Lifestyle Triple P : Helping You Raise Healthy Kids

For more information on the Positive Parenting Program, click here.

National Simultaneous Storytime Title Unleashed!

Remember - National Simultaneous Storytime will be held at the Busselton Public Library on 23 May 2012 at 10am. 'The Very Cranky Bear' by Nick Bland will be read, along with some complementary stories and a special craft activity!

No bookings are required for this event, and participation in all storytime events at the Busselton Library is FREE - for more information, contact the library on (08) 9754 1588.

Would you like a sneak peek at the book selected for this year's National Simultaneous Storytime?

Nick Bland’s award winning and much loved children’s book, ‘The Very Cranky Bear’, is now an animated, interactive app! Narrated by well-loved Australian actor Angus Sampson with an original music score by Helen Croome. Join Moose, Zebra, Lion and Sheep as they try to hide from the rain in a cave, but accidentally disturb a very cranky bear…

Special Features:

* You be the narrator: Record and play back your own voice!
* Tilting the device on special pages adds depth to wonderfully animated pages.
* Find 5 hidden cards to unlock a secret surprise!

Check out this promo vid here of the app:

Back to School

The holidays are over, the kids are back to school - and for some, this means beginning year one, taking the first exciting steps into "big school", and wading a bit deeper into the refreshing waters of lifelong reading!

To help your child have the best chance of learning success at school, give them lots of opportunities to read aloud at home. Inspire your young reader to practice every day! Reading Rockets has put together some tips for parents of first-graders that offer some fun ways you can help your child become a happy and confident reader.

Try a new tip each week, and see what works best for your child.

Don’t leave home without it.	-	Bring along a book or magazine any time your child has to wait, such as at a doctor’s office. Always try to fit in reading!
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Once is not enough.	-	Encourage your child to re-read favorite books and poems. Re-reading helps kids read more quickly and accurately.
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Dig deeper into the story.	-	Ask your child questions about the story you've just read. Say something like, “Why do you think Clifford did that?”
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Take control of the television.	-	It’s difficult for reading to compete with TV and video games. Encourage reading as a free-time activity.
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Be patient.	-	When your child is trying to sound out an unfamiliar word, give him or her time to do so. Remind your child to look closely at the first letter or letters of the word.
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Pick books that are at the right level.	-	Help your child pick books that are not too difficult. The aim is to give your child lots of successful reading experiences.
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Play word games.	-	Have your child sound out the word as you change it from mat to fat to sat; from sat to sag to sap; and from sap to sip.
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I read to you, you read to me.	-	Take turns reading aloud at bedtime. Kids enjoy this special time with their parents.
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Gently correct your young reader.	-	When your child makes a mistake, gently point out the letters he or she overlooked or read incorrectly. Many beginning readers will guess wildly at a word based on its first letter.
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Talk, talk, talk!	-	Talk with your child every day about school and things going on around the house. Sprinkle some interesting words into the conversation, and build on words you’ve talked about in the past.
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Write, write, write!	-	Ask your child to help you write out the grocery list, a thank you note to Grandma, or to keep a journal of special things that happen at home. When writing, encourage your child to use the letter and sound patterns he or she is learning at school.

Visit www.ReadingRockets.org for more information on how you can launch a child into a bright future through reading.

A Midsummer Knight's Read : Fairytales at the Library

Hear Ye, Hear Ye!

Come along to the Busselton Library for a school holiday storytime full of fairytales both classic and twisted!

Stories read will be suitable for ages 5 and up (though younger kids are more than welcome too), followed by a fairytale-themed craft activity. The entire session will last about an hour.

Where:	Busselton Public Library
	Stanley St, Busselton
Date:	Wednesday 18th January 2012
Time:	10.00am - 11.00am
Cost:	FREE!

The Busselton Library runs regular storytime sessions throughout the year at 10.00am, every second Wednesday. For more information call the library on (08) 9754 1588 or email.

