating and an active lifestyle.”

“We want to ensure children are building strong relationships with their educators, their families and their peers. We’re also mindful about the world we live in and recognise the importance of educating our future generations about sustainability while also living this ethos corporately across the company.”

“Our passionate educators work with families and our local community to provide a safe and inspiring environment tailored to the children in our care. We value the relationships we have with our community partners and believe that incorporating these relationships into children’s learning will provide a better future for everyone.”

Edge takes pride in incorporating a holistic style of learning with an inquiry based approach, which is where children are encouraged to ask questions, explore new ideas, and learn through play.

The inquiry based philosophy is supported by the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF) which focuses on the importance of play-based learning to guide children towards achieving developmental goals.

“Inquiry based education is a dynamic and holistic learning approach. Our Educators start by posing questions or scenarios to trigger curiosity and encourage children to investigate their findings,” Mrs Bryce says.

“Through this learning approach, we want to encourage children to have their own sense of identity, connect with the world around them, have a strong sense of wellbeing, be confident and involved learners, and for them to also be effective communicators.

“The Early Years Learning Framework

has been specifically designed and tailored to each age group to meet their individual developmental goals. Development goals for nursery-aged children are learning simple communicative gestures such as waving or responding to their name. As children grow and develop, they will learn how to play parallel alongside others and learn to share, be able to sort objects by shape and colour, or take part in conversations and tell stories.

“Inquiry based learning is particularly beneficial throughout early years in developing problem solving and communication skills,” says Mrs Bryce.

21ST CENTURY SPACES

Quality education and care is front of mind for Edge, but there’s also an equally strong focus on ensuring each centre has modern learning facilities and play spaces.

Each centre offers a spacious environment featuring classrooms equipped with state-of-the-art learning resources and large outdoor play areas, including bike tracks, water play areas, sand pits, and adventure play equipment that allows children to customise their play on the go.

The expansive indoor and outdoor play spaces have been architecturally designed to

suit the needs of all children from the ages of six weeks to school age, including separate areas appropriate to each age group.

In-house chefs also provide nutritious meals daily, including, morning tea, lunch, and afternoon snacks, all served in a communal setting to encourage socialisation.

“Each Edge centre has a unique environment that is both inspiring and challenging, curated to give our children the best opportunity to develop new skills and enhance learning,” Mrs Bryce says.

“We believe in lifelong learning and place the highest importance on play. Young children’s play allows them to explore, identify, negotiate, take risks, and create meaning—it is their way of learning about their world.”

“At Edge, we encourage relationship building through group activity, team sport and communal mealtimes, which also deliver the added convenience of providing children with nutritious and delicious meals to suit their specific dietary requirements.”

BUILDING A COMMUNITY

As well as an essential source of care and education, the early learning years are also a cornerstone of community for families with young children. Every Edge Early Learning Centre that opens means local career opportunities grow and communities

care each day and 30+ jobs to the local community.

“A career in early childhood education can be highly rewarding and enriching, and offers an opportunity to make a meaningful difference in the lives of many young children and their families,” says Mrs Bryce.

There are a number of employment opportunities available at Edge centres throughout Queensland, ranging from casual Educators up to Centre Director positions.

Edge is currently seeking applications from those within the local community from all walks of life who are passionate about making a difference in young lives and who are seeking a stable and promising career.

Edge employees are offered a wide range of benefits from 95 per cent off their own childcare fees, an extra day of leave in their birthday week, above Award pay, paid attendance at all team meetings, school holiday leave for ECTs, training and development, and paid traineeships. The minimum requirement to work at an Edge childcare centre, is to hold or be working towards a Certificate 3 qualification in Early Childhood.

“Our mission is to become Australia’s leading early childhood education provider

by empowering our educators and providing them with the environment, resources and support they require to create optimum learning opportunities for the children in their care,” Edge Early Learning People and Culture Manager Peita Heintzberger says.

“And you don’t need to leave your prior skills, experience or passions at the door. We love bringing people on who have different backgrounds and different interests, and we look to see how we can incorporate those interests into our centres to create rich educational experiences.”

LOOKING TO THE FUTURE Edge is continuing to grow with national demand to meet the expectations of parents seeking quality education and care.

“Looking ahead at the next few years, we are expanding and are seeking locations in communities that are in need of access to exceptional early learning pathways for their little ones,” Mrs Bryce says.

“We plan to infuse our Edge philosophy, learning environments and teaching methods into our new locations to ensure that our children have access to safe and inspiring environments, create meaning about the world around us, experience new understandings and develop a love of learning.”

Across the three states, Edge is delivering quality childcare to more than 12,000 children and provides more than 2,000 jobs. Edge is currently taking enrolments for 2023.

“Young children’s play allows them to explore, identify, negotiate, take risks, and create meaning—it is their way of learning about their world.”

Growing people to make a difference.

Signs your child is 1 2

As parents, all we want is for our kids to be happy at school. To come home, excited to tell us about their day, and see them thriving and growing in the classroom. Sadly, for many kids, school is not such a walk in the park and it’s common for kids to struggle at some point. But sometimes it’s hard to pinpoint exactly when. Rochelle Callard from leading tutoring service Numberworks’nWords shares her expertise on the signs to look for and what to do.

REFUSAL TO DISCUSS SCHOOL

Not all children have the same attitude and behaviour towards school. Some enjoy it, while others encounter more challenges that make it difficult for them to enjoy school. If your child is hesitant or reluctant to talk about school or how their school day went, it can be a sign that they are struggling. It is important to make sure that kids retain a positive attitude towards school and are comfortable expressing their challenges and weaknesses. Start a conversation with them and discuss how they are going at school, any concerns or struggles they may have, and what they enjoy.

A CHANGE IN ATTITUDE ABOUT SCHOOL

A positive attitude towards school and education is integral to a positive experience. Enthusiasm can ebb and flow, but if you notice a major change in attitude, or your child suddenly becomes distant or angry towards school, this is certainly cause for concern.

Your child might try to avoid school or begin to complain about boredom, which may stem from difficulty in keeping up in the classroom. Or they may already know the material being taught and need extension work. It is important to always dig a little deeper to find the cause, and support them in every way you can, whether it’s asking for extension work or enrolling in after-school tutoring to enhance their skills.

