The Return of Festivals Lunch Box ideas Tea Time Shellharbour on

FRE E
Issue 15 2013
Program inside
The Return
of Festivals
Lunch Box ideas
Tea Time
Shellharbour
on our doorstep
The Fun of
Play Dough
Plus: Bits & Pieces, Charlie, Write Now, Fitness and more
www.dmtoysandgifts.com.au
[email protected] 0435 931 492
We specialise in high quality and durable educational
toys and unique gifts that will delight children, parents,
grandparents and teachers alike.
Childcare Expo
10 August 2013
Dapto Ribbonwood Centre
educational workshops, art products,
early childhood information
and so much more!
For more info or to book a stall email
[email protected]
Welcome
As we go to print there is so much
turmoil in the world from a human
perspective and an environmental one.
There are countries at war, international
protests and severe weather conditions
that change as quickly as our daily
news headlines do. We are so lucky to
live where we do and to have such
community spirit and opportunity.
As I look at the final draft I am
thinking that I am so lucky to be able to
write about all the things on offer to
families within the Illawarra, many
people in other states and countries do
not have access to everything that our
children and families do. From festivals
to parenting classes we have
everything. Take advantage of what our
community has on offer. It takes a lot of
special hard working people to make a
community work.
Kidsfest is on again! Bigger and
better than ever! Pack a picnic and head
Contents
to all of the child friendly activities. There
are so many great activities on offer and
most is FREE. You will find the detailed
program as a special lift out this issue.
Be sure to think about the fantastic
sponsors of this event as you access
the activities. Especially the Platinum
Sponsor My Dental Team from
Shellharbour! A special thanks to
Ramesh and his team for their generous
donation of not only monetary value but
also their time, ideas and constant
support. A big thanks also to everyone
who works on the Kidsfest event and
others like this. Without the hard work of
people within our community these
events and programs simply would not
exist. If you have the opportunity to
support a community group please do
it. Its so important and also great role
modelling for your children to see you
being involved.
Now about us.This will be our last
issue with this look, format and content
as it is.
Early Years Magazine has some
exciting new changes coming in the very
near future. We have some BIG news for
you and are changing the way that we
do things. Stay tuned …www.
earlyyearsmagazine.com.au. Thank you
to everyone who constantly supports us,
without you we simply would not exist
and I am constantly grateful for that. Early
Years is an important local publication for
families, our supporters have helped to
keep not only the magazine alive but my
passion and commitment to the project.
Enjoy this Kidsfest Issue and we will
see you soon.
Marie
Features
4
Festival Time – the resurgence of
festivals!
6
Let’s Play Dough – all about the fun of
play dough.
12
KidsFest Program – 8 pages of super
dooper fun.
Regular sections
28 Cooking with Charlie.
Activities
1
Editorial
Child Development
2
Bits & Pieces – the latest news
and events.
6
21 Fun, Fitness and friendship – all
about Physie
Playgroup: A Place where everyone
is ‘Able to Play’
24 Keeping Fit with Benny Coles
Nutrition
25 Animal Instinct with Dr Liz
7
27 Dan the Movie Man
27 Write Now! – tips on writing from
DC Green.
What’s in my Lunchbox today –
making lunches fun and nutritious
Travel
23 Tea Time – the joys of tea, with
your kids!
Swim Safe
26 Swimming lessons during the
cooler months
19 Shellharbour – right on our
doorstep, with Scott McRae
Our Cover. Our artist this issue is Chloe Smith from Thirroul. Chloe loves art and making things and generally being
creative. She also loves horses, (the subject of her artwork for our cover) and zombies and spooky things.
Publisher: Marie Smith
Edited by Sally Odgers
Photography: Marie Smith.
Feature writers: Scott McRae, Anita Peck,
Marie Smith, Alison Thelan.
Early Years Magazine
PO Box 102, Austinmer NSW 2515
www.earlyyearsmagazine.com.au
Contributors: Liz Chmurycz, Benny Coles,
DC Green, Daniel Thelan, Charlie.
Editorial enquiries:
[email protected]
Advertising enquiries:
[email protected]
Art direction: Glue Studio
www.gluestudio.com.au
Published by Early Years Care.
(ABN 33 779 348 909). No material may
be reproduced in part or in whole without
written consent from the copyright holders.
©2013 Early Years Care. All rights reserved.
EY1
speaking the language of virtues,
setting virtues-based boundaries and
recognizing teachable moments, we
bring out the best in our children and
ourselves. We become mentors
helping our children to become
compassionate, courageous,
respectful, confident and purposeful.
Please RSVP to Fresia at
[email protected] or 0402
920 573.
CBCa annual Dinner
Bookings are now being taken for
the Illawarra-South Coast Children’s
Book Council’s annual dinner which
will be held on Wednesday 12 June
at Villa D’Oro in Wollongong. 6.30
pm for 7 pm start.
Our guest speaker John Larkin
has titled his talk ‘You’ll Be Laughing
on the Other Side of Your Face:
Mining One’s Childhood and Turning
it into Literary Gold.’ Everyone who
has heard author John speak say he
is hilarious. John was born in
Yorkshire, England, and grew up in
western Sydney. He has been a
professional soccer player, trolley
boy, factory hand, forklift driver,
computer programmer, educator,
librarian and comedian. John is the
author of over 23 books for children,
teens and adults including ‘The
Shadow Girl’ (Random House)
which received the 2012 Victorian
Premier’s Literary Award for Writing
for Young Adults
The cost of the dinner is $45 a
head which will include antipasto,
main, desert, tea and coffee. Drinks
will be available on the night. For
bookings and payment details please
contact Dianne Bates on dibates@
pacific.net.au or Julie Telenta (the
Treasurer) at [email protected]
Upcoming Event
Awakening the Gifts of Character
– Evenings for Parents
Five strategies of the Virtues project
shared one evening a month over
five months.
Saturdays in 2013: 4 May, 1
June, 13 July, 10 August, 14
September. 6:30 pm – 9:30 pm.
Shell Cove community centre
Cost: $5.00 per session to cover
materials – please bring pot-luck
dinner to share – drinks and supper
are provided.
The Virtues Project is a nonreligious, international program
developed to help parents awaken
the qualities of character that exist in
potential in their children. By
art after School at the Gallery!
ART SMART is an introductory
course for primary school children who
want to improve their artistic skills
through a range of enjoyable and
stimulating exercises. ART SMART
nurtures the exploration of individual
creativity and expression through
structured lesson plans outside the
classroom context. All lessons are
taught by our specialist primary school
art teacher. Enrol now to avoid
disappointment!
Cost: $120 per term. Must be paid
upfront. Time: 3.30 - 4.30pm
Age Group: Kindergarten to Year 6
Places are limited to 15 participants
f Tues 7 May Crazy Cartoon Portraits
(drawing)
EY2
f Tues 14 May Extraordinary Art of
Hundertwasser (printmaking)
f Tues 21 May Enchanted Forrest
(painting)
f Tues 28 May Recycled Robots
(sculpture)
f Tues 4 June Giants in the City
(drawing)
f Tues 11 June Mexican Sombreros
(mixed media)
f Tues 18 June Watercolour Jellyfish
(watercolour painting)
f Tues 25 June Colour Wheel
Bouquet (collage)
Bookings and enquiries 02 4228
7500, Wollongong Art Gallery, Corner
of Burelli and Kembla Streets,
Wollongong
Seminar for Parents
and Role Models
Helping our daughters move
beyond Bratz, Britney and Bacardi
Breezers
Join Dannielle Miller, one of
Australia’s foremost educators,
authors and media commentators
on teenagers, for a presentation on
the issues affecting our girls today.
