Kids on the Coast Magazine - Sunshine Coast - Issue 79. March/April 2017

ISSUE 79

March/April 2017 SUNSHINE COAST

www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

FREE TO TAKE HOME

play issue The

Get back to nature with NATURE PLAY

Explore the kid-friendly playground of JAPAN

The best (& FREE!) play spaces across the region

Duck for cover and sling Easter Eggs Interactive Multi-player Virtual Reality Activity

DATE: Monday 3 April to Saturday 15 April* TIMES: 10am - 2pm daily WHERE: Centre Court

*Excluding Friday 14 April (Good Friday)

[WELCOME]

[CONTENTS]

Kael, (Mighty Warrior)

4 years

What was your favourite thing to do as a kid?

Mine was climbing trees.

Summer, 8 years

We had this enormous oak tree at the end of our street and I would spend hours crawling up through its branches, creating amazing worlds amidst the leaves and imagining I was an elf who lived high under the canopy.

Nowadays, I’m a parent who struggles to play. Running around playing superheroes is inadvertently paused when I fly past an unstacked dishwasher. Playing doctors usually ends with me distracted by the huge pile of laundry nearby (poor teddy’s life-threatening injury will just have to wait).

I don’t mean to do these things, but somewhere along the road of becoming a parent I lost the ability to play—feeling awkward if I’m not doing something productive, or believing the chores have to come first.

Getting outdoors, switching off, enjoying some playtime and being truly present in that moment is something we often put to the bottom of the pile. But playing is an essential part of wellbeing and development—for our children, for us, and for our relationships.

So park your grown-up sensibilities at the door and jump in for some serious fun, as this issue we are all about PLAY!

Costume & styling: Michelle Craik

3 FROM THE EDITOR

26 LOCAL: Let's Play! The best (and totally free!)

We stack our mud pies and get back to nature when we look at the importance of Nature Play. And our education feature takes a sneaky peak into the wonderful world of outdoor-based education. We have some great ideas on how to build your own den and our Travel section jets off to the family-friendly playground of Japan.

4 WHAT’S ON: The best local events for March and April

6 SOCIAL: What's trending on our social pages

8 WHAT’S NEWS: The latest news in your area

34 THINGS TO DO: Build your own den

Our Wellbeing feature asks the question: ‘where did the Play go?’ Investigating how to put some fun back into the classroom and into modern life. And if you are lost for something to do, we’ve got a huge round up of all the best play spaces across the region (and yes, they are all totally free!).

10 NOTICEBOARD: All the news and achievements from our local schools

36 EARLY LEARNING: Play and early literacy

Plus, with all the usual news, reviews, and the latest happenings from our local schools, this issue is a bucketload of FUN! If you have any feedback or a story to share, feel free to drop me a line at editor@mothergoosemedia.com.au. I’d love to hear from you!

12 FEATURE: Getting back to nature with Nature Play 18 CHECK THIS OUT: The latest cool and fun-tastic products for the whole family 20 EDUCATION: Nature's Classroom – the rise of outdoor-based education 24 CHAT: 'Mum! I'm bored!' Why boredom is good for kids

play spots across the region

30 WELLBEING: Where did the Play go? How fun is essential to wellbeing and development

38 PARENTING: Peaceful parenting 40 RECIPE: Blueberry and chia sorbet icy poles 42 TRAVEL: The family-friendly playground of Japan 46 LOCAL LIFE: Setting trends with Turtl3 Co. 48 WEB WRAP UP: The latest from online 50 REVIEWS: Movies, music, books and apps

I hope you enjoy the issue; I’m off to climb a tree!

With love,

EDITORIAL CONTRIBUTORS: Hyahno Moser, Kerry White, Kathryn Tonges COVER PHOTOGRAPHY: Verve Portraits

Angela Sutherland, Editor

Printed with vegetable/soy based inks on paper supplied using pulp sourced from sustainable forests and manufactured to environmentally accredited systems. WE ENCOURAGE RECYCLING. Please keep this issue for future reference, pass onto your friends and family, use for craft projects or place into the recycling bin. kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

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WHAT'S ON Visit ou r website to see more events!

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i h s un

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DON'T MISS OUT ON ANY EVENTS! Sign up at www.kidsonthecoast.com.au for our weekly What’s On guide.

The biggest surfing event in the world, hosting age divisions from grommets to grandpas. Bringing together generations of families for free entertainment and fostering team and club spirit. www.noosafestivalofsurfing.com

MARCH 6 LIBRARIES ON THE MOVE

Join Sunshine Coast Libraries for a morning of stories, games, dress ups and fun at Skippy Park, 321/335 Old Landsborough Rd, Landsborough.

BYO teddy bears, hats and smiles! www.library.sunshinecoast.qld.gov.au 9.30am – 11.30am

MARCH 10 TO 12 MOOLOOLABA TRIATHLON FESTIVAL

This famous event stages an ocean swim with an electric buzz as thousands of triathletes descend on this popular beach town.

With many first timer friendly events, there is something for the whole family! ap.ironman.com

MARCH 15 & 19 APRIL EUMUNDI WORLD CINEMA MOVIE NIGHT See well-loved or obscure classic movies and lively, quirky current movies, while enjoying culinary creations in a fun themed atmosphere. www.eumundiworldcinema.com

APRIL 2 TRIATHLON & FUN RUN PINK MARCH 19 ST PATRICK’S DAY CONCERT

Participate and have fun, whilst raising funds for charities that provide breast cancer support, education, research and advocacy.

Boys and girls under 13 years of age can also get involved! www.triathlonpink.com.au

GUIDE EASTER SCHOOL HOLIDAY GUIDE Head to our website to fill up your holiday calendar with fun activities and things to do with your kids across the Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane. www.kidsonthecoast.com.au

Image courtesy: Tourism and Events Queensland

A two-hour variety show packed with Irish humour and music depicting Australia’s Irish heritage. www.queensland.com

APRIL 8 TO 11 THE WIZARD OF OZ APRIL 8 ENGINES ALIVE!

We’re off to see the wizard! A new, bright and wonderful retelling of the 1939 classic film, filled with special effects, amazing sets and costumes, a 20-piece orchestra and a cast of more than 70! www.theeventscentre.com.au

Take a ride in a WW2 Jeep and view over 70 aviation displays, as the Queensland Air Museum presents its collection of historic, operational aircraft engines. A sausage sizzle all day, drinks available and loads of family fun! www.qam.com.au

TOP 5

NATURE PLAYGROUNDS

With a great variety of food stalls, gourmet cooking demonstrations, all day wine and cheese tastings and plenty of entertainment, including Queensland's only Cheese Rolling Contest and the Great Cheester Egg Hunt for children. www.kenilworthfoodfest.org.au

APRIL 16 OCEAN STREET WORLD FESTIVAL APRIL 16 EASTER SUNDAY

Held annually on Easter Sunday, the Festival is a celebration of culture through music, food and the arts! www.facebook.com/events/ 368980400129943/

Noosa National Park Happy Valley Beach Victory Heights Mountain Bike Trails Little Mountain Common Pioneer Park 4

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APRIL 15 KENILWORTH CHEESE, WINE AND FOOD FEST

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APRIL 28 TO 30 THE PLANTING This cultural, environmental and culinary experience is held over three days and nights at Woodfordia. Popular as a camping event, there is music, film, comedy and an entire children's program for the duration of the Festival. www.theplantingfestival.com

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

MARCH 4 TO 11 NOOSA FESTIVAL OF SURFING

ŠD isn ey/ Pix ar

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Stay up to date with your local community news. If you have any unique news that you’d like to share, please contact our editor at editor@mothergoosemedia.com.au

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

SWIM NAPPIES ACT LIKE A ‘POO TEA BAG’

STUDY REVEALS NUMBER—AND COST— OF OVERWEIGHT KIDS A recent study published in the Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, has found that one in five pre-school children are overweight.

The extra medical cost associated with having an overweight child is $367 a year, which costs taxpayers $17 million a year.

“Up until now the argument for intervening in this age group has been to reduce future healthcare costs,” lead researcher Vicki Brown, from Deakin University, told The Daily Telegraph. “The new information is that we can do that, but we can also reduce these burdens to taxpayers and the government.

“It is an area we could intervene in and potentially provide these children with a healthier upbringing and future lives, and try to reduce the risk of some longer term conditions,” she added.

A SCHOOL FOR THE WHOLE COMMUNITY

The first school built at Caloundra South will be a school by day and a community centre at night.

The school’s facilities such as its auditorium and sporting fields will be opened to the community at night. If the idea is successful, the pilot project could be expanded to future schools. The school, in Baringa, is a joint project between the state government and Stockland. It will have the capacity for 1,100 students and will employ around 80 staff.

WESTPAC OFFERS $200 TO BABY BUMPS

To celebrate its 200th anniversary, Westpac is offering $200 to all baby bumps whose parents open a savings account for them. If parents put $20 into the account each week, their bump could have $19,000 by the time they are 16 years old. The Bump Savings Account will be launched on April 8 and you can register your interest now. Bumps must be born in 2017 and be a permanent Australian resident. See www.bump.westpacgroup.com.au for more details.

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A biochemistry expert has said that while swim nappies help to contain faeces, it can still leak out, making them act like a “poo tea bag in water.”

DID YOU

KNOW BUDERIM WAS THE SECOND MOST POPULAR QUEENSLAND SUBURB FOR HOME BUYERS LAST YEAR

A ball of glass bounces higher than a ball of rubber

OSTRICHES CAN RUN FASTER THAN HORSES Some worms eat themselves if there is no other food available NO WORDS RHYME WITH ORANGE, PURPLE OR SILVER kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

Murdoch University professor Una Ryan told The Daily Telegraph: “They don’t work, they don’t work at all—they may be a bit better than a regular nappy, but they release faecal matter into the pool.”

Contamination of pool water with faeces can lead to an intestinal infection in swimmers called cryptosporidiosis, which can cause acute diarrhoea in children. Cryptosporidiosis is very infectious and can, itself, be transmitted through swimming pools so caution is urged before going back into the water.

Queensland Health states: “As people with cryptosporidiosis can remain infectious even after symptoms have settled, they should not go swimming while they have diarrhoea and for two weeks after diarrhoea has stopped.”

‘IMMATURE’ KIDS WRONGLY DIAGNOSED WITH ADHD A study in Western Australia has found that the youngest children in a school are more likely to be given medication for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) as their ‘immaturity’ compared to other classmates is often mistaken for the condition.

Researchers from Curtin University analysed data from 300,000 school children aged between 6 and 10-years-old. Of those children, those born in June were twice as likely to be prescribed ADHD medication as those born in the previous July.

One of the researchers, Dr Martin Whitely, told ABC News: "The most plausible explanation is that teachers provide the evidence for the diagnosis of ADHD, they assess the behaviour of these kids against their peers and they are mistaking agerelated immaturity for a psychiatric disorder. These kids, simply because they're the youngest kids in the class, are being given amphetamine-like drugs because they're young—younger than their classmates.” Read the full report in the Medical Journal of Australia at www.mja.com.au.

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NOTICE BOARD All the news and achievements from ou r local schools

GOT A BAAA-RILLIANT IDEA? Students with a passion for agriculture and technology are being urged to come up with an idea to shake up Queensland’s sheep and wool industry.

