What’s Inside:

ABC NEWS INTERGENERATIONAL

PLAYGROUP

STORY

CELEBRATE

PLAYGROUP

NATURE PLAY

KEEPING YOUR CHILD HEALTHY—

VIRAL GASTRO

MIGHTY MOVERS COMES TO

PLAYGROUP

JULY

PLAYDATES

...AND MUCH

MORE...

ACTive Play is also: available online at this

link: http://www.playgroupaustralia.com.au/act/go/ newsletter-playgroup-postings

emailed mid-month to all members who have given us a current email address

A Request to Playgroup Contacts: Please circulate this copy of ACTive Play around your group and display/distribute any advertising if possible. Any notices or pre-filled renewal forms should be handed directly to members.

ACTive Play

JUNE 2016 The latest news and information about playgroup and parenting for playgroup

families in the ACT

Playgroup

Facebook

Pages and Groups Have you seen and liked our Facebook pages and groups? These have useful, important and relevant information and resources for playgroups. Take a look, like and share the following pages: ACT Playgroups Association: For ideas, resources, information, playgroup events: www.facebook.com/PlaygroupsACT/

ACT Paint and Playgroup: For Paint and Playgroup updates, events, information and more: ACT-Paint-and-Playgroup

ACT Playgroup Contacts Group: A special group for Playgroup Contacts to share, connect and receive specific information needed for the Contacts role: www.facebook.com/groups/ACTPlaygroupContacts/

Sticks and Stones Nature Playgroup: For all things related to nature and outdoor play for families with young children. Also information about what is happening in our Sticks and Stones Nature Playgroup program: Sticks-and-Stones-Nature-Playgroup

Intergenerational Playgroups Canberra: For information about our Intergenerational Playgroup program: intergenerationalplaygroupscanberra

Thanks to the

for their continued support.

Curriculum Kids Book Review and Competition

Curriculum Kids have three new books that are designed to assist families to entertain and educate their children. The books provide a variety of activities to cater for children with varying learning styles (visual, auditory and hands on) and include learning outcomes children can gain from each activity. Three of our playgroup mums road tested the books with their children. This is what they had to say:

Children 0—18 months From the perspective of a mum who values simplicity and sustainability - I love that Playtime at Home is packed full of entertaining developmental play using ordinary items that can be found around the home or at the local shops. It can be

easy for parents to feel that they have to buy a whole lot of stuff to assist their child’s development and play, so it’s great that Playtime at Home is a reminder that the simplest of items are super fun and exciting. Whether you’re an already creative parent, or completely lacking in the creativity department, Playtime at Home offers interesting activities and ideas that are displayed in a colourful and easy to follow format. The ‘modifications’ box is a great idea to further expand on each activity. I’ve tried out lots of these ideas on my little one, and it’s been a joy to experiment and explore together.

Children 18 months-3 years Sometimes Mums need ideas. Ideas of activities to do with your toddler instead of pulling out the same box of Duplo or pencils. Ide-as with substance. Ideas that are easy to replicate. Playtime at home (Children 18 months-3 years) is a book ideal for Mums looking for ideas. Each page has an indicator of mess, prep time and noise as well as suggestions for modifications and extensions. The photos make for easy brows-ing and make up for the fact that sometimes you have to read most of a page to work out what the activity is. My 2 year old daughter and I selected an activity called 'push it' - essentially pushing col-lected items into clay to make an artwork. As we didn't have clay I

followed the suggestion to use playdough and used the recipe from the book to make our own. Both the recipe and the activity procedures were easy to follow and the hints and suggestions on how to interact with your child made for great fun. My daughter had a lot of fun collecting the sticks, rocks and leaves to push into her art and enjoyed exploring how each object pushed into the playdough. When she finished she proudly showed it off to everyone in the house. I can't wait to try a few more activities from the book.... Maybe next we will make our own dinosaur eggs with baby dinos in them....

Children 3—5 years Some of our old play favourites like painting, play dough and bubbles have been revamped with the imaginative ideas contained inside Playtime at Home, Children 3-5 years. It's a great re-

source for those days when we feel like playing around home, or if the weather's too wild to get outside. I like it's approach to using low cost, recycled and everyday items as it helps kids (and parents) learn that fun and play is always at their finger tips. It's great to see that it covers a diverse range of ideas and themes too from construction to relaxation. The mess factor code is useful, because frankly some days I'd love my home to stay clean for an hour or two.

WIN A Playtime at Home BOOK

Curriculum kids have 3 books to give away. To go in the

draw to win one of these three books send in a photo and

information about of a fun activity that you like to do with

your child at home or playgroup that uses recycled

materials. Please include your child(ren)’s age(s)

Email: Fiona at play@playgroupact.org.au

Entries close: 30 June, 2016

Winners will be announced in July ACTive Play.

For more information about

Curriculum Kids products and services see:

hwww.curriculumkids.com.au/

Free Community Fire and Rescue Presentation

ACT CBCA Branch-Read and Enjoy!

