Westside MamaMag Jun/Jul 2019

WESTSIDE

mamaMAG June/Jul 2019

WIN 1 of 2 money can’t buy dIsney on Ice experIences MamaMag’s 5th b’day Discover DUPLO Perfect presents Toy library fun The big sisters

free Local fun for the Westside mum 1

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happy bIrthday People say getting a puppy is like having another child (both things I wasn’t planning on doing). I tell you what, they were not wrong, except at least babies only poo in one spot, their nappy. And they don’t chew on your shoes, or your ankles, or... practically everything. My daughter has been desperate for a puppy for years. I had said she could have one when she started school so we could walk it to school (she’s now half way through grade three!). Well it seems I couldn’t drag it out any longer, especially when I started getting little letters about her wish for a puppy for her birthday tucked under my pillow!

So Mama caved, a big cave as her birthday isn’t till the end of July! Let me introduce you to the newest member of the MamaMag team, Marley the Jug! (That’s a Jack Russell cross Pug if you’re not sure.) She is completely adorable and completely crazy, and she makes a fabulous office companion and a great excuse to work from home as well!

So, besides the birthday puppy, it’s birthday time all round.

Can you believe MamaMag has hit the big FIVE? She’s practically ready to graduate from kinder to school! I know I say this every year, but time flies when you’re having fun.

It seems like yesterday I was producing my first 5,000 little mags for the families of Bayside and now I’m creating mags for mums right across Melbourne and printing 10 times that amount across our four publications.

Now, it wouldn’t be a party without presents, right? But not for us, for you! We’ve partnered with some of our favourite businesses across the West and Melbourne to bring you the ultimate “Year of Fun”. A family pass to use at least every month for the next year! We’ve gotten to know so many fabulous businesses over the last five years, so it’s great to be able to share their fun with you.

And speaking of fun, make sure you enter the Disney on Ice competition too and your kids could be part of the show going out on the ice rink in the special show-cart!

You can’t even buy that experience, it’s a mama-special!

So happy birthday to us, and my two July-baby kids! >> Make sure you all pop a champers for us in celebration!

XOX Sarah Cavalier @sarahcavalier77 @localmamamag

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Local fun for everyone • Bayside • Eastside • Northside • Westside

WIN

Contents Time to party

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Toy library party fun

Parklife 8 Catherine Drive, Hillside

Year of fun

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MamaMag’s 5th birthday giveaway

Discover Duplo

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©Disney. All Rights Reserved.

Farm fun in their 50th year

Commute friendly snacks

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Keeping kids in cars happy

The big sisters

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Helping raise happy girls

Save online

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Household shopping

30 minutes to fun

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Kate Seiz from Picnic Season

Present perfection

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Top gifts from our favourite toy brands

Mama can cook

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World famous Aussie Tanina Holder

Entertain without pain or strain 26 Tanina’s top party hosting tips

Turn the page

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Mama’s top book picks

The perfect party

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Great local party ideas

Capturing your newborn

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Baby photography tips

We love a mother

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Sally Johnson from We Rock the Spectrum

Born digital

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Keeps kids’ photos safe online

Outside adventure

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Fun in the snow

Colour to WIN

Keeping your pets warm

MamaMag June/July 2019

Two lucky winners will receive 4 A Reserve tickets, a ride in the cart during the show for two children (aged 4-10 years) plus two Disney On Ice merchandise bags!

Enter at www.mamamag.com.au/disneyonice You must have two children aged between 4-10 years old available for the cart ride.

Tickets are valid to the Disney On Ice celebrates Mickey and Friends show on Monday 9th July 2019 - 10am performance at Rod Laver Arena, Melbourne only. Entries are open to Victorian residents only. Competition starts June 1st 12.01am and closes June 27th 2019 at 11.59pm. Entries and prizes are not transferrable or redeemable for cash.

Visit mamamag.com.au for full terms & conditions. Tickets available through Ticketek.

Check out the fun at www.DisneyOnIce.com.au MamaMag® is published bi-monthly for the mums of Melbourne’s West by Grizzle Design Pty Ltd ABN: 26 042 138 550. PO Box 8018 Brighton East 3187 Phone: 1300 771 446 Email: info@mamamag.com.au www.mamamag.com.au | www.grizzledesign.com.au

12,500 copies per issue distributed bi-monthly across Melbourne’s West with 50,000 copies in total across all four MamaMag areas: Bayside • Eastside • Northside • Westside.

Editor in Chief: Sarah Cavalier sarah@mamamag.com.au Westside Editor: Rebecca Gelsi Westside Advertising Manager: Olivia Wilson: olivia@mamamag.com.au

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Melbourne-wide Key Account Manager: Clare Betts: clare@mamamag.com.au

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Want to write for us or have an article idea? submissions@mamamag.com.au

Win Mt Buller lift tickets

Winter woofers

1 of 2 Disney On Ice celebrates Mickey and Friends experiences!

The opinions expressed herein are not necessarily those of the publishing staff.

Reproduction in whole or part is prohibited without permission of the publishers.Health related articles are designed to be informative and educational. They are not intended to provide specific medical advice or replace one-on-one advice from your health practitioner.

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TIME TO PARTY So you’ve decided to host a kid’s birthday party yourself.

A courageous decision! The invitations have gone out, plans for a cake are underway and now you’re left with the question of how to entertain a bunch of little rascals who will most likely be revved up on cordial and fairy bread and need some fun.

active and amused for hours? And toy libraries across Melbourne hire these party packs to members and non-members at a range of affordable prices (well under $100)!

You want to keep them happy without breaking the bank. You want to keep them happy without having your house destroyed.

Most party packs include mini roller coasters - a perennial favourite which the kids will be talking about for weeks. Create some oldfashioned fun with a games set – remember having egg and spoon or sack races? Even the adults will want to have a crack at Giant Jenga, hula hoops and bocce. Twister, anyone? You could add on additional outdoor games like croquet or mini golf, or cater for younger bubs with a small ball pit.

Mama and papas, may I introduce…the toy library party pack.

You might have passed your local toy library (there are more than 100 across Victoria). You may even be a member. But did you know toy libraries offer packages of party-minded toys and games, just perfect for keeping youngsters

Toy libraries have it all. Swing sets, rockers, Cozy Coupe cars. Tunnels, parachutes, climbing frames.

In short, everything you need to build a playground in your yard. They include larger games and toys which encourage kids to have fun together and enjoy active play.

On a sunny day (sure you might have to wait a bit for a guaranteed one of those!), a water play table is perfect for some splashy fun.

Party packs offer an easy and affordable option to help make kids’ parties less stressful (you’re going to have enough on your hands without worrying about the entertainment).

If you do feel like going all out, some toy libraries offer a bouncy castle. For families in smaller homes, games and ride-ons are a great option.

Having a themed party?

Toy libraries can help. How about a dinosaur treasure hunt, or borrow some jungle animals to keep your little monkeys playing. Builders’ sets, princess paraphernalia – let your imagination take over.

Why not borrow some musical instruments and let the kids form their own band? For older kids, “old school” board games like Pictionary, Charades or Cluedo offer fun teambased entertainment, or borrow some sports equipment and set up your own mini Olympics!

Toy libraries can even help out when it’s time to sit down and cut the cake, offering child-sized tables and chairs for hire.

And if you’re going to a child’s party, why not consider a toy library gift certificate as a thoughtful present that will keep giving long after the party is over? (Note that members are usually required to volunteer a few hours of their time each year to help keep the toy library running.)

Toy libraries offer children access to hundreds of toys, carefully chosen by staff and volunteers to fire the imagination and encourage development of important skills like fine motor, literacy and numeracy.

Borrowing toys means kids are less likely to get bored (it’s like their birthday comes every few weeks!) and is a great way to teach them about sharing, recycling and looking after things.

Check out your nearest toy library online or drop in during opening hours, and get this party started.

By Pia Akerman Lower. Pia loves a good kids’ party and is on the management committee of her local Community Toy Library.

