Babywearers Set up your own Teddy Bear’s Picnic what a surprise for your little one when they stumble upon a real teddy bears’ picnic! Steam Train Adventures ‘toot, toot!’ bringing to life your little one’s storybook train friends. get wrapped up in the tradition FREE Issue 2, 2012 parenting in central victoria
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Transcript
Babywearers
Set up your own Teddy Bear’s Picnic
what a surprise for your little one when they stumble upon a real
teddy bears’ picnic!
Steam Train Adventures‘toot, toot!’ bringing to life your little
one’s storybook train friends.
get wrapped up in the tradition
FREE Issue 2, 2012 parenting in central victoria
2
Meet The Team
Motivated Mum – Ren Doyle And
Natural Rascals
My Little Monster & In The Toolbox
Out And About – Steam Train Adventures
Shop – My Little Room
A New Little Local – Olivia Louise Kelley
Meeting Up – Sharing The Babywearing Flair
Your Story – Linking Up Online
Fashion – Retro Wears
Story Time – Alison Lester’s Romping Reads
Eating Out – Klua Sathorn
Special – Today’s The Day The Teddy Bears
Have Their Picnic!
Health And Wellbeing – My Pelvic What??
Little Green Thumbs – In The Autumn Garden
Your Story – Camping Is Cool
Make – Warming Colours For Cooler Days
Little Foodies – Yummy Tummy Warmers
Contents
6
8
10
12
15
16
18
20
22
26
27
28
30
32
34
36
39
4 5
Editorial
It has certainly been a busy season for the
Little Locals team since the first issue came out!
Thank-you so very much for the excited and sup-
portive feedback we have received from busi-
nesses and parents alike! It was great to hear
from you.
Last December, just after the first issue was
released, we were very grateful to receive a
Community Assistance Grant from the Bendigo
Council, which has allowed us to purchase a
good quality camera and some software to help
in the production of the magazine. It has also
been exciting to have our team joined by some
additional people, and we hope you enjoy the
changes these new team members and the
council-funded equipment have brought to
the mag.
We have continued to receive invaluable
encouragement and support from Women’s
Health Loddon Mallee, who have been so kind
to us all. Please pop into the centre on Myer St,
and say hello to them!
We have thoroughly enjoyed compiling this
issue, with lots of exciting articles and ideas
coming together to make a great celebration
of the autumn and winter seasons in our area.
We have particularly loved receiving contribu-
tions from parents who wish to share their stories
and experiences. Please keep the input coming!
Flick through to read about camping in the area
with little ones, to gain some creative and warm
craft ideas, to be inspired to create your very own
teddy-bear’s picnic, and much, much more.
Happy reading,
The Little Locals Team
WELCOME...Please get in touch with us, we’d love to
‘Shiboril Shrug’ by Oishi-m, $49.95from Milt and Joe,
374 Hargreaves St, Bendigo,
www.miltandjoe.com.au
‘Autumn Skirt’, $1
from Vision Australia Op Shop,
3 Wills St, Bendigo, 5445 5700
‘Stella Skinny Jean’ by Oishi-m, $59.95 from Milt and Joe,
374 Hargreaves St, Bendigo,
www.miltandjoe.com.au
‘Striped T’ by Tiny Minymo Kidzone, $15 from Bendigo Kidz Biz, Shop 47 Strath
Village, Strathdale, 5444 0864
24 25
Klua Sathorn
Eating Out
Words and photography by Emily O’Brien
Where: 32 Johnstone Street, Castlemaine
When : Open six nights a week from Monday to Saturday, 5pm – 9pm
What : Thai restaurant, Dine in, Take away, Functions
With : Play area, High chairs, Children’s menu
Set in the charming town of Castlemaine, Klua Sathorn is an authentic and family friendly Thai restaurant.
The cosy, historic building creates the perfect setting for a nice family night out. Split into several rooms, the restaurant caters for different dining experiences from group dining to din-ing with the little ones.