Members of the Canberra Book Council of Australia have had the privilege

of attending the CBCA National conference in Sydney mid May. We met

many talented authors and illustrators. Ann James and Jeannie Baker

showed and explained to us their joy at exploring new mediums to create

their pictures. Ann uses mud and cocoa with sprinkles to create the lovely books I’m a Dirty

Dinosaur and I’m a Hungry Dinosaur. If you are feeling adventurous you might like to try

experimenting with your children to create your own wonderful pictures. Jeannie Baker uses

materials from her environment to create her pictures.

There were many new books on display. Ann James has a new one out, Bird and Bear and the

Special Day, which is a follow up to Bird and Bear. This book looks at opposites and concepts in

the natural environment. It is also a story about special celebrations such as Autumn and ‘bird’

days.

Margaret Hamilton has a new book out to follow her Bedtime one. This one, Counting Through

the Day, explores the concept of numbers from simple to complex numbers. The end

papers are again a joy with all the illustrations appearing in the book crafted into them. The

timeline of a child’s day is crafted into the sequential counting. This is a delight to share with

young readers.

Rosemary Thomas

CBCA ACT Branch

‘Gastro’ – everyone gets it at some point, but

what is it?

‘Gastro’ is a common occurrence in the lives of many young

families, a rite of passage; clean, change, wash, repeat. Viral gastroenteritis, the most common cause of ‘gastro’ type illness in children, is an infection of the stomach and bowel that is usually characterised by symptoms of vomiting and diarrhoea. Nausea, abdominal pain, muscle aches, tiredness, headaches and low grade fevers are other symptoms caused by viral ‘gastro’. It is more common in winter, but affects both children and adults all year round. It is usually a mild illness and can be caused by a number of different common viruses such as norovirus and rotavirus.

Viral gastroenteritis is highly infectious! It is spread via the faecal-oral route through the contamination of hands, objects or food with infected faeces or vomit which is then taken in by the mouth. Touching surfaces or objects with these germs on them and putting your hands or fingers in your mouth is therefore a plausible and common mode of transmission. Transmission can also occur when virus particles remain in the air after a person vomits.

After ingesting the virus, symptoms usually take between one to three days to develop, but this period can be as short as 10 hours. The illness generally resolves on its own and typically lasts between one to two days.

Viral gastroenteritis is generally diagnosed based on a person’s symptoms. However, a faecal examination can sometimes identify the virus that is causing illness. You will need to see your GP to arrange a faecal test.

Now I know what it is, I don’t want it near my family

The most effective way of preventing viral gastroenteritis is to practice good hand hygiene. Good hand hygiene removes harmful microorganisms (germs) from our hands breaking the transmission chain between being exposed to a virus and becoming infected with the virus.

Washing hands properly with soap, preferably liquid, is the preferred method for the prevention of viral ‘gastro’. Using running water, you should wet your hands and thoroughly lather with the soap. Next, rub hands together for a minimum 10 seconds paying attentions to the backs of hands, wrists, between fingers and underneath fingernails. Rinse your hands well under running water and dry them preferably using disposable paper towel or a clean towel. It is particularly important for people who have had gastroenteritis and whose symptoms have resolved to keep their hands clean as people may remain infectious even after they appear to have recovered.

Hand washing should be done after using the toilet, after changing nappies, after assisting someone with diarrhoea/or vomiting and before preparing and eating food.

The wiping down of surfaces, particularly food preparation surfaces and play surface areas, is another effective way of reducing you and your children’s risk of infection. As a general rule, using a mild detergent with warm water in a mechanical action (i.e. wiping or scrubbing) is all that is required.

We got unlucky, what should I do if my child has viral gastroenteritis?

Firstly, a child who is unwell should not attend playgroup or child care centres so they do not spread the

infection to others.

Keeping your child healthy – Viral gastroenteritis

There is no specific treatment for viral gastroenteritis. General care recommendations include:

The provision of plenty of fluids – oral rehydration solution is highly recommended for children with

mild to moderate dehydration following diarrhoea and/or vomiting.

Breastfeeding babies should continue to breastfeed throughout their illness wherever possible.

Children on formula or solids should restart their normal diet following rehydration, however foods

high in sugar or fat should be avoided.

Medicines to prevent vomiting or diarrhoea should not be given (especially in children), except

where specifically advised by a doctor.

It is important to see a doctor straight away if a child is not tolerating fluids, becomes listless or is not

responding in their usual manner or if you are concerned about your child’s health.

Okay, my child is starting to feel better now what?

Viral gastroenteritis is most easily transmitted during the symptomatic stage of the disease; however the

virus may be shed for sometime after symptoms stop.

Children in childcare, preschool and school, and adults who work should be excluded from attending until

they have had no diarrhoea for 24 hours. This exclusion period should also apply to swimming pools.

In adults who are food handlers or health care workers (including aged care) the exclusion period should

extend until there has been no diarrhoea for 48 hours.

