Material Encounters: Ideas for Mark-making and Drawing
By Dr. Gai Lindsay, University of Wollongong When we value children as citizens with the right to experience “cultural and artistic life,” (Article 31, UNCRC) we will intentionally support them to engage in playful meaning-making, communication and self-expression through the arts. This requires that we provide children with quality visual arts materials that will make expressive and […]
Learning, Connecting and Communicating Through Art: The Radical Idea of Art as a Visual Language
By Dr. Gai Lindsay – University of Wollongong “All people – and I mean scholars, researchers and teachers, who in any place have set themselves to study children seriously – have ended up by discovering not so much the limits and weaknesses of children but rather their surprising and extraordinary strengths and capabilities linked with […]
How to Make a Pompom Decoration
Who doesn’t love a pompom, right? Check out Pip Lincolne’s Pompom Decoration video and download the project sheet here. You will need … a few balls of wool thick cardboard scissors a stick from the garden some ribbon or string How To Make It Cut your cardboard into a rectangle shape as shown. Tie your wool around the […]
How to Encourage Creativity in Children
This article has been written by Dr. Gai Lindsay, School of Education, University of Wollongong It goes without saying that creativity is considered to be important and desirable – in life, art, engineering and architecture and, of course, in education. In fact, taking part in playful and creative activities is a human right (Article 31, […]
Top 5 Tips for Managing Food Allergies and Anaphylaxis When Starting Primary School
On the first day of Prep, as a parent, you have mixed emotions. On one hand, you’re excited for your son or daughter, who put their uniform on in a flash, ready to head off to school. On the other hand, you’re feeling a little anxious. Your child has lived with a food allergy or […]
Helping Children to Maintain Friendships
A parent’s wish is for their child to make new friends and be happy. Throughout each year in primary school, this wish does not change. There is one simple reason for this. The basis of happiness at school comes down to friendships. The ability to maintain strong friendships can affect a child’s happiness and if […]
Helping Your Child Transition Into High School
Entering high school from primary school is definitely one of the most exciting things for all children and parents. Concurrently, it can also be a challenging and anxious period for your child. So, what can parents do to prepare their child for high school and make them feel supported? Let’s hear from Art of Smart, who […]
How to Inspire Motivation for Kids
The COVID pandemic has caused some kids to act like bears and to go into hibernation. Some have given up on their usual activities, some have retreated from life into the world of screens and others have spent more time alone. Inspiration has lessened, interests have narrowed, and motivation has reduced. Of course, all of […]
Digital Wellbeing and Focus are the Superskills of the Digital World
As part of our Insight Series, Dr Kristy Goodwin, digital wellbeing and productivity expert, outlines the impact that technology has on us and explains how we can thrive in a digital world. School leaders and teachers are increasingly reliant on digital technologies for their professional and personal lives. Emails, Google Classroom, Seesaw, social media, blogs […]
How to Thrive in a