Child - Parenting Hub

Advice from the experts

UNO Junior is so much fun

This junior version of the classic card game, Uno is perfect for families with young children who also want to participate in family game nights. With the year-end holidays around the corner what better way to spend quality family time together. The child-sized playing cards are illustrated with brightly coloured zoo animal motifs and is so fun and cute, not only will it get your younger children excited; but everyone will want to play! The awesome thing about these cards are that it has three levels of play to allow the game to grow with your child as they continue developing, guaranteeing that they will not get tired or bored of it when they grow older. Level One is simple matching; Level Two introduces action cards to the deck and Level Three adds penalty cards to the mix. With Uno Junior your children learn to recognize their skills in a fun way using colours and numbers. Each of the number cards (0-8) has a matching illustration so children who do not know their numbers yet can still play. My 4-year-old knows his numbers already, but he can still race to get rid of all his cards by matching them to the card show on top of the deck, either by colour or by animal. And when your down to only one card, the same rules apply, don’t forget to yell “UNO!” Playing card games gives you the opportunity to teach your child about rules, about integrity and honesty, and about luck. Card games play a major role in helping to increase your child’s ability to focus her attention. It is also a very social occasion. Game playing enables and encourages your child to practice important social skills that she will need to play well with other children. I love the fact that card games involve taking turns and waiting for your turn. This is something that every young child needs regular practise with, as It teaches young children patience and learning how to be a good sport.

October 28, 2020

Imaginext GKG77 Mega bite shark

My 4-year-old and I were both super excited when we received a big box containing the Mega bite shark! I knew I was going to love what was inside just by looking at the beautiful sturdy packaging. His face lit up as soon as we opened the box. Inside, a mega shark with big teeth and a fierce expression! Included in the box is a shark cage and a diver with a detachable air tank and a harpoon. It was clear that this was not your ordinary shark toy! When the shark is rolled back and forth on the wheels underneath its body, the shark literally comes alive! The neck rocks from side to side, the mouth opens and close and the flippers move, mimicking a real shark’s movement! This feature is super cool and left my son and myself, absolutely mesmerised. He immediately started assembling the diver and attached the diver’s feet to the sharks back and rolled the “swimming” shark all over the house. Later he had the diver inside the shark’s mouth and had fun opening and closing its big teeth chomping away at the diver. He continued creating all sorts of action-packed scenarios and invented stories and ideas, later adding seashells and sand to create an underwater scene. The only disappointing thing is that the shark is not intended for water use. I am super excited about the thought that went into this toy as it inspires creativity, grows imagination and helps children to develop their storytelling skills. This set also encourages social interaction for older toddlers and children who begin playing with friends or siblings and sharing ideas. It provides an opportunity for children to practice and develop social skills simply by being with and talking to each other about their game. It boosts development of problem solving and self-regulation skills, learning to share and respect ideas of others. A really awesome gift idea for young toddlers and children! Product Available for purchase: https://www.toysrus.co.za/catalog/product/view/id/67127/s/webname/category/5498/

October 27, 2020

Restoring Hope everyday

‘Do your little bit of good where you can. It’s the little bits of good together that overwhelm the world.’ [Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu] It is said that volunteers don’t get paid, because they are priceless. Volunteering is about caring, empathy, selflessness, generosity, leadership, humanity and fortitude – attributes needed to help rebuild communities. There are so many organisations who rely on volunteers to keep them going, to help make a difference in the lives of the people and communities in which they serve. One such organisation is Restoring Hope based in the Southern Suburbs of Cape Town. This group of young men and women have made it their mission to give back and they say the rewards make it all worthwhile. Humble beginnings Restoring Hope is a non-profit organisation established in 2015 by Devin Frans, Mikhail Kroutz, Kelly Jacobs and Marlon Saaiman, all young and optimistic about the future and determined to bring about positive change and hope to previously disadvantaged communities. The group now has seven core members, who are working and studying but manage to juggle a schedule around everyone’s ‘free’ time. They carry out a feeding relief scheme and other intervention programmes within the Victoria Lodge and Cafda Village communities in Southfield, assisted by an additional 30 volunteers who help them tackle challenges that face this community on a daily basis. From unemployment and hunger through to drug and alcohol abuse, lack of youth development and gender based violence. The organisation is not formally funded but relies on the generosity of local businesses, organisations, community members and kind hearted Capetonians to keep them going. ‘We make use of whatever donations we receive to support and run our outreach initiatives,’ explains Dale Hendricks, director of Restoring Hope. He says without the key role players, such as the volunteers, Red Cross Disaster Relief, the TFG Group, Blue Ribbon Bread, Peace Jam South Africa, Ocean View CAN, Premier Foods, Pie in the sky Bakery, St. George Home for Girls, Help A Girl South Africa and Rush Extreme Sports (Playstation by Rush) this would not be possible. Covid’s impact The Covid-19 lockdown highlighted and brought about additional challenges for the organisation, especially in terms of feeding the community who were unable to finance a daily meal due to economic challenges. ‘We launched a feeding relief kitchen in the community, providing lunch for 1 500 hungry children and residents each week day during the initial three months of lockdown. This has now been reduced to three meals a week for 100 adults and 40 children,’ says Hendricks. Kids Fellowship One of the greatest needs within the community is the support, mentorship and education of children which is why the ‘Kids Fellowship Program’ was started. This to provide development structure to children ages 2 to 18. ‘The program provides a platform for kids to understand how they can reach their full potential through learning, engagement and expressing themselves through various life skills and recreation activities,’ explains Hendricks. An important part of the Program includes a meal for the 40 children and afternoon clubs held twice a week. Play becomes a plate of food Local children’s indoor playpark and restaurant – Playstation by Rush – has become an important part of the team helping to give children a hand up. ‘We met Devin at Rush, our indoor trampoline park and were so impressed with his passion and vision for helping the local community that we decided to try and help where we could. With the opening of our indoor playpark, aimed at children ages 2 to 13 and located close to the communities Restoring Hope work with, we decided to turn some of the profits from play into plates of food,’ explains Damon Walmsley, GM. ‘Now every Wednesday, our restaurant staff prepares a warm and hearty mince and vegetable stew with rice to help feed the community. ‘Month after month, these guys have been champions for the community and although we are helping in one small way, we want to salute them for the personal sacrifices they make to help others.’ Doing more Restoring Hope have also put other programmes in place to assist the community, some are seasonal, such as the blanket and clothing drive during winter. ‘During the harsh winter we were able to provide over 300 vulnerable and struggling citizens with blankets and food parcels. ‘The Toiletry and Sanitary Pack drive, which formed part of Women’s Month, was aimed at helping women and children who have been victims of abuse and gender based violence,’ says Hendricks. While Playstation continues to provide a weekly meal they are also planning a fun ‘play date’ for the children on the Kids Fellowship Program. The children will be hosted at the venue where they will enjoy two hours of play exploring the adventure maze with its challenging levels, swing bridges, nooks and crannies. Or tackling the 4m climbing wall, cycling on the 40m bike track and sliding down the 6m long slides. For the younger children there’s a little kids’ city and mini-slides. ‘We look forward to opening our play park to Restoring Hope and hosting these kids to some well deserved fun time,’ says Walmsley. If you’d like to assist Restoring Hope in any way contact 078 008 9331 or go to www.restoringhope.co.za.

October 27, 2020

Smartick launches free online assessment to detect the risk of dyscalculia amongst children

First online e-learning programme to design dyscalculia early detection online resource tool Smartick, an AI-based maths, coding and logic e-learning programme for kids aged 4 – 14, has launched a free standardised online assessment that allows for quick and easy identification of children at risk of dyscalculia. Dyscalculia (pronounced dis·cal·koo·lee·a) is a mathematics learning disorder characterised, among other things, by the difficulty in acquiring number sense and calculation. In other words, a relative of the more commonly known and researched learning disorder dyslexia, which involves difficulty reading due to problems identifying speech sounds and how they relate to letters and words. Smartick global research suggests that approximately 5-7% of a country’s population may suffer in silence from dyscalculia and that in a class of 25 students, it is likely that at least one child has the learning disorder. For a population of 57+ million in South Africa, and if similar percentages are anything to go by, it could equate to around four million people potentially being misdiagnosed. Smartick co-founder, Javier Arroyo says that dyscalculia is a disorder with serious consequences and high prevalence, but unknown among many children, parents and educators. “Dyscalculia tends to be confused with other disorders such as attention deficit disorder (ADD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), low IQ or even study laziness. While it can result in failure in the mathematics subject, although not always the case, it can translate into real life difficulties that cause frustration and low-self-esteem,” says Arroyo. On a day-to-day basis, it can translate into misreading the time on a watch or car license plate, as well as having difficulty memorising phone numbers, number sequences or calculating the return on a purchase. Available to South Africans from 1 September 2020 with the aim of helping to detect the ‘dyslexia’ of the numbers, Smartick’s designed* free standardised online assessment takes approximately 15 minutes to complete and includes tasks around three fundamental areas of mathematical learning: comparison and recognition of numbers, arabic numerals and numbering and arithmetic. “The exercises for each evaluate the ability to recognise and manipulate numerical quantities without counting, and numerical processing that use verbal symbolic code, such as number recognition and comparison. Children with dyscalculia often have severe and persistent difficulties in learning arithmetic,” says Arroyo. At the end of the assessment, a report is immediately generated and sent with the child’s strengths and weaknesses in each of the evaluated areas. If, according to the results, a child is at risk of dyscalculia, it is recommended that parents and / or guardians go to a professional for a complete evaluation, which includes psychological tests for intelligence, attention and reading, in addition to specific tests for maths. Arroyo says the e-learning programme wanted to provide the educational community and parents with an instrument with which to identify early on one of the mathematical learning disorders as common as unknown. “Children with dyscalculia need adapted, daily training based on a deep understanding of concepts and procedures. Your child might be the next Bill Gates and can help change the world, but he’s misdiagnosed and misunderstood,” he says. *The standardised dyscalculia assessment needs to be completed on a tablet and is aimed at children from first to fourth grade. It was developed in collaboration with the Universities of Malaga and Valladolid in Spain, with more than 800 students in different areas of Spain participating in the initial assessment validation study.