A family dining room makes this restaurant stand out as a great place to take the kids. The room is set aside for families, which means you don’t need to stress about the little ones disturbing other guests.
It is complete with a play corner full of books, toys, and a rug to chill out on, so the kids will be able to keep themselves busy while you enjoy the dining experience.
The menu caters for everyone, with a choice of five levels of hotness as well as gluten free and vegetarian options. A kids’ menu ensures that the little ones are happy, and with a variety of Thai-inspired dishes it is a refreshing change from the typical chicken nuggets and chips found on most kids’ menus.
Nice fresh food, a well-set-up venue, and a beautiful building make for a great dining experience, but it is the friendly staff that really tops it off. The staff were quick to welcome us and make sure my son was happy, bringing him toys and even singing him songs. It is easy to tell that the owners really do have a special place in their hearts for children.
Story Time
For those of you who are wondering, ‘Are We
There Yet’ is the story of Lester’s own family’s
trip around Australia, adventurous, funny, warm,
heartfelt, and so easy to relate to if you have ever
travelled with children. It is a lovely book to own
with lots of information about Australia.
Are We There Yet?
Imagine a perfect beach where you can swim,
surf, splash, make sandcastles, explore, fish,
and build a bonfire under the stars…
With evocative rhyming text and gorgeous sun-
washed illustrations, Lester takes us there in the
blink of an eye and the turn of a page. This one
is my personal favorite, and is suitable for slightly
older children.
Magic Beach
A perfect ‘romping read’ for 2-5 year olds,
featuring the loveable Noni the pony who is
‘friendly and funny’ and loves ‘trotting and dancing’
her way around the farm with her best friends
Dave Dog and Coco the Cat. It boasts gentle,
rhythmical text without too many words,
and endearing illustrations from an author who
understands horses and farm life well.
Noni the Pony
The National Year of Reading will feature Alison
Lester’s picture book ‘Are we there yet?’,
with state and local competitions for great prizes,
and a national travelling exhibition of the art
works and props. It seems like serendipity to
review a few of the very talented Alison Lester’s
beautiful picture books.
It’s Australia’s inaugural National Year of Reading!
There will be lots of great things happening on a
national, state, and local level, so keep your eye
on the National Year of Reading website www.
love2read.org.au and that of Goldfields Library
Corporation www.ncgrl.vic.gov.au to stay informed.
Words by Tammy Higgs from the Goldfields Library Corporation
Alison Lester’s Romping Reads
26 27
With the winter weather not too far away,
what better way to celebrate the last of the warm
autumn days than with a teddy bears’ picnic!
All you need is a rug, some comfy cushions...
and lots of furry friends.
Begin by making a special invitation for your child.
Take a photo of your child’s favourite teddy or toy
and paste it on the back of an envelope.
Place a card inside with a special message invit-
ing your child along. Your little one will love the
idea that their teddy has sent them mail.
Keep the food simple by packing your child’s
usual lunch into a special lunch box. (For some
reason it tastes better when eaten outside and
out of something new.)
If you would like to include a special treat for
your child to enjoy after their lunch, why not
consider making some ‘Mars Bar Teddy Cars’.
Simply buy the bite-sized Mars Bar pieces and
stick Smarties on the sides for wheels with a bit
of melted chocolate.
Push Tiny Teddies into the top of the Mars Bars
and you will soon have a whole race track full of
teddies driving yummy cars.
Pick a shady spot in the garden and set
up the gathering of teddy bears before your
child arrives. This will encourage the fantasy
and make-believe world in your child’s mind.
Oh, what a surprise for your little one when they
stumble upon a real teddy bears’ picnic!
Special
Today’s the Day the Teddy Bears Have Their Picnic!Words by Sue Boniwell, Photography by
• Complete with a thickly padded 100% cotton inlay
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Health and Wellbeing
Most women won’t have heard the term
‘pelvic floor’ until they have given birth to
a baby. I know I didn’t. Up until that
stage it just worked, without question,
without prompting, and certainly without
exercising it!
