PakMag - June 2009 by Grand Publishing

Issue 24 June 2009

Kid’s mini mag inside! ! t NLYou S Ome KuIDLL

Big Birthday Special! Pregnancy: Prepping for your next one

I n T h e aT r e s J u n e 11

• Did you know ? • Loads of Comp s • Heaps of Prize s • PAK review

Kids Parties: All You Need to Know What’s on for June

what’s stacked in pak this month!

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editor’s note I cannot believe how fast time goes and how much life has changed for me since starting PakMag some two years ago. The biggest change has obviously been becoming a parent myself and I’m hoping that with my newfound understanding of what parents go through, we can continue to grow PakMag and become an even more valuable resource for families in North Queensland.

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There is a Calanna Pharmacy on Your Way Home Calanna Pharmacy North Cairns 355 Sheridan Street, North Cairns Ph: 4031 4222

Calanna Pharmacy Woree 600 Bruce Highway, Woree Ph: 4054 2440

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We will be celebrating our 2nd birthday on the 28th June from 2pm on the Esplanade and all of our readers are invited to come along. We’ll be kicking off with theTeddy Bears Picnic and finishing with a massive concert with performances from lots of local dance schools and entertainers. If you would like to be involved at all let us know, you could be a part of the entertainment, or have your own stall to promote your business, but we would love to see all of you there to celebrate.

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Hello and welcome to the 24th edition of PakMag, our very special 2nd birthday edition.

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Thanks so much to you, our readers, and to our advertisers for your continued support. Without you PakMag wouldn’t be what it is today. Baby Jordan is growing so fast I can’t believe he is 12 weeks old already. I thought time flew before but add a child and not only does nearly every minute of your day need to be planned to perfection, it’s time for bed before you even get a chance to get out of your pajamas! Enjoy our special birthday edition and hope to be able to have a piece of cake with you on the 28th of June. Bree James

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What’s New

Sea FM’s Doting Dads

6-8

Everything you need to know about throwing a kids’ birthday party in Cairns

10-12 Kids & Music: A Lifelong Gift 13 Couch Potatoes 15

Pak Health - Prepping for Pregnancy

Pak Health - Give Flu the Flick

Fusion Apricot Slice

17 Pak Health - Dry Nights Ahead 19 Kids in the Kitchen - Crepe Suzette 19 Parents in the Pantry - Japenese Pancakes 20,33 Out & About Photos 25-28 What’s On June 38 Pak Parent - Cakes Galore 39 Active Kids - Raising Fit Kids 40 Pak Travel - Club Med Lindeman Island

47 DIY Pak Projects - Piñata’s 48

Kids Activity - Sports Aerobics

50 Eating Out - The Rock Tavern 52

Time for a Break

Kids 21

Kids Mini-Mag

Colour it in & Win

23-29 Pak Activities 30

Bopstars Bulletin

Pak Animal Facts

Baby & Toddler 35

Baby Led Weaning

SIDS: Link to Smoking Proven

Wisdom Teeth

38 Pak Parent - Cakes Galore

Things to Win 2

Win a Family Pass to Green Island

31 Win a Bedtime Stories DVD

Teddy Bears’ Picnic

Battle of the Brains

42 A Trip to… Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

Win a series of 6 Pic KIDZ books

Win a Family Pass to Australian Butterfly Sanctuary

Pak Vouchers

44 Prize Winners/Favourite Pet Shots

44 Favourite Pet Shot Competition

45 Life as a Clown

Win a Family Bowling Pass

Business Directory

The PaK Mag crew:

Editor: Bree James Sub Editor: Elaine Seager Website, What’s On & MiniMag Manager: Trent Stievano Graphic Design & Layout: Trina Jensen from Intrinsic Creative Articles: E laine Seager, Amanda Mathiot, Barbara Randle and submitted writers.

Phone: 4031 9915 Fax: 4031 9916 Email: info@pakmag.com.au Postal: PO Box 7433, Cairns QLD 4870 Level 2, 68 Abbott Street, Virginia House, Cairns Q 4870

Enquiries:

Sales & Advertising enquiries: sales@pakmag.com.au Stories, events, distribution, subscriptions to: info@pakmag.com.au Accounts to: accounts@pakmag.com.au Photos to: photos@pakmag.com.au

Disclaimer: No part of this magazine, including the advertisements within it may br reproduced, in part or in whole without the expressed permission of the editor. Whilst the greatest of care is taken to ensure that the information in the magazine is correct at the time of going to press, readers are advsied to check details before visiting. The publishers cannot accept responsibility for errors, inaccuracies or omissions. The expressions expressed within PaK Magazine are not neccessarily the views of the publishers, but those of individual writers.

what’s new! Green Island Fun Day

Win a Family Pass

Kids Triathlon

The Great Adventures Family Fun Day to Green Island is on 28 June. Everyone gets to sail to a tropical island for half price and have lots of fun in the sun with games, face painting and other entertainment for the kids including the popular treasure hunt. For your chance to win a family pass thanks to Great Adventures, find the treasure chest hidden in the pages of this magazine and tell us where it’s located. Send answers to: competitions@pakmag.com.au including name and phone number. Winners will be notified by phone. Entries close: 22nd June 2009. PakMag is proud to be sponsoring this year’s Kids Triathlon as part of Sportsfest on 21 June. Come along and support our local competitors as they are put through their paces swimming the lagoon, running and cycling.

PIC Kidz Books

Local Mum Tracy Benson has recently launched a series of children’s books which can be used as a tool to explore important life issues such as self belief and healthy competition, how to have meaningful relationships etc. Suitable for kids from 0-9, see our baby section to find and more and for your chance to win a pack.

Kids & Money

Wondering how to teach your children about money? Local Mum and financial planner, Leanda Kayess, is committed to passing on her knowledge and expertise to children through her Kids Money business. Go to www.fnq.kidsmoney.com.au to find lots of resources for parents who want to know more about how to teach their kids good financial skills.

what’s new in entertainment! Cazaly’s Kids Club

Cazaly’s have just started up their Kids Club again on Thursday evenings 6-9pm in the Allan Aylett Room. They can entertain themselves with Art & Crafts, movies, PS2 and more whilst being supervised by Cazaly’s staff. To book call: 4054 1464.

The Black Sorrows Return

After a massive gig at The Reef Hotel Casino in 2008, The Black Sorrows are back, and this time they’ve locked in a two night residency. The feedback from their one-off show last year was that everyone wanted more, more, more so this time they’re performing two music-packed nights in Vertigo Bar. See them at Vertigo Bar in The Reef Hotel Casino on 5 & 6 June at 9.30pm. FREE EVENT

AMPED Up North

The Tanks ‘Mossman Crew’ are organising ‘AMPED’ which is set to rock the Far North June 26 at the Mossman Shire hall. The event is part of Drug Action week and aims to showcase young local talent from the Cairns region, ranging from Cooktown to Townsville. Event organiser, Maya Weidner encourages young performers to apply, “Get out of the garage and up on stage! Send your demos, recordings and videos now! It’s not just about music, we’re keen for a bit of variety. If you’re a budding standup comic- here’s your chance!”. Earlybird applications close on May 29, Friday. Contact Lisa Capon on 4032 6604 or l.capon@cairns.qld.gov.au

JUNE 2009 DVD RELEASES

thanks to Civic Video Gran Torino M Drama starring Clint Eastwood & Christopher Carley In Store 4 June Curious Case of Benjamin Button M - Drama with Brad Pitt & Cate Blanchett In Store 3 June Bedtime Stories G Family starring Adam Sandler & Keri Russell In Store 3 June He’s Just Not That Into You M Comedy with Jennifer Aniston & Ginnifer Goodwin In Store 12 June Transporter 3 M Action starring Jason Statham & Robert Knepper In Store 10 June Role Models MA Comedy with Seann William Scott & Paul Rudd In Stores 3 June Hotel For Dogs PG Family starring Lisa Kudrow & Emma Roberts In Stores 18 June Underworld: Rise Of The Lycans MA Action with Michael Sheen & Bill Nighy In Stores 10 June Zack And Miri Make A Porno R Comedy starring Elizabeth Banks & Seth Rogen In Stores 19 June

Teddy Bears PICNIC

rtainment Heaps of ente luding on the day inc from local performances ormance dance and perf rtainers groups & ente

Loads of a ctivity and inform ation stands fr om our supporter s

HEAPS of fa ntastic prizes to be won!

WIN VIP TICKETS TO SEE THE JUNGLE BOOK Sunday 28th June from 2-6pm on the north side of the Esplanade Lagoon Categories are:

Bold Bear, Beautiful Bear, Best Bear, Biggest Bear, Smallest Bear and Oldest Bear. $2 per Teddy Bear entry with all monies going to the Cairns Base Hospitals children’s ward with Sea FM’s Give Me 5 For Kids Appeal Download an entry form from our website or fill one in on the day. For more information or to be involved on the day email info@pakmag.com.au or check out www.pakmag.com.au for regular updates

Pride & Glory M Drama with Colin Farrell & Edward Norton In Stores 24 June

Have you got something new that Cairns families should know about?

2 Email us at: info@pakmag.com.au or go to our website www.pakmag.com.au and add in your event

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daddy diary #2 Hello out there in PakMag-land. My name is Potts, one half of the SEAFM Morning Crew and for those who don’t know me, I’m an FTFE (First Time Father Expecting). Things have been going along nicely since last month, especially now that the baby actually kicks for me when I put my hand on Kylie’s stomach. It has been teasing me for weeks by kicking and moving only when I’m not trying to feel it. Not only does it seem to have a 6th sense but it’s also cheeky, just like the old man. Kylie has about 11 weeks to go until the big arrival and she’s now reached the stage where the bump is getting so big that it’s starting to get in her way. Consequently I now have to do the dishes because she can’t reach into the sink, or so she tells me. It was about this time that I also decided to implement a new paper plates policy into the kitchen. The worst part for Kylie is that she can no longer do up her shoe laces, so I’ve become Al Bundy from Married With Children and a master of the awkward conversation you get with someone doing up your shoes. We’ve begun discussing names recently which has brought about some interesting conversations. Kylie being Kylie is very thorough and

already has first and middle names plastered all over the house for me to look at. I’ve told her my preference; if it’s a boy I’d like it to be named after me (my real name is Brad so the baby can be called Brad Junior) and if it’s a girl I’d like it to be named after me, so I’m thinking Bradlena might be nice. These suggestions were quickly shot down in flames so I suggested some more alternatives in the interests of finding a compromise. Since my surname is Pottinger I suggested Peter Pottinger or maybe Phillip and Phillippa Pottinger. Kylie didn’t seem too impressed and walked out of the room to tell her friends over the phone while I was entertaining myself. But what’s in a name? Everything! Of course, my biggest concern is how a name can be used in the school yard to tease. Any name that Kylie suggests must be put through my rigorous school cruelty system and if it passes that, it’s on the list. The list is currently at zero but I’m hopeful we’ll find something soon. Ultimately it won’t matter what we call our first born as in my eyes they’ll be known as my little princess or handsome man.

• Party Room on request *

Potts & Pacey t he SeaF M Morn i ng C r e w

* Subject to availability

weekday MorningS FroM 5.30aM on the loCal you know, 99.5 SeaFM CairnS. 4

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also try local business Kooky Kreations which creates fun fancy dress packs with costume accessories for all sorts of different themes starting from $19.95. Contact Amanda on 0400 670419 or go to www.kookykreations.com.au

Numbers There seems to be a general rule of thumb that you should invite a number of guests equal to your child’s age plus one (eg. 6 guests for a 5 year old) although our resident party expert, Bree laughed when she heard this!. Younger kids can obviously get a bit overwhelmed by large numbers so it’s best to keep them small but if you want to invite more for older kids, plan ahead and make sure you have sufficient parents around to help with crowd control.

Timing

Everything you need to know about throwing a kids’ birthday party in Cairns It’s very easy to get carried away with children’s birthday parties and forget that the most important thing is that your child feels special and has lots of fun. It needn’t be stressful and it needn’t cost a fortune. By The PakMag Team Here’s PakMag’s top tips for throwing a great kids party:

Plan, plan, plan It’s best to start planning your birthday party 4-6 weeks ahead of time, especially if you are intending to hold the party at a venue away from home. If your child has an extra special best friend make sure they can make the date you’re planning on and then send out invitations approx. 3 weeks before. Make sure you involve your child in the

planning and ask them to choose what sort of party they would like – suggest some themes.

