Consultative, considered, and unapologetic: How we need to go about designing spaces for girls
For about the last year or so, I have been watching as local councils and state government announce one new pump track after another. Some […]
Play: A cost-free alternative to organised sport
A few years ago, I attended a talk by our previous CEO, Griff Longley. I remember Griff explaining to the audience that Australia had some […]
Dads and Daughters: Talk, walk and connect
As a society, we have come to understand the unquestionable value of kids having a positive, engaged dad or dad figure in their life. When […]
Tree planting and Play Forests – Soothing kids’ eco-anxiety
Like adults, kids care deeply about the things and people that they love. For the animal and nature lovers out there (of which there are […]
Nature, the best playground
I recently had the opportunity to provide a keynote presentation to a large audience of early years educators. Amidst my talk which covered the physical, […]
Free play and independence key to children’s wellbeing
Every week I see different research articles highlighting the benefits of nature and unstructured play for children. At times I wonder if there is indeed […]
Loud kids are happy kids
I have a theory that loud kids are happy kids. While it’s not applicable to all situations, it tends to work. For example, birthday parties […]
The most everything time of the year
Last month I wrote about the importance of finding pockets of time in our kids’ lives for rest and relaxation. Writing that piece in the […]
14 Best Swimming Spots (That Aren’t a Beach!)
The heat is here! You know, that time of the year when you break out into an instant full body sweat the moment you step […]
Play, relaxation and participation – the right of every child
I love the idea of Children’s Week. It is a national celebration of children’s rights, talents and citizenship, held in the last week of October […]
Making space, and designing public spaces, for girls
Like many Australians, I fell completely and utterly in love with the Matildas during the World Cup. As a little girl who loved cricket and […]
Adults, let the play be free
I recently read some research from the UK that examined children’s play and generational differences in how play is viewed and valued. Like all things, […]