Parenting Tips

Looking for ways for your child to stay grounded in the here and now? Look no further than our list of mindfulness activities for children and adults alike 👇

Mindfulness for children is more important than ever in the digital age. With so much for children to do and see, it’s vital to teach them how to slow down and tap into their inner calm. After all, childhood goes so fast – you don’t want them to miss it!

In this post, we’ve curated some fun and engaging activities to help your child develop lifelong mindfulness skills.

What is Mindfulness?

Mindfulness is awareness of one’s internal state and surroundings. In other words, it’s being grounded in the here and now. While this may sound obvious, it’s easy to get overwhelmed with so many forms of entertainment and technology. And children are no exception.

Therefore, it’s important to teach children how to be grounded in the present to reduce stress, anxiety, and boost overall happiness.

In fact, experts at the CDC (Centre for Disease Control and Prevention) suggest that mindfulness and ‘connectedness to school and home is the #1 most protective factor for youth well-being and resiliency.’

Explore the Five Senses

We use them every day, but how often do you stop to really think about your senses? Something as simple as closing your eyes and focusing on your breath can do wonders to ground yourself in the present. So, find a cosy spot, get comfy and invite your child to engage with their senses:

• Sight: Look at around you. What colours do you see? What shapes? Where is light coming from?
• Sound: What can you hear? Are there any background noises? Where are the sounds coming from?

For smell and touch, consider a sensory board filled with natural materials like sand or pebbles. For taste, you can lay out foods of differing consistencies to broaden your child’s palette:

• Smell: What does this space smell like? Is it a nice smell?
• Touch: What do they feel like? Are they soft? Hard? Scratchy?
• Taste: Describe the taste. Is it sweet? Sour? What foods also taste like that?

Sensory Nature Walk

Step into the great outdoors and embark on a nature walk together. Take your child to a nearby park, beach, or nature trail and encourage them to connect with all their senses.

Listen to the chirping of birds, feel the grass under their feet, inhale the sweet scent of flowers. This is a wonderful opportunity to get children out of the house and into nature. With each step, guide them to be fully present. What kind of animals do you see? What sounds do they make? What do they eat?

Additionally, it’s an important reminder of the beauty of our natural spaces and the need to preserve them for generations to come.

Yoga Time

Yoga is the perfect time to stretch, breathe, and relax. Clear some space and invite your child to join in a sensory yoga session. Pretend to be wild animals, mimicking their movements, and encourage them to focus on their breath.

If your child is more a visual learner, there are plenty of YouTube guides on how to strike the perfect pose – just make sure you do it together!

As they flow through various poses, highlight the importance of being present and tuning into their bodies. Wind down the adventure with a soothing relaxation exercise, allowing them to relax and find inner calm.

Mindful Art

Unleash your children’s creative spirits with mindful art! Set up an art station with natural, colourful materials and let their imagination run free. Encourage them to paint or draw with mindful awareness, feeling the brush strokes and textures of the materials.

Remind them to stay present in the moment, letting go of distractions. Remember, the aim is to let their inner artists shine while also experiencing a sense of peace and relaxation through creative expression.

Muscle Memory

There are over 600 muscles in the human body, but when was the last time you stopped to think about them?

Invite your child to close their eyes and to consciously relax their muscles. Start slow and simple by asking them to gently squeeze their feet, and then their hands. As they progress, move to larger muscle groups like the calves, biceps, and abdomen.

This is also a great opportunity for continued learning. Explore the different kinds of muscles and bones in the body through research and discussion. You can even take a trip to Scienceworks or the Melbourne Museum!

Why is Mindfulness Important?

More and more studies are showing the profound benefits of mindfulness for children and adults alike. It’s easy to get lost in the rush of modern life but taking as little as 10-15 minutes a day to reflect and recharge can do wonders for overall joy. Likewise, teaching these skills to children at an early age is vital for long-term happiness and success.

With these engaging activities, you can introduce your child to the wonders of mindfulness while also having some fun along the way. So why not invite your child to take a breath, look around, and smell the roses?

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Looking for some fun rainy day activities with the children? Read on for our must-visit attractions around Melbourne this winter 👇

Rainy days in Melbourne don’t have to be dreary! Instead of letting the cold weather get you down, embrace the opportunity to get the children out of the house and exploring Melbourne’s vibrant indoor attractions. Not only do these activities get children active, but they also get them engaging with the community and learning all kinds of physical and social skills.

Whether you’re a local or just visiting Melbourne for the weekend, here are our top 9 rainy activities for those wintery days.

1. Melbourne Museum

Take a trip through history and culture at the renowned Melbourne Museum. Explore fascinating exhibits, including natural history, art, science, and Aboriginal culture. Through interactive displays and engaging programs, the Museum offers an educational and entertaining experience for all ages.

Better yet, the Museum introduces children to the vast and fascinating history of our planet. Importantly, that history is pretty cool – filled with amazing creatures and natural events.

If you’re planning on visiting the Museum, be sure to check out the Museum’s Pauline Gandel Children’s Gallery. This exhibition is for babies all the way up to age 5, and features hands-on exploration, play-based learning, immersive environments, and unique exhibits the little ones are sure to love!

2. Live Theatre

Worried your child is spending too much time on screens? Take them to the live theatre instead! There are loads of age-appropriate performances for children around Melbourne, from magic shows to Disney on Ice.

Not only are live theatre shows a wonderful day out of the cold, but they also teach children valuable social skills. Unlike television shows or movies that can often overstimulate children, live theatre requires children to exercise concentration and patience, while also boosting their attention spans.

3. Aquarium

Dive into an underwater wonderland at SEA LIFE Melbourne! A trip to the Aquarium introduces your little one to a whole new world filled with breath-talking natural creatures and environments. From majestic sharks to adorable penguins, your child is sure to enjoy this aquatic day out.

Explore interactive exhibits, walk through tunnels surrounded by captivating sea creatures, and learn about the importance of ocean conservation. And who knows – you might just inspire a future marine biologist.

4. Legoland

For Lego enthusiasts over three years of age, the Legoland Discovery Centre is a must-visit this winter. Legoland is an open-ended experience filled with creativity and imagination through an abundance of Lego-themed activities and attractions.

Together, you and your child can build and race Lego cars, explore miniature Lego cities, and construct anything their not-so-little imaginations can conjure – the possibilities are endless. Additionally, Lego boosts children’s fine motor skills and problem-solving abilities, helping them become better learners.

5. Cook Together

Rainy days provide the perfect opportunity to stay indoors and indulge in some culinary creativity. Gather the children, choose a recipe, dust off the whisk and embark on a cooking adventure as a family.