Themes Choosing a theme or big idea for your party that isn’t based on a TV or movie is one way to reduce costs since you can avoid buying any of those expensive commercial products. There are lots of different and inexpensive ways to theme a party that makes it fun and sparks creative ideas for invitations, food, games etc. Here’s a few to get you thinking: creepy crawlies or bugs

(inc. butterflies), circus or clown party, superheroes, fairies & princesses, spooky Halloween, pirates, animal safari, under-the-sea, tropical party, rocket ship or spaceman party, cowboy/cowgirls, dinosaurs, top secret spy or detective party, a magic party, a tea party or parties based on a colour or a travel destination (eg. Hawaii). There are lots of really good websites that give you the whole list of ideas for themed parties inc. how to follow the theme through to invitations, food and games. Try www. amazingmoms.com. If you want to go down the fancy dress road, you could

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It’s very important, especially for younger children, not to make your party go on for too long. Two hours of fun and excitement is often plenty before you start risking tantrums and meltdowns. The best time of day for younger kids is also in the morning on a weekend when they are fresh and at their best and there’s not too much else on for the rest of the day. Older kid’s parties can be held after school if that’s when your child’s birthday falls and you have enough time to cope!

Food Food is best kept simple and familiar especially for younger kids. As far as cakes are concerned, if you’re not overly keen on attempting your own novelty birthday cake, try Cold Rock Cairns Esplanade. They create personalised ice cream cakes and can even put a photo or image on it that suits your theme with edible ink and paper. Missy Moo Sweets is locally owned and operated by Kristin Tennekoon, a qualified chef of 10 years. She uses quality ingredients, no preservatives and a lot of love makes Missy Moo’s cakes and cupcakes the best around. For more info contact Kristin Tennekoon on 0410 649 004 or www.missymoosweets.com.au

Venues There are obvious pro’s and con’s to hosting the party at home or at another venue. Having the party at home often means a cheaper party but you have

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to cope with organising the house beforehand and also doing all the cleaning up afterwards. Here are some local venues worth checking out: • La Porchetta – perfect for easy pizza parties. There is a private function room available and party packages start from $10 per child inc. hot and cold food, bottomless soft drinks, party hats, balloons and activities. Minimum 10 kids and special birthday menus to choose from. • Barron Valley Gymnastics is available for parties for 2 hours on Sat & Sun afternoons. An instructor is available to supervise games, music etc but you need to take along food and cake. It costs $150 for up to 15 kids ($10 per extra child). • Cairns Recreation Centre – Skate parties are available starting from $11pp (min. 10 people) including skate hire, invitations and different food options. There’s a range of choices from themed parties, roller discos, kids dance parties etc. Call 4053 5353 for more info or go to www.cairnsrecreationcentre.com.au • Cairns Indoor Sports – if your child enjoys being active, why not consider having the party here where a sports instructor is provided for one hour to supervise games whilst you sit back and relax. They can play cricket, netball, soccer, dogeball or beach volleyball for $9pp (min. of $150 per party). This includes 2 hours with an instructor for 1 hour plus BBQ facilities. For more info go to www.cairnsindoorsports.com.au or call on 4032 2844. • Go Bowling – One Game Parties start at $17.90 pp which includes all the gear plus a choice of party food menus. These include fries, cool drink, lolly bag and 2 game tokens for the amusement machines. Kids under 10 enjoy a party host and use of the Cosmic Party Room. Birthday kids receive a special gift. A yummy ice cream cake can be supplied for only $13.50. Available any day at most times. Call 4053 3497 to book. • Sew Fun 4 Kids – If you’re thinking of an art & crafts party theme why not think about holding your party at Sew Fun 4 Kids in Mooroobool. They offer creative craft birthday parties which

are designed to match your child’s age and interests. Every child takes their own artwork home. Times: 2 hours between 10-3pm at weekends. Cost: $23 per child (minimum booking of 5 children) which doesn’t include food. For more information call Maggie on 4033 6600 or go to www.sewfun4kids.com.au • Brothers – Assuming that one of the parents is a member, children can become members too for $1 and this entitles them to a calendar years membership including a birthday card and special treats for their birthday. The Kids Club Disco’s hosted by Crazy Bron are very popular for kids parties. They can be booked for $9.90 per child (min. of 8) which includes snack food, balloons and decorations. Call 4053 1053 for more info or go to www.brotherscairns.com.au/kids-club/ • Mondos – why not take your party along to the Tuesday night Doyles Family Fun Show. Great fun, easy entertainment inc. face painting and special $10 meal deals which include dinner, ice cream and unlimited soft drinks. • Esplanade – Our fabulous Esplanade is a wonderful venue for a kids party and you can hire BBQ’s from $95 for half a day. Contact the Council’s Inner City Facilities Office on 4044 3715 or email d.campbell@cairns.qld.gov.au for more info or to book. Applications forms can also be downloaded from www.cairnsesplanade.com.au

Entertainment The great thing about organising entertainment for your kid’s party is that they have a great time without you having to do too much. If you plan it right you may even have time to sit down and have a glass of wine! There are 3 basic options: Entertainers All of the following will provide various shows and characters. • Bopstars – Party packages start from $150 and include face painting, games, dancing and prizes. They also have jumping castles and kid’s karaoke and can cater for kids of all ages and any amount of children. For more info go to www.bopstars.com or call Bree on 0422 154 742.

Kids Birthday Parties - continued... • Sumphun KidzCraft – If your kids like creating things then this is the party for them. There are numerous activities that the kids can do and take home with them like Sand Art, Glass Deco, Shrink Art and glitter tattoos. Call Susan for info on 041 004 1633. • Rachel Bradley – Best known as ‘The Singing Face Painter’, is a very versatile children’s entertainer. She offers interactive music, various themed costumes, face painting, games and balloon sculpting. Call her on 0428 600 213 for more info. • Nikki the Clown – Nikki comes dressed in characters to suit your theme and offers a puppet show, face painting, balloon shaping, games & live music which includes the children singing at the microphone if they want. Prices start from $130 for an hour. Call 4057 8019 for bookings or go to www.nikkitheclown.com for more information. • Flip performs Magic Shows and Roving Characters utilising his diverse skills in Circus Arts and Comic Theatre. Flip creates laughter and amazement with his clever wit and hilarious stunts. Small Party pricing starts at $150 for one hour. e.g. Magic Show and small birthday gift. For more information call Flip on 4039 0622 or 0410 510 0095 or www.flipripley.com • Cheeky Money Club – create and host themed parties for kids aged 1+. They design games, activities and characters to suit your theme. Prices start from $145 for any day of the week. Go to their website at www.cheekymonkeyclub.com.au for more info or call 1300 880 669. • Kids Moves – is a community operation that offers a range of

Nikki the Clown

services including hosting birthday parties. They have a $100 birthday party special that includes an hour and a half of fun, play and laughter. Call Lee Henzel on 4053 6837 or 0427 849775 for more information.

Animals Animals are always a favourite with the kids and there are various options for inviting some 4-legged friends along to the party for extra fun: • Zoo to You is a relatively new business that is run by teacher and wildlife biologist, Jodie Creek. She has a wide range of native wildlife available inc. possums, lizards, pythons, frogs, birds, turtles and a baby croc. Every child gets the chance to hold an animal (it’s all done safely). Starting price $220 for up to 15 children. Call Jodie on 0415 696439 or go to www.zootoyou.com.au for more info. • Farmer Pete will bring along baby farm animals to your party for the kids to pet like goats, ducklings, chicks and guinea pigs. Call Nikki on 4093 9303 for more information. • Ponies 4 Parties – why not have a pony in your own backyard? You don’t need much room and the ponies are well behaved and happy to offer patting or rides. A pony including a handler costs $180 for an hour. They can even come along dressed up in the theme of your party for extra fun. Go to www.ponies4parties.com.au or call Christine on 4093 0650. • The Fun E Farm – is a fun for all ages, baby animal farm that caters specifically to your special event, or party. You can hold your event at the fun-e-farm and enjoy the true-blue farm surrounds, as well as the farm

Animal feeding at the Fun-E-Farm

Flip the Clown

animals and all of their baby animals. Cost is $100 per hour (min 2 hour charge). Speak to Anita about booking your fun-e-farm event today. For more info call 4036 2155 or 0404 068 666.

Amusement & party hire There are now several suppliers in Cairns that will bring a jumping castle to your backyard from around $95 for mid-week parties up to $150 for weekends. • Jumping Castles and Slides, for example, operates 7 days a week come rain or shine and has a range of different medium to large jumping castles. Some of them have extra activities inside including wet and dry slides. Call Emma or Cary on 0447 747307. • Cairns Amusement Rides have a big chuggy choo choo inflatable and quad bikes. Call 0439 922 223 for more information. • AAAPartyhire.com has a range of amusements like jukeboxes, Karaoke, DJ hire, sumo suits, jumping castles, slushie machines, chocolate fountains, silent discos and other miscellaneous party essentials. They don’t charge an hourly rate instead, its dropped off to your party and picked up the next day. As a special offer to all the PakMag readers, there is a 10% discount if you mention this story. For more information, checkout www.aaapartyhire.com or contact Chris on 0417 712 636 Make sure you come to PakMag’s 2nd birthday party, 28th of June at the Teddy Bears Picnic a lot of these entertainers will be there for you to check them out! If you do call them for your party, make sure you tell them you read it in PakMag.

Missy Moo Sweets

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Kids & Music: A Lifelong Gift Whether you enrol your child in music lessons, encourage them to play their toy piano or even sing lullabies to them, any form of support and motivation you give your children to learn an instrument or use their own voice can be a wonderful gift that they can enjoy throughout their life. By Trent Stievano

The Benefits of Music

As a singer and musician, my background has been highly involved in music and it is a natural part of my life, but I understand that many parents may feel awkward about introducing music to their child. But singing, and even speaking, in a sing-song voice to your child is natural for most parents. Something inside us tells us that music elicits joy and happiness and can often be a great calming tool. Charlotte Diamond, an award-winning children’s performer elaborates on how easy it is to bring music into children’s lives. “Young children love music and rhythm. Parents can rock their children and sing to them as a part of a regular routine each night before bed. It’s not necessary to have a great voice, because children are simply happy to hear their parents’ voice and how they express themselves.”

Kids who grow up hearing music, singing songs, and moving to the beat are enjoying what experts call “a rich sensory environment.” Music has also been shown to help children academically. Children who play instruments often do much better in school than those who don’t and the counting involved with playing an instrument, and especially the ability to read music, often gives children an advantage in maths. Reading notes helps when topics like fractions are introduced.

Once your child has experience with music (ie. can play whole songs on their toy pianos or sing all the words to their favourite song), they are ready to start performing concerts for their friends and family. You can encourage this by creating a mini concert setting with all the kids furniture and having extra instruments on hand if the audience gets bored (eg. shakers or maracas). Encouraging children to express themselves musically is great fun and it also has benefits in terms of their development.

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But learning music is not just about the academic benefits it brings - music is a joyous and lifelong gift that you give to your child. And, for some, playing on toy pianos can one day lead to concert halls.

When to Start Tuition I am often asked by parents: “What is the best age to start learning music?” Of course, it depends on the child but I would recommend that it is not worth investing in costly lessons from a professional before the age of 6-7. If your child is younger than this it is perfectly ok to let them continue playing and exploring sounds for themselves and if they’re still interested as they get older then you might want to get some tuition.

Parents often want their child to learn a particular instrument because an older sibling has been successful with it or one of the parents may have loved it. If the child seems to prefer a different instrument or is lacking the maturity and interest in music, I’d advise waiting another year or two. > Would my child have access to an instrument to practice on? Instruments (i.e. Drums, Piano) can be expensive so starting out small is a wise strategy. Buy a keyboard instead of a piano or a cheaper guitar. There is nothing worse then spending hundreds of dollars on an instrument that gets played twice and becomes a dust collector. > Would my child have the motivation to practise the instrument daily? Let’s face it, we’re all different and some of us have more sticking power than others. However, for most of us, our attention span will grow as we get older enabling us to concentrate on something for longer. If you don’t think your child can manage practicing 15-30 minutes every day, then consider starting lessons when they’re a bit older and more mature.

I believe that your decision should be based on a few simple factors:

> Do you as a parent have the motivation to make sure your child practices each day?

> Is my child actually interested in learning an instrument?

Your involvement in your child’s music education is vital. Most children

Kids & Music: A Lifelong Gift - continued... Advantages of Starting Music Young > Children are better in reading & math when they start school > Children are better able to focus & control their bodies > Children can play better with other children > Children have higher self-esteem

“Overall, music is a great way to inspire your children and give them an academic and artistic advantage.” (especially at an early age) will need to be reminded to practice and it often helps to have a parent sitting with or near them when they practice. That way you can offer encouragement when they’re improving or, if you know a bit about music, you can help them out when they get stuck on a difficult passage. I am a musician but if I could change anything from my childhood, it would be to learn how to play even more instruments. I learned to sing, then played drums, then saxophone and now the guitar and I’m grateful these skills

will be with me for the rest of my life. I feel that music has been a significant contribution to my life and the person I am. Overall, music is a great way to inspire your children and give them an academic and artistic advantage. Whether you start you kids playing toy pianos when they are young to groups of pals, or you give them voice lessons and they sing in the school play, music will give them the confidence and abilities to live a rich, fulfilling life with artistic skills that not everyone is lucky enough to possess.