Find your closest toy library at toylibraries.org.au

Some great local Westside Toy Libraries are: Albion Community Toy Library Albion Primary School, 63 Adelaide Street, Albion, 3020 Maribyrnong Toy Library - Branch 1 1/539 Barkly Street, West Footscray, Maribyrong Toy Library - Branch 2 Cnr Burns & Sonley Streets, Maidstone 3012 Hobsons Bay Toy Library - Newport 51 Maddox St, Newport, 3015

Little Buddies Toy Library - Werribee 57 Kookaburra Avenue, Werribee, 3030 Little Buddies Toy Library - Point Cook Saltwater Sports Reserve Pavilion, 1-5 Saltwater Promenade Point Cook 3030 Martha Arms Toy Library 90 Taylors Road, Keilor Downs, 3038 Melbourne Community Toy Library Corner Kensington Road and Altona Street, Kensington, 3031

Hobsons Bay Toy Library - Laverton 15 Crown Street, Laverton, 3028

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Parklife CATHERINE DRIVE HILLSIDE Just down the road from Parkwood Green Reserve is this unknown gem. So unknown it doesn’t even seem to have a name, but Mama was thrilled when we stumbled across it delivering MamaMags recently!

This newish playground has plenty of fun for everyone and is in tip top condition. The highlight of course is the main structure with its bold yellow twisty slide. Climb up via the spider net, take the fireman’s pole down then climb up again! Crawl through the rope tunnel, admire the view, then slide your way down!

The structure is quite high but fully enclosed besides the entrances for the net, fireman’s pole and a ladder on the slide side. There is even a wobbly mirror to make your body look

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all wonky! Past the structure there’s one of our favourites; the teacup spinner, as well as a lovely natural sandpit complete with a big red digger and a lovely natural rock surrounding. Follow the rainbow pathway past the spinner to a fun rocker or pack the kids into the nearby swinging basket for endless back and forward fun.

There are some rather cute painted wooden toadstools you can hop between as well.

There is a small oval with a soccer goal, to give kids space to run around, and a sheltered seating area with nice new bbq’s for a spot of lunch. There is even some outdoor gym equipment for the fit mamas!

Corner of Cathrine Drive and Allenby Road, Hillside

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It’s our birthday, but you get the presents!

One lucky winner will receive a family pass* to every single one of these great places!

Enter at www.mamamag.com.au/birthday

*Or equivalent. Entries are open to Victorian residents only. Competition starts June 1st 12.01am and closes July 31st 2019 at 11.59pm.

Prizes are not redeemable for cash and will be issued as vouchers valid for 12 months from date of issue. Additional venue terms and conditions are outlined in our full terms & conditions which can be viewed at mamamag.com.au/yearoffuntandc.

dIscover duplo Celebrating its 50th birthday this year, LEGO® DUPLO is so much more than just a toy!

DUPLO was launched in 1969, 11 years after traditional interlocking LEGO bricks and the same year the first person set foot on the moon! You can decide which was the bigger moment for mankind, although could Apollo 11 be dismantled and rebuilt into a racing car?!

DUPLO products are carefully designed for fun, in the heart and hands of every small child, and are used to inspire and help toddlers unlock their full potential through creative, playful experiences.

A 50th birthday means ‘party time’ and lucky Melbourne kids are getting ALL the fun! The new DUPLO Farm Adventure at LEGOLAND Discovery Centre has recently launched and it’s super-fun! This new soft play zone for toddlers and pre-schoolers has been designed specifically to inspire interactive social play, support development and encourage kids to have fun!

Behind the giant barn doors, children can explore a multi-level farmhouse where they can build with thousands of DUPLO pieces and climb, crawl, slide and swing. And no farm would be complete without animals! DUPLO Farm Adventure will surprise and delight the smallest of farmers with life-size DUPLO animals. Kids will love climbing on the cow, calf, goat, pig, chicken and hare, which even come to life with animal noises.

The urge to play is nature’s way of helping us make sense of the world.

Through play we come to know what it means to belong, to be loved, and feel happiness.

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From birth to the age of four, children undergo intense neurological transformation. The most rapid period of learning and development a human being will ever experience takes place in those four years, and by the end, a ‘blueprint’ has been drawn for the adults they will become.

That’s why all LEGO DUPLO products are carefully designed to inspire and help toddlers unlock their full potential through creative, playful experiences that will further shape their future.

Did you know the name DUPLO derives from the Latin word ‘duplex’ meaning double?

To take kids’ DUPLO experience to the next level, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre also runs DUPLO Kids Club on weekdays. The interactive workshops take place inside the DUPLO Farm Adventure zone and are hosted by experienced team members who teach young children about numbers, letters, colours and animals through games, building challenges and storytelling.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre also has 15 different LEGO experiences with LEGO themed rides, a 4D Cinema, a Melbourne miniland and thousands of bricks to build with. It is ideal for families with children aged 2-10 years who enjoy the fun and creativity of LEGO. And if you’re looking for a special way to celebrate your child’s birthday, LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is a venue like no other offering a range of birthday packages complete with private party rooms.

LEGOLAND Discovery Centre is a great choice for those looking to create and share new experiences with family and friends. Find out more at LEGOLANDDiscoveryCentre.com.au

Six reasons LEGO DUPLO is perfect for kids aged 2-5: 1. Learning as child’s play. LEGO DUPLO may benefit your child’s motor, language, cognitive, social, and emotional development. Every time children build, they’re potentially developing coordination, communication and confidence through constructive play – and that’s just the beginning! Exploratory play through LEGO DUPLO may cultivate imagination, creativity and problem-solving skills. And with so much possibility, children become part of the action they’ve constructed, exploring emotion and adventure through pretend play.

2. Safe play is the best play. Since 1958, LEGO bricks have been providing generations of young innovators with high-quality play products that parents can depend on. The LEGO Group knows even the smallest hands love building big dreams, so LEGO DUPLO bricks are designed to be twice the size of standard LEGO bricks for safe and accessible fun.

3. Creativity is constructed. Young minds require tools that can keep up with active imaginations, and so LEGO DUPLO blocks can be easily transformed from beautiful butterflies and exotic zoo animals to wheeled wonders and whatever else the wildest imaginations come up with. If they can dream it, they can build it!

4. Fun comes in infinite forms. Whether a child is constructing a masterpiece through solo play or collaborating on a brilliant build with family and friends, the fun never ends! With LEGO DUPLO, each new build produces a fresh and fun play experience for builders of all ages.

5. LEGO DUPLO lasts. In fact, it lasts so long that you can pass it down from older sibling to younger sibling and even from parent to child – without worrying about the bricks breaking or wearing out.

6. Sharing and caring. With plenty of pieces for friends and so many ways to share in the fun, LEGO DUPLO can bolster social development through the process of creative collaboration and team construction. With friendships built one brick at a time, more hands mean more fun!

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Commute-frIendly Snacks Commuting to and from childcare and school can be a challenge on the best of days, as many parents tell Kellie Connor, the Centre Manager at Guardian Childcare & Education, South Melbourne.

Chunky fresh fruit salad: Serve this in a spillproof snack container. Make it extra fun at home by serving the salad in an ice cream cone (line the cone with cupcake paper to stop it from going soggy).

When faced with a tired and hungry child it can become more than a little difficult, so we like to offer fruit near the door so little ones can grab something for their journey home.

Raisin bread or a date scone: Spread with a little margarine or butter.

If you’re looking for things to carry with you for the commute, there are a number of factors one must consider when choosing the right snacks: • Is it nutritious?

• Will it ruin their appetite for dinner?

• Is it going to be smeared or splattered all over the car/bus/train?

To help keep the belly rumbles at bay, Vanessa Schuldt, Accredited Practising Dietitian (APD) at Nutrition Speak, recommends the following tasty and nutritious snacks for the commute – that won’t ruin their appetites!

Plain popcorn: It’s an awesome ‘wholegrain’ snack with a high fibre and antioxidant content.

Home-made trail pack: Combine a mix of sultanas, mixed nuts, sunflower or pumpkin seeds and popcorn. Keep them fresh and portable in a zip-lock bag.

Fresh fruit: Think portable fruits that are easy to eat like mandarin segments, grapes, bananas, apple slices, rockmelon chunks, cherry tomatoes, blueberries etc.

Home-made mini berry muffins: Make these with wholemeal flour, wrap individually and freeze for future snacking.

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Reduced-fat fruit yoghurt: Choose a yoghurt in a squeeze tube to reduce mess. Reusable squeeze tubes are even better.

