🌟”Inclusive Play: Embrace, Engage, Empower!”🌟

Join us for a remarkable celebration designed to bring joy, growth, and connection to children facing unique challenges. The “Inclusive Play: Embrace, Engage, Empower!” is a heartwarming event dedicated to disadvantaged children with social skill difficulties, as well as those who might feel isolated or in need of supportive interactions.

🎈Event Highlights:🎈

1. Playful Learning Stations: Engage in a variety of hands-on activities that focus on communication, teamwork, problem-solving, and emotional regulation. These stations will provide a safe and welcoming environment for children to explore their strengths while fostering a sense of achievement.

2. Collaborative Group Challenges: Children will have the opportunity to participate in collaborative challenges that encourage teamwork, promoting a sense of unity and shared accomplishment.

3. Friendship Building Workshops: Facilitators skilled in creating connections will guide interactive workshops that help children build meaningful friendships. Through engaging exercises, children will learn valuable skills for initiating conversations and forming connections.

4. Confidence Boosting Activities: Dive into activities designed to boost self-confidence, providing a platform for each child to shine and embrace their unique abilities.

5. Interactive Storytelling: Immerse yourselves in enchanting stories that center around themes of empathy, self-awareness, and acceptance. These stories will inspire children to understand and appreciate differences.

6. Mindful Play Zones: Step into calm and nurturing play zones where children can practice emotional regulation techniques, helping them manage stress and anxiety in a supportive environment.

7. Expert Panels: Listen to insightful discussions featuring professionals and advocates who will share valuable insights on ASD, ADHD, and anxiety, offering guidance and strategies for families and caregivers.

8. Celebration of Strengths: A heartwarming closing ceremony will recognize the unique strengths of every child, reinforcing the positive attitude we adopt towards challenges and differences.

Let’s come together to celebrate diversity, growth, and the power of positive interactions. At the “Inclusive Play Festival,” every child is celebrated for who they are, and we’re committed to creating a space where meaningful connections flourish. Join us as we embark on this journey of embracing, engaging, and empowering each other!

We are planning a 50th birthday party for play matters, and celebrating the theme imaginative play.

We are encouraging all children and families to dress up or make dress up craft to wear on the day.

From 9.30am outside, there will be imaginative play installations set up encouraging children to step into character, imagine, play and explore. (PIrate ships, construction zone, home corner, small world play and more). We will provide a safe place for children to play and educate families and the community about the importance and the child’s right to play. Inside, there will be wearable dress up craft and icing biscuits (crown, wand, wing, bag and party hat craft).

In the last 40 minutes of the event we would like to invite Maggie Moo to do a 40 minute music and movement session with the children, finishing at 11.30 Karliensnyman@maggiemoomusic.com.au

There will be a shared morning tea provided for the children and families.

Children in care or crisis have the right to relax, play and to join in a wide range of leisure activities. What better than discovering their very own handball in a Care Kit they get to own?

We intend to run a Handball Donation Drive project beginning one week before Children’s Week and continuing till December. This will involve online promotion of Project Handball and Children’s Week, highlighting the impact a Care Kit and handball can have on the lives of children in care or crisis, supporting their wellbeing, relaxation, play and handball activities while making friends.

Our volunteers at Care Kits for Kids Qld Inc compile Care Kits – backpacks containing new clothing, toiletries, toys, stationery, books and quilt to Queensland children aged 0 to 17 in care or crisis. Most have never owned anything new before and are often suddenly removed from a dangerous situation owning nothing – a traumatic experience. There are now around 12,000 Queensland children in out-of-home care and many more in crisis.

Our Care Kits are put together to help support children’s wellbeing at this point of need. They are distributed at no cost to any Queensland organisation who directly assists children in crisis: Qld Police Child Protection units, Qld Child Safety services, Domestic Violence services, Foster and Kinship Care services, Indigenous Assistance Services & programmes assisting children in crisis eg floods, fire, refugees, homeless, schools, Foodbanks and hospitals.