She is the author of teen parenting
book “The Butterfly Effect” and of
“The Girl with the Butterfly Tattoo”- a
book for teenage girls that
encourages girls to question the
limiting messages set by our society
and inspires girls to be true to their
own hearts and minds.
This seminar exposes the pain of
teen-girl world – the body image
crises, low self-esteem, and
constant bombardment with toxic
and hypersexual media and
marketing portrayals of women.
Dannielle reveals the reasons
that so many teen girls today are
stressed, overwhelmed, exhausted
and angry, and why too many are
binge drinking, self- harming or
going on extreme diets.
Danielle will give you the tools so
that you can help girls cut through
the negativity and bloom into a
happy and confident young women.
If you are a parent, professional,
role model or interested individual
from the community, come to this
seminar and find out how you can
support and empower girls in our
community.
There is no cost to attend the
event but you need to register to
secure your place by phoning
Samantha at the Illawarra Women’s
Health Centre on 4255 6800 or
email samanthak@
womenshealthcentre.com.au
For more on Dannielle Miller’s
work please visit her websites:
Enlighten Education – www.
enlighteneducation.com Personal
site – www.danniellemiller.com
The Baby & Kids Market
The Baby & Kids Market has
been providing local market events
for 10 years. These community
events help cash-conscious families
make some extra money by selling
their gently used baby and kids’
items. The markets are also a
valuable tool for bargain shopping
mums and dads who like to give
their kids the best without breaking
the bank.
“We consider our events to be
almost like a community service in
that they help families of all financial
situations to make some extra
money or save a few dollars,” said
Jennifer Harrison Market Manager
for NSW. “These days it’s not just
about saving money but also saving
the planet. Why buy brand new for a
fortune when you can recycle by
purchasing pre-loved items at a
Baby & Kids Market?”
More than a market and bigger
than just one location, each of these
events not only helps those cashstrapped families,
but gives people
the opportunity to
contribute to a
sustainable future
for our
communities.
Recycling has
never been so
rewarding or
sustainability so
achievable. Each
Suitcase Market
Thirroul Railway Hall will
see the first Suitcase Market
of its kind on Saturday April
27th 1pm until 4 pm
Thirroul Community Centre.
The pop-up market will
feature 40 stalls of
handmade goods, crafted
treasures, secondhand
bric-a-brac, books, CD’s,
clothes and jewellery. It
will also include some
musical performances by
local musicians, a chai
and cake stall and a kids corner.
Anyone can book a stall and entry
to the market is Gold Coin Donation
and money raised from the market
will go to kickstarting new local
business, Wild Rumpus.
pre-loved item sold not only
represents real cash payments for
stallholders, but a physical
representation of a commitment to
recycling and a greener future for all
of our families and friends.
Do your bit for the planet by
holding a stall or shopping at the
next Wollongong Baby & Kids
Market to be held at the Beaton
Park Basketball Stadium ‘The Snake
Pit’, Foley St, Gwynneville on
Sunday 30 June from 9am –
12noon. Please visit www.
babykidsmarket.com.au for more
information
attention Teachers,
Parents and Educators
There will be an expo/market
night for shopping in August held at
the Dapto Ribbonwood Centre. To
register your interest in attending
this information and product night
please send an email to melissa@
earlyyearscare.com.au
There will be an educational
workshop, art products, early
childhood information and so much
more! Stall holder information
available soon. Be involved!
Puppet Show for Kids!
Sponsored by Early Years Care
and Kidsfest Shellharbour!
‘Yarnia’ – Where Lost Socks go
to Dream!
‘Yarnia’ is a tale of a lost sock,
For stall bookings go www.
trybooking.com/CQKO or for more
information contact ourwildrumpus@
y7.com
Solo, and his quest to find his
dream before being unravelled by
the wicked Sock Monster.
Follow Solo’s exciting journey as
he travels through Yarnia’s knitted
landscape and meets Sock
Creatures along the way who help
him find his dream.
‘Yarnia’ is about dreams,
friendships, courage, knitted
landscapes and crazy sock
creatures!
Thursday 23rd May 4pm at Oak
Flats. Afternoon tea will be provided
Please call 4256 2072 to book!
123 Magic & Emotion
Coaching
Date/Time: 9th to 23rd May 10am to 12.30pm
Location: Kiama Neighbourhood
Centre, Meehan Drive, Kiama
Downs
Cost: $30 workshop fee
This program is for three
sessions on Tuesday mornings; all
dates need to be attended.
In this workshop you will learn
easy to follow steps for disciplining
children aged two to twelve years
without yelling, arguing or
hitting. 123 Magic is a behaviour
management program for mothers,
fathers and carers of young children
To book or for more information
please call 4227 1122
EY3
Festival Time
Words: Marie Smith
Festivals are back in fashion for families and are great for anyone who
enjoys days filled with culture, fun, activity and intrigue.
So what is a festival?
Festivals celebrate life, ceremony ,
religion , the arts, seasons ,anything
that is important to people. Festivals
are full of colour and energy and bring
people together to share who they are,
what they believe in, what they love,
what they are grateful for, what makes
them a proudly united community. I
have recently been to a pumpkin
festival-such fun and so important to
local community.
Festivals should be an integral part
of family life as they are an opportunity
for people to show their skill or talent
and can showcase the vibe of a
particular suburb. Festivals open up a
world to children that they may not
have previously experienced.
Someone who knows more than
enough about festivals is Jamie
EY4
Dawson Creative Producer of
Magictorch Productions in the Illawarra.
As a previous Art Director for the
famous Sydney Children’s Festival he
has experienced first hand the impact
that festivals can have on the public.
“Festivals are an essential part of
community and creative life. They offer
opportunity for communities to come
together to celebrate, try new things
and to sample what is great about their
local artistic environment. For children
this is a dynamic, creative and unique
social interaction that has a long lasting
impact”
Before you rush off to Byron Bay
looking for a festival of sorts check out
what is happening locally. KidsFest
Shellharbour is an integral part of our
community and is centred around
families and children’s interests. Artistic
coordinator Ann Lehmann says
““Kidsfest is about connecting people
to the area,” “We’ve got incredible
resources in Shellharbour, both
physical and cultural, and being involve
in Kidsfest is a chance to appreciate
that.”
“I think it’s important to expose
children to cultural diversity early
because it creates a sense of magic
and joy that they grow with” Ann says.
The Illawarra Folk Festival and Viva
La Gong are also great family events
for the Illawarra.
If you head to Sydney the Writers
Festival, Hoopla and Fiesta at Darling
Harbour are lots of fun.
“Catapult festival (Bathurst) for me
is one of NSW’s family festival
highlights. Also the Sydney Festival’s
opening celebration is always a yearly
highlight” adds Jamie.
Festivals require energy and a bit
more organization when you have a
family and small children. Gone are the
days of running out the front door with
a bottle of water and a ticket. The value
of taking children to a festival far
outweighs the cons of a bit of planning.
Many festivals have specific child
friendly areas and planned activities.