TEACHER CONCERNS

Teachers play a significant role in children’s lives. They are responsible for educating our kids at school and ensuring our little ones are on the right track. It can be tempting to dismiss a teacher’s feedback about your child, especially if what they are saying is different from what you have always known your child to be. However, if the teacher believes that your child is struggling at school, pay attention to their concerns. Take some time to discuss with your child and their teacher the options available to help them.

LOW CONFIDENCE AND GRADES

Confidence is a key component of a child’s success and development in school. As parents, we want to believe the best about our children, and so it is important that they attend school with confidence and aim to achieve the best possible results. An important sign to look out for is their confidence and grades. If your child is lacking self-confidence and motivation, especially to complete their homework, this is a sign that they are struggling or finding the work challenging. This may be accompanied by, or lead to, the occasional poor grade. Though this may not be an immediate cause for concern, a continuous pattern of low grades could be a sign that your child is struggling. Sit your child down and come up with a plan to help restore their confidence, and support them and their academic needs.

To find out more about the NumberWorks’nWords program, contact Rochelle Callard: 07 5445 4412 or email sippydowns@numberworks.com

The support and encouragement you provide your child when they face struggles and challenges in school can make a huge difference to their attitude and behaviour towards school. The NumberWorks’nWords program is designed to get students on track and enjoying their lessons, and help them boost their learning confidence. If you would like to learn more about the NumberWorks’nWords Maths and English tutoring programmes, get in touch, or book a free assessment.

ENROLMENTS

OPEN FOR 2023.

Edge Early Learning provide quality childcare and kindergarten programs tailored to children from 6 weeks to school age. Our qualified educators deliver inspiring environments where children are encouraged to discover new interests, learn through play, and start school with a love of learning.

STARTING SECONDARY SCHOOL:

How to support your child

Starting the first day of school in Prep is a daunting time for young children, but let’s not forget the challenge of the first day of Secondary School. Our tweens and teens entering ‘big school’ or ‘high school’ can also experience nerves, excitement, questions and bewilderment—especially with the daunting prospect of new school campuses, timetable navigation, laptops and associated software.

At Matthew Flinders Anglican College in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast, the Secondary School journey starts in Year 7, when children are 12 years or 13 years old.

Mrs Anita Gibson is the Head of Middle School at Flinders, and says a rigorous orientation program is vital to support new students in experiencing a smooth and positive transition.

“At Flinders, we strive to make the Middle School, from Years 7 to 9, an exciting, caring and empowering place for our students,” Anita says.

“It’s designed as a tailored experience because we recognise that adolescents of this age have the need for independence,” she says.

“To support their unique needs, teaching and learning in the Middle School is designed around the key principles of relationships, agency, mastery and purpose, which assist our learners to be engaged, focused and successful,” she says.

“The goal is for our students to develop the confidence they need to successfully learn, but also develop the 21st century skills of collaboration, creativity, critical thinking, character, communication and citizenship.”

Mrs Anita Gibson, Head of Middle School at Matthew Flinders Anglican College meets with a group of Middle School students.

ORIENTATION

PROGRAMS

TO SUPPORT STUDENTS

Year 7 is a popular intake year at Flinders, with more than 30 new students joining the College community alongside the large cohort of students who graduate from Year 6 in the Flinders Primary campus.

“Our orientation program begins in the year prior to the start of Year 7, with parent and student information sessions as well as Orientation Day in Term 4, which is great fun,” Anita says.

“The Flinders Orientation Day enables students to spend a morning in the Secondary School, familiarising themselves with the campus and routines.

“Our Year 7s also attend an Induction Day in January of Year 7 to help prepare them for the first day of school, so they can start confidently and without the worry of things like how to turn on their laptops and find their classrooms.”

DEDICATED YEAR 7 PRECINCT TO GATHER AND LEARN

A new, large campus can appear overwhelming for students beginning their secondary schooling and for this reason, Flinders provides a dedicated precinct for its Year 7 students to gather and learn.

The new Year 7 Precinct opened in August

2020, as part of the Flinders Masterplan’s suite of new facilities. The Precinct features three science laboratories and three general purpose classrooms that can be opened into one large collaborative space. There is also The Hive, a break-out space for students to brainstorm, present, discuss and relax, and The Bungaree Room for student groups to collaborate and for staff to meet in their professional learning teams.

“Our Year 7 students tell us they love their precinct’s verandahs with balcony views of our manicured sports oval and surrounding rainforest,” Anita says.

“It’s important that our students and staff can spend time in a light-filled and modern facility that supports their health and wellbeing.”

FOCUS ON STUDENT WELLBEING

It’s not just new students who benefit from a school’s focus on wellbeing and pastoral care.

At Flinders, all students from Prep to Year 12 are encouraged to recognise and connect with the support networks around them so that they feel seen, heard and cared for.

The Year 7 students get to know peers and staff across all Secondary year levels through regular WELL4Life and Learning (wellbeing) events and co-curricular opportunities which promote fun, connectedness and wellbeing.

From inter-House sports carnivals and skill challenges to health awareness campaigns such as RU OK? Day, charity fundraisers and the annual student-led Flinders Wellness Festival, there is plenty to get involved in.

The College’s wellbeing program also weaves wellness into the daily school curriculum and teaches students real world skills such as how to be a good role model and team player, develop self-esteem, and nurture kind and respectful relationships.

OUTDOOR EDUCATION ENCOURAGES CONNECTIONS

In the first term of Year 7 at Flinders, students embark on a local adventure camp for a team building experience.

“Our Year 7 camp is one of the most memorable experiences for our students in their Secondary journey,” Anita says.

“It’s designed with the express purpose for our students to have fun, get to know and trust their peers and teachers, and build new friendships from the get-go.

“It helps our students to start their Secondary journey feeling a sense of belonging, care and connectedness to their school and to each other.”

“The College’s wellbeing program weaves wellness into the daily school curriculum.”

Flinders provides a dedicated precinct for its Year 7 students to gather and learn.

Smoothing THE TRANSITION TO PREP

Are you starting Prep in 2023? How has the transition been so far? This school’s approach to Prep transition has been a huge success with families. Spoiler alert… it is already familiarising Preppies for 2024!

The first day of ‘big’ school will be on the minds of many kindy families right now. You worked out which friends from kindy are going to the same school. You probably did a brief tour and you might have an Orientation Day at the end of Term 4. But, often, the first day of school is the first time you’ll spent any consistent time at your new school.

