Travelling with Kids – Adventure isn't just about the plane trips!
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 …
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 …
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 …
DirtGirl has been on our radar every since we heard about her big mud pie party at Centennial Park last year. We love her show and find her take on things quite refreshing. When I heard that DirtGirl and her friends were coming to the Sydney Opera House I purchased a bunch of family tickets …
As the calendar rolls over to December, the atmosphere develops a bubbling air of excitement as we move towards Christmas. It has always been my favourite time of year. The streetscape changes in my neighbourhood as lights begin to flicker along verandas and “Santa Please Stop Here!” signs appear in gardens. If only we lived in a …
In between our discussions on LEGO, Super Heroes and Super-Villains are regularly the topic of conversation at our place. We’re all a little obsessed. News that an entire exhibition focused on Superheroes made of LEGO was arriving in Sydney made us all a little giddy. It wasn’t long after it officially opened that we found …
History exhibits are often presented in a way that is largely inaccessible to kids. The focus is on artefacts that they can’t touch, wordy descriptions with a plethora of dates and lots of “no flash photography” signage. I’m passionate about history and seek out opportunities that will engage my kids in the narrative of those before …
Riding a bike is a skill, once learned, that is rarely lost. Learning how to ride is the difficult part. When I was a kid I had neither a balance bike nor training wheels. I pushed my new bike out onto our lawn and went from there. The beauty of living in the country, right? …
A few weeks ago now I received an invitation to attend an Instameet in Sydney to celebrate Qantas’ 95th birthday. A Qantas Instameet! I had no idea what that actually meant and had to immediately google instameet so I could get my head around what I would signing up for if I agreed to attend. Armed …
Having found myself lost in a few Christmas movies, I have developed quite a magical view of the holiday season. I love the lights, the cheesy Christmas tees (or jumpers when we’re in Victoria), carols and gifts. As soon as I started earning pocket as a child, I would save it all up to buy …
When the week rolls over and the weekend arrives there can be a certain satisfaction discovering your calendar is empty. Perhaps you take the opportunity to relax in your garden, read a new book or catch up on housework. Faced with a weekend without plans, my kids spent Saturday playing in the backyard with the neighbours. …
When I first arrived in Sydney I went straight to Bondi Beach. I think most tourists do. I wanted to see the great Aussie wonder for myself and feel the sand between my toes. It was truly delightful. Fast forward a decade and a half, and I’m raising my kids in this very city, providing the …
“We’re all going to the zoo tomorrow, Zoo tomorrow, zoo tomorrow. We’re all going to the zoo tomorrow. We can stay all day” Over the weekend I was invited to Taronga Zoo for the 2016 Education launch along with a number of other Principals and Executives from NSW Government schools. It was an opportunity to hear about the …