Jolly Christmas Crafts
Christmas is right around the corner and it is time to embrace the festive spirit of the season. We have gathered a complete Santa’s list of Christmas crafts to do with your little ones.
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Free holiday fun for all ages
The two-week September school holidays are here! This is a good time for you and your Pyjama child to get crafty, creative and learn outdoors without homework hindering your visit.
The holidays is an awesome opportunity to extend your visits and perhaps have a change of scenery. This is a wonderful way to build your relationship with your Pyjama Child but please remember the restrictions and key policies which you would have learnt about in your Pyjama Angel training.
Here are some free events happening in our regions during the September school holidays. This may provide some inspiration for potential activities or a fun day out. You may even be able to assist your carer in taking the whole family out for a free and fun-filled day!
The State Library of Queensland is hosting a one-day event these school holidays, to celebrate art, science, learning, play and adventure. The day offers children with an interest in scientific mysteries and art, to participate in experiments and games. This would be a perfect opportunity for Pyjama children to explore their interests or even show off their science skills!
For: Any age
Where: The Edge, State Library of Queensland
When: 10:00am to 3:00pm | Saturday 6 October 2018
The Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens has designed a self-guided scavenger hunt, for those children interested in exploring nature. The Gardens provides an activity sheet to guide children around the gardens, encouraging them to find locate and explore the local flora and fauna. This scavenger hunt gives our Pyjama children the opportunity to explore nature!
Find the Botanic Gardens Scavenger Hunt Map here or collect from the Gardens Administration.
Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens are also providing 20 other free self-guided activities in the Gardens. There is an online passport that can be downloaded from here or collected from the Gardens Administration.
For: Any age
Where: Mackay Regional Botanic Gardens
When: 22-29 September
Has your Pyjama child expressed the interest in learning a new skill? The Pier is running 45-minute how-to knit sessions for children. These free lessons are designed to expand their creativity, concentration and coordination skills.
For: Any age
Where: The Pier
When: 10:00am – 1:30pm | 25 – 28th September, 2 – 5 October
The National Gallery of Victoria is currently running an interactive exhibit for children, to explore the sights and sounds of New York! The exhibit is a great opportunity for our Pyjama children to learn about New York, through interactive displays, multimedia projections and hands-on activities.
For: All Ages
Where: National Gallery of Victoria
When: 10:30am – 12:30pm | 2nd October
The Gladstone Regional Libraries is holding a range of educational activities at libraries across the region these September holidays. If your Pyjama child has a special interest in technology or robotics, the libraries are holding sessions for children to learn the basics of coding and robot play. They are also providing craft activities, including tie dying.
For: Children 10 and over (Tie Dye Fun & Coding), All ages (Craft & Robot Play)
Where: Gladstone City Library
When: 24th September – 4th October
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As a part of their KRANK program, The Logan City Council are holding many school holiday events, including a cooking class. This free event will let you and your Pyjama child master a new skill in the kitchen, while preparing and cooking new foods together. The Logan City council are also offering other events, such as Zumba and hip-hop classes.
For: 5 – 11 years
Where: Kingston East Neighbourhood Centre
When: 10am – 11am | 4th October
The State Library of New South Wales has recently opened their new Learning Centre and are holding a range of activities for children. These activities focus on building and construction giving children the opportunity to help the library create a cardboard city. Children can build and create a pop-up house!
For: All Ages
Where: State Library of New South Wales
When: 10am – 3pm | 8 October – 12 October
Surfers Paradise is holding their annual Kids Week. This year the event is dinosaur themed and will showcase daily live shows from 1pm. This event also gives our Pyjama children the opportunity to meet rangers and their animatronic dinosaurs, as well as learn all there is to know about dinosaurs!
For: All Ages
Where: State Library of New South Wales
When: 29th September – 5th October
The City of Townsville is holding two different Lego activities during the school holidays. These activities will give our creative Pyjama children the opportunity to construct a building with Lego and turn it into a robot! Through technology, the children will be able to program their robot to do exactly what they tell it to do.
For: 7+ years
Where: CityLibraries Thuringowa Central
When: 2pm – 4:30pm | 25th September & 4th October
Ipswich Art Gallery is running a workshop for children to create shadow puppets. The workshop let’s children transform their puppet design into a moveable creation made of pipe cleaners, paper, ribbon and a range of craft materials.
For: 4+ years
Where: Ipswich Art Gallery
When: 10am – 5pm | 11nd September – 11th October
Five educational ideas to bust boredom these school holidays
Let’s be frank, we all dread the phrase “I’m booored”, especially during school holidays! With 2 weeks of the school break, the boredom can quickly seep in if your children are not ‘entertained’.
We have put together 5 boredom-busting educational activities ideas you could get your kids involved with during the school holidays that won’t break the bank!
- Visit your local Museum or Art Gallery
Visiting Museums and Art Galleries is always a great family outing and is the perfectly opportunity to spend time together having fun learning, exploring and seeing any new exciting exhibitions on display. - Volunteer or teach your kids about giving
Demonstrate an example of the gift of giving and show them how giving back to the community makes a huge difference. You could visit a nursing home and read books to the older adults. You could donate non-perishable food to the Salvos, or donate clothing to Vinnies! - Reading and writing
You could make reading and writing a whole lot of fun on the holidays. You can sit down with your kids and write your own story books! Using just a few pages of paper, and some colouring pencils, allow their imaginations to go wild as you plan, write and draw together! You could also get the children to photograph items around the house which you could print out and add to the book! Children love when they are a ‘part’ of a story so you could create something personal and something they’ll really enjoy. Once the book is complete, have a reading night with the family where the kids can show off their work! - Catch the train or ferry for day trips
Most children squeal at the idea of a bus, train for ferry ride. You could take the opportunity to take the kids to any destination of your choosing – whether it is the park, museum, art gallery, science centre or even your local shopping centre! Be sure to check out timetables for public transport when planning your trip. - Cooking at home together
Cooking together allows you to spend quality time with the kids while allowing them to learn cooking techniques and methods. Here are our favourite recipes that will surely keep both their hands and brains busy!
Popcorn chicken:
- 3-4 cups vegetable oil
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 cup white flour
- 2 tsp Cajun seasoning
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 boneless chicken breasts
Method
- Cut the chicken breasts into small chunks.
- Sift the flour and mix in the salt and cajun seasoning.
- Dip the chicken in the egg then generously coat in the flour mixture.
- Heat the oil in a pan. Drop a few drops of batter into the oil and if it sizzles and fries it is ready.
- Add chicken to the oil in small batches and turn over to make sure both sides are cooked evenly.
- Remove and drain on kitchen paper when golden. Leave to drain a moment or two so the chicken is crunchy. Sprinkle salt after to taste.
Three-Ingredient Nutella Brownies:
- 1 ¼ cup of Nutella
- 2 Large eggs
- ½ Cup of all-purpose flour
Method:
- Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 20cm x 20cm metal baking pan. Add all the ingredients into a large bowl and mix until the batter is smooth. Pour into the baking pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake for about 15 minutes until toothpick inserted comes our clean.
- Be careful not to make it for too long, as the brownies will dry out.
- Let the brownies cool and set before cutting and serving.
Give foster children the gift of reading and writing these school holidays. Donate or become a Pyjama Angel today at www.thepyjamafoundation.com