October 26, 2020

FISHER-PRICE INVITES YOU ON A TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE WITH THE POP ART-NOSTALGIA-PACKED ‘FISHER-PRICE TOY MUSEUM’

Fisher-Price, the leading baby and infant pre-school brand across the world, is throwing open the virtual doors to its brand new Fisher-Price Toy Museum – the first-of-its-kind experience which digitally showcases classic Fisher-Pricetoys from the past nine decades in a colourful and fun exhibition especially created and curated for Instagram. In what is being dubbed the ultimate trip down memory lane for people of all ages, the grand opening of the Fisher-Price Toy Museum will be on 16October where visitors to the official Fisher-Price Instagram page will be able to rekindle their relationship with some of their favourite Fisher-Price toys through a colourful and interactive exhibition of images and videos. Today, the world-famous toy company has released 9 images to select press outlets to preview what visitors to the museum can expect to see when they log on. At the museum, the legacy of Fisher-Price toys will be on full display. In honour of the brand’s anniversary year, the museum will feature more than 90 different exhibits that will be organised by decade, enabling visitors to easily locate the vintage toys from their childhood. The launch collection will include a variety of classic products creatively designed by artist and designer Leila Fakouri, who focused on keeping the toys as the star of each environment while incorporating dimensions and textures to create an authentic museum feel. Specific exhibits include Snoopy Sniffer, which launched in 1938, and sits atop a fabricated slice of blueberry pie, the iconic Roller Skates, which were first introduced in 1983, and are showcased in a miniature roller skating rink complete with the wood paneled flooring and carpeted walls, and the Soothe & Glow Seahorse, which launched in 2008, and is displayed underwater in an aquarium setting. Artist and designer Leila Fakouri says: “These toys were designed and created in a variety of time periods spanning almost a century. Each decade has its own style, colours, vibe and nostalgic memories. I focused on bringing this to life by curating a beautiful and complex variety of installations that reflect the visual language of each time.” “The Fisher-Price Toy Museum was inspired by the idea that, whether you were born in the 1950s, 1980s or 2000s, everyone has a memory of their favorite childhood toy, and many of those are from Fisher-Price,” said Chuck Scothon, SVP and Global Head of Infant and Preschool, Mattel. “The intent of this museum is to take visitors back to their unique childhood experiences, and give them the opportunity to relive their youth, even if just for a few moments.” Fisher-Price are partnering with Time Out across Europe for the launch of the Virtual Toy Museum. Creative content will be produced for 7 markets including London, Paris, Barcelona, Rome, Berlin, Istanbul, Athens encouraging parents to visit the Fisher-Price Toy Museum on Instagram and revisit the decade they grew up in. The content hosted on Time Out will include digital features and social campaigns. Celebrating a 90-year milestone since its early founding in June 1930. The pioneering US based company, which has been a staple in millions of happy childhoods and has a rich history of innovation, was the first to use and term the phrase ‘Preschool Toys’ (1934), the first to create licensed toys and one of the first companies to make coding available to preschool kids with the introduction of the award-winning Code-A-Pillar (2016). In 2020, during the global COVID pandemic, Fisher-Price released a special edition line of collectible action figures and Little People Community Champions called the #ThankYouHeroes where all net proceeds go to charities supporting COVID efforts. The company recently launched a new multi-year, 360-degree marketing campaign titled, “Let’s Be Kids,” that celebrates seeing the world as kids see it, with optimism and humour whilst also extending an open invitation to grown-ups to grow-down and rediscover the joy of playtime.

October 26, 2020

Introducing the Thomas & Friends™ Cassia Crane & Cargo Set

Did you know that Thomas & Friends™ is an exciting spin-off of Thomas the Tank Engine which was first published in 1945?! Who doesn’t love the Thomas & Friends™ TV show?! Fisher-Price just have that special knack for bringing fun learning activities to children of all ages. With their history of introducing fun learning activities to babies and children, you can’t go wrong with purchasing Fisher-Price toys for your kids. Their superior quality has seen many Fisher-Price toys being passed down through the generations. Now your preschooler will get the chance to relive some of their favourite moments from the Thomas & Friends™ TV show with this exciting train set from Fisher-Price. Thomas wants to be a Really Useful Engine and help deliver a load of avocados to the docks, but he needs help from his good friend, Cassia. Preschoolers can use the toy crane to grab and load the barrels onto the engine’s cargo car, then flip the switch to send Thomas racing around the railway tracks to make the delivery! This TrackMaster™ battery-powered motorised engine, toy crane, and track pieces are all compatible with other TrackMaster™ track sets for limitless adventures. What’s really cool is that you buy additional track sets which are sold separately and your little train-driver can expand his delivery route. Special Features of this set include : Cassia the crane gets to help Thomas load up and deliver his cargo with this Thomas & Friends™ play-set Crane spins 360 degrees with real-working claw for grabbing, lifting, and loading cargo Send the battery-powered train racing around the railway track to deliver the barrels of avocados to the docks (Motorised engine compatible with all TrackMaster™ and Wood tracks; additional tracks sold separately) Includes Cassia, Thomas motorised engine with cargo car, dock pieces, barrels, and 7 track pieces (Compatible with all TrackMaster™ tracks; additional tracks sold separately.) For preschool children ages 3 years and older

October 23, 2020

Get Ready for #SummerOfNerf 2020

Ready.. Aim.. Blast! This year’s summer is going to be an absolute blast with #SummerOfNerf. Four action packed weeks. Four epic weekly challenges you can do in your back yard. Weekly prizes and ONE Giant GRAND PRIZE. Kicking off from 26 October until 27 November #SummerOfNerf promises four Nerf-tastic weeks of exciting challenges with awesome prizes up for grabs all done from the comfort of your own home! How to get in on the virtual #SummerOfNerf action Step 1: visit www.summerofnerf.co.za to register Step 2: purchase a Nerf Box, which contains all challenge elements and instructions – you could also be one of the first to own the NEW Ultra 2. Step 2: purchase a Nerf Box, which contains all challenge elements and instructions – you could also be one of the first to own the NEW Ultra 2. Step 3: Nerf Box will be delivered to your home before the 26th October and the blasting fun can begin! The weekly challenges include: The DIY Target Challenge The Bottle Cap Challenge The Box-It Challenge The Ultimate Obstacle Challenge Follow the conversation with #SummerOfNerf @NerfSouthAfrica on Facebook – @NerfNationSA on Instagram – www.summerofnerf.co.za This summer it’s NERF OR NOTHIN’

October 22, 2020

Coping with Anxiety

What could happen if we gave each person the tools to diminish their anxiety, reduce their fears and build a toolbox to achieve true resilience? Anxiety is a normal part of life, but during the recent Covid-19 pandemic, many people are more worried, concerned and/or depressed than in normal circumstances. In order to find the ways to move forward and manage the stresses that recent circumstances have thrown at us, we need to better understand what anxiety is. “I’ve always described it as a gnawing, tightness in your stomach and even in your whole body. It’s a weird feeling, because you can’t really pin it down. You know you feel worried, but you’re not sure about what. For me anxiety is: an underlying fear of not knowing what the future holds, or what the outcome of a situation will be”, says Dr Greg Pienaar, Principal of The Bridge School for Assisted Learning in Beverley, Sandton. Anxiety is a normal reaction to danger, the body’s automatic fight-or-flight response that is triggered when you feel threatened, under pressure, or are facing a challenging situation An overwhelming number of questions may resonate with us during these circumstances and the pandemic that causes an anxious feeling in the pit of our stomach. They include: What does the future hold? Will we ever get beyond the Coivid-19 virus? What will life be like after… Will we go back to “normal”? What if we get sick? What if a loved one gets sick? What if a lot of people get sick? Will we survive? Am I safe at school? “I want to give you some ideas about coping with anxiety”, Dr Pienaar continues. There are many models out there which refer to methods of coping with anxiety. One of the most famous models is the ‘Three Basic Coping Styles model’ (Endler 1997, and Folkman and Lazarus, 1986): Task-oriented (time-outs, eat well-balanced meals, count to ten slowly, limit alcohol and caffeine, take deep breaths, humour, enough sleep and other similar tasks). Emotion-oriented (meditation, distracting oneself, releasing pent-up emotions). Avoidance-oriented (staying away from triggers where possible, drug or alcohol abuse, severe procrastination). (psychologytoday.com) Many models contain similar ideas but might not be the most suitable for everyone. Thus, consult an expert that could work with you on the different methodologies to find the best practice for you. In the meantime, we look at the following steps that may assist you in this pressurised time One of the best ways of coping with anxiety relates to music. Listening to music, finding appropriate songs for a specific mood. It is really strange that sometimes when you’re feeling down, to listen to sad songs can actually make you feel better. Or hearing a particularly “up” song can make you feel worse? Although at other times listening to particular songs or a specific playlist can make you feel better? For example, here is a “Coping with Covid top 5” playlist. These are songs which currently resonate with me: “I’m Not Over” Carolina Liar (Actually about not being over a girl in a relationship, but for me it’s about not being over The World and all the beautiful things in it, just yet). “Carry the Weight” (acoustic version) Denison Witmer (About “carrying the weight of anybody who needs help, especially at the moment). “Times Like These” (acoustic version) Foo Fighters (Who knew there would be times like these). “What a Wonderful World” Israel Kamakawiwo’ole (Just love this version of how beautiful the world could be…) “Beautiful Day” U2 (Just a reminder about this fact is sometimes required). “Listening to music can definitely make us feel better about the world. The ugliness of the world can melt away, and the important things can rise up: friends, finding beauty in different places or things, sharing, closeness. Especially during Covid 19, having to look at what is really important in life”, says Dr Pienaar However, everybody will have their own songs, or music. Part of the journey will be finding the songs of your life, or the music which is soothing to your soul and assists with anxiety. Enjoy the music. Exercise: If you love running or riding or swimming, this is easy and really helps. However, what if you don’t like exercising? The last thing you want to do when you feel anxious or depressed is to exercise. It’s strange, but that’s when it is the most effective. To force yourself to exercise in those moments will be highly beneficial to you. Walking, jogging, riding, swimming, dancing, stretching, yoga, any exercise. They talk about the release of “endorphins” (feel good hormones) when you exercise, often these can help with easing anxiety. However, be mindful that it won’t help you, if exercising makes you feel bad, frustrated and/or unfit. Another way of coping is to develop a mantra A mantra is a positive saying, expression or motto to live by, that you can use to inspire or motivate yourself. Just by saying it often enough can help with coping with anxiety. “My personal mantra has become ‘I’m Not Over the World’, says …. My mantra used to be “Never, ever, give up”. Develop your own mantra, or use somebody else’s if it fits your world: “It’s going to be ok”, “This is completely understandable”, “The sun will come out tomorrow, or even “I’m doing the best I can”, and possibly in these times: “It is, what it is”. It’s amazing but just the act of talking to someone else is extremely important to assist you to organise your thought processes and help alleviate anxiety. It was once said: “A problem shared is a problem halved…”. It’s almost as if by sharing an issue, someone else hears it, and even if they don’t have answers, they are at least hearing and understanding your anxiety. Drawing, writing, painting, colouring, being creative and innovative can help with calming the anxieties that you are feeling. No-one has to see what you paint or write. It’s more about being

October 15, 2020

New Study Shows That Playing With Dolls Allows Children To Develop Empathy And Social Processing Skills