Cooking is also a great learning experience for children. They engage with all kinds of smells, textures, and chemical reactions from the boiling of the pot to the oil floating in water. You can also use this as an opportunity to explore measurements and reading instructions. Additionally, cooking helps children identify different fruits and vegetables, food storage, and general kitchen safety.

Importantly, it teaches children that food can be tasty and good for you.

6. The Library 

Escape the rain by delving into the exciting world of books at one of Melbourne’s many public libraries. Whether you’re raising a little bookworm or just trying to get them away from the screens for an afternoon, libraries offer a peaceful and stimulating environment for children of all ages. Introduce them to captivating board books, discover new authors, or participate in children’s book club discussions and events.

The library is also a great way to meet local families to organise play groups so your little one can make new friends!

7. Get Crafty

A day inside is the perfect opportunity to challenge your child to get crafty. With just a few materials, you can finger paint, stamp craft, or make some clay masterpieces. Arts and crafts are always a hit with children, as it encourages them to explore their creativity and see a project through from start to finish. In other words, it teaches them the nature of cause and effect.

The best part is there’s no right or wrong way – just get your child’s imagination active!

8. ArtVo

Unleash your creativity and immerse your child (and yourself) in the mind-bending optical illusions at ArtVo Melbourne. This interactive art gallery provides a unique experience where you become part of the artwork.

Strike a pose, take amazing photos, and let your imagination run wild as your child explores the captivating 3D paintings. This is the perfect way to introduce children to the mind-bending nature of perspective, geometry, and how things aren’t always as they seem.

9. Museum of Play and Art (MOPA)

Experience a world of creativity and play at the Museum of Play and Art (MOPA). This interactive experience offers hands-on exhibits and activities designed to ignite the imagination of children and adults alike. From sensory play areas to art workshops, it’s a rainy day haven for budding creatives.

And don’t take our word for it. Visit Victoria called MOPA ‘Australia’s most acclaimed Children’s Museum.’ This is a day out you don’t want to miss – they also make a great coffee!

Overall, rainy days in Melbourne don’t have to be dull. With these 9 fun indoor activities, you can make the most of these precious moments with your child, while also staying dry. From live theatre and museums to playing with Lego, there’s something for everyone to enjoy. So why not embrace everything that Melbourne has to offer and create some unforgettable memories?

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Easter is a time for family, fun, and treats! However, it’s also a time where we can get carried away with sugar-filled, highly processed chocolates. Read on for our comprehensive list of 7 creative treats for your child’s basket this Easter!

Easter is a time for family, fun, and of course, treats! A little chocolate won’t hurt, but it’s easy to get carried away and load up the little one’s baskets with sugar-filled, highly processed eggs and chocolate bunnies.

If you’re looking for a healthier option this year, there are plenty of creative options for making an Easter basket that’s still filled with fun and tasty treats. Here are seven healthy Easter treats for your child’s basket!

1. Rabbit-Shaped Sandwiches

Sandwiches are a great way to get creative while also providing a healthy meal for the little ones. Simply use a bunny-shaped cookie cutter over multigrain sandwiches filled with delicious fillings like ham, turkey, cheese and plenty of veggies.  

You can also incorporate the Easter theme into the fillings like egg salad, cucumbers and shredded carrot! Feel free to make them as creative as possible, as children are more likely to engage with healthy eating when it’s colourful and fun.

2. Carrots and Hummus

Carrots are a fitting snack for Easter, as they’re the Easter Bunny’s favourite treat. Experiment with veggies to make little bunnies, creative platters or baby carrot flowerpots. Additionally, hummus comes in a range of flavours and variations for even the fussiest of eaters.

Best of all, hummus is full of nutrients, fibre and protein which are essential for growing bodies. If you’re going for storebought, just avoid anything too spicy for the little ones! There’s loads of recipes online to make your own, which can be a wonderful bonding experience.  

3. Fresh Fruit

Fill your child’s Easter basket with a variety of colourful fruits, such as sliced apples, bananas, oranges, berries or grapes. Fresh fruit is rich in vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which are vital to children’s physical and psychological development.

Additionally, fruits – especially grapes and berries – are naturally sweet, making them a great alternative to lollies and chocolate. Just add a small container of grapes or berries to your child’s basket, or even freeze them for a fun and refreshing treat.

4. Popcorn

Popcorn is an underrated healthy snack. It can be salty or sweet and it’s full of fibre and important antioxidants. Pop or your own or opt for store bought, just be sure to read the labels carefully. Many store-bought popcorns are filled with sugar, butter and salt.

You can then portion out the popcorn and get decorative with colourful packaging, ribbons and cards!

5. Homemade Easter Treats

Children love helping out in the kitchen – they just don’t like to clean up the mess! Get the little ones involved in the kitchen to make a whole range of healthy easter treats such as carrot cake bites, hot cross buns, muffins, biscuits, banana bread, energy balls or fruit leather.

This is a great way to get creative in the kitchen while also providing children with a healthier alternative to store-bought treats that are often filled with loads of sugar and nasty preservatives.

6. Chocolate Covered Fruit

Remember, creating a healthy Easter basket is all about balance and moderation. Therefore, coating healthier foods like strawberries, bananas, kiwi fruit or watermelon is a great way to get the best of both worlds. It’s still chocolate, but not in the dense blocks or eggs you’ll find in a typical Easter basket.

This is also a great opportunity to get creative with platters, colours and designs. And remember – you don’t need to cover the entire fruit. A half-covered strawberry or the tip of a mandarin slice is a tasteful, and aesthetic, way to manage your child’s chocolate intake.

7. Sugar-free Chocolate

If pure chocolate is a must, consider a sugar-free (or low sugar) option. These are made with natural sweeteners such as stevia, without comprising the taste. The lack of sugar will result in less hyperactivity, sugar crashes, and trips to the dentist in the long term.

In recent years, sugar-free alternatives to everyday treats have exploded in popularity. Most supermarkets now stock ample sugar-free and low sugar alternatives in their health food aisles.

Just remember to always get your little one to brush after eating even these sugar-free treats. For tips on how to get your little one brushing, check out our blog post here.

Overall, Easter baskets don’t have to be a pit of sugar-filled, processed chocolate and sweets. In fact, they’re an opportunity to teach children about healthy eating and to broaden their palette. Through a mixture of homemade and storebought Easter basket treats, you can ensure your child indulges their sweet tooth.

Happy Easter!

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Is your little one struggling with separation anxiety? Don’t worry, we’ve got your back! Read on for our list of 7 strategies to help manage the transition into childcare.

Separation anxiety is a normal part of a child’s development and can be just as stressful for parents as it is for children. It’s not uncommon for the little ones to experience separation anxiety during the transition to starting childcare.