The Sheep and Wool Challenge is offering prize money for students who can come up with an innovative solution to an industry issue. These innovations are to be submitted in the form of a short on-line video. “Young people are the future of the industry, and their ideas are what will continue to build sheep and wool enterprises in Queensland,” said minister for agriculture and fisheries, Bill Byrne.

Entries can be submitted until July 31, 2017 and there’s a prize pool of $10,000. There are sections for secondary school students, where prize money is split between the school and the student, and an Open Category for over 18s, including those at college, and tertiary students. There is also a people’s choice award with a prize of $500.

For more details and to enter, visit www.leadingsheep.com.au.

GRAMMAR DIVES INTO WORLD CLASS AQUATIC CENTRE CONSTRUCTION Construction is well underway for Sunshine Coast Grammar School’s new Aquatic Centre.

The project will deliver a world-class 10 lane, 50m heated swimming pool as well as an enclosed 15m Learn to Swim pool. The new facility will also include a 700-seat undercover grandstand, gymnasium, tennis centre, classrooms, change rooms and a kiosk. Completion is planned for late 2017.

“This is the largest capital project in the history of the school to date and I am thrilled to see this project come to life,” said principal Maria Woods.

“We are situated on 100 acres which provides us the opportunity to continue to grow for the future.

The Aquatic Centre will enable substantial sporting and educational opportunities for the Grammar community and the Sunshine Coast region.”

STUDENTS GET A MUSICAL POLICE ESCORT TO SCHOOL The Queensland Police Service (QPS) Pipes and Drums band accompanied more than 200 children 10

MAR/APR 2017

to Mooloolaba State School at the beginning of the new school year, as part of the Walk to School program (WTS).

“Local police enjoy the positive interaction with the children and enjoy teaching them about road safety—the addition of the QPS Pipes and Drums will highlight this worthwhile project,” said District Officer of the Sunshine Coast Police District, Superintendent Darryl Johnson.

The WTS program, run in conjunction with the Buderim Lions, originally started at the Buderim Mountain State School in 2007. It now includes Marching Monday at Mooloolaba, Trek to School Tuesdays at Siena Catholic Primary School and similar schemes at Chancellor State Primary School and Brightwater State School.

Brian McBride, a director of Buderim Lions and the coordinator of the WTS programs, said a cohesive effort from multiple organisations makes the program possible. “We very much appreciate the support and participation of QPS, Volunteers in Policing, school principals and the community volunteers who assist in supporting and supervising the walks, and our sponsor Heritage Bank Buderim,” Mr McBride said. kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

FIRE UP YOUR CODER MOJO AT A DOJO! Coding seems to be the new buzzword in schools, but did you know there are three ‘CoderDojos’ on the Coast?

CoderDojo is a free, worldwide community based coding club, run by volunteers, for young people between the ages of 7 and 17. At CoderDojo students learn how to code, develop websites, apps and games and explore technology in an informal and creative environment.

Sunshine Coast CoderDojo sessions run every Saturday morning in Maroochydore, Maleny and Noosa from 10am to 12pm during the school term.

All children must bring their own laptop.

For more details and to book a session, visit https://zen.coderdojo.com.

Do you have a story to share?

Email your school's news to editor@mothergoosemedia.com.au

Where curiosity

leads to

discovery PACIFIC LUTHERAN EARLY LEARNING Specialist early childhood teachers and assistants inspire a love of learning in children.

Creativity and confidence are nurtured as children explore the Queensland Kindergarten Guidelines. Pacific offers a kindergarten program within a long day care model for 3 and 4 year olds.

CONTACT Chris Henschke, College Registrar on 5436 7321 Woodlands Boulevard, Meridan Plains 4551

www.pacificlutheran.qld.edu.au

SCAN to visit our website.

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[FEATURE]

THINK BACK TO YOUR HAPPIEST CHILDHOOD MEMORIES AND CHANCES ARE THEY INVOLVE PLAYING OUTSIDE. 12

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[FEATURE]

Getting back to

NATURE

by HYAHNO MOSER

IT’S THE CHILDHOOD TREND THAT HAS EVERYONE ALARMED. QUEENSLAND CHILDREN ARE SPENDING LESS TIME PLAYING FREELY OUTSIDE AND MORE TIME INSIDE, PLAYING MOSTLY ON SCREENS. THIS SEDENTARY PLAY TREND HAS BEEN LINKED TO A RISE IN SERIOUS CHILDHOOD HEALTH AND WELLBEING ISSUES INCLUDING OBESITY, IMPAIRED MOTOR SKILLS, ANXIETY AND ATTENTION DEFICIT DISORDERS. So what is Nature Play? And why does today’s society often restrict opportunities for this type of play, where the very act of ‘keeping our kids safe’ during play is doing the exact opposite?

"I'm really good at long jump," the 10-year-old boy told me proudly.

"I get the high score for that on my PlayStation every time!"

The boy's answer to my question about what was his favourite way to play is both funny and frightening, and the reason that Nature Play QLD exists. Child's play has turned deadly serious with research showing just 7.7 per cent of Australian children play outdoors daily*.

I have travelled across Queensland over the past 3 years, talking extensively to families about the way their kids play, and have seen first-hand how our kids are in the grip of an epidemic—an epidemic of inactivity that needs our urgent attention and intervention to change the way our kids play.

The recent Heart Foundation Physical Activity Report Card shows that Australian children scored a D- for physical activity. This means over 80 per cent of children do not meet the recommended guidelines for daily physical activity.

WHY DOES PLAY MATTER? Play is the means by which our children explore their skills, their environment, their roles, their relationships and make sense of their worlds.

Outdoor play is also the greatest source of healthy physical activity for children.

Even the United Nations states play is vital to a child's health and happiness declaring "A child's right to play is as fundamental as any other right" at their global children's rights convention. Parents are often shocked when I tell them the right sort of play is just as important as good nutrition to a child's development.

SO WHAT IS NATURE PLAY? Nature play is unstructured play that happens outside, in nature, where the play is child-directed rather than adult-directed. If your child heads into the backyard to figure out how to build a cubby out of that stack of palm fronds headed for the dump—that's nature play. If your child hatches a plan to build a dam at the local creek, or climbs a tree, constructs a fairy garden, makes a mean mud pie or loves to build sandcastles, that's all nature play too.

An expanding body of scientific evidence shows that this type of play delivers significant benefits to a child’s health, cognitive, social and emotional development, and helps our children develop vital life skills such as resilience and creativity.

Nature play sounds simple—you just kick your kids outside to play, right? But there are barriers, both real and imagined, that prevent it from happening. Barriers such as inadequate green space, traffic concerns, risk-averse parents, fearful kids, cleanliness, sun-safety, stranger-danger concerns, over-scheduled kids, underwhelming

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[FEATURE]

CHILDREN WILL LEARN POWERFUL AND NECESSARY LIFE SKILLS THROUGH NATURE PLAY SUCH AS NEGOTIATION, AUTONOMY, AND SELFDIRECTION. SKILLS THAT WILL HELP SHAPE THEM FOR THE ADULT WORLD. play-spaces and excessive pressure on educational achievement at the expense of playtime, are all contributing to kids not being able to play in the best possible way.

The Nature Play QLD organisation was created almost three years ago to address community concerns around our children’s increasingly sedentary play choices by providing fun, free, practical play programs to get Queensland kids back playing outside.

The signature ‘Passport to an Amazing Childhood’ program, which encourages kids to swap their ‘screen time’ for ‘green time’ by challenging them to complete a series of age appropriate nature play ‘missions’ and encourages them to record their results in their very own Nature Play Passports, has been a huge hit with over 230,000 passports distributed to children across Queensland. The passports are free and kids love them! Kids also love researching and choosing which of the 200-plus play missions they are going to conquer. There are now several councils working with Nature Play QLD to create local versions of these Nature Play passports, linking play missions to local parks and nature spaces.

Nature Play QLD has also created the Nature Play Partner Network, joining forces with a range of like-minded organisations to offer parents, carers and educators, practical solutions to break down those barriers that prevent our children participating in healthy, active, outdoor play.

And it's not just the parents realising we have a problem with the way our kids play and interact with screens. The Nature Play QLD summer school holiday challenge was inspired by an 11-year old who told his mum he needed to ‘limit his screen time and do real things with his friends instead.' On the advice of his mum, Hunter contacted Nature Play QLD on how to do a ‘digital detox’, which subsequently led to a state-wide campaign encouraging kids to have a ‘Summer to Remember’ by going outside and playing for two hours a day for 30 days.

Having someone of Hunter's age sharing his experiences within the Nature Play community helped parents right across Queensland have conversations with their kids about why the way they play. Hunter’s mum Suzanne was impressed, telling me while they had always set a benchmark for screen use in their family.

Hunter was ‘one of those kids naturally drawn to screens and technology’. Suzanne commented that after the challenge, Hunter was more appreciative of what can happen when you replace playing on screens with playing outside, and she also believed he was more attentive, communicative, and was now able to entertain himself easily.

Simply being outside in nature is not only beneficial to our nervous system, mental and physical health, but changes the very way we connect to and appreciate the environment—so nature needs our kids as much as kids need nature.

Nature play should be mandatory for adults too when you consider the stress and anxiety that can feature in our lives. If we all found some time to spend in nature we'd see the benefits to our health and wellbeing—just five minutes can improve your self-esteem and mood, 20 minutes can give you a greater energy boost than a cup of coffee!

Sending our kids outside to play sounds so simple, but many families find it is a constant battle to get their kids to make good play choices. A dad of a 7-year old recently stopped me at the shops, sharing his despair over his son who in his words, “Has turned into an aggressive, erratic screen addict.” They are now engaging medical assistance, their family clean out of ideas how to get him to want to put down the screen.

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[FEATURE]

It's true. Kids who switch off their screens to invent and play their own games in an outdoor environment will not only develop their physical abilities, but also improve their creativity, autonomy, riskmanagement, negotiation and problem-solving skills, as well as boost their confidence and self-esteem. And most importantly when kids are outdoors, creating games with friends where they are in control, they are also usually having fun.

Having fun is exactly what we need kids to experience when they are playing outside.

I know when someone asks my child what their favourite way to play is I want them to say ‘building my own muddy slip ‘n slide’ rather than Minecraft.

Building strong positive outdoor play 'brain files' in our kids from a young age is so incredibly important if we want our children to choose healthy play options, which is why Nature Play QLD worked with child health professionals to create the GROW with Nature Play app for parents of 0–3-year olds. This practical play app gives parents suggestions on simple, age-appropriate outdoor play activities for their infants, highlighting how this type of play helps their babies hit key developmental milestones, creating a new generation of kids who discover the joys of playing outside.

RECOMMENDED AUSTRALIAN PHYSICAL ACTIVITY/ SCREEN TIME GUIDELINES Infants (birth to 1 year): physical activity should be encouraged from birth, especially supervised floor-based play.

If you're a parent, or a person of a certain age, I'm fairly confident you will know the joy I'm taking about. Think back to your happiest childhood memories and chances are they involve playing outside.

As children’s horizons shrink, there is an alarming trend pertaining to the modern child not wanting to or being interested in, playing outdoors. We need to recreate that joy around outdoor play with our children if we are to protect their right to play and foster a healthy relationship between them and screens. Without regular good quality outdoor play experiences children will simply not develop the necessary internal positive 'brain files' required for them to value outdoor play. As a result, they may not want to participate in outdoor play activities, which will place them at greater risk of health and wellbeing issues.

