Precious Playtime for Better Baby Brains

^{Image by Francis Vachon}

Watching a baby at play is an amazing, beautiful thing. Journalist and doting parent Francis Vachon has shared with us his time lapse recording of baby Edward’s 4hrs of playtime, compressed into two and a half minutes. Apart from being very cute(!) the footage helps us understand the enormous value of play. Vachon explains the power of babies’ brains:

Here’s the thing about babies. When we’re born, we get the brain cells we need, but the connections between cells haven’t formed yet. In those first few years as we explore the world, the cells begin to link up at a dizzying pace, forming tens of thousands, even millions of new links. When you watch Edward you can almost feel it happening.

You can read more here.

Pregnancy, Birth and Baby Helpline 1800 882 436

Parents/Carers can use this service from the moment they find out they are pregnant to when their baby is 12 months old. The site gives good coverage of the frequent questions asked on pregnancy, birth and caring for your baby. It also has up-to-date information on health topics for families.
http://www.healthdirect.org.au/pbb.

If You're Happy and You Know It...

Would you take up an activity, or encourage your children to engage in it, if you knew that it could reduce the risk of dyslexia and dyscalculia, improve cognitive abilities, social integration, handwriting and spelling and make you feel more focused and less tense?

An Israeli researcher has recently conducted the first-ever study of hand-clapping songs, which has revealed a direct link between those activities and the development of important skills in children and young adults.

See Israel21c's article on the study here.

Libraries make good use of hand-clapping rhymes in regular Storytime, Baby Bounce and Toddler Time sessions - contact your local library to find out what free programs are available in your area.

Free Immunisation Clinics...

... will be held in Busselton on Thursday April 7th, at the Kevin Cullen Community Health Centre on Mill Road from 1pm - 2pm by appointment and 2pm - 4pm by open clinic.

Clinics will also be held in Dunsborough on Tuesday April 12th, at the Naturaliste Community Centre on Dunsborough Lakes Drive from 9.30am - 12 noon.

Phone 0409 101 209 on the day - flu vaccinations are available to eligible clients, for more information call:

Kevin Cullen Community Health Centre	08 9754 0666	email
Naturaliste Community Centre	08 9755 3966	email

Tips for Sharing Books With Your Child

It has been shown that the single most important activity in building knowledge for future success is reading out loud to your child.

Pick the best time. Choose a time to read when you and your baby are happy and content and can enjoy this special time together. Any time when your baby is settled but not sleepy or tired is perfect.

Show your baby the book. Talk and read in a cheerful voice, point to the pictures as you read and talk about them (do this even with tiny babies). This adds to a baby’s vocabulary and shows them how conversation works back and forth.

Be aware of what your baby wants. Don't worry if your baby is restless and is not interested in the book – stop if they are upset.

Read aloud with your child every day. Choose books that you and your child enjoy. If your child chooses the same old favourite over and over again, this may be boring for you but it will please your child and they may even begin to recognise some words.

Take books with you when you go out. You might have to wait somewhere and have a few spare moments to read.

Have Fun! Sharing books together creates a special bond between parents and children.

Busselton Family Centre

Located at 19 - 21 Kent St, the Busselton Family Centre provides information and activities for families in the Shire. Currently over 35 organisations use the family centre on a regular basis including the following:
                           

Belly Flower (infant massage/birth skills)					0417 186 679
Busselton Family Playgroup					0450 735 305
Busselton Toy Library					08 9753 1682
Fun Fours					08 9755 4440
Yoga 4 Kids					0420 933 729

For more information on the various programs ph: 08 9752 3550

Office hours 9.00am - 2.00pm Mon - Fri

Comprehensive brochures are also available from the Centre and the Busselton Public Library.

Australian Breastfeeding Association

The Busselton branch is meeting at the Kent St Family Centre on Friday 25th February at 10.00am. Contact Janet on 9754 4461 for more details. For more information on breastfeeding support and a question forum you can view the Australian Breastfeeding Association website at http://www.breastfeeding.asn.au/.

Better Beginnings for Families

This programme has been developed for families with children aged 0-3 years. The aim is to encourage the development of literacy and a love of books and reading. Further information is available through your local library, health nurse and the State Library of WA, or by going to the Better Beginnings website.

The Little Big Book Club

A great site for encouraging the family to read and enjoy the wonderful range of books for children.

http://www.thelittlebigbookclub.com.au/