Goodbye Brisbane

Play, , , ,

Once again blogging has taken a back seat to real life, as we farewell our hometown of Brisbane. Relocating a family is a huge undertaking! We have spent the last few weeks in a whirlwind of cleaning, clearing, decluttering, and gumtree-ing in order to sell our home. At the same time, we’ve also been flying down to Sydney to find a suburb that will work for our family, and then lining up new home and school. Oh, and in between, catching up “just one more time” with all of our beautiful friends here in Brisbane. Continue reading →

Holiday Free Play

Kids, Outdoor, , ,

Here’s the thing about free play: it requires very, very little. Children who are good at free play know how to make their own fun. They don’t need an adult to provide them with toys. They don’t need an adult to outline the rules. They don’t need an adult to explain the process. They don’t need an adult at all really! Free play can happen any time, any where, with whatever is around. Continue reading →

Childhood is Risky Business

Kids, Play, , , , ,

I have previously shared some thoughts about children and risk, both here on the blog and on air. And when my daughter knocked herself out by falling while tree climbing – my opinion was challenged, but ultimately unchanged.

While I am happy to share my perspective as an educator and a mother, I am not a child psychologist myself, so I was delighted to be able to interview Dr Paula Barrett about this topic.  Here are her thoughts on the risky business of childhood. Continue reading →

Three In One

Faith, ,

After church my six year old asked the question – “Mum, what does three in one mean?”

I took a deep breath before launching into my answer.  Despite the fact that I’ve been a Christian for most of my life, there are still some things I find hard to get my head around.  (There will probably always be things I can’t get my head around when it comes to God, because He’s God. And I’m not.) Continue reading →

Tin Can Play and MILO Giveaway

Outdoor, Win!, , , ,

I’m very pleased to be an ambassador for the MILO Play Movement in 2012.  Play is a child’s work, and the importance of play in children’s development cannot be underestimated.

MILO sent the SquiggleKids a fantastic play kit (final photo) to use in the backyard – and I’ve got one play kit to give away to a lucky SquiggleMum reader as well!  The kit contains soccer nets, cones, a selection of different balls and even a ball pump for your kids to use outside, plus a couple of tins of MILO. Continue reading →