This makes the first day of school a big deal. Your child needs to remember where to hang their bag, where the toilets are. Which one is the teacher? In fact who are all these people? Oh, and where are the toilets again?”

With a start to Prep such as this, the first few weeks are mostly spent on orientation, and it could be the end of Term 1 before many kids are comfortable enough to learn.

But what if all that familiarity could be built well before the first day?

Sunshine Beach State Primary School is one school that has established a long-term, proactive approach to settling in its littlest learners, holding a comprehensive program of Prep transition events through the entire year prior to when learners start.

“Our Prep Transition Program gives Pre-Prep children plenty of time to feel at

A TEACHER WILL SHARE A STORY WITH THE GROUP. THIS WILL BE FOLLOWED BY A LITERACY OR ART ACTIVITY RELATED TO THE BOOK.

know what to expect, get to know the Prep teachers and Prep ‘family’—all those things that help a child to feel confident and safe in those critical early days,” says Bec Kennett, Prep Transition Officer at Sunshine Beach State School.

The Prep transition program at Sunshine Beach includes a regular series of story time and showcase lessons at the school, each designed to expose children and families to what life in Prep at Sunshine Beach is like.

“Our story time sessions are an incredibly successful part of the transition program,” says Bec. “Families can come and join in the experience of a Prep classroom. A teacher will share a story with the group. This will be followed by a literacy or art activity related to the book.”

As well as story time sessions, parents are encouraged to attend the many other transition events throughout the year.

“During some events, children will join with their peers and junior classes in an author event in our hall. In other events, they may attend a specialist class led by our specialist teachers, join Prep children within the class for an activity, sit outside under the Prep tree for morning tea and have fun in the Prep playground,” says Bec. “Meanwhile, parents are able to network with families and chat to staff, while watching their children create new friendships and develop a support system.”

“The goal of our Prep Transition Program is to ensure a smooth and happy start to school life, not only on Day 1 but throughout each child's educational path.”

SUNSHINE BUSH PLAYGROUP

In addition to the structured Prep transition events, The Sunshine Bush Playgroup—held every Wednesday morning in the school’s impressive permaculture garden (excluding public and term holidays)—also plays an important role in Prep transition.

“Children come to play in our lovely permaculture garden, make friends, many of whom will be starting Prep the following year. And it’s also a wonderful opportunity for parents to make important connections, to make the Prep transition far less daunting for everyone.”

“The Bush Playgroup is great for transitioning children into Prep because families are there with their children,” Bec explains. “Families and children come together to create nature-based craft activities using resources from our gardens. Bush playground is the perfect for families

to build long lasting connections and for their children to establish a great friend base for stepping into learning at our school.”

“Also, the thing that we find helps most with the transition into Prep is being comfortable with your surroundings; being familiar with the Prep area and how school works. Coming to the Bush Playgroup each week provides the time and opportunity for families to build that essential connection with the school.”

“By the time it comes to Prep, our little bush babies are confidently running into their classrooms, not fazed at all about the school year ahead. They even have friendships from playgroup that go onto the Prep year together.”

The Sunshine Bush Playgroup is free and open to all families with under-school-age children.

“By the time it comes to Prep, our little bush babies are confidently running into their classrooms.”

NIRIMBA STATE Happy Birthday PRIMARY SCHOOL!

It’s hard to believe that it’s already been almost a whole year since Nirimba State Primary School first opened its doors. As this fledging school celebrates its first birthday, we head back to the rapidly growing Aura suburb to see how much the school community has evolved.

Designed from the ground up to best educate the kids of the future, this 21st century school was meticulously planned—from the innovative layout to the textures and colours in the classrooms. And now seeing the campus buzzing with life is certainly exciting.

The large sustainability precinct is now growing, with the community garden taking shape. The play spaces and pathways are established, with trees providing shaded spots for break time.

“Turning one is definitely cause for celebration as we have already come so far as a school in such a short period of time,” says Principal Steven Moore.

Nirimba State Primary School opened at the beginning of 2022 with 161 enrolments. In the space of a year those numbers have almost doubled, with over 300 students due to commence in 2023.

“It has been a very successful year with students enjoying everything that the school has to offer. We are looking forward to building upon the great work that has been achieved in our first year, expanding projects

The state-of-the-art campus of Nirimba State Primary School

Students at Nirimba

School enjoy fulfilling the motto of ‘Embracing opportunities of today, inspiring futures of tomorrow’.

and initiatives as we continue to grow.”

Mr Moore believes that the whole school community has played a part in the success of the first year.

“I am extremely proud of our students, staff and families. Staff have gone above and beyond in providing a great education to students and providing them a range of extra-curricular activities. Students have embraced the opportunities that have been presented to them and really helped to shape the long-term vision for the school.

“Parents and, in particular, our P&C committee have been extremely supportive of the school and we have valued the contributions that they have made throughout this year,” says Mr Moore.

“There have been so many positive achievements throughout our first year that have been identified through our School

Review and our Inclusion Scan Assess. It has been wonderfully affirming to have external teams visit our school and confirm that we are providing a great educational service to our families.”

With a motto of ‘Embracing opportunities of today, inspiring futures of tomorrow’, this future-focused school has included many innovative elements in its inaugural curriculum, such as:

• Japanese is offered to all students from Prep to Year 6;

• it is a 1-to-1 iPad school from Year 1 – 6; and

• all five areas of the arts are taught to all year levels— Visual Art, Dance, Drama, Media Arts and Music.

Looking towards 2023, there are more additions in store, including:

• plans to provide Visual Art and Dance and Drama extension classes in 2023;

• the school’s Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Mathematics (STEAM) approach will expand to have its own dedicated space that promotes the elements of design and encourages creativity and solutions for the real world;

• plans to expand the Arts, Coding and Robotics initiatives;

• further plans to partner with external organisations to provide a variety of sporting opportunities for students; and,

• partnering with PCYC to implement a Community Playgroup from 2023, for local families and children who are not attending school yet.

“This year we have had the opportunity to engage all stakeholders of the school community and their voices have helped us to craft our first long-term strategic plan. The main focus for us will be ensuring that our broad curriculum offerings, student and family support services and high-quality teaching and learning keep pace with the increase in student numbers.

“Our plans will continue to focus on ensuring that our school is a warm and welcoming school that values diversity, is inclusive, and provides an excellent education to students enrolled at the school.”