The best thing to do is to study a
program, most festivals promote their
program online or through the local
paper. Its better to be prepared rather
than be disappointed that you missed
something. Work out what is important
for you and what is important for the
family. Pick the right festivals to go to
rather than having ‘excited’ people
who haven’t slept for three days
tripping over your pram….
Make sure you pack lots of
everything. You will feel like you are
going on holidays with the amount of
items you have packed but believe me
(and I know) thinking that all festivals
will sell dummies and panadol will not
serve you well and will end in tears –
your tears.
You want to relax a little so make
sure you have rugs, food, drinks, hats ,
change of clothes ,nappies etc. Don’t
forget anything you might need for rest
time. Pack a healthy picnic!
While you are at the festival
consider a few things.
Carrying so much stuff can be a
real risk when it comes to losing your
things or even having them stolen. You
concentrate so much on not losing
your child that your purse, camera etc
can be hanging out of your nappy bag
unsafely.
Having a bag that sits close to your
body and fits essentials in it can help
with this.
Don’t forget to consider toilet time.
None of us like to force childrento ‘try
before we leave” however portaloos
and their long lines can be problematic.
(should you have packed a potty?)My
daughter still refuses to use a portaloo
because of a funny story she overhead
me tell a friend once… its not so funny
now.
Introduce your children to the
music that they will hear at the festival.
Familiarity can go a long way for
children. Don’t forget that you are an
adult now with a small child. Think of
best sight vantage points for the
children and being right up at the
stage might make you feel like you are
18 again but many children fear loud
sounds and this will have a negative
impact on festival memories.
Making time for special interactions
with your child will help with your day.
An hour at face painting then five
minutes for you. You can negotiate with
older children so everyone gets to do
what they want to.
Wrist bands and stickers on a
childs back with your mobile number
on them can help if your child is lost.
You can put your business card in their
pocket. Talk to children about your plan
if they do become lost.
But most of all have fun! Festivals
open up such learning opportunities
that last far longer than the day itself.
Breathe in the culture of the day and try
to relax. It will be worth it
To stay up to date with current
festivals go to http://au.totaltravel.
yahoo.com/directory/events/
australia/nsw/?filter=festivals
www.kidsfestshellharbour.com.au
www.sydneychildrensfestival.com
www.catapultfestival.com.au
illawarrafolkfestival.com.au
You can also download a great
brochure from Visit NSW
www.visitnsw.com/media/
flipbooks/sydney-and-nswevents-calendar/files/inc/20122013-Events-Calendar.pdf
EY5
Playgroup: a Place Where
Everyone is ‘Able to Play!’
If you have been looking for an enjoyable
activity for your children, or would like the
chance to meet new parents and carers in
your local area, join a playgroup.
Playgroups, which are designed for
children aged nought to five, are held in
various community spaces across the state.
Running from one or two hours each week,
they give children the opportunity to make
new friends in a safe and friendly
environment, while parents and carers build
valuable social and community connections.
Playgroup is the original social network.
Community playgroups are parent-led and
are the perfect place for activities such as
arts and crafts, music, painting, and themed
days, all designed to encourage children’s
imagination. It is a well-known fact that young
children are going through a period of rapid
development. This early stimulation and
social interaction provides children with
opportunities to learn and play which in turn
pave the way for childcare, kindy and school.
For over 40 years, Playgroup NSW has
supported communities and provided
hundreds of thousands of children with a
place to make friends, learn through play
and have fun. Throughout the years the
playgroup philosophy has remained the
same; playgroup is about parents,
grandparents and carers coming together
to provide play experiences for their own
children. Today, over 1500 playgroup
sessions are delivered and over 30,000
parents and children meet every week.
Playgroup NSW also offers a number of
programs designed to cater to a diverse
range of social backgrounds and individual
needs. Whether you are a first time parent,
a father looking to meet with other dads,
have a child with special needs, or want to
connect with other people from your own
cultural or religious background, Playgroup
NSW is there to support you with a range
of different playgroups where everyone is
‘Able to Play!’
Finding and becoming a part of a local
playgroup can reduce the isolation that can
come when raising small children. It’s a
great way to enhance your children’s social
awareness and interaction by encouraging
them to form friendships outside their
regular peer group or family. Whether
you’re looking for a new way to spend
quality time with your child, or would like to
interact with some new parents or carers,
becoming a member of the Playgroup
NSW family is a fantastic experience.
Visit playgroupnsw.com.au or call 1800
171 882 to find a playgroup in your local
area and receive all the benefits that a
Playgroup NSW membership has to offer
Playgroup NSW – Fast Facts
Playgroup NSW is a not-for-profit
organization. We provide children with an
opportunity to have fun, make new friends
and develop new skills through informal play
We provide parents and carers with an
opportunity to make friends, share ideas
and experiences
We provide parents and carers with an
opportunity to spend quality time with their
children, encouraging, helping or simply
playing together
Playgroup NSW was first established
41 years ago in 1972, and today there are
now over 1500 playgroup sessions with
more than 30,000 parents and children
meeting each week in NSW alone
We run a number of early intervention
playgroups targeting families who would not
otherwise be able to access a community
playgroup. Some examples are My Time for
parents with children who have a disability
and PlayConnect for parents with children
who have Autism Spectrum disorders.
What’s In My
Lunch Box Today?
Words: Alison thelan
Week 4, term 1 and for a new kindy mum I’m already
sick of packing lunches. I’m trying to keep it not only fun
and exciting but healthy and appetising for my son’s big
blue eyes! After talking to other mums, I found I wasn’t
alone. It got to the point that my son’s lunches were
coming home uneaten. How could I make them more
appealing to him? After some research on the internet I
found some really great lunch box ideas.
Nutrition
When packing lunches try to think about the basic
food groups.
f Breads and Cereals – Bread, Crackers, Pasta, Noodles
and Rice,
f Vegetables and legumes - fresh or cooked vegetables,
lentils, beans.
f Fruit – Fresh or canned.
f Yoghurt, Milk, Ch eese.
f Lean meat , fish, eggs, nuts, legumes, and poultry.
f When packing drinks, water is the healthiest option for
your child. Include a drink bottle of water for your child
each day.
Lunch Fillers:
f
f
f
f
f
f
f
Sandwiches, bread rolls, wraps. Suggested fillings:
Vegemite and Cheese
Mashed Banana
Chicken and Cheese
Cream cheese an d grated carrot.
Mashed boiled egg and lettuce.
Mixed salad (tomato, cheese, lettuce.)
* Peanut butter and honey.
Snack Ideas:
f Cheese Stick
f Tub of yoghurt or yoghurt bag.
f Fruit: Banana, apple, orange, mandarin, pear, grapes,
seasonal fruit (stone fruit, strawberries, kiwi fruit.) Either
whole or cu t into p ieces in s nack zip lock b ags.
f Cheese and crackers.
f Homemade scones or muffins.
f Dip with carrot or celery sticks.
Trying to keep lunch boxes colourful and different is the
key. Try to add a range of coloured items to the lunch box
to make it more appealing to the eye – Green Grapes, Red
Apple, Mango yoghurt tub, yellow from the cheese, brown
from the wholemeal bread.