As children develop and grow, they become more aware of their surroundings and develop a strong attachment to their primary caregiver (i.e. you). This attachment provides them with a sense of safety and security, making them feel protected and loved. Therefore, when a child is separated from their caregiver, they may feel uncertain, scared or anxious.

Rest assured, this usually doesn’t last long as children adapt to their settings quicker than you might think. However, having a structured plan in place to manage this transition can do wonders in saving you and your little one the unnecessary stress.

In this post, we list seven ways to help your child cope with separation anxiety.

1. Explain What Will Happen

It’s important that your child understands where they are, why you’re leaving and that you’ll come back. Tell them that they’ll play their favourite game with their friends, have a tasty lunch and get to play outside. 

Additionally, let them know what time you’ll come to pick them up. You don’t have to give them the exact minute, but something as simple as ‘I’ll be back to pick you up after afternoon tea’ can mean the world to a child. Likewise, a settled routine can make the transition into care, primary school or just visiting friends much easier for children who thrive on structure and predictability.

2. Create a Goodbye Routine

Developing a special goodbye routine with your little one every time you drop off can do wonders in easing separation anxiety. This could include a special handshake, a hug, a kiss or anything that’s meaningful to you and your child. Establishing a consistent routine can help your child feel more secure and less anxious when you leave.

3. Speak with the Centre Team

Our Educators are knowledgeable, understanding and, most of all, caring! They understand that while many children ease into care seamlessly, others require a gentler transition process. Together with your child’s Room Leader, you can develop a plan to help your child adjust. 

This could include providing extra attention and reassurance during the transition period, phone calls to your child’s room to check in with the Educators, and plenty of positive encouragement and praise throughout the day from both parents and Educators alike.

4. Establish Familiarity 

Some families may choose to start with bookings of just two or three days a week to ease their child into care. However, more days early on builds consistency and fast tracks a child’s familiarity with their new environment.

When commencing at Explorers, all children attend an Orientation Session to familiarise themselves with the Educators, environment and other children. If you feel your child needs more time, you can book an extra Orientation Session to help your child further adjust to their new learning spaces.

Additionally, research has shown that familiarity is perhaps the most important factor for reducing stress during periods of separation, as ‘at around 10 months, most babies get upset if a stranger comes up to them in an unfamiliar room. Only 50% get upset if they have time to get used to the room. This means that in new situations, babies cope better when they come across new things gradually.’

Before commencing care, you can also practise time apart at home by leaving your child with a family member for increasing amounts of time, ‘I’m just going into the garden for a bit. Pop will look after you while I’m gone.’

5. Provide Comfort Items

A comfort item, such as a stuffed animal or favourite blanket, can help your child feel more secure about entering an unfamiliar environment. It’s like taking a little bit of home with them. Therefore, comfort items provide children a sense of reassurance and companionship, which can help them calm down, sleep and even join in on activities. 

Be sure to provide plenty of positive attention and encouragement for your little one’s comfort item, whether it be a teddy, a blanket or even a piece of clothing.

6. Stay Calm and Be Patient

It’s important to be patient when dealing with even the most anxious child, even if their crying and tantrums are making you anxious. Reacting with frustration or being negative about their experience will only make the situation more challenging. Moreover, be relaxed and cheerful so your child knows they’re somewhere safe, as children have a remarkable ability to identify – and imitate – the actions of adults.

7. Keep Goodbyes Short and Sweet

Kiss and go. Lingering with your child will only prolong the experience and can make it worse for the both of you. If you feel your child is really struggling to adapt their new play space, try and spend a little time with them doing something they enjoy in the room or outside at pick up to help them feel more comfortable and confident.

When to Seek Help for Separation Anxiety

Although separation anxiety usually goes away on its own, it’s important to be aware that it can develop into Separation Anxiety Disorder (SAD). This disorder develops when it:

• interferes with your child’s life and your family life.
• is more severe than the anxiety of other children the same age.
• has gone on for at least 4 weeks.

If you’re concerned about your child’s separation anxiety, it’s important to speak with your child’s healthcare provider or your Centre Leadership Team for guidance and support.

In conclusion, separation anxiety is a normal part of a child’s development. While it can be challenging, there are several things that you can do to help manage separation anxiety and make the transition smoother. By establishing a consistent routine, gradually increasing separation time and providing reassurance, you can ease your child’s anxiety and build their confidence for childcare, primary school and the world beyond.

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Is your toddler going through a hitting phase? Read on for the science behind why this is normal – and how to deal with it.

Watching your toddler hitting, pushing or even biting their peers can be embarrassing and stressful for first-time and veteran parents alike. What follows is often guilt, anger and that nagging imposter syndrome – am I a bad parent?

The short answer is no. You’re not a bad parent if you catch your toddler hitting or pushing others. In fact, it’s a common phase in early childhood.

In this post, we look at the science behind why your toddler may be hitting others, and some ways to use this as a learning opportunity to teach boundaries, social skills and emotional regulation.

1. Empathy

The development of empathy is a major factor in toddler hitting. In short, empathy is the capacity to understand the feelings of others and to put yourself into their shoes.

However, a common misconception is that empathy is genetic. This is untrue. Rather, empathy is a skill that must be taught, practised and developed over time.  

Studies show that toddlers begin developing genuine empathy at around two years old. This can take many forms after a child sees another in distress, including:

• Offering to share their food.
• Giving them a toy or comfort item.
• Hugging or showing affection.
• Reacting in distress themselves.

However, developing empathy sometimes causes toddlers to lash out. For example, if another child has a sore stomach and is showing clear signs of pain (facial expressions, crying, holding their stomach), a toddler may actually hit the child in the stomach. Yet, this isn’t an act of malice or cruelty. Rather, the toddler doesn’t understand how to approach the situation that’s made them feel uncomfortable, resulting in ‘aggression’ towards the problem area.

2. Sensory Exploration

Children love to touch, see and smell the world around them. This is a result of their developing neurochemistry, as they begin to create a more three-dimensional understanding of their environment.

However, they still lack proper social skills and spatial awareness. Therefore, children may ‘squeeze, pinch, push, and kick other children’ to experience their surroundings and participate in social interactions in the only way they know how. 

3. Power

It’s important to understand that children aren’t pushing out of cruelty. Dr. Gwen Dewar put it best, suggesting this sort of behaviour reflects a lack of impulse control, rather than malice.

Likewise, children are essentially powerless. Beyond being physically small, they lack the financial, intellectual and social means to exert any real power over the world around them, and this continues well into childhood and adolescence. Therefore, when toddlers exert power over another and get a real reaction, it’s mind-blowing for them.

Dr Laura Markham outlines how this feeling of power is key to why your child is acting out:

They are learning how to have an impact on the world, which means they are learning how to use power. So, they experiment with physical force, to see what happens. Add to this a child who is physically larger than his peers, and you get a kid who is likely to experiment with using physical force against others.