Relationships Australia : Parent - Teen Connection

We have all come through adolescence - do you remember? It has always been a challenging, sometimes frustrating period of life's journey.

Thankfully, today's parents are usually more inclined to listen. Living with teenagers can be confusing and even worrying, but also rewarding. This course reduces stress and teaches parents to communicate, negotiate and minimise conflict.

This 4 week course covers topics such as:
* Behaviours and tasks of adolescence
* Developing a helpful perspective on adolescence
* Communication adolescents understand
* Handling conflict
* Discipline

Where:	Bunbury Family Relationship Centre
	20 Molloy St, Bunbury (Symmons St entrance)
Date:	Each Tuesday morning 28th February - 20th March 2012
Time:	9.30am - 12.00pm
Cost:	$50.00 per person / $75.00 per couple

For bookings and payment please call (08) 9792 1111.
Concessions are available for concession card holders.

For more information please visit the Relationships Australia website.

Relationships Australia : Living in a Step Family

Strategies on communication, agreement on discipline - who spells out what the rules are - and on handling competitng demands. It is just as important for couples to ensure that in a busy environment there is time just for each other.

This 6 week course covers:
* The differences and uniqueness inherent in stepfamilies.
* The need to let go of the past in order to devise mutual expectations, which requires good communication skills.
* Parents' roles and challenges in the stepfamily, and the need to establish positive biological and step-parent roles.
* What children experience and how they cope in stepfamilies.
* Nuturing the couple bond and development of conflict resolution skills particular to the stepfamily experience.
* Charting of stepfamily stages and the building of new stepfamily traditions.

Where:	Bunbury Family Relationship Centre
	20 Molloy St, Bunbury (Symmons St entrance)
Date:	Each Thursday evening 23rd February - 29th March 2012
Time:	6.30pm - 9.00pm
Cost:	$75.00 per person / $120.00 per couple

For bookings and payment please call (08) 9792 1111.
Concessions are available for concession card holders.

For more information please visit the Relationships Australia website.

Boredom Busting Ideas for Summer

Looking for ideas to keep the kids occupied these holidays?

Try these fun and simple craft ideas from across the galactic interweb:

"laser beam" obstacle course : streamers/string stuck across a corridor

(from Chicken Babies blog)

bubble wrap painting

(from Intello Kids blog - they also have a great idea for using squares of bubble wrap taped to the floor for hopscotch!)

coiled magazine paper glued to a balloon - when the glue has dried, pop the balloon!

(from Veetje blog)

photo bookmarks - have fun taking the photos before you even start on the bookmarks!

(from creativefamilymoments.com)

balloon and paper plate ping pong

(from Giggleberry Creations blog - they have lots of ideas for paper plate crafts)

paint bobby pins with nail polish - make sure they're completely dry before you wear them!
(from Pinterest)

pompoms - need we say more?
(from kraft croch blog)

Save the Date

National Simultaneous Storytime, Australia’s biggest single storytelling event, is coming to the Busselton Public Library on 23 May 2012 at 10am.

Mark the date in your diary and look out for the exciting announcement of the 2012 book coming soon!

Poetry Competiton for Under 12s

Alphabet Soup is a quarterly magazine for children aged 6 to 12, and is giving away a $20 book voucher in their current Summer Writing Competition.

Here's what you need to do:

* Write a poem no longer than 12 lines. Your poem should contain the word 'dragon.'

* Include a competition entry form. This may be printed from the website (see link below), photocopied (hard copies are available from the Busselton Library), or contact Alphabet Soup to have one emailed or posted to you.

* Your entry can be handwritten or typed. Make a copy of your entry as Alphabet Soup cannot return entries.

* Entries close 21 JANUARY 2012.

Visit http://www.alphabetsoup.net.au/ for information on current competitions for kids aged 12 and under.

To download a competition entry form (with T&Cs) click here.

Children's Laureate Winners

Congratulations Alison Lester and Boori Monty Pryor for being honoured as the first ever Australian Children's Laureates. The two incredibly talented children's authors will share the inaugural appointment for 2012 and 2013. During their appointment Alison and Boori will act as national and international ambassadors for Australian children’s literature and will separately visit every state and territory inspiring young people to share and write their own stories.