I got to the point where I was rolling out the bread and
layering it and rolling it up to make pin wheels so my son
had an exciting new lunch box. I even used cookie cutters
to cut out the sandwiches to keep him excited about
lunch each day. Simply wrapping up wraps in coloured
paper and tying with some coloured ribbon to hold it
together is a sweet idea too. (This depends on the age of
course.)
There are many websites to get ideas when you get
stuck for inspiration. (As seen below.) It can be fun to look
through these and try them out. Talk to other parents for
ideas. You will find you are all in the same boat and may
just get a new idea that works for a little while!
Happy Lunch Boxing and Happy, Healthy Eating to
your child.
Some Great Links for Lunch Box Ideas:
essentialkids.com.au/LunchBox
lunchboxeswithlove.com
freshforkids.com.au/lunch_box/lunch_box.html
EY7
Most
children find
playing with dough
so much fun. Younger
children love squeezing
the soft material in their hands,
exploring the texture and
consistency of the dough. Older
children enjoy playing imaginatively,
making things from the dough,creating
worlds and stories as they go.
Playdough is a great way to develop
hand skills as young children poke,
pinch, roll and cut. For children feeling a
bit out of sorts,angry or sad, playdough
can be quite soothing and may help
them to express their feelings.
Playdough is much nicer if you make it
yourself and children will love to help
you! Its much cheaper and easier to
store your own made play dough.
You can try all sorts of different play
dough to create a different scene or a
new focus of learning. Just use the
basic no cook play dough recipe and
use some of these ideas or use your
imagination. Don’t forget to supervise
children as play dough can be a
choking hazard and be careful that the
substances you add to your creations
are safe.
Give your child their own portion of
dough and show them how to knead
it. Encourage them to make their own
creations, always remember that the
process is more valuable and important
than the end product and this is part of
the value of play dough. There are no
expectations or pre set rules. You can
make whatever you want and change
EY8
Words: Marie Smith
your mind whenever you please.
You can use some modelling tools,
you don’t need to run out and buy
anything,you can use items such as
plastic knives and forks, plastic
scissors, a rolling pin, potato masher,
garlic press, biscuit cutters or piping
bag. Paddle pop sticks, pipe cleaners
and child safe scissors are effective to
use with play dough as well.
Most of the time children don’t need
tools they just use hand skills and
imagination. Play dough is great for fine
motor muscle development in the hands.
These muscles need lots of practise so
they can be strong and developed ready
for writing, scissor cutting and other
small tasks that they may need to attend
to when they are older.
Play dough is important and children
never bore of it. I have to say that I have
also witnessed many adults taking
advantage of the play dough table. The
calming effects of play dough can be
seen within all age groups
Play dough is a great activity for
children needing their own time and
space ,they can work parallel to each
other but it is also a great social activity
where children can work together
building up team ideas and create
important play.
Play
dough is the
perfect time to
explore language.Talk
about the texture of
playdough . How does it feel?
What happens when you mix
colours together? It can be sticky,
gooey, slimy, wet or warm. Talk about
what you are making: shape, size,
colour and number. Use this opportunity
for lots of descriptive language and a
time to introduce new words .
Children can be reluctant to touch
the playdough – encourage them to
use a rolling pin and cutters first, then
explore the dough as they feel
comfortable. If this happens to you just
take a moment to see what you are
role modelling. Sometimes we don’t
realise when we are playing with
children the feelings that we are
projecting are negative. Do you make
faces or say ‘oh yuck’ or quickly wash
your hands after touching the dough?
Children observe everything and will
take their cues from you. For instance I
have a terrible fear of spiders but I try
never to project this across to children.
I stifle my screams and pretend that I
think their web is very pretty….
Ideas for Play Dough
Make a cake !Sprinkle on coloured
rice, poke straws in to make candles
.Cut and share the cake-talk about
maths , sharing and celebrations .
Make a pretend pizza and talk about
what you’d like as toppings. This can
be a great introduction to cooking and
Play Dough recipe
Step One: Take a large bowl and
add 2 cups flour, 1 cup salt, oil, 2
tablespoons vegetable oil, 2
tablespoons cream of tartar
Step Two: add in any dry extras
such as glitter
Step Three: boil the kettle and pour
1 1/2 cups of the water into your
a time to take about nutrition and
safety in the kitchen.
You can use a pretend stove and
cooking pots, and make “peas”,
“sausages”, “chips”, “pancakes”,
anything. You can buy great second
hand little kitchens on ebay or Gumtree
that you can just hose off. You don’t
need to restrict play dough to a table
indoors.
Make a zoo or farm Use paddle
pop sticks or cut straws to make a
fence around plastic animals.
Cut straws can also be used to
make spiky hair, rays of the sun or legs
on a spider.
You could make a volcano or
garden An ice-cream lid covered in
dough can make a good base, then
decorate with twigs, leaves, flowers
and pebbles.
Use a garlic crusher or playdough
machine to make “noodles” or “worms”.
Sing number songs such as “5 fat
sausages”, or “5 currant buns
Older children may enjoy trying to
make their name from rolls of dough.
Or they can try “writing” on playdough
“paper” with a toothpick.
You can make imprints by pressing a
hand into the dough to then you can
mixture. Add in any food colouring
at this stage so it mixes evenly
through the dough.
Step Four: mix the ingredients
together to form a dough.
Step Five: done! Your easy play
dough recipe is complete and
you’re ready to play.
count the fingers or compare size to
other hand prints. You could make other
imprints from bottle tops, coins or a
building block. The child can use their
imagination and search for printing items.
You can make long dough
sausages with scissors or make
bracelets and rings.
Make some funny faces and roll
dough pieces into balls for eyes, nose
and mouth.
The ideas for play are endless.
How about scented playdough?
Food oils are best to use where possible
f Zesty lemon-add a few drops of
yellow colouring and lemon
essence to your mixture
f A little apple shampoo added when
mixing will give an extra soft feel
and a fruity scent.
f Peppermint essence can be added
to the basic mixture for a soothing
mint smell
f Strawberry essence can be added
to the basic mixture for another
favourite scent
Add hundreds and thousands for
party play dough or coloured rice or
glitter!
All children will eat play dough at
least once. The taste is so salty that
they will spit it out and not do it again
so consuming large amounts of play
dough is not usually a safety concern.
If it does become an issue supervision
and role modeling correct use is the
answer. Taking it away will just make
them more curious next time….
Do you have Play Dough
problems?
Play dough too crumbly? Add a
little more oil.
Play dough too sticky? Add in a
little more flour.
Want coloured play dough? For
white snow play dough use corn flour
instead of regular flour. For chocolate
play dough use a mix of flour and
cocoa. For other colours, add in some
food colouring. Add the food colouring
along with the water, rather than trying
to knead it in later, to get a more even
colour and you and the children don’t
end up with colouring all over your
hands. Try black space play dough or
red Valentine play dough.
Want to make your play dough
smell good? Add some fragrance by
mixing in some herbs or spices with
your flour: try cinnamon play dough.
Using essential oils can be too harsh
on children’s skin so you might like to
try food oils such as orange or vanilla
essence instead.
Your play dough will last if you store
it in an air tight container when you are
finished playing.
Is it raining and you’ve started your
mixture realizing you don’t have all the
ingredients? If you find you have no
cream of tartar, no problem – just leave
it out. You can make a basic dough just
by combining flour and water if that’s all
you have. Just judge the quantities as
you mix until you get the right
consistency.The dough won’t last but
will give you a great day’s worth of play.