4. Managing Toddler Hitting

Firstly, try not to punish them. This can be difficult as parents tend to react with anger or shame if their child hits or pushes another, which is understandable. Likewise, we tend to view toddler hitting from our adult point-of-view, where such acts are unthinkable in everyday social situations.

However, this intense reaction is likely to have the opposite effect, according to Dr. Markham:

Punishing him won’t help the situation because it just teaches him that bigger people can use force on smaller people, which is exactly what you’re trying to show him is not ok.

Rather, it’s more effective to have a calm – but firm – talk with your child. Dr. Markham recommends removing your child from the situation immediately and taking the opportunity to explain why hitting others is never okay. Additionally, she suggests that preparing children in advance can be helpful, as overstimulation and unpredictability are common causes for overstepping boundaries.

If you get mad, you tell me, and I will help you, ok? If you forget and push, we will need to stop having fun and leave right away. So, let’s remember to keep our hands on our own bodies and have fun with the other boys, ok?

Lastly, demonstrating empathy for the hurt child is a subtle way of implying disapproval of your child’s actions.

Oh no, poor Charlie is crying. I think that really upset him.

5. Be Patient

Overall, it’s important to understand that this is a phase that toddlers outgrow as their empathy and social awareness develop. Yet, it can still be a particularly challenging time for parents due to complicated emotions and social embarrassment (nobody wants to be that parent with the pushy child).

Rest assured – it will pass. You’re not a bad parent and your child isn’t a monster. They’re just learning how to navigate a world filled with social cues, interactions, conventions and unspoken rules that even adults sometimes forget.

They’ll learn and become better for it. Just remember to stay calm, don’t overthink it and give yourself some credit – you’re doing great!

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Does teeth time become tantrum time in your household? Check out our blog for our top tips to get the little ones brushing.

From the moment children’s teeth erupt, they need brushing. Experts say children’s teeth need cleaning twice a day – and the same goes for adults! While this sounds fine in theory, does teeth time become tantrum time in your household?

Head shakes, crying, and firmly shut mouths are daily struggles for parents when teaching children the brushing basics. In this post, we’ve listed some fun ways to motivate your child to brush from newborns all the way to their first visit from the Tooth Fairy!

0 – 6 months

Although baby teeth don’t usually emerge until around six months, you can gently wipe their gums with a damp washcloth or gauze pad. This is best done after feeding and before bed. Importantly, a toothbrush or toothpaste isn’t needed at this age. Be soothing and gentle, as babies are at a delicate stage of development.  

6 – 18 months

This age is often where the trouble begins, as it’s when the toothbrush enters the picture. This can be particularly problematic for highly sensitive or autistic children. However, small changes to your brushing routine can ease the experience for any child:

• Sing songs while brushing
• Use lukewarm water – children aren’t ready for toothpaste at this age, and water’s that’s too cold can irritate sensitivity
• Use a mirror to ensure slow circular motions in all corners of the mouth
• Play music (soothing for younger children, upbeat for older)
• Be gentle, but thorough 

Furthermore, children love to imitate adults. Brushing your teeth alongside them is a great way to get them to take the initiative. Additionally, children thrive on independence. Tying their shoelaces or pouring their cereal are big steps for the little ones. Therefore, framing toothbrushing as a grown up activity can be a huge motivator.

Lastly, always remember to always replace brushes every three months, only use a pea-sized amount of age-appropriate toothpaste and remind children to never swallow toothpaste.

18 months – 3 years

By now, children are fully immersed in the experience, with the toothbrush, low-fluoride toothpaste and flossing (when teeth touch at around two to three years old) all a part of the equation. Naturally, this may make children apprehensive with all the new routines and sensations.

Remember, toothbrushing is repetitive – needed twice every single day – so it’s understandable if children get bored, as they often avoid difficult tasks. They prefer what’s familiar and easy. Also, young children don’t understand long term consequences for their actions. If their teeth aren’t rotting that second, they don’t see the problem.

Some activities to get children brushing at this age include:

• Star charts – a reward system to encourage brushing for consecutive days.
• A fun toothbrush – try your child’s favourite character, colour or design.
• Bring in a stuffed toy – children feel in charge when ‘brushing’ their favourite toy’s teeth, so getting teddy involved can be the difference.
• Apps – there are loads of apps from Disney, the Wiggles and many more which offer an immersive brushing experience.
• Picture books – there are countless board books about the importance of brushing teeth which pairs perfectly with story time.
• Get the family involved – children look up to family members, so get brothers, sisters, mum, dad, grandparents or cousins into the picture – whoever it takes to get them brushing!

3 – 6 years

At this age, children are more attuned to their environment. Therefore, you can start adding more complex elements like games, educating them about why toothbrushing is important and, of course, the Tooth Fairy! Although children don’t start losing their baby teeth until around age six, you can begin introducing them to the idea. Be sure to remind them that the Tooth Fairy only accepts clean teeth!

Nevertheless, there’s no one method or life hack to get children brushing. Each child is different and responds to encouragement in their own unique way. Therefore, it’s best to experiment and borrow elements from different approaches to discover what works best for your child.

By around six, children develop the necessary responsibility and motor skills to brush independently. Of course, this doesn’t mean they’ll magically start brushing morning and night without issue. Rather, managing children’s healthy brushing habits continues well into adolescence. If unchecked, poor habits can bleed into adulthood and lead to a variety of physical, psychological, social, and even financial issues for your child.

Overall, getting children brushing early in life is crucial to developing long-term hygiene habits. After all, it’s more than just to maintain a good smile, although that is a nice perk.

To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Is your child going through an inventing phase? It’s more important for early childhood development than you might think. Read on for all the benefits of encouraging little inventors!

Children love inventing. It’s the perfect mix of imagination and creation. They have an idea, make concept art, work with different materials and end with a finished product. Additionally, inventing develops children’s problem-solving, fine and gross motor skills, manual dexterity and intelligence.

However, inventing is more than just a learning exercise. History is full of children creating everyday inventions from toy trucks to braille! So, to celebrate Kid Inventors’ Day, we look at the benefits of encouraging little inventors, as well as listing some famous child inventors for inspiration.

How to Encourage Inventing at Home

There are several ways to promote invention at home. And remember, not all inventions require crafts or elaborate parts. Many are simple alterations to existing objects. Moreover, just creating concept art is a huge step for the little ones!

A few ways to encourage children to invent are:

• Ask them to identify an everyday problem
• Write a story about an inventor (real or imagined)
• Invite them to draw an invention

Likewise, inventor kits have exploded in popularity in recent years. These are containers or boxes filled with everyday household items and loose parts. Inventor boxes present an evocative safe space for children to explore their senses, while also flexing their creative muscles. They can be bought pre-made or you can create your own in just a few easy steps. You’d be surprised at what children can create with the most basic materials!