One of the favourite items in our Care Kits are handballs (high bounce balls).

A handball is compact, so easily fits into a full-to-the-brim backpack.

A handball can provide hours of fun for both boys and girls of all ages who are experiencing very tough times with very little fun in their lives. They encourage physical activity and friendships. A small handball can have a big impact, helping to support wellbeing and healthy development.

We have been told by numerous sources including child safety workers, that these handballs are highly valued by these (and all) children. Visiting school children are so excited to learn every school age child gets a new handball.

We fundraise to buy these handballs, (among other Care Kit items). We aim to fund over 1000 handballs each year. Retail cost is around $2-$3 each.

$500 will purchase 250 handballs. That means 250 children will feel excited, valued and cared about when they find a little bit of bouncy joy to treasure in their Care Kits. It also helps them to fit in with their peers.

It is a small but effective way to show children in crisis that they matter and their community cares.

In accordance of the true meaning of Children’s Week – a celebration that recognises talents, skills, achievements and rights of children – Karalee Playgroup aims to host a family fun day incorporating and celebrating our embedded sense of community while embracing the theme of 2023. We aim to work together with our playgroup families, embrace the Early Learning Framework where children thrive from play based learning opportunities based on their own interests. We will create a discussion with our children, compiling play activities they enjoy in their playgroup space, allowing them to be the voice of our fun day. We will then use their interests and what they enjoy most in their playgroup space, to create a range of exciting play based learning activities to share with the local community, providing a wonderful opportunity for extended members of the children’s family as well as other local community families to come along and experience our playgroup in action. We will aim to provide a sense of belonging to our children, allowing a fun day where they can relax in a familiar place, engage in play based learning activities that they have voiced and created, also allowing parents and care givers an opportunity to socialise together. We will hold the event on a weekend as this will increase the likelihood of the whole family attending together. Our aim will be to give consideration to all aspects of play based activities, for example, sensory play, water play, art and craft, motor movement, to name a few – adding various creative and imaginative ideas that our children express.

Our aim will be to collaborate with a local food truck and Tea/Coffee van, allowing them the opportunity to provide catering.

Our event will be a family evening and take place on (insert date) at the Yorkeys Knob Community Hall. It will feature our dinosaur program, “Dinosaur Bone-Anza”, and a sausage sizzle for families to enjoy.

Our dino-themed, interactive, educational experience, “Dinosaur Bone-Anza”, takes children back in time to discover the prehistoric era, learning about dinosaurs, paleontology and fossils. Our program features three components:

1. Dino Dana – The Movie: We start our session by viewing Dino Dana – The Movie. This initiative, supported by the Canadian government, takes children on a prehistoric adventure. The 25-minute movie features Dana, a 10-year-old girl who goes on a mission to find out where all the kid dinos are.

2. Dinosaur bones – Mission excavation: Children are invited to become budding paleontologists as they explore our dinosaur bones foam set. Comprising 160 pieces, this open-ended play experience boasts infinite play opportunities while children “excavate” and assemble dinosaur bones to create existing or made-up species.

3. Fossil-making workshop: In our tough tray, children are invited to make their own creations with air-dry clay, be it fossil printing, creating clay dinosaurs or reimagining a dino landscape!

The plan is to deliver a day of youth band performances. QSHBA has 4 youth bands which perform separately and/or combined. Three of our members are also teaching in Brisbane area primary and secondary schools. The concert will be youth band specific involving our youth bands and, those from the schools in which we are also involved. Our youth bands have “Band Captains” who are always involved in the preparation for and, the delivery of, band concerts.

Intent is for it to be an open air, free to the public, concert at the “Manly Creative Markets” where we have already established a good working relationship.

The benefits of this location are:

Logistically accessible location,

QSHBA has already hosted many previous concerts at this location,

QSHBA has already established a good working relationship with the “markets” manager,

It is estimated that during the duration of the markets, the total public accessing this event is over a thousand,

When advertising the location of his event, the number of people who would its location, and how to get there, would be in the tens of thousands.