Couch Potatoes: Elaine Seager reports on how our kids’ preference for TV and computer games is contributing to childhood obesity There has been much discussion and debate in the media about the increasing problem of obesity amongst the population. This is a trend affecting not only adults but also children with an estimated 20-25% of Australia’s children now considered obese. Australian children are growing fatter so rapidly that at the current rate it is predicted that 65% will be overweight or obese by 2020. Given that obese children are very likely to become obese adults this is a disturbing figure since the health implications are immense. There are now fears that the parents of our current generation of children will actually outlive their kids! The health problems associated with obesity for children include diabetes, heart disease, orthopaedic problems (problems with foot structure and knees for instance), liver problems, respiratory problems and sleep apnoea. There are also the additional social issues that come with being the playground heavyweight with teasing and bullying being common. Obesity has a major impact on how children feel about themselves and interact with others and they often struggle with poor body image and low self esteem. Obesity is obviously caused by two main factors: eating too much and not getting enough physical exercise. Helping to fuel this trend towards obesity have been some major changes in the way society lives including the fact that our diet has changed to include more unhealthy processed foods and also the fact that kids are getting less physical activity.

[4] Get the whole family engaged in physical activities

So, what can you do about it? [1] Healthy family eating

[5] Limit the amount of time on the TV and computer

You may not be able to control absolutely everything that goes in to your child’s mouth during the day but you certainly have influence over most of it so what you choose to put in your supermarket trolley has a significant impact on their diet. Choose fresh healthy food and cook meals yourself so you know what’s in them.

It’s estimated that the average Australian child watches 3 hours of TV per day and given that it’s also been estimated that the average person spends up to 15 years of their life watching TV it’s a good habit to break early on in life! Of course, its very easy to let our kids be absorbed by TV and computer screens so we can get on with whatever we’re doing but too much screen time is contributing to heavier unfit kids.

Snacking on processed foods like crisps and soft drinks adds enormous amounts of calories to a child’s daily intake. Avoid having these types of foods in the house and make items like fresh fruit available for snacks.

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Young children are naturally active so encourage them from a young age to use their body. Help them play and climb on playground equipment, kick a ball around, try skipping or hula hooping, whatever they have an inclination to do. As they get older, encourage them to try sports or activities like dancing.

It’s important to set a good example and show how physical activity is something to engage in every day even if it’s just a walk to the shop. There are lots of activities that you can do together as a family including swimming, dancing, bushwalking, cycling, throwing a frisbee at the park, walking the dog, trampolining etc.

[2] Limited snacking

3] Have physical play time outside every day

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Active kids are healthy kids so PakMag is proud to be sponsoring this years Kids Triathlon as a part of the Cairns Esplanade’s Festival of Sport on 21 June. For more information go to www.sportsfest.com.au.

pak health

Prepping for Pregnancy: It’s not just women’s business By Matthew Calanna

If you’ve already had one baby it’s easy to think that you’ll easily get pregnant again whenever you want to, but for some Mums it comes as a rude shock to find out that it’s not quite so easy second time around. Generally speaking, each month a young, fertile couple has around a 20 per cent chance of falling pregnant by having sex around the time of ovulation (roughly the middle of the female cycle) and 9 out of 10 couples will achieve pregnancy after 1 year.

• Pap Smear

However, since couples are now generally opting to start families later in life these chances are decreased so it is even more important to take care of your fertility and ensure your reproductive system is in good shape. So what are the important things to do to prepare for conception?

• Avoiding alcohol and smoking

Health Checks

• Avoiding contact with chemicals and pesticides around work and home

Did you realise that 40 percent of fertility problems are associated with the female partner and 40 percent with the male partner? And, it’s now known that the clock doesn’t only tick for women since male fertility also declines after the age of 35. So, it’s important for both partners to be involved in getting ready for conception. For women these include: • General examination with your GP to assess things like bodyweight (being underweight or overweight can affect fertility)

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• STI Screening (infections such as Chlamydia can interfere with fertility) • Routine blood tests to check for anemia, Rhesus factor and immunity against Rubella (German measles). • Urine and blood glucose tests – checking for diabetes • Women who have a cat or eat very rare meat should be tested for the Toxoplasmosis infection.

Health tips for men include: • General examination and STI screening from your GP • Reducing alcohol intake • Quitting smoking

• Avoiding wearing tight fitting pants and underwear and avoid having hot baths to improve sperm health.

Diet & Supplement Advice A good diet that’s high in fresh fruits and vegetables and lean meats (especially red meat for iron) is important for couples. Women are also encouraged to take folate and B group vitamin supplements to pave the way for healthy brain development for the baby. Whilst these supplements don’t

directly help conception they do assist the development of the baby and are recommended to be taken from several months prior to conception. For men supplements such as Menevit help to increase antioxidants in the body which aid in better sperm formation and mobility which enhances fertility.

Timing A woman is most fertile during the 5 days in the lead up to ovulation (around 14 days prior to menstruation). The egg usually only has a lifespan of 12-24 hours so couples can increase their odds of falling pregnant by having sex during this period. If you want to find out more about natural fertility cycles and how to achieve or avoid pregnancy naturally without the use of artificial contraceptives, some of which may decrease a women’s fertility over prolonged periods, groups such as Billings and Natural Family Planning can provide a huge amount of information, training sessions and advice to educate and empower you about fertility, avoiding and achieving pregnancy. If you have been trying to conceive for a year and still failed to get pregnant, consult your GP for further advice. Matthew Calanna is a qualified pharmacist and General Manager of Calanna Pharmacy.

pak health

with

Give Flu the Flick: Dry Nights Ahead Each year in Australia the “flu” is estimated to result in more than 300,000 GP consultations, 18,000 hospital admissions and 1.5 million days off work. It is also leads to approx 1500 deaths each year (predominantly in those aged 65+). By Matthew Calanna The flu (or Influenza) is a group of viruses that typically cause symptoms such as fever (38 degrees or above), runny nose, headache, breathing problems or difficulty, lethargy and general malaise. Some forms also cause diarrhoea and vomiting. The symptoms are more severe than common colds and generally last for longer. Here are some ways to help increase your chances of staying flu free this winter:

Prevention is better than cure • Free flu vaccinations are available to all people over the age of 65. • Anyone with respiratory problems such as asthma, heart problems and other

chronic conditions such as diabetes should consider vaccinating against the flu.

Maintain Good Hygiene • Wash your hands regularly and avoid touching your nose, eyes and mouth. • Cover your mouth and nose when sneezing and coughing to prevent transfer of infection. • If you wish, wearing face masks helps to contain spread of airborne virus droplets.

Immune Boosters • Taking supplements such as Echinacea, Vitamin C, Zinc and Olive Leaf Extract can help boost the immune system.

Plenty of Rest • Good sleep is vital to keeping your immune system in good shape to fight off infection.

For the apricot lovers amongst us, this is divine. So good in fact you can use it as a dessert. This slice is just about allergy free of everything. If eggs are a problem omit them and double the baking powder. Its quick, easy, delicious and sturdy enough for school lunchboxes. 2 cups diced dried apricots 2 cup gluten free flour 2 tspn baking powder 1 cup sugar (or sugar substitute) 1 cup desiccated coconut 200 g dairy free margarine 2 eggs > Butter and line a lamington tin 920cm x 30cm. Pre heat oven to 170C. > Soak apricots in bowl of hot water for 10 mins.

> Melt the butter in a small saucepan. > Pour the water off the apricots but don’t squeeze them dry. > Place in a process in blender together with the eggs, sugar and melted butter. > Pour the mixture into a bowl and add flour and coconut. We keep this recipe nut free but if you like the texture of nuts ½ cup of almonds may be added. > Pour into a greased lamington tin and smooth the top to make it even. > Bake for 40-45 minutes or until it is firm but not hard to touch. > Allow to cool in tin before turning out. If sugar is not a problem and icing is your thing then lemon icing seals the deal. This makes 12-14 slices. Enjoy!

Historically there have been many causes cited as attributing to bedwetting. It is known that genetics plays a role as do certain medical conditions. Although some treatments such as moisture alarms and medication aim to address the symptoms of bedwetting, they neglect to address the cause.

If you do get sick, regularly monitor your body temperature since flu is almost always accompanied by a fever of 37.7 degrees or higher. This is especially important with young children (under 38 is best and anything over 38 degrees celsius should be referred to your GP).

Author Dr Allen Bonilla DC (USA)

In chiropractic the true aim is always dealing with primary causes and not just symptoms. Factors known to contribute to this problem are certain medical conditions, dietary factors and in some instances, psychological factors. One often-overlooked factor is the spine. Nerves from the lower part of the spine and mid back control messages to the bladder whereas nerves from the upper neck may influence hormones that control urine production. Waiting for problems to pass on their own while the child ‘grows out of it’ often means ignoring larger underlying problems that may affect future health.

In nature there are cycles. Here in the tropics we have the rather unique luxury of two distinct seasons – dry and wet. In the human body there are cycles too – the most obvious being sleep and wake. Though we may not often think about it, the daytime part of this cycle is our wet cycle and the nighttime is our dry season. For many parents and their children the nighttime dry season doesn’t come soon enough.

Because of the many factors involved in bedwetting, studies on the various treatments for bedwetting have been mixed, nevertheless many studies and a large number of anecdotal accounts show that in many children this problem improves through chiropractic alone. A more thorough approach should involve collaboration between the chiropractor, a child psychologist and the child’s medical doctor.

Nighttime bedwetting (known as nocturnal enuresis) is the condition of urinating in one’s sleep past the normally anticipated age. Most sources cite five years of age as the

Having the appropriate team to work with the family is the safest bet to help your child through this stage in life and towards making this dry season the driest one yet.

Antiviral Medicines such as Tamiflu and Relenza are available and should be taken within the first 48 hours after symptoms begin. Your GP or local pharmacy will be able to assist you if such treatment is required.

Fusion Allergy Free Cafe Recipe Apricot Slice

‘normally anticipated’ age and, using this number, estimate that about 20% of children are affected. There seems to be a spontaneous remission rate of about 15% per year meaning that most children will ‘grow out of it’ by their late teens. However, the psychological effects upon the child and stress to the family are often enormous.

+ Masala Chai Winter is almost here the sneaky breeze is letting us know to pull out the warm winter woollies. Fusion has a special treat for you to keep the home fires burning. Masala Chai!! This is an authentic sweet spicy milk tea served on every corner in India. Warming and satisfying it is difficult to have just one. Fusion will be serving High Tea every week day afternoon between 2 and 4 with tea and cake for $8.

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kids in the kitchen

with Teah

Crepe Suzette

Ingredients 4 eggs 500g plain flour 450ml milk 50g sugar Punnet of Strawberries 50ml champagne

Method (1) Combine milk, egg & plain flour in a large bowl & whisk until smooth. (2) Cut up strawberries into sections. (3) In a hot pan make thin pancakes by placing a dollop of the mixture in the middle of the pan and moving the pan to get the mixture to cover the bottom of the pan thinly (a non-stick pan is ideal). Once browned on one side flip over & cook the other side.

Party Plan 1

Party Plan 2 Entry, Skate Hire, Invitations Chips & Lollies, Hot Dogs, Hot Chips, Bottomless Drink, Slushy, Birthday Song, Tea & Coffee for Mum & Dad

$16/person $1 extra during night sessions

Entry, Skate Hire, Invitations Chips & Lollies on table Birthday Song, Tea & Coffee for Mum & Dad

$13/person $1 extra during night sessions

To You Available for parties, school visits and events Phone: 0415 696 439 Website: http://www.zootoyou.com.au Covering the Greater Cairns area

Thanks to Chef Matt at Club Med Lindeman Island for his fantastic teaching skills & taking time out of his busy schedule to show me how to cook :) T

(4) For each portion of crepes you want to serve place 2 tbsp sugar in a fry pan, the strawberry sections & champagne (alcohol will cook out) & heat until the sugar melts & goes sticky. (5) Once the crepes are done roll them up & cover with the strawberry mixture.

parents in the pantry

Okonomiyaki: Japanese Pancakes Japanese Pancakes are a fantastic, healthy and cheap meal for the whole family.

Ingredients: 1 cup all purpose flour 3/4 cup dashi soup or water 4 eggs 2 cups finely chopped cabbage 2 cups bean sprouts 12 pieces thinly sliced pork (can use chicken, seafood etc) which is precooked

Seasonings: okonomiyaki sauce or worcester sauce mayonnaise

Toppings: chopped green onion aonori (dried seaweed powder) grated cheese

Win a double Movie Pass Send in your reader recipe for the chance to win a double pass to the movies. Email your recipe to: competitions@pakmag.com.au

Entries close: 22/06/09

Preparation: Mix flour & water to make okonomiyaki batter. Heat & oil a large skillet or iron plate. Mix in the cabbage, bean sprouts & meat until all coated with the batter. Place a large scoup into the hot pan. Flip the okonomiyaki over with spatulas. Cook it on low heat until vegetables are cooked. Repeat this process to make more okonomiyaki. Spread okonomiyaki sauce or worcester sauce & mayonnaise on the okonomiyaki. Sprinkle chopped green onion & ao-nori (dried seaweed powder) on the top. In Japan we actually made okonomiyaki with melted cheese on top and it was fantastic as well.