Your pelvic floor muscle is quite often
forgotten when exercising. It’s certainly
not the first thing that gets put into a gym
workout! You probably won’t even think
of it until you run or jump, and then have
that horrible feeling of needing to go to the
toilet... and in a hurry!!
So what is your pelvic floor muscle
anyway? It’s part of the group of muscles
that contribute to your ‘core’ strength.
That’s right, your ‘core’ isn’t just your
abdominal area, it’s also your hips, pelvic
region, and lower back. That’s why the
most common reason for a weakened
pelvic floor is pregnancy and childbirth.
All that growing and stretching your body
does during pregnancy, and your baby
using your pelvic floor like a trampoline for
nine months, is sure to do it!
My Pelvic What??Words by Amy Holmes from Shake, Rattle and Stroll,
Photography by Heidi McIntosh
The good news is that pelvic floor weak-
ness is reversible. Because it’s a muscle
like any other in the body, it’s open to
strength training.
I have encountered women who are now
grandmothers and still have bladder leak-
age due to weakened pelvic muscles asso-
ciated with childbirth – so don’t waste any
time, get into pelvic floor exercises pronto!
To get started, lay on your back with your
knees raised and feet flat on the floor.
Breathe in, and on the breath out squeeze
your pelvic floor muscle and try to draw
it up towards your belly button (imagine
that you are trying to squeeze your pelvic
bones in towards each other). Try to hold
the muscle contraction for 3-5 seconds,
release, and repeat.
Take care, love life, and be healthy.
Amy
30 31
Little Green Thumbs
The Autumn GardenWords and photography by Rose Vincent
We are still enjoying the last of the summer
fruit and vegies: strawberries and melons;
corn, tomatoes, and zucchini. The autumn
harvest is eggplant, capsicum, rhubarb,
pears, figs, and many more.
As these crops finish, we will clear the
beds and plant out the winter produce
such as broccoli, brussels sprouts,
cabbage, kale, and snow peas.
Good soil is the basis of a good spring harvest.
Add plenty of cold manure, autumn leaves,
and straw, layered like a ‘lasagne’.
Water it and let it ‘cook’ while the weather
is still warm, then pop the seedlings
straight in and watch them grow.
I love that Bendigo has four distinct seasons,
autumn is my very favourite. The days are
beginning to cool and the plants (and the
mums!) seem to appreciate that.
It’s never too early to introduce baby
to the joy of being outside in the garden.
Watching the breeze in the trees may be
something a very little one can do from a
pram for some of their wake time.
It need be only a few moments, long
enough for mum or dad to water a few pots,
pluck some weeds, squash some grubs, or
maybe just sit in the garden and unwind. I
remember being caught by my midwife in
the vegie-patch, harvesting a cauliflower,
the day after our first child was born!
A round, plastic wash basin can become
a useful way of including a ‘not quite able
to sit up’ babe alongside you while working
in the garden.
I often plant quick-growing radish seeds in
the shape of a smiley face or a child’s initials.
They are ready to eat in no time at all.
It’s a good time of year to pop a bulb in a
pot and watch it grow. I am always glad in
the middle of winter to have some bright,
happy blooms.
To help children notice the change in
seasons, we collect seed-pods and differet
shaped leaves for our nature table.
Talk lots about autumn: plants and trees
sleeping above the ground during the cold
weather, but lots of work happening under-
ground their imaginations will love it!
It’s a good time of year to build a scare-
crow together. The children at Havilah Rd
Preschool have A4 laminated photos of
their faces under the straw hats. They are
very cute!
For those with limited space, plants can
grow in pots and gumboots and plates on
window sills and balconies.
Community gardens are a fabulous way
to get involved in your neighbourhood.
Through the gardens we have been part
of we have met other families, older neigh-
bours, university students, and refugees,
and we have made wonderful friends.
Bendigo has a growing number of vibrant
community gardens, which are great places
to share gardening tips, recipes, and life.