Children (0–5 years): should not be sedentary, restrained or kept inactive for more than 1 hour at a time, with the exception of sleeping.

Children (less than 2 years): should not take part in any screen-time activities.

Children (2–5 years): should be limited to less than one hour per day of screen time.

Toddlers (1–3 years) and preschoolers (3–5 years): should accumulate at least 3 hours of physical activity (light, moderate or vigorous intensity) every day.

Children (5–12 years) and young people (13–17 years): should accumulate at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous intensity physical activity every day.

A variety of aerobic activities should be undertaken, including some physical activities that are vigorous in intensity. Physical activities that strengthen muscles and bones should be included on at least three days per week.

For additional health benefits, children and young people should engage in more physical activity (up to several hours) every day.

This age group should minimise the time spent being sedentary every day and break up long periods of sitting as much as possible, and should limit their screen time to no more than 2 hours per day.

We need our kids to want to go outside to play because it is play— not sport—that is the greatest source of healthy physical activity for them. Paediatricians advise parents of young children that they need at least three hours of physical activity every day. The easiest and most beneficial way for children to reach this physical activity quota is through free unstructured outdoor play. By creating opportunities for your children to nature play, you also create the opportunity for children to associate outdoor play as a great source of the 3 F's: Fun, Friends and Freedom.

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[FEATURE]

AS CHILDREN'S HORIZONS SHRINK, THERE IS AN ALARMING TREND PERTAINING TO THE MODERN CHILD NOT WANTING TO, OR BEING INTERESTED IN, PLAYING OUTDOORS. Nature play also lets our children associate outdoor play as a source of skill development, challenge and mastery—for example, learning to ride a bike or scooter, climbing trees, or making a neighbourhood den gives kids a huge sense of self-satisfaction.

Children will learn powerful and necessary life skills through nature play such as negotiation, autonomy, and self-direction. Skills that will help shape them for the adult world.

The 2016 Australian Child Health Poll revealed that time spent in front of screens, obesity, and a lack of physical activity are the top three health concerns of Australian parents for their children.

Changing your routine to consistently include nature play makes it easier for parents and carers to ensure this good quality play happens every day.

If you give your children the choice between ice cream and broccoli, which one will they choose? Similarly, if you give them the choice between screen use and outdoor play, which would they choose? As most parents know, getting your child to eat broccoli can be a mission seemed doomed to fail. However we persist, because we know the long-term effects for our child of good health and wellbeing. The same applies for balancing our children’s screen use and outdoor play. For most parents, outdoor play used to be the ice cream, but to our kids, it may now be the broccoli.

By getting our children regularly outdoors to play, having fun, connecting with nature, playing with other children within their community, we will transform not only their attitudes, but the negative health effects of screen overuse and sedentary lifestyles.

NATURE PLAY QLD SYMPOSIUM: MARCH 11 ‘Just for the FUN of it’ Join Nature Play QLD on a journey into why unstructured outdoor play is so vital for children. Some of the world's leading child experts will be there to share why outdoor play—nature play—is FUNdamental to a full and healthy childhood.

'Just for the FUN of it’, will explore the degree of fun and freedom that exists in our children’s lives and the importance of developing an intrinsic love for outdoor play in our children, in order to achieve a well-balanced, healthy outdoor childhood.

Get active and inspired with hands-on nature play workshops, information, presentations and lots of opportunities for you to play both indoors and out.

For information on tickets go to www.natureplayqld.org.au

ABOUT NATURE PLAY: Nature Play is a QORF Project, with a mission of making nature play a normal part of childhood again for all Queensland children.

Nature Play QLD believes unstructured outdoor play, ‘nature play’, is fundamental to a full and healthy childhood. Nature Play QLD advocates the nature play message and increases access to nature play resources, events and programs for Queenslanders. Nature Play QLD is made possible through the support of the Queensland Department of National Parks, Sport & Racing.

For more information: www.natureplayqld.org.au

ABOUT QORF: QORF is the acronym for the Queensland Outdoor Recreation Federation and is the peak body representing the interests of outdoor recreation users in Queensland. QORF was formed in 1996 as a not-for-profit association representing a coalition of outdoor recreation groups to advocate on behalf of the industry.

Hyahno Moser, Program Director of Nature Play QLD. Nature Play QLD is the not-for-profit, community organisation that creates practical play programs to help parents, carers and educators raise healthy, happy and resilient children in the modern digital world. The Nature Play programs foster good play practices for children, delivering excellent physiological and physical outcomes for all ages. Hyahno has written and spoken extensively about nature play and why it is so important for the health and wellbeing of Queensland kids. * The 2016 Report Card on Physical Activity for Children and Young People is available online at: www.activehealthykidsaustralia.com.au

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JUNIOR PRIMARY AT FLINDERS

Flinders provides our youngest children the greatest start to formal schooling. We are a caring community that fosters a passion for learning where every child can unlock their potential. Students learn how to think critically and creatively, explore ideas and work collaboratively as they develop their own sense of identity. Our supportive nurturing environment ensures the well-being of all students and families.

REGISTER TODAY | www.mfac.edu.au or (07) 5477 3260 1 7 kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

MAR/APR 2017

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WIN!!

WIN A $200 VOUCHER FOR A PAIR OF FRANKIE4 SHOES OF YOUR CHOICE! SIMPLY HEAD TO OUR WEBSITE TO GO INTO THE DRAW!

FRANKIE4 FOOTWEAR

From $189.95 Comfort, on-trend footwear for busy mums, Australian label FRANKiE4 Footwear boasts modern and classic styles, that are trans-seasonal and all with hidden support! FRANKiE4 is the brainchild of a Brisbane Podiatrist & Physiotherapist with a mission to provide women with the ultimate foot-supporting benefits packed into styles women feel confident wearing. With body mechanics in mind, the designs are aimed to alleviate and prevent heel and arch pain, plantar fasciitis, and forefoot pain. This brand is taking big steps in gaining a growing legion of mums who have become hooked with the comfort and spread the word as they in tackle their days in comfort and style. Find at frankie4.com.au.

GYPSY SOUL TEE

MONOCHROME TEEPEE

$99.95 Teepees are the modern musthave bedroom addition! Designed to last, the Mocka Teepee is a fantastic imaginative learning tool, in which your child can play, read and sleep and have a space to call their own.

Find at mocka.com.au.

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MAR/APR 2017

$35.95 Perfect for your free-spirited little one, this divine slogan tee made from soft cotton jersey with screen-printed art on the front and raw edge arm holes.

Find at childrenofthetribe.com.

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[CHECK THIS OUT]

seriously cool products to

encourage kids

to create, imagine, draw and play!

NANA HUCHY DOLLS

From $31 The latest additions to the Nana Huchy range of children's dolls are simply divine, and each comes with their own story. Meet Boris The Pirate, the friendliest pirate on the high-seas and the perfect partner for sailing adventures.

Or mermaid sisters Milla and Mia, who are both bursting with personality. Fun-filled Milla just arrived on our shores from the Seychelles by hitching a ride on a seahorse.

She enjoys designing bikinis, drawing colourful cruise ships and finding precious pearls in rock-rools. Mia is a classy business mermaid who enjoys polishing her coral collection, making driftwood mobiles and talking fashion. Exquisite dolls with a whimsical elegance and timeless luxury, you can find them all at nanahuchy.com.au

EVEREARTH SHAPE SORTER BOX

RRP: $38.95 This gorgeous shape sorter box from the EverEarth range of wooden toys is made from 100 per cent FSC Certified wood and painted with non-toxic water-based paint. Battery-free, and eco friendly, this shape sorter provides hours of unplugged fun, encouraging critical thinking and problem solving, and building fundamental skills for future development.

The EverEarth range also includes bamboo animals, shape sorting Noah’s Ark and a height chart. Find at biome.com.au.

ZOOLU CARD GAME

PLAYDOUGH PACK

$44 Encouraging sensory play in a natural way, this playdough pack has everything you need to make and create. Pack includes two 400g jars of all-natural, scented playdough, an A4 one-of-a-kind wooden playdough board, a wooden rolling pin and a cookie cutter. You can choose your playdough flavours or opt for a lucky dip! Colours and scents are created using fruits, vegetables, herbs, spices and essential oils. Scents available include: mandarin, blood orange, cinnamon, lemon, vanilla, lavender, and spearmint. Find at happyhandshappyheart.com.au.

$19.50 Created by Queensland mum, Hejira Convery, Zoolu is an animal-themed game that kids and grown-ups love. With bright cards to collect and strategy to get young (and not-so-young!) brains whirring, Zoolu is a fab game to play at home and on holiday. It has sight words and colour-matching for preschoolers, plus advanced strategy for school kids, and nothing beats that look of joy when a child outwits their parents! Zoolu also makes gift-giving easy with a range of greeting cards, tees and game packs. For more info about the game, plus free kids’ printables and a fun blog, head to www.zoolugame.com

kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

MAR/APR 2017

19

[EDUCATION]

Nature’s classroom THE RISE OF OUTDOOR-BASED EDUCATION

by KERRY WHITE

“If Sunshine Coast residents are not out there, getting to know their land and developing a relationship with it, then they won’t love it and they won’t steward it and the scale and pace of change— and the environmental impact of that—was, and continues to be, concerning to me.”

This was the impetus needed for Carly Garner to establish Natureweavers, a forest school in Cooroy. At Natureweavers they do things a little differently. Gone are the confines of a traditional classroom and the schedules that often shape its students’ day.

“There is a gentle rhythm that guides the day, but the content is emergent, child-led, place-based and seasonal,” Carly, Natureweavers director and teacher, explains. “What this means in practice is that within the rhythm of the day, the ‘content’ is directed by the children’s interests, with nature providing the context for the play and thus the learning.”

The forest school caters for children aged 2 to 16 and it currently has 50 children enrolled in the bush kinder, and a further 50 to 60 children regularly attend Natureweavers seasonal, holiday and bushcraft programs. It is one of a rising number of forest, or bush, schools in Australia.

Carly says, “A typical day is muddy, soggy, crunchy, splashy, shady, sunny, slippery, gooey, scratchy, roly-poly and noisy, punctuated with moments of gentle care of tiny creatures, intense listening of birdsong, quiet focus of risky play, the beautiful hum of ephemeral art, and intentional reflections over a shared lunch. Our typical day is what childhood should be.”

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Carly started Natureweavers in 2010 shortly after moving to the Sunshine Coast from Victoria. Carly and her young family were drawn here partly because of the diversity of wild spaces in the region, and the climate that allows access to them regularly. But, she noticed that people did not seem to be out enjoying those wild spaces. “Sure, there are people on the beaches, but where are the people in the hinterland, the national parks, the semi-urban parklands, the riversides, the local creeks, the lesser-used tracks?

“I’ve got a background in environmental advocacy and have spent much of my career attempting to change the behaviour of adults to orient them towards more environmentally sustainable ways of living, learning and working. Research indicates that this kind of environmental stewardship behaviour is largely about relationships—with earth, and specifically, your local landscape.”

