School playgrounds are getting squeezed, write researchers Brendon Hyndman, Jessica Amy Sears and Vaughan Cruickshank. Here are 8 ways to keep students active in small spaces. As enrolments climb and urban spaces become more crowded, some Australian schools have been left with less play space per...
Xinyu (Andy) Zhao and Sarah Healy ask—are you a ‘contract maker’ or an ‘access denier’ with your child? Screen time was a battle for parents before COVID and it continues to be a battle, long after lockdowns have ended. The Royal Children’s Hospital March 2021 child health poll...
Almost 50,000 students have already signed up for the Prime Minister’s Spelling Bee. That’s more than double the number of students from years 3 to 8 who took part last year, showcasing their word skills in the online national competition, run by News Corp Australia’s...
We’re surrounded by nature, most obviously plants and animals. They’re in our backyards, on our balconies, emerging in the cracks in the footpath. While people tend to think of nature as existing ‘out there’, in national parks or at least beyond the edges of the city,...
Yes, says Kylie Soanes, you can make a difference, right in your own backyard The newly released State of the Environment report paints a predictably grim picture. Species are in decline, ecosystems are at breaking point, and threats abound. For many of us, it can feel...
You’re probably already encouraging STEM at home and don't realise it, writes Rebecca Kerr Children are naturally curious. They’re constantly engaging with their surroundings and observing the world around them. As a parent and role model, you may choose to lean into their exploration and encourage...
The fast pace of modern urban living can be mentally and physically draining. Add the strains of a pandemic, and these challenges can multiply. Imagine being a school student and having to focus on learning and studying during this time. Being an attentive student can be...
by physiotherapist and clinical pain neuroscientist, Sarah Wallwork Bang! A child trips and grazes their knee. Your toddler bumps his head on the table. Your niece stubs her toe. The tears flood in. Do you: (a) tell them to “brush-it-off”, (b) make a fuss and laboriously check...
Let’s turn to practicalities and get you started on your urban field naturalist journey. It can seem daunting, and you might not know where to begin, but these five simple steps will do the trick. Even when you’re an experienced urban field naturalist, it’s still always...
by Lou Duggan Birthday • party • planning. Three words that can strike fear into the hearts of even the most experienced mums. Because for so many of us, we equate successful children’s parties with success as a parent. But for our kids, a party is not about...