Why is Inventing Important for Children?

Inventing is the ultimate form of creativity, as it encourages children to think critically and use their motor skills to turn an idea into a physical form. Importantly, this process engages both sides of their brain, which is fundamental to cognitive development. Moreover, creativity has emerged as a priceless skill across all industries, not just those in creative fields.

At Explorers, our Reggio Emilia inspired philosophy encourages play-based learning goals through project-based education. Therefore, if a child has an idea or passion in a specific area, our Educators actively motivate them down this innovative path. Children need to enjoy learning and be free to explore and create in their own unique way.

Educators, therefore, act as guides. They keep children from straying too far into the fanciful and make sure to ask the right questions. Importantly, they reward curiosity. This is integral to the Reggio Emilia approach, and early learning more broadly. 

Famous Child Inventors

Toy Truck – Robert W. Patch (Age 6)

Robert Patch was just six when he invented the toy truck out of shoeboxes, bottle caps and a nail. While it sounds simple, Patch became the youngest person in history to receive an official US patent. Importantly, Patch’s invention didn’t require elaborate parts or intricate designs – just a few materials and a good idea. 

Crayon Holder – Cassidy Goldstein (age 11)

In 2006, Cassidy Goldstein was named Youth Inventor of the Year by Intellectual Property Owners Education Foundation. This was thanks to her ingenious Crayon Holders, which allowed broken crayons to be reused through a retractable plastic tube. Cassidy’s invention solved a common problem children faced daily, as well as drastically reducing crayon waste. 

Popsicle – Frank Epperson (Age 11)

Sometimes, a great invention isn’t enough. At age 11, Frank Epperson accidently invented the popsicle (icy poles) by leaving a sugary mixture out on a cold night, the wooden mixing stick frozen inside. Yet, it was a story of perseverance for Epperson. It took over a decade pitching his product around the neighbourhood, beaches and a fireman’s ball to finally get the project off the ground. Children can learn a lot from Epperson, as hard work does pay off!

Braille – Louis Braille (age 15)

By age five, Louis Braille was blind in both eyes. However, this didn’t deter the brilliant young inventor. At the time, reading and writing systems for the visually impaired were costly and inefficient. So, a 12 year-old Braille embarked on developing an entirely new system. By 15, he’d invented the raised-dot system we know today. Braille is now standard across all blind communities, and it’s not just for books. It can be found on signs in public spaces, keypads, restaurant menus, door signs, medicine labels and so much more.

Overall, inventing is a wonderful way to get children’s brains buzzing. In these early years, children start to understand that they’re part of a wider community. Importantly, they learn that their ideas and innovations can impact the world around them. So be sure to encourage and reward children’s ideas, no matter how silly they might seem. You never know – that electric toothbrush sticky taped to a fork might just be the next million dollar idea!

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Need a new read for the little one? See below for our list of 7 Aussie children’s books that are sure to get your child reading this Christmas!

Christmas is just around the corner, which means books, movies and carols filled with snow, woolly sweaters, pecan pie and mugs of piping hot cocoa. However, you’ve probably noticed that these Christmas conventions hardly represent a typical Australian Christmas.

So, to get your little ones into the Christmas spirit, we’ve listed our favourite children’s books that tell the story of how it’s done in Australia, complete with BBQs, summer, backyard cricket, party hats and (too many) Christmas cracker jokes. These books are perfect to read with children, while also supporting local Aussie creatives!

1. Bin Chicken and the Christmas Turkey by Jol Temple, Kate Temple and Ronojoy Ghosh (Illustrator)

In recent years, the humble Australian white ibis – better known as bin chickens, tip turkeys and picnic pirates – has become something of an Australian icon. Bin Chicken and the Christmas Turkey hilariously chronicles the journey of one such bin chicken – and his feathery friends – as he learns the magic of Christmas.

2. An Aussie Night Before Christmas by Yvonne Morrison and Kilmeny Niland (Illustrator)

If you’re wondering why this is such an Aussie Christmas classic, look no further than the blurb:

Christmas in the middle of an Australian summer means Santa has to find new ways to deliver his presents. The obvious solutions are to don a sunhat, shorts and a pair of thongs, not to mention ditching the sleigh and reindeer in favour of some roos and a ute. 

Morrison’s charming depiction of Australian Christmas pairs perfectly with Niland’s vibrant illustrations to produce a captivating image of Christmas down under.

3. Christmas Wombat by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley (Illustrator)

Christmas from a wombat’s point of view – what’s not to love? French is at her brilliant best with this playful story of a wombat’s quest for carrots. Reindeer, chimneys and even Santa himself won’t get in the way!

This is the perfect story to get children reading and thinking about healthy eating.

4. The Twelve Days of Christmas Island by Teresa Lagrange

The Twelve Days of Christmas Island is beautiful in its simplicity. Lagrange, who wrote and illustrated this wonderful book, cleverly adopts the format of the twelve days of Christmas to explore Australia flora and fauna. Naturally, this forms a memorable page-turner that you’ll be reading over and over again with the little ones!

5. An Aussie Christmas Gum Tree by Jackie Hosking and Nathaniel Eckstrom (Illustrator)

An Aussie Christmas Gum Tree stars possums, kookaburras and kangaroos as they venture through the great outback. Possum, and his Christmas crew, then embark on a noble journey to spread the Christmas spirit by decorating a gum tree with trinkets, ornaments and all sorts of quirky objects. Eckstrom’s artistic style and Hosking’s brilliant story bring the outback to life in this fanciful tale of Australian Christmas.

6. Christmas Always Comes by Jackie French and Bruce Whatley (Illustrator)

Christmas Always Comes also takes place in the familiar Australian setting of the outback. Santa, not one to give up on his promise to deliver presents, searches the dusty roads of the outback for farmer’s children. Little Joey, however, knows that Christmas always comes. Whatley’s beautiful illustrations perfectly embody the Australian bush and French’s story brings this story of belief and perseverance to life.

7. What Do You Wish For? by Jane Godwin and Anna Walker (Illustrator)

Bestselling duo Godwin and Walker team up again to create this touching Christmas hit. What Do You Wish For? is an exploration of children’s tendency to wish and dream, but Ruby isn’t like her friends. While some children wish for skateboards and puppies, Ruby understands that Christmas is about more than just the presents. Through this story, Godwin and Walker teach children to appreciate what they have, as well highlighting why the truly special things in life can’t be granted by a wish.

Overall, any form of reading is a wonderful way to bond with your child, as well as developing their emotional and creative skills. Additionally, reading improves children’s cognitive functions, intelligence and understanding of the world around them. Be sure to check out our blog on Book Week to learn all about the importance of reading at an early age.