Party Plan 3 Entry, Skate Hire, Invitations Chips & Lollies, Mini Meat Pies Chicken Nuggets, Bottomless Drink, Slushy, Birthday Song, Party Bag, Tea & Coffee for Mum & Dad

• All parties must be booked in $19/person and numbers confirmed 24 hours $1 extra during night sessions prior to your event. • A non-refundable deposit of $50 must be paid on booking. • Minimum number of party guests is 10. • Parents or siblings of party guests wishing to skate must pay session prices.

44 Behan Street, Manunda PHONE 4053 5353 18

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! t NLYou S Ome KID

ll u P

out & about

Awesome Achieve

ment Award winn

Leah, Keala, Joshua &

ers - Sophie, Charm

Eliza @ the Trinity Auto

Family Day

aine & Jeriah

Bella @ The Wigg

les in Cairns

Travis from Bayview @

The Wiggles in Cairns

I n T h e at r e s J u n e 11

Awesome Achieve

ment Award winn

ers - Jasmine & Za

chary

PAKMAG & Sea FM Easter Egg Hunt

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• Did you know? • Loads of Comps • Heaps of Prizes • PAK review

To enter this fantastic competition just colour-it-in and mail to: PAKMAG, Colour-it-in June, PO Box 7433 Cairns Q 4870 and you go into the draw to WIN a Prize! Closing Date: 22nd June 2009

dot to dot It's Winter time.-I hope it is not this cold though!

Name:_________________________________________________________________Age:________________________________________ Parent/Guardian:____________________________________________________________________________________________________ Address:__________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Phone:_________________________________________________________________Email:_______________________________________ Post entry form to PAKMAG, Colour-it-in June, PO Box 7433 Cairns Q 4870 or you can drop it off at reception - Level 2, 68 Abbott Street.

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MAZE

For more copies of the colour-it-in and win download from our website

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JOKES

sudoku 3

1 2

5 5

5 6

• 2900 reefs • 600 continental islands • 300 coral cays And is home to approximately: • 1,500 species of fish • 5,000-8,000 species of molluscs (eg. shells) • 400-500 species of marine alga e • 600 species of echinoderm (eg. starfish, sea urchins) • 17 species of sea snakes • 22 species of seabirds & 32 spe cies of shorebirds that live & breed on the islands • 13,000 dugong (Australia’s entire dugong population is about 90,000) • 6 species of marine turtles, all liste d as threatened • 30 species of cetaceans (whales & dolphins)

(A) A twitch.

Tues 2nd

(Q) What do you call a girl with the Titanic on her head? (A) Mandy lifeboats.

Wed 3rd

Thur 4th

(Q) What has webbed feet and fangs? (A) Count Quackula.

did you know? This unique & diverse marine eco system is comprised of about:

DATE

Mon 1st

(A) James Pond.

Great Barrier Reef Facts

RED = FAMILY

(Q) What do you call a nervous witch?

(Q) Who was the first underwater spy?

pak’s what’s on guide june

Fri 5th

(Q) What dog smells of onions? (A) A hot dog.

word scramble SCHOOL SUBJECTS (1) oiloygb _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _____ (2) htsma ______ (3) opsrts (4) eincesc _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (5) gnlishe _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (6) ehmcistyr _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ (7) mrada (8) iucms (9) hypsics (10) rhgpaisc

_____ _____ _______ ________

WIN A PERSONALISED ICE CREAM CAKE THANKS TO COLD ROCK ON APLIN STREET. Simply un-scramble the words and and send the answers to us via email competitions@pakmag.com.au or post to PO BOX 7433 Cairns Entries close: 22nd June 2009.

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Sat 6th

Sun 7th Mon 8th Tues 9th

Wed 10th

Thur 11th

VENUE

Green = kids

blue = adults

ENTERTAINMENT/EVENT NAME

National Day Cairns Regional Gallery Brothers Leagues Club Gordonvale Library Reef Hotel Casino - Sportz Arena Brothers Leagues Club Manunda Library Esplanade Lagoon Cazalys Cairns Mossman Library Mossman Library Edmonton Library Brothers Leagues Club Tanks Art Centre - Tank 3 Tanks Art Centre - Tank 5 Brothers Leagues Club Mareeba Drive-In Mareeba Drive-In Trinity Beach Tavern Cairns Civic Theatre Vertigo Bar, The Reef Hotel Casino Cairns Regional Gallery Tanks Art Centre - Tank 3 Tanks Art Centre - Tank 5 Mareeba Drive-In Mareeba Drive-In Brothers Leagues Club Vertigo Bar, The Reef Hotel Casino Brothers Leagues Club Public Holiday - Queens Bday Stratford Library Brothers Leagues Club Reef Hotel Casino - Sportz Arena City Library Brothers Leagues Club Esplanade Lagoon Cazalys Cairns Brothers Leagues Club Smithfield Library Mossman Library

Relay for Life - Foundation Tiny Tacker Tuesday - Booking Essential Carrizma - Live Music Storytime Free Movie: "SILK" M Carrizma - Live Music Storytime Give Me 5 For Kids: Sausage sizzleon the Nard Kids Club in the Allan Aylett Room - Call for Details Storytime Baby Rhyme Time Storytime Smith & Brown Duo - Live Music Cycas Circus - The Wheel of Life "Moana & the Tribe" Hip 2 Soul - Live Music "The Boat That Rocked" M "Duplicity" PG Tunes With Trent - Live Music Banff Mountain Film Festival The Black Sorrows Return - FREE Free First Saturday FREE Entry for all visitors Samoan Independence Day Celebrations "Bob Evans" "The Boat That Rocked" M "Duplicity" PG Rhythm & Groove - Live Music The Black Sorrows Return - FREE Carrizma - Live Music Queens Birthday Storytime Billy May - Live Music Free Movie: "I Could Never Be Your Woman" PG Storytime Carrizma - Live Music Give Me 5 For Kids: Sausage sizzleon the Nard Kids Club in the Allan Aylett Room - Call for Details Big Jim Sanders - Live Music Baby Rhyme Time Storytime

START TIME

All Day 10:00 AM 7:00 PM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 7:00 PM 10:30 AM 12:00 PM 6:00 PM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 10:00 AM 6:00 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 7:00 PM All Day 10:30 AM 7:00 PM 10:30 AM 10.30 AM 7:00 PM 12:00 PM 6:00 PM 7:00 PM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM

FOR MORE INFO:

COST Donation

(07) 4046 4888 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4056 1365 (07) 4030 8880 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4044 3779 (07) 4050 0800 (07) 4054 1464 (07) 4099 9496 (07) 4099 9496 (07) 4056 4121 (07) 4053 1053 0431 873 591 (07) 4032 6600 (07) 4053 1053 0421 762 382 0421 762 382 (07) 4031 9915 1300 855 835 0404 848 666 (07) 4046 4888 (07) 4032 6600 (07) 4032 6600 0421 762 382 0421 762 382 (07) 4053 1053 0404 848 666 (07) 4053 1053

$48/term

Free Free Free Free Free Donation

Cost Free Free Free Free $10/$15 $10/$15

Free Cost Cost Free $15/$30

Free Free $5/$15 $30/$35

Cost Cost Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free Free

(07) 4044 3733 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4030 8880 (07) 4044 3720 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4050 0800 (07) 4054 1464 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4044 3733 (07) 4099 9496

Donation

Cost Free Free Free

Mix it up with us! 1. Choose your ice cream flavour 2. Choose your Mix Ins 3. Watch it being smashed Shop 7, Trilogy Towers Aplin Street, Cairns between the Towers and Aplin St P: (07) 4041 0611 www.coldrock.com.au

CORAL SE

MANA VILLA RO NT RESTAURA

pak’s what’s on guide june RED = FAMILY DATE

Fri 12th

Sat 13th

Sun 14th

Mon 15th Tues 16th

Wed 17th

Thur 18th

Fri 19th

Sat 20th

Sun 21st

VENUE

Mossman Library Mareeba Drive-In Mareeba Drive-In Brothers Leagues Club Tanks Art Centre - Tank 5 Mareeba Drive-In Mareeba Drive-In Brothers Leagues Club Tanks Art Centre - Tank 5 Trinity Beach Tavern Brothers Leagues Club Sea FM Radio Cairns Civic Theatre Smithfield Library Brothers Leagues Club Reef Hotel Casino - Sportz Arena Babinda Library Brothers Leagues Club Esplanade Lagoon Cairns Civic Theatre Cazalys Cairns Mossman Library Mossman Library Munro Picture Theatre, Babinda Vertigo Bar, Reef Hotel Casino Brothers Leagues Club Cairns Civic Theatre Flecker Botanic Gardens, Edge Hill Mareeba Drive-In Mareeba Drive-In Vertigo Bar, Reef Hotel Casino C.D.J.E. Hall Greenslopes Brothers Leagues Club Cairns Civic Theatre Flecker Botanic Gardens, Edge Hill C.D.J.E. Hall Greenslopes Mareeba Drive-In Mareeba Drive-In Cairns Civic Theatre Brothers Leagues Club Brothers Leagues Club

Green = kids

pak’s what’s on guide june

blue = adults

ENTERTAINMENT/EVENT NAME

Baby Rhyme Time "Star Trek 11" M "Monsters Vs Aliens" PG 4 in a Groove - Live Music Teuila Postcards - Dance "Star Trek 11" M "Monsters Vs Aliens" PG Prodigal Sista - Live Music International Day of the African Child Tunes With Trent - Live Music Carrizma - Live Music Give Me 5 For Kids: Celebrity Auction Menopause the Musical Storytime Carrizma - Live Music Free Movie: "Chapter 27" M Storytime Carrizma - Live Music Give Me 5 For Kids: Sausage sizzleon the Nard Menopause the Musical Kids Club in the Allan Aylett Room - Call for Details Storytime Baby Rhyme Time Feature Film & Shorts from The Flicks showcase Adam Thompson - Ex-chocolate starfish frontman Sweet K - Live Music Menopause the Musical "Feature Film" - Big Screen Flicks "Night At The Museum 2" PG "Dragonball" PG Adam Thompson - Ex-chocolate starfish frontman 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod Prodigal Sista - Live Music Menopause the Musical "The Flicks Showcase & family film" - Big Screen Flicks 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod "Night At The Museum 2" PG "Dragonball" PG Menopause the Musical The Usual Suspects - Live Music Live in the Auditorium - COG

START TIME

10:30 AM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 4:30 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM All Day 7:00 PM 10:30 AM 7:00 PM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 7:00 PM 12:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:00 PM 10:30 AM 10:30 AM 7:00 PM 9:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 9:30 PM 7:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 AM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM

RED = FAMILY FOR MORE INFO:

(07) 4099 9496 0421 762 382 0421 762 382 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4032 6600 0421 762 382 0421 762 382 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4032 6600 (07) 4031 9915 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4050 0800 1300 855 835 (07) 4057 7755 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4030 8880 (07) 4067 1112 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4050 0800 1300 855 835 (07) 4054 1464 (07) 4099 9496 (07) 4099 9496 (07) 4032 6600 0404 848 666 (07) 4053 1053 1300 855 835 (07) 4032 6600 0421 762 382 0421 762 382 0404 848 666 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4053 1053 1300 855 835 (07) 4032 6600 (07) 4053 1758 0421 762 382 0421 762 382 1300 855 835 (07) 4053 1053 (07 4053 1053

COST

Free Cost Cost Free $20/$25

Cost Cost Free $5/$10

Free Free Free Cost Free Free Free Free Free Donation

Cost Cost Free Free Free Free Free Cost Free Cost Cost Free Cost Free Cost Free Cost Cost Cost Cost Free Cost

DATE

VENUE

C.D.J.E. Hall Greenslopes Brothers Leagues Club Esplanade Lagoon Mon 22nd Cairns Civic Theatre Tues 23rd Manunda Library Cairns Civic Theatre Brothers Leagues Club Reef Hotel Casino - Sportz Arena Wed 24th Brothers Leagues Club Cairns Civic Theatre Esplanade Lagoon Thur 25th Cazalys Cairns Cairns Civic Theatre Brothers Leagues Club Earlville Library Fri 26th Cairns Regional Gallery Cairns Civic Theatre Mareeba Drive-In Mareeba Drive-In Reef Hotel Casino (2nd Level) Tanks Art Centre - Tank 5 Brothers Leagues Club Brothers Leagues Club Mondos Mossman Shire Hall Sat 27th Tanks Art Centre - Tank 5 Cairns Civic Theatre C.D.J.E. Hall Greenslopes Mareeba Drive-In Mareeba Drive-In Brothers Leagues Club Sun 28th Esplanade Lagoon Brothers Leagues Club Cairns Civic Theatre C.D.J.E. Hall Greenslopes Mon 29th Sea Fm Radio Cairns Civic Theatre C.D.J.E. Hall Greenslopes Tues 30th Tanks Art Centre - Tank 3, 4 & 5 Cairns Civic Theatre C.D.J.E. Hall Greenslopes