What a lovely way to inspire our children to
be tomorrow’s gardeners.
32 33
Teddington Reservoir is in the St. Arnaud Range
National Park, just a very short drive (or slightly
longer bike ride with two boys in a bike trailer)
from Stuart Mill, near St. Arnaud. Google ‘Parks
Victoria’ for excellent information about where to
camp right across Victoria.
With the backdrop of the reservoir (if you closed
your eyes it could be anywhere in the world an
exotic lake perhaps), and gum trees with a blanket
of yellow paper daisies underneath, the location
for an entirely outdoorsy experience was perfect.
We took off after the regular Friday swimming
lessons for both boys in Bendigo, and travelled
directly to Teddington. Only one hour or so, both
boys asleep, easy.
One camper trailer. One ute. Some clothes,
some books, toy trains, some bikes and a bike
trailer.
Food and drinks. Two adults. Two children under
four. No power, no TV, no showers, no heating, no
cooling apart from what nature provided. Perfect.
It seemed like a great idea to go camping with
our two young boys… and it was!
Fortunately selecting a gloriously sunny weekend
sandwiched between two other wet and windy
ones, we certainly experienced the best of what
Teddington Reservoir had to offer.
Words by Sarah Cody, Photography by 4 year old
Sachin Cody
Camping is Cool
Your Story
you don’t have to travel
long distances to find
great places to stay.
the paper daisies; riding in the bike trailer; rolling
toy trains over tree trunks; riding a balance bike
around the campsite; ‘helping’ set the annexe
up/use tools/make a fire; playing with new friends;
using the tent as a personal cubby; taking countless
photos of the adventure; enjoying the peace and
quiet; being disconnected from the world; having
a chance to reconnect with nature; enjoying time
with your children free from distractions; and
creating precious memories.
Apart from the initial set up, our weekend away
cost only our petrol money. Caravan parks only
charge a small fee for a site, making camping an
affordable holiday, and you don’t have to travel
long distances to find great places to stay.
On arrival, it took one flip of the camper trailer
canvas and we had a tent. Another hour and the
annexe was up. A little setting up, a walkto check
out the water, then back to light a fire (just be-
cause) and cook a barbecue for tea. Lovely.
On a short stroll to the single, basic toilet block,
we met a family of five, including a nine month old,
on their third camping adventure (a camper
trailer, too).
They were from Avoca, but found it easy to
feel transported even though they were only half
an hour from home. The kids connected while
we chatted, as kids do, and the bush was their
playground till dusk.
Our second day was relaxed – no deadlines,
no routine. It’s amazing how easy it is to fill in
a day without the things we THINK we need to
keep occupied. Before we knew it, it was Sunday,
and time to return to Bendigo.
The cool things to do while camping, wherever
and whoever you are, include: playing with sticks;
digging in holes; running under logs and through
It’s amazing how
easy it is to fill in a
day without the things
we think we need to
keep occupied.
34 35
Words and Photography by Gemma French and
Heidi McIntosh
Warming Colours for Colder Days
Make
You will need:
- A selection of colourful autumn leaves
- Scissors
- Clear contact paper
Autumn is a great time to get out and about with your little ones. Why not take a walk and explore the beauty of this colourful season, collecting leaves of all shapes and sizes along the way.
Stained Glass Autumn Leaf WindowsThese stained glass autumn leaf windows are
a great way to make use of all the unique leaves you have collected.
To make these stained glass autumn leaf windows, place autumn leaves face down on the sticky side of clear contact paper. Then simply stick the contact paper directly to a window.
It’s an easy activity to do with kids, and a great way to instantly bring all the colours of autumn right into your home.
You will need:
- A plastic or glass jar with no label
- Rice
- Food dye
- Paper and pen
- Packing tape
- A jumbled collection of small things found around the house and outside
This is a cozy inside or car game for the kids, as well as a fun creation to assemble.
With vibrantly coloured rice, it complements the autumn atmosphere and gives a good excuse for a scavenger hunt!