You can search for books by Alison Lester and Boori Monty Pryor on the Busselton Libraries catalogue, or for more information on the Australian Children's Laureate click here.

A Midsummer Knight's Read at Busselton Library

The annual Summer Reading Club program will once again be taking place at the Busselton Library throughout the summer holidays.

This year the theme is A Midsummer Knight’s Read, exploring medieval history and classic fairy tales, as well as contemporary stories with familiar characters such as knights, princesses and dragons with a new twist. The program will promote reading as an enjoyable experience and encourage children to seek out new places to read, along with celebrating familiar reading spaces.

The Summer Reading Club is promoted primarily to children from 4 to 12 years of age, offering a variety of engaging creative writing activities, arts and crafts activities and games which encourage a love for books and reading as well as literacy and computer skills.

At the Busselton Library, Summer Reading Club activities run from Thursday 15 December, 2011 until Wednesday 25 January, 2012. Children and young people can register for free at our library and will receive a participation pack with library information and an activity booklet.

Last year the Summer Reading Club was a huge success with over 880 books being read by Busselton kids. This year, with the help of your family, it could be even bigger and better!

Research demonstrates that children who read for pleasure are the best readers and that families that read together provide the strongest model for future readers. The Summer Reading Club is an excellent program to support reading over the holidays across the community.

For more information contact the Busselton Library on the (08) 9754 1588 or email.

Cape to Cape Home Educators Network

The Cape to Cape Home Educators Network is a group of parents who educate our children at home. We are from varied backgrounds and come with various philosophies. They are located in the southwest of Western Australia in the towns of (but not limited to) Augusta, Busselton, Cowaramup, Dunsborough, Nannup and Margaret River.

The Cape to Cape Home Educators Network organises outings, classes and clubs for the purpose of education, socialisation and support. Those living in the general area and wanting to join in on activities are welcome to be members.

For more info and to become a member click here.

Busselton Toy Library

Are you and our children sick and tired of having the same old toys?
Join the Busselton Toy Library are you can have new toys each week!

Busselton Toy Library is a community organisation and are currently looking for new members.
They are located at the Kent Street Family Centre and open each Saturday morning from 9.30-11am.
Toys can be hired for 2 weeks at a time for an annual fee, toys available are suitable for children from newborn through to around 6 years of age.
The range of toys includes puzzles and costumes to outdoor toys of all descriptions for both girls and boys.
For more information call phone (08) 9752 3550 or email.

Kids' Reading Guide 2011-2012

Summer's just around the corner - want to find a good read for your kids?

The Australian Bookseller's Association has published a Kids' Reading Guide for 2011-2012, full of great titles chosen and reviewed by children’s specialist booksellers and suitable for toddlers to teens and all kids in between!
Flick through the interactive catalogue, or have a go at the sliding puzzle game!

For more info and to view the guide, click here.

Children's Week Events in Busselton

Children’s Week is a National, annual event held around Universal Children’s Day, on the fourth Wednesday in October right across Australia.  This week is dedicated to celebrating children across our State and to highlighting their achievements.

It’s a time to promote awareness of Children’s Rights as proclaimed in 1954 by the United Nations and to remind us of our community responsibility to adhere and advocate for children as citizens, to value our relationships by listening to children and acting genuinely and honestly in response to their needs, ideas and development.

Children’s Week is an opportunity for the community to engage in a variety of activities that facilitate, support and encourage children and their families to play, learn and grow together.

Children’s Week recognises the rights of children to play and enjoy their childhood.

This year, Children’s Week opens on Saturday 22nd October and concludes on Sunday 30th.  The major Opening Event will be held at Whiteman Park on Sunday 23rd October and the Children’s Week Awards Ceremony will be held on Wednesday 26th October – Universal Children’s Day.