Good hand hygiene and cleaning practices should continue after illness to aid in the prevention of

re-infection in the future.

There has been an outbreak of gastro at our playgroup/child care centre,

what now?

Due to the highly infective nature of many ‘gastro’ causing viruses, outbreaks are common in childcare

centres and aged care facilities and other closed settings including schools and hospitals. During

outbreaks it is recommended staff and children with vomiting or diarrhoea stay away (are excluded) from

the centre until they have had no diarrhoea for 48 hours.

Outbreaks of two or more cases of vomiting and/or diarrhoea in 24 hours should be notified to the Health

Protection Service.

I am feeling more comfortable about viral gastro, but what if I would like

more information?

For more information on viral gastroenteritis contact your doctor or call the Health Protection Service,

Communicable Disease Control Information Line during business hours on (02) 6205 2155.

Acknowledgment

Information provided in this article is drawn from the ACT Health Factsheet on Viral Gastroenteritis available:

http://www.health.act.gov.au/sites/default/files/Fact%20sheets/Viral%20Gastroenteritis%20Fact%20Sheet%20%28August%202014%29.pdf

Enriching your time at playgroup

Songs and Rhymes

Everyone enjoys these well- loved

rhymes especially when

accompanied by climbing finger

actions or falling over.

Incey Wincey Spider

Incey Wincey spider climbed up the

water spout. Down came the rain

and washed the spider out. Out

came the sun and dried up all the

rain. And Incey Wincey spider went

up the spout again!

Humpty Dumpty

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall.

Humpty Dumpty had a great fall.

All the king's horses and all the

King's men couldn't put Humpty

together again!

*Hello and Goodbye Songs

Sit or stand in a circle

Hello song:

To the tune of ‘Lou Lou Skip to my

Lou’.

Hello everyone, hello everyone,

hello everyone, how are you today?

hello (choose an adult’s or child’s

name), hello (choose a name), hello

(choose a name),

let’s have fun and play!

Goodbye song:

It’s time to say goodbye, it’s time to

say goodbye, everybody wave your

hands, It’s time to say goodbye!

Most playgroups find that their playgroup experience is enhanced by having a simple structure each

week. A routine means everyone knows what happens and what to expect (although on occasions

every playgroup needs to be flexible). Your team of Development and Support workers have put

together a sample outline of how to organise your playgroup to enrich your time together. Don’t

forget to check out our Facebook page for even more ideas.

As Everyone is Arriving

As you know, not everyone will arrive at the same time. It is a good

idea to set out activities such as blocks, dress-ups and soft toys and

allow children time to explore whatever takes their fancy as their

friends start to arrive.

Once Everyone is There

Gather everyone together to sing a hello* song. This helps to reaffirm

everyone’s name and is especially nice if you have new families

attending. After this, you can move on to some other planned activity

such as music and dancing/movement; or craft (always remember

the process is more important than the product so encourage and

appreciate your child’s efforts); or simple traditional games such as

Duck, duck, goose or Row, row, row your boat.

Snack Time

Get everyone to help pack up the activity and wash their hands ready

for fruit or other healthy snacks. Remember healthy habits such as

using tongs etc. (And, grownups, remember to model healthy eating

habits!! Save the chocolate biscuits for another time!)

After snack time, get everyone to help clean up and wash hands

again.

Extending your playgroup with a focus

Encourage and expand your playgroup time by adding a focus. This

could be an organised physical activity, a sensory experience, science,

numeracy or literacy activities, gardening or yoga. The options are

endless.

Finish with Story Time and a Song

Gather everyone (grownups and children) into a circle sitting on the

floor. Share the role with different parents taking the lead to read a

story each week. Use expression and gestures. Ask children ’what

do you think happens next?’ or other questions to stimulate thinking

about the story. A lovely way to finish playgroup is for everyone to

sing a goodbye* song.

Sensory Activities Make playdough ‘nests’ and fill them with playdough eggs in different colours. (You could add a fluffy chicken or two, too.) Add plastic ducks or eggs with water inside to the sand and water table. Bury plastic eggs in sand for the children to find. Place stickers inside the eggs. Provide the children with plastic bunnies and ducks in the sand for dramatic play. Supply the children with different colours of plastic Easter grass for a tactile experience. Hide plastic eggs in plastic grass for the children to find.

Tried and True Recipes For Your

Playgroup

Playdough

You will need:

1 cup plain flour

1/2 cup salt

Tablespoon oil

food colouring

1/2 cup (approximately) hot water

Place all the dry ingredients and the oil and food colouring

in a bowl.

Add the hot water and mix well with the wooden spoon.

When cool enough knead until smooth. Store in an airtight

container in the fridge.

NB: Instead of cutters and rolling pins, small sticks, flowers,

cars, plastic bugs or animals are interesting additions to

encourage creativity. Encourage children to press, push,

poke and roll the playdough. These skills are very

important to develop finger strength for writing later on.

