Looking for messy play ideas? Messy play (and sensory play) is a fun activity for kids of all ages! It engages all the senses and is particularly important form of play especially for babies and toddlers. If you like, you can read about the benefits of messy play here. The…
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Does your child love water play? Read on for the top 5 benefits of water play! Water play is an activity that can be enjoyed all year round. The great thing about water play is not only can it inspire loud, splashy, active fun but it can be the perfect…
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When people first think of playgroup, they probably imagine a group of kids playing and having fun with lots of messy play, toys, books, laughter and general happy noise. But what if they were to take a closer look? What they might not see is the first-time mum who has…
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Have a look at these tips to help find new members and ways to welcome past members back. Promoting Your Playgroup Playgroups are a source of enjoyment for many families in the community and are an important community resource. With many parents coming out of social isolation, it is a…
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Have a look at the benefits of winter outdoor play. Being outdoors comes with many benefits and opportunities for exploration and learning. But what about heading outside during these colder months? While it might feel like those rainy days restrict us from enjoying outdoor play, the truth is there are…
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Visiting a local aged care home can be a fun and rewarding experience for all parties involved! If you are thinking of organising a visit with your playgroup for the first time, we’ve listed some of our top tips to help you: Aged Care Staff are great with directing activities and can…
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Using scissors helps to improve hand eye coordination and is great for building muscle tone that will be required for writing later on in schooling years. It is also something that requires a bit of practice! Often little ones may start to show an interest in cutting but can find…
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WATER SAFETY MONTH is an initiative of Playgroup WA and the Royal Life Saving Society WA. Water Safety Month is in November and playgroup members can join in the fun by participating in water play activities whilst learning about being safe around water. Check out this informative Water Resource Kit…
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It’s that time of year when many incorporated playgroups are planning their Annual General Meeting (AGM). Of course for smaller groups it’s still a good idea to have an end of year meeting to finish the year and to prepare and plan for the next 12 months! Our Playgroup WA…
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During Mental Health Week and World Mental Health Day, we reflect on mental health and how playgroups support this. Going to playgroup helps to support mental health by making social connections for both parents and children, and experiencing the joy and stimulation of play, whilst also being involved in a…
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Pre-writing skills are fundamental in developing the ability to write. Handwriting is a skill that is developed over time. To master handwriting children need to combine fine motor skills, language, memory and concentration. Acquiring these skills will contribute to your child’s ability to hold and use a pencil, write, draw…
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Language and communication skills include the ability to understand others and express oneself using words, gestures or facial expressions. Language development is most prolific during the first years of life as children’s brains are developing rapidly. This is an important time to expose children to learning new words as often…
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The colder months are here and sometimes this can present a challenge to keep kids entertained at playgroup. But don't let the rain stop you from having fun - we've written some fun ideas to do with the kids at playgroup (and at home!). 1. Hold a disco Dancing promotes…
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We all know trampolining is fun. It’s hard to keep a huge smile from spreading as you jump around in a state of childlike fun. But did you know there are also some serious health benefits you can gain from regular trampoline-based activities? And there are plenty of mental benefits…
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I don't know about you, but I really love Halloween. And since having children I enjoy it even more. With Halloween comes lots of creative themed fun for the little ones - here is a very simple and easy idea of a craft activity that you can enjoy with your…
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Caring for yourself during a pregnancy and those first few months of parenthood is really important. Sometimes, you need to take time to do things just for you. Use your 'time-out' to do something you enjoy and help to keep things in perspective. Next time you need some 'me' time…
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It’s that time of the year again when bugs, coughs and colds start making life miserable! So if your little one is unwell it’s best that you stay with them at home until they’ve recovered but what about those in between days? Should a cough or a sniffle keep you…
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Have you heard the reports in the news? There's a massive war on waste at the moment and one way to combat this is to plan snacks before you leave the house. But have you seen those recipe books for children's snacks which are so complicated and fiddly you'd be…
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Playgroup WA provided a wonderfully, colourful backdrop to Channel 9's morning weather updates on Monday 22 May. The news service crossed four times to Playgroup WA's North Perth Community Room to check in on the Grandparent's Playgroup which meets weekly at the venue. All of the grandparents were excited to …
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My cousin has a disability. My friend’s daughter has Rett Syndrome. My neighbour’s son has been recently diagnosed with a debilitating degenerative condition. You would have to look pretty hard to find someone who isn’t related to, or know of, someone affected by a disability or diagnosis. So it’s a…
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While there are only 8 Saturdays left until Christmas, thousands of parents across WA are pre-occupied by another ticking time bomb … the count down to kindy 2017. Whether it’s your first born, middle child or baby enjoying their last few weeks at playgroup before they head off to big…
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Being a parent is role I love but one fraught with challenges. However, on an average day, being a parent is what I live for. And I know ‘parents’ come in all different shapes and sizes. The Working Parent One I want to touch on now is the Working Parent…
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I only need one word to sum up my life as a parent - unbelievable. Yes, this one word says it all. And if you were to think about it, I bet, you would agree with me! You see, whether it's a good or bad day - things never really…
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The families at Wembley Playgroup are getting back to nature thanks to a recent Lotterywest grant. The group’s new outdoor nature playground was completed last week – just in time for spring! Thanks to Lotterywest Wembley Playgroup’s President Eliza Maroni thanked Lotterywest for its generous support. “We were fortunate to…
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The lovely people at Raising Children Network just sent me an email with links to an article on the new parent’s need for sleep. Thanks for rubbing it in. If sleep were currency I would be broke. I don’t think I’ve slept a full 8 hours since I became a…
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Like parenting, there are so many different styles of learning in the early childhood world. It can be confusing and time sapping to try and figure out what works for you and most importantly what works for your children. As an educator working in Family Day Care, I believed in…
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I remember being little and experiencing a range of emotions and sensations. I was happy when my cat snuggled on my lap and sad when I left my grandparents' house. I was excited when I went with mum to pick up my older siblings from school and scared when I…
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Does your playgroup love an outing? Do you organise walks to the local park, post office or library? Maybe you’ve set your sites higher and organised a Zoo visit or a trip to a park in another suburb or town? If you have gone further afield – leave some tips…
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Well it’s no surprise that healthy eating need some help in the PR department. When new parents hit the shops they are usually time poor and distracted by a baby (or two) and let’s not get started on the shopping list left idling on the bench at home … Who…
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Playgroup WA has been supporting, servicing and establishing playgroups throughout Western Australia since 1972.