Vegetables: Choose easy to eat and transport veggies like carrot sticks, celery sticks, capsicum slices, green beans, grape tomatoes and serve with a healthy dip like hummus or tzatziki.

Corn on the cob: Corn leftover from last night’s dinner makes for a tasty snack the next day.

High-fibre breakfast cereal buds/bites eg.

Sultana Bran or Fruity Bites: Great to eat even without milk. Keep fresh in a zip lock bag.

Wholemeal crackers: Serve with cream cheese and pickled gherkins.

Rye or chia mountain bread with avocado: Assemble this before you leave work/home.

Rice cakes: Smear this with a little peanut butter or Vegemite.

Note: A child’s ability to grind food with their teeth and is limited until they are at least four years old, which puts babies at risk of choking.

Some foods that pose the greatest choking risk for babies and toddlers include raw apple pieces, grapes, raw carrots, celery, raw peas, dried fruits, nuts and seeds (including popcorn kernels). So please take your child’s developmental readiness and skills into account before offering any new food and always supervise your child as they eat.

THE BIG SISTERS’ top three secrets to raising happy girls Raising girls has never been an easy feat. Today more than ever young girls can be vulnerable in a world where there are more issues and pressures they need to consider and be aware of.

As parents, you want to be able to provide all the tools and knowledge you can to assist your daughter in making the best decisions for her happiness, safety and wellbeing. It is our duty to provide unconditional

love and a safe space for our girls to discover who they are, make and learn from mistakes, and flourish as young women.

The Big Sister Experience facilitate school workshops and have worked with countless teen and pre-teen girls, and their families. These are their 3 tips for raising happy, resilient and compassionate girls.

1. Trust and share reasons for rules For most of us, we can remember our teenage years. A period of uncertainty where we tried our best to fit in, whilst also learning who we were and what we wanted for ourselves. Very few people like rules – but even less people like rules that we don’t understand.

Don’t be afraid to set boundaries, but be clear and communicate the reason for setting them.

Not only does this make your intentions and motivations unambiguous, but it also opens up an expectation of communication and talking things through.

Not all conversations will be pleasant, in fact, some might be downright awkward. But leading by example in this regard will teach your daughter valuable communication and listening skills, and will result in a higher likelihood of her following your expectations as she understands the reasons why these expectations have been set.

If boundaries or rules are disrespected and disregarded, have clear repercussions in place, and follow through. We see the results in children as young as preschool who are threatened with consequences if they don’t follow rules, yet are allowed to get away with their behaviour when repercussions are not implemented. This problem is magnified as children grow, so it is imperative to set the expectations early on.

2. Teach a gratitude mindset There have been many studies done in recent years to show the positive health benefits of practicing gratitude. The key here is focusing on what you have instead of what you don’t.

As parents it can be overwhelming to deal with the emotional rollercoaster ride of raising young girls. Know that you are not alone, and the problems and issues you are facing are the problems and issues facing countless parents in your position. Reach out and ask for help if needed, and share support to others as well.

We strongly believe that parents do what they believe is right and best for their child.

So communicate the reasoning behind your expectations with your girls. Encourage recognising the positive and the learning in every situation. And practice judgement free, unconditional love for your child, the phases

Focusing your energy on the positives can be taught from an early age, but it’s never too late to refocus. Even adults who keep a gratitude diary of three things per day develop an overall more positive disposition after 21 days. If writing seems like a chore, why not have a dinner conversation about the ‘best bit’ of the day or the ‘top 3’ things that happened in the past 24 hours? Encourage gratitude for ‘moments’ and ‘people’ instead of ‘things,’ and you will usually find that even on the bad days there is often things to be thankful for.

3. Allow mistakes and respect her choices It can often be easy, as an adult with years of experience, to see how certain situations can produce specific, often undesired, outcomes.

Recent studies have shown that a teenager’s frontal lobe, the area that is responsible for making decisions and weighing and judging action and situations, is actually the last part of the brain to fully develop. This means that it’s not so much what teenagers do think about, but more about what they don’t think about.

It is vital that as well as guiding and encouraging open communication, you allow your girls to make their own mistakes and learn through their own life lessons. This can be difficult for parents to watch, but it’s so important for us all to experience the failures, hurts and tests in life.

Ensure you are having conversations with your girls about the lessons they can take from each situation. Remind them that both the good and bad times will pass, and assure them that it’s never too late to do better, to try again, or to make changes.

she is going through, and the mistakes she is making. These small suggestions can make massive changes in your girls’ lives if practiced regularly, increasing the likelihood of your girl growing into a confident, communicative and compassionate young woman.

The Big Sisters are a Melbourne based project founded by two sisters teaching life education programs to young girls and their families via school workshops and webinars. bigsisterexp.com @bigsisterexperience You can download their free eBook on raising happy girls here mailchi.mp/8e6483551d5c/parentebook 15

save OnlIne On average, Australian households spend $163 per week on groceries*. That’s $8,500 a year. And yet almost one in five of those same households will send more than 20 per cent of that food straight to the bin worth more than $1100 per household.

New research has also revealed that less than 1 in 10 Australians always shop for groceries online despite the fact that online grocery shopping can cut dollars off your weekly grocery bill. Shopping online means access to some of the best offers and a reduction in impulse buys, without having to leave home, plus the ability to click and collect to save on delivery fees. But despite this, Australian consumers are slower on the uptake with over half of consumers having never purchased online at all!

So if you are looking for ways to save on your weekly grocery bill, I would encourage you to start to grocery shop online to take advantage of the many ways it can cut costs.

Key tips for to save on your grocery shop each week: Do a pantry and freezer challenge: Set yourself a goal to use as much as you can of what you already have in a week. You’ll be surprised how creative you can get with new budget recipe ideas.

Get online: I am a big fan of online shopping.

I have my list of previously purchased items which makes it quick, easy and saves me from buying things I don’t need. It also allows me to easily see which products are on special and, with a meal plan I just buy exactly what I need.

Make extra: With two hungry boys in the house I always try to cook extra and create mini snack pots from evening meals. Pop them in the fridge or freezer 16

and heat for afternoon snacks or lunch boxes.

It saves not only money but time and is way better than chips and cookies.

Plan ahead: Planning is a big part of saving money and a method that those wanting to save need to adopt. Meal plans are easy to make these days with so many resources at hand. Plan what you’re going to eat for each meal for the week and only buy the ingredients needed for these meals. This will mean you don’t splurge on unnecessary items, saving you lots in the long run.

Shop in season: I use the supermarket magazines which tend to provide seasonal recipes. Buying in season is not only cheaper but fresher and more flavoursome.

Check the costs: For household items like laundry detergent, washing up liquid and cleaners I look at the unit price to give me a ‘real cost’ rather than just focusing on the product price or discount. I find this is a better indication of value and it saves me money on higher cost items.

In Australia, the Product of the Year seal is backed by the votes of 14,000+ consumers, serving as a shortcut for shoppers and saving them time and money. Product of the Year accepts entries every year from products that both demonstrate innovation and were launched within the previous year. Entered products are then placed into specific categories such as food, beverages, personal care, household care, etc. with a product then being chosen as a winner in its category through a nationally representative online study conducted by Nielsen research. * RaboDirect Financial Health Barometer Food and Farming Report

By Sarah Connelly, Director of Product of the Year Australia www.productoftheyear.com.au

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3o mInutes of fun No matter how many people there are in your family, life with littlies can be nuts, and it always seems like there just aren’t enough hours in the day, right? Three in four parents admit they’re too busy to spend time together as a family due to the pressures of modern-day life, new research reveals. In fact, the average family gets just 30 minutes a day of un-distracted leisure time together; quality time where they feel they can bond away from routines or screens.

I’m a self-confessed sunshine worshipper, picnic aficionado, tartan rug hater and mama of two, and I know these pressures only too well. I’m on a mission to encourage families to get out and make an effort to spend time together picnicking this Autumn.

After taking a voluntary redundancy from my marketing job in 2017, I set out to create a lifestyle that would allow me to spend more time with my growing family. Like many working families with young kids, we were craving a way to spend more family time together but found achieving a balance that was right for us, to be somewhat of a challenge.

We wanted to spend more time outdoors in the sun with our kids (we love a good picnic), but I couldn’t find a picnic blanket that was big enough to fit the whole gang. I was forever put-ting the kids first and being edged off onto the grass.