Finger Paint

You will need:

jug of boiling water

2 cups cornflour

1 cup cold water

Mix cornflour and 1 cup of cold

water in a bowl. Ensure jug of water

is boiling, then while stirring the cornflour

mixture slowly pour in the boiling water. Keep pouring and

stirring (having two people working together helps!) until

the mixture 'grabs' or suddenly becomes thick. Stop

pouring and stir the mixture until it becomes smooth and

translucent. Add more hot water if too thick. Add a little

food colouring to create the colours you would like to use.

This paint works with paint brushes as well, just add a little

extra water if needed.

Play is Serious Business The importance of play is a fundamental principle of the playgroup philosophy. You will notice that all events offered by ACT Playgroups focus on learning through play by having wonderful fun times together. In addition, our Development and Support Workers offer a range of Playdates designed to bring more inspiration to playgroups and their ‘play’. Whether you have a newborn or a toddler, play is special. Not only is it fun, but it is very important to children's development. It is their way of learning about the world around them. Through play, they try out new skills, explore their imagination and creativity, and learn about relationships with other people. It can also be an especially powerful bonding time with you,

their parent or caregiver. For more information about our Playdate sessions see page 18 of this newsletter.

The beauty of this learning and growing time is that the motivation for a young

child to do it is already there….

Mighty Movers Comes to Playgroup

Hello to everyone involved in ACT Playgroups. My name is Ross Dennis and I am the ACT Regional Coordinator for the Bluearth Foundation and our birth-5 program, Mighty Movers. In partnership with ACT Playgroups, and funded by ACT Health, Mighty Movers is a brand new program for families who have children aged birth-5 to support active play and movement as part of their everyday routine. It has been a real pleasure to have met some of the ACT Playgroup communities already. Thank you for inviting me in, and I hope to be able to share an experience or two with you soon if I haven’t seen you yet. As a parent of two beautiful children, Charlie aged five and Zac aged three, I have a strong sense of the many challenges (and still living them!) that face families who are blessed with little people. As a trained teacher and long-time movement coach and consultant, I also understand the critical importance active play has in the healthy development of children. In a society that delivers messages about a lack of physical activity and concerns about a growing overweight and obesity problems, I feel parents are often made to feel the brunt of this, and not always given a great deal of support. Mighty Movers seeks to be different in that we are mindful of our health and wellbeing through our lifelong habits and actions towards movement, rather than how we look or the types of exercise we may or may not do. Over the next 18 months we will be working together to make our playgroup environments rich in active play, with shared, joyful experiences and lots of learning for children, parents, grandparents and carers. The University of Canberra will also be helping us in cataloguing the movement activities of families as we go, so if you get the opportunity to fill in a survey, and thankyou if you already have, it can only help in creating experiences that are really meaningful to you and your child/ren. I am always mindful of information overload, so that is enough for now. There will be plenty of experiences, workshops, ideas, strategies and suggestions to come in the following months. Look out for Mighty Movers at the school holiday playdates, any playgroups near you, through the newsletter, on Facebook, on the Bluearth website (www.bluearth.org) and any other medium you might like to suggest we use. Having met some inspirational parents already (have you read Nicole’s article on nature play on page 16?) I suspect at least half of my role will be sharing some of the great things different playgroups are doing already, so please share with me what works in helping your family to be active, I would love to hear. Until our next play and yours in movement, Ross Dennis, B.App.Sc., B.Ed., Cert IV TAE Regional Coordinator, Bluearth Foundation. Program coordinator, Mighty Movers. rdennis@bluearth.org

Movement Activity Tip 1

Explore being outside!

There is more potential for movement outside than

there is inside. So our first tip, and possibly the only

one you might ever need, is to spend time exploring

what is outside. There are three important steps we

can keep in mind to help facilitate this.

1. Allow your child/ren to explore on their own.

Keep them safe, but try not to interfere

2. Do your own exploring beside or within sight of

your child, let them see you being happy to be outside

(although perhaps not sitting in a chair reading the

paper or having coffee…)

3. Share in your discoveries together. Be interested

in theirs, be happy to share yours, and don’t feel too

insulted if they don’t want to join you straight away.

After all, independence is trait that we know is critical

to their natural development

Intergenerational playgroups:

Uniting the young and young-at-heart in Canberra

When young children and their parents arrive for a play date with residents of the Mirinjani aged care facility in Canberra, the joy can be seen on the faces of all.

The elderly residents gather around the toddlers and babies as they play with balls, bubbles, boxes and blocks, laughing and encouraging their entertaining play.

"Everyone's face lights up, there's just something about chil-dren that particularly older people love," Mirinjani chaplain Heather Potter said.

"You can see the joy in the faces of the residents."

Each Monday morning, ACT Playgroups facilitates an intergenerational playgroup.

"There's no-one that comes through this door during the playgroup that doesn't get some sort of benefit from what we're doing," volunteer and organiser Fiona said.

Most of the residents at the aged care facility do not have family living in Canberra nor young relatives to interact with.

