Travelling with Kids – Adventure isn't just about the plane trips!
Just under 200 kilometres to the south of Los Angeles, right on the Pacific Coast near the Mexico border, lies the city of San Diego. When planning a trip to California we knew that a few days in San Diego was almost mandatory, especially when travelling with kids. There is so much to see around …
When Ice Age premiered at cinemas back in 2002 it was such a hit that even adults went off to watch it sans kids. Since then it has grown into a mega franchise with four feature length movies and another predicted for release later this year. My kids have loved every one and are currently …
When I first arrived in Sydney, I secured my very first teaching position in Parramatta. I soon learned that this suburb has an overwhelming amount of Aboriginal and early European history. I have been threading trips to some of the sites throughout our weekends for years, although we are yet to cover everything. With a …
There’s an inner geek in all of us. A decade ago now I attended my first convention. I flew to Melbourne for a couple of nights sans kids and husband just so I could meet James Marsters aka Spike from Buffy the Vampire Slayer. My geek was right out there that weekend as I joined other fans in …
Parramatta is an ancient place. While British settlement spans right back to 1788, the Burramattagal clan of the Darug Aboriginal people have been living in the area for 60,000 years. Look carefully enough and you’ll find evidence of where they met and traded for thousands of years. When I arrived in Sydney, my first teaching …
Before last year, mentioning the Sydney Royal Easter Show was guaranteed to send a shiver down my husband’s spine. He just didn’t get the fanfare and found the mere idea a version of parenting hell. Developing our Sydney Royal Easter Show Family Survival Guide  ensured that the one time I convinced him to attend was actually quite successful at reframing his mindset and …
Sydney has a plethora of hidden delights right across its expanding city. Take a wrong turn and you’re likely to come across one. They’re usually in plain site, resting quietly for you to uncover them. For months, inspired by images of Bird Cages, I have been super keen to find Angel Place and explore its …
Back in 2016, TES published a list of 100 books to read during childhood. Hardly any were Australian, so I set about creating my top 100 Australian books to read, written by Australian authors. Of course, the list was not exhaustive, and I tried not to repeat authors so that there was a wide range …
There is solid evidence to suggest that classical music is great for children and their developing brain. Some parents even play their favourite classical pieces to their children in utero, graduating to Baby Mozart when baby arrives Earthside. But when is the best time to introduce children to live classical music? My curiosity around this has led …
With my iPhone becoming an extension of self most days, I do find myself utilising its portability to research for our next travel adventure whenever everyone else around me is engrossed in an activity. These little snatches of time often lead to some great travel bargains. Having utilised Webjet.com.au in the past for bookings, I …
Australia is a nation of swimmers. We love swimming and we seek it out when the temperature rises, the local swimming spot becoming a beehive of activity. Of course this could be the beach, the lake, the pool or even the dam. Parents are encouraged to take their children to lessons as early as possible, and schools usually …
Late last year my kids were charged with the task of caring for my parents cheeky Jack Russell for a few days. We had been tossing up welcoming a new puppy into our home and this was an opportunity for us to gauge whether they were ready for their own dog. Both kids took the responsibility very seriously …
“We want a pet. We want a pet. What kid of pet should we get?” So begins the newly uncovered Dr Seuss picture book What Pet Should I Get? Written by Ted Geisel (we know him as Dr Seuss) some fifty or so years ago but only discovered in 2013 by Audrey and Claudia Prescott (his secretary …