A mix between business and pleasure seemed the logical next step in achieving the balance I craved, so founded on a commitment to helping families spend more time together via the humble picnic I created Picnic Season, which personally I believe runs all year round!

But having a great product wasn’t enough. I wanted to know more about what other families thought about the time they got with their kids. To understand the time pressures faced by modern Aussie families. Our survey into the daily life and routines of 450 Aussie families, showed long working hours, getting home from work exhausted and parents engaging with

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hand held devices has led to more than three quarters of mums and dads constantly feeling they don’t get enough time to spend together as a family.

I found that 90% of families wanted to spend their time together doing more active and less sedentary activities. But, with energy levels zapped and spare time at a premium, more than 75% of parents said that, when they do get to do a family activity together, it’s normally something non-active like a meal at home.

This research shows what many families are feeling; that our time is so precious and we’re struggling to achieve that elusive work/life balance.

We can see that there is a desire amongst Aussie families to break out of existing routines and into more active lifestyles. Despite this, almost half of parents told us that despite good intentions, they are either just too tired or cannot find the time to be as active with their children and their family as they’d like to be.

And, while the most common way to spend limited family time proved to be having a meal at home together, second on the list was a trip to the park, while going out for a meal and going for a walk also made the top five.

I want to support and inspire families to get out together in the fresh air with a bite to eat, and enjoy each other’s company. Picnicking is by nature such a social activity that doesn’t break the bank. You can set up a picnic almost anywhere with a little bit of creativity and imagination, even if it’s just in the backyard or at a local park.

Even with the arrival of Winter, there are plenty of mild days in Melbourne so it’s still a great time to start think about killing two birds with the one stone and getting outside to share a budget friendly meal with the family.

By Kate Seiz, Geelong mama and founder of Picnic Season. picnicseason.com

Going on a picnic is my favourite way to slow down with purpose and spend time with family and friends

TOP 10 MOST COMMON WAYS FAMILIES SPEND TIME TOGETHER 1. Having a meal at home

6. Reading a story

A sure-fire way to get the whole family together at the one time!

Such a beautiful way to be really present in a child’s life. Make sure you keep their favourite books too so they can relive the memories when they have their own kids.

2. A trip to the park There are so many great playgrounds in your local area. Why not try a new one each weekend?

3. Movie at home If you don’t have a projector, why not drag out a mattress on the floor in front of the telly (or your favourite rug), grabs some blankets and settle in with some popcorn as well!

7. Watching TV There are lots of family friendly series on these days to enjoy together.

8. Cooking or baking Getting the kids involved in cooking not only makes a meal more special, it can also encourage fussy eaters to try new things.

4. Going out for a meal

9. Beach trip

Everyone should have a favourite family friendly restaurant in their area. Whether it has colouring in, a playground or just super food the kids love, getting out of the house make for a great night out.

Always a crowd pleaser with the family, but we might need to wait a few more months, or rug up a lot!

5. Going for a walk Grab the dog, the kids, scooters, pram – whatever you need – then go get some fresh air. It’s a great time to chat about the kids’ day at kinder or school too.

10. Playing a board game or puzzle Everyone has a favourite boardgames from when they were a kid. Why not share yours with your own kids!

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present perfectIon Check out what’s hot from some of our favourite toy retailers!

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6 7 9 1. 3 Pack Treasure X: Quest For Dragons Gold Treasure Set: Join the quest to discover the Dragon’s gold with this treasure set. Buried inside a dragon’s lair is an exclusive legendary golden dragon and it’s guaranteed golden treasure waiting to be found. But also within lies other great discoveries!

Let your kids break open and discover all new treasure hunters and mini beasts who became trapped on their quest for gold! Ages 5+ RRP 39.

Available at Kmart and other leading toy retailers.

2. Ty Beenie Boo Fashions: Taking Beenie Boos to a whole new level, you can now get your favourite glitter eyed friends as accessories. Sequin slides RRP $29.99, slippers RRP $29.99 and fashion purses $34.99 to suit each little girl! Available from NewsXpress and Toyworld.

3. Smiggle Fluffy Sand: If you love goo and you love the beach then this fluffy sand is perfect for you!

The sand-like texture can be stretched and moulded.

Each bucket contains approximately 300g. $9.95. www.smiggle.com.au

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4. Mighty Beanz™ 8 Beanz Slam Pack: Mighty Beanz - The collectable Beanz that come alive! Slam the top of the Bean Pod and be amazed as the Bean Pod expands and bursts open! Inside you will find 8 Mighty Beanz and one Collector’s Guide! There are 120 Mighty Beans to collect in Series 1. Look for Rare, Ultra Rare, Super Rare, Mighty Rare Beanz!

Maybe you will find a Limited Edition Golden Hero Mighty Bean! Ages 5+. RRP $15. Available at Big W, Target and other leading toy retailers.

5. Cabbage Patch Kids Lots of Licks 14-inch Kids: Celebrate 35 years with Cabbage Patch Kids! Each Kid comes with a fun fashion and lollipop that interacts with Lots-of-Licks Adoptimals plus official adoption papers with a unique name & birthday! RRP $79 Available from Mr Toys Toyworld.

6. Peppa’s Secret Surprise: Unbox Peppa Pig party fun with Peppa’s Secret Surprise! Unwrap the brightly coloured box, to find secret drawers with 6 surprises inside! Each box includes a figure with glittery party dress, party hat, large party accessory, present, gift box and stickers or gems! There’s lots of different options to collect! Who will you find inside your Secret Surprise? RRP $20.00. Available from Big W and Target.

7. Power Action Pikachu: This plush toy has action sensor technology and comes with over 15 responses and is motion activated. With its lights and sound interactions, this will soon become their favourite toy. Suitable for ages 3 and over. RRP $59. Available from Big W. 8. VTECH Secret Safe Diary Selfie Music: This electronic diary features a colour screen and front and back camera that will make your diary and personal organiser really stand out. You can load your favourite songs to listen to on your diary or enjoy the built-in songs. There are 20 different activities that include three virtual pets for you to look after, lots of great games that cover words, maths, logic and much much more. RRP $69.95. 6-11 years Available from Big W. 9. TNT: HOWDY PARTNER! Did you hear the Gold Rush is back? Blast the cards then go for the gold!

With real plunger action and 25 rock/ nugget shaped ‘blast cards’ that fly through the air, TNT is fun for all the family! For kids 6+ to adults. RRP $29 from Big W and Toyworld.

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1 10. Monster Mash: Monster Mash is a race to see who can catch the most monsters! Simply press down on the monster maker and search for the matching monster card. But you’d better be quick!

Thwack to capture your monster, whoever catches five monsters first wins! Ages 4+ RRP $25 from Big W and Toyworld.

11. VTECH Magical Lights Unicorn: Go on an enchanted adventure with Starshine the Bright Lights Unicorn. Place the seven charms on any of the three magic hearts to see her horn light up and hear colours, objects and phrases in English or Spanish. Use the charms to answer quiz questions or add sound effects to create your own special song. Squeeze the unicorn’s tail to see her beautiful wings flap and hear whimsical phrases and sound effects that encourage imaginative play. Starshine’s majestic hooves feature wheels so you can push her as you head off on your next adventure! 1.5-4 years RRP $39.95 Available from Target.

12. Smiggle sleepy sprouts: While we sleep our magical minds are at play. Whatever you dream to achieve we’ll be here each step of the way! So whether it takes a second or even a little while chase those dreams that make you smile. 5 different

sprouts to collect each with a unique scent! Sleepy Sprouts pencil case $19.95 and keyring $14.95. www.smiggle.com.au 13. Leapfrog Shapes & Sharing Picnic Basket: This LeapFrog Shapes and Sharing Picnic Basket Set is a space for fun, learning and sharing! The Shapes and Sharing Picnic Basket helps little learners explore shapes, colours, manners and more! Over 30 audio responses encourage pretend play, and the 14-piece set helps children build motor skills as they sort, match, stack, empty and fill. 6 months +. RRP $34.95. Available from Big W and Target 14. Smiggle Squishie pens: Our favourite squishies now come in a pen with 6 awesome characters to collect! $7.95. www.smiggle.com.au 15. Shake Off: Shake Off is a hilarious new active game for young and old alike! Take the Shake Off challenge and prove who is the best at shaking their butt! Simply clip on your shaker, connect to your opponents and then it’s ready, set, shake! Try not to be last! The slowest player gets the flick! Ages 5+ RRP $25 from Big W and Toyworld.