Play dough is suitable for children
aged about 12 months and above but
you know your own child best so use
your own judgement.
We would love to see and publish some
of your play dough creations in our next
issue! Please email your pictures to
[email protected]
We have some great art prizes to
give away for pictures of your
creations. You can tell us a few words
about your creation as well!
EY9
Words: Scott McRae
Shellharbour–on Our Doorstep
As host of a travel show, I am lucky
enough to visit a vast amount of our
wonderful country and plenty of
overseas destinations as well.
Often, we are so busy with our daily
business that we don’t realize what we
have in terms of relaxation and tourism
on our doorstep. The Shellharbour
region appeals to families for many
reasons and its location is very
accessible, tucked away between
Kiama and the Gong, and it is framed
by the massive Lake Illawarra in the
north and the stunningly beautiful
Minnamurra River to the south. With the
grand Illawarra escarpment overlooking
it all, it is quite the idyllic location.
just terrific. There were squid in great
numbers, nudibranchs (marine snails
with no shell) just lazing around, sea
vegetation which I had never seen
before and an unbelievable number of
fish species. If you want a brilliant dive
experience, see the team at
Shellharbour Scuba Centre and while
you’re there, ask them about the
underwater scooters…they’re a blast.
If you love the waves, Warilla and
Shellharbour offer the best of the beach
breaks. The Farm and Mystics are also
top choices .Did you know that Killalea
was officially declared as a National
Surfing Reserve on 6 June 2009? This
means that The Farm and Mystics will
Illawarra Regional Airport.
Here, a dedicated team of
volunteers have restored and preserved
some of the great flying machines of
Australia’s aviation history. Even if you
are not an aircraft buff you will enjoy a
visit here, I certainly did.
If you want an overnight stay in the
area, then you are spoilt for choice.
One of my favourites is Joylaine Beach
House at Shellharbour, which is a selfcontained property that is minutes from
the beach and just perfect for the
family. Otherwise there are B & Bs, van
parks on the beach, motels and of
course I can’t leave out the grand
manor that is Ravensthorpe
Guesthouse at Albion Park.
The Shellharbour region has so
much more on offer than most people
realize.
There is so much more to see and
do in this beautiful region that I cannot
list it all, so here’s what I suggest you
do. Check out the Tourism
Shellharbour website at www.
tourismshellharbour.com.au
Lake Illawarra is a haven for
prawning and the locals have been
enjoying the spoils for years. It is also a
great spot to catch Blue Swimmer
crabs and I can testify to that as friends
of mine caught me a couple and
cooked them up for us right on the
banks of the lake at sunset! That, my
friends, was a treat. There is good rock
and beach fishing to be had at spots
like Windang Island, Barrack Point,
Shellharbour Boat Harbour and Bass
Point. Just remember with Bass Point
that Bushrangers Bay is a marine
sanctuary, so no dropping the line in
there!
Speaking of Bass Point, this spot is
absolutely stunning. It is the perfect
location for a family day out—perfect
picnic area, superb snorkelling and
super safe for the kids in the protected
brilliance of Bushranger Bay. I also
found out first hand, after direction
from the awesome team at
Shellharbour Scuba Centre, what an
amazing dive spot it is. I have dived a
few sites in my days on the show and
the diversity the gang introduced me to
in an area known as The Gutter was
be protected surfing areas. That’s
fantastic for locals and tourists alike.
The Shellharbour Village area itself
is popular with everyone. There is a
great array of cafes and restaurants,
including The Ocean Beach Hotel,
which serves one of the best seafood
platters I have ever eaten. There’s the
harbour, with its picnic tables, kids’
playground and protected swimming
havens, and for those who like retail
therapy, some excellent shops like
‘Green Poppy’ with its eclectic array of
homewares and gourmet foods and
‘Sway’ for the girls that like to dress in
designer style.
Another real gem I have discovered
is the HARS (Historical Aircraft
Restoration) Museum situated at the
They even have a great little
downloadable brochure that reveals the
top fourteen free things to enjoy while
you’re there.
Enjoy!
Scott McRae
www.scottmcrae.com.au
www.stevieshow.com.au
www.atasteoftravel.com.au
EY19
Is fun and fitness important to your
child? Is your child interested in
dancing, movement and music?
Research shows that kids who are
actively involved in hearing music and
moving to a beat do better in reading
and mathematics when they start
school, are better able to focus and
control their bodies, play better with
others and have higher self-esteem.
which bridges the gap between
the traditional school of Physie
and the world of contemporary
dance. Under the direction of
Australia’s finest creative Physie
instructors and choreographers,
APDA provides quality training
of Physie and dance teachers
and students.
What is Physie?
Shellharbour City Physie
and Dance hold classes for
girls aged two and up, as well
as adult classes. Classes are
held at Albion Park Rail and
Shell Cove Primary Schools
on weekday afternoons, and
a daytime adult class is
available. Girls also have the
opportunity to compete
Physie (pronounced fizz-ee) is a
combination of modern dance, ballet,
callisthenics, lyrical, pilates and
aerobics. Physie is fun and challenging,
and builds confidence like no other
sport. Physie teaches a choreographed
syllabus of exercise, dance and fitness
routines; and has been taught to
Australian children for over one
Classes
Fun, Fitness
& Friendship
hundred years. Physie
choreography is designed to
develop strength, good
posture, fi tness, fl exibility,
balance, co-ordination and
self-discipline. The routines are done to
music and most importantly, are ageappropriate. Children learn fundamental
skills in musical interpretation and
rhythm.
Other benefits of Physie include the
development of the following skills,
which assist with achievement at
school: body geography, spatial
awareness, concentration, fine and
gross motor skills, left/right
discrimination, listening skills, memory
and teamwork. Learning Physie
improves children’s confidence and
gives them a sense of achievement.
And best of all… it’s fun!
Shellharbour City Physie
and Dance
Shellharbour City Physie and Dance
has been providing Physie education
for over 30 years, under their previous
name – Albion Park Rail Physical
Culture Club. The club’s name changed
in 2012 to better reflect its membership
base, and joined a new National body,
the Australian Physie and Dance
Association (APDA). APDA is an
innovative governing organisation
locally and nationally in team and
individual events. The National finals
are held annually at the Sydney Opera
House. The APDA syllabus is
choreographed by some of Australia’s
finest choreographers, and remains
constant, thereby giving girls the ability
to practise and refine their routines,
ready for various competition events
held throughout the year. Shellharbour
City Physie and Dance fosters a culture
of fun, inclusion and friendship, and
encourages student participation in as
many of the competition events as
desired. It is also a great sport for
mums and daughters of all ages to
enjoy together. At Shellharbour City
Physie and Dance we have many
families in which two or three
generations participate.
Teaching
Shellharbour City Physie and
Dance has five experienced principal
teachers as well as dedicated support
teachers. All are passionate about
Physie, and strive to ensure the
enjoyment of their students in every
class. Their dedication to Physie
education is evident through the results
that Shellharbour City Physie and
Dance achieves. Shellharbour City girls
and ladies achieved excellent results at
the 2012 National Championships.
Nineteen girls and ladies qualified to
compete at the National event, with
four girls and ladies placing in the top
five in Australia.