Similarly, many of the children and parents that attend live a long way from their extended families.

"In the ACT a lot of people move here for work and don't necessarily have extended family, so it's a really nice way for children to experience the older generation," Kirsten Cross from the ACT Playgroups Association said.

"It's also really nice for the parents to be able to tap into some of the experience and resources that the aged care residents offer in terms of their own parenting experience and their own stories.

"It's a really lovely thing to see those relationships develop."

Reality check for new parents

Jennifer Onken joined the playgroup with her five-month-old daughter Alexandra as a way of connecting with older people.

"It's good for her development; they love it, it makes me

happy," she said.

Ms Onken does not have relatives in Canberra and has found the stories and advice from the elderly residents helpful.

"It's so hard in the world that we live in at the moment, you're encouraged to be so independent, and that can be so difficult and isolating," she said.

"You're meant to have this perfect baby that sleeps, who does all these things, but in the age of our grandparents and with the older people here, they raised their family in a community and they got a lot of support from other people.

"Unless we make an effort to reach out and are humble enough to admit that life's not as easy as we make it out to be, or TV makes it out to be, it can be so isolating and scary to have a baby that doesn't sleep or cries all the time.

"So to get out and get a bit of a reality check and get some

support is wonderful."

Ashley Dillon said her son Jesse, who turns three in July, looked forward to the playgroup each week.

"My grandparents are in their 60s. We are on the younger side of generation Ys, so we've got three generations under 70," she said.

"It's an extra generation for him to get to know and interact

with; he gets excited about going to visit 'the old people'."

Remembering years gone by

For residents like Ken Hutton, the playgroup reminded him

of his time working as a dentist in a Sydney children's

hospital.

"They're delightful kids, they really are," he said.

"It's astonishing how quickly they grow up."

John Bruha also worked with children during his career.

Originally from California, Mr Bruha was an educator for

school and university students, working in Australia and

South East Asia.

"Educating people how to relate to young people, and how

to look and see what's inside," he said.

"You see there's people in there. You watch the personali-

ties, they're there and you can see them."

Hilda Blewitt turns 88 next month; the playgroup reminded

her of the fun times she had with her own children.

"It took me back 62 years — my son will be 67 this year, my

daughter 65," she said.

"I love watching the children and the songs. The songs are

songs my children sung."

ACT Playgroups also runs weekly intergenerational

playgroups at RSL LifeCare in Lyneham, and will be starting

a new group at Kangara Waters in Belconnen next month.

By Penny Travers

ABC News

http://www.abc.net.au/news

/2016-05-13/intergenerational-playgroup

-brings-smiles-to-young-and-old/7411770

FIONA WNS COTA

AWARD

Fiona from ACT Playgroups was recognised

and awarded the Intergenerational Award for

her role in the development and

implementation of ACT Playgroups

Intergenerational Playgroup

Program by COTA ACT at the Seniors Week

Positive Ageing Awards in March.

The 2016 Positive Aging Awards recognises

those with outstanding service provision,

advocacy and affirmative commitment to

improving the lives of older Canberrans.

These awards recognise the individuals and

organisations that provide a positive

difference through innovative and creative

services.

http://cotaact.org.au/images/

SeniorsWeek/PDF/

ACT_SENIORS_AWARDS_2016.pdf

7 tips to put the ‘mmm’ into family mealtime

Ferrying the children to after-school activities, keeping

up with busy social schedules and a hectic workload –

modern lives have a tendency to be extremely busy. And

for many families, sitting down together and enjoying a

home-cooked meal is often a rarity.

As a mum of three, I know how hard it can be to juggle

work life with keeping a happy family, but rushing

around, ‘making do’ and grabbing food on the go can all

lead to unhealthy eating habits such as snacking,

skipping meals, eating fast food and fussy eating.

Often, when we do manage to grab a moment of downtime at the dinner table, many of us rely on a

collection of around six or seven fail-safe meals that we cook on rotation. Not only does this reduce the risk of food

being left uneaten, but it also takes away the stress of having to think up something new.

Parents are always telling me that a lack of inspiration is the reason they cook the same meals time and time again,

but this could mean that your children are missing out on a whole range of nutrients – let alone an abundance of

exciting new tastes and flavours.

It doesn’t have to be expensive or time-consuming and you don’t have to be a Michelin-star chef to make a success

of dinner time.

Here are some of my 7 top tips to help busy mums and dads put the ‘mmm’ into family mealtimes.