16. Globber FLOW 2-wheel foldable scooter: The perfect choice for children to transition to their first 2-wheel scooter. Adjustable features, robust design and new folding system. FLOW scooters offer maximum sturdiness, comfort and practicality for tomorrow’s teenager. Ages 6+. RRP $160 www.globber.com.au 17. Cry Babies Magic Tears: Based on the YouTube sensation, unbox the mystery bottle house to unveil the cutest little cry baby magic tears that comes with 6 fun accessories: a bottle, a bow, a dummy, a chair, and 2 accessories unique to each doll! Open the final compartment to see if they have any surprise glitter accessories, exclusive to only a few bottle houses! Fill the bottle with water to feed your magic tears, watch as they cry real tears when you squeeze their bellies. RRP $19.95 from Big W, Target and Toyworld.

18. Teamsterz Micro Motorz: Get ready to drift and race your friends with Micro Motorz, the hottest new collectible car range. Each Micro Motorz is a micro-size drifting car that comes with a cool unboxing experience. Tear the wrapper off and find three inter-connected packs - kids then twist and snap off the first pack to find a tuning tool that works with the car. For 3 to 8-year olds. RRP $12.95 from Big W, Toyworld, Kidstuff, NewsXpress and other leading independent toy stores.

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mama can Cook!

Floral bouquet chocolate bark Ingredients

Method

500g white chocolate, broken into pieces

Place the white chocolate into a heatproof plastic bowl and melt on high in the microwave for one minute. Remove from the microwave and determine if it needs more time. This amount of chocolate will probably take a few minutes, but don’t over do it. Once the centre has started to melt, stir vigorously to melt the surrounding chocolate. Return to the microwave in short bursts until fully melted.

3-5 drops gel colour suitable for chocolate (we used ruby pink) 1 handful ruby chocolate buttons Assorted edible flowers, dried or fresh, petals separated Few micro mint leaves Colourful sprinkles of choice

Meanwhile line a large flat baking tray with either a silicone mat or baking paper. Divide the melted chocolate into two batches and colour one of them, stirring vigorously to combine.

Spread the white chocolate onto one end of the prepared tray.

Place the coloured chocolate on the other end and swirl them together. Tap the tray gently on the bench to level the chocolate then go to town with all the decorations. Start with the ruby buttons, and finish with the sprinkles. Refrigerate to set and then chop into pieces and wrap for gifting.

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Get the party started with these tasty treats from Tanina!

Perfect pea puree crostini Ingredients

Method

150g frozen peas

Place all ingredients into a small saucepan and cook for a few minutes until the cream is just hot and the peas are bright green. Use a stick blender to puree until smooth.

40ml cream 40g unsalted butter 1 Pinch salt flakes 1 baguette, sliced 1-2 garlic cloves Hot grill pan with extra virgin olive oil as needed 80g blue cheese or brie or more as needed

Serve on grilled toast, that you have rubbed with a garlic clove prior to toasting. Top with soft cheese of choice and thyme sprigs.

We suggest a soft blue or a brie both work really well with the sweetness of the peas.

Fresh thyme sprigs

Recipes by Tenina Holder.

Bestselling cookbook author and recipe developer Tenina has spent over a decade teaching keen home cooks how to dominate their kitchen.

Once dubbed the Thermomix Queen by Delicious.com, and formerly Thermomix Australia’s first official ‘Recipe Developer’, Tenina has since embarked on a journey to spread her love of food and bold flavours across the world to cooks of all ages and abilities – Thermomix-user or not!

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ENTERTAIN WITHOUT STRAIN OR PAIN Do children’s parties throw you into a flurry of overachieving cake-must-be-tallerthan-the-child, or princess-castles-madeentirely-from-balloons, kind of mum crazy?

Do adult gatherings send you into a spin of self doubt and criticism followed by sudden frantic cleaning of the bathroom grout with a toothbrush? You are probably not alone. Here are a few of my tips to help you overcome undue entertaining anxiety and turn yourself into a very chilled host who doesn’t sweat anything, and who actually enjoys the time with her guests.

at home) with a variety of crackers, meats, cheeses, fresh fruit and vegetables and other easy finger foods.

Organise not agonise:

Compromise don’t criticise;

My best tip is to get your menu organised in advance.

Bring all your favourite cookbooks out, and your past issues of foodie mags or line up your favourite recipe sites and start to write some lists. It’s old fashioned. But it works.

Once the menu is sorted and you are officially starving from all of those beautiful pictures, make a list of pantry items that you can purchase now. Go shopping! Put them away and you have a big part of the pain eliminated.

Inspiration not perspiration; Think about what works best for your family, it will probably work best for your guests as well. If you are famous for your secret salad dressing, or mind blowing chocolate dessert, go with your strengths and put what you are best at on the menu. Don’t try new stuff, tried and true always wins the race.

Graze and amaze.

Another stress-free option is a grazing table.

It caters for a wide variety of dietary requirements and still provides a lot of choice for those grazing. Think dips ( so easy to make

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Dealing with cleaning; Be a selective cleaner. There is no need to wash all the windows just to have a few people around. Clean one bathroom for guest use, wipe benches and pick stuff up off the floor, but save the mopping for after they leave! No one is down checking for water marks on your floor, and you know you can always shut doors, am I right?

People are coming over to your home because you kindly invited them and because they want to see you. They will not be judging you on your decor or your ability to have a trained pet/ child behave well. Your party is not the perfect Pinterest board, it is real life, so scale back on your self critique and enjoy your friends’ company!

Chilled not stirred; Most of all, remember it is supposed to be fun.

Entertaining in fact. They don’t call it that for nothing. So have a drink early on…(not too early and not more than one!) so that you are in the zone when everyone arrives.

Get your signature cocktail or mocktail recipe down pat and whip it up while everyone is getting acquainted.

Chill. Relax. Impress. Entertain. You can do it.

Party hearty!

By Tenina Holder. Tenina is an Aussie wife and mum and more recently grandmother. She is the premium go to source for all thermomix expertise and of course fresh and easy recipes that work.

Tenina.com @cooking_with_tenina

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turn the page Kindness Makes Us Strong by Sophie Beer Whether we share a toy or include someone in a game, all acts of kindness – no matter how big or small – make the world a better place.

Kindness is doing what you can, where you are, with what you have, and in Kindness Makes Us Strong, Sophie Beer introduces us to a bunch of cute kids doing just that.

Published by Hardie Grant.

Once by Kate Forsyth Once. A long time ago. My grandmother’s grandmother travelled far, far across the seas. Over the rim of the world to where the stars were new.

Kate Forsyth’s new picture book recounts the epic history of her ancestry — a dynasty of women who were storytellers and trailblazers linked through stories. Stories link us to other humans, both those that came before us and those who follow us. Telling our own story is a crucial way to understand our own lives, and to grow towards compassion and empathy.

Available from all good bookstores or online at www.wombatbooks.com.au.

Claris: Fashion Show Fiasco: The Chicest Mouse in Paris

by Megan Hess ‘But oh no!’ Claris cried, and her heart gave a tug. Madame’s invitation was still on the rug! Without it she would be declined at the door. She’d miss out on Chanel, and perhaps even more ...

When Claris’s family leaves behind their invite to Paris Fashion Week, this brave little mouse has only one choice: an exciting dash through the streets of Paris in a race against the clock! The best-selling Claris series follows an adorable mouse who moves to Paris to follow her fashion dreams, for fans of Eloise and Olivia. Destined to delight fashion-obsessed readers of all ages!

Published by Hardie Grant.

Love Your Body by Jessica Sanders Your body is strong. Your body is your own. Your body can do amazing things! At a time when young girls are bombarded with unrealistic body images and expectations about beauty, Love Your Body encourages young girls to admire and celebrate their bodies for the amazing things they can do, and to help girls see that they are so much more than their bodies, seeking to normalise diverse body types and teach self care.

For girls aged 8-10 as well as an incredible resource for mothers teachers and health professionals. Published by Five Mile Press.

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the Perfect Party No matter what style of party your child wants, the West has you covered!