Today, Barbie®, and a team of neuroscientists from Cardiff University, announces findings of a new study conducted using neuroscience for the first time to explore the positive impact doll play has on children, bringing to light new evidence that doll play activates brain regions that allow children to develop empathy and social information processing skills, even when playing by themselves. Over the past 18 months, senior lecturer Dr. Sarah Gerson and colleagues at Cardiff University’s Centre for Human Developmental Science have used neuroimaging technology to provide the first indications of the benefits of doll play at a brain level. Through monitoring the brain activity of 33 children* between the ages of 4 and 8, as they played with a range of Barbie dolls, the team found that the posterior superior temporal sulcus (pSTS), a region of the brain associated with social information processing such as empathy, was activated even when the child was playing on their own. These benefits of solo doll play were shown to be equal for both boys and girls. Dr. Gerson explains: “This is a completely new finding. We use this area of the brain when we think about other people, especially when we think about another person’s thoughts or feelings. Dolls encourage them to create their own little imaginary worlds, as opposed to say, problem-solving or building games. They encourage children to think about other people and how they might interact with each other. The fact that we saw the pSTS to be active in our study shows that playing with dolls is helping them rehearse some of the social skills they will need in later life. Because this brain region has been shown to play a similar role in supporting empathy and social processing across six continents, these findings are likely to be country agnostic”. To gather the data for the study, the children’s play was split into different sections so the Cardiff team could capture the brain activity relating to each other kind of play separately: playing with the dolls on their own; playing with the dolls together with another person (the research assistant); playing with the tablet game on their own and playing with the tablet game along with another person (the research assistant). The dolls used included a diverse range of Barbie dolls and play sets, with all Barbie dolls and sets returned to starting positions before each child began their test to ensure consistency of experience. Tablet play was carried out using games that allow children to engage with open and creative play (rather than a rule or goal-based games) to provide a similar play experience to doll play. The findings of the study show that when children played alone with dolls, they showed the same levels of activation of the pSTS as they do when playing with others. Another finding of the study is that when children were left to play tablet games on their own, there was far less activation of the pSTS, even though the games involved a considerable creative element. To understand the relevancy of these neuroscience findings, Barbie independently commissioned a global survey** that asked more than 15,000 parents of children in 22 countries. Results of this showed 91 percent of parents ranked empathy as a key social skill they would like their child to develop, but only 26 percent were aware that doll play could help their child develop these skills. During this time at home, parents are increasingly worried about ensuring their child is developing social development skills, with more than two-thirds (70 percent) saying they are concerned about how this isolation might affect their child and how their child interacts with others. Similarly, 74 percent of parents are more likely to encourage their child to play with a toy if they knew it was proven to help their child develop social and emotional skills, like empathy. “As leaders in the dolls category, we’ve always known that doll play has a positive impact on kids, but up until now, we have not had neuroscientific data that demonstrates these benefits,” says Lisa McKnight, SVP and Global Head of Barbie and Dolls, Mattel. “The findings of this research highlights that playing with dolls, such as Barbie, offers positive benefits in preparing children for the future through nurturing social skills like empathy. As we continue to inspire the limitless potential in every child, we are proud to offer dolls that encourage skills we know are highly valued by parents and are determinants in children’s future emotional, academic, and social success.” Barbie will be supporting these findings with an online hub, Barbie.com/Benefits, featuring resources for parents, caregivers, and children, to assist them in enhancing and applying their social processing skills. These resources have been developed alongside leading empathy expert, writer, and educational psychologist, Dr. Michele Borba. Michele Borba says: “The latest scientific findings from Cardiff University and Barbie are extraordinary and so relevant to the times we are living, given the limited social interaction our children can have. It’s been shown that children who have developed empathy and social skills early in life can have better grades, stay in school longer and make healthier choices overall. Empathetic children might also be more likely to stand up for a child being bullied and try to engage and resolve the conflict. Understanding that kids can help develop these skills through playing with dolls like Barbie, is remarkable and a helpful tool for parents.” The results of the study are published today in Frontiers in Human Neuroscience as ‘Exploring the Benefits of Doll Play through Neuroscience.’ Recognising that this study is a first step towards understanding the positive impact of doll play with further research required to build on these initial findings, Dr. Sarah Gerson and the Cardiff University team along with Mattel, have committed to further neuroscience studies in 2021.

October 12, 2020

How to change a learner’s perception of difficulty to achieve success

In the days of old, children were expected to go to school, do their homework, study for tests and do okay. There didn’t seem to be the issues of today where children struggle to focus and concentrate, where the psychological needs of the child must be attended to and taken into consideration. Where the way we, as parents, encourage our children is put under the microscope. In the days of old, the odd child may have had dyslexia or some learning issues, but these were certainly not common or if they were, were indeed not widely known by other learners. Raising 21st-century kids Parents today must deal with far more, so it seems – firstly we are in the middle of the technological revolution so that our children are already distracted by the lure of the smartphone, tablet, etc. Today, knowledge about ADHD, ADD, processing issues and so on is vast. It is not uncommon for many children to be receiving some additional therapy and to be on medications to help them focus. The good part is that there is no stigma with this, and instead, children often happily compare their different meds with each other. Also read: Parents, here’s how screen time can work in your favour Awareness is huge, and with that comes the next area of ‘how-to’. How do we encourage our children to succeed at school, without damaging their self-esteem? How do we motivate them and not discourage them though incorrect parenting practices? Defining success I believe that an important question to ask ourselves before we even start with our children is what we, as parents, value and consider to be important in terms of their academic success. Also read: there’s more to life than academic achievement Parents often fall into these three categories: Some parents are not concerned about their children’s marks and place more emphasis on sporting achievements. Some parents are not particularly worried about results and want their children to be happy. Some parents are very concerned, and even sometimes pushy, with their children achieving the very best, no matter what. Developing a strong work ethic In my years of parenting children at school and especially being the mother of ADHD children and having many moments of despair along the scholastic road, what has been the most important goal for me is for my children to have a decent work ethic. Children must learn from an early age to do the following: study in advance prepare their work in good time use planners and calendars to coordinate their study time, leisure time and extra murals Planning their time prepares children for high school and university where there is an increased workload and often more extracurricular activities. Planning their time also helps with their perception of difficulty as the tools of planning, organising, and prioritising cannot be underestimated. Understanding how children learn What also helps children to succeed is if they know their learning styles. We each have a different type of learning that makes work easier for us to access. The VARK analysis refers to these four different learning styles, namely: V – verbal A – auditory R – reading K – kinaesthetic Learners who can understand how they learn from an earlier age, be it through having to learn aloud, using visual images, highlighters or having to carry out projects, science experiments and so on, learn how to integrate the information into their memories. As parents, we can observe our children from the primary school years and see the most effective ways they learn and access the work. Providing them with this information also helps to give them ways to approach the subject in the best way for their brains, which improves their perception of difficulty. It is all about having tools and feeling confident in being able to use them effectively. Also read: Encouraging your child to succeed – the do’s and don’ts Defining learners’ perception of difficulty Children’s’ perception of difficulty and ease of work affects their attitude towards the work. A recent study showed that what people think ease and difficulty means for them is very important. If learners are given work that they deem as easy but trivial, i.e. meaningless and beneath them, they are less motivated to carry out the work. If the task is perceived as easy but meaningful, i.e. leading to positive outcomes, learners are more motivated to carry it out. At the same time, work that is perceived as difficult and impossible to achieve lowers learners’ motivation. In contrast, work that is perceived as difficult but challenging and worthwhile motivates learners to try harder. Therefore, the way the work is presented to the learners is important. It would be a good idea for facilitators to get an idea of this to motivate learners better. Emphasising effort Another essential key to this is emphasising effort as opposed to results. Learners can get demotivated and demoralised if they see the work as beyond their capabilities. The aim is to create children with a growth mindset. This concept was developed by Carol Dweck, a Stanford psychologist who distinguished between two different mindsets – a growth one and a fixed one. Fixed mindset – people with a fixed mindset believe that their abilities are fixed and can’t be changed or improved upon. Growth mindset – people with a growth mindset believe that with effort and practice, they can improve and change their outcomes. The growth mindset is the one we want to instil in our children. Suppose they believe that with effort and practice, they can make a difference in their understanding and accessibility to the work. In that case, they will be more motivated to try harder and put that effort in so that the focus is not on difficulty but effort and input. This, in turn, brings about results. There are many ways to help our children with their perception of difficulty to achieve success, whatever that may mean to each parent. The most important

October 12, 2020

The link between storytelling and empathy

How we can create more empathetic children by reading to them Bedtime stories. Day time stories. Life time stories. However you tell them, storytelling with your children can be an incredibly powerful tool to helping them gain new perspectives and create shared understanding with those around them. But why is it that stories drive our empathy up and why should we care? As the world struggles through a thirty-year decline in empathy levels, impacting our emotional health, levels of bullying in schools and even frequency of violence, we can’t help but look to the next generation to drive a far deeper sense of empathy between all of us. Deep down we know that our world demands this of us and that we have no choice but to rebuild the connections that evolution bound us to as a pro social society. Studies have now shown that from two years of age, children start to show genuine empathy; understanding how other people feel even when they don’t feel the same way that they do. When it comes to bringing up empathetic young humans, there are many ways we can empower our children to truly develop the emotional intelligence our world needs. At its core, the empathetic role modelling we apply at home is probably the most important of these. However, beyond this our commitment to frequently reading stories to our small people has a far deeper relevance than the tales within the books we choose. Emotional simulation and imagination through storytelling is the foundation for our children’s ability to evolve their capacity to empathise and truly understand others. It allows them to make the leap from their own beautifully self-centered world to recognising that others may feel distinctly different to them – and that recognising this is well within our reach and role. Academic research now shows that reading, or being read to, actually changes the neuro pathways in our brain – it quite literally alters the way we process and think. Our ability to instigate children’s’ imaginations and help them ‘feel’ how others experience the world is a superpower us parents have. And all it takes is a few books to get this started. The reality is that storytelling is extremely powerful for all social creatures and for all of modern civilisation we have been sharing and learning through this medium. From drawings on cave walls to the first religious texts and the first children’s tales homed in books for children in the 1740’s, we have always known that stories positively impact society. Telling our children stories allows them to rapidly understand people’s emotions and realities, bringing the brains of a generation of our children together. 3 compelling reasons why you should read more to your children: Stories transport us and allow children to imagine how another sees the world by feeling as the character does. Stories foster children’s understanding of prosocial behaviours and our ability as humans to work together as part of a group. Stories can be used to break down bias, and foster inclusivity. The power of storytelling in building our humanity and society shouldn’t ever be denigrated to a pre-bedtime routine alone. In April 2020, mid the world’s worst global pandemic in recent history, Jacinda Ardern, Prime Minister of New Zealand, made the Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy qualified ‘Essential Workers.’ As this news story unfolded across the planet we saw the belief in the power of storytelling for our children at an unpreceded level. When the leaders of entire countries are imapacting policy to ensure that storytelling and imagination remain at the top of the national agenda – and that our children remain connected to the power of empathising with others (fictional or otherwise) we know that we are onto something that can truly change the face of our, and our children’s, future. By Mimi Nicklin. Mimi Nicklin hosts Empathy for Breakfast, a weekly breakfast show, and a podcast, Secrets of the Gap. She is also a mom and an author, and you can pre-order her debut book, Softening the Edge here.