1. Organisation When you have some time (perhaps over the weekend), plan a menu for the week ahead, thinking about what you can prepare in advance. And get the kids involved too – if they feel as though they have been a part of the planning and cooking, there’s more chance they will clear their plates at dinner time. 2. Savvy shopping Make a shopping list for the week and stick to it when you’re at the supermarket. This makes it much easier to stick to a budget, and also helps to cut down on waste. Enjoying healthier meals together needn’t cost a lot of money either. Buy fruit and veg that are in season and also opt for frozen fruit and veg – it’s just as good for you. Dried and canned pulses and beans are also great as they are full of nutrients and inexpensive. 3. Batch cooking It’s a great idea to make more than you need for one mealtime, and freeze the extra portions for an extra busy day in the week. Make sure the dishes are thoroughly covered and label them with their contents and the date the meals were made. Cooked food can be kept in the freezer for up to three months, but it’s important to freeze the prepared meals as soon as they are cool, and always re-heat until piping hot. Never re-freeze meals that have already been frozen, and never re-heat more than once. 4. Table time Sticking to regular meal schedule can be tricky, but try to organise at least three or four regular mealtimes during the week where everyone in the family sits down together. With my children, I found that if they knew when dinnertime was coming, they would be less likely to hunt around for snacks.

5. Food social Family mealtimes offer the perfect opportunity to develop your child’s social skills. Interacting and conversing about the events of the day will build their listening and conversational skills and give you time to re-connect as a family. From a very early age, children also need a routine. By setting an example of eating a wholesome, home-cooked meal as a family early on, your children will come to understand and appreciate the importance of eating healthily. 6. Exploring flavours As well as much-loved family classics, lots of my recipes have been inspired by flavours from around the world, from delicious curry to tasty noodles. You’ll be surprised by the flavours your child enjoys and how quick these dishes are to make. Noodles always went down a treat with my children when they were young, especially when I supplied them with child-friendly chopsticks. It’s important that children have fun with food. 7. Find recipes that are quick and easy Like my Tasty Chicken & Pasta Salad (below). Ingredients 150g fusili pasta 3 heaped tbs basil, chopped 100g cherry tomatoes, quartered 50g sweetcorn 125g cooked chicken breast, diced 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar 3tbsp olive oil 1tsp caster sugar ½ tsp Dijon mustard 1tsp soya sauce Instructions Cook the pasta in boiling salted water according to

the packet instructions. Drain and refresh in cold water.

Measure all of the dressing ingredients into a mixing bowl. Whisk together and season. Mix the pasta and remaining ingredients, season with salt and pepper and toss together.

Recipe reprinted with from Annabel Karmel’s Quick and Easy Toddler Recipes

Article by Annabel Karmel

http://www.bubhub.com.au/

How Important is Exercise for Pregnancy?

There are many reasons why you should exercise whilst pregnant including: Fights fatigue Improves sleep quality Reduces constipation Helps prevent and manage pregnancy related back pain Improves your posture Improves circulation Stress relief

Guards against gestational diabetes Can help with an easier labour Speeds up postpartum recovery

Some important things to consider during exercise whilst pregnant: Hormonal effects on the body (e.g. relaxin) loosen

your joints Structural changes – due to weight gain and an

altering of your center of gravity Hydration requirements due to increase in blood

flow Temperature regulation changes due to increased

weight and blood flow. Hormonal changes may affect your mood

Postnatal Exercise Along with many health and fitness benefits, postnatal exercise can hasten recovery, assist with muscle recovery and toning, and reduce stress and depression. IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT WOMEN CAN BEGIN EXERCISE SIX WEEKS AFTER GIVING BIRTH Benefits of postnatal exercise: Restore muscle strength Increase energy levels Increase cardiovascular strength Increase abdominal muscle strength Reduce post natal depression risks Improve pelvic floor strength and minimise

incontinence Reduce post natal depression risks Improve pelvic floor strength and minimise

incontinence

Why you should use an accredited exercise physiotherapist before and after pregnancy. It is beneficial to be screened and guided by an Accredited Exercise Physiologist before you undertake

any physical activity to reduce risk of injury, herniation, or other pregnancy related complications.

What is an accredited physiotherapist? Accredited exercise physiologists (AEPs) specialise in clinical exercise interventions for persons at high-risk of developing, or with existing chronic and complex medical conditions and injuries. These interventions are provided by exercise delivery including health and physical activity education, advice and support; and lifestyle modification with a strong focus on achieving behavioural change. AEPs are recognised allied health professionals and specialists in their field displaying a diverse range of knowledge and skills, working across a variety of areas in health, exercise and sport. The aim of an AEP intervention is to prevent or manage chronic disease or injury, and assist in restoring one’s optimal physical function, health or wellness.

What makes an accredited exercise physiotherapist different to another exercise person such as a personal trainer?