Climbing - Clip n Climb Williamstown Warehouse 2, 134 Maddox Road, North Williamstown www.clipnclimbwilliamstown.com.au Climbing parties feature a personal host who makes sure everyone has an awesome time. They run a safety briefing and harness fitting for all of your guests with 1 hour of climbing fun, full of excitement, challenge and laughter followed by 30 minutes in your exclusive private party room.

The birthday person also receives a free jump from the Leap of Faith.

Art - Little Art Big Art 20 Lobelia Drive, Altona North www.littleartbigart.com.au Got a child who loves craft? Rachael runs fabulous parties in her light filled kid’s studio where she’ll dream up the perfect activity to suit your child. Painting on canvas, sculpting, collage, and jewellery making are popular choices. Her mobile Artroom service can also come to your venue. Best part is she cleans up the art mess!

Animals - Wild Action The zoo that comes to you www.wildaction.com.au Imagine having a live koala, endangered owl, salt-water crocodile, baby kangaroo, green-tree frog, gecko, goanna-lizard, bearded dragon, stumpy-tailed lizard, tawny frogmouth, python snakes, and vibrantly coloured birds inhabiting your house or party venue! All animals are hand-reared at Chris Humfrey’s private zoo in Mt Macedon.

Inflatables - Inflatable World Werribee and Maribyrnong. www.inflatableworldoz.com.au Inflatable World parties combine fun, sport and physical activity all in the one safe environment. Kids can run, jump and play around with their friends on the Inflatables and play against their friends on the brand new courts in a variety of sports. Packages include catered and self-catered options with café and bar facilities available.

Bowling - Zone Bowling Highpoint and Watergardens www.zonebowling.com Do you remember your first bowling party? Of course, you do. It’s one of those rites of passage that every child goes through. It’s great active fun with friends, food, music and games.

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Acro - Team Adrenaline 88 Gordon St, Maribyrnong www.teamadrenalin.com 2 hours of fully supervised acrobatics, non-stop fun and games as well as structured activities using their fantastic facilities including the trampolines, sprung floor and foam pit. Hosted by their coaches, your child and their guests will have the entire venue as theirs to enjoy with a retro style party room.

Sleepover - Sweet Dreams & Goodnight Comes to you or pick up sweetdreamsandgoodnight.com.au Teepee sleepovers are certainly all the rage now, but these guys offer not only the cute single teepees, but also a mega A-frame tent to fit 3-4 kids together or some sweet 2 person teepees.

Choose a pamper theme, glow in the dark, or even an outdoor movie night. Plus they have some great add-ons like jewellery and dream catcher making or pillow case decorating.

Jump and bounce - Airodrome Cnr. Grieve Pde & Doherty’s Rd, Altona North www.airodrome.com.au Have twice the fun with indoor inflatables and trampoline playground parties in the one place! With a huge foam pit, dedicated runway trampolines, junior trampoline area and indoor inflatable slide. Their 2hr party experience includes a dedicated host and a full 90 minutes of ‘air’ time. You can get them to cater or bring your own food too.

Playcentre fun - Crocs Derrimut and Hoppers Crossing www.crocsplaycentre.com.au Kids will be entertained by the fabulous play area, multi-level ball battle zone, slam dunk basketball room, bike lanes with ride-ons, giant speed slide and toddler play area. Kids parties will include a dedicated party host in a themed party room.

Medieval - Kryal Castle 121 Forbes Road, Leigh Creek, Ballarat kryalcastle.com.au Looking for somewhere a little different? Why not head to Ballarat for a Kryal Castle adventure-packed, themed party. Cross the drawbridge and be greeted by your party host, who will then be your guide to medieval adventure for the next two hours. Choose from four different party hosts: the beautiful princess, the enchanted fairy, the dashing knight or the magnificent wizard.

Cooking and play - Rabbit Hole 227 Ballarat Road, Braybrook rabbitholeplaycentre.com.au Rabbit Hole takes fun to a new level with their amazing interiors and adventure styled playgrounds. Party options include simple play area parties to rock climbing, Bakehouse cooking school (in a purpose built, age appropriate kitchen) and disco party.

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Dancing - BeDancefit Unit 11, 87 Simcock Avenue, Spotswood. bedancefit.com.au Let BeDancefit know your favourite character, Movie star, Pop star or even Musical, and they will bring it to life! Be Dancefit kids parties offer fun interactive dance and movement games and most importantly, you can choose where to have your party! At home, your own back garden, or you can leave it to BeDancefit to help organise the perfect spot!

Craft - Craftercise 52A Hawker Street, Airport West. www.craftercise.com.au The creators of Craftercise, Aleisha and Amanda are both mums and qualified primary and secondary health and physical education teachers with a passion for all things art and craft. Their parties include 1 hour activity of art & craft and messy play time, 45 mins party room time and a take home art & craft piece. Mixed age groups within a party can be tailored for accordingly.

Climbing - Funtopia 98 Hampstead Rd, Maidstone funtopiaworld.com/maribyrnong What child doesn’t want to climb to the top of a giant bean stalk just like Jack? Opened in the last year, Funtopia will have the kids climbing, jumping, sliding, crawling and most importantly having fun. They offer two party options, a Playground Party or a Climbing World Party.

Scooter/skate - Rampfest 47-85 Hillary St, Braybrook. rampfest.com.au A Rampfest birthday party is the perfect solution for an active bunch of kids. It’s healthier than McDonalds, way cooler than a clown, plus you don’t have to clean up after anyone! They have 3 different birthday party packages available and their hosts will give some essential safety tips, show you around the park, and play some special party games.

Character hire - Heroes4hire Altona but they come to you! www.heroes4hire.com.au Need a super-hero at your party? These super-hero possess extraordinary talents for entertaining at kids parties, superhuman powers when it comes to playing kids party games and they are dedicated to making sure that your birthday party is fun, memorable and all with a super-hero twist.

Silent disco - Party Higher They come to you www.partyhigher.com.au Party Higher are the ONLY Silent Disco 4 Kids specialists in the world.

Designed for children 5 – 12, boys or girls, they will transform your lounge room, garage, garden or hired hall into a rocking disco with or without wireless headphones.

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King Valley Balloon Festival Queen’s Birthday weekend 7-10 June 2019 Come and watch the balloons lift off, light up, and maybe even go up in a flight over the majestic King Valley wine region.

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CapturIng your Newborn Hints & Tips for photographing your baby in hospital.

In the moments and hours after giving birth, most of us remember to take a few snaps of baby. Baby and mum, baby and dad. Great, done! And that’s brilliant, it’s those pictures that we’ll pore over and stare at for hours and hours in the future… the future where our kids are much bigger, when the baby smell has long gone from their giant heads and the teenage sock-smell is ever present in their bedrooms!

The baby days, where did they go? At the time they can feel like they’ll last FOR-EVER! Endless days and nights melding into one long blurry fog of night feeds, sweet baby snuggles, milk vom, korma sauce poos, and so many firsts!

First smile, first roll, first word, first steps… every baby taking their milestones in their own time, in their own order. But one thing remains true, that when we’re all a little older, the memories aren’t so easy to recall.

In this world where everyone has a camera in their pocket, there’s no reason to be stuck with one or two generic shots after birth. OK, you’re right, there’s a VERY good reason, and that’s called exhaustion. So give this article to your partner, your husband, your wife, your birth partner… because this can then be their job.

But it’s an important one because this is the moment you’ll want to remember forever.

As a documentary photographer I am a big believer in visual storytelling, starting where possible in the first few hours after birth. I’ve compiled a list to help you capture your own Fresh 48 Newborn photoshoot in the most visually appealing and authentic way.

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1. Lighting The toughest aspect of hospital photography is lighting. The lighting in hospitals is very low, often resulting in blurry,or dark and grainy shots on both camera phones and Digital SLRs. To bring out the best in your newborn, you need to get in as much natural light as possible.

Open the curtains, lift the blinds, but leave a sheer blind down if the sun is shining straight into the room as this will be too bright for baby and will result in harsh shadows and squinting from everyone in the shot!

2. Composition You’re going to want to get lots of different shots of baby, but for the main baby composition, you might want to include most of their body, or just head and shoulders. For this try and shoot from above (*pic A) so their whole body looks in proportion. Shooting from an extreme angle is also great to get that artistic look (*pic B).