Green = kids

blue = adults

ENTERTAINMENT/EVENT NAME

2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod Carrizma - Live Music PAKMAG Kids Triathlon 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod Baby Rhyme Time 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod Big Jim Sanders - Live Music Free Movie: "How She Move" M Carrizma - Live Music 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod Give Me 5 For Kids: Sausage sizzleon the Nard Kids Club in the Allan Aylett Room - Call for Details 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod Big Noise - Live Music Storytime "Mod Squad" - Contemporary Design & Objects Launch 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" M "17 Again" PG Mornings In The Arena Oehlers, Grabowsky & Beck - Jazz Up North Event Rhythm & Groove - Live Music Live in the Auditorium - Voice of ELVIS: Starring Gary Fontana 3's A Crowd Duo - Live Music AMPED Salmonella Dub - musical art 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod "Ghosts of Girlfriends Past" M "17 Again" PG 4 in a Groove - Live Music Teddy Bears Picnic - Give me 5 for kids, Sea FM & PAKMAG Carrizma - Live Music 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod Give Me 5 For Kids: Raffle Draw 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod Band Camp - workshops 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod 2009 Cairns & District Eisteddfod

START TIME

8:30 AM 7:00 PM 10:30 AM 8:30 AM 10:30 AM 8:30 AM 7:00 PM 10:30 AM 7:00 PM 8:30 AM 12:00 PM 6:00 PM 8:30 AM 7:00 PM 10:30 AM 5:30 PM 8:30 AM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 11:00 AM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 7:00 PM 6:00 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 8:30 AM 7:30 PM 6:30 PM 6:30 PM 7:00 PM 2:00 PM 7:00 PM 8:30 AM 7:30 PM All Day 8:30 AM 7:30 PM 8:30 AM 8:30 AM 7:30 PM

FOR MORE INFO:

(07) 4053 1758 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4031 9915 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4044 3779 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4030 8880 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4050 0800 (07) 4054 1464 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4044 3766 (07) 4046 4888 (07) 4053 1758 0421 762 382 0421 762 382 (07) 4030 8702 (07) 4032 6600 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4031 9915 (07) 4032 6604 (07) 4032 6600 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4053 1758 0421 762 382 0421 762 382 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4031 9915 (07) 4053 1053 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4050 0800 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4032 6605 (07) 4053 1758 (07) 4053 1758

Time to relax?

$1 day Tuesday EdgE Hill SmitHfiEld WEStCOURt BRiNSmEAd

Cnr Woodward & Pease Streets Ph 4053 2317 Cnr Faculty Close & McGregor Road Ph 4057 8755 Showground Centre, 171 Mulgrave Road Ph 4051 8379 Shop 4, 101 Brinsmead Road Ph 4034 2024

COST

Cost Free Cost Cost Free Cost Free Free Free Cost Donation

Cost Cost Free Free Free Cost Cost Cost Free $30/$35

Free Free Free Free $25/$30

Cost Cost Cost Cost Free Free Free Cost Cost Free Cost Cost $15/$25

Cost Cost

$2 games ThuRsday

OPEN 9am-10pm Sun-Thurs, 9am-12midnight Fri-Sat OPEN 9am-Midnight 7 days OPEN 9am-Midnight 7 days OPEN 9am-Midnight 7 days

pak’s what’s on guide june RED = FAMILY DATE

VENUE

Green = kids

blue = adults

ENTERTAINMENT/EVENT NAME

Brothers Leagues Club Reef Hotel Casino - Sportz Arena

Big Jim Sanders - Live Music Free Movie: "Death Defying Acts" PG

START TIME

7:00 PM 10:30 AM

FOR MORE INFO:

(07) 4053 1053 (07) 4030 8880

COST

Free Free

regular weekly events XTREME ILLUSIONS starring Sam Powers at Velvet underground - Every Mon through to Sat @ 7.30 GO Bowling Cairns Specials on all month for adults, kids, birthdays and groups!!!! Cairns Recreation Centre Mon - Indoor Sports Tue - Fund Raiser Session @ 6.30pm (cost on application) Tue - Indoor Sports Wed - School Sport @ 1.30pm Wed - Cairns Cyclones Jnr Inline Hockey Training @ 5pm ($9p/p) Wed - Cairns Cyclones Jnr Inline Hockey Training @ 5.30pm ($9p/p) Thu - Public Skate - bookings essential (6 or more people) Thu - Fund Raiser Session @ 6.30pm (cost on

application) Thu - Indoor Sports Fri - School Sport @ 1.30pm Fri - Cairns Cyclones Jnr Inline Hockey Training @ 5.30pm Fri - Top 40 Skate @ 7pm ($9p/p $3 skate hire) Sat - Artistic Skate Lessons @ 8am ($15p/p) Sat - Beginners Skate Session @ 10am-12pm ($7entry $2skate hire) Sat - General Skate @ 1pm-3.30pm ($8 entry $1 skate hire) Sat - Retro Skate @ 7pm Sun - Learn to Skate Sessions @ 10am-12pm ($7 entry $2 skate hire) Sun - General Skate Session @ 1pm-3.30pm ($8 entry $3 skate hire) Esplanade Lagoon Mon - Aqua Aerobics @ 6.30pm & Walk / Run Circuit @ 5.15pm

Tues - YOGA @ 6.30pm Wed - Sarge’s Army Boot Camp @ 5.30pm Wed - Beach Volleyball Clinic @ 5.30pm Thurs - Pilates @ 7.00 & Petanque @ 10am Thurs - Aqua Aerobics Class @ 4.15pm Fri - Aqua Aerobics @ 6.30pm Sat - Sahaja YOGA @ 7.30am, Aqua Aerobics @ 8.30am & Boxercise @ 8am CAZALY’s Wed throught to Sat - Live Music @ 19.00 Brothers Leagues Club Tues - Seniors Morning “Club Gold” @ 9.30 Every Sun - Kids Disco 3.30pm-6pm (ages 3-12yrs)

regular markets

Atherton Markets

- the first Saturday of each month from 7am at Platypus Park, Herberton Rd

Babinda Markets

- the first Saturday of each month, except January, from 8am, Munro Street

Rusty's Markets

- All day Friday, until 2pm Saturday and Sunday, Grafton Street, Cairns

Cooktown Markets

Nov at Marcs Park

Gordonvale Cottage Markets

- every Saturday from 7am - noon under the raintrees in Mossman

- every Saturday from 8am - noon at Lions Park - on the first Saturday of each month from 8am - noon at Norman Park

Innisfail Red Cross Markets

- held the 3rd Sunday of each month at Anzac Memorial Park

Mossman Markets

- every Wednesday, Thursday, Friday and Sunday at 9am 3pm in Therwine St

Mt Sheridan Markets

Malanda Markets

- the first Sunday of each month at Morrow Park Race Course

Mareeba Markets

- every 2nd and 4th Saturday of each month at the Tully Showgrounds.

Night Markets

- Everyday from 4.30pm-11pm, Entry from Espanade or Abbott Street, Cairns

Northern Beaches Markets

- the 3rd Sunday of each month from 9am - 3pm, Smithfield Shopping Centre

Tanks Art Centre Markets

- the last Sunday of each month from 9am-1pm, Cairns

- the 3rd Saturday of each month from 6am - noon at Jack May Park - the 2nd Saturday of each month at Centenary Park, Byrnes Street

Mission Beach Markets

- 1st and 3rd Sunday of each month from 6.30am - noon, Opposite Hideaway

Monster Markets

- the last Sunday of each month from 8am - 2pm, April til

(1) Find three friends (a spotter, two bases & a flyer) (2) Stand with the flyer standing in front of the spotter & a base at either side all facing the front (3) Lift one leg out sideways so that the base has a grip under your leg on the calf & mid thigh area, your hands are on the bases shoulders. The spotter should be holding the flyers waist so they are steady. (4) Everyone dips & the flyer jumps their other leg up to be caught the same way as the other base. At the same time the spotter transfers their hands to the buttocks & acts as a seat for the flyer.

See if you can spot the 5 differences. Don’t stop until you find them all!

SPeewah Markets

- Every Saturday from 8am - 4am at Fogerty Park, Cairns - 2nd Saturday of every month

BY: Tamara Cameron

- every Sunday from 8.30am - 2pm at Anzac Park - Every Sunday 8am-2pm Carpark of the Speewah Tavern, Speewah Road. 6ks past Kuranda

Tolga Markets Tully Markets

PaK

Yungaburra Markets

- Held the 4th Saturday of each month from 7.30am 12.30pm in the Main St

Swap Meet @ Rodeo Drive-in Mareeba

- open every Sunday from april til september, Highway 3 (Near Bremerton Airport)

How to do a Split Lift www.awesomecheerleading.com

Port Douglas Markets

Kuranda Markets

Esplanade Markets

spot

(5) To dismount the two bases walk in towards each other until the flyers legs are together they then lower the legs to the ground. Remember always practice this on a matted or soft area & never go above the chest height without supervision.

science

Make your own volcano!

Well its going to be a cold volcano - but it looks so cool!

You will need:

Extra Special Tip:

- 100 mL Vinegar - 4 tblsp of bicarbonate soda mixed in 150mL water - 150mL Detergent - A few drops of Orange or Red Food Colouring - A 500mL container

You could make a model of a volcano around the container using dirt or play dough.

What to do:

Why: There are two chemical reactions that occur:

(1) Mix the detergent, food colouring and vinegar in the 500 mL container (2) Set the mixture outside, or at least in a place where you are allowed to get messy! (3) Stir the bicarbonate soda with the water in a glass, when it’s mixed add it to the 500mL flask.

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What Happens: The chemical reaction makes frothy liquid poor out of the container.

(a) Vinegar + Bicarbonate Soda and Carbonic Acid + Sodium Acetate (b) The carbonic acid is unstable so it breaks down into water and carbon dioxide, causing the massive ‘eruption’ you saw in the experiment.

pak review Bedtime Stories DVD

Bulletin #19 The totally amazing, incredible, fantastic adventures of Bopstar, Bree and the Boppers! Bulletin: Part XIX

Trent moved over to the glimmering object and slowly ran his hand over the smooth, metallic surface. “What a beauty, what a sight, what…..exactly is it???” asked Trent, realising that Bob hadn’t said a word since unveiling his project. Bob leisurely began to walk over to his masterpiece and began to tell his story. “When I was only 20 years young, an old mysterious lady came up to me on the street and began to tell me that I must create a masterpiece because one day in the future.… 3 HOURS LATER…and when I heard in the local store that you were looking for a submarine, I knew that the day that the mysterious lady had been speaking, had come!”

Last Edition: Bree began to have doubt and was beginning to think that this was all a waste of time. Why were we so silly to follow Bob through the mangroves and expect that this crazy old quack, who had lived in the mangroves for so many years, could help us in defeating this crazy villain aboard the Coconut Cruiser. Bob reached over to the side of the tattered sheet and revealed his project that had taken him so many years to build. Slowly and carefully, Bob revealed his masterpiece to the three Boppers and they couldn’t believe what their eyes were seeing. It was the most beautiful, shiny, metallic craft that any of the three boppers had ever seen. Eleese turned to Bree and stated, “I can’t believe how beautiful it is!” She was right. The Boppers had not anticipated such a clean and shimmering piece of machinery to be in the middle of the mangroves. This masterpiece had exceeded all expectations.

A family comedy about a hotel handyman whose life changes when the lavish bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to magically come true. A great movie for the family and kids will definitely love it! For your chance to win a civic pack, simply tell us in 30 words or less, “what is the your favourite bedtime story?”

Civic & PakMag Competition Send your answer to: Civic Comp, PO Box 7433, Cairns, Qld 4870 or email us at: competitions@pakmag.com.au. Don’t forget to add your details (Name, Age, Email, Address and Phone Number). Entries close 22nd June 2009.

Finally, thought the Boppers as they awoke from their almost slumber. “So this is a submarine?” asked Bree, glad that Bob had finally finished telling his life story. “No! This isn’t just a submarine, but it is a submarine, boat, car and helicopter in one!” Bob proudly exclaimed, continuing “And…I want you to have it!” Eleese, Trent and Bree couldn’t believe it. “We can’t accept this, it is too, it is too beautiful!” replied Eleese. “You must take this and use it to save the people of the Far North when they are in need and keep them safe from the evils of the world! I won’t accept no for an answer.” explained Bob With much gratitude, the three Boppers agreed to take Bob’s masterpiece and use it to fight crime, beat villains and help the residents of North Queensland. “What should we call it?” asked Trent excitely. Bree quickly replied, “I know! We will call it the Bobopstar Mobile!” And with that the Boppers all jumped in the Bobopstar Mobile and embarked on their journey to defeat the self-proclaimed evil, diabolical & most ruthless villain in the world! To Be Continued…

Where there’s a SHOW that needs a GLOW, a SMARTY that needs a PARTY, Bree and the boppers are ready to entertain the people of Cairns! But when Trouble arises and there’s no one else to call, The Bopstars use their Super Special Powers and embark on Exciting Expeditions to protect and preserve.