They are university qualified They undertake strict accreditation requirements They are eligible to register with Medicare

Australia, the Department of Veterans’ Affairs and WorkCover and are recognised by most private health insurers

They can treat and work with all types of people, those who want to improve their health and wellbeing to those unfortunately living with a chronic disease

AEPs have the skills and experience to prescribe exercise for chronic disease and injury

Stuart Noyce Stuart Noyce is an accredited Exercise Physiologist in Canberra and the owner of Pains to Gains Exercise Physiology. Stuart is looking to run group class for new mums to assist with increasing pelvic floor and core strength, weight loss and improving overall general health and fitness. Email: stuart@painstogains.com.au Mobile: 0458 496 971

In last month’s newsletter, I wrote briefly about collecting natural items with your kids when you walk to the shops or local park. Well, the simple joy of collecting was reinforced for me when I created rock bugs as part of the Autumn playgroup session “A Bug’s Life”. Thinking it would be fun for the kids to discover rock bugs in the play space over the morning, I decided to create a heap of rock bugs complete with goggle eyes. What started out as a bit of mummy craft, ended up being a fantastic unplanned nature play session for my little guy, Jack. This is how it went:

Step 1 - Collection. Ok, to make rock bugs first you need some…you guessed it - rocks! So, out

came the little bucket and hand trowel for an adventure around the back and front yard. Jack, like most kids, is generally enthusiastic about any endeavour which requires a bucket and a digging implement of some description, so with my helper at my side the search began. As we dug, searched and unearthed our prize rocks - there was much discussion about big and small, rough and smooth, and what type of bug they could become. It wasn’t long before we had more than enough.

Step 2 - Preparation. Time for the wash and dry cycle.

Being a cool afternoon, I filled a large tub with warm water and a couple of old scrubbing brushes, and voilà! Instant water play activity. There was much throwing of rocks to listen to the ‘plop!’ sound, swirling, cleaning, and a saucepan and soup ladle from the mud kitchen joined the action too. As the rocks were slowly cleaned (some several times!) - Jack was given the all important task of laying them out on a pal-let to dry. Another self created game ensued where place-ment was precise and there was much protesting when I tried to move a few. I particularly liked the side game that started where a few rocks were chosen to hang out under-neath the pallet as they were camping out in the ‘tent’. You’ve got to love the imagination of a 2 year old.

Collecting & Crafting - a tale of unplanned Nature Play

by Nicole Sadlier, Co-ordinator Sticks & Stones Playgroup

Would you love to come to a Friday nature playgroup?

We’re on the lookout for some keen beans who’d be interested in running a

Sticks & Stones Nature Playgroup on Fridays at Cook. It’s a volunteer posi-

tion, but you’ll be provided with plenty of support to help with the set-up and you’re sure to have a heap of fun! If

you’re interested, please email sticks.stones.natureplay@gmail.com

Step 3 - Transformation. The

metamorphosis from rock to bug took place over several evenings - firstly two solid layers of colourful acrylic art paint, then the addition of stripes, spots, wings, and finally gluing on goggle eyes. The joy on my little guys face each morning he arrived at the kitchen table to find a new stage complete was enthralling. When the day of the fin-ished product finally arrived, he just loved playing with them, and buzzing after us with the bees. If you’re short on time or not feeling crafty, leave out Step 3. Steps 1 & 2 will provide hours of entertainment, possibly days, as your child will find ways to play with those rocks that you never imagined…and the best thing…they’re free! If you do get inspired to knock out a few rock bugs, please share a couple of pics of your creations - I’d love to see them!

To connect with other families who are interested in exploring nature play, here are some options: Join our Sticks & Stones

Nature Playgroup at Cook on Thursday mornings

Speak with the coordina-tors of Sticks & Stones about starting a nature themed program at your current playgroup

Visit and ‘Like’ our Sticks & Stones Facebook page (Sticks and Stones Nature Playgroup)

Email sticks.stones.natureplay@gmail.com with your questions

What are Playdates?

The ACT Playgroups Association is once again running Playdates across Canberra. These are intended as hands on information sessions for you and your child/ren to participate in. Information learnt can then be taken back to your playgroup. We will fit as much information into the time as possible. The sessions are split into

baby sessions specifically for children up to two, and general sessions available to all ages of children up to five .

These playdate sessions will be available:

Sensory/Messy play / Baby sensory/messy play:

Be prepared for mess as we explore a variety of edible (for babies) substances, different textures, smells and sounds in the session that is our most popular! Be prepared to get messy and bring some spare clothes – for adult and child

Bluearth- Mighty Movers

Mighty Movers is about supporting Canberra families with young and growing children to combat the growing level of sedentary living we are seeing throughout our community. We will explore exciting and interesting ways in which we can encourage an active lifestyle not just for our children, but our whole family.

Literacy

There are many ways to develop literacy skills. Read a book, complete a puzzle, look at the environment e.g. signs, shops and products. They all go towards developing literacy skills. Come and find out how and more….

Music & Movement / Baby Music play:

Let out your inner musician/dancer! Both you and your child will have a great time moving to music, singing action songs, exploring instruments, scarves and more. Music is a fantastic way to develop concentration and confidence, as well as turn taking, language and social skills. Learn how to make simple instruments and yes, you will have to sing! J

Science and Exploration: (ages 2-5 only)

Science is all around. Answer those questions children ask with fun interactive activities. See if you can guess if things will float or sink. Nothing too complicated but certainly ex-citing, come and take part in some discovery activities as well as a couple of experiments.