October 12, 2020

Get total protection for everyday oral hygiene with Biorepair®

The health of your mouth is important at every stage of your life and there’s no better time to pay extra attention to your dental routine. With two of the world’s most common health problems affecting the mouth – cavities and gum disease, it really is in your best interest to practice good oral hygiene. Not only does it ensure a beautiful smile, but it is good for your health. Just like adults, it is important for little ones to look after their teeth too. Children’s tooth enamel is thinner and more vulnerable than an adult’s. It is important to remineralise it to defend it from the acid attacks caused by sugar. Another important step to maintaining good oral hygiene is daily flossing. Both interdental brushes and floss penetrate the places your toothbrush cannot reach, protecting against the formation of the dental plaque that causes cavities and inflamed gums. Biorepair®, the first and only toothpaste in the world that repairs tooth enamel based on the patented microRepair® technology (zinc-substituted-carbonate-hydroxyapatite crystals) offers total protection for everyday oral hygiene. It repairs the enamel surface and protects it from cavities plaque and tartar build-up. What are microRepair® particles? A MicroRepair® particle is very similar to the composition of tooth enamel. This similarity gives microRepair® a biomimetic property, allowing the micro-particles to integrate permanently with tooth enamel and dentine, no matter the condition of the mouth, thus repairing enamel and dentine evenly and naturally. The microRepair® particles form an even coating on the tooth surface, penetrating cracks in the enamel and chemically binding to it, thus repairing and remineralising them. From total protection, and sensitive teeth to gum protection and teeth whitening, the Biorepair® range of oral care products will take care of all your oral hygiene concerns. Biorepair® Gum Protection Mouthwash (R129.99) is the only high-density formula with microRepair® that provides greater adhesion to the teeth. It helps fight gum disease, preventing bleeding and inflammation of the gums, promotes tissue healing and strengthens gums thanks to its hydrating and protective properties. It also prevents plaque and tartar build-up, provides an antioxidant and protective function for the oral mucosa and offers relief for gums thanks to the astringent and soothing properties of the natural ingredients. Biorepair® Fast Sensitive Repair Toothpaste (R79.99) reduces dentinal sensitivity immediately. It closes the tubules, preventing thermal stimuli from reaching the tooth, prevents enamel erosion and the loss of natural tooth whiteness. Biorepair® Total Protective Repair Toothpaste (R74.99) repairs the enamel surface, protecting against plaque, tartar build-up and cavities. Biorepair® Pro White Toothpaste (R74.99) returns the natural white of your smile. It protects the enamel from the daily erosion process, restores the natural whiteness of teeth and uses an innovative PVP whitening technology. Biorepair® Gum Protection Toothpaste (R74.99) protects and strengthens sensitive gums. It repairs and regenerates gingival tissues, allows for antibacterial and anti-plaque action and has astringent and soothing properties. Biorepair® KidsToothpaste (R49.95) contains MicroRepair®, which strengthens tooth enamel and promotes the proper development of healthy permanent teeth. Biorepair® Junior 7-14 Toothpaste (R49.95) contains MicroRepair®, which strengthens and protects tooth enamel from cavities while they are developing and is ideal for remineralising the erosion caused by braces. With the addition of the antioxidant Vitamin E, it helps to maintain healthy gums. Biorepair® Interdental Brushes (R79.99) are made with the innovative SELFCLEANING POLYMER technology and microRepair®, particles made up of the same substance as enamel, which penetrate into places toothbrushes cannot reach. Biorepair® Floss (R69.99) reaches where brushing cannot. The floss features microRepair particles, which are made from the same substance as tooth enamel, helping maintain tooth integrity. Exclusive to selected Clicks stores.

October 9, 2020

Modern children and where to find them: 73% of South African parents do not track their children’s location

Parents have always managed to set geographical boundaries – where their children could go and where they could not – back in time. Nowadays there is another opportunity to monitor the child’s whereabouts – to track the location of them using special software. Yet, according to Kaspersky’s special survey for parents, not many parents in South Africa realise this. According to the “Responsible Digital Parenting” survey*, 73% of South African parents do not track the location of their child. The reasons for this vary: 37% have never thought of tracking the location, while 31% do not know how to do it. There is an option to have the software, which lets parents locate their children on a map and set a safe area for them to stay in, installed on their children’s devices. However, 41% of parents in South Africa claim they do not have it installed on any of their devices. “Modern times offer a wide range of tools which can help in preventing accidents in real or digital life. It is crucial to know how to use them, what their benefits are, and, actually, use them. Tracking your child’s location can definitely save you a lot of trouble – its advantages lie also in the fact that it allows to control not only digital, but also real life of the child,” commented Andrey Sidenko, Head of Child Safety at Kaspersky Network. To secure and protect your child both in digital and in real life, Kaspersky strongly recommends following this advice: Learn more on the topic of children’s cybersecurity: explore modern trends, apps, the way of behavior that has to be adopted in order to safeguard against dangers (for instance, the basic security rules while on the Internet); update your network security knowledge periodically, use the Kaspersky blog https://www.kaspersky.com/blog/ to do this. Communicate with your child and define the borders which are not meant to be crossed: discuss with them safe locations both real and webpages. Install a reliable security solution such as Kaspersky Safe Kids to monitor your child’s activity successfully. Reference: *The “Responsible Digital Parenting” survey was implemented in conjunction with Toluna research agency in the end of 2019 – beginning of 2020. 5000 respondents from META region and Baltic states participated in the survey.

October 8, 2020

Birthday fun!

Kids love birthdays. Not only because it usually signals spoils and presents but they adorably cannot wait to get older. With each year comes more opportunity and freedom. Unlike adults they often ‘round up’ their age, proudly saying ‘I’m nearly 5’, when they are still quite a few sleeps away from the actual day. For adults, these birthdays can be a little more daunting, especially parents who try hard to make their child’s birthday a special and memorable event. It’s the stress of deciding who to invite, what food to serve, the party games, a theme and cake, decorations … not to mention budget. A starting point for any party planning is deciding on a date and then setting a budget. Remember, that there are plenty of fun and inexpensive ways to make a party entertaining. Once you know your budget you can decide on a venue, the number of children you can invite, set a theme, design invitations and sort out entertainment. Catering can be tricky, especially with allergies and dietary requirements, so it’s best to make sure the guests let you know if they have food preferences. If you have a child’s birthday approaching and are finding even the prospect of this ‘to do’ list too overwhelming, perhaps you should consider using a venue that offers a comprehensive party service. There are loads of child-friendly venues that host kiddies parties. One of the newest on the block in Cape Town’s Southern Suburbs is Playstation by Rush – an indoor adventure park for children aged 2 to 13. Playstation has a dedicated event organiser and also allocates a party host to make sure things run smoothly and the kids have the best time. Why not opt for the simple, no-fuss but full of fun birthday party at a suitable venue …without feeling guilty? Fuss-free fun Playstation has two private party rooms that can accommodate from 5 (minimum) to 20. It’s about more than just good food, cake and fun. It’s about family and friends sharing special moments without having the worry of organising the party! It’s simply a case of showing up and enjoying the occasion. There are three party plan options, either catered or self-catered. This includes two hours of play, party packs for the little guests and a gift for the guest of honour. The team sort out everything from the setup to the fun and catering. And of course they clean up afterward. No mess, no fuss, for you! Entertainment galore And to keep the kiddies busy there is loads of action and something for everyone. The adventure maze is a world of challenging levels, swing bridges and lots of nooks and crannies. There’s a 4m climbing wall and a 40m bike track – you can bring your child’s own bike or borrow one from the park so they can race around and try to beat the clock. For younger children there’s the little kids’ city and mini-slides. But one of the highlights, which even adults enjoy, are the super 6m long slides, definitely for the brave hearted! A thumbs up Recently the playpark received a high five from a mom who hosted a party and posted her FB review: ‘What a wonderful 5th party at Playstation by Rush. The kids had a ball. They took care of everything from start to finish. Hassle free and you return to a clean house.’ General Manager, Damon Walmsley, who is a father of 3-year old twins says that the party offering is designed to allow parents time to enjoy their children’s parties. ‘My kids are only just three but I know how stressed my wife and I were hosting their first two parties. We were so busy keeping an eye on everyone, making sure the kids were having fun, that there was enough food, we hardly got to share in the experience. ‘But their 3rd birthday was held at Playstation and what a difference. We were able to enjoy the time with our kids and their friends. Parents of the friends didn’t ‘drop and go’ but stayed to enjoy some good food in the restaurant while their kids enjoyed the party.’ So, end those sleepless nights about party planning … as a parent you too can tap into your inner child and count down the sleeps knowing everything is under control! For more information on the party plan options available from Playstation go to www.playstation.rushsa.co.za

October 7, 2020

TEACHING YOUR KIDS TO GO GREEN

– The importance schooling children to recycle and care for their environment – From a tender age, we’re filling our children’s absorbent minds with need–to-know information. As parents, our goal is for perfect manners to become second nature, and for important habits to be instilled as early as possible – like brushing teeth, packing away toys and putting on seatbelts. As parents, we have the opportunity to help develop a generation of eco-warriors. We teach our children to say please and thank you, we tell them not to talk to strangers, not to litter, and so many other small yet essential life skills that we don’t even consciously think about. Why then should lessons in environmental protection and recycling be any different? The future of recycling lies in the hands of our youth, and these are also the individuals who will carry the burden of higher carbon footprints if it is not reduced. The Glass Recycling Company (TGRC) consists of a team dedicated to increasing glass recycling in South Africa. TGRC is passionate about ensuring every South African realises the value of recycling glass and actively embraces this practice. It’s up to us to empower our children by educating them as to the positive effect that recycling will have on our environment, and how they can make a difference. To ensure that your family gets as green as possible this month, the following tips will help to keep you on top of your ‘green game’: To find a glass bank in your area, visit the Glass Recycling Company website www.tgrc.co.za or you can also follow TGRC on Twitter (@TGRC), or on Facebook www.facebook.com/TheGlassRecyclingCo Recycle all glass containers – not just beverage bottles. Containers which hold food and are made of glass are all recyclable Explain to your family what is recyclable and what is not. For example, light bulbs and cookware such as “Pyrex”, light bulbs, laboratory glass, windshields and window pane glass are NOT recyclable. They have different properties that can contaminate a recyclable load of glass Reuse old containers – they are great for storing paint, crayons, buttons and arts and crafts tools such as paint brushes, rulers and much more Plan your trips to the bottle banks to fit into your daily schedule – it will become part of your routine rather than a chore! Take your children along with you and show them how and where to put their bottles In South Africa, it is not necessary to wash glass before placing it into glass banks and in addition to this, we don’t need to separate different coloured glass into separate banks. All in all – recycling is very easy Encourage your child’s school to participate in TGRC’s Schools Competition by completing the application form on the website – Entry form There’s no excuse – once you’ve decided to do it, recycling glass is easy and should leave you with a spring in your step! The benefits of glass recycling There are many reasons to love glass; it’s the healthiest packaging solution as it is inert, it preserves the flavour of food and drink, can be recycled over and over again, and is a beautiful, natural substance. The benefits of using glass packaging are endless. Glass is synonymous with quality and its many characteristics, from the different textures, its clarity and striking colours, have led to the beautiful packaging becoming iconic and even collectable. The Glass Recycling Company (TGRC) has a heart for glass and so should you! To better convince South Africans of this, TGRC showcases five reasons to have a heart for glass: Glass is made of natural substances and does affect quality of the contents it contains. Glass bottles can be returned and refilled repeatedly Returnable glass bottles are sterilised and refilled. Certain returnable glass bottles can be taken back to your retailer, after which they are refilled by the beverage manufacture. Returnable bottles include quart beer bottles, glass cool drink bottles and even many of the bottles used for spirits and liquor. Glass is easily reused Jars and bottles are great as vases or décor items, and can be cleverly crafted as creative candle holders; Glass is also ideal for storing food items and your arts and crafts supplies. Glass is 100% recyclable This means glass can be recycled endlessly, in fact every new glass bottle and jar made in our country contains over 40% recycled glass! Glass is timeless and elegant Ever since the first glass bottles and jars were handcrafted, glass has become the only packaging type that inspires consumers to showcase it in their own homes for its aesthetic appeal.