She explains how forest schools inspire this kind of environmental stewardship in children and apply it through the lens of early childhood education. “And,” she adds, “It’s fun—much more fun than sitting in a pre-school room, looking out the window, waiting for outside play-time.”

With this outdoor nature play comes another benefit—an improvement in the health of our children. According to the Australian Institute of Family Studies, less than eight per cent of children in Australia play outside every day. Coupled with the fact that in 2014 only 41 per cent of children in Queensland aged five to 17 years had sufficient physical activity, according to the chief health officer for the state, these statistics make for grim reading.

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nurture

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Ochre Medical Centres are dedicated to maintaining the long-term health of their patients.

We have well-equipped medical centres that provide quality health care for the Sunshine Coast & Hinterland regions.

Our GP’s, all of whom have extensive experience & expertise provide a wide variety of holistic services for you and your family. Ochre Medical Centres offer childhood vaccinations, antenatal care, general health checks and support chronic disease management for you and your family.

Caloundra 07 5491 1144

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Maleny 07 5494 2388

Montville 07 5442 9144

Noosa 07 5343 1400

Sippy Downs 07 5373 0700

Book online at

www.ochrehealth.com.au

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OUR VISION � To develop a supportive learning community that works in collaboration and partnership to promote children’s optimal development in all areas. � To provide a rich play-based learning environment that stimulates imagination, creativity, investigation and a life-long love of learning.

� To provide opportunities that enable children to learn meaningfully through play. � To intentionally facilitate learning experiences that encourage and extend learning and development, curiosity and wonder. � To holistically nurture and support children’s growth and individual development at their own developmental pace.

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www.bellagrace.com.au

Anything is Possible Connect@Immanuel

Open Morning

18 May

We understand that each child is unique

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Our focus is on discovering what makes each child special, and encouraging them to develop their own personality. We surround them with an environment that embraces their individuality and allows them to explore new and innovative ways to look at the world. kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

15/12/16 5:46 pm

MAR/APR 2017

21

[EDUCATION]

FOREST SCHOOLS AROUND THE WORLD

The first ever forest school was set up in Wisconsin in 1927.

Over 10% of Danish preschools are situated in a natural setting, such as a forest, and the natural world is a cornerstone of their approach to learning.

The first forest school in the UK was established in 1993 at Bridgwater College in Somerset.

And it’s not just pre-schoolers that can benefit from outdoor learning. Mandy Potter is co-owner of Starting Strong, the Gold Coast’s only all outdoor pre-school and early learning classes.

As well as offering pre-school classes for three to five-year-olds, Starting Strong offers early learning classes, for children aged 15 months to three years, and infant classes for children from birth to 15 months.

Another such initiative is the 'Creek Kindergarten' program at the Ananda Marga River School Early Childhood Centre in Maleny. Having started in January last year, around 11 to 15 children aged over four years are enrolled in the program, which runs three days a week.

Katchia Avenell, kindergarten teacher and trained nature pedagogist, shared a typical day with us: “We gather for a snack at around 9am to bring the children together, then pack our bags, put on our boots and hats and head on down to the creek. Once at the creek, we set up our portable toilet and put out our yarning mat.

We gather in our yarning circle to Acknowledge Country and pay our respects to our local nation. The children love to lead this!

“We then share our thoughts, look at the change in our environment (tree branches, water flow, etc) and discuss safety,” she adds. “Then we are off for exploration and play. We have a box of tools and another box that keeps our firewood dry in wet weather. We climb trees, jump over rock formations, swim, light fires, explore the water ways and swing from vines.”

The children also make soups or hot drinks on the camp oven and use the tools to fossick for stones, build shelters or make art. “It's incredible what the children make and find,” says Katchia.

She adds that there is an extensive amount of research that highlights the benefits of outdoor play, including physical and cognitive development for children. “Allowing the children to explore the space as they see fit allows them to develop their depth perception, muscles and whole body in preparation for writing. It is a fabulous pre-literacy skill. It allows them to work in groups and with people they normally wouldn't in a defined, routined space. Likewise, we don't have fights over toys or activities—the space is so open the children can move as they please.”

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“The early learning or toddlers’ classes run for around an hour.

In this class the parents (or sometimes grandparents) attend with the child and learn about teaching their little ones while at home,” Mandy says. “We incorporate songs, crafts, fine motor skills and physical activity to all classes. The infant class is a shorter class (30 to 40 minutes) and focuses on baby sensory and an early love of literacy through stories and finger puppets.

“What sets us apart from other kids’ programs on the coast is not only that we are set up outdoors but also that we are structured and lead by a qualified educator with over a decade of early childhood experience,” she adds. “When trying to find a program like this two years ago for my daughter to attend, I just couldn't believe that there wasn't one in such a city with a large family orientated population.”

They also run 'Forest school Fridays' for their pre-schoolers, where they explore a different new natural play space each week. “These sessions, although very popular in Canada and Europe, are only just starting to get popular in Australia,” Mandy says.

So could this type of learning ever filter down to traditional schools? “Yes,” says Carly. “Indeed it does already. There are primary schools in Australia and worldwide that are implementing nature pedagogy inside, outside and beyond their classrooms, and they are meeting, and in some cases, exceeding, the industry frameworks in which they operate.”

CONTACTS Natureweavers 0403 133 679 www.facebook.com/TheNatureweaversPlace/ Ananda Marga River School 07 5494 3559 www.amriverschool.org/ Starting Strong 0449 029 393 www.facebook.com/pg/outdoorearlylearning.gc

kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

Kuluin Early Learning Centre “Committed to caring for your child”

An award winning service invites you to CALL US TODAY to enquire about our Kindergarten / River Kindy program and Early Learning Centre.

Government approved Kindergarten program including weekly River Kindy excursions to Chamber’s Island providing children with valuable learning opportunities in a natural local environment.

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www.kuluinelc.com.au

A Place Of Inspiration And Success...

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Come along to our Open Day! Wednesday: 15th March Session times: 9am and 11am for more info call: 07 5490 5777

Prep at Unity College is a full time educational program which is specifically designed to meet the needs of students in the early years within a Prep to Year 12 setting. Our play based curriculum provides a broad range of opportunities for learning which focus on the developmentof each child as a whole, their spiritual, academic, social, emotional and physical qualities.Children participate in a variety of activities which encompass the five contexts of learning play, focused learning and teaching, routines and transitions, investigations and real life experiences.

facebook.com/unitycollegecaloundra www.uc.qld.edu.au - 07 4551 West Caloundra Cres, LomondCres, 47Lomond 47 Caloundra West QLDQld 4551 - PH: 5490 5777 - www.uc.qld.edu.au /unitycollegecaloundra kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

MAR/APR 2017

23

[CHAT]

Mum! I’m bored!

TIME TO PUT YOUR FEET UP AND DIAL BACK YOUR PARENTING BECAUSE BOREDOM IS GOOD FOR KIDS. MOJITO ANYONE? “Mum! I’m bored!” There’s a phrase that’s probably conjured up many a face palm from parents over the years. And because of this, it is no surprise that many of us feel the need to schedule in play dates and activities, in a bid to banish the dreaded ‘boredom’.

When we are quiet, we can process the thoughts running through our head, and who knows where that might lead? As theologist Tryon Edwards said: “Contemplation is to knowledge what digestion is to food – the way to get life out of it.”

But, boredom can actually be a good thing. Without it, kids can get caught up in a blur of instant gratification in the form of iPads, ondemand TV and Playstations. But, what happens when we remove those distractions?

Boredom is also good for the body as it allows us to rest. We all know how much better we sleep when we aren’t fretting about this, that or the other. Taking some time out to relax our mind helps to relax our body too.

Once the cries of boredom have settled down, something wonderful happens. Children have the time to just ‘be’. They look inwards to find their own entertainment, testing out solutions to the problem (boredom) and how to overcome it – all by themselves.

SO, HOW CAN YOU MAKE THE MOST OUT OF BOREDOM?

With their minds free to explore without distraction, you might be surprised at the kinds of imaginative play they resort to. They might rediscover their art supplies, long abandoned in favour of hours spent on Minecraft. They might dust off that old keyboard, which was forgotten about even before Pokemon Go reared its crazy little yellow head.

Boredom also allows them to explore their emotions and questions about the world. With all that white noise, sometimes the most important questions are never asked – not without the help of Google anyway. This quiet time can be a learning curve for us, too.

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Don’t be tempted to schedule something for your child to do. Instead, take a back seat and encourage them to think of something to do for themselves. This can be helped along by giving them ready access to art and craft supplies, or the contents of the recycling bin. You’ll be amazed at what kids can create when they have some time to think about it.

If that fails, take them outside. Don’t underestimate the power of nature to ignite something inside your child. Boredom is a chance to rediscover the small things. They might collect some insects, build a fort, make leaf prints, pick up that hula hoop. Sometimes, having nothing to do leads to some of the best things to do.

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NOW OPEN

Sugar free gift ideas for

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MAR/APR 2017

25

[LOCAL]

WE ARE LUCKY ENOUGH TO LIVE IN A PLAYGROUND PARADISE, WITH WATER, ADVENTURE, AND OUTDOOR EXPERIENCES AT EVERY TURN. WITH SO MUCH TO CHOOSE FROM, WE’VE ROUNDED UP THE FAVOURITE PLAY SPOTS FROM ACROSS THE REGION. AND BEST OF ALL, THEY ARE ALL TOTALLY FREE!

BRISBANE

ROMA STREET PARKLANDS

Roma Street Parklands is home to over 16 hectares of flower gardens, lakes, playgrounds and forests and much, much more. The park’s play equipment is located in the Upper Parkland, where you’ll find two parks with ladders, swings, bridges, and climbing frames to tire out the kiddies. There is also a train to take you around the park.

SOUTH BANK LAGOON AND AQUATIVITY

MOORA PARK, SHORNCLIFFE

A great interactive water park situated on Brisbane’s South Bank. The water play elements such as fountains and tipping buckets are designed with references to the Brisbane River in mind and introduce children to the importance of the water cycle. Set amongst a beautiful landscape of small boulders, shady trees and a winding stream, this park is free, open every day and patrolled by lifeguards all year.

On the water’s edge at Shorncliffe, this fabulous play park offers plenty to entertain the boldest of adventurers. With interconnected beach huts and obstacle paths, as well as swings and a sandpit, there is plenty of play to be had.

FREW PARK, MILTON

Created from concrete, the awesome climbing structure is begging to be conquered. Take one of the massive curling slides all the way to the bottom, if you dare!

For smaller kids who might find this a little too much, there are swings, spinners and a slide. The kids can also bring their scooters or bikes and use one of the paths that weave around the grassed area.

ROBELLE DOMAIN, SPRINGFIELD

DARLINGTON PARK, YARRABILBA

Robelle Domain is home to a fabulous water play space with sprayers, sprinklers and a huge tipping pail, and an interactive play space. As well as playgrounds, you’ll

find tree top walks, a lake, waterfalls and A lovely, well shaded and well maintained stunning gardens within the Domain, and park, with shallow pools and fountains to splash and play in. The park also has a flying a fabulous light show every evening. If fox, rope bridge and climbing frame so there that’s not enough, next door you’ll also find the man-made Orion Lagoon, with a large is plenty to keep kids busy. When you’ve swimming area, a shallow end for toddlers had enough of the park, you can wander and plenty of grassed space for a picnic. through the wetlands to take in the local flora and fauna.