There is plenty of space for the band actually performing and, the bands involved in both the “Bump-in” and, the “bump-out” procedures,

Surveys show that up to 80% of children are travelling in an incorrectly install, fitted or adjusted car safety seat. Absolute Baby Rockhampton is passionate about improving family education on car safety seats and would like to offer free car safety seat checks to local families during Children’s Safety Week. A car safety seat needs to be installed correctly, adjusted to fit your child correctly AND checked every time you use it, because no one plans a car accident

In 2022 I was able to personally fund a limited number of free car safety seat checks (10 at a cost of $25 each). Of these, 100% required adjustment and the family was very appreciative of the guidance provided. The demand was significantly higher, however, and the grant would allow an additional 20 free car seat checks to be offered.

Over National Road Safety Week I was asked (paid) to check the car seats of families attending a few child care centres in the area, and of the 87 checked, only 4 were correctly installs, adjusted and fitted. That means 83 families needed some guidance on the way their children’s safety in the car could be improved. It’s not about guilt or blame! It’s about being thankful for safe trips so far, and accepting of advice and understanding that car seats are safety devices!

We are planning a dress up party to celebrate children’s week.

We will be hosting the party at our usual playgroup Monday the 23rd 9:00- 10:30 in the Yeppoon Community Centre. It will be a morning of fun allowing the children to dress up as their favourite animal, characters, or as they desire.

We will be making the right to be me portraits and also making Saftey Hands. I will be reading ‘The Right To Be Me’ story book to the children. We have a playground on site and various toys that will be available for the children play with as they choose.

Our primary focus will be on the right to health, water, food and a clean environment. We are planning on putting on a free healthy morning tea, or fruit, vegetables, dips and sandwiches.

We would love to use the grant finances to buy each child a ‘Kiddikutter’ knife which is a child safe knife that works (cutting carrots, fruit, mushrooms, various vegetables). This will help allow children to be involved in preparing healthy meals and snacks, to help encourage children to eat a wider variety of nutritious foods. These knifes are an assets to parent and children but come with a high price tag of $19.99 each, which is a lot of money for families. If finances allow we would also love to be able to offer toddler friendly cook books for parents to gain ideas and education on healthy eating.

We are a free playgroup relying on grands to continue to bless the community. We weekly have 10-20 families attend with multiple children per family.

On Monday Oct 23rd and Tuesday Oct 24th as part of Children’s Week, CHQ will host a unique research event at the “top of the stairs” entry to Queensland Children’s Hospital on level 2.

This event will include six fun and interactive activities for the whole family, and will give children, parents, and caregivers the opportunity to share experiences and perspectives on caring for children with a disability.

The idea behind this event is to learn more from children and families with lived experience of a disability. We want to hear from children and their families. The information we get from children and their families will be used to work out the key areas that we, as researchers and clinicians, need to focus on.

We are also keen to hear from anyone else who has ideas or perspectives that will help us improve the lives of children with disability and their families.  

This event is open to anyone who wishes to take part (voluntary).

We will be running two celebrations as we have two playgroup days throughout the week. Mondays and Friday 9.30am – 11.30am. We have come up with a few activities to promote Article 31 of the UNCRC

• Outdoor Playtime: Organize a session of outdoor play where children can run, jump, climb, and explore their surroundings.

• Art and Craft: Set up a creative space where children can engage in various art and craft activities, allowing them to express themselves.

• Storytelling: Arrange a storytelling session, either by reading to them or encouraging them to create and share their own stories. (Either Mitchelton library or Wendy Goodship

o Quiet Reading Corner: Set up a cozy corner with age-appropriate books for children to read quietly.

• Music and Dance: Organise a music and dance session where children can enjoy different types of music and express themselves through movement.

• Gardening: Involve children in gardening activities, allowing them to connect with nature and learn about plants and their growth.

• Puzzle Time: Set up puzzles that challenge children’s cognitive skills and problem-solving abilities.