October 6, 2020

RUST-OLEUM LAUNCHES LOCKDOWN EBOOK TO KEEP KIDS CRAFTING

Crazy Cool Kid’s Crafting is a digital showcase of inspired, fun and absorbing DIY projects for kids. Each idea uses commonly found items at home – illustrating how to easily reuse and repurpose them with spray paint. From rocks, bottles and jars to tin cans – each idea will get children to engage with their creative brain; allowing them to express themselves through art while also having fun. Commenting on the launch of the free eBook, Rust-Oleum® marketing manager, Lani Carstens says that now more than ever children need positive input in their lives and some happy distraction. “It would be irresponsible to think little people are not feeling the effects of the lockdown this year and they too need to keep their minds off what’s going on. Routines have been disrupted and for those still at home or only partially back at school – it’s a strange time. They miss their ‘normal’ activities, parties and playdates. We are hoping that these pages of inspiration will add some colour and joy to their day – and help parents keep their kids busy,” adds Carstens. From zombie pet rocks to stationery caddies and tin can lights – each project from yesteryear has how to step by step instructions. Although simple in their execution – some ideas are more advanced and will require adult input or at least some supervision. “Several different images have been included per project page. They are not meant to be prescriptive just a guideline; we hope our eBook will spark creativity and stoke imaginations so they run wild,” says Carstens. “The possibilities of spray paint are endless and we have an extensive range of colours and products for different substrates. You can quite literally reinvent anything in your home. We want children to reimagine and recreate with our paints so they can see colour in their lockdown world and beyond.” The 10 projects in this the first issue of Crazy Cool Kids Crafting, include: Carnival Hit and Miss – using tin cans Pen and Pencil Stationery Holders – using glass bottles, jars and tin cans Magical Stone Magnets – using stones Perfect Piggy Banks – using glass preserve jars and plastic bottles Tin Can Stilts – using tin cans Tin Can Lights – using tins cans Pet Pocket Rocks – using stones Stone Photo Holders – using stones Pretty Pots – using cement, terracotta and plastic Tic-Tac-Toe – using stones “We hope South Africans will take pleasure in Crazy Cool Kids Crafting – activity that’s not digital and keeps them off screens. Aside from keeping busy, it’s a great opportunity to teach children about sustainability and the value of reusing and recycling. That and it’s empowering to create something to play with that doesn’t come out of a toyshop.

October 5, 2020

Give your child the holiday of a lifetime

Located in the tropical KZN North Coast, Sugar Bay is the first and only American-style summer camp located in South Africa. We have over 19 years of experience in providing a safe and fun holiday destination for children. We strive to host the best adventure holiday camps for kids and teens. For more information or to book a camp, please call Sugar Bay on 032 485 3778. Alternatively, you can send an email to or visit our website www.sugarbay.co.za. We offer over 100 activities and have a free choice system, in which children may choose what activities they want to participate in. There are no compulsory activities. Our 1:3 staff to child ratio is the highest in the country, and 24-hour supervision ensures that your children are kept extra safe while having the time of their lives. Click here to view all the activities we offer at Sugar Bay. Our camp counselors are specifically trained and experienced in the growth and developmental needs of the different age groups, as well as Emergency First Aid & CPR. We also have our own qualified lifeguards who accompany the children to the beach, lagoon, and swimming pool. Give your child the holiday of a lifetime this December! Spaces are filling up fast, book now to avoid disappointment. At Sugar Bay, each holiday camp is given its own unique theme to add to the excitement of camp. The Sugar Bay entrance, reception and hall are decorated according to the weeks’ theme so campers can feel the excitement from the moment they enter our gates. Here are the themes to the upcoming Holiday Camps for December 2020 and January 2021: Spiderwick Chronicles Week: 5-11 December 2020 Join us as we go into a spell-casting and unbinding adventure! Who’s going to unbind the spells from the Spiderwick Chronicles in the Sugar Bay Kingdom? Escape into a mythical world of Unicorns, Trolls and Fairies Make Goblin Snot, find the hidden unicorns and escape being sprinkled by fairy dust Creative kids can escape into a fantasy of Mythical Creature Design, Magic Spell Classes, Fairy Garden Creation and Symbolic Bracelet Making Compete and Defeat the Ogres, Spirits and Griffins with daily Dance offs, Show-offs, Tongue Twisters and Rhyme offs Collect (and ripen) your fruit and Tackle the Trolls in a Tomato Explosion (Camp Food Fight!) A sylphs’ realm reserved for Seniors, complete with Card Games, Ultimate Frisbee and Magical Bonfire circles Sign up for the excursion and take a magical journey to the Kingdom of Camp Out where you sleep at the edge of a mythical river under the sprinkling stars Plants vs Zombies Week: 11-17 December 2020 Get ready to soil your plants as a mob of fun-loving zombies is invades Sugar Bay.… Zombies will be jumping, running, dancing and swimming to join the fun. Fire projectiles on the horde of advancing zombies (Capture the Plant) Find the treasure armed with dozens of zombie-zapping plants Create new zombie characters Think fast and plant faster in the tree-planting ceremony Gather defending powers “ice cubs, flames and sunflowers” during daytime hours Visit the Zombie Carnival, Dine out at Crazy Dave’s Diner and Show your defensive dance at the Zombie Party Stop Zombies dead in their tracks in Tag, the water balloon fight and the Tick Challenge The Adults Almanac is reserved for seniors, with water polo, devious Bingo and Never Have I Ever Discover your unique offensive or defensive capabilities at the exciting excursion to Lazer Tag Just when you think you’ve got a handle on things, obstacles like a setting sun, creeping fog, and a swimming pool add to the challenge. So many other unique games and new events to dig into. The fun never dies! Wanderlust Week: 17-23 December 2020 For those with the innate desire to rove or travel about, or a desire to escape the mundane, this week is your ticket to travel! Discover unfamiliar cultures, adventures, ways of life and behaviours. Free your inner hippie and free spirit! Perform in, or earn VIP tickets to watch, an international talent show Show off your dance moves at our Universal Party Night. Confront unforeseen challenges and learn fun facts about different nations For those willing to explore new senses, you can look forward to: A Feast of Foreign food and drinks to taste, International sports and games like martial arts and Scottish Olympics, and a Festival of music, songs, dances, clothing and traditions from around the world Get in touch with your Hipster Side with tie-dying, Flower Headband making, Henna classes or display your work at the Wanderlust Art Festival Seniors take their journey to adulthood, with Monte-Carlo casino, South American wine tasting and a Hawaiian Beach After-Party Tie up your skates and join the freezing expedition to the Northern Hemisphere (An ice skating excursion!) The Greatest Showman Week: 27 December 2020 to 3 January 2021 Celebrate the classic rags-to-riches story in this enthusiastic week of Fun, Friendship and Inclusivity. Misfortune is turned into a world of mystique and magic as we welcome in the New Year in a Fantasia of song and dance. Be entertained by counselors showing their skills in acting, mystique and magic Delight in the special guest performance by our own acclaimed Boys Ballet. Dance, sing or act in a production of The “Greatest Show on Earth. A celebration of pure entertainment, difference and creativity. Move with the Infectious soundtrack and join the all-camp Flash Mob A life-affirming theme of self-love and empowerment Learn Circus games like magic tricks, illusions, oddities, circus flow arts (poi, spinning, hula hoops and juggling) Try the Media Classes and conduct interviews and write feature stories Sign up for one of the tune-filled classes of Djing singing, dance and acting There will be heaps of Drama games aimed at giving campers confidence to let go of their inhibitions Irresistible Backstage art classes in stage makeup, hair, tattoos a, airbrushing, Escape from the real world into the glitz and crystal. A slick red carpet Formal dinner kicks off the glamorous New Year Eve party Spectacular. A Circus Carnival to

October 2, 2020

Child Pedestrian Safety

The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) annually treats approximately 7500 children for injuries such as burns, falls and transport-related injuries. For every child death as a result of injury, hundreds more are hospitalized, thousands of emergency department visits and unknown numbers of clinic and doctors’ visits. Many children survive their injuries with temporary or permanent, life changing disabilities. Head injuries are far more common than we think, with children often experiencing the consequences long after the injury occurred. There is little focus on these injuries despite injury being the number one killer of young children in our communities in South Africa. The majority of these injuries are preventable. During 2019, approximately 6568 children were treated at the RCWMCH Trauma Unit, on average 18 children per day. 771 children were treated for traffic related injuries. Pedestrian injuries accounted for 72% of all traffic injuries. 71% of these pedestrians were aged between 5 and 12 years, and 39% under 4 years. ChildSafe recommends teaching children the following tips:

October 2, 2020

Family games night just became fun again!

We are a family who loves spending time together and generally this involves a good games night! So we were thrilled when Skip-Bo arrived for us to try. Skip-Bo is the ultimate sequencing card game from the makers of UNO! Skip-Bo from Mattel Games is a fun sequencing card game for the whole family. The game is easy to understand with pretty straight-forward rules and your kids will surely catch on quickly. Provided your kiddo’s know their numbers, you are good to go. The game can be played with up to 6 players but watching our 4 kids laugh and play through the entire game made our day! Talk about a game that gets you thinking, this fast-paced game can have you lose track of time as you become lost in the game! Number and sequencing games provide a super foundation for math skills. Through the introduction of having to have your child keep the order of the cards, it strengthens their ability to count ahead which will come in handy when looking for a new way to help your children learn addition and up their math skills! Because counting is a conceptual idea on which all other number concepts are based, children often benefit from games that promote having to build a sequence of numbers. So there you have it, a fun game to get your kids (especially the young ones) learning while they play or get your older kids getting faster and faster at creating a sequence of numbers. Card games in general are really good for your kids to play on a regular basis. They promote strategic thinking and build confidence in young children. Studies have shown that card games help promote good brain health as well so no better reason than to start your set of games off with Skip-Bo! So how do you play? Played from youngest to oldest. Each player is given a stockpile of cards. (this is dependent on how many players you have) 2 – 4 Players = 30 cards each and 5 or more players is 20 cards. The first card at the top of your pile always faces up so everyone can see the number that you are starting with. In the centre of the table you have two piles : One is the building pile and the second is the draw pile. Your first card can be added to the building pile in the centre of the table. No more than 4 piles can be running at once. Consistently playing in numerical order from 1 – 12. There are a maximum 4 discard piles per player. These are placements for you to place cards that you are not ready to use at that time but would possibly want to use later in the game. However you can only use the top card should you choose to bring it back into play. Before you end your play, you will have to discard one card in the discard pile. Playing in number order from 1 -12 and if you make a stack of 12 cards, you can place this stack into the draw pile. Repeat the process until someone’s stock pile is finished. The bonus wild card is the Skip-Bo card and can be used to substitute any number. The pack includes 162 cards and instructions. Colours and Decorations may vary on box. Where to purchase? Available to purchase from TheKidZone.co.za or takealot.com #MattelGamesSA #Skip-BoSA