More info
Enrolments for Shellharbour City
Physie and Dance are now open. The
club is a not-for-profit, local community
organisation run by volunteers, and as
such can offer low prices. Free DVD
and music downloads are provided to
students so they are able to practise
their routines at home. There are no
hidden or extra costs; all that’s required
is a leotard. Preschool classes are
$5.00 and pre-schoolers don’t pay for
missed classes. For more information
on the positive benefits of Physie for
your child, phone Deanna 0425 318
763 or visit the website
www.shellharbourcityphysie.com
Happy dancing!
EY21
Quality pre loved, handmade and
boutique goods for babies & children
Little Darling’s
BABY BAZAAR
10th March , 21st July and
3rd November 9am–12pm
Illawarra’s locally run Bazaar
TODDLERS HIGH TEA
for parents, carers and their little ones
On a Monday Twice Monthly, 9.30am – 11:30am
$25pp for High Tea, $7 per child over 12 months
Stuart Park North Wollongong
www.lagoonrestaurant.com.au
02 4226 1677
Bookings are essential.
Loads of kids activities to keep them busy.
Tea Time
Words: Marie Smith
As Henry James said in his novel
Portrait of a Lady:
“There are few hours in life more
agreeable than the hour dedicated to
the ceremony known as afternoon tea.”
I don’t know what it is about tea
parties and the thought of ‘High Tea’ in
the countryside that makes me so
happy. Maybe its my British
background? Possibly my addiction to
all things pink and floral? Or it could
simply be that the thought of tea or
coffee helps me get through the day.
But I don’t think so.
There is something extra special
about a tea party. The idea
automatically conjures up thoughts of
beautifully frosted cupcakes, cucumber
sandwiches and my constant need to
become more like Martha Stewart. You
say ‘high Tea’ and Im there in a flash.
Ive recently taken to serving all foods in
my house on pink tiered cake stands.
No one says anything anymore and
guests no longer raise eyebrows and
give me the ‘oh isn’t this posh’ look.
Many tea experts credit a Duchess
from Bedford as the first to adopt
afternoon tea in the 1700s this started
a ritual and by the late 1800s afternoon
tea had became a fashionable form of
entertaining, emphasizing good
manners and elegance.
The idea of ‘high tea’ is much more
flexible in Australia. In European
countries and in some hotels in
Australia High Tea exists in its original
form beneath glistening chandeliers
with rules and etiquette and a ritual of
savory and sweet ceremony.
There is just something special
about the ritual of preparing loose leaf
tea and savouries no matter how you
do it. Recently I was at my friend Ann’s
house for afternoon tea which became
very posh with a table cloth over a tree
stump, rose cordial and sandwiches.
Im sure there were even fairies in the
bush nearby. I was so excited I couldn’t
think straight and thats when it hit me.
As I sat for hours sipping my various
varieties of tea (yes, Ann has many!) I
realised that the thing I cherish most
about high tea is the fact that I get to
stop. Time with friends or family and a
pot of tea is an important respite for
me from a hurried lifestyle. Grabbing a
coffee with friends seems to go along
with my caffeine paced lifestyle. But
with tea you can sit, ponder and
refresh yourself ,your thoughts and
your relationships. You enjoy the treats
more and you savour every mouthful of
sweetness and of good conversation. I
could have sat at Ann’s all afternoon,
actually I did, there was nothing more
perfect than sitting under the trees with
my tea and thoughts. My twenty to-do
lists seemed so far away…
What if we could bring this feeling
to time spent with our children? Those
who have read the book “The Hurried
Child” by David Elkind will start to
understand my thoughts. We rarely
have time to sit with our children , enjoy
conversation and savour time together.
The children of this decade have been
labelled “the backseat “ generation.
Unfortunately this refers to spending
much of their time in the back seat of a
car being carted to and fro. Our kids
need time to stop and refresh as well.
What better way to do this than with
high tea?
Friend and creative entrepreneur
Jonni Nicolaou from The Lagoon
Restaurant feels the same way and has
recently begun her journey into the
world of the “Mums and Bubs”
morning tea idea based on the idea of
High Tea but much more family and
society friendly. Most of you who know
The Lagoon restaurant are now
envisioning sugar loaded toddlers
thrashing about cutlery and throwing
tea cups at the walls… not so. The
past two morning teas have been
something special to witness. There is
a strange serenity as you enter the
“Mums and Bubs” morning tea.
Children and their parents are seated at
beautifully set tables enjoying
conversation and special treats, yes
from a tiered cake stand!. Jonni
decided that afternoon tea wasn’t
going to work for toddlers so the
morning plan came into place. The
children also needed some
entertainment so that Mum or Dad
might be able to finish a hot cup of tea
for once.
Each morning tea a local child
friendly business supports the event by
providing activities such as craft and
music for the children. I sat at a table
with two other adults and nine children
all under four years old. What a great
morning we had! The children were so
excited to be somewhere that was
usually reserved for adult time and to
watch their faces when their morning
tea arrived was a real joy. There was
fruit, cupcakes and banana bread
shaped like chicks. That would have
been sufficient for me but there was a
huge three tiered stand of sweet and
savouries for us adults. The paper table
cloths and crayons allowed us to draw
while talking and enjoying our food.
This is a great idea away from the
smell of French fries and sticky plastic
outdoor equipment and the Illawarra
are loving it. What a great opportunity
to spend quality time with your children
while learning a few manners and a bit
of restaurant etiquette. The cost is very
reasonable at only $7 per child and
$25 for adults and are being run twice
a month for the rest of 2013. For more
information and bookings 42261677,
[email protected]
Early Years will be hosting a Mad
Hatters Tea Party and I cant wait for
the fun to begin
“Yes, that’s it! Said the Hatter,
it’s always tea time.”
Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
EY23
Keeping Fit
with Benny Coles
Hey Superstars!
Hope everyone is ready to rumble again this month as we
talk about healthy eating!
Let’s start with the very first meal of the day—
Breakfast! It is so important to encourage children to eat their
breakfast, as it is, as they say the ‘Most important Meal of the
Day’. A great night’s sleep followed by food in the morning
helps a child to concentrate and to stay active at school. Set
an example for the youngsters and show them how cool it is
to eat breakfast by eating breakfast yourselves. Remember
you are role models to them! A bowl of cereal with milk and
some fresh fruit is a great starter for the whole family; please
try your best to ensure the cereal of choice is a decent low GI
cereal that will give your child a constant supply of energy, not
bowls of sugar with extra sugar added on top.....But that’s
another story for another month.
This brings us to school lunches and recess or little lunch
snacks!
Packed lunches are hands down the best approach to
ensure that your children are eating healthily as they will,
generally speaking, have access only to what you have
prepared for them, which I am hoping is healthy. Not only that,
but it is a great way for your children to learn about healthy
foods and they can even help with the preparations. Things
like sandwiches or pita bread (the lower the GI the better) with
cheeses, lean meats and salads make for great lunch time
choices. Fresh fruits and crackers are great snack ideas.
Steer the best you can away from processed meats (like
salami, ham etc) chips, biscuits, fruit bars or breakfast bars.
With that being said most school canteens nowadays do offer
a wide range of food choices and are following government
guidelines to encourage healthy eating. Nevertheless, there is
always a lot of temptation over at the school canteen so the
food they choose may not be the best of choices and can be
very low in the nutrients. A good trick is allocating one or two
canteen days a week, giving your children something to look
forward to and so they don’t feel left out.