“Turning one is definitely cause for celebration as we have already come so far as a school in such a short period of time.”

State Primary

•

•

•

•

Where Preps flourish INTO LIFELONG LEARNERS

Stimulating activities, colourful learning spaces, laughter, fun and guidance by highly skilled and empathetic teachers to explore the world around them. These are just some of the elements at the core of the Prep experience at Pacific Lutheran College.

“Firstly, we ensure our Prep classrooms are welcoming and supportive environments where children can ease into their school journey,” says Sue Zweck, Head of Learning K – 5 at Pacific Lutheran College.

“Pacific encourages and nurtures each child’s curiosity and creativity to promote confidence and independence as they begin their learning journey through Prep.”

With teachers who understand, not only what children need to learn but how and why, children’s learning skills are challenged and supported through individualised, play-based, evidence-led learning to help them thrive academically and socially for future success.

“We aim to support our students with a holistic approach, to develop and nurture their intellectual, social, emotional, spiritual and physical needs. Values of respect, initiative, helpfulness, kindness, and self-control are explicitly taught, modelled and affirmed in each student,” says Mrs Zweck.

Pacific Lutheran College provides solid foundations for all the key learning areas of the Australian Prep program.

“A love of learning is our goal and we pursue this by balancing social interaction, formal learning and play-based learning. We also prioritise developing literacy and numeracy skills. Our learning areas include

A balance of social interaction, formal learning and play-based learning.

English, Mathematics, History, Geography, Science, Christian Studies, Japanese, Music, Health and Physical Education and Technology,” says Mrs Zweck.

Mrs Zweck says that Prep students are curious, eager learners who engage best through shared experiences.

“The Pacific approach to reading and spelling in the early years draws on best practice from research with an emphasis on oral language, quality literature, phonics and phonemic awareness, letter formation and fine motor development. Early literacy success opens a world of potential, opportunity, creativity and imagination for children.”

Other exciting learning opportunities

enjoyed by the Preps at Pacific Lutheran College include an excursion to Australia Zoo when learning about life and living, using the Sphero-Indi robots to map and follow directions, learning from the older generation at Grandparents Day and developing a love of music and performance art by participating in a College Christmas Carols evening.

“We share our learning about our College’s values through active involvement in weekly chapels and leading chapel once a term. We enjoy weekly swimming lessons in Term 4, and absolutely love participating in the Cross Country and Athletics Carnival in Term 3. Our buddies from Year 5 celebrate with us every second Friday at morning tea and support Prep students in making their Easter Bonnets and Christmas craft,” Mrs Zweck.

“By the end of the Prep year, students will have gained independence, developed positive friendships and are equipped with valuable skills to support them in their learning journey.”

"Prep students are curious, eager learners who engage best through shared experiences."

The Prep year is when the foundations are laid for children to become lifelong learners. But how is this actually achieved? We visit Pacific Lutheran College to find out.

Preparing for CHILDCARE

Going back to work when you have little ones can be daunting. Pam Maclean from Out & About Care & Education shares her tips on how to make this change less stressful for you and your child.

If we take some time to prepare children before they begin in care, they will find the change in routine easier to manage.

Depending on their age, there are a few simple but important things we can do to assist.

PREPARING A BABY FOR CARE

Decide well ahead of time how you plan to feed baby and settle them into the feeding routines before they start in care. This could be expressing milk, visiting a couple of times per day to breastfeed, formula feeding, or weaning them off milk. Babies may not like the feel of the plastic teat as it is so different from the breast, so allow time for this change to occur and settle.

Ensure your baby can sit and play (if old enough to sit) for 5-15 minutes with toys around them, rather than always be carried or played with by you. It is important to practice this at home and help them learn they can engage with toys without your presence.

Teach your baby to settle to sleep without being rocked and held or breastfed to sleep.

PREPARING A TODDLER FOR CARE

Ensure toddlers can walk steadily during play so they can confidently be active with other children, without falling over and being upset. This takes practice like any other skill so let them run and play at home to refine this skill and build their confidence.

Encourage some simple first words for your little one so they can communicate with educators as to what they would like. For example, key words like, drink, food, sleep, bed, nappy, cuddle and so on. This also applies if your child has a language other than English. Our educators like to learn these simple words to offer comfort to your child in the new setting in a language they are familiar with.

Starting your toddler off with self-feeding using finger foods or spoons also helps them manage their day. Educators will still help them with spoons, but children feel so much more confident if they can self-manage these things to some degree.

Have toddlers practice wearing a hat when outdoors, as they will certainly have to do so when in care as part of the sun safe program.

Encourage your child to have their own sippy cup with a secure lid and have them always use it, even at home, when they are thirsty. Children will use this in care too, so it is another little skill they can already manage, boosting their confidence each day they attend.

IF YOUR CHILD IS THREE OR OLDER

Children who are three or older, are often already wonderful at playing with others, but some will need assistance with this. Playing with other young children in playgroup settings can help them enormously so they have already practiced those necessary skills

before they enter childcare.

Children in this age group should already be fully toilet trained before they begin in care, just as expected in any Kindy age setting. Of course, accidents still happen! But at this age the care ratio in each room shifts to 1 adult to 11 children, therefore it becomes a bigger safety issue to manage daily toilet mishaps.

Turn taking, sharing and being part of the group is challenging for young children, so it is important to help them acquire some of these skills. They will need these skills throughout their formal schooling too, so the more natural they are, the easier it is for children to positively manage their day. Three-year-olds often need gentle reminders when playing with others,

so they learn to manage social situations.

Children who are three or older can walk in and out of care, carry their own bags and put them away, taking their water bottles to the correct place and putting their hats away. These are organisational skills they need to manage their day well, and to feel confident and capable. They know where to go for their belongings and where they should be put. Taking responsibility for their own belongings is an important element in confidence and resilience building.

We want our children to blossom into lovely human beings who manage their days well and achieve success. As parents, we can help them start this process by preparing them well for the challenges of being away from us for extended periods of time and showing them we have confidence in their ability to navigate their way through each day with confidence and skill.

By Pam Maclean M.Ed.

Music Therapy

“Taking responsibility for their own belongings is an important element in confidence building.”

Sheyana FINDS HER CALLING

Sunshine Coast local Sheyana Brough is turning her passion for supporting children into a rewarding career in early childhood, with the 20-year-old developing her skills at TAFE Queensland.