October 1, 2020

Preventing falls in children

The Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital (RCWMCH) annually treats approximately 7500 children for injuries which are preventable. For every child death as a result of injury, many more are hospitalized, hundreds of emergency department visits and thousands of clinic and doctors’ visits. Many children surviving their injuries sustain temporary or permanent, life changing disabilities. There is little focus on these injuries despite injury being the number one killer of young children in our communities in South Africa. Children are naturally curious and while exploring the world around them, they will fall. Not all falls require treatment; however, many children sustain injuries so serious that it requires treatment or hospitalization. Falls are the number one cause of childhood injury seen at RCWMCH, accounting for nearly half of all injuries. Over 2 819 children were treated for serious falls, a 5% more than 2018. Falls accounted for 60% of head injuries. Head injuries are far more common than expected. The RCWMCH treated 763 children for head injuries. Often it is ignored and children suffer the consequences later in school and later in their work lives. Children aged 0 to 5 years were at greater risk of fall-related injuries. 64% of these falls took place at home, 17% at playgrounds and 16% at schools. Children 0 to 4 were at greater risk of falls at home and age group 5 to 12 years was at greater risk of falling at school and on playgrounds. “From the moment your baby starts to crawl, the world is a magical place filled with new adventures and discoveries, says Yolande Baker, Executive Director of ChildSafe. “From a child’s perspective, everything is a potential mountain to climb (that giant bookshelf), obstacle to overcome (those pesky stairs) or mysterious place to investigate (anywhere beyond the safety gate). Little bumps will happen, but ChildSafe is here to help so these brave expeditions don’t result in something more serious”. The most common causes of falls are: Tripping and falling at ground level, Falling off furniture, stairs, beds, walls and trees at higher level; Falling out windows and balcony doors Falling from baby walkers and mobiles, Falling off scooters, roller blades, bikes and skateboards are mobile risks; Falling in the playground off swings, jungle gyms, see saws, slides and trampolines; Falling from arms, especially from arms of siblings, or if mother should fall asleep when feeding or holding baby Children are vulnerable to falls and other injuries because their growing brains do are not fully yet able to recognize and assess their own risk to injury. Degrees of dependence, activities and risk behaviors all change substantially as they grow older As children develop, their curiosity and wish to experiment are not always matched by the capacity to understand or to respond to danger. Due to this lack of experience, children need to be shown and helped at every stage of their development, whether it’s crawling, walking or running. Supervision is key to child injury prevention. A challenge for parents is how to make their homes, including yards and gardens safer to prevent falls. Stages of child development From the first days of life, we need to protect children from serious injuries. The different developmental stages need to be understood and considered when thinking about the level of supervision and care needed. For the first few years, children need 100% supervision by parents and adults. From about six months of age early signs of motor development appear with sitting up, rolling over, and crawling, and pulling to stand. When baby is awake and moving about careful supervision is necessary at all times. Children under 11/12yrs should not be left in charge of baby because they lack experience and easily lose concentration. A cot, play pen or a safe enclosure is best for safety when mother is busy. Safe cots, car seats, play areas & traditional back-carrying Mother needs to be confident that baby is safe in bed, and for this a cot with sides is recommended. The cot can be used as a safe place at other times too, when mother visits the bathroom, hangs washing, or is busy in the kitchen. Falls at this early stage need to be prevented as head injuries are highly dangerous and can cause permanent developmental and physical injury. As baby grows, time needs to be set aside for playing together so that falls can be anticipated and prevented. High chairs for meal times are safe zones and prevent falls from heights when baby is strapped in. Using a high chair can remove a baby from other dangers at the table like hot food and drink. On trips in the car, however short, baby should be strapped into a car seat which is correct for size and age. Falls from car seats occur on route to the car and inside the car if baby is not carefully strapped in at all times. Baby walkers can be dangerous and are not recommended. They place the baby in situations of risk, by increasing height and mobility. From the walking ring baby can reach knobs and switches and kettle cords, stairs and steps. Traditional back-carrying is a safe zone for babies both in the home and outside. Development stage 1-2 years To prevent falls at 1-2 years when baby is starting to move about and explore, homes need to be cleared of obstacles such as loose carpets and slippery floors, stairs need gates and windows bars. A play pen at this stage is a safe zone for play to continue when mother is busy and to prevent falls. Prams and pushchairs may be used for outings and shopping, but to prevent falls baby needs to be strapped in at all times. Development stage 2-3 years The risk of falls increases as a child becomes more mobile. Children are quick and unpredictable. Climbing onto furniture and beds should be anticipated and prevented. Children are not ready for bunk beds at this stage. Development stage 3-6years By now

September 30, 2020

Lockdown teaching tips

At the moment, some of us are stuck at home, some of us are choosing to be and quite a few of us seem desperate to get out. But if, even with the term starting up again, your kids are staying home from school for lockdown, then it’s essential to take your role as de facto teacher seriously. Here are some tips for how to get the most out of their lockdown learning: Make a plan & stick to it There are multiple parts to this but ultimately they all come down to think like a teacher. Think about how long you’re going to be doing this, work out what work they can be doing each day and importantly, keep them in the sort of routine they’d be used to at school. Start and finish at the same time each day, try to keep the same subjects at the same time week-on-week, with younger kids this can be almost a fun roleplay of the ‘school day’ to keep them in the moment. Create a dedicated learning area Make a space that is just for ‘school’ work and keep all their activities there. By having a location that is purely for work, it can help to reinforce the learning plan and make the day feel more structured. Stick to the curriculum It seems obvious but if you’re keeping their work in line with what they were being taught in school, it’s going to make it not just more rewarding but also make your life easier as there are a lot of great websites full of resources, such as Twinkl, to keep you along these lines. Also by keeping the work relevant, you can make sure that everything they do is going to benefit their future work. Take advantage of the change in scenery For kids, taking them out of the classroom can enhance their learning. If you have nearby access to outdoor environments like forests, parks or the water. Giving children access to the world around them can help to make learning feel more interactive and show them practical examples of their learning. But even if you don’t have anywhere to go, you can use your home in ways that a classroom can’t always do. You can build work around their favourite films as a Friday treat, or decorate their room with themes around that day’s work. Making an immersive environment will mean that learning goes beyond the start and end of the school day and becomes an all-round enhancing experience. Establish methods for gauging results/progression/rewards Establishing proper methods for gauging results & progression is going to make not just your life easier but also their teachers as when they do return to school full-time, having a record of what each child has learnt is going to save time going over information they’ve already covered. Of course, an important part of keeping track of these successes is making sure to celebrate and reward them. Positive reinforcement is going to be more effective than negative punishment so making sure to celebrate those little victories all the way up to those major achievements is going to incentivise them to work their hardest but also if you make the rewards scaled to individual attainment, there’s not going to be a feeling of trying to push beyond limits. Ultimately, what you’re teaching isn’t going to be as important as the hours you put in. So use this time not to stress the importance of work but to really get some quality time with your kids. If nothing else, it might be that some good can come out of this whole situation.

September 30, 2020

Childhood Cancer impacting South African families

Nothing can fully prepare you for the horrific news that your child has been diagnosed with cancer – a sad reality for many South African parents. Statistics show that there are currently 1000 children under the age of 15 diagnosed with cancer each year. According to Laurence Hillman, CEO at 1Life: “What’s also horrifying is that half of the children who contract cancer in South Africa, are never diagnosed.” The international Agency for research on cancer (IARC), reported that the worldwide incidence of childhood cancer is increasing, from the 165 000 cases reported annually to 215 000 cases for children who are 14 years and younger and 85 000 cases reported for 15 – 19 year olds. Globally, childhood and adolescent cancer is threatening to overtake infectious diseases, as one of the highest causes of disease-related mortality in children. While survival rates in high-income countries reach an average of 84% and are steadily improving even in less-resourced areas of the world, South Africa is still well below the rate of developed countries as well as below the World Health Organisation’s survival goal of at least 60%. South Africa’s survival rate has improved over the last 5 years and is around 55%. This is concerning and points out a dire need for parents to not only look out for early warning signs of possible cancers, to improve survival rates, but also to consider what would happen if their child were diagnosed with a childhood cancer. Early identification can save lives According to CHOC Childhood Cancer Foundation South Africa parents should use the Siluan early warning signs of childhood cancer and keep an eye out for the following, which could be early warning signs that need to be checked out by a professional. Keep in mind that even if your child is experiencing some of these symptoms, it doesn’t automatically mean they have cancer, which is why a doctor’s opinion is vital in diagnosis. Siluan Early Warning Sign of Childhood Cancer: S – Seek medical help early for persistent symptoms I – Eye: A white spot in the eye, a new squint, new blindness, or a bulging eyeball L- Lump: Any lumps should be investigated. Lumps in the abdomen and pelvis, head and neck, limbs, testes, and glands U- Unexplained: Prolonged fever over two weeks, loss of weight, pallor, fatigue, easy bruising, or bleeding A – Aching: Bones, joints, back and easy fractures N- Neurological signs: Change or deterioration in walk, balance or speech, regression of milestones, headaches for more than a week with or without vomiting, enlarging head. “Many people don’t know that children can get cancer. It is a topic most people avoid and feel uncomfortable talking about but it is an important one and the sooner we speak up and create stronger awareness, the more children can be saved” says, Adri Ludick, CHOC Interim National Team Leader and Programme Development Manager. The financial implications of childhood cancers “Just like cancer, prevention is better than cure, and as such, it is important that you consider ways in which to not only identify how to protect your child’s wellbeing by early detection and treatment but that you too consider your finances and the impact of potential healthcare costs should they contract the disease,” says Hillman. If your child has been diagnosed with cancer, your priority will always be to get them the best treatment possible. However, have you considered how you will pay for this treatment as well as the extra expenses that come with the illness such as transportation, specialist consultations, treatments that aren’t covered by medical aid and child are for other children in your family while you care for your ill child? Or what if you had to take unpaid time off work or quit your job because of treatment schedules – which can leave a serious dent in your family’s financial stability and can have long term impacts on the entire family. “Parents can ensure they have the right financial management tools in place that ensure the provision of adequate financial resources to support them through this very difficult time – things such as a good medical aid, a financial plan and long term insurance covers like a dread disease policy specifically for children, are crucial in this financial mix, should the worst happen,” continues Hillman. For example, there are policies on the market that cover more than one child on one policy, for majority of childhood cancers and offer additional value adds to make the family more comfortable during this time – benefits such as cancer coaching consultations to aid cancer remission, 24-hour advice line on a legal matters, and counselling benefits for example. “During Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, we need to take action and ensure we are protecting our family’s health and finances. I encourage all South Africans to take the time to ensure that that they put the above provisions in place to protect their children as well as that you take the time to join the movement towards stronger awareness when it comes to childhood cancers,” says Hillman. “We need to stand up and be bold, we need to have conversations about childhood cancer, and we need to empower people with knowledge, so that no child will be left behind. During the month of September, we ask people to wear a golden ribbon and in doing so raise awareness about childhood cancer,” Concludes Ludick.

September 28, 2020

Why friendship is important to children

Have your children been feeling lonely missing their friends during the lockdown? We can all agree this year has been a hard and strange one. It has also been a stressful time for our children – not knowing when they will be going back to school and having to keep a safe distance from grandparents and their best friends. At Sugar Bay, we understand the value of great friendships in a child’s life and the tremendous impact it can have on their well-being. When kids miss their friends, that loneliness might express itself as anger, anxiety and sleep problems. Most children will be pleased to get back into their familiar routine and might even want to spend more time with friends when this time of isolation finally comes to an end. As parents, we don’t like to see our children stressed and unhappy, we don’t want our children to be worried about global events because they are just kids. Our friends remain a hugely important part of our lives, from sharing problems, asking for advice, uncontrollable laughter and good times, sharing our life events and proudest moments, our friends help each of us define who we are. For children, making friends is a vital part of growing up and an essential part of their social and emotional development. Many camp programs specifically focus on fostering those friendships, along with teaching, modelling, and practising social skills. The primary role of camp counselors is facilitating friendships and positive experiences. They are also trained to help campers build social skills. At most camp programs, counselors participate in training a week or two before a camp. Sessions include exercises in communication, leadership, and team building, during which counselors are trained to lead “ice-breakers” that help campers get to know one another and connect. Making friends is an important part of a camp experience, and with the help of their counselors, children learn and practice their friend-making skills. Bullying is something many children have to deal with at school. The effects of bullying on a child are devastating and can lead to labeling and being stuck with a particular perception. A child may become known as a nerd and quiet amongst their peers when they can be boisterous in another setting. We encourage parents to send their child without a friend to camp. Being alone in an unfamiliar place can be daunting, but with the help of an excellent counselor, children quickly adapt and make new friends rather than sticking with their best friend throughout the camp. Often, a child will break out of their supposed categorization if given the chance. And in the process life-long friendships are made. If there is one thing that the lockdown period has reminded us of is the importance of family and friends. Should your child want to escape the indoors in search of adventure, Sugar Bay is always here for you. Visit www.sugarbay.co.za for more information.