Last but not least, this leaves us with afterschool snacks
and dinner. Young children’s appetites can be scary depending
on daily activity levels so providing them with more of the right
foods and less of the wrong foods when their appetites are sky
high is definitely the best way to deal with this. You can take
advantage of their hunger, by offering them things like fruit and
veggies, of which many kids don’t eat enough. Just make sure
they don’t overdo their snacks so they are still hungry when it
is time for dinner.
Dinner choices should be as low in high energy foods
(such as breads, pastas, rice etc) as you can manage (it’s okay
to treat yourselves every now and then), as these foods are
very heavy and that energy is not required late at night. Protein
based foods such as chicken, fish, red meats, eggs etc...
eaten with salad or veggies are the best dinner options. Use
trial and error and different ideas to find out what your children
love and hate. Have fun with it, take them shopping with you,
and teach them simple nutritional facts like, “Did you know
that milk keeps your bones strong?” and “Carrots can let you
see in the dark” and, “Spinach makes your muscles strong.”
Simply saying things like these can make a lasting impression
on children as they grow up.
Well that’s it for this issue! Thanks for reading and on
behalf of The Super Hero Wrestling Team, we hope you have a
SMASHING month!
Benny Coles
Sunday 30 June
9am to 12 noon
$3 Entry, Kids FREE
‘The Snake Pit’
Beaton Park Basketball Stadium
Foley Street, Gwynneville
Australia’s original pre loved
market for quality bargain
babies and kids gear.
Plus some handpicked local
designers will be selling their
unique new goods.
From prams to cots,
toys to books and clothes to
shoes, this market has it all!
www.babykidsmarket.com.au
1300 554 476
BRING A
FRIEND
FOR FREE
Sunday
30 June
✃
Valid on presentation
of this coupon
Animal
Instinct
with Dr Liz
Pets, Parasites and
Protecting the Family
Today, I am writing about pets, pests, parasites, and
how to protect your family – your entire family.
Imagine the following scenario. You are sitting on the
lounge, with a drink in your hand. On one side lies your
beloved cat, Leonard… all curled up. On the other side
lies your dog Sheldon. And then, in walks your wife.
In her hand is a pencil-like thing, and when you get up
to have a look at it, it has two bars on it… one purple, one
blue. Whilst your head starts to comprehend what it
means, you notice the open box of pregnancy tests on the
table.
You look at your wife, you look at your pets, and then
you look at the door. But you aren’t looking at the door
because you want to run through it, but to wish the pets
outside. The need to protect your pregnant wife and your
unborn family has just kicked in.
Images go through your brain of how pets can make
your unborn child sick, from going blind, to deaf to other
congenital abnormalities.
All vets are dedicated to the health of all animals, as
we know by keeping our pets healthy, we keep us all
healthy too. It is not uncommon for parents-to-be to ring
up their vet to ask questions about their pets, especially
after they have been given information by their own doctor.
f Did you know you could get worms from lying on the
grass?
f Did you know 30% of kids eat soil, sand and grass, a
behaviour known as pica?
f Did you know these are the ways our kids, as well as
us, can get infected by the worms our pets may carry?
f Did you know a puppy infected with only twenty
roundworms (which is not a lot of worms) can drop
over 500,000 eggs in the environment in one week?
All very sobering thoughts.
What do you need to do to protect your family?
The first thing is…
Go to your pet’s health record, and to where you store
all of your pet’s medications
Put it all on one spot on the table
Get a sheet of paper and write down everything you
have and what it does. For example – Advantage for cats
– does fleas and lice.
Use the following information to make sure your pet’s
preventative program is all sorted. If in any doubt, your
local vet will always help you. Preventative care for your
pet is the best way of protecting your human family, so
Leonard and Sheldon (or whatever your pets’ names are
can still stay sleeping on the lounge while you watch TV).
For dogs:
f Your worming medication should cover roundworm,
hookworm, whipworm, flea tapeworm and hydatid
tapeworm.
f Your vet can provide the best heartworm prevention
through a once a year injection, so take advantage of
that.
f Your flea control should cover fleas and lice, (animals
can be short term carriers of head lice, so I like to treat
them too).
For cats:
f Your worming medication should cover roundworm,
hookworm and tapeworm.
f Your flea control should cover fleas, lice and mites.
f Your vet can provide the best advice on how often and
what you should use to keep your pet worm and flea
free, as we have seen what products do and don’t
work. It is our daily work.
f Unfortunately, ringworm is not a worm, but a fungal
infection and toxoplasmosis is a protozoan disease,
both of which we can’t worm against. These two
types of infections are the most common reason why
new mums are often scared of their cats.
f Cats can be carriers of ringworm, and fungal cultures
are needed to check, but most kids are infected from
the classmates or from playing in the dirt.
f Toxoplasmosis is the scary one, but as a mother of
four, who has worked with cats, I am still
toxoplasmosis negative, so it really isn’t an easy
infection to get.
f To protect yourself and your family against
toxoplasmosis and intestinal worms, especially if you
are pregnant, follow these guidelines.
f Make sure you have one litter tray per cat plus one
extra
f Wear gloves when cleaning the litter tray
f Practise good hygiene – wash your hands
frequently
f Rinse all fruit and vegetables prior to eating.
f Avoid uncooked or partially cooked meat
f Cover your kid’s sandbox when not in use
f Clean up your pet’s poop daily
Families are fun, and they are more fun if you have
pets.
EY25
Swim Safe
Words: Anita Peck
Swimming
Lessons During
Cooler Months
When summer draws
to a close and the weather
starts to get cooler, some
of our little nippers say
goodbye to their
instructors to begin sports
and music lessons, or to
focus on school activities.
Parents don’t think
twice about pulling their
child out of swimming
lessons in order to start a
new activity. Once
summer rolls around again
parents are startled to find
their son or daughter at
the same level as previous terms. Many students are
enrolled in swimming lessons to teach water safety and
how to react in an emergency situation; parents must also
remember that children can be around water such as
ponds, lakes, bath tubs and even the back yard
uncovered pool, even in the cooler months.
Having a student take swimming lessons all year round
provides a more robust education and a stronger base in
how to react in an emergency situation. It is also
frustrating for parents financially paying fees only have their
child still at a level from the previous swimming term. In
order to ensure child’s skills are retained and not just
memorized for a short period, swimmers must continue to
swim beyond the summer months. Children not swimming
year round can forget these crucial life-saving skills during
a winter break, panic or react in an unsafe manner.
Although all children will react differently chances are, if
the skills are embedded in their psyche they will respond
accordingly.
At Nippers 2 Flippers we practise safety skills on
a regular basis in conjunction with teaching children how
to swim. This in turn provides swimmers with valuable lifesaving skills with a range of aquatic knowledge, including
surf survival.
But, what about colds and other viruses?
Contrary to popular belief your child will not be
more susceptible to colds and viruses from swimming
during cooler terms. Our indoor facility was originally built
EY26
specifically for asthma suffers and rehabilitation patients
over twenty years ago. The temperature is set to a warm
thirty-three degrees, ensuring your child’s body
temperature is safe no matter what the season. The newly
installed sliding door along with hair dryers in the
bathrooms make the venue ideal for the cooler terms.
Year round swimming provides several benefits to
children, providing critical skills and opportunities for
students to learn in the most quick and efficient manner.