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SETTLEMENT COVE, REDCLIFFE

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A gorgeous lagoon on the waterfront at Redcliffe that caters for all ages—a fenced shallow pool area for younger children with plenty of shade and play elements, and the main lagoon with sandy bays that is suitable for older kids. It is thoughtfully landscaped with a small island in the middle and little inlets to explore. The lagoon is open all year and patrolled by lifeguards in the summer.

Right next door to the lagoon is a shaded playground that includes a sand pit, swings and a slide.

SPLASH ‘N’ PLAY WATER PARK, RIPLEY

This is a great spot to cool down on a hot summer’s day. There are areas for toddlers, complete with little fountains, streams and puddles, and the older kids will enjoy slightly more fast-paced water play with a spiral sprayer, big gusher and hula post.

Once they’ve done splashing, get them running about on the awesome adventure park, where you’ll find an elevated skywalk, flying fox, and swings and more.

[LOCAL]

THEME PARKS AND ATTRACTIONS Dreamworld, Gold Coast White Water World, Gold Coast Australia Zoo, Beerwah Aussie World, Palmview Sea World, Main Beach Warner Bros Movie World, Gold Coast Image courtesy: Tourism and Events Queensland

Australian Outback Spectacular, Gold Coast The Ginger Factory, Yandina Wet ‘n’ Wild, Gold Coast The Big Pineapple, Nambour Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, Gold Coast Coolum Aqua Park, Sunshine Coast

GOLD COAST

PALM BEACH PARKLANDS & TREASURE ISLAND PLAYGROUND, PALM BEACH

BROADWATER PARKLANDS & ROCK POOLS, SOUTHPORT

A fabulous water-play area with maritimethemed water fountains and colourful water play elements. It includes sprinklers, tidal rockpools that children can wade and splash in and shallow pool areas for the little ones. The playground is right next to the café so you can keep an eye on your kids while keeping dry. If the kids want to go swimming in deeper water, try the beach side enclosure by the bouncy pillow.

With a sunken pirate ship to conquer, scramble nets and rope bridges to climb, kids will quickly become lost in the world of pirates, parrots and planks! There is plenty for the younger ones too, with a mischievous pirate cat and Treasure Island caves to explore. This is also a great spot nearby for a picnic and a paddle in the lagoon-like waters.

PRATTEN PARK, BROADBEACH

Redefining excellence in park design, this All Abilities playground has something for everyone. The park features a sandcastle fort to get lost in via the many tunnels and stairs, and a sand play table with water.

There is also a submarine to explore, a Sway Fun Ride, a flying fox, scramble nets, a small maze and much, much more.

TOILETS

BBQ

PLAYGROUND WATER PLAY

PICNIC

CAFE

KIOSK

ALL ABILITIES

kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

LAGUNA PARK, PALM BEACH

A fabulous park for all ages that features a pirate ship to sail, a tall castle and rope towers to climb, and a tram track with a two-person bike that runs around the outside of the play area. There are also several rockers, swings and slides, and a swing for a wheelchair.

CURRUMBIN ROCK POOLS, CURRUMBIN

Just 15 minutes from Currumbin beach is this secret swimming hole. With a rope swing and plenty of shallows for little ones to splash in, the smooth rocks and grassy banks are a great spot for a picnic.

MAR/APR 2017

27

SUNSHINE COAST

[LOCAL]

PIRATE PARK, NOOSA YACHT CLUB, NOOSAVILLE

KINGS BEACH WATER PARK, KINGS BEACH

At the western end of Gympie Terrace, the Pirate Park is a great family-friendly park with plenty of interesting equipment including climbing frames, a flying fox, slides and a sand pit. The play equipment also includes a wheelchair Liberty Swing and a wheelchair-height sand digger. Alongside the park is Noosa Foreshore, which is a great spot for cycling and a picnic.

QUOTA MEMORIAL PARK, NAMBOUR

DICK CAPLICK PARK, EUMUNDI

TOILETS

BBQ

PLAYGROUND WATER PLAY

Located near the centre of Nambour, Quota Memorial Park is a great place for kids to let off steam. The semi-circular climbing feature tests the skills of the older children whilst the younger ones by the swinging boat and the train engine and carriage. Also popular is the yellow ball funnel—perfect for honing those ball skills and creating your own games. The most striking attraction is the three-storey building with rope climbs, a spiral tunnel slide and plenty to keep the little ones busy.

A roomy park in the heart of Eumundi with stacks of play equipment including a popular play train, climbing ball, giant spinning wheel, and play bridge suspended between the fig trees.

PICNIC

CAFE

KIOSK

ALL ABILITIES

Overlooking the stunning Kings Beach is a large, saltwater swimming pool. The pool is graded so it gets progressively deeper, but there are plenty of shallow spots for smaller kids to paddle and play. There is ample seating and shade to be found here so it’s easy to bring a picnic and make a day of it. Wander back towards the town centre slightly and you will find another water play spot, with fountains to run and play in.

TEWANTIN SPLASH PARK, TEWANTIN

Perched on the bank of the glorious Noosa River, this water park may be small, but it is perfectly formed. The flooring represents the river running from Noosa Heads up past Lake Cootharaba. Take a seat and watch the kids splash in the time-delay fountains in this safe, fully enclosed, well-shaded park. Once the kids have had their fun, treat yourself to a wander around the quaint Noosa Marina a short stroll away.

NATIONAL PARKS AND GARDENS Springbrook National Park Noosa National Park Tewentin National Park Buderim Forest Park Maroochy Bushland Botanic Gardens Noosa Botanic Gardens Maleny Botanic Gardens Image courtesy: Tourism and Events Queensland

Tamborine Mountain Botanic Gardens Glass House Mountains Brisbane Botanic Gardens Tambourine Mountain Botanic Gardens

LET US KNOW WHAT YOUR FAVOURITE PLAY SPACE IS AND WHY YOU LOVE IT, AND WE’LL ADD IT TO OUR LOCAL GUIDE! 28

MAR/APR 2017

kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

Stay on a real dairyfarm

We have 100 acres of rainforest to explore overlooking Lake Baroon.

Children can milk cows, feed calves, pigs, goats & chickens, collect eggs & bush walk

Wittacork Dairy Cottages • Phone 07 5494 4369 • www.wittacork.com.au

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MAR/APR 2017

29

[WELLBEING]

Where did the play go?

How FUN is essential to wellbeing and development

by ANGELA SUTHERLAND

Research over the past 20 years certainly seems to suggest that childhood anxiety is on the rise, and that there are much higher rates of anxiety in children today than in the 1950s.

The combination of pressure at school and societal changes seems to be fuelling this upward trend. So what changes can be made to make childhood ‘fun’ again?

MAKING SCHOOL A FUN PLACE TO BE With the introduction of NAPLAN and the compulsory attendance of Prep in Queensland schools, our children’s primary years seem increasingly focused on academic achievement. This push has brought great results, with Queensland students being most improved in several NAPLAN areas. But is this coming at a price, and is there a better way?

Play-based learning is at the centre of the Early Years Learning Framework (EYLF)—the national framework for early childhood education and care: “Through play babies and young children explore and learn to understand the world around them as they come to communicate, discover, imagine and create.” (Early Years Learning Framework Guide 2016.)

Lindsay Cote, Psychologist at Sunshine Coast Psychology Clinic, explains that play is a very important part of how children learn.

“Play fosters creativity, builds problem-solving skills and is critical

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MAR/APR 2017

for social-emotional development. Additionally, because young children’s brains are very much still developing, it is difficult for young children to regulate themselves for extended periods of time. This means that regular opportunities to get up and move and for free play are very important and developmentally appropriate.”

Play is also an essential development tool as it provides children with the opportunity to interact with their peers—to find ways to get along, to negotiate and to problem solve differences, all things that create social competence. “Children who feel competent and confident are much less likely to be anxious and more likely to try new activities. When children learn by doing things for themselves, they develop a sense of competence, resilience and confidence.”

So why, once children reach formal education is this philosophy so quickly abandoned for rote learning and teaching by instruction?

Three years ago, St Andrew’s Anglican College (Sunshine Coast) challenged the traditional pedagogy of the mainstream classroom, introducing the Walker Learning program. Now embedded across all primary classrooms, their classrooms are transformed into exciting, engaging, and very active learning spaces.

Through active investigation and personalised learning, children build knowledge based on their experiences rather than through passively receiving information.

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An initiative of the

SUNSHINE COAST GRAMMAR SCHOOL

A Service of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association

m y Al er t • E

FOREST GLEN 07 5453 7077 372 Mons Road, Forest Glen ALEXANDRA HEADLAND 07 5479 2222 43-45 Okinja Road, Alexandra Headland

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Discover why Montessori is called the future of education.

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your family discovers the Montessori difference – lessons that last a lifetime.

Montessori International College…

Nurturing your child’s love of learning from 15 months to 18 years.

It’s schooling reimagined. kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

Curious...

P: 07 5442 3807 www.montessori.qld.edu.au

MAR/APR 2017

31

[WELLBEING]

WHAT CAN PARENTS DO? There are several things you can do as a parent to prevent or improve anxiety in your child. Lindsay explains, “It starts with modeling—that is, teaching by example. If a parent is struggling with anxiety him or herself, it is important to manage it appropriately and to try not to fret or worry excessively in front of your child, which undermines your child’s sense of security.”

It is also important to be aware of your child’s age in terms of how much he or she is exposed to. “It is not appropriate to tell a fouryear-old not to talk to strangers ‘because someone could take you and kill you’. It would be more helpful to say: ‘Most people are good but some people are not nice to kids and that is why you should not talk to strangers’.”

St Andrew’s Anglican College

“This is really important because no two children develop at the same rate, in the same way and at the same time,” said Prep Teacher Fiona Scurfield.

The Walker Learning Approach encourages the children to be problem solvers, deep thinkers and creative learners. It also facilitates the development of a rich vocabulary as children discuss, question, hypothesise and negotiate their learning.

“The open-ended nature of investigations encourages a true and lifelong love of learning and it is a really effective way of ensuring that every child begins the day with a smile on their face”, said Ms Scurfield.

HOME IS WHERE THE FUN IS Lindsay Cote believes that while the data is unclear about rises in more recent years, there have certainly been significant societal changes that could be conducive to increased anxiety.

Also, let your child make mistakes and take acceptable risks.

Your child will learn more from getting it wrong than from getting it right. Encourage your child to have a go, particularly if he or she is avoiding something, and most importantly, praise your child for taking small steps. It might be easier to put their bag away for them when in a rush every morning, but they will learn more if they do these things themselves, and feel more confident in their abilities next time they are faced with doing something new.

Lindsay says, “Many parents ask me, ‘When should I push my child and when should I pull back?’ This is more art than science, but use your best judgment as a parent. If your child is showing a little reluctance, some prodding may be in order. If your child is hysterical, let it go and try again next time.”

It is understandable that we all want the very best for our children and no parent enjoys seeing their child upset. However, when we try to manage our children’s difficult feelings and swoop in to ‘fix it’ for them all the time, our children have fewer opportunities to work through it themselves, building competence at managing their own emotions. Competence then leads to confidence, that feeling that ‘yes, I can handle the things that come my way’, as well as resilience, or the ability to bounce back when things go wrong.