• Picnic: Organise a picnic outing where children can relax, eat, and play outdoors.

• Building with Blocks or LEGO: Provide building blocks or LEGO sets for creative construction and imaginative play.

• Imaginary Play: Gather costumes and accessories for dress-up play, allowing children to explore different roles and characters.

Sam has a go!

Join Sam as they try their hand at three new activities during Children’s Week 2023! (Sam is the name of our huge 5-foot teddy bear)

Try your hand at three new activities during Children’s Week 2023!

This year celebrating Children’s Week 2023, Bianca QMech and our team, will be hosting four special activities!

Monday 23 October 2023 to Thursday 26th October 2023.

Animal Painting on Canvas! We will be exploring different medium to paint our favourite animal or pet during a 2-hour workshop. (10.30 am , 1.30 pm)

Introduction to Learn to play Happy Birthday on the Ukulele during a one and a half hour workshop for all ages! (12. pm)

Milestone Moments – Journaling for all ages! (4 pm and 6.30 pm)

Friday 27th October 2023.

Art on Tee’s ! A fun interactive activity for all skill levels. This is a two-hour workshop for all ages. (10.30 am, 1.30 pm and 6.30 pm)

Introduction to play Happy Birthday OR Twinkle Twinkle Little Star on the keyboard! A one and a half hour workshop. (12 pm)

Saturday 28th October 2023.

Papercraft – using technology to make paper planes and other paper mechanical toys! Competition time as well! This is a fun all ages interactive workshop that will take 1.5 hours.

It is a popular papercraft activity that always has great reviews for our private group activities and celebrations.

With Anti-Poverty Week and Children’s Week both falling in October, NAPCAN is taking a look at the important overlap between the themes of the two weeks: child poverty and play.

This fresh conversation will build on what we already know… that:
– activities like outdoor play, organised sport, dance and drama outside of school are good for the future health of all children
– the benefits are greatest for young people who commonly have least access to these activities (ie from lower-income families)
– our policies have the power to remove many of the barriers that lock people out of opportunities to play and participate
– fantastic local examples are providing insight into simple smart investments that are creating fairer, more protective communities for children.

We’ll hear from passionate researchers and advocates on the topic:
– Dr Alex O’Donnell from the University of Tasmania will share his research about how extracurricular activities benefit children and young people, including new research about impacts on mental health
– Sally Weir from the Department of Territory Families, Housing and Communities, Northern Territory Government and Rachel Fosdick, the Board Secretary and Founder of Palmerston and Regional Basketball Association, will talk about the Palmerston Youth Activities Programs and the benefits that are being seen when young people are connected to activities in fair and equal ways.
– Hyahno Moser founder of the Australian Institute of Play, will share his decades of experience promoting access to outdoor neighbourhood play including in organisations such as Nature Play and Logan Together, Qld.

This will be an engaging conversation for anyone who works with children or youth, or who is interested in creating smart evidence-based policies (including at federal, state, local levels) to give every child in every community a fair go.
Register here – https://napcan-org-au.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_14gCPEs-T0CZ8P99M2u5Ew

Monday 23 October 2023
2pm AESD
1pm AEST
12.30pm NT

Project for Autism Empowerment (PAE): Grant Application

The Project for Autism Empowerment (PAE) seeks to create an inclusive environment that boosts the self-esteem, social skills, and overall well-being of children with autism. We are seeking funding to implement a unique approach that utilizes lanyards, badges, and autism-specific tools to achieve our objectives. This project aims to empower children by giving them sensory-friendly tools and social cues, thereby facilitating improved interaction and self-advocacy.