Have a look at some local Children's Week events coming up:

Monday 24th October: Busselton Family Playgroup Open Week

Where:	Busselton Family Centre
	19-21 Kent Street, Busselton
Description:	Busselton Family Playgroup Sessions will be open to the public from Monday 24th October 2011 to Friday 28th October 2011 9.30am to 11.30am each day. Refreshments will be available.
Who for:	Families with young children
Cost:	Free!
Contact:	Sherree Nuttall (Busselton Family Playgroup) 0450 735 305 or email

Friday 28th October: Biggest Freaky Friday!

Where:	Geographe Leisure Centre
	Cnr Recreation Ln and Queen Elizabeth Ave, Busselton
Description:	Biggest Freaky Friday Ever
	* New Bouncy Castle
	* Inflatable
	* DJ
	* Sausage sizzle and drink
	* Dance comp finale with first prize an ipod
Who for:	Kids aged 10-13 only
Cost:	$10.00
Contact:	Geographe Leisure Centre 08 9754 3600 or email

For more info on Children's Week events go to the Children's Week website.

St John Ambulance Offers First Aid for Kids

Young children are being urged to learn first aid skills with visits to local beaches coming soon.

The St John Ambulance Busselton sub-centre is encouraging children from kindergarten age to learn first aid skills ahead of summer.

Free First Aid Focus courses are being offered to children through courses in schools or community groups, and will teach kids skills ranging from learning how to call for an ambulance to performing CPR.

With summer just around the corner, people will be out more, in the water and doing things they wouldn't normally do, so the risks of injury are greater - making it even more important to know basic first aid.

For more information call the St John Ambulance Busselton sub-centre on 9752 3866.

Relationships Australia : Dads Raising Girls

Did you miss the Dads Raising Girls workshop held at the Kent St Family Centre in September? Well it's on again!

This one night seminar looks at the importance of the father-daughter relationship. It discusses what daughters need from their dads and covers practical ways to improve and maintain a positive and rewarding relationship.

Where:	Busselton Family Centre
	19-21 Kent Street Busselton
Date:	Wednesday 23rd November 2011
Time:	6.30pm - 9.00pm
Cost:	$25.00 per person

For bookings and payment please call (08) 9792 1111.

For more information please visit the Relationships Australia website.

School Holiday Activities @ Busselton Library

Fish Girl Colouring Competition

Two Busselton Jetty Family Experience Packs are up for grabs with the launch of a children’s colouring competition featuring the ‘Fish Girl’ - the newest piece of jetty art due for installation at the end of October.

There are two prize packs available – one for children aged 8 and under, and one for the 12 and under age group. The winners in each category will receive a Jetty Experience Family Pass which includes a jetty train ride, a tour of the Underwater Observatory and a range of souvenir items.

Entries are available at the Dunsborough and Busselton Libraries, the GLC and the Shire Admin Building.
They can also be downloaded by clicking here.

The competition ends on October 27, 2011. Entries can be delivered to the Busselton Library, the Busselton Jetty Interpretive Centre, and the Shire admin building on Southern Drive. Alternatively they can be posted to the Shire of Busselton at:

Communication Officer
Locked Bag 1
BUSSELTON WA 6280

Teeny Tiny Signs

Babies have an awareness of their wants and needs long before they can form words and sentences. Being able to communicate these via sign language, to parents who are able to understand and then respond, can have a huge impact in reducing frustration, tantrums and crying.

Teeny Tiny Signs offers an 8 week course in Baby Sign Language for hearing infants and toddlers from 6 to 36 months and their parents. The lessons are relaxed and fun with songs, toys and stories to learn key signs each week, covering everyday scenarios like bath/bedtime and playtime etc. The lessons are held once a week and last for around 45 minutes.

The level of participation for your baby will largely depend on age but babies learn through play and interaction with those around them, and signing is a wonderful way to bond with your little one.

By learning sign language, babies can start to express themselves from as early as around 8 months of age - long before speech is possible.

For more information contact Barbara Payne on 0438 196 588 or email.