We hope to see all our Nippers 2 Flippers swimmers
continue swimming over the cooler terms.
Learn to Walk
Learn to Talk
Learn to Swim
“Swimming – Not just a hobby or a sport, but a lifesaving skill.”
EY26
Dan the Movie Man
It’s pouring down raining, the kids are still in chocolate
Rehab after enjoying Easter and they are sick to death of
craft and that dreaded sentence begins - “Mum, Dad, I’m
Bored.”
You look over to your wife with such frustration that
hasn’t been seen since your wedding night. But Bam, it
hits you! Let’s go to the movies! All seems well in the
house until you realise you need to find a movie everyone
will enjoy... Here are a few movie suggestions to been
seen and enjoyed for variety of different circumstances.
For the Kids
It’s raining again and you just need 30 minutes to get
control of the house again and stop those tornadoes
(children) going from room to room creating mess. Well I
have the answer for you! Get out some popcorn and set
them up in one room to watch...
Wreck it Ralph, set to arrive on DVD in Late
April 2013. This will be a great silencer for
kids over the age of four. It is Rated PG –
most likely due some scenes of games with
shooting but overall I feel it is fine for kids over
the age of four. It is actually pretty good for
parents to watch and takes you back to the Video Arcade
days.
Freedom Nights
The kids are with the grandparents, the wife is on a
girls’ night and there is no footy on... Here is an idea! How
about watching...
Zero Dark Thirty, this movie dramatizes the
hunt for Osama Bin Laden. Plenty of
suspense and obviously we all know what
happens but it’s the thrill of the hunt that
excites us all.
at Home Date Night Movie
The kids are in bed asleep and you are sick to death of
watching sport! You have had a great meal (that you just
cooked!) and it’s been a long week. You grab a nice glass
of red and you start flicking through Take Five in your
Onesie... STOP! Send the husband down and grab...
This is 40, expected to be on DVD in May
2013. This is the sort of sequel to Knocked
Up and is a great laugh for girls and guys.
Funny movie dealing with funny/sad things of
married life and kids etc. The wives will relate
to this movie and if your husband isn’t
interested tell him Megan Fox is in it.
Exciting upcoming movies
The Croods – Currently at cinemas
I Give it a Year (from producers of Love Actually,
Bridget Jones’s Diary and Notting Hill)— Sounds like a
winner already!
WRITE NOW
with
DC Green
DCGreenAuthor @facebook
Using all the Senses
Most writers tend to use only a couple of the senses.
Yet the best stories engage all five! When readers connect
with a story using all of their senses, every line becomes
more powerful, vivid and memorable.
Vision. This is my writing strength, and probably the
strength of most writers. Your readers must be able to
visualise your characters and settings. That means you
need to describe ALL characters, actions and
backgrounds. Try to make your descriptions colourful and
SPECIFIC. ‘The dog sat in the car’ is boring. Try this
instead: ‘The Great Dane slobbered out the window of
the rusty Hummer.’ Which line is easier to see in your
mind?
Sound. I love sound effects! ‘The Hummer drove
away’ is, once again, boring. Instead: ‘The Hummer’s
engine thundered. SCREECH! The tyres screamed.’
SCREECH is a stand-alone sound effect. I prefer to use
these in single-word paragraphs for emphasis. If the
sound effect is loud, I’ll bold or italicize the words.
‘Screamed’ and ‘thundered’ are both sound effects that I
have turned into verbs. Sound verbs add grunt to any
story and need no propping up with sentence-clogging
adverbs!
Smell. I always reread my stories to find places
where I can add smells to enrich the reading experience.
E.g. following on from our Dog in a Hummer story: ‘The
stench of burning rubber clogged the air.’
Taste. ‘The Great Dane ate the leftover food lying on
the floor of the Hummer.’ I don’t need to tell you how
boring that line is! Instead: ‘The Great Dane wolfed down
the leftover Mongolian Chicken. A hundred chillis scalded
his tongue. His eyes watered. His huge nose dribbled
liquid snot. The Great Dane swallowed, shook his head
and turned toward the driver as if to say, “Ha! You call
THAT spicy?”’
Touch. What do things feel like when they are
brushed, grabbed or held? Are they cold, warm, rough,
smooth, sharp, familiar, rippling or brittle? Let’s get some
touch into our Hummer story: ‘In the driver’s hands, the
steering wheel became slippery with sweat. The driver
clutched the wheel so hard, his knuckles glowed white
and his fingernails bit into his palms. Blood dripped from
the wheel.’ Ah, MUCH better!
From these five-sensed descriptions, readers can
figure out we have a desperate, crazy driver and a big,
tough dog! It is always best when your reader can work
out what is happening by what you SHOW, rather than by
what you TELL. Using all five senses is definitely the most
advanced and masterful way to do so!
Happy showing!
DC (please like my facebook page) Green
EY27
Cooking
with
Tex Mex Wrap
Charlie
INGREDIENTS
Wholemeal or herb wrap
1 ½ tbs cream cheese spread
¼ cup red capsicum, diced
¼ cup yellow capsicum, diced
50g roast beef or chicken
½ tomato, sliced
Mild salsa
METHOD
1. Spread wrap with the cream
cheese spread. Place the
capsicum, beef/chicken and
tomato along the centre of the
wrap.
2. Top with 1 tbsp mild salsa.
3. Roll up wrap and cut in half
Corn and Ham Mini Quiche
INGREDIENTS
8 slices of wholegrain or multigrain
bread without crusts
20g butter
125g can of corn kernels, drained
1/3 cup grated cheese
50g ham slices, finely chopped
2 green onions, trimmed and thinly
sliced
6 eggs, lightly whisked
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 160 degrees
2. Brush each bread slice with the
butter and line muffin pan with
buttered side down
3. Arrange corn, cheese, ham and
onion evenly among the bread
slices. Pour the egg evenly over
each muffin hole.
4. Bake for 15 minutes or until set
and lightly golden. Remove from
oven and allow to cool.
EY28
Quick and Easy
Sausage Rolls
INGREDIENTS
1 tbsp olive oil
2 red onions, thinly sliced
1 ½ tbsp. brown sugar
2 sheets frozen puff pastry
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 thick beef sausages
METHOD
1. Preheat oven to 200 degrees and
line baking tray with baking paper.
2. Heat oil and add onions for 10
minutes or until tender. Add sugar
and cook until caramelised.
Remove and allow to cool slightly.
3. Cut each pastry sheet into
quarters. Using one quarter at a
time, brush with egg and spread
onion mix over pastry. Top with a
sausage and roll up pastry. Place
seam side face down on tray.
Repeat with rest of ingredients.
4. Brush each pastry with egg and
score with a knife
5. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until
sausages are cooked through and
pastry is golden
Chocolate Mousse
INGREDIENTS
250g dark chocolate
600ml thick custard
300ml thickened cream
White chocolate, grated, to garnish
METHOD
1. Place chocolate and custard in a
bowl over saucepan of simmering
water. Stir until chocolate melts
and mixture is smooth. Set aside
for 15 minutes to cool
2. Beat thickened cream in a bowl.
Add to the chocolate mixture and
gently fold until just combined.
Spoon evenly into 8 200ml serving
glasses. Place in the fridge for 1
hour to set.
3. Sprinkle with white chocolate and
serve