Maths and Numeracy: (ages 2-5 only)

If the very thought of early years maths and numeracy makes you want to run for the hills then fear not, it's not what you think! We promise there will be no worksheets filled with calculations to complete as we explore some of the many fun ways you can support and extend your child's interest and develop an understanding of maths and numeracy through play... both at home and at playgroup. maths and numeracy really are all around us every day. Come along and find out just how much fun it can be!

When and where are they?

This time playdates will be in the first week of school holidays Monday 4th July to Friday 8th July 2016 and will be held in the Cook community Hub Templeton Street Cook. For specific session dates and times see the table below.

Sessions

How do I book?

You must book in order to attend these sessions. To book a session please download the form from our website or use the form with this newsletter, fill it in, scan and email it to play@playgroupact.org.au, or post it to ACT Playgroups, PO Box 513, Jamison Centre, ACT, 2614, or hand it in at our office at the Cook Community Hub, 41 Templeton St, Cook (parking and entrance off Ellis Street. No bookings will be taken without a completed form, or payment . Non-current financial members of ACT Playgroups please include $5 per family per session with the booking. We will email you to confirm your booking.

Please make sure your bookings are in before Thursday 30th JUNE 2016.

We look forward to seeing you there!!

Playdates are in Cook on 4-8 JULY—Don’t miss out…. FREE FOR MEMBERS

9:30 10:45 12:00 1:15

Baby

Literacy 0-2

years

Bluearth

2– 5 years

Bluearth

0-2 years

Literacy

2-5 years

Mon

4 July

Blue Earth

2-5 years

Bluearth-

0-2 years

Baby Music

0-2 years

Numeracy

2-5 years

Tue

5 July

Music

2-5 years

Baby

Sensory

0-2 years

Sensory

2-5 years

Science

2-5 years

Wed

6 July

Baby

Sensory

0-2 years

Baby

Literacy

0-2 years

Baby Music

0-2 years

Numeracy

2-5 years

Thurs

7 July

Science

2-5 years

Baby Music

0-2 years

Baby

Sensory

Sensory

2-5 years

Fri

8 July

You’re never too young –

or old – to get into Healthy

Bones Action Week, which

runs nationally from Au-

gust 3 – 9, 2015.

Start by upping your daily

intake of milk, cheese and

yoghurt for a calcium

boost that helps develop

and maintain strong

bones. Then, add regular

https://www.facebook.com/

Playgroups ACT

http://www.pinterest.com/

actplaygroups/

I

ACT Playgroups Association Inc.

PO Box 513

JAMISON CENTRE ACT 2614

41 Templeton St, COOK ACT 2614

ABN: 75 749 847 915

P: (02) 6251 0261

P: 1800 171 882 (toll free)

Fax: (02) 6251 9887

E: play@playgroupact.org.au

www.playgroupaustralia.com.au/act

We welcome the following new playgroups….

Scullin—Joeys Playgroup—Thurs am (birth-5) Acton—Cheeky Monkeys—Tues am (birth-1) *Downer—Malisani Canberra (Croatian)—Tues am (birth-4) *Isabella Plains—Treasure Time Group (for preemie or sick babies)-Fri am (birth-5) * Indicates groups with vacancies and open to new members

Let us showcase your playgroup

We love to include playgroup stories in our publication. Does your playgroup have a special theme? Have you gone on an excursion lately? Have the kids enjoyed an exciting craft activity or learnt a new skill? If so we would love to hear from you. Please email Fiona at play@playgroupact.org.au

The following playgroups are looking for new members:

Kunterbunt German speaking playgroup for children 0-5 years looking for new German speaking families to enjoy this relaxed playgroup. Indoor and outdoor activities, singing and afternoon tea. Day and time: Monday 2:30pm—5:00pm Contact: ACT Playgroups on 1800 171 882 or email play@playgroupact.org.au

Crace Community Playgroup: Fun, friendly inclusive, structured playgroup focusing on connecting families in the Gungahlin area. Free play, craft, morning tea and lots of fun. Shared morning tea. Everyone welcome. Day and time: Thursday 10:00—12:00 Contact: craceplaygroup@hotmail.com

Palmerston Possums: Open to families with children birth-5 years. We share fruit, take turns with craft and have indoor and outdoor areas for the children to play. Day and time: Friday 9:30 –11:30 Contact: Erin at palmerstonpossums@gmail.com Language playgroups: ACT Playgroups already supports many language playgroups: Korean, Japanese, Mandarin, German, Dutch, Italian, French, Spanish, Igraonica (Bosnia&Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro or Serbia) and most recently Cantonese. If you would be interested in starting your own language playgroup, or finding out more about existing groups—Contact: play@playgroupact.org.au or 1800 171 882

Please share your excursion

pictures and stories so we

can showcase your

playgroup experiences.

Email to:

play@playgroupact.org.au

Car stickers

available free

from ACT

Playgroups

office

KEEP CALM

AND JOIN A

PLAYGROUP

♚