A Jar of I SpyIn a plastic bag, add food colouring to rice.
Twist to secure, and rotate the rice within the bag to allow the colouring to penetrate the rice. Lay outside on trays to dry.
Meanwhile, go on a scavenger hunt with your children throughout your home and outside in nature to collect a variety of small items that can be included in the game. We used about twenty.
Alternate layering the rice and the collected items in the jar so as to ‘hide’ the items as the jar fills. Do not completely fill to the top, to allow space for the rice and items to move around.
Write out the list of items ‘hidden’ in the jar on a piece of paper and tape it to the top of the jar, simultaneously securing the jar shut. Now twist and turn the jar and see how many items you can spy!
36 37
Little Foodies
Try these tasty recipes with your children;
ours have loved them! Then send us your own
children’s favourites, and include a photo,
for a chance to receive a Kiddies Food Kutter,
a clever little knife that cuts food and not fin-
gers to encourage your little one in the kitchen!
Yummy TummyWarmers
Ingredients:
- 300g diced bacon
- 2 leeks
- 2 chillies or to taste
- 300g mushrooms chopped
- 10 medium potatoes
- ½ cauliflower
- 60g butter
- 1 litre chicken stock
- parmesan chees
- parsley
Winter White Soup
Fry the mushrooms and chilli in a little oil and set
aside. Quarter and finely slice the leeks and sauté in the
butter in a heavy-based large saucepan until cooked.
Add in 200g of the bacon and continue to fry until well
cooked. Add in fried mushrooms and chilli, peeled and
quartered potatoes, chicken stock, and cauliflower cut
into chunks. Put lid on saucepan and bring to boil over
a medium heat. Turn heat back and allow to simmer for
approx. ½ hour or until all vegies are well cooked.
Blend the cooked soup to form a nice puree and serve
topped with the remainder of the bacon, fried, as well
as parmesan shavings and parsley.
Ingredients:
- 2 eggs, slightly beaten
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- ½ cup canola oil
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 ½ cups shredded carrot
- 1 cup shredded zucchini
- ½ cup chopped dates
- 1 cup plain flour
- ½ cup wholemeal flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp baking soda
Carrot and Zucchini Slice
Preheat oven to 180 ˚C . In a large bowl, whisk
together the eggs, brown sugar, oil, honey, and vanilla.
(Don’t worry about clumps of the brown sugar;
they will dissolve as it sits while you prepare the
remaining ingredients.) Then fold in the carrot,
zucchini, and dates. In another bowl combine the flour,
baking powder, ginger, and baking soda. Whisk to blend
together. Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture.
Stir until just combined. Spread batter into an
ungreased 30x20x5cm baking pan. Bake about 25 min,
or until a toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean.
Cool completely in pan on a wire rack.
You will need:
- An assortment of unwanted sheets, clothes,
and fabrics.
Creating a new play-thing from old rags is so
satisfying! And the simple wrapping required in
making this ball will be a good inside task for
your child to enjoy on a cooler day.
Simply rip and tear up your old fabrics into
strips roughly 5cm wide. Old sheets work partic-
ularly well as long lengths of fabrics are achieved.
Then, start wrapping!
At first your ‘ball’ will look more like an oddly-
shaped lump, but don’t give up! Allow the fabric
to scrunch together as you roll, as this will make
your ball look more spherical, make your ball
grow more quickly, and ultimately give it a
softer feel.
Rag Ball
Make - continued
When you get to the end of your fabric length,
make a button-hole slit in the end of your current
length, and feed the end of the new length firstly
through this button-hole slit and then through
a similar slit made at the other end of the new
fabric piece. Pull the new fabric length tight
through both slits, and a flat tie will be achieved
without the bulkiness of a knot. (Or you could just
tie a knot!)
Keep going until you achieve the size you want,
and then weave the end multiple times into the
ball to make it secure.
Make several smaller-sized balls as juggling
balls, or a larger one for littler hands to play with!