Sheyana knew she wanted to teach, guide and support children for a living from a young age, after stepping up to help her mother raise her baby sister following the passing of her father when she was just 11-years-old. Her passion for the industry was only strengthened after she completed work experience at a childcare centre in high school, with Sheyana also taking up babysitting and teaching dance to younger children before even graduating high school.

“I really struggled throughout high school. Everyone was set on what they wanted to do from Year 9 and while I knew I always wanted to work with kids, I didn’t think I was smart enough and really doubted myself, because I felt the pressure to go to uni. But I’m so glad I came to TAFE—this diploma has really guided me to be the best educator I can be,” she said.

“Everything about early childhood education and care makes me happy. Whenever I walk into work I get piled with hugs from the children and it just makes my day.

“It’s so rewarding knowing I am making an impact in these children’s lives. It’s truly a privilege to help shape children and you can actually see the difference you’re making.”

Sheyana’s goal is to continue furthering her studies, with the aim of eventually becoming a teacher in Steiner education—a goal she’s one step closer to achieving

after completing her Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121) straight out of school last year and continuing her studies with a Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC50121).

“I have a passion for alternative schools because I went to a couple myself and experienced how a different approach can foster creativity and bring out the best in children,” she said.

“Steiner lets kids learn through their creative interests—it’s all about helping them build their communication and social skills while having fun.”

While she has not yet graduated, Sheyana has already been working in the industry casually for a year, and has recently gained part-time employment at a local early learning centre. It’s a position that she says has only reaffirmed her decision to pursue this career path.

“I’ve always loved playing and being around children throughout my life and I can’t believe that something that comes so naturally to me can be my career,” Sheyana said.

“I absolutely love kids and I feel like working in this industry is my calling.”

Enrolments for Semester 1 2023 are now open. The Certificate III in Early Childhood Education and Care (CHC30121) is currently available to eligible Queenslanders at no cost under the State Government’s Free TAFE for Under 25s funding.

It’s so rewarding knowing I am making an impact in these children’s lives.

Lady Elliot Island

SITUATED ON THE SOUTHERN GREAT BARRIER REEF

VISIT THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

ON A DAY TOUR OR STAY A FEW DAYS ON OUR UNIQUE LADY ELLIOT ISLAND ECO RESORT.

Lady Elliot Island is a coral cay located on the southern tip of the Great Barrier Reef, just north of Fraser Island. The island is situated within a highly protected ‘Green Zone’ of the Marine National Park and is a sanctuary for over 1,200 species of marine life. Lady Elliot is regarded as one of the best snorkelling and diving locations on the Great Barrier Reef and is renowned for its healthy coral reef and abundance of turtles, manta rays, reef sharks and the entire cast of ‘Finding Nemo’ .

Turtle Nesting Season: Oct - Feb Turtle Hatching Season: Feb - Apr Whale Migration Season: Jul - Oct Manta Rays- All year round Day Tours and overnight night stays available, SCENIC flights departing Brisbane (Redcliffe), Gold Coast, Hervey Bay (Fraser Coast), Bundaberg and 1770/Agnes Waters (1770 Daytrips only)

FROM BRISBANE

Easy ways to

KEEP YOUR CHILD’S LITERACY UP

The long summer break is upon us once more. It’s time for the kids to kick back, play outside, indulge in some extra screen time and have zero worries for six weeks. However, how much downtime is too much?

Known as the ‘summer slide’, it’s common for kids to experience some element of regression in academic ability during the summer months. It’s something that can hinder their progress when they do return to the classroom, so it’s important that their little brains are kept active and learning.

Thankfully there are plenty of super-easy and totally free things we can do to use some of that downtime for good. In fact, they also double up as sanity savers for parents. #win-win

1

PLAY LITERACY GAMES IN THE CAR

Whether it’s on the way to the supermarket or on a longer road trip, reading signs is a great way to get kids’ brains firing. Have them read signs aloud, or look for specific letters or numbers, or challenge them to make a sentence from letters on a number plate. All these activities also double as a delay in backseat squabbles and that inevitable question: ‘are we there yet?’

2 ORDER THEIR OWN FOOD

Eating out or grabbing a takeaway? Have the kids read the menu and order their own food. It’s a great confidence builder and another sneaky way to get them reading. Plus, it means you don’t have to cook.

3 HELP WITH CHRISTMAS SHOPPING

Making lists, helping at the supermarket, writing Christmas cards, these are all things that help enormously with their literacy. And can also take the load off a frazzled parent.

4 TRY A NEW RECIPE EACH WEEK

Why not have them choose a recipe from a book and help to cook? They can read the recipe out and measure ingredients as you cook together. Dinner, bonding and literacy—tick!

5 VISIT THE LIBRARY

Stock up on great summer reads including magazines, graphic novels and plenty of books at the local library. Then, when the ‘I’m bored’ complaints come drifting through, you have a pile of interesting reads to direct them too.

6 HAVE A FAMILY GAME NIGHT

Play games such as Scrabble or Monopoly. When you start, ‘forget’ how to play so the kids have to pull out the instructions and read them out loud. If games aren’t your thing, why not have a family story night where you make up stories to share?

during the summer break

7 DOWNLOAD EBOOKS AND EAUDIOBOOKS

If you are going on a road trip, download an eAudio book to listen to together in the car, and rather than taking a pile of books, pack light and download eBooks to your device. eBooks and eAudiobooks are available for free from the library.

8 PLOT OUT A JOURNEY

If you are going on a day trip, get the kids to plot out the journey. They can look for places for a picnic, petrol stops, and places of interest.

9 JOIN THE SUMMER READING CLUB

With prizes to be won and challenges to complete, the Summer Reading Club is a great way to get kids reading for fun. Find out more at your local library.

By Karen Gawen, Young People’s Services Supervisor from Sunshine Coast Council

Talk, read, sing and play with your child every day

The first 5 years are forever.

You are your child’s favourite playmate. Playing helps build confidence, develops language and motor skills and is fun!

Pretend play with dress ups, puppets and toys

Scribble with chalk or water and a paintbrush on the cement or fence Play outdoors using bubbles, toys or a game of eye spy

Borrow toys from your local library.

First 5 Forever is an initiative of the Queensland State Government, coordinated by State Library of Queensland and delivered in partnership with local government.