FOREVER! TOGETHER! BOPSTARS! 30

> Rating: G > Category: Family > Released on DVD: 3/6/09

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Question 1: What do the Boppers call their new gift from Bob in Bulletin #19? Question 2: Finish the Movie title: N_ _ _ _ A_ T_ _ M_ _ _ _ _. Question 3:

Answer all the questions and you could win a fantastic prize pak!!!

How many bananas in a dozen? Question 4 What is the name of the Big PAKMAG event coming in June? Question 5: What is the name of the New Food Markets at the Pier on Saturdays?

Entries close: 22nd June 2009 Email your answers to: competitions@pakmag.com.au Or post your answers to: Battle of the Brains, PAK MAG, PO Box 7433 Cairns Qld 4870

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out & about

Two Horned Wonder The enormous - Rhinocerous!

hday with the Bopstars

Lachlan Parsons

Manunda Library 1st Birt @ the Trinity Auto

Crew

Family Day

PAK Facts Eat Figure 1: The Black Rhinoceros

Figure 1: The Black Rhinoceros

Rhinoceros, often colloquially abbreviated rhino, is a name used to group five extant species of odd-toed ungulates in the family Rhinocerotidae. Two of these species are native to Africa and three to southern Asia. Three of the five species — the Javan, Sumatran and Black Rhinoceros — are critically endangered. The Indian is endangered, with fewer than 2700 individuals remaining in the wild. The White is registered as Vulnerable, with over 9,000 remaining in the wild. The rhinoceros family is characterised by large size (one of the largest remaining mega fauna alive today) with all of the species able to reach one ton or more in weight; herbivorous diet; and a thick protective skin, 1.5–5 cm thick, formed from layers of collagen positioned in a lattice structure; relatively small brains for mammals this size (400–600g); and a large horn. They generally eat leafy material, although their ability to ferment food in their hindgut allows them to subsist on more fibrous plant matter, if necessary. Unlike other perissodactyls, the African species of rhinoceros lack teeth at the front of their mouths, relying instead on their powerful premolar and molar teeth to grind up plant food. The rhino is prized for its horn. The horns of a rhinoceros are made of keratin, the same type of protein that makes up hair and fingernails. Both African species and the Sumatran Rhinoceros have two horns, while the Indian and Javan Rhinoceros have a single horn. Rhinoceri have acute hearing and sense of smell, but poor eyesight. They often live to be about 60 years old and some even older.

All rhinos are herbivores. Some eat grass; others eat buds, leaves, and fruit. They all eat a lot! The black rhino and the Indian rhino both have prehensile lip. They can use their lip as a finger to help them pluck or gather food.

Awesome Achievement Award winners - Quinn & Angel

hday with the Bopstars

Manunda Library 1st Birt

Crew

Habitat There are approximately 2,400 Indian rhinos, living in Northern India and southern Nepal.

Facts Females reach sexual maturity between four and five years of age but do not reproduce until they reach 6 to 7 years.

Awesome A PAKMAG & Sea FM Easter Egg Hunt

chievemen

t Award w

inner - Jord

Breeding pairs may stay together for up to 20 days. White rhinos are attributed to have the most complex social structure of all rhino species.

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pak babies

Baby Led Weaning

“Let me do it mum!” There comes a time when a baby is going to want more than just milk. Weaning on to solids can be a very messy and time consuming process but it is also a lot of fun watching your baby explore new tastes and textures.

intelligent designs for your baby's bum

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pop in..& indulge in a practical + whimsical collection of organic products designed to leave only the gentlest touch upon our children + our earth. tribe hosts regular nappy classes workshops + unique baby shower parties + has an entertaining area for kids tribe is the hq for nurture nappies + bumgenius in australia

By Bridey Zell

“fill-ups” are to be offered at the end of the meal with a spoon.

Currently the World Health Organisation’s recommendation is to start introducing food at around 6 months of age after being exclusively breastfed from birth. This advice for Mum’s has changed over the last few decades from 3 months but the way in which food is introduced hasn’t. Mush and purees were originally intended for 3 month old babies so, since 6 month old babies can usually sit up and grasp things, there are many different opinions about how we should be introducing them to foods. One school of thought is baby-led weaning (also referred to as BLW).

• The meals should not be hurried.

Developed by Gill Rapley (part of Unicef’s Baby Initiative), BLW is a method of slowly weaning a baby from an exclusive milk diet on to solid foods through a process of self feeding. Forget about food processors, purees, ice cubes and messy feeding sessions with the dinner going everywhere except in baby’s mouth, the basic idea of BLW is to give your little one pieces of food to try by themselves. It allows them to explore at their own pace and, whether or not they consume it, is up to them. Some parents intuitively know that their babies are ready to self feed at 6 months, especially if they are trying to emulate older siblings. It is a good idea to wait for typical signs of readiness from your child, such as eagerness to participate in family meals and reaching for food. It is also important for your child to sit up, either in a highchair or on a lap.

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• Initially, soft fruits and vegetables are given. Harder foods are lightly cooked to make them soft enough to chew on even with bare gums. • Food given is free of added salt and sugar. • Food is not cut into bite-sized pieces until the baby has mastered object permanence and the pincer grasp. • Initially, food is offered in baton-shaped pieces or in natural shapes that have a ‘handle’ (such as broccoli florets), so that the baby can get a good grip and the food is visible for babies that have not yet mastered object permanence. • Foods with clear danger, such as peanuts, are not offered. • Foods can be offered to the baby on a spoon, but the baby is allowed to grab the spoon and the adult helps the baby guide it to the mouth.

• At the start of the process the baby is allowed to reject food, and it may be offered again at a later date.

Every baby is different, and will respond to weaning in different ways. My oldest son wanted to be spoon fed and really enjoyed eating pureed food, whereas my youngest son never wanted me to help him feed. Therefore, I was able to explore different weaning methods with each child. Baby led weaning allows baby to explore taste and texture in a natural way, without pressure from the parent to eat up all their dinner. In the end, whatever works with your baby is most likely going to work for you.

• The child is allowed to decide how much it wants to eat. No

For more information go to www.babyledweaning.com

The basic principles of baby-led weaning are:

• Sips of water are offered with meals.

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pak babies SIDS: Link to Smoking Proven Research studies into Sudden Infant Death Syndrome have been undertaken for decades but the precise causes of this distressing condition are still not known. Consequently there are many thoughts and opinions circulating but many are not based on scientific evidence. However the Kids SAFE Sleeping Program which recommends sleeping babies on their backs from birth has resulted in an 87% drop in SIDS deaths. In summary, this program advises parents to: (1) Sleep baby on the back from birth, not on the tummy or side

(2) Sleep baby with face uncovered (no doonas, pillows, lambs wool, bumpers or soft toys). (3) Avoid exposing babies to tobacco smoke before birth and after. (4) Sleep baby in a safe cot, with a safe mattress and in a safe sleeping place. (5) Sleep baby in their own safe sleeping environment next to the parent’s bed for the first six to 12 months of life. More recently, researchers at Monash University have released their results from a study which proves the link

between SIDS and mothers who smoke (both during and after pregnancy). They have shown that babies with mothers who smoke are more likely to be slower to wake or respond to external stimuli which may explain their increased risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. Although the exact cause of SIDS is still unknown, this suggests that an impairment of the arousal process from sleep in response to a life-threatening situation is involved. Autopsies of SIDS victims have also revealed brainstem abnormalities in key areas that are required for arousal and cardio respiratory control.

Wisdom teeth are the third adult molar that develops throughout the early teen years and usually appear in the mouth around the age of 18. Thanks to evolution, human beings don’t really need wisdom teeth any longer but if there’s sufficient room for them to erupt they pose no problem. However, for many people this is not the case.

Reasons for extracting wisdom teeth • When the mouth or jaw size being too small to accommodate all 32 adult teeth (this includes 8 premolars and 12 molars). • When wisdom teeth are ‘impacted’ ie. they remain trapped in a pocket of bone which can lead to damage of surrounding structures.

• When wisdom teeth become acutely infected leading to extreme pain, the need for antibiotics and possible hospitalisation. • When wisdom teeth erupt misaligned and cause damage to adjacent teeth and roots with possible “forward” pressure on other teeth in the jaw.

Check out this new series of great books that have been recently written & published by local Mum Tracy Benson.

Each book has a different focus and can be read in different contexts eg. Walter the Wombat is great for making them sleepy before bed whereas Jessie the Jaguar will get them all fired up ready for action! They are a wonderful way for parents to understand more about the ‘oddities’ of the developmental

Is it wise to keep them?

• When they grow sideways, and consequently may only partially erupt and remain embedded or trapped in the gum at the back of the mouth. This creates a pocket that is difficult to keep clean and can lead to tooth decay and gum disease.

Books Utilising 6 colourful animated characters, the books each tell a story with additional activities to help children appreciate their own strengths and develop their potential. Tracy has spent many years training business people in leadership and communication skills and she wanted to use her wealth of knowledge in human behaviour to create these practical tools for parents, teachers and carers to use with children.

Wisdom Teeth:

phase their child is going through whilst providing a vehicle to open up conversations with children to learn about different ways of behaving. Each book talks about a different aspect as follows: Walter the Wombat encourages children to learn about their sense of belonging. Reggie the Rabbit encourages them to learn about their sense of play and fun. Jessie the Jaguar encourages them to learn about their self belief, achievement and healthy competition. Kassie the Turtle encourages them to learn about meaningful and healthy relationships. Simmo the Monkey encourages them to explore their desire to learn.

Griff the Eagle encourages them to be more aware of the world they live in. Suitable for kids up to 9 years, they come as a set of 6 books for $75 and are currently available via the website at www.pickidz.com or at Harley’s Educational Supplies or Angus & Robertson at Stockland Earlville.

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Generally, wisdom tooth removal is easier in young people when the roots are not fully developed and when the surrounding bone is still healthy and is less dense, which also aids in the healing and recovery time following the procedure. The more ‘impacted’ the tooth, the more difficult the extraction, but often the dentist can remove a wisdom tooth just as simply as any other tooth in the mouth. A normal local anaesthetic may be all that is required, although sometimes patients that are a bit nervous may require a sedative medicine prior to the procedure to assist with their overall comfort and anxiety. Don’t put off visiting your dentist at 1300SMILES soon to have your overall oral dental health assessed and check up on those wisdom teeth. You’ll be wiser and healthier for it!

Remember at 1300SMILES…We’ll keep you smiling! Located at Cairns Central & Smithfield Shopping Centres.

INTRODUCING DENTAL THERAPIST TANIA PATERSON

Win all 6 books For your chance to win a copy of all 6 books simply tell us in 50 words or less why your child would benefit from these books. Email: competitions@pakmag.com.au or post to “Pickidz Competiton” PO BOX 7433, Cairns QLD 4870 Entries Close: 22nd June 2009

Regular dental checkups with X-Rays for young adults are obviously recommended to monitor wisdom tooth along with other oral health concerns. The dentist may recommend an early routine extraction of the wisdom tooth/teeth before the tooth produces any symptoms and to eliminate the potential for more difficult complications later on. Alternatively you may be referred to see a specialist oral surgeon for further consultation/ evaluation and or treatment.

As a Dental Therapist Tania works solely with 4 to 17 year olds. Her duties include examinations, x-rays, restoration of baby and adult teeth, cleaning and fluoride applications, emergency treatment due to caries (decay) and trauma, oral health & diet instruction. Cairns Central Shopping Centre Shop 3, Ground Floor, Cnr Spence & McLeod Streets

1300 S 7 M6

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it’s our name

7 and number

Smithfield Shopping Centre Shop 62, Smithfield Centre, Cnr Cook & Kennedy Highways

Free Teen Dental Check Up Medicare Teen Dental Voucher Use your $150 dental voucher at 1300SMILES and receive a FREE dental check up & clean. No out of pocket expense. 1300SMILES will bulk bill. That’s $150 value for FREE. Don’t let your teen voucher go to waste. Call 1300 764 537 to make an appointment.

BOOK AN APPOINTMENT WITH TANIA TODAY (She may also be available for external ‘Group’ Talks & Presentations)

pak parent

active kids

Cakes Galore: Raising Fit Kids Amanda Mathiot reports on her growing expertise with decorating novelty cakes.

For adults, exercise often means working out in the gym on a treadmill or lifting weights but for kids it means playtime and being physically active. Kids can be getting great exercise when they have gym class at school, soccer practice, or dance class but they’re also getting a work-out when they’re at recess, riding bikes, or playing tag. By Cairns Recreation Center Regular exercise is important for everyone. Children who are physically active are shown to have: stronger muscles and bones, a leaner body, less risk of developing type 2 diabetes, lower blood pressure and cholesterol. And in addition to these health benefits, fit kids sleep better and are much better able to cope with life’s challenges including emotional stresses such as studying for tests.