Rationale and Objectives – Children with autism often face challenges in initiating and sustaining social interactions, coping with sensory sensitivities, and adapting to new routines. PAE is designed to address these challenges through empowerment strategies. The primary objectives are:

1. To improve social interaction among children with autism.

2. To alleviate sensory sensitivities.

3. To enhance self-advocacy skills.

Budget Allocation – The grant will be allocated as follows:

• Lanyards and Badges: 30%

• Autism-Appropriate Items: 50%

• Workshops and Training: 15%

• Evaluation Metrics: 5%

Lanyards and Badges – Lanyards and badges serve as identification markers that double as social tools. Designed to be colorful and tactile, these badges will carry not only the name of the child but also specific interests and skills. These conversation starters are intended to make social interaction less intimidating. The lanyards will be made from sensory-friendly materials, taking into consideration tactile sensitivities.

Autism-Appropriate Items – Significant funds will be used for acquiring autism-specific tools such as weighted blankets, noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools, and visual schedules. These items aim to help children manage sensory sensitivities and promote a sense of routine and stability.

Empowerment Strategies – Children will be encouraged to choose their own lanyards, badges, and additional sensory tools. This self-directed approach will not only cater to individual needs but also promote decision-making skills. Through workshops and group activities, children will learn the effective use of these tools.

Evaluation Metrics – The effectiveness of PAE will be assessed through a combination of qualitative and quantitative metrics, including parent and caregiver surveys and behavioral assessments.

Ethical Considerations – Given the grant limitations, PAE will implement a fair selection process to ensure that resources are allocated judiciously to beneficiaries who would significantly benefit from this initiative.

Celebrating over 3 days, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday 9am-11am YMCA Springfield Lakes Community Centre will open up our playgroup to the whole of the Greater Springfield Region for a free session of playgroup where children can relax, play and be together! Our Playgroup for the week will focus on fostering positive social interactions, helping children develop essential social skills and build relationships that extend beyond the center.

Our Playgroup will run for 2 hours for children 0-5 and their families.

9am-10am Free play, activates based on fine motor skills, social skills, building relationships through messy play, colours, sorting etc.

10am Free healthy eating morning tea

10.15am-10.45am Craft activity – Make a wall collage on Children’s rights to be displayed in the community center foyer

10.45-11am Story time and songs

We wish to host an event at Pademelons Playtime for children and their families to celebrate the rights of children to enjoy childhood. Thanks to previous grants over the years we have hired a jumping castle, purchased lollie bags from the local sweet shop and had a face painter.

The Children’s Week National Theme for 2023 is based on UNCRC Article 31: Children have the right to relax, play and take part in activities they enjoy. We would like to replicate all aspects of this theme at our event. This would include setting up outside games and mini stalls such as a fruit salad stall, hire a pop corn maker, and a DIY ice cream sundae stall where children could create their own delicious masterpiece w sprinkles, wafers and sauce (children normally bring their own morning tea so this would be a special treat).

Buai Mudh (Family House/Home) Thursday Island Neighborhood and Community Centre are partnering with Mura Moegi Kaziw Sagulau Playgroup (MMKS) and inviting families from within the Thursday Island Community to join in celebrating 2023 Children Week. The Community Centre and MMKS Program fall under the Mura Kosker Sorority NGO. We look after the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Portfolio throughout the Torres Strait region.
Family Fun Day at the Community Centre will involve Face Painting, Arts and Crafts, Gardening Stations, Story and Toy Stations as well as a yarning circle with parents and older children on the day.
Yarning circle topics to be around culturally safe conversations around Childrens Rights in QLD, Australia and Abroad. We also hope to receive feedback on what children know about their rights and how we can help improve awareness and education in the Torres Strait. Light catering will also be provided,

Play2Learn is a parent led attachment initiative run by 54 Reasons. It delivers support to both parents and children through the use of differing play styles to assist in identifying and developing milestones for children between the ages of 0 and 5. This program uses a multitude of developmental areas for children including cognitive, fine motor skill, gross motor skill and sensory engagement as well as promoting healthy lifestyle through the provision of morning tea and reading/song/dance time.

The delivery of the project is conducted by both parent and children together with staff supervision present and guidance given to parents if needed however is parent and child driven through collaboration.