New Year

A GOOD TIME TO REFLECT, RESET AND LOOK AFTER YOU

As the year comes to an end, it’s important to reflect on how it affected your family and how it may continue to affect your family.

We want to go into this time of the year proactively because we know if we reflect and think about what is going on, we can handle things better.

Reflection is so important for us, as parents, but also for our children. It puts us in a space where we can answer the questions that they may have, understand why we seem to be frustrated, or why we are not as present as we wish we were. Importantly, it gives us space to look at proactively putting things in place, so we are what we need to be for our children.

How is your family really feeling as we enter this period?

Are financial pressures impacting your stress levels and your day-to-day living?

Are you still taking covid-19 precautions around elderly relatives?

Do global tensions weigh on your mind?

HOW IS THIS FLOWING ON TO OUR LITTLE PEOPLE? HOW DO WE HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS WITH OUR CHILDREN?

One of the patterns we see at Parentline is a decrease in parents reaching out for help over school holiday periods. This is particularly evident during the summer/ Christmas period. It makes sense on one hand as our children are home. This can be a challenge to prioritise yourself or to have potentially difficult conversations when they are within earshot. It is also a worry as this is a time when parents generally need more

support, not less. If you are concerned about little ones listening, you can always go online to parentline.com.au and chat to a counsellor via WebChat.

It is so important to prioritise yourself, even when it may not feel like the right time. Sometimes it may feel selfish but it is the least selfish thing you can do for your family. We know that children do better when parents feel supported.

If you feel like you need help preparing for this period, if you feel exhausted or your capacity is low after the tough year that we’ve had, give us a call and let us help. Let us listen. Sometimes you may have a specific query about your child/family or you may just be feeling overwhelmed.

It does not matter the reason, we can help you reset after such a hard year which will give you more capacity to support your kids.

By Kimberley Harper, Parentline Manager.

Let’s

no surprise that sometimes we feel like we have nothing left to give.

all babies are different and some will meet milestones faster or slower than others. It’s important to let your child develop at their own pace.

However, if you’re worried or just want to talk to someone, we’re here to help, listen and support. It’s free, non-judgmental and confidential counselling, available 7 days a week.

Talk to us on 1300 30 1300 or web chat with us via parentline.com.au

EARLY INTERVENTION ITS IMPORTANCE in childhood wellbeing

and

‘Early intervention’ is a phrase often used in childhood allied health therapies. Now, increasingly, this proactive approach to care also applies to a child’s environment. We chat with Kasia Palko, behavioural specialist and early childhood educator, to find out more.

WHY IS EARLY INTERVENTION IMPORTANT FOR A CHILD’S WELLBEING?

A child’s wellbeing is supported by both the nurture that child receives from the important people in their lives, and the environment that child is in.

From the moment a child is born, they absorb everything around them. Each experience imprinting on their little brains: ‘this is what I do’, ‘this is what I eat’, ‘this is the smell of the air’. These critical first three or four years are when children form an idea about the world and this can determine what their choices are for life.

The younger the child is, the more we can work through problems with parents and educate them. We can change the environment or how we can behave around children. If we can catch those moments earlier, you will have far better outcomes.

HOW EARLY IS EARLY?

The earlier the better! I see many mums when they are pregnant with a second or third child. They may have experienced challenges with the first child and so need help preparing for the newborn. I will help with things like diet, lifestyle, even sounds

that the baby hears in utero—they all play a part. By making changes around the house early, we can significantly reduce stress levels when baby comes home.

HOW TO KNOW IF MY CHILD’S WELLBEING IS COMPROMISED?

Because language is not yet developed for the little ones, they let you know their needs are not being met by behaviour. So, if you feel they are crying more than expected, if they can’t settle, that is an indicator. Also, missing developmental milestones is a clear indicator; if a child isn’t crawling or responding to sounds and noises, or unable to make eye contact, it’s important to talk to a professional as soon as possible.

HOW DO YOU ASSESS A CHILD?

I use toys and art resources in a very nonintrusive calm environment. I assess through watching their behaviour—how they work, how they paint, how they move, how they

interact with their carers and parents. I also observe a child's movement, even the skin textures. I look at their diet and lifestyle. I’ll talk with the parents to find out if there are any diseases, trauma or death in the family, because sometimes behavioural problems can be signs of post traumatic stress disorder or depression. I then work with the child, the parents, the family, the preschool teacher, the doctor, to gently solve behavioural and environmental concerns. It’s a very holistic approach.

WHAT IS YOUR ADVICE FOR PARENTS WHO HAVE CONCERNS?

I always say to parents that you are the best judges, so trust your instinct. In most cases, your intuition is never wrong. If you feel something is not right, pick up the phone. There is a range of help available and the earlier we can shift the pathway, the better the family’s journey will be.

“The younger the child is, the more we can work through problems ... you will have far better outcomes.”

ACTIVITIES

skate mate skate mate

Got a little grom who is keen to skate? We chat with Lauren Hignett, owner of the epic Sunny Coast indoor skate park Alley-Oops, to find out how to get kids safely riding a skateboard.

DO THEY REALLY NEED LESSONS? OR CAN WE JUST DROP IN AT THE LOCAL SKATE PARK?

Just like any sport, there is a right way and a wrong way of doing it. And particularly with something like skateboarding, safety is paramount. Therefore, guidance from skilled coaches at the beginning is a must; it will set you up with the foundations you need for a lifetime of safe and happy skating. Plus, it all happens in the super-supportive environment at Alley-Oops!

MY KID HAS NEVER RIDDEN A SKATEBOARD BEFORE! WHAT SHOULD WE EXPECT FROM A SESSION?

To have fun! We cater to all abilities from beginners to advanced, toddlers to adults. We are here for you for the whole experience, from putting on your pads (yes, there’s a right way to do it!) to warm ups and the real fun… skating! We also have designated sessions for different age groups so teens don’t have to feel uncomfortable about a six-year-old developing their skills faster than them!

WHAT DO I NEED TO BRING?

Enclosed shoes are a must for safety. We encourage you to bring your own gear, but if you forget anything we have a selection of skateboards, scooters, helmets and protective pads in all shapes and sizes available for hire. We have a cafe onsite for that hit of caffeine for the grown-ups and snacks and drinks to keep the energy high. If you want to purchase gear, or need repairs and maintenance, the team at Scooter & Skate is in the same complex with great expert advice.