To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today! 

Is your bin filled with expired food? Read on to save your hard-earned money while also teaching your child about healthy eating and sustainable habits!

Every year, 7.6 million tonnes of food is wasted – and that’s just in Australia. What’s worse, 70% of food that ends up in landfills and incinerators was perfectly inedible when discarded. To fight food waste, the United Nations established the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste Reduction to campaign for sustainable solutions to food waste from the farm to your plate.

To contribute to the conversation, we’ve listed seven handy tips to reduce food waste and save your hard-earn money. These aren’t life-changing adjustments, but something as simple as buying an ugly cucumber is the first step to introduce your child to sustainable habits and healthy eating.

1. Buy Ugly Food

Firstly, keep an eye out for disfigured or misshapen fruit and veg at the supermarket. A shocking amount of fresh produce is discarded by farmers that don’t meet supermarkets aesthetic standards, with 45% of all produce being thrown away. Ugly produce is often disregarded by shoppers and left to the reduced bin, with many of that nutritious produce thrown out as supermarkets discard up to 10% of their food.

Thankfully, some supermarket chains have identified this needless waste through marketing ugly fruit separately, such as Coles ‘I’m Perfect’ range and Woolworths ‘the Odd Bunch.’ Importantly, this demonstrates how consumer spending habits directly influence the policies of the big players in food waste.

2. Make a List

Have you ever wondered why milk is always at the back of the store and the produce is waiting for you at the front? Or why the chocolate bars are tantalisingly placed at the checkout? The design of supermarkets and the placement of their products are specifically engineered to make you buy on impulse, therefore making a list is vital to ensure you only buy what you need.

Additionally, a list promotes mindful shopping. When buying those birthday cake flavoured biscuits, ask yourself – do I really need this? Often you realise you actually don’t, and they end up going stale before eventually meeting the bin.

3. Keep Leftovers

Meal-prepping and freezing meals is a wonderful way to reduce your household food waste as you can prepare meals on weekends or cook several days worth a few nights a week.

A recent survey found that Australians throw away in one in five bags worth of groceries, which is equivalent to around 312kg per person each year – equalling $2,500 wasted annually per family.

Pre-cooking meals reduces waste, saves money on takeout and promotes healthy eating habits for your child (you can get them involved in the cooking too!).

4. Understand Use-By and Best-Before Dates

Many people don’t understand the difference between use-by and before dates. While use-by dates are required on meat products and cannot be sold after this date, best-before dates are only an estimation of when food will be at its highest quality. Essentially, this is guess work by the manufacturer, which can result in consumers conflating best-before and use-by dates.

One study estimated that 24% of Europeans believed food is unsafe to eat beyond its best-before date. Some UK supermarket chains have even taken steps to prevent this misconception, with Aldi, Sainsbury’s, Tesco and M&S removing best-before dates on many produce, milk and yogurt lines. This is in line with research outlining that the three most wasted foods are fruit, veg and bread.

5. Buy Local

Your local farmers market or baker are a fantastic way to reduce waste and support your local community. Local food markets control their own food production and distribution chains, so they’re not constrained by supermarket aesthetic standards or large-scale transit concerns.

Additionally, local traders have a better understanding of how much they need to make and what sells. Moreover, they often have better systems in place to handle leftovers, such as allowing staff to take home leftover stock or even giving it away before closing.

6. Donate

There are countless not-for-profit organisations that specialize in taking leftover food for homeless shelters, compost or animal feed. While some supermarkets partner with these groups and even allow customers to take discarded produce for animal feed, they are often hampered by legal waivers and forms. 

Organisations such as FareShare, Foodbank Victoria and Empower Australia are just a few foodbanks that are always looking for donations!

7. Grow your Own!

Starting a veggie garden is a great bonding opportunity for you and your little one. It teaches them the wonders of nature, sustainability and the benefits of clean eating (and you control the pesticides).

We love gardening at Explorers. Our Educators and children maintain our herb and veggie gardens, and families are welcome to take home produce to enjoy! Children engage in the planting process and even harvest the veggies, which are then cooked by our chefs and enjoyed in daily meals.

In conclusion, food waste is an unavoidable part of food production, but we can take steps to reduce it from the farm to your fridge. You don’t have to become a food waste advocate, but the first step is stopping at the supermarket to ask yourself – do I really need garlic bread flavoured potato chips? 

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Happy Book Week! Read on for some handy tips to get your little one’s mind into the books and away from the screens.

Children need to read. It’s as important to their development as walking, playing or learning to look both ways before crossing the road. Reading helps children improve their social skills, vocabulary, imagination and prepares them for life, so it’s best to start early. With Book Week 2022 just around the corner, why not start now?

Studies have regularly shown that the parent’s role in raising readers is vital, so we’ve listed some handy tips to get you and your child back in the books!

Read Aloud

Reading aloud to children is essential, even as soon as getting home from the hospital. This can’t be replaced by passive mediums such as television, YouTube videos or audiobooks. You need to be with your child, reading aloud to them. What you’re actually saying is irrelevant; you could be reading the contents of a tomato sauce bottle for all they know. What matters is how you emphasise words and form sentences to get your child understanding that those scribbly lines and dots have meaning.

Be Consistent

While babies under two benefit from exposure to as many words and stories as possible, toddlers who are at reading age need structure. Establishing a daily reading time is a wonderful opportunity to bond with your little one. Picture books are particularly helpful at this age, as toddlers are fascinated by imagery and action over text.

This can be a great opportunity to read together, explain the morals of the story and relate the story’s events to your child’s own experiences.

And it’s not all about the cognitive and emotional benefits. These are precious moments with your child as you watch them mature into your little book club buddy.

Make it a Game

Reading time doesn’t always have to be sitting down to read a book. If you feel your child is losing interest or you just want to shake things up – make a game of it.

You can try Scrabble, Boggle, Bingo, Wordle or anything you like! Make sure to celebrate your child’s successes to keep them engaged. Remember, it may not always seem like they’re interested, but they may just be processing the information.

Read aloud and listen closely to their responses, even if they sound like complete gibberish! Babies and toddlers react to positive reinforcement. Today’s gibberish is tomorrow’s sentences and next week’s conversations.

Explore Genres

While the cognitive benefits are well-documented, reading is about so much more than just making your child literate. It expands the imagination, develops their emotions and doesn’t hyperstimulate like smartphones or television.

To keep them reading, it’s important to introduce children to diverse styles, genres and authors as they mature. From children’s literature they can advance to adventure, fantasy, science fiction, historical fiction and so much more!