3. Timing One of the main reasons that I hear for not capturing those newborn baby moments is timing. Baby was always feeding / sleeping / had its eyes closed / needed a nappy change / doctor visit… etc. To me these are the absolute best moments to be capturing. There’s no way you’re going to get baby with open eyes, staring lovingly down a camera lens every time, so go with the points of difference, embrace every moment, and snap, snap, snap. And those

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crying photos? They’re absolutely adorable in black and white, remember, you can’t hear the heart-string tugging cries in a photograph!! (*pic C).

4. Capture all the details So you’ve got your shots of baby swaddled and asleep (gorgeous!) now move on to all of the other things you’ll want to remember. If it’s warm enough, unwrap baby and get a few shots of baby in their nappy, then go in for the close-ups, ears, fingers, feet etc. (*pic D) When I’m doing my close-ups of baby’s details, I like to blur out the rest of the image by using a low f stop (1.6-2.2) which really makes the viewer focus on the details at hand. You can use portrait mode on the newer iPhones to get this effect.

5. Moments with family members These are just gorgeous to capture. Mum sniffing baby’s head, dad staring with adoration, snuggles with Nana Sue. Don’t forget to focus on the look in Nana’s eye as she gets her first hold of her long-awaited grandchild!

If your new baby has an older sibling, the moment that they meet can be absolutely priceless! (*pic E) It can be wonderfully heartwarming, but equally it can also be unceremoniously ordinary! You never know what to expect!! This is a huge day for the big brother / sister and can sometimes be daunting or confusing, but no matter whether big sibling is ‘into’ the moment or not, this can be a truly gorgeous time to capture.

6. Camera settings Flash OFF! Let in as much natural light as possible. If you’ve got a DSLR I recommend setting it to Aperture Priority mode - AF (Canon) or A (Nikon). This allows you to set your f-stop as low, letting in as much light as

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possible. Remember, if your f-stop is very low, your point of focus will be more precise, so make sure you get your point of focus (often set to centre spot by default) on the spot on your subject that you want to stand out, especially in close ups.

7. Editing I recommend downloading your photos to your laptop and giving some basic editing a go!

Most free photo editing software has enough versatility to allow you to bring a little more atmosphere into your images. Give black and white a go, try upping the contrast and see the effects change the mood of the image.

Don’t go overboard though, you don’t want your images to end up looking like Warhol’s Campbell Soup posters!

8. Practice!

So you’re 4 weeks away from baby’s due date, the nursery’s ready and full of teddies. Pick a teddy, and practice! Angles, low lighting, composition, points of focus, practice your camera settings. You could even print and frame a few for the nursery wall!

9. Shot list Here’s a shot list that can help you remember on the day: Full body, naked/nappy, toes, fingers, ear, lips, wispy hair, feeding, family and hospital room.

Utilising photography to capture actual moments in time, not only brings back memories of your perfect newborn, but also evokes memories of the moments and love you shared bonding in that hospital room.

By Bella Jordan, Bella Jordan Photography www.bellafresh48.com

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we love a mother We recently had the huge pleasure of chatting to Melbourne mama, Sally Johnson. She’s the rockin’ super woman behind We Rock the Spectrum.

After Sally’s son was diagnosed with Autism and ADHD at aged two, she dreamed of an affordable, inclusive place that she could take him where he could play freely on suitable sensory equipment and where she could meet families on a similar journey. So, with the help of her brother, she created it.

Sally, tell us a bit about you and your family. How old are your kids?

I’m a 42 year old Mum and business owner.

I have an 8 year old son, Digby and 5 year old daughter, Minty.

What were you doing before kids?

I worked for adventure travel company, Intrepid Travel as their Global Direct Marketing Manager and after having children ran a small photography business, Dally Street Images with my husband.

What’s the story behind you wanting to start up We Rock the Spectrum – Australia?

My son, Digby is Autistic and has ADHD. He is very sensory seeking and social but always struggled to navigate play spaces. It became very isolating for our family and I longed to find a place for him where his sensory needs were met and where him and our family were accepted and supported.

Low and behold another mum was feeling the same in the States and was setting up We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gyms. After learning about the business I joined forces with my brother to bring the concept to Australia.

I was sure there were other families who were looking for an inclusive play space like We Rock the Spectrum, and I was right! One of the best things has been support and enthusiasm from the mainstream community as well, as every child benefits from play in a sensory safe and inclusive environment, with specialist equipment and caring staff!

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I’m sure your children love having a play at your kids’ gym, but what do you like most about your business?

My kids definitely like having their own sensory gym to play in. My son in particular has really benefited, developmentally from having such regular access to the gym. His gross and fine motor, balance and communication development has gone through the roof! And it’s been wonderful to see my two children play together there so well because my son obviously feels more regulated and comfortable in the space.

I really enjoy feeling a part of a special community who value inclusion. I have met so many wonderful families who appreciate having a relaxing play space to come with their children, typically developing or not. It’s a great feeling to know that children and families leave the gym feeling great in their bodies and accepted and valued. I leave the gym with a smile on my face each day.

Tell us a bit about what the gym includes, and who would it suit?

All We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gyms are opento-the-public sensory gyms for children of all abilities. The majority of our kiddos are 12 years and under, although we do welcome children with special needs to use the space as well and offer some teen sessions.

The unique sensory equipment found at We Rock the Spectrum Kids Gyms include ten pieces of specialised equipment that is specifically designed for children with sensory processing disorders. This equipment aids

children’s sensory functions while they learn, build strength and play. The equipment is specialised but all children benefit from its use.

What’s your fave thing about being a mum?

On a deeper level, I love how humbling being a Mum is! Whether they are neuro-diverse or not, children can sure shake up your world and make you question all you thought you knew about the world. And I think that’s a great thing.

On a lighter level, both of my children are very affectionate and I love all of the cuddles.

What are your favourite things to do with the kids for fun?

We live a fairly simple family life and have a pretty regular weekly routine of swimming, hitting the park with our puppy and enjoying some ice cream. We love the movies and a bit of Thai for dinner. We now meet up with friends for fish and chips at We Rock the Spectrum for a private play date - that’s something anyone can book the gym for too.

Our friends are thrilled we built a play gym to hang out at!

We’re talking a lot about parties in this issue. What are kids parties like at WRTS? They are so fun and relaxing for parents! We offer a really unique party concept and try to take it as far away from the cookie-cutter play centre party as possible.

We have two options for parties. You can have exclusive use of the whole gym and party room or can just have the party room, with the gym space remaining open to the public.

Families can opt for a gross motor activity or sensory activity to add to the party, although kids are usually kept very busy going wild on the sensory swings, zipline, climbing structures and trampoline!

You can visit We Rock The Spectrum Gym at 378-380 Gilbert Rd, Preston www.werockthespectrumprestonvic.com

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Born dIgItal: How to deal wIth chIldren’s photos onlIne We all love sharing photos of our kids online, but aren’t we ignoring their right to privacy? Here’s how parents can strike a balance.

Proud parents beam over their newborn announcing the baby’s name, date of birth and weight. Friends and relatives gush over the new addition in comments and emojis. It’s a Facebook post that hardly seems original in this day and age – and is possibly the first step towards building this child’s digital footprint.

It’s near impossible for a modern family to avoid having photos of their children online.

Even if you’re personally not much of a sharer, others, like proud grandparents, might be. And many schools today share photos online to communicate with parents or promote the school’s programs and student achievements.

Although children today are ‘born digital’, it’s worth considering that in many ways exposure in the online world presents more of a risk than in the physical one. As parents, you’re responsible for protecting them until they are old enough to make their own decisions about their online presence.

Why having photos of your children online is a risk According to research conducted by cybersecurity company McAfee, 30% of Australian parents use social media to post a photo or video of their child at least once a week, with 12% posting at least once a day. This was despite 71% understanding that the image might end up in the wrong hands.

A 2017 University of Florida study found that “when children appear in Facebook photos, 45.2% of the posts also mention the child’s first

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name, and 6.2% reference the child’s date of birth”. On Instagram, it was worse: 63% of parents referenced their child’s first name in at least one photo in their stream and 27% of parents mentioned their child’s date of birth. Almost one in five shared both pieces of information!