HOW LONG DOES IT TAKE TO BECOME GREAT AT SKATEBOARDING?

Like any sport, it’s different for everyone; the key is good coaching to learn the fundamentals and a whole lot of practice! Besides weekly coaching, we have options for kids to squeeze in extra hours at the park that are also convenient for parents. We offer a school pickup service to some schools on the Coast so they get a ride in the Alley-Oops bus, snacks and lots of skating until 6pm. We also have awesome school holiday programs (either in our indoor park or touring the outdoor skateparks) which are led by our coaches. It’s an epic day out!

WHY IS SKATEBOARDING BECOMING SO POPULAR?

Yeah, we are certainly seeing an increase in the number of parents that want to get their kids started! I think it’s gradually gained recognition as a fun and inexpensive sport for all ages and abilities. Scootering is also gaining in popularity, so we’re working on developing a formal program for scooterriding too.

To make sure we can provide the best skate and scoot programs, we’ve brought more coaches onboard and we are working with schools to bring more programs to kids. I would like to bring in more family-based coaching as well. We have some awesome dad-daughter duos—it’s time to get the mums inspired too!

“The key is good coaching to learn the fundamentals and a whole lot of practice!”

Age appropriate skateboarding lessons in Birtinya

CHANGING THE WORLD

WITH STEINER

Since Rudolf Steiner penned those sage words 100 years ago, Steiner Education has been embraced across the globe.

For many of those that have experienced it, it is a life-changing education pathway.

We chat with Mark Piper, High School Coordinator at Noosa Pengari Steiner School (NPSS) to find out more about this humanistic approach to learning that may just change the world.

WHY DO YOU FEEL THAT STEINER IS SO RELEVANT TO STUDENTS TODAY?

The first Steiner Waldorf school opened a hundred or so years ago and yet modern pedagogical thinking is only now beginning to look at it and see its value for the 21st Century we live in.

Education can no longer simply be talking to a group of students for a term, then giving them a test that could decide a future path.

We don’t only educate the intellect, we also educate feeling, life and the will.

At NPSS, we create experiences for the children rather than pursue conceptual knowledge. You can aquire much of today’s knowledge simply by ‘Googling’ it! For example, instead of studying trigonometry from a textbook, our Class 10 students recently travelled to Tasmania to join Tarremah Steiner School for a combined Surveying Camp where students worked together with precision equipment, surveying and creating maps of the land they stood on, whilst enjoying outdoor pursuits and cultural activities with new friends. This experience brought theoretical

knowledge that arises from a deeper practical understanding. Our approach always brings experience before introducing theory and abstract ideas (e.g maths equations!).

Also, we nurture the students as children whilst they’re still children. There isn’t a push to make them grow up too quickly; there isn’t a push to fill them with knowledge, to sit exams or assess that knowledge. We believe that the process of ‘you’ve learned this and now we’re going to test you on it’ has less importance for a young person than for them to develop confidence and an ethical understanding, a feeling they can contribute positively to the world.

DOES NPSS FOLLOW THE AUSTRALIAN CURRICULUM?

Certainly! Our school takes children through their entire education journey from early learning to Year 12 in line with the Australian Curriculum. We run a very specific curriculum filled with academic rigour, yet one that is also about supporting the children to achieve in the areas that they have the interest in. The lessons and the classes are fixed, but the framework gives teachers the capacity to actually look at the group and create an assessment task that suits the children, yet one that still carries value.

For example, rather than being marked on their ability to perform a particular skill in P.E., such as throwing a ball, a group was given the learning outcome to ‘demonstrate capacity in a movement discipline’. One child did dance, another did horse riding, another did surfing. Students are provided with frameworks to say how they’re going

to be marked. But the discipline through which they deliver that, they can choose themselves.

WHAT IS THE CSE AND CAN YOU GET INTO UNIVERSITY WITH IT?

The CSE is our externally accredited assesment framework called the New Zealand Certificate of Steiner Education, or CSE. It is a modern way of assessing the children and seeing the capacities they can show without the pressure of single points of failure—it’s not all down to an exam.

It carries the equivalent of a QCE (Queensland Certificate of Education), and therefore is an accepted pathway to tertiary study and is a recognised alternative to mainstream high school education.

SO, CAN THIS HELP TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE?

NPSS aims to educate children to be informed, discerning and open minded so that they can create social change—they create the world that they want, rather than treating them as a resource to be ‘used’ by the world.

More than ever, the world needs creative, courageous, discerning, ethical individuals. Steiner schools consciously strive to educate children, adolescents, teachers and parents to go out into the world and be change agents. Therefore, we believe we are creating capacity for social change through nurturing the desire for young people to want to give rather than to take.

So yes, the world can be a better place!

“The question to be asked is not: what does an individual need to know and be capable of doing so as to fit into the existing social order? But rather: what potential does an individual have and what can be developed in them?”

— Rudolf Steiner, 1920

Class 10 Surveying Camp with Tarremah Steiner School, Tasmania 2022

It's beginning to feel a lot like

Christmas

TOP TIPS FOR A HEALTHY GUT

1.

KEEP ACTIVE

Go for a morning walk before others wake, an evening stroll with the family or a game of cricket.

2. HYDRATE

It’s easy to over drink alcohol and sugary drinks around Christmas. Make sure you have tasty, hydrating drinks on offer. Try coconut water, fruit in your water or homemade iced tea.

3.

SNACK WELL

We are often standing around eating and snacking before the main event. Make sure there is cut up vegetables with dip and fruit platters for snacking.

4. DON’T FEEL OBLIGED TO EAT EVERYTHING ON OFFER

Be polite but assertive. If you really want to try many things, cut things into smaller pieces, and opt for a little taste.

Christmas can be a difficult time to eat well. Enjoying yourself shouldn’t mean undoing all the positive changes you’ve made throughout the year. It’s not about depriving yourself of all the fun stuff, it’s about keeping the good practices in place while celebrating.

For some great Christmas recipe ideas head online to: gutaid.com.au/enjoyingthis-festive-season/

5. AVOID THE ‘HANGRY’

Don’t go to parties on an empty stomach, chances are you will eat later than expected and be so hangry you’ll smash the snacks and overeat.

6. STEP AWAY FROM THE FOOD

Choose a seat or stand away from the food table. Go socialise away so you are too distracted to continuously eat.