September 21, 2020

Do the homework before choosing an online school

Parents and guardians considering online schooling for their children must ensure they properly vet the ability of a school to provide an holistic, meaningful educational experience coupled with excellent academic and emotional support, an education expert says. “There are a number of online schooling options on the market, and this offering has grown further as a result of Covid-19 and lockdowns,” says Colin Northmore, Principal of Evolve Online School, a brand of ADvTECH, Africa’s largest private education provider. “But just as parents would do their homework before enrolling their child at a contact education institution, they should also ask the right questions before deciding on an online learning institution,” he says. Northmore notes that many parents can attest to the frustrations experienced with online learning during lockdown, where the quality of offerings differed markedly. “Parents will by now have figured out that what their school offered was more or maybe less effective than what their friends’ children were getting, and clearly not all online delivery models are created equal. So, a first step before deciding on an online school, would be to enquire how efficiently current students of those schools who had to move from contact to online were able to continue their educational journey during lockdown,” he says. “Online schools have clearly differentiated offerings, and parents should take care to interrogate and clarify a school’s offering before enrolling, and in particular ensure that the curriculum is more than just ‘paper behind glass’,” he says. Northmore says that an online school focused on the developing the whole child while ensuring that academic excellence is maintained, must incorporate the following: Diagnostic testing to determine the exact level of proficiency of a student before placement, and during the educational journey; Asynchronous learning so that learners can move through content at their own pace and according to their own proficiency, with direct access to teachers who will facilitate extra activation classes; Synchronous learning where students will also be able to attend live interactive classes, and Socialisation opportunities with academies, studios and day camps so that students can mingle with their peers and balance their screen timewith green time. He says Evolve Online School has weekly webinars to allow parents to get a feel for the school’s offering, as well as ask the questions they need answered before enrolling. “It is highly recommended that parents attend such virtual events at any school they are considering for their child,” he says. Northmore adds that parents should ensure that substantial support is available for students and parents, because online schooling can be a very lonely and frustrating experience if such support is not available, particularly if an online school is merely copying and pasting physical classes into a virtual space. “Schools must have life coaches or the equivalent, who can help develop crucial 21st Century Skills and global competencies, in addition to the regular curriculum,” he says, “and each student’s learning experience must be tailored to their specific needs, so that they are encouraged to grow at a pace that suits their ability and enthusiasm.” It is not enough for an online school to simply focus on delivering a curriculum, he says. “For a rewarding and successful online schooling experience, there should be a strong focus on all skills – foundational, social and emotional. Our children are growing up in a world very different from the one in which we grew up. Things that we, as adults, deal with and take in our stride they are already facing at a very young age. Therefore online schools should offer substantial support to help teach students how to deal with issues such as stress and anxiety, while helping them develop important coping mechanisms, resilience and a growth mindset,” he says.

September 18, 2020

Be a big kid yourself and play! – the science is finding it could be the best way to de-stress

Any adult, parent or grandparent can recognise the look of delight in a child’s eyes when they are fascinated by a favourite toy. Over the last few years, research has found that playtime is much more than fun for kids. Whether it’s playing ‘peek-a-boo’ with your baby, ‘let’s pretend’ with your toddler, or airplanes with your three-year-old, play has been found to stimulate their social skills, imagination and language development. But it turns out that playtime isn’t just important for little ones. A growing number of studies are finding that it’s surprisingly good for you too. In fact, as parents lead increasingly busy lives, entering your child’s imaginative world could be the single easiest thing you can do to de-stress. Dr Jacqueline Harding is a leading child development expert and a senior lecturer at the University of Middlesex. She has just finished the first review of the evidence on the effects of playing with children has on grown-ups to coincide with the launch of Fisher Price’s new campaign, Let’s be Kids, which celebrates seeing the world as kids see it. And she says the science is finding it’s the ultimate two-way street. Indeed, Dr Harding, who has looked at more than 100 research papers, says that far from seeing playing with kids as a ‘guilty pleasure’, we should see it as an essential ‘antidote’ to adult stress. Dr Harding says: ‘There’s tons of research out there on the value of play to children. ‘But less is known about the mutual benefits.‘By looking at research across a range of disciplines around play, we are starting to join the dots and recognise that grown-ups reap huge advantages too.’ It seems the timing of the findings couldn’t have come at a better time. As a parenting author of ten books, many of which examine how stress can suck the joy out of parenting unless we take steps to mitigate it, this is welcome news. In books like ‘Mum Hacks’ and ‘What’s My Child Thinking?’, I have charted how economic uncertainty, long working hours and rising child costs, as well as the pressure to feel like the perfect parent, has made the parental balancing act feel tougher than ever. So Dr Harding’s conclusions that play can be as stress-relieving for adults as it is for kids, feel like the ultimate win-win. Dr Harding also believes the review is timely. She says: ‘It’s widely agreed that humans are carving out a way of life that is characterised by unprecedented levels of stress. The Mental Health Foundation found that 74 per of adults felt very stressed, that rose to 81 per cent in women. Until now, we had a hunch that play can also calm an adult’s physiological responses, but now we are seeing the big picture to show that more conclusively.’ So why is playtime such a powerful de-stressor for adults? The secret is the feed-back loop that happens when you connect through play. Dr Harding says: ‘Entering a game with a child increases levels of well-being chemicals in both your brains – mood-enhancing endorphins and the bonding hormone oxytocin. This, in turn, reduces the levels of stress hormones, like cortisol, which can build up when we lead busy, stressful lives.’ ‘Playing with your child also seems to tap into adults’ memories, recalling times when for some perhaps life felt simpler and more joyful’. All play is good for you, but to get the best benefits, Dr Harding advises taking steps to really be in the moment with your child. ‘If you feel shy at first, try some practical steps to get going, like getting down on the floor with them. ‘That helps take us away from that adult world where we can sometimes feel like the weight of the world is on our shoulders. The other important thing is sit face-to-face so you have eye contact. Put aside your phone too so your child feels secure in the knowledge that nothing will interrupt your time together. When you are both on the same level, making eye contact and focussing on a third thing, like a toy, that sends out the message: “We’re both really interested in this together.’ This is a process Dr Harding calls ‘play triangulation’, or joint enjoyment of a plaything. ‘This can start as soon as between nine and twelve months when babies start to shift their attention for longer periods and enjoy sharing an interest in an object.’ While it may not happen every time, the best playtimes come when you and your child enter a state of ‘flow’, says Dr Harding. This is when you are both so engrossed that you lose track of time and it feels as if your imaginations are flying away together. Dr Harding says: ‘As your emotional states start to match, your brain network starts to get in synch too. When you are both completely in the moment, this evokes a fabulous sense of wellbeing in both of you. Your heart rate goes down; your breathing relaxes and that’s a good place for both of you to be.’ The research also uncovers benefits for older generations, which is a good reason to get grandparents involved in playtime as well. Positive interactions with others not only reduce social isolation of older adults but can promote health and well-being. In addition, active play has the potential to prevent cognitive decline that can happen as people age by activating processes that help maintain individual brain cells and stimulate connections between neurons So next time life seems a little too rushed, don’t look for ways to speed up on the hamster wheel to try and things get done –and as the new Fisher Price research review suggests: ‘spend less time growing up and a little more time growing down.’ Instead, look for an on opportunity to step off it for a play session with your child. However long you have together, far from being a waste of time, picking out their favourite toy and inventing a game around it could be the best use of your time. Dr Harding says:

September 16, 2020

Resources – what to look for and how to choose them

In this article, we explore homeschooling resources, how to identify what you think you need versus what you actually need for your child, and how to be more cost-effective. A point to always remember is, just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it’s effective. Resources. What a broad, generic term. Ranging in meaning from books to equipment, posters, manipulatives, electronic, cloud-based thingymagwadjee’s. Don’t fall into the trap of thinking that you need every resource known to man when homeschooling your child. Firstly, resources can be rather costly and secondly, some of them are completely unnecessary! In the beginning, I would suggest buying a decent-sized whiteboard (because long division. I’ll leave it there) and a laminator. Both will serve you well, no matter whether you are homeschooling temporarily or as a permanent solution. Deciding on what you think you need versus what you really need versus what you really, really want can be a minefield. There are a few things to keep in mind when deciding what to spend your hard-earned cash on: Is the item fit for purpose? Is it age appropriate? Can you use the same thing for more than one child if you need to? Is it user-friendly? Just because it’s expensive doesn’t mean it’s effective. Some resources, like printable worksheets, are cost effective and convenient only if you have a printer at home. If you don’t, then off-the-shelf workbooks (like those found in our School-In-A-Box!) would probably be a better option for you. Your pantry also contains many interesting materials. Rice or flour for working with weight and learning about mass. Pretty much anything you can think of when learning about numbers and operations (jellybeans, Smarties, – division and subtraction are taught quite effectively with these, haha). A few things are have-to-haves, like good grade-appropriate dictionaries, a thesaurus for older kids, quality reference books like a world atlas or encyclopedia. The CAPS teacher’s guides (available to purchase from Mindscape Education and learner books (in your School-In-A-Box) give an overview of materials needed to complete each lesson and it is worth having a leisurely page-through of these books when you first start out. My suggestion is to begin with the minimum and carefully re-evaluate your needs as you continue your homeschooling journey. Interested in homeschooling your child? Feel free to Mindscape Education, e-mail [email protected] or call (+27) 11-704-0687. Hadeda Promotion: Enrol your child with MindScape Education by 30 November 2020 and pay 2020 fees. Visit the Mindscape Education website to find out more about our curriculum options.