Here are some tips for raising fit kids: As we all know, when you become a parent you become an expert in all kinds of jobs. Teacher, taxi driver, Doctor, nurse, counsellor, sports coach, not to mention party planner, chef and Chief Cake Decorator. Many moons ago when my eldest son turned one I had a brain wave and decided to make his first birthday cake. This was not any old ordinary cake; no, it had to be a novelty cake. Deciding on a teddy bear holding the number one, I proceeded to hire the tin and set to work. The instructions made it sound so easy and gave me little indication of the amount of time it could take. I had no idea that baking and decorating a cake could take up to 6 or 7 hours but for my first attempt I was happy with the end result. I had now unknowingly set myself a precedent. Every birthday from that day forth I must improve on the famous teddy bear cake. I’m not sure what I was thinking but I was certainly not thinking ahead to the day when my son turned 13 and expected something far more

complicated than a teddy bear. So now, about a month before each child’s birthday, I start searching for my cake design inspiration by dropping hints and asking strange questions to try and find out what their ideal cake would be. I will then scour the internet for hours looking for ideas to make it even more special. I could not live without the Women’s Weekly Birthday Cake book. It has become a holy document and if I ever lose the templates, the house will be turned upside down until they are found. I need my templates. Given that I have 6 children I have calculated that I will end up creating around 100 novelty cakes before I hang up my oven mitts. Surely with this level of practice I will be an expert by the time I’m a Grandmother? So what have I learned through my journey of novelty birthday cakes? Firstly, don’t stress about the quality of the cake, icing can cover a lot of mishaps. And secondly, don’t question your child’s choice of cake. When my 9 year old asked for a vampire, I was resistant to

the idea but it turned out to be one of my best cakes yet. Although creating pale skin coloured icing on a chocolate cake isn’t as easy as it sounds. My ‘cakely’ creations have included Banana’s in Pyjama’s, Elmo, a Soccer Ball, a Dragon, Dinosaur-land and a Ninja Turtle lair with jelly and sewer pipes (Note: jelly on cake and icing doesn’t work very well but it gives a good slime effect). I’ve even made a Hummer and a rocket-ship with sparklers for the candles. With 5 boys they’ve all been very boyish but when my daughter turned one this year I finally got to make a pretty girly cake. The choices were endless, but I decided on a double butterfly cake. If somebody had told me before I had children the effort that I would go to, creating these fun and whimsical birthday cakes, I would’ve choked on my coffee. Of course nobody forces me to make them; the truth is I really enjoy it. I’ve even discovered the secret ingredient to make the perfect novelty cake…Love.

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• Help your child participate in a variety of activities that are age-appropriate. • Establish a regular schedule for physical activity. • Incorporate activity into daily routines, such as taking the stairs instead of the elevator. • Embrace a healthier lifestyle yourself, so you’ll be a positive role model for your family. • Keep it fun, so you can count on your child to come back for more. All kids over 2 years of age should get at least 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous exercise on most, preferably all, days

of the week. The National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NASPE) offers these activity guidelines:

Age

Min Daily Activity

Comments

Infant

No specific requirements

Physical activity should encourage motor development

Toddler

1 1/2 hours

30 mins planned physical activity & 60 mins unstructured free play

Preschooler

2 hours

60 mins planned physical activity & 60 mins unstructured free play

School Age

1 hour or more

Break into bouts of 15 mins or more

Infants and young children should not be inactive for prolonged periods of time — no more than 1 hour unless they’re sleeping. And school-age children should not be inactive for periods longer than 2 hours. According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average child is watching about 3 hours of television a day. And the average kid spends 5½ hours on all screen media combined (TV, videos and DVDs, computer time outside of schoolwork, and video games). These sedentary activities are contributing to childhood obesity so limit screen time and get your kids active!

Sarges Boot Camp for kids! ages 5 to 16 years 1600-1700hrs Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday

Do something for your kids...enlist them with us for some movitvation and fun today!

• Gain motivation • Improve discipline • Get fit • Lose weight • Make friends • Have fun Enlist Now!!! Cairns Recreation Centre, 44 Behan St, Manunda Phone 4053 5353

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“If you go down to the woods today you’re sure of a big surprise”

pak travel

Bree James gives us the rundown on this years Teddy Bears Picnic

6 nights all inclusive*

only $1,410 per adult and $810 per child *Conditions apply. Offer ends 31/07/09.

Club Med Lindeman Island:

Last year PakMag held Cairns’ first Teddy Bears Picnic in association with Play School. The event coincided with the magazine’s first birthday and it was a great way to celebrate our first year with our readers, showcase some local entertainers and help raise money for an important local cause – Sea FM’s Give Me 5 for Kids Campaign. It was a huge success last year with far more Teddy’s turning up than we ever expected so this year we have learnt our lesson and will be better organised! So, grab your favourite Teddy and come on down to the Esplanade on 28 June to help us celebrate our 2nd Birthday.

It’s a gold coin entry for each Teddy you enter; the categories include Bold Bear, Beautiful Bear, Best Bear, Biggest Bear, Smallest Bear, and Oldest Bear. You can fill in the application form online at our website www.pakmag.com.au or on the day from 1.30pm. There will be heaps of fantastic prizes to win and every entrant will receive a special gift. The event kicks off at 2pm and we are going to have heaps of our advertisers performing and show casing their businesses and of course help raise more money for the fund. Cairns Central will be putting on a fantastic

fashion parade at 3.30pm, Awesome Cheerleaders, Bopstars and many other performers will be showing us their stuff throughout the day, plus there will be heaps of activities and other competitions where you can win fantastic prizes. So why not make this your opportunity to have a family picnic with lots of free entertainment for the kids. All you need to bring is: Picnic Rug, Teddy Bears, children (not compulsory), esky with snacks and drinks, spare change to donate to a worthwhile cause.

Barb Randle Reports on Her All-Inclusive Fun in the Sun Club Med Resorts are geared towards the family market and Lindeman Island in the Whitsunday’s has been voted as one of the country’s top 3 best family friendly resorts in the country so I decided to take a holiday there with my daughter Teah. We have tried many different types of family holidays before but this was our first experience of a fully inclusive deal and one of the main benefits was immediately obvious –we didn’t need to concern ourselves at all with budgets and overspending. We were free to make the most of our holiday without having to think about money at all! Club Med Lindeman Island is due for a major renovation in the near future. This is probably well deserved since whilst it is neat, tidy and well tended, the affects of being exposed to the ocean are taking their toll and it’s starting to show its age a little. However, that certainly didn’t spoil our holiday in any way since there’s plenty to enjoy about this resort The Club Med holiday experience starts from when you arrive at the wharf with a

contingent of GO’s (Gracious Organisers) waiting to greet you. We were taken to reception for a drink, welcomed by the Chef de Village, introduced to the resort and shown to our room where our luggage was waiting for us. We then decided to head off to explore the resort for ourselves. The resort is built on the side of a hill with quite a walk between the pool at the bottom and the reception area but if you want to avoid the work out on your thighs there is a shuttle service. There is plenty to keep the whole family entertained including water aerobics, golf, trapeze classes, tennis, archery, bush walking, sailing, kayaking, and just about everything else you can imagine. For Mum’s wanting some time-out there’s also the option of relaxing at the full service spa. One of the best reasons to holiday Club Med style is the Kids Club. After breakfast each day I dropped Teah off at the Club Room for 8 to 10 year olds where she had lots of fun hanging out with new friends and taking part in various activities until 4.30pm

whilst I drank Pina Colada’s by the pool! At dinner most of the tables are set up for 8 people so we generally made new friends every night. We enjoyed chatting to people from all over Australia and from overseas. There were groups of two like us and also large groups of 3 or 4 families together. After dinner each night the staff put on a show, either a circus performance, dancing or many other sorts of entertainment. There is always dancing and singing and participation is not mandatory but you find yourself joining in anyway. Club Med Lindeman Island is a relaxing and very friendly holiday experience. And because it caters so well to the kids it frees everybody up to do their own thing and meet new friends if they want to. But, the biggest bonus of this type of holiday is the fact that it’s all inclusive and because everything is already paid for you really can just eat, drink and play to your heart’s content. Thanks to Ben Martin and all the wonderful staff for their hospitality.

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106 Barnard Drive, White Rock

The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary in Kuranda is an easy half daytrip from Cairns and as Australia’s biggest Butterfly farm it’s certainly worth taking a look, especially if you’ve got smaller kids. Take a brightly coloured Wiggles backpack with you and you are pretty much guaranteed to be covered in huge brightly coloured butterflies within minutes of entering the enclosure - a major novelty factor for the littlies. It is fitting that we have this facility here in the Far North because of the worlds 20,000 species of butterfly we have about 382 here in Australia and most of them live in our tropical rainforests. A visit to the sanctuary only takes about 30 minutes but it’s a nice peaceful excursion to add to your agenda if you fancy popping up to Kuranda for coffee or lunch. The main part of the sanctuary is the huge aviary which allows you to step inside a rainforest environment and walk amongst 1500 brightly coloured butterflies. The aviary is deliberately large, not just for the enjoyment of tourists, but also to make the butterflies feel at home. The magnificent blue

Ulysses butterfly in particular needs a lot of space to fly around and would become stressed and die if confined in to too small a space. So, the aviary is very open and spacious and stepping inside is just like stepping straight in to a rainforest. Keeping the sanctuary stocked full of butterflies is quite an industry in itself since butterflies don’t have a huge lifespan. Ulysses butterflies are a blaze of glory only for 2-3 weeks whilst other species that don’t exert themselves quite so much can live for several months. Even so, the laboratory here is kept busy making sure that new ‘stock’ is being bred to replace those that die. If you prebook for a group of 6 or more you can arrange a tour of the breeding laboratory. Whilst there are lots of different species of butterfly in the aviary the two that everyone most wants to see are the huge green Cairns Birdwing Butterflies and the Ulysses, although the big fat spiky caterpillars are also well worth a look. Make sure you wear something bright (red or white are especially good)

to make an attractive landing patch for the butterflies. Failing that, Wiggles backpacks are definitely a goer! The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary is located on Rob Veivers Drive in Kuranda. Open daily 9.45am-4pm with guided tours starting from 10am. Cost: $17 for an annual local’s pass which entitles you to unlimited visits in a year.

Call Tamara on 0402 225 630

free Garlic Bread with any main meal FREE Come & Try Game*

This entitles you and a friend to attend a FREE COME & TRY session of Tenpin Bowling at selected COME & TRY days. Please phone the centre for details. This session includes one FREE game with coaching tips and pointers.

Complimentary welcome coffee or soft drink *Must present voucher to redeem offer

Did you know? There are 4 main differences between butterflies and moths: (1) Most butterflies fly by day, and almost all moths fly by night. (2) Butterflies fold their wings up straight above their bodies when resting; moths fold them flat to the sides. (3) Butterfly antennae have a small club at the end, moths are more hair-like and end in a point (4) Butterfly bodies are small and thin but moths are generally plump and large in comparison.

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COME AND TRY ANY CLASS FOR FREE

For your chance to win a family pass simply tell us where the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary is? Email your answers to competitions@pakmag.com.au or post them to Pakmag Butterfly Competition, PO BOX 7433, Cairns QLD 4870. Entries close: 22nd June 2009.

‘Flutter-Bys’ in Kuranda

PHONE 4036 8989

Bring this Coupon and when Spending $30 or more from our Restaurant Menu receive 2 Kids Eat FREE vouchers for your next visit. Ph 4057 2900 Offer Valid until 31/07/09 any day 11am-9pm. One coupon per day can only be used. Not valid with any other food offers.

BUT ANY ICE CREAM BUT ANY ICE CREAM BUT ANY ICE CREAM BUT ANY ICE CREAM GET A FREE MIX IN GET A FREE MIX IN GET A FREE MIX IN GET A FREE MIX IN Valid Aplin St Cold Rock, Shop 7 Trilogy Tower until May 30.

Valid Aplin St Cold Rock, Shop 7 Trilogy Tower until May 30.

Only one voucher per person per day

fav pet shots

Photo of the month wins a mystery prize to the value of $30!

This month’s entries:

MAY WINNER!

Baz loved by Zane

Tawny loved by Jessica

Ella loved by Emily Chika Dee loves her new bed

Roxy loved by Ma

Email your photo, name/s and address to: photos@pakmag.com.au Deadline for photos is 22nd June for our July edition.

prize winners Congratulations! To claim your prize call 4031 9915 or drop into our office on Level 2, 68 Abbott St between 9-5pm Monday to Friday to collect your prize from reception.