“Two meta-analyses from several years ago examined anxiety in children and adolescents between 1952 and 1993. What they found was that increased anxiety was associated with decreased social connectedness and higher perceived environmental threat.”

In simple terms, that means that compared to 60 years ago, we are much less connected. We are less likely to know our neighbours well, and it’s less likely that our extended family is involved in the upbringing of children as we tend to live further away. She believes these trends have eroded a strong sense of community for many people.

“Additionally, the rise of the Internet and social media means that we are constantly bombarded by information, including information about bad things happening in our country and around the world,” Lindsay explains. “Children, therefore, are a lot more exposed to information about things like terrorism, shootings, kidnappings and severe weather events, creating a sense of danger and unpredictability for many children.”

Lindsay Cote is a fully registered Psychologist at Sunshine Coast Psychology Clinic. She effectively delivers services to children and adolescents experiencing mood and anxiety difficulties, including those with severe and complex mental health challenges.

Find her at www.sunshine-coast-psychology.com.au

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Laying a

strong foundation

FOUNDATION COLLEGE (PREP TO YEAR 2)

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

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

LAUNCH YOUR W

GRAMMAR

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D AY 1 7 M

AY

BOOK YOUR SEAT

www.scgs.qld.edu.au/Open Day

EXPLORE

THE OPPORTUNITIES

DISCOVER

THE POSSIBILITIES

CREATE

YOUR OWN ADVENTURE

372 Mons Road, Forest Glen Qld telephone +61 7 5445 4444 | email enquire@scgs.qld.edu.au web www.scgs.qld.edu.au A School of the Presbyterian and Methodist Schools Association

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MAR/APR 2017

33

[THINGS TO DO]

# BUILD YOUR OWN DEN # — DEN RULES —

L Respect the environment; real den commanders leave no trace

L Don’t cut down living trees and plants L Don’t steal from other people’s dens!

L Keep the den lightweight; don’t use any heavy bits of wood or sharp items L Though there isn’t a ‘right’ way to build a den, there are few wrong ways: derelict buildings, swamps, other people’s land… you get the idea L Make sure an adult checks the den is safe

THERE’S NOTHING BETTER TO SPARK NATURE PLAY IN EVERYONE THAN AN OUTDOOR DEN. BUILDING A DEN CAN BE AS COMPLICATED OR AS SIMPLE AS YOU LIKE. IT JUST TAKES SOME EVERYDAY MATERIALS AND A LITTLE IMAGINATION. LIVING BAMBOO TEEPEE What you need: 8 long bamboo canes (approximately 1.8-2m length), Garden string, Runner bean seeds or sweet pea seeds.

Push the bamboo canes into the ground in a circle and make a teepee shape, leaving a larger gap between two poles for the entrance. Using garden string or cable ties, fasten the canes together at the top (making sure it is very secure). Weave garden string between the poles, at various heights, leaving the doorway clear. Dig a hole at the base of each bamboo cane and plant 2 seeds with compost or potting mix. Water seeds thoroughly. When the seedlings emerge, guide them onto the canes until they naturally begin to climb. Cover the ground around the seedlings with mulch and water frequently during dry periods. Harvesting the beans regularly will encourage the plants to continue to flower and produce beans. For a flowerly alternative, plant sweet peas rather than beans.

TARPAULIN HIDEAWAY What you need: Tarpaulin, Tent pegs, Rope, Small mallet, Camouflage decorations.

This is a very simple den that can be as large or small as you like. Hang a tarpaulin between two trees over a rope, secure the edges with tent pegs, then kids can decorate with netting, twigs,

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leaves and any other outdoor camouflage they can find. Keep the decoration light, so the den doesn’t fall in on itself!

SIMPLE TENT DEN If you are short on time but big on ideas, a great way to create your own outdoor den is to start with a tent as a base. Choose an outdoor tent, we love the camouflage tent from www. yardgames.com.au. Set the tent up where you want the den to be, tucked under a tree or hidden alongside bushes and secure to the ground with pegs, then decorate with netting, twigs, sticks and leaves.

BUILD YOUR OWN CUBBY KIT A den in a box? Yes indeedy!

Designed to make cubby building a whole lot easier, this Cubby Kit includes a canopy, tent pegs and a range of portable components and fixtures that you can use to attach to anything around the home and garden. Kit even includes a 'Keep Out' sign. Interactive play without a gadget in sight!

You can find the kit at www.shopoftoys.com.au.

kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

EASTER CAMPS

Fun, interactive music sessions for young children and their parents/caregivers.

1 - 8 April 2017 8 - 15 April 2017

LONG WEEKEND

28 April – 1 May 2017

Thursday 9.30am

(Labour Day Weekend)

WINTER CAMPS

(school terms)

24 June - 1 July 2017 1 - 8 July 2017

www.kiahpark.com 5486 6166 Camps every school holidays • Ages 6 to teens • Beginners welcome Focusing on horse riding, friendship and fun in a safe environment

Forest Glen

Maroochydore Seventh-Day Adventist Church, 20 Aragorn St, Maroochydore For further details phone Sarah on 0401 635 978

Free Your Local Stress Movers!

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per person

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We are committed to being your first choice when it comes to moving home or office and for dealing with project-managed corporate moves.

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DOES YOUR BABY LOOK LIKE THIS? Is your baby UNSETTLED, having DIFFICULTY SLEEPING?

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In

It’s natural for parents to feel hopeless and frustrated if they have a baby who seems to cry a lot and appears to be in pain, but is not helped by much. Enjoyable times and fond memories are often few and far between.

Babies are not born to be irritable and many reasons may cause their irritability.

One reason can be musculoskeletal trauma.

Trauma may occur due to the position of the baby in utero, during a caesarean, during a fast or long labour, or if forceps or vacuum extraction was used.

Musculoskeletal trauma often results in a combination of tight muscles and a tiny spinal misalignment known as a chiropractic subluxation.

Chiropractic care may be the answer you have been looking for.

Parenthood is such a special time and something every parent should cherish forever. Several research studies have shown a reduction in crying time and irritability in babies after chiropractic treatment. (1-2) References: 1) Klougart N, Nilsson N, Joacobsen J. Infantile colic treated by chiropractors: a prospective study of 316 cases. JMPT 1989;12(4):281-8.

(2) Wiberg JMM, Nordsteen J, Nilsson N. The Short-term Effect of Spinal Manipulation in the Treatment of Infantile Colic; A Randomised Controlled Clinical trial with a Blinded Observer.

JMPT 1999;22(8):517-522.

5491 7743

BABIES, CHILDREN, ADULTS & PREGNANT MUMS

Our Caloundra practise now offers: Psychology & Massage therapies!

CALOUNDRA 85 Bowman Road, Caloundra BUDERIM Shop 3-4 86 Burnett Street, Buderim Mall

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MAR/APR 2017

35

[EARLY LEARNING]

PLAY AND EARLY LITERACY DID YOU KNOW THAT PLAY IS CRITICAL TO LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT? Parents often discount play as something to kids do to pass the time, but play is an integral part of how children learn. It is so important that the EYLF (Early Years Learning Framework) has a specific emphasis on play-based learning and teaching.

Children make sense of the world through playing with others.

Through play, children develop literacy, numeracy and social skills, as well as learn to solve problems and negotiate. Games connect literacy with the real world, and children are more likely to engage meaningfully with play-based, hands-on experiences than any other. In a play-rich, literacy-rich environment, children see language around them—beginning to recognise words and letters—that they start to use themselves.

Ensuring play is possible for everyone, parents can borrow toys from local libraries across the region, or simply go into the library to play with games and puzzles there. The library also hosts free Storytime and Rhymetime sessions for parents and children to share stories together.

Children can even get their own library card to borrow their own toys and books—a responsibility and independence that all kids love!

So yes, play matters! And adults play a crucial role in this.

Karen Gawen, Young People’s Services Supervisor from Sunshine Coast Council says, “Up to 90 per cent of children with language problems at age five have poor literacy outcomes 10 years later, and a child’s success at age 10 can be linked to the amount of conversation they hear in their first three years of life, so we are working hard to support parents and turn this worrying statistic around.”

THE ROLE PARENTS PLAY

PLAY FOR 0–3 YEAR OLDS

In the first five years of life, you are your child’s favourite playmate.

In these early years it’s your voice, your touch, and your smile that entertains them. As they get older, you provide the props, the space, the language, and the environment for play to happen.

Play at this early age is all about finding out about the world— movement, touch, smell, and taste all make wonderful games.

As you play, babies will study your face intently as you talk and communicate to begin to mimic what you do.

Because of the increasing realisation of the importance of play, it has become one of the cornerstones of the State Library of Queensland’s program First 5 Forever. The program focuses on early literacy and supporting families to provide stronger literacy environments for younger children, aged 0–5 through their Talk, Play, Sing, Read strategy.

• Look at interesting things—birds, trees, shells, stones, and describe what you see.

GREAT GAMES TO PLAY

★ Play with magnetic letters and words on the fridge ★ Dress-ups and pretend play ★ Make cubbies and forts with sheets and blankets ★ Scribble, draw and write with chalk on the pavement ★ Use plastic stacking cups: hide things, stack them up, knock them down ★ Make some play dough together and hide plastic letters inside for your child to find ★ Play matching games: matching letters and numbers to sounds and pictures

• Listen to sounds—music, stories, rhymes.

• Feel objects—soft, cold, hard, soft, and talk about what they feel like.

• Investigate the world together—open, close, up, down, inside, outside.

PLAY FOR 3–5 YEARS OLD Roleplaying and pretend play become more popular at this age, as children begin to connect their direct experiences with the world around them, and all of these games require language to play.

As you play, introduce new words, offer different ways to construct sentences, ask questions, and create roleplaying scenarios that offer opportunities for discussion and negotiation. Let your child lead the games, you never know where their imagination will take you!

• Dress up as doctors and treat a teddy bear.

• Open a café and make tea for toys.

• Cook something together and read the recipe.

• Go on a field trip and collect new objects—stones, sticks, leaves—and talk about what you find.

• Share books; let them read or act out the story.

To find out more, simply head down to your local library or visit www.first5forever.org.au.

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First 5 Forever is a Queensland State Government funded initiative.

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MAR/APR 2017

37

[PARENTING]

PEACEFUL PARENTING CHANGING JUDGEMENT AND REACTIVITY

by KATHRYN TONGES

Have you ever felt so frustrated with your children you could scream?

Recently a dad and I were discussing children’s ability to emotionally self-regulate. He said he agreed that young children are still learning about their emotions. He then added, “What about me? I go from neutral to anger in a flash when my child loses it or refuses to do as I ask. How can I change? It’s like I’m freewheeling and need emotional trainer wheels as a parent.”

He’s not the only parent I’ve met in over 35 years of working with parents who has been challenged on this front.

So what trips your trigger? Usually reactivity comes from some underlying beliefs, your expectations about how you think children should behave and how you think you should behave as a parent.

Your first thoughts might be “I’m not going to let my child get away with this just to get what they want”, or, “they should show some self-control”.

Peeling back the layers that led to these thoughts, you might believe that children should respect authority. You might also believe that, as a parent, you need to be in control of your child and if you are not in control you are a “bad” parent. You might also believe that the only way to get a child to change is to use any one of the following coercive options: threaten, bribe, punish, say 1-2-3, ground them, or give timeout. These beliefs arise out of fear and often limited information.