But what’s the big deal if we share photos from little Jamie’s birthday party? The reality is that having images and identifying details can be used for a number of activities that put your child at risk, from paedophilia and stalking, to cyberbullying, identity theft and even kidnapping.

And that’s just the start. A bigger issue is that once the images are published, you can quickly lose control over who has access to them Practising privacy Abstaining from posting photos is the most privacy you can give your children, but we recognise that it is not the most realistic. So what can you do to ensure better privacy practices?

Attain consent Check with other parents before posting and sharing images of their children. You might be fine with your child’s photo being posted, but the parents of their friend who is next to them in the photo might not be.

Select the shots Develop criteria of what you deem ‘appropriate’ and carefully select the shots to share. For example, you may wish to avoid full-frontal face shots, swimwear, and nudity.

Exclude details Make sure the images do not contain personal details of your child, including their name (if they are wearing a nametag, blur it out), location (no photos outside a recognisable home or school) and identifiable uniform.

Do not share their date of birth. It’s tempting to announce the arrival of a newborn, but hold off and then post a less precise caption: “We welcome the latest member of our family born a few days ago…”

Scrub the metadata Digital photos, especially those created on smartphones, often contain metadata that records the time, date and GPS coordinates of where the photo was taken. Be mindful that you may be unwittingly sharing this data when you share the photo.

There are different tools you can use to wipe the data, or you can develop a habit of creating a screenshot of the image and share the screenshot instead. This also makes the image low-resolution, reducing the risk of someone tampering with it.

Create a circle of trust Only share images of your children with people you know and trust – don’t forget check your social media permissions and privacy settings.

You should also communicate your concerns to people in this circle to ensure they understand the risks and are less likely to expose the images to outsiders.

Be in control Every parent has the right to determine how their child’s photo is used, and every child has the right to safety and digital privacy. So, make sure your school obtains specific consent for the ways your child’s photo will be shared. If you’re happy for your child’s photo to be in the yearbook but not on their social media channels or website, then they are required to comply with those boundaries. Remember to S.N.A.P.: Check if your School Now Asks Parents before sharing.

Privacy, once lost, is incredibly hard to regain.

If you have a privacy-first mentality when dealing with your children’s digital footprint, it can reduce a lot of the risks associated with sharing their image and set them up for a healthier relationship with technology when they are old enough to protect themselves.

By Tammy Anson, a mum and Communications Officer at child image protection and photo storage solution, pixevety. pixevety.com

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outsIde adventure Remember how your mum used to flip off the TV and shoo you into the backyard to ‘go outside and play in the fresh air’? Turns out Mum was right.

Fast forward a decade or so and we are spending more time inside, much more time glued to screens of different sizes and everyone seems to agree this is leading to stressed and depressed kids.

If you are looking for fun ways to keep your kids active and happy during the colder months there are lots of good reasons to plan a day (or more) in the snow!

Unplug

Skiing and snowboarding are also great opportunities for your kids to experience the challenge and satisfaction that comes with mastering a new physical skill. There is a lot to be said for kids having the chance to try, to fall, to get up and try again and feel the pleasure of achieving that first run on their own, that first turn and stop and then the sheer delight of being better at something than Mum or Dad! With safety gear, helmets and great ski instructors you can give your kids a chance to take some risks and enjoy the rewards.

Present

There is nothing like fresh snow and the promise of snowball fights to get kids off the iPad and out the door. You’d be amazed how quickly kids will stop nagging you about Minecraft when there is an igloo to build with friends or skiing to do; and the best part is you have pink-cheeked, tired and happy kids at the end of the day.

Give your kids the present of being present.

There is nothing quite like having to focus 100% on a physical challenge like skiing or boarding to sharpen the mind and clear out all other distractions. Combined with the exhilaration of sliding on snow it’s a great way to blow off the cobwebs and leave distractions and worries behind.

Nature is the best classroom and the mountains are a magical place to learn for kids of all ages.

Where do snowflakes come from? How do I stop on skis? Where do the wombats go when it snows? What is the weather today? Does water take longer to boil at altitude? Being in an environment so different to the everyday stimulates young minds and makes learning new things fun. Even Ski School doesn’t feel like ‘real’ school. Kids embrace the challenge of learning to ski and snowboard and instructors are experts at making learning feel like play.

There is a tonne of evidence that active kids are smarter kids, and much happier than their couch-bound counterparts. So log off, put the screens down and get the family up into the mountains this winter.

Connect Snow brings out the kid in everyone and it’s hard not to smile at strangers up on the slopes.

Must be something to do with wearing bobbly hats and falling in snow that breaks down the social barriers! Snow time is a chance to really connect as a family, spend time on the slopes together, toast marshmallows and slow down the pace. Build a snowman. Play jenga. Really talk.

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Brave and Bold

Just 3 hours from Melbourne Mt Buller has “Kids Stay Free” accommodation deals and more.

Plan & book a winter escape at mtbuller.com.au”

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Based on the book by Mem Fox and Julie Vivas

Mem Fox’s Possum Magic has captivated and enchanted young people all over Australia.

Enjoy this brand-new stage adaptation of a magical Australian classic.

Thursday, 26 September at 10am

Text copyright © Mem Fox 1983 Illustrations copyright © Julie Vivas 1983

For bookings and more information visit clocktowercentre.com.au or call 9243 9191.

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Introduce the kids to snow and ski fun this season at Mt Buller, Australia’s most accessible all season alpine resort, located just an easy 3 hour drive from Melbourne.

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Post your entry by July 31 to: MamaMag, PO Box 8018, North Road LPO, Brighton East 3187.

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WInter woofers Winter time is the perfect time for pet owners to start thinking about what they need to ensure their pet stays happy and healthy during the cooler season.

Pets all need a little extra care and attention to keep them safe and happy during winter.

As the temperature drops, it’s vital pet owners find out what extra support their pet may need.

Some dogs with thinner natural coats will benefit from an extra layer of warmth, like a jumper or coat for those cold winter walks or if they spend a lot of their time outdoors.

Pets should also have the option to come indoors in winter and not spend too much time outdoors in the cold. Some pets are more

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physically prepared for the colder weather than others, for example a Husky will fare better in the cold than a Yorkshire Terrier. Pet owners should use their common sense and look out for the tell-tale signs of discomfort, including shaking, barking and whining – which could all be signs that your pet is too cold.

The colder it gets, the harder animals’ bodies need to work to fend off illnesses as they are expending more energy trying to stay warm.

If your pet has an underlying health condition, this is a particularly important time of year to go to the vets to get a regular health check-up.

Detecting health problems early is crucial, to make sure your pet receives the best possible care.

Our Winter safety tips: 1. Warm winter wardrobe Despite the change in weather, our furry friends still require regular daily exercise to keep in shape. A warm winter jumper or coat can keep them cosy on their winter walks and keep them snug throughout the day. Visit your local PETstock store for advice and sizing information for optimum comfort.

2. Blizzard-proof bedding Your pet may spend more time lying down during the winter months, because just like us, the cold weather tends to slow them down to conserve energy and keep warm. Invest in a thicker, warmer bed in winter to make sure your pet has somewhere comfortable to lie down throughout the day and night.

It’s important your pet has 24-hour access to a comfortable bed to call their own, so they know where their safe space to reside is.

3. Snug shelter!

All pets need a roof over their heads! If your pet tends to spend most of its time outside through the summer months, winter is the time to either allow your pet inside to keep

warm or provide an adequate dog kennel or enclosed pen to protect them against the elements. Make sure they always have access to water, a warm and cosy bed and give them regular toilet breaks so they avoid accidents in their space.

4. Senior care suite Older pets have more sensitive joints and when the temperature drops, these aches and pains can be much more painful and require more care and attention. Pet owners should be mindful of giving them regular exercise to keep their muscles supple and encourage blood circulation. You can visit your local PETstock VET for information on ways to manage their discomfort.

5. Regular vet checks It’s a good idea to book in for a winter health check-up for your pet, because the cold weather can lower pets’ immune systems, making them more susceptible to health problems. Check-ups every six months are recommended to make sure any health problems are detected early and efficiently treated.

By Dr Emily Chan, PETstock VET

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Early Learning Kinder Our centres offer:

Regular excursions and incursions

Indoor & outdoor play Long opening hours

Flexible session lengths

Book a tour of your local centre today

childrensprograms.ymca.org.au

(03) 8371 0500