A party to celebrate all children in the community, Children’s Week, and Play Matters 50th birthday in an inclusive fun space. The party will be an opportunity for children and families to meet others in the community, to dress up, engage in a Play Connect + Sing and Grow Music Session, take part in activities provided by Play Matters community playgroups, Play Matters Active Inclusion team, and Down Syndrome Queensland. All the activities will engage the imagination, and celebrate inclusivity. The event will be set up as a party with a children’s entertainer doing face paint, balloon twisting, There will also be a quiet space for children and families to rest and restore. The Inclusion party will also provide families with information about the inclusive playgroups that are available to them and information on Children’s Rights. The inclusion dress up party will aim to provide this feeling – “Diversity is being invited to the party: inclusion is being asked to dance.” Verna Myers

To celebrate Children’s Week 2023

Prospect (Family & Youth Support Team) will host a Teddy Bear’s Picnic at Lissner Park Charters Towers

The event is an opportunity to promote children’s rights and engage with local families.

Activities will encourage and promote awareness of the needs, rights and achievements of children.

Prospect’s Mission is – To engage with people and community, providing support, building capacity and relationships to create lasting solutions.

We aim to engage, empower and support our young people and encourage them to relax, play and take part in activities they enjoy.

EVENT DATE & TIME

Wednesday 25th October, 10:00am to 12:00pm

INVOLVEMENT

Invitations will be sent to all the Schools, Playgroups and Childcare Centres – we anticipate over 200 in attendance (Children and carers/parents)

We will also promote the event to the general public

We will also have health Providers and local Services trade stalls, Music, games, activities and more.

PROMOTION (Paid for by Prospect)

Via Email, Social Media, Posters and Radio Ads

FREE COMMUNITY EVENT – Morning Tea provided by Prospect

$500 Grant will provide resources for activities and hire of tables & Chairs

We will be hosting a Sensory Play Playgroup for children in our community at the Cairns Esplanade. Our playgroup will offer a variety of activities that allow children to explore their senses and engage in messy and sensory play. All activities will be suitable for children of all abilities, creating a safe and interactive space for them to stimulate their creativity and engage in meaningful play.

Our goal is to provide a unique and enriching experience through play, which will help children improve their social skills, communication, and emotional regulation, as well as promote the rights of the children. The playgroup will be facilitated by our experienced Play Matters play experts, who specialize in working with children of all abilities.

Leading up to the event, we will gather input from the children and their families to ensure that we provide activities that they will enjoy. We hope to provide a fun and educational experience for all children who attend.

Buai Mudh (Family House/Home) Thursday Island Neighborhood and Community Centre are partnering with Mura Moegi Kaziw Sagulau Playgroup (MMKS) and inviting families from within the Horn Island Community to join in celebrating 2023 Children Week. The Community Centre and MMKS Program fall under the Mura Kosker Sorority NGO. We look after the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Portfolio throughout the Torres Strait region.
Family Fun Day on Hammond Island will involve Face Painting, Arts and Crafts, Gardening Stations, Story and Toy Stations as well as a yarning circle with parents and older children on the day.
Yarning circle topics to be around culturally safe conversations around Childrens Rights in QLD, Australia and Abroad. We also hope to receive feedback on what children know about their rights and how we can help improve awareness and education in the Torres Strait.
Light catering will also be provided,

Gladstone South Swimming Club (GSSC) aim to host an event that will bring community awareness to children’s rights and children’s week 2023.

GSSC has a community made up of 250+ children (learn to swim and squad members) with ages ranging from 3 through to 17-year-olds. Our weekly club nights are held every Wednesday and approximately 100+ participants and their families gather at our small club to compete and cheer each other on. It would be an amazing opportunity to incorporate a celebration alongside one of our club nights. A simple, yet effective event to raise awareness of the significance of children’s rights. A matter that s close to our hearts!