A recent survey found that reading among children increased by as much as 89% from 2019 to 2020, a trend which continued in 2021 as children retained diverse reading habits:

‘As lockdowns started to lift, kids read more adventure and fantasy books, seeking out magic and mythical creatures. As they began spending more time exploring the world outside their homes, they also spent more time exploring new worlds in books.’

Book Week 2022

Each year the Children’s Book Council of Australia (CBCA) joins together with libraires, schools and community centres across the country to celebrate the wonders of reading. Teachers and students dress up, host competitions and create unique displays.

The CBCA adopts a new slogan each year with 2022’s proclaiming: Dreaming with Eyes Open.

We wholeheartedly embrace Book Week at Explorers Early Learning, encouraging the little ones to come to the Centres dressed as their favourite book character!

Some Books to Check Out for Book Week 2022!

If you’re looking for some inspiration to kickstart your reading, here are our picks from local authors and illustrators to get you started.

Your School is the Best! by Maggie Hutchings and illustrated by Felicita Sala

Only Maggie Hutchings and Felicita Sala could make a cockroach cute. In this charming, laugh-out-loud story, Hutchings cleverly crafts a tale of playful misfortune on everyone’s favourite cockroach’s first day of school.

Your School is the Best! teaches children to stay calm during a crisis and appreciate the differences in others. This is a wonderful picture book to read aloud with the little ones, especially those preparing for primary school or long day care. Try reading this together and pointing out the objects and colours in the classrooms while having some laughs along the way.

Bedtime Sorted! by Jimmy Rees and illustrated by Briony Stewart

Comedian and ABC children’s entertainer Jimmy Rees is at the peak of his powers with this hilarious picture book. Bedtime Sorted! follows a dad’s (mis)adventures in trying to get his boys to slumber down for the night. The hilarious antics are beautifully realised by award-winning illustrator Briony Stewart as she depicts a father’s spiral from optimistic to dismayed to exhausted.

The beauty of Bedtime Sorted! is its relatability (even if the dad is a platypus!). The struggle to get children to settle is something all parents have experienced. Rees and Stewart masterfully portray this challenge through striking visuals and poignant humour which earned Bedtime Sorted! a place on the 2022 shortlist for the ABIA (Australian Book Industry Awards) Children’s Picture Book of the Year. 

Too Many Cats! by Maura Finn and illustrated by Lucinda Gifford

Percy is a curious, loveable dog that just wants a moment’s peace. There’s only one problem – there’s just too many cats in the house! They make a mess, scratch everything and hog Percy’s favourite spots to lounge… until Percy loses his cool.

Too Many Cats! uses whimsical rhymes and playful illustrations to bring this age-old rivalry to life. Children and adults alike are sure to love this delightful picture book which teaches children the value of sharing and respect. Animal lovers will really get a kick out of this one, so be sure to check out our blog post on how pets give children a cognitive boost.

Little Bont and the Big Secret by Marcus Bontempelli with Fiona Harris and illustrated by Megan Higgins

Western Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli teams up with award-winning author Fiona Harris to realise this beautiful story. Melbourne-based illustrator Megan Higgins’ breath-taking artistic style brings this tale to life, depicting a young Bontempelli grappling with the ethical battle of fessing up to his beloved Nanna Nancy after accidently breaking her favourite garden gnome.

Little Bont and the Big Secret teaches children the value of honesty and might even make you tear up as Bontempelli prefaces the book with a powerful dedication to his late Nanna. This picture book is a joy to read aloud with your child – especially for any budding superstars!

Reading is a vital part of growing up. It improves memory, concentration and even makes your child smarter. But it’s about so much more. Reading opens your child to a whole new world, whisking them away to faraway planets and otherworldly realms.

Be sure to get involved in Book Week 2022 by dressing up your little one as their favourite book character, hosting a reading group or just picking up a good book.

If you would like more information on how you can get involved in Book Week 2022, be sure to check out their website!

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Teaching children one language is hard enough. Check out our deep dive on families who teach their children multiple languages at the same time!

Do you remember learning your ABCs? You had to make sense of the squiggly lines, the sounds they represented and all the rules that magically appeared when you formed words (oh, the joy of silent letters!). Well, what about learning your ABCs and your 诶比西? Or how about your αβγ while still learning your wahid, itnan, talata from your one, two, threes?

This is the reality for many bilingual children, meaning those who speak in two languages. And it doesn’t stop there. Some children are multilingual and learn up to four languages by the age of five! While this may seem strange from an Australian perspective, learning two or more languages from birth is very common in many parts of the world and monolingualism – speaking in one language – is considered unusual. 

Such an undertaking can be overwhelming for any parent, so we’ve broken down some of the common methods of nurturing multilingual and bilingual children, and the benefits and challenges behind them.

One Parent, One Language

One Parent, One Language – or OPOL – is perhaps the most common bilingual approach. As the name suggests, this method involves each parent only speaking to their child in one language. For example, if a child were learning English and Italian, one parent would only ever speak to the child in Italian, while the other would only ever speak to the child in English.

The theory is it creates necessity for the child. If they want to communicate with each respective parent, they need to pick up the language. Necessity is key as learning a language is hard work, and children often revert to what’s easiest and only do things if they absolutely must.

The main benefit of OPOL is it provides structure with children as they learn with a native speaker of the language in a controlled environment, so they will be exposed to the speaker’s native accent and pick up the nuances. The aim of OPOL is to establish double monolingualism, meaning they are fluent in both the native and minority languages. Keep in mind, this is a very high standard.

The main challenges of OPOL are consistency, as the parents aren’t always in isolation with the child. They will hear the parents speak to each other over dinner, when they’re out in the community and it can be difficult for parents to follow the method all the time. This can lead to a situation where the child may still understand the language but reply in the native language or confuse the two.

Minority Language at Home

Minority Language at Home – or MLAH – is where the minority language is the only language spoken within the confines of the home. One of the major benefits of this approach is it carries the consistency of OPOL but increases the cultural bond of the family and keeps the traditions of the family’s home country alive.

One of the challenges of MLAH is for young children that are not yet at school age or are not attending childcare or community events, as they may have little to no exposure to the native language by the time they enrol and may fall behind their peers. Children who learn the minority language before three years old and then learn another are considered sequential bilingualists.

Time and Place Method

The Time and Place method – otherwise known as T&P or Situational Bilingualism – relies on the contextual nature of language. Parents may employ a different language when visiting grandparents who speak the minority language, enrol their child at a monolingual school or even assign a certain area in the house, such as a language room, or even while holding chosen objects like a special book or sentimental item.

Time also plays a pivotal role, as parents can designate certain days of the week, weekends, hours in the day or even weeks at a time to speak a certain language, highlighting the power of T&P – it’s entirely up to the parents!