September 15, 2020

Motivating your primary or high school student – 5 tips to navigate the minefield

Concerned about your child’s lack of motivation when it comes to their schoolwork? Perhaps you’ve spent many a minute pondering how you can get your child to put as much effort into learning as they do into texting on their phones. You’re not alone. We’d venture a guess that there were even a few cavemothers back in the day who were probably just as concerned with their teen’s lack of motivation and seemingly rebellious attitude. Now here’s the thing that most articles like this one don’t tell you – there’s no silver bullet or magical motivation potion. Nothing you do or say will result in your child going to sleep a TikTok consuming zombie-bot one evening and waking up an industrious little Edison the next. You cannot force a child to be motivated – they have to realize the importance of learning themselves. However, there are some steps that you can take to help your child discover –or rediscover – his or her motivational mojo. 1: Instill discipline and accountability in your child There’s a very true quote – probably dreamt up by some self-help yogi on the internet, bless their wise soul – “You will never always be motivated, so you must learn to be disciplined”. Discipline is what sets people apart. A naturally athletic person might have raw talent, but if they don’t have the discipline to get up and train at the crack of dawn, all that raw talent won’t book them a spot at the Olympics. But, if your child follows the pattern of ‘panic, breakdown, cram, cry, cram-some-more’ every night before a big test, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are lazy or undisciplined. Perhaps he or she has trouble managing their time. This is where you can help. By creating a structured learning environment, developing a regular schedule and allowing sufficient time to prepare, you can help your child manage his or her time better. As with all seemingly mundane things in life – such as parking within the lines or making your coffee just the way you like it – time management is a skill learnt through trial and error, and by repeating it every day until you become an expert. Importantly, don’t over compensate for your child’s demotivated attitude by doing their work for them. This will only end up compounding the problem, because what you are actually telling them is that it’s okay not to hold up their end of a bargain, someone will always come to bail them out. Motivated kids are also accountable kids, who accept their responsibilities and plan accordingly. 2: Be kind to your child, and to yourself Your child’s lack of motivation is not necessarily a reflection on you as a parent. Positively reinforce development and when they make mistakes – when, not if – don’t lie awake obsessing about the future and how you are going to take care of your son when he’s 40 and still lives in your basement with just a mini fridge and video game console. Mistakes are par for the course; fall down ten times and get up eleven times – so cliché, but true. In a culture that is obsessed with perfection, we often do not teach our children that it’s okay to make mistakes. If Junior has been steadily putting in more work and improving his grades only to fail the next test, don’t act like it’s the end of the world, threaten to put a hit out on the teacher or tell your child that his brain is the size of a pea. Identify the root cause of the problem, and put strategies in place to prevent a similar scenario in the future. Your child will learn how to handle crisis and disappointment by witnessing your own response to it. Lead by example. 3: Focus on development, not performance Developing a motivated student takes time. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. Don’t expect them to magically start burning the midnight oil and getting straight A’s just because they started attending a tutor session two weeks ago. Set realistic goals and positively reinforce improvements in behaviour or outcome, even if it’s small or slow. Perhaps more importantly, don’t force your own expectations on your child. Even if you secretly dream that your child will become an astronaut and be the first human to set foot on Mars, their strengths and academic interests might not align with that vision. And that’s okay. If they do well in another subject that you might regard as less important, praise them for that, because it might be important to them. 4: Encourage honest conversation Oftentimes students become demotivated because they feel overwhelmed or stuck, and oftentimes these factors can be remedied. But you won’t know how to help your child, unless they talk to you about the problem. You cannot force your child to share his or her feelings, and the more you push, the more likely you are to receive a serious of grunts and sighs as a reply. However, you can let them know that you are there to talk, when they feel ready. When they do open up to you, validate your child’s feelings, even if you don’t agree with them on something. So for example, if Junior says “Mom, I hate mathematics, It just doesn’t make sense!”, don’t say something like “Nonsense sweetie, you were fine with math last year.” Listen to your child. Really listen. Let them know that their opinion matters and don’t put them down. 5: Get outside help If your child is demotivated because he or she is struggling with a particular subject or subjects, consider getting outside help, such as a tutor. If this is not financially viable, maybe reach out to a university student in the family, or a subject-savvy aunt or uncle, or try to come to an agreement with a reputable tutoring company to let your child be instructed at a reduced rate. Make a plan. Do not stick

September 11, 2020

Smart study hacks for the exams

Examinations can be nerve-racking and stressful. And while a little stress can sometimes serve as a strong motivator, too much can affect your child’s ability to learn and perform during exams. One way to minimise – or at least manage – stress is to be prepared. While nothing replaces hard work, some techniques can increase efficiency, boost productivity and improve concentration. While not every method will work for your child, it’s worth some trial and error to find the ones that do. First, cover the basics Plan: Develop a timetable and study routine tailored to your child’s grade, learning style and peak learning time. Eat: Maintain proper nutrition by feeding your child healthy, nutritious meals and snacks. The brain needs food to function. Sleep: Make sure your child gets plenty of rest while preparing for exams. Sleep affects cognitive function – it improves the ability to think clearly and logically and assimilates the information learned during the day. Move: Science says that just 20 minutes of exercise can boost brainpower. Whether riding a bike or walking around the block, exercise will increase your child’s energy levels and reduce the effects of stress. Relax: It may sound counterintuitive, but all work and no play is a recipe for disaster. So, allow your child to relax and rejuvenate by watching a movie, listening to music, or playing a sport. Also read: Cool ways to beat summer boredom Tried and tested Practice, practice, practice: One secret weapon when preparing for upcoming exams is working through past papers. Practising sample answers to past exam questions can help train your child’s brain to retrieve information. It also helps pinpoint weak areas. In addition, it shows what to expect in terms of the format/wording of questions, so your child won’t get confused or tripped up during the actual exam. Short sessions for the win: Taking a short break after 45 – 50 minutes of study helps the brain absorb more information while maintaining motivation and focus. Research suggests that for intense memorisation sessions – such as trying to learn names, dates and events, a foreign language or math formulae – sessions should be no longer than 20 – 30 minutes. Make use of memory aids: Let your child use mind maps to connect ideas, draw diagrams to visualise information, create flashcards to memorise key concepts, definitions, quotes and formulas, or try mnemonic devices – a song, rhyme, sentence or phrase – to help remember and recall material. Whichever aid your child chooses, make it simple, logical and colourful – colour helps heighten attention. Something slightly different Speak up: If your child is struggling to grasp something, let them say it out loud instead of simply reading through it. You will be surprised how much more they retain when they have said it out loud. Teach: The best way to test if your child really understands something is to ask them to try to teach it to someone else. This is a particularly good way to discover if they have a basic grasp of the concepts. If there’s no-one around, let your child teach a class of stuffed animals! Listen to music: Listening to certain types of music while studying can enhance productivity, motivation and focus levels. Take note, though, that music should never be counterproductive or distracting. Chew on it: Scientists aren’t exactly sure why, but the act of chewing gum is a brain booster. Chewing gum raises alertness and attention, but only for periods of around 20 minutes – so employ this technique when your child is studying particularly tricky or difficult concepts. What not to do Don’t let your child study similar subjects one after another: Sandwiching History or Geography in between Maths and Science will help the brain absorb all three subjects much better. Don’t let your child stay up all night before an exam: Make sure your child gets adequate rest the night before an exam. Don’t let children spend all their time making elaborate study notes: The more time they spend making mini works of art, the less time they have to study. Don’t let them leave studying until the last minute: Last-minute cramming is generally not the best way to approach an exam. Don’t let your child freak out: Do whatever you can to help your child stay calm. If their stress levels spiral out of control, the brain will stop functioning. Also read: Helpful tips for managing your child’s academic anxiety Finally, as your child prepares for upcoming tests or exams, remember the words of Thomas Edison: “There is no substitute for hard work”. By Danielle Barfoot

September 11, 2020

Why play?

Research has shown that active bodies and active minds translate into happy children. It’s also important to limit screen time and technology and get children to interact with others, play and exercise. This is how active play helps: It develops strong muscles and bones It develops gross motor control It controls weight It helps them sleep better It gives them more confidence and a better outlook on life It makes them more mentally alert and improves their likelihood of being academically motivated and successful. It lowers their chances of developing type 2 diabetes and other chronic diseases. Play is our brain’s favourite way of learning Parents record a worrying obsession that children have with technology, including cell phones, tablets, television and gaming. The pandemic lockdown didn’t help either and, after five months of restricted movement, it’s time for kids to get active and play again. Perfect timing for Playstation by Rush to open its 600m2 interactive, indoor playpark for children aged 2 to 13. It’s a safe space where ‘kids can be kids’ and parents can take some much needed time out! Play is so important for young children, it not only teaches them social skills but also promotes physical activity. Playstation is designed to provide multisensory experiences as children play and have fun. It is proudly tech-free and encourages active play. This is critical for developmental skills, including visual and tactile stimulation, agility, balance, hand-eye coordination, upper and lower body strength and cognitive thinking through problem solving. In addition, a sedentary lifestyle (whether voluntary or not) also increases the risk of obesity in children. South African statistics show an alarming number of children are overweight or obese. Very good reasons to get children moving and exercising, particularly in the fun form of play. The earlier the better. Although it’s a truism that, ‘We are never more fully alive, more completely ourselves or more deeply engrossed in anything than when we are playing,’ when there is so much technology around us, we sometimes forget to play. Damon Walmsley, general manager and father of twins, says, ‘We know that play time is essential for our kids, especially after the long lockdown and limited activity. The equipment is similar to what we had when we were young – sort of old school cool. ‘Some of the activities on offer at Playstation include an adventure maze with swing bridges and hidden areas to explore, a 4 metre rock climbing wall that will test children’s strength and co-ordination, 6 metre high slides, a bike pump track and the little kid’s city. What we think is a winner with parents is the fact that we have highly trained staff who will look after the kids. This means parents can take a breather, catch up on work, watch TV or sit in the restaurant and have breakfast lunch or supper knowing their children are safe, playing and getting all the benefits derived from active play.’ The halaal-friendly, 50-seater restaurant offers an à la carte menu plus daily specials and is open in the evenings for dinner. ‘The Covid-19 lockdown rules mean we are limiting access and the number of children playing, so booking is essential,’ says Walmsley. He also explains that strict protocols are in place to ensure the health and safety of visitors and staff. This includes the taking of temperatures, sanitising and a daily deep clean of the playpark. Pricing varies for peak and off peak visits and are charged per hour of play. Monthly and annual memberships are available and there are discounts offered if a family has a meal in the restaurant. You’ll find Playstation by Rush at 10 Honeywell Road, Kirstenhof – turn at the Spotty Dog landmark. The playpark is open from 10am to 6pm, Monday to Wednesday, 9am to 9pm Thursday to Saturday and from 9am to 6pm on Sundays Playstation by Rush is brought to you by the team who successfully manage the Rush Indoor Trampoline Parks. For more information go to: www.playstation.rushsa.co.za

September 9, 2020

Time management and timetables – how much is enough?

In this article, Clair a homeschooling parent, discusses time management and timetables and how to ensure your child is getting the most out of homeschooling while being able to recognise when your child has reached their limit for the day. I remember being so afraid. Afraid for my child. Afraid about what I was teaching her but importantly, about what I was not teaching her. My initial reaction to this was simply to do more. Start earlier, finish later. Shorter breaks. More structure. Less flexibility. Well, it goes without saying that for two or three weeks, our home wasn’t a very happy one. With no assembly, no register class, no chapel, no physical education classes, so much time is freed up for you and your child. However, when starting out on this journey, you simply have no way of knowing whether you are spending enough time on each subject. Luckily, at the beginning of each CAPS teacher’s guide, the Department has set outguidelines for each subject in each phase, broken down by Grade. Whilst not prescriptive, these give an outline as to how you could spend your school time. Instructional hours vary from 23 in the Foundation phase to about 27 hours in the Senior Phase and high school. You can find out more by clicking on the link below: https://www.education.gov.za/Portals/0/CD/National%20Curriculum%20Statements%20and%20Vocational/CAPS%20IP%20%20HOME%20ENGLISH%20GR%204-6%20%20WEB.pdf?ver=2015-01-27-160412-720 We used to start the day with Maths, because my daughter was at her best then, so we would begin with the subject she struggled with the most and would take it from there. I cannot stress enough how important it is to let your child work at their own pace. If you end up doing only English for the day, that’s fine, just be sure to find a bit of balance over the following days by doing something else. There are also many opportunities over the course of day for educating – many of which fall outside of “school hours”. It takes time to fall into a rhythm, to find your own groove. Try not to be too hard on yourself for not sticking to a rigid schedule. You, and your child, might well be all the happier for it. A happy child is a more productive learner, which makes for a happier parent, and that’s a win in anybody’s book. Interested in homeschooling your child? Feel free to Mindscape Education, e-mail [email protected] or call (+27) 11-704-0687. Hadeda Promotion: Enrol your child with MindScape Education by 30 November 2020 and pay 2020 fees. Visit the Mindscape Education website to find out more about our curriculum options.

September 7, 2020

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