The proposal is to gather the children throughout the night and have our volunteers deliver an age-appropriate talk and raffle off some prizes which will ultimately get the children engaged and excited. Finishing off the celebration with a slab cake for all children and their families to enjoy. The senior swimmers would also be excited to assist with the running of the night. Rights

Curious Me are a private company that occupy almost an acre of semi-rural residential property, this space has purposefully been created for children to experience high quality play; play that is unadulterated, child led and intrinsically motivated. Our play paradise is outdoors and based in nature, where children are provided with complete agency to enjoy large loose parts, push their bodies, participate in appropriate levels of risk taking, get dirty and experience childhood the way it should be. Ultimately, just play. Curious Me’s primary offering is commercial and paid, that being we strongly advocate for and believe access to quality play and play places should be free. We often partner with local services to fund community events and have provided 10+ in kind session this year. On successful application of this grant, we would be able open our space to the community, appropriately staffed by our playwork team, and for the first time – this could be free!

Buai Mudh (Family House/Home) Thursday Island Neighborhood and Community Centre are partnering with Mura Moegi Kaziw Sagulau Playgroup (MMKS) and inviting families from within the Thursday Island Community to join in celebrating 2023 Children Week. The Community Centre and MMKS Program fall under the Mura Kosker Sorority NGO. We look after the Social and Emotional Wellbeing Portfolio throughout the Torres Strait region.
Family Fun Day at the Community Centre will involve Face Painting, Arts and Crafts, Gardening Stations, Story and Toy Stations as well as a yarning circle with parents and older children on the day.
Yarning circle topics to be around culturally safe conversations around Childrens Rights in QLD, Australia and Abroad. We also hope to receive feedback on what children know about their rights and how we can help improve awareness and education in the Torres Strait. Light catering will also be provided,

The children of Sparrow Early Learning Sandstone Point are all unique and special in their own way. They are making new discoveries about themselves each day as they learn who they are, what makes them special, worthy and loved. The children love to showcase their unique characteristics and use their creative skills to share their achievements with their families and our wider community through photography, stories, painting and other art mediums that they enjoy. We would love to hold an event that celebrates them and invite families and communities in to share in this with entertainment and meals to share.

In collaboration with the community mums group, community family group and community business hub, we are going to run a family event within our local community. This event will be free for the community and involve sign and sing sessions for the children, free resources and free activities. The mums group, family group and business hub will provide activities and resources and as Sunshine Sign and Sing we will provide free song and sign sessions and would like the funds to be able to provide free Key Word Sign resources for all the families and provide some free refreshments. Within the community we have 3 schools, Primary, Secondary and Special school so have a large mixture of diversity within the children of our community.

Children’s week planting can also be an opportunity to raise awareness about how valuable trees are. Children may not appreciate that they provide shade, enhance biodiversity and maintain the integrity of the land; that they reduce our air conditioning costs and noise pollution, not to mention helping to combat global warming. Yet we habitually abuse them, by paving or building roads over their natural habitats, improperly pruning them, driving over their roots with heavy tractors and poisoning them with fertilisers and other inorganic products.
Children week planting small trees is an opportunity to raise such awareness and remember the debt we owe to trees. Sharing and celebrating this day with children can help to build their sense of responsibility and duty of care to this most precious of our fellow species. So, if you work with children, find out from the link below when Arbor Day falls in your own country and plan to celebrate it with them; by planting a tree or trees – not just for today, but for tomorrow – and help children to discover them anew

Friday Night Free Community Youth Event 6pm-8.30pm

BBQ, Football, Social Hangout, Soft drinks, Game Quiz from ‘Children’s Rights Teacher Guide’

in Rotary Park Ingham

Table with Posters from ‘Children’s Rights QLD.org.au and local contacts for Community Hub

(Pastor Daniel from our church will be present, & couple of Leaders including myself to hangout & talk with Youth- we all have Current Blue Cards).

(We already run a weekly Friday Night Free Multicultural Community Youth Program- providing free dinner, dessert & games, with high number of Aboriginal children- welcome to view our Facebook Cross Culture Youth Facebook Page).