Colour in to win • 6 year old Ava Rebbechi from Edge Hill • 9 year old Brooke Davis from Bayview Heights

Word Scramble Sienna Wales from Bentley Park

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Fishing, boating and croc spotting

• Alle Howton from Brinsmead • Nikira Lowe from Babinda

• Sam Thornton from Palm Cove • Gerry Smith from Mossman

Battle Of The Brains Tristan and Lyle Bray

Australian Girl Doll

From $7.50pp

Wendy Zovko from REDLYNCH

Win a family pass to Go Bowling Gabrielle Harding from Edmonton

(minimum $30/hour)

Phone 4051 4139

Berth A1, Marlin Wharf Cairns

> Present this ad or local ID for 10% discount > Free rod hire for booking before 9am

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Life as a Clown:

Elaine Seager finds out who’s behind two of the best known clown faces in Cairns Clowns have been a mainstay of circuses and a favourite at parties for centuries. Children in particular love their slapstick physical humour – they’re colourful and loveable and guaranteed to have them giggling. But what makes people want to dress up in such silly outfits for a living? We decided to ask two of Cairns most well known clowns to find out a bit more about the people behind the clown faces. Nikki Lowmass (aka Nikki the Clown) started to create her alter ego in the early 80’s whilst living in Dubai. It all happened by accident as you’d expect. A local club was wondering how to entertain 50 children at a Christmas party before Santa arrived and someone mentioned that Nikki was a singer. She decided that dressing up might break the ice and she chose to be a clown although as she says: “My first clown face was rather scary – very white with a big red mouth – some children ran screaming from the room”. After that Nikki was asked by more and more Mum’s to entertain at parties and she gradually improved her clown face and outfit until her clown persona became quite a celebrity in Dubai and appeared on TV and in newspapers. Originally from the UK, Nikki migrated to Australia in 1988 with the intention of giving up music and opening a daycare centre but it wasn’t too long before someone rang her in a panic asking if she could come and entertain at a 5th birthday party because it was raining. Luckily she still had her clown outfit and guitar so her clown career was relaunched from that day. Nikki also sings for adults as one half of the Barbary Coasters with her husband Vance. Life as an entertainer is busy but when she’s not putting a smile on peoples faces she loves going out to the reef, spending time in her house in the rainforest cooking or reading and chatting to her son who now works in Dubai. Nikki loves her life as a performer and still gets a buzz when kids laugh at her or get involved with her puppet shows. There have been many funny moments including one small child coming up and telling her she smelled like his Grandma. Given that she wasn’t old enough to be a Grandma at that stage she decided to change her perfume! The other well known clown in Cairns, Flip Ripley, has had an altogether different performing career. Originally hailing

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from Florida his acrobatic skills have formed the basis of an impressive career that has included performing for Disney in the US and Paris as well as in various stunt shows around the world (some which included him high diving from 25 metres in to a 3 metre deep tank of water!). Flip started out teaching himself springboard diving which earned him a full time scholarship at Alabama University to dive competitively for the University. Whilst there he also started doing acrobatics and tumbling at the Stadium Football Games and became known for doing a back flip off the goal posts at half time in front of a national TV audience. Later he followed his heart and joined the circus after beating 6000 applicants to train at the highly regarded Ringling Clown College. He travelled the US as a clown with America’s biggest Circus before travelling the world as part of a 3-man Acrobatic Troupe. He added juggling, unicycling, magic and pantomime to his list of skills and continued to perform around the world in big live shows as well as on TV. His hectic lifestyle is considerably calmer these days after he fell in love with an Aussie woman and eventually chose to settle here in laid back tropical Cairns. But, once a clown, always a clown! These days he calls himself a sketch comic and slapstick artist and he loves to be creative with his shows even though he now primarily focuses on Clowning & Magic. As Flip the Clown always says at the end of his shows: “As we travel through life, we find all the while…nothing’s more precious than a laugh and a smile”. Nikki the Clown provides shows for between 1-2 hours and can provide a puppet show, a magic trick, games, interactive music, face painting and balloon shaping. She has several other characters besides the clown including a pirate, fairy queen, space girl, a witch and others. For more info go to www.nikkitheclown.com or call 4057 8019 or 0408 183 032. Flip the Clown also has a number of characters and outfits. He performs his 30 minute Flip Magic Show for birthday parties and is available for special requests. For more info go to www.flipripley.com or call 4039 0622 or 041 051 095.

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Homemade Pinata’s

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Nikki the Clown • Face Painting • Puppets • Balloons • Games • Music • Other costumes available

&4057 8019 or 0408 183 302 www.nikkitheclown.com

By Amanda Mathiot

To make the Piñata:

Piñata’s are a great game to play at any birthday party.

• Cover an inflated balloon with Vaseline.

They are messy and great fun to make. Make sure you allow yourself plenty of time to complete since you need to allow for the layers of papier-mâché to dry.

CAIRNS Central • Licensed & Accredited Service • Day Time Care • Before & After School Care • Evening & Overnight Care • Weekend Care • Emergency Care • 24 hr Service • Care available from Edmonton to Redlynch Valley

What you need:

Painting, high pressure water cleaning plus all general maintenance services

• Leave the piñata to dry completely. We let ours dry overnight.

Call Lee on 0427 849 775 or 4053 6837

Recipe for papier-mâché:

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1 cup of all purpose flour or corn flour 5 cups of cold water Lots of newspaper

• Again get an adult to help you make two small holes in the body to thread and tie your string, so you can hang your Piñata up. Make the holes either side of the big hole that you taped up. Make sure they are far enough apart so the piñata doesn’t break.

Kids Moves • Birthday parties • One on one sessions to help with progression of gross motor skills • Special functions anywhere you need children to be entertained • Mobile services available

To make papier-mâché: Mix the flour and cold water in a bowl until it’s runny. For best results simmer for 5 minutes. Allow to cool. While waiting for the mixture to cool, tear the newspaper into lots of strips. Approx 3cms thick and as long as you like.

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• Allow this layer to dry and repeat with another layer.

• A balloon • Vaseline • Papier- mâché (see below for recipe) • Butchers paper (or some sort of plain paper without print) • Optional treats and confetti (to fill piñata) • String • Blindfold • Stick to hit piñata with

Ph 07 4032 1259 SERVICES

• Dip each strip of paper in the papier mâché mixture, removing excess. Wrap around the balloon until it is covered. Leave an area around the knot in the balloon.

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• Pop the balloon.

• Do the last layer of papier-mâché in a the paper without print. Otherwise the newspaper print can be seen under the paint. We used a coloured paper for ours. • Once it is completely dry you can paint and decorate it. Use your imagination and go crazy. You could make a fish, ball, whatever you decide. Maybe decorate it to match your birthday theme. • Hang and play the Piñata game.

How to play Piñata:

• Cut off the end around the knot (get an adult to help with this step) and remove the balloon from inside.

• Hang the piñata from the ceiling, a tree or we found the swing set works well.

• Fill piñata with lollies (wrapped lollies are best)

• Each child takes a turn. Blindfold the child and give them a stick (broom handle or a bat).

• Cover hole with masking tape.

• Thread the string through. • Keep applying layers of papier-mâché until you think the piñata is strong enough. Usually 3 -6 layers is enough. Extra papier-mache is needed around the holes for reinforcement.

• Turn them around two or three times and point them in the direction of the piñata. • Safety first: make sure all other children, adults and pets are kept far away from blindfolded person with bat! • When someone breaks the piñata the lollies fall out and everybody runs in for the treats. The other way to play is to simply line the children up and everybody takes a turn hitting the piñata. No blindfold or turning.

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Looking for a UNIQUE PERSONALISED Gift for a special child?

Sports Aerobics:

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3 Cheers for our Local Girls!

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“The main reason I do Sports Aerobics is because I like trying new things & being active” Alex Betheras By Bree James Two local Cairns girls by the name of Alex Betheras and Mikayla Hayes, will soon be traveling to Brisbane to represent Cairns in Sports Aerobics at the AusCheer International event in July. This is a fantastic achievement both for the girls themselves and also for their coach, Tamara Cameron from Awesome Cheerleading, who has brought this new sport to Cairns only recently. Tamara has a long background in dance and gymnastics and now teaches American Cheerleading as well as Sports Aerobics. Even though her business is new in Cairns it’s already amazing to see what her students can achieve - at PakMag’s Teddy Bear’s Picnic last year the audience were dazzled by her students’ tumbles and acrobatics.

So, what is Sports Aerobics? Sport Aerobics originates from traditional aerobic dance and is the skill to perform continuous complex and high strength movement patterns to music. It is a great way to keep fit and active and it’s also a lot of fun so it’s perfect for children who like to be physical. It can be challenging but they get a great sense of achievement when they’ve conquered a new skill or trick. And, if they really take to it there is the opportunity to take part in competitions like Alex and Mikayla. There are various competition categories including; individuals, mixed pairs, trios and groups. As a sport it’s great for developing agility, co-ordination, strength and flexibility but it also really improves self confidence. It’s modern, exciting, creative, fast paced and intense. And, most important of all, it’s a lot of fun.

Looking for a UNIQUE PERSONALISED Gift for a special child?

Alex (11) and Mikayla (10) both train in Cheerleading, Sport Aerobics, Tumbling, Dance and Sports Acrobatics and they enjoy the fact that these activities are both very active and different since it enables them to try new things and learn tricks. Obviously these activities are particularly appealing to children who love dance and being active but they don’t need to be particularly acrobatic to join the classes. Whilst many students take part just for fun, Alex and Mikayla have put in the extra commitment to perform and compete at the sport – Alex trains 6 days a week - and hence they now have the terrific opportunity to travel to Brisbane to experience competing in an international competition.

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eating out Stake your claim & claim your steak The Rock Tavern Steakhouse By Nathen Dainney I have over the years tried to master the art of cooking the perfect steak and for anyone else who has tried you would know that it is not as easy as it looks. But now, after eating a steak at the Rock Tavern I am quite happy to leave this pursuit to the professionals. Their first rule of thumb is to only turn their steaks once. They also source them from the very best suppliers ensuring that when they make it to your table that they are fresh, tender and full of flavour. The Steakhouse at The Rock is that modern looking tavern that you can see from the Bruce Highway as you pass the Mt Sheridan Plaza. It may well be somewhere that you’ve driven past many times but never been to. Well, I can tell you it’s worth stopping. The Rock is the sister venue to the Trinity Beach Tavern and just as children friendly. Plasma screens, computer game stations, colouring in and play castle are all part of the essential kid distractions, but The Rock has gone that little bit further. Kids are made to feel welcome by becoming a member of the Steakhouse gang which includes fun welcome packs, birthday surprises, competitions and discounted meals. In fact, from Sunday to Thursday, children eat absolutely free

(meal, drink and ice cream) with every adult buying a main. My starter came from no where near the paddock but was very impressive. Flash fried calamari; which could easily take the record as the biggest pieces I had ever seen. As a main I chose the tasting platter which is considered one of their signature dishes and included big servings of a juicy fillet mignon , grilled king prawn and avocado, mini open top beef and mushroom pie with mash, thick beef sausages with sweet caramelised onions, skewers of tender beef and something of a novelty “kick butt BBQ sauce”. One of my guests ordered pork spare ribs which had a BBQ glaze which kept making me slap my slips for more. I must admit the night was going along smashingly until it came to dessert when my dreams of finishing off the night with the sticky date pudding and ice cream came to a halt. They had sold out! Well the popularity of that one speaks for itself. So stop driving past and come visit the best kept local secret on the south side. Although, be aware that the secret is getting out and management are happy to advise that bookings are now important for busy nights if you want to avoid being disappointed.

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JOKES

Time for a break

Quit Drinking An Irishman walks into a bar in Dublin, orders three pints of Guinness and sits in the back of the room, drinking a sip out of each one in turn. When he finishes them, he comes back to the bar and orders three more. The bartender asks him, “You know, a pint goes flat after I draw it, it would taste better if you bought one at a time.” The Irishman replies, “Well, you see, I have two brothers. One is in America, the other in Australia, and I’m here in Dublin. When we all left home, we promised that we’d drink this way to remember the days when we drank together.”

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The bartender admits that this is a nice custom, and leaves it there. The Irishman becomes a regular in the bar, and always drinks the same way. He orders three pints and drinks them in turn. One day, he comes in and orders two pints. All the other regulars notice and fall silent. When he comes back to the bar for the second round, the bartender says, “I don’t want to intrude on your grief, but I wanted to offer my condolences on your great loss.” The Irishman looks confused for a moment, then a light dawns in his eye and he laughs. “Oh, no,” he, says, “everyone’s fine. I’ve just quit drinking.”

Down 1. Pouch 2. Chromaticity 3. Large vase 4. Snappy 5. Rind 6. Fruit 7. Eclat 13. Relating to a city 14. Location of something 15. Affirm 16. Sort 19. Anger 20. Prevarication 21. Boy or man

Across 1. Eschew 5. Young canine 8. Nimbus 9. Self 10. Coin 11. Type of tree 12. Bulbous plant 14. Woodland deity 17. Type of vine 18. Beak 22. Summit 23. Elaborate song for solo voice 24. Female sheep 25. Requirement

1. In Jumanji, a stampede is released. What is the slowest animal? 2. Who did Leonardo DiCaprio play in the movie Titanic (his name)? 3. How fast did the bus in the movie Speed need to go in order not to blow up (MPH)? 4. In Matilda what was the name of Matilda’s teacher? 5. What character is actor Daniel Jacob Radcliffe better known as?

Email or post your answers to us: competitions@pakmag,com.au or PO BOX 7433 Cairns 4870. Don't forget to include details. Entries close: 22nd June 2009.

101 Spence Street, Cairns