Ultimately, parents everywhere tell me they want their child to grow up to be responsible, respectful adults and they themselves want to be loving role models to their children.

So the disconnect happens when you don’t know how to effectively achieve this and you rely on outdated, unloving and fear-based methods that serve to alienate your child, place your child in the role of a culprit, and leave them fearful and even dependent on you. These methods may bring quick ‘results’ but don’t bring productive and lasting change, respectful relationships or intrinsically motivated children such as achieved by using the

Parent Effectiveness Training skills based model of parenting. It is time-tested and current neuroscience validates it.

The combination of your judgmental thoughts and beliefs culminates in your feeling unhappy and then angry. Therefore, to change your intense reaction and feelings it makes sense to firstly change your thoughts and beliefs and secondly learn new assertive parenting skills.

When you decide to change your underlying beliefs about children and about your role as a parent you can free yourself to choose and use a more loving and helpful response rather than resort to an angry reaction. It is interesting how we accept the essential need to upgrade our skills in the workplace and invest time in study for our career yet cling to outdated methods of parenting.

One parent I recently helped decided to change her thinking from, “My child is such a pain. I’m always yelling at her” to “My child is learning to manage her emotions. I role model empathy and guide her assertively.” But that’s not all.

This same parent started to use the ABCC approach when she felt anger rising. She Acknowledged her anger and it began to subside, she Breathed deeply and reaffirmed her new beliefs about children and parenting. She asked herself and visualised what she most wanted—harm or helping. She said to herself “I choose love not fear”. This pause gave her time to be Curious about the needs of her daughter and her own needs as a parent. Next she made a Choice to use effective assertive parenting skills. Sometimes she forgot and the anger surfaced before she took a pause. At those times she apologised and proceeded with ABCC. What about you? What judgmental beliefs about your child and your parenting role might you change today? State them in a positive way and what you want to happen. Write them down (this helps form new pathways in the brain), pin them up, and say them frequently to replace the old ones. Be kind on yourself. It takes 30 days of making mistakes and practicing to change a habit!

Kathryn Tonges is an international and national parenting educator, coach and author. Her passion is helping parents build more peaceful and loving relationships. She teaches the internationally recognised, skills based, time-tested and proven Parent Effectiveness Training course on the Sunshine Coast and in Brisbane. She is a National Trainer for Effectiveness Training Institute of Australia and as State Executive Officer for Queensland she connects parents with other P.E.T. instructors in their area. You can find more about her courses at: www.theparentwithin.com

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Caring for women through all stages of their life

Providing services at The Sunshine Coast Private Hospital, Buderim

Suite 18, Building B, Nucleus Medical Suites, 23 Elsa Wilson Drive, Buderim, 4556 Phone 5444 4433 info@drkylieisaacs.com.au • www.drkylieisaacs.com.au

KIDS ON THE COAST / KIDS IN THE CITY

Do you sometimes wish for a better connection with your child?

Do you sometimes wish you loved being a parent … all the time?

Do you wish you understood your child’s emotions a little better?

At the upcoming Raising Happy Kids Conference, Day 1 (connected parenting) will see international guest speakers providing hands on information about children’s emotional expression, parenting differences, setting boundaries without punishment, dealing with meltdowns, getting triggered as a parent and much more.

Sunshine Coast - Brisbane - Gold Coast

Easter SCHOOL HOLIDAY GUIDE

Fill up your holiday calendar!

READ ONLINE @ www.kidsonthecoast.com.au www.kidsinthecty.com.au

FREE

ballet shoes for every new enrolment

Day 2 will see speakers providing hands on information about what it means to home educate your child, how to start home education, the opportunities and challenges of being a homeschooling parent, pre-schooling for home-schooling, registration requirements, home educating children with learning difficulties, child led learning and a Q&A panel.

Learn how to deepen the connection with your child and raise happy kids!

The Sunshine Coast’s most loved introduction to Classical Ballet for toddlers & preschoolers

Classes

• NEW Babies Jazz & Cheer • Mummy & Me 18mths - 3yrs • Kinderballet 3 - 5yrs • Tiny Tappers 3 - 5yrs • Next Steps 5 - 8years

Locations

Caloundra, Bokarina, Maroochydore and Peregian Beach.

NEW Saturday venue with parent viewing!

9am-5pm. Free parking. WGS Kids Zone.

EARLY BIRD TICKETS ON SALE NOW!

www.raisinghappykidsconf.com.au

Fun & imaginative classes • No uniforms/costumes to make or buy Limited class sizes • Affordably priced • Make-up classes available 0405 478 909 www.danceempiresunshinecoast.com.au miranda@danceempiresunshinecoast.com.au

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MAR/APR 2017

39

[RECIPE]

Blueberry and Chia Sorbet Icy Poles IF YOU ARE LOOKING FOR AN EASY, TASTY, BUT HEALTHY, MID-WEEK DESSERT OR SNACK FOR THE KIDS, LOOK NO FURTHER THAN THESE SUPERFOOD STICKS OF SWEET GOODNESS. Ingredients

Place the blueberries, sugar and water into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to low and simmer covered for about 5–7 minutes until the sugar has dissolved. Cool completely.

Makes 10–12 • 500 g (16 oz) fresh or frozen blueberries

Place the blueberries and their syrup into a blender or food processor with the lemon juice and puree until smooth. If you like your sorbet to have some texture, pulse blend for a short time only.

• 75 g (2½ oz) coconut sugar • 500 ml (16 fl oz) coconut water • juice 1 lemon

Stir in the chia seeds and leave to stand for about 10 minutes, stirring the mixture with a fork 2–3 times during that time.

• 2 tablespoons chia seeds

Recipe from 'Superfoods For Kids' by Rena Patten.

Visit our website for more superfood recipes from Rena Patten, including her Baked Potatoes with Mexican Beef and her Super Sliders with Homemade Tomato Dipping Sauce. YUM!

Pour into individual icy pole molds with wooden sticks and freeze until set or, if you would like a sorbet, transfer the mixture to an icecream maker and prepare as per the manufacturer’s instructions.

NB. Depending on how tart the blueberries are, you may need to adjust the amount of sweetener used. Blueberries contain a very high amount of antioxidants. They can be substituted with cherries or mixed berries if you prefer.

For more kid-friendly recipes, visit our website www.kidsonthecoast.com.au or www.kidsinthecity.com.au 40

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Big Day Out Care & Education - Peregian Springs, much loved on the Sunshine Coast, is about to be joined by a highly anticipated sister centre, Big Day Out Care & Education - Peregian Breeze. Same operator, same great care.

Call to express your interest in either centre today.

Big Day Out Care & Education offers busy families: • Beautiful meals prepared on site daily • Nappies and sheets for infants • Our brand new bus safely transports children to and from our before and after school care

• Appealing, well equipped – stimulating indoor and outdoor play spaces

• The BDO Studio provides opportunities to develop creative thinking and explore different learning experiences

where everyday is an adventure...

6 Kauri Crescent, Peregian Springs QLD admin@bigdayout.net.au | www.bigdayout.net.au

(07) 5448 1308 kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

MAR/APR 2017

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[TRAVEL]

Sky Circus Sunshine 60 Observatory, Ikebukero

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kidsonthecoast.com.au | kidsinthecity.com.au

[TRAVEL]

THE FAMILY-FRIENDLY PLAYGROUND OF

Japan HOME TO DISNEYLAND, UNIVERSAL STUDIOS’ WIZARDING WORLD OF HARRY POTTER AND MANY MORE FAMILY-FRIENDLY ATTRACTIONS, JAPAN IS A PARADISE OF PLAY FOR YOUNG FAMILIES. THE SKY CIRCUS SUNSHINE 60 OBSERVATORY, IKEBUKERO

TOKYO DISNEYLAND

A hands-on observatory packed with interactive experiences.

Ride one of the world's fastest elevators, travelling at 600m per minute and taking a mere 35 seconds to arrive at the 60th floor, view Tokyo from the sky, look for Mt Fuji, experience the latest VR technology, play, explore and take incredible photos. www.skycircus.jp/english/

SUNSHINE CITY COMPLEX, IKEBUKERO This busy complex has stacks of attractions for families including an aquarium, planetarium, Pokémon Centre, and Namja Town—an indoor theme park packed with attractions and games, and serving gyoza, crepes and the largest selection of ice-cream flavours. www.sunshinecity.co.jp/english/

ROBOT RESTAURANT, SHINJUKU Describing itself as a 'crazy show', be prepared to be mesmerised by the incredible performances. Kids are offered headphones as the show is very loud, and it may not be suitable for very young children (check the website to determine that for yourself). Arrive early and give yourself time to enjoy a pre-show drink in the eclectic lounge area. www.shinjuku-robot.com/pc/?lng=en

METROPOLITAN GOVERNMENT OFFICES The best free views of Tokyo and Mt. Fuji on a clear day. Enter the right or left tower and take the lift from the basement to the 45th floor. Enjoy the fantastic views, browse the gift shops and grab a snack. Visit in the evening to see the sun set over the city. www.tokyometro.jp/en/attractions/metropolitan_govt_bldg/

All kids want to go to Disneyland. But many parents don’t realise there is a Disneyland in Tokyo—one that is designed with younger Disney fans in mind.

The design is slightly different from other Disney theme parks around the globe. It’s big, but not too big, and with more space between rides, it is very easy to get around and perfect for little ones or those who want a quieter, more whimsical experience.

If it is rides you are looking for, Tokyo Disneyland has most of the bigger rides you would expect: Big Thunder Mountain, Pirates of the Caribbean, Splash Mountain, Journey to Space Mountain and the Haunted Mansion.

INSIDER

TIPS

• Consider purchasing fast passes, even on a quieter day the ride lines can be long.

• Pick up a character popcorn holder and try the different types of popcorn sold around the park… it’s THE thing to do!

There are stacks of rides for the little ones too: Donald’s Boat, Roger Rabbit’s Car Toon Spin, Buzz Lightyear’s Astro Blasters, and Pooh’s Honey Pot Ride, which is definitely a highlight for little ones.

But Disneyland isn’t just about the rides. Disneyland Tokyo has plenty of shows and entertainment, including a fantastic street parade with all your favourite characters. You can also take a ride on the Mark Twain Riverboat, visit Tom Sawyer Island, explore Cinderella’s castle and meet Mickey Mouse and the many other Disney characters along the way. To round off the day there is a spectacular light projection show every evening held in the centre of the park. www.tokyodisneyresort.jp/en/

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MAR/APR 2017

43

Toyota Mega Web, Odaiba

"Within easy reach of Australia and with a bounty of kid-friendly attractions on offer, Japan is now a top destination for any fun-seeking family."

[TRAVEL]

Robot Restaurant, Shinkuku Tokyo Disneyland

Universal Studios, Osaka

Sky Circus Sunshine 60 Observatory, Ikebukero

UENO ZOO

MARAIKAN, ODAIBA

As Japan’s oldest zoo, Ueno Zoo is home to over 3,000 animals.

For under $10 per family, see pandas, gorillas, ride the monorail, whilst younger children will love the petting zoo. www.tokyo-zoo.net/english/ueno/

The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation is a place to get in touch with, think about, and try doing it by yourself.

Explore science and technology exhibits that will likely shape the years to come. Hands-on displays make this a great place for kids, while a new multilingual smartphone app makes a game out of visiting. Don't miss the demonstrations of humanoid robot ASIMO and the lifelike android Otonaroid. www.miraikan.jst.go.jp/en/

TOKYO SKYTREE The Tokyo Skytree observation decks offer spectacular views over Tokyo. Purchase tickets on the 4th floor for the lower Tembo Deck. A fast and smooth elevator ride takes visitors to the top floor of the 350m-high Tembo Deck, from here tickets for the second observation deck can be purchased. The Tembo Deck spans three levels with great views from all of floors, the lowest level features glass flooring where you can look down at the base of the tower. A second set of elevators connects the Tembo Deck to the 450m-high Tembo Gallery. The elevators feature a glass panel roof and glass doors to watch the scenery as you rise. On the Tembo Gallery you can walk along a spiral ramp that circles the tower upwards. The construction of the steel and glass tube allows visitors to look down from the dizzying height of the tower. www.tokyo-skytree.jp/en/

TOYOTA MEGA WEB, ODAIBA A car theme park to 'Look', 'Ride' and 'Feel' automobiles. Explore the TOYOTA theme park, try out VR technology and race simulators, for free. Kids can learn to drive with professional driving instructors at 'Ride Studio'—book a session with the instructors and when a child passes they will receive a probationary license which allows them to enter the driving track to obtain a full photograph license and gain further driving experience. Adults can also test drive their favourite Toyota car, but must present an International Drivers License to do so. Be prepared to spend the whole day. www.megaweb.gr.jp/about/english.html Also nearby: Tokyo Leisure Land, a massive arcade which has several floors of arcade games, bowling, batting cages, pool tables, table tennis, Ninja Trick House, haunted house and more.

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Also nearby: The Decks Tokyo Beach Mall which includes eateries, shopping, Legoland Discovery Centre, Madame Tussauds Tokyo, Joypolis arcade, and the Tokyo Trick Art Museum. www.odaiba-decks.com/en/

UNIVERSAL STUDIOS JAPAN, OSAKA High on any child’s ‘desperate-to-do’ list is a visit to Universal Studios to experience the Wizarding World of Harry Potter. Yes, there is the popular one in London, and also one in Hollywood.

But there is also one in Osaka, Japan!

Wander the magical streets lined with all the classic stores: HoneyDukes, Dervish and Banges, Olivanders, Filch’s Emporium, Owl Post, Hogwart’s Express Station 9¾ and Hagrid’s Hut. The virtual reality Hogwarts Ride is a must-do, as you fly around Hogwarts on broomsticks, play Quidditch against Malfoy, get chased by a dragon, ghosted by Dementors, then take a trip down to the Chamber of Secrets, through the Forbidden Forest, avoid the Whomping Willow and return to the castle, to be cheered on by fellow students and Headmaster Albus Dumbledore. There is also a nice medium rollercoaster ride—the Flying Hippogriff—to enjoy the view of Hogsmeade. And don’t forget the obligatory butter beer to round off a magical day!

Once you are finished with Hogwarts, the rest of Universal Studios Japan offers plenty of other entertainment, including a Jaws ride, the Jurassic Ride and the Spiderman Ride. There are also some bigger rollercoasters for the bolder visitors that include Hollywood Dream and the Flying Dinosaur. www.usj.co.jp/e/

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PREP NEXT YEAR? GIVE YOUR CHILD AN NCC ADVANTAGE Our specialised Prep classrooms and play areas along with our inspiring Christian teachers, provide a fun and engaging learning setting for Prep students.

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KIDS ON THE COAST / KIDS IN THE CITY

Sunshine Coast - Brisbane - Gold Coast

Easter SCHOOL HOLIDAY GUIDE

Fill up your ! holiday calendar READ ONLINE @ www.kidsonthecoast.com.au www.kidsinthecty.com.au

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[LOCAL LIFE]

Turtl3 Co. setting trends

Jayden English

JUGGLING YOUR OWN CLOTHING BRAND AND UNIVERSITY LIFE IS NO EASY TASK, BUT 18-YEAR-OLD JAYDEN ENGLISH IS ON TOP OF HIS GAME. HIS CLOTHING LABEL TURTL3 IS FAST BECOMING A HIT—AND HE EVEN HAS SOME FAMOUS FOLLOWERS. WE FIND OUT MORE. When did you launch Turtl3? Turtl3 Co. began in my last few weeks of grade twelve, during November 2015. Following this in April 2016, I launched my own website.

Tell us the inspiration behind your designs. A majority of the inspirations behind the designs come from a coastal background.

Being from a small country town originally, I had an ‘outsiders’ look on the Coast. I used this outlook to aid in designing a number of my products.

You are currently at university. Tell us about the course you are doing. I am currently studying Design and Marketing at The University of the Sunshine Coast. The course ties perfectly into managing Turtl3 Co. As I study I gain new designing skills and learn marketing strategies, which allow me to not only just continuously learn, but constantly improve the clothing label.

How do you juggle university life and managing your own clothing label? The most difficult thing has definitely been trying to find time in between studying and having a social life to try and promote the brand and get new designs out. It has been easy to forget things and fall behind. Scheduling deadlines for both university work and designs usually helps me keep ahead of what needs to be done.

What do your parents think of your successes so far? At first my parents didn’t take me seriously when I said I was going to start my own clothing label. But now they are very proud of how far I have come in such a short time with Turtl3 Co. Where do you see yourself in five years’ time? In five years' time I hope to be finished university and have my designs stocked in a number of stores around Australia. Having my own clothing store

has always been a dream of mine, so if all goes well, that would be something to look forward to in the future.

Who do you look up to? The rapid uprise of ‘The Mad Hueys’ brand. I was inspired by that when starting Turtl3 Co. What do you enjoy most about the Sunshine Coast? There are a number of things that I enjoy about the Sunshine Coast, although I cannot go past the laidback atmosphere that the area has.

Where can people buy your clothing? All of my clothing can be purchased online at www.turtl3co.com, any Boardstores on the Sunshine Coast, Pretty Rad Store in Port Macquarie, and Da Local Shop on the Gold Coast.

What is your favourite design so far? My favourite design so far is without a doubt the basic tee. This is due to the fact that it was the logo that established the brand and made it what it is today, all created from a drawing while messing around in class.

How did you grow the business? A lot of the success has come from using social media as a marketing platform. The clothing label’s Instagram ‘turtl3.co’ has gathered over 11,000 followers in a year, allowing the brand to reach audiences on the other side of Australia and even other parts of the world.

What is your biggest achievement to date? Seeing NRL players such as Ash Taylor, Kyle Feldt, Blake Austin and Aaron Gray wearing my designs have been some of the best moments.

Spotting Titans halfback Ash Taylor and Cowboys winger Kyle Feldt on Channel Seven having interviews wearing Turtl3 Co. apparel was especially unreal. Being a huge rugby league fan, playing since the age of seven, I was stoked to see some of the people who I watch on TV every weekend wearing my stuff.

To find out more about Turtl3 Co. head to www.turtl3co.com or follow Jayden on Instagram at turtl3.co.

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Movies BEAUTY AND THE BEAST

In cinemas March 23, rating CTC The story and characters audiences know and love come to spectacular life in the liveaction adaptation of Disney’s animated classic Beauty and the Beast, a stunning, cinematic event celebrating one of the most beloved tales ever told. Starring Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans.

Bring your little princesses to a very special ‘Little Chicks at the Flicks’ screening of Beauty and the Beast at select BCC and Event Cinemas on Sunday 26th March. Enjoy all the pre-film festivities including a complimentary high tea served from 10am, and then catch the film at 10.30am. Tickets are on sale now at eventcinemas.com.au

THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE

In cinemas March 30, Rating CTC In the irreverent spirit of fun that made The LEGO® Movie a worldwide phenomenon, the self-described leading man of that ensemble – LEGO Batman – stars in his own big-screen adventure. But there are big changes brewing in Gotham, and if he wants to save the city from The Joker’s hostile takeover, Batman may have to drop the lone vigilante thing, try to work with others and maybe, just maybe, learn to lighten up. Voice cast: Will Arnett, Ralph Fiennes, Rosario Dawson

Join Cine Buzz Rewards and save these school holidays at BCC and Event Cinemas. Cine Buzz Members enjoy Family Pass discounts for a great range of family films.

Membership is free. Join now at eventcinemas.com.au

apps

SMURFS: THE LOST VILLAGE

In cinemas March 30, Rating CTC In this fully animated, all-new take on the Smurfs, a mysterious map sets Smurfette and her best friends Brainy, Clumsy and Hefty on an exciting and thrilling race through the Forbidden Forrest filled with magical creatures to find a mysterious lost village before the evil wizard Gargamel does. Embarking on a rollercoaster journey full of action and danger, the Smurfs are on a course that leads them to the discovery of the biggest secret in Smurf history! Voice cast: Demi Lovato, Mandy Patinkin, Joe Manganiello

Music

ITSY BITSY SPIDER

Duck Duck Moose. FREE Award-winning tribute to the classic childhood nursery rhyme, Itsy Bitsy Spider is a fun and interactive early learning app. Through the bright illustrations, counting games and hidden surprises, you can watch a caterpillar become a beautiful butterfly, collect colourful eggs on the spider’s web, play peek-a-boo with a frog, and learn about the environment and nature from Cloe the Fly. You can also sing along and record your own voice! With simple navigation and fun graphics, it is perfect for little ones, ages 2–5.

Books

THE COVERS OF MY BOOK ARE TOO FAR APART! (AND OTHER GRUMBLES)

ANIMAL SOUNDS

John Field $12.99 All children love to sing, and all children are fascinated with animals of all sorts. Now acclaimed children’s songwriter John Field brings the two together with Animal Songs and Sounds.

Animal Songs and Sounds brings to life a musical zoo where you can sing along with monkeys, kookaburras, elephants, alligators, puppies, platypuses and other shaggy, furry, hairy animals! Perfect for young children, Animal Songs and Sounds is ideal for the home or car and will keep kids singing and dancing for hours. Find at shop.abc.net.au.

NEVER SAY NO TO THE MUSIC

Tee and Mo $16.99 An entertaining album of music for kids and their families, who’d also perhaps appreciate an alternative to Wheels On The Bus! Tee and Mo is all about the daily adventures of a funny and precocious little monkey, Tee, and his clever and unstoppable mum, Mo. While Tee and Mo may want to do different things, there’s always plenty of fun to be had, their light-hearted approach to problem solving and teamwork inspiring imaginative play and caregiver/child bonding. This fun album is available at www.teeandmo.com or via iTunes.

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By Vivian French and Nigel Baines. $13.25 This warm and very funny picture book explores some of the fibs we tell children and children tell us about reading and books. From excuses like 'I haven't got time to read', to misconceptions about those who struggle with reading, The Covers of My Book Are Too Far Apart! (and Other Grumbles) turns negatives on their head and celebrates the right we all have to access story, and the wonders of the printed page. For ages 3–5.

EMMA

DAN

LUKE KEVIN JOSH

EWAN

STANLEY

AUDRA

GUGU

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EMMA

WATSON STEVENS EVANS KLINE GAD McGREGOR TUCCI McDONALD MBATHA-RAW with McKELLEN andTHOMPSON