This also presents challenges. If too flexible, it may lack the consistency that is pivotal to instilling the minority language. It may also have similar challenges to OPOL, where children might understand the minority language, but reply in the native language.

Mixed Language Policy

The Mixed Language Policy, or MLP, encourages parents to speak freely and use languages interchangeably, creating a consistent stream of both languages to the child, without favouring one.

The arguments against MLP are that it creates confusion for children; however, this is contested. Another potential shortcoming is that it doesn’t allow enough monolingual conversations, so exposure to one language isn’t focused.

There are also Mixed Systems, or MS, where one parent only speaks a native language while the other speaks the native language and the minority language.

What Does the Science Say?

There has been extensive research examining bilingual and multilingual methods and their efficacy. According to Adam Beck, author of Bilingual Success Stories Around the World, OPOL has a success rate of 74.24%. While this sounds high, this is a considerable drop off when considering the prominence of OPOL.

In a study on 110 English-Spanish bilingual families in Madrid, the researchers found that:

• 54% used OPOL
• 29% used a variation of MS
• 13% use MLAH
• 2% used MLP

The effectiveness and prominence of these methods continue to be hotly debated, with many experts and families praising some methods while denouncing others. Ultimately, it’s about trial and error, and not adhering too strictly to one method. Read books, listen to podcasts, speak to friends and family, and borrow elements from different methods to see what works for you, as no two families are exactly alike!

Why it’s Important

You may be asking yourself: why bother? If you live in a monolingual country where almost all the places your child will work, study and live speak English, why go to the extents listed above?

In an interview with ABC, Sheila Ngoc Pham, host of the My Bilingual Family podcast, outlined that it goes beyond practicality to establish ‘greater empathy and understanding of difference and being able to understand different ways of speaking and thinking.’

In fact, this is exactly why teaching monolingual and bilingual children another language is so difficult. Language use is borne out of necessity, and if children don’t need the language, they often don’t appreciate the undertaking. The benefits are often cultural and psychological, however there is growing research to support improved cognitive function.

Languages are an avenue for families to connect with their homeland and pass down their tradition to their children. However, some believe that minority languages only last three generations in a new native country:

• 1^st Generation: strong in minority language, weak in native language.
• 2^nd Generation: strong in native language, weak in minority language.
• 3^rd Generation: strong in native language, speak little or no minority language. 

Manage Expectations

Dr Anikó Hastoss suggests that parents should manage expectations when teaching bilingual and monolingual children. Moreover, the native language will almost always become the dominant language due to school, friends and cultural influences.

In a 2015 study, one parent outlined how teaching bilingual children became a shared learning experience:

‘I read to my kids in Spanish, and then I try to read with the English that I know. If I’m saying a word wrong [in English], even if it’s with the little one, he says “no,” and corrects me. We learn together.’

Ultimately, structure and patience are key in teaching bilingual and monolingual children. It can be hard for them to understand, especially when they don’t see the tangible benefit. Try and make it fun, play games and show them why it means so much to you, your family and your heritage.

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!

Winter’s back! To fight off the runny noses, read on so your little ones are all rugged up for the chilly times ahead.

Winter is upon us in Melbourne. The puffer jacket’s out of the closet, soup is back on the menu and you need to give yourself a pep talk just to crawl out of bed. With temperatures reaching the lowest in years, it’s vital that you and your little ones are all rugged up for the chilly times ahead. 

We’ve compiled some handy tips to dress your child this winter without breaking the bank.

Layers of Winter Clothing  

When picking clothes, it’s important to remember the three layers of clothing for children:  

• Base layer: underwear, singlets, stockings, socks, etc. – this layer protects the skin from irritation, fits snugly and wicks away moisture. 
• Mid layer: shirts, vests, lightweight wool, pants, etc. – this layer provides warmth, insulates body heat and doesn’t add much bulk.  
• Outer layer: waterproof jacket, boots, gloves, beanie, etc. – this layer keeps wind and moisture away and makes up most of the bulk. It’s essential that this layer is waterproof and durable.  

Remember: it’s better to have too many layers than not enough, because layers can always be removed. The last thing you want is your child shivering at the park, on a playdate or in childcare for lack of a jacket!  

This is doubly important as some children aren’t verbal yet – or have learning disabilities – so they may not be able to communicate to an adult or Educator that they’re actually cold. It’s always best to err on the side of caution and rug up (just make sure to label each layer so they don’t end up in the lost property box at childcare!). 

A handy rule of thumb for toddlers is to consider how many layers you would need to keep yourself warm, then add one more.

The Winter Essentials  

• Undershirts are a wonderful and cost-effective base layer to keep your child warm – especially for babies. Leggings and long sleeve shirts are a handy fit for all ages and sizes.   
• Winter jackets are a must for outer layers – just be mindful of the size and material to avoid sweat chills. 
• Woolly socks are perfect for frosty weather, but make sure they’re fitted tightly to avoid slipping on wooden floors (especially when playing games). However, socks are not the item to splurge on in winter; they go missing, they turn up with mysterious holes and they’re likely to get muddy and sopping wet when swimming in a puddle-filled gumboot. We recommend you opt for quantity here. 
• Fleece-lined pants are a terrific choice as they’re light, breath well and are easy to clean and dry. Although more durable – avoid jeans. When wet they get heavy and can take a very long time to dry out.   
• Gloves and beanies are a must this winter, but make sure any headgear covers the ears! 
• Gumboots – an Australian classic for a reason. They’re durable, waterproof and come in a range of colours and designs. If it’s not going to be wet, you can’t go wrong with some trusty runners!  

Best Winter Clothing Materials  

The right choice of material is important to ensure comfort, warmth and to reduce irritation. Merino wool is an ideal underlayer as its odour-resistant, breaths well, naturally insulates and is super soft – so no need to worry about itchy skin! 

Synthetics such as polyester and Gore-Tex materials work well as an outer layer due to their waterproof nature, which is perfect for rain, outdoor activities and is durable enough for playdates and childcare. Avoid cotton as it insulates poorly, absorbs moisture and traps it to the skin, which actually makes you colder. 

TOG Rating   

If you’re wanting to dig deeper, you may want to explore the Thermal Overall Grade (TOG) – a standard unit of measurement to indicate a garment’s thermal insulation. This can help give you a map of what kind of clothes, and what combination, will work for your child without making them too hot. If you would like to read more about TOG ratings, click here.  

Our Educators at Explorers Early Learning always keep an eye on the little ones – especially outdoors – to ensure they’re properly fitted for all conditions. Additionally, the temperature of our rooms are carefully controlled so no child is too hot or too cold to learn and play. 

🍃 To tour one of our beautiful Centres, please click here. Otherwise, check out our website to register your interest at Explorers Early Learning today!