BY ALISSA MACK, NATUROPATH AT GUTAID | GUTAID.COM.AU

7.

FILL UP ON THE GOOD FUEL

Fill up on nutrient dense foods and protein. Vegetable sticks, add hummus and sauerkraut; breakfast, have eggs and avocado. Bulk up on salad and fruit salad.

8.

BE PREPARED

Chances are, yes, you will overeat and usually feel bloated and over full. Take digestive enzymes to avoid the discomfort and digestive symptoms which are sure to come with the sudden change in diet. Also, if you are dairy or gluten sensitive then make sure you’ve stocked up on your enzymes, you know it’s inevitable, you are going to indulge!

9.

AND FINALLY, CUT THE GUILT

Christmas is just one day and between Christmas and New Year is one week. It matters more what you do the other 51 weeks of the year. Let go of perfectionism, have fun, and enjoy the season.

Christmas is more about the people than the gifts and more about the fellowship than the perfectionism and dieting. So, relax and enjoy the season with those special to you.

What’s the

WORLD’S LARGEST NERF GUN?

Zeus—the largest dog in the world

Other Guinness World Records discoveries...

It’s that time of year when Guinness World Records releases its epic annual of records. This year there are some crackers.

Fly to a galaxy of amazing records with Guinness World Records 2023. Take a look at the latest snapshot of the year, and discover a universe of talent, curiosities and jaw-dropping facts.

First up, the world's largest Nerf gun! At 3.81 metres (12 ft 6 in), this incredible record was achieved by Michael Pick, in Huntsville, Alabama, United States, on October 15, 2021.

Pick is an American YouTuber and a life-long Nerf fan. He feels 'bigger is better', creating a Nerf gun 300 per cent larger than the original Nerf N-Strike Elite Longshot CS-6. It was no easy task!

Want to know what the world's the tallest dog is?

Meet ‘Zeus’. This Great Dane measures 1.118m (44 in) tall on October 4, 2011. Denise Doorlag and her family are Zeus's proud owners. They live in Otsego, Michigan, US.

If food is more your thing, check out the world's most expensive burger.

Robbert Jan De Veen's hamburger (single portion) sold for €5,000 (A$5,967) on June 28, 2021.

The Dutch chef's creation included A5 Japanese wagyu beef, Alaskan king crab, white truffles and Beluga caviar. To add a little crunch, there was also Dom Perignon champagne onion rings on the burger. Its special sauce is really special. It used Macallan Single Malt Whisky and Kopi Luwak coffee (you know the ones made from partially digested coffee beans eaten by a civet). All that goodness is placed between a bun embossed in gold.

Veen says the burger, which was served at his restaurant De Daltons, took him nine hours to prepare.

Guinness World Records runs through the 25 most significant videogame records in its archive, encompassing classics such as Pac-Man and Donkey Kong right up to Minecraft and Fortnite. Meet six incredible teenagers, including sports stars and chess grandmasters. Their success is proof that age is no barrier to being the best in the world at something.

The natural world, encountering the Animal Kingdom’s mightiest, and most bizarre,beasts.

The most iconic human beings. From the tallest and shortest to the strongest and hairiest. Extraordinary skills from the jugglers, rock-climbers, freestylers and mermaids (yes, mermaids!) who populate the Extraordinary Exploits chapter.

The Modern World chapter charting our ever-changing society, taking in everything from cryptocurrency and positive action to fast food and TikTok stardom.

Guinness World Records 2023 (RRP $46.99) is available for purchase in stores and online.

The world’s most expensive burger

chocolate into small pieces, heat in a bowl over a saucepan of boiling water with coconut oil on a very low heat.

Once melted add as many 'extras' as you like.

Transfer into a small tin lined with baking paper and put in the fridge to set.

Store in the fridge for up to a week or freeze for up to a month in an air tight container.

BOOKS

RUNT

By Craig Silver

Annie Shearer lives in the country town of Upson Downs with her best friend, an adopted stray dog called Runt. The two share a very special bond. After years evading capture, Runt is remarkably fast and agile, perfect for herding runaway sheep. But when a greedy local landowner puts her family’s home at risk, Annie directs Runt’s extraordinary talents towards a different pursuit—winning the Agility Course Grand Championship at the Krumpets Dog Show in London. However, there is a curious catch: Runt will only obey Annie’s commands if nobody else is watching. With all eyes on them, Annie and Runt must beat the odds and the fastest dogs in the world to save her farm. Runt is a heart-warming and hilarious tale of kindness, friendship, hurdles, hoops, tunnels, see-saws, being yourself and bringing out the best in others. Ages: 7-16 // $22.99

THE WILD LIFE #2: A LINE IN THE SAND

By Laura Bunting & Philip Bunting

In the paw-sizzling heat of summer, Wombat and Roo need to cool their toasted toes. They find themselves on a beautiful beach with more than enough ocean for everyone. But there is one very little problem ... Quokka thinks he owns the beach. And he is not in the mood for sharing.

A line in the sand is the second book in the fabulous Wild Life series from local author and illustrator duo Laura and Philip Bunting. Ages 5-10 // $15.99

BRICKMAN’S BIG BOOK OF BETTER BUILDS

By Ryan McNaught

What are the insider tricks and secret skills that make a LEGO® Certified Professional’s builds so awe-inspiring?

This comprehensive, behind-the-scenes guide from the star judge of LEGO Masters Australia shows you how to scope any LEGO project, large or small.

With in-depth skills, techniques and knowhow, you’ll have all the skills you need to become a LEGO Master.

Ages 7-16 // $39.99

BACK ON COUNTRY: WELCOME TO OUR COUNTRY

By Adam Goodes and Ellie Laing, illustrated by David Hardy

‘Where are we going again?’ asks Lucy. ‘Back on Country,’ says Mum. ‘Where your nanna comes from, where we come from. Our Country is special to us. You’ll see.’ It’s Lucy and David’s first time back on Country. They meet their cousins and Elders, and see special places, learn local language words and hear stories as old as time.

A joyful story about the power of reconnecting to family, culture and Country.

For ages 4-8 // $24.99

Discover Flinders

As one of Queensland’s leading schools, Matthew Flinders Anglican College educates for excellence in learning and life.

Come and learn how Flinders supports and challenges our students to develop as confident, capable and engaged learners with the desire and skills to contribute to a better world.

Book your personalised tour at www.mfac.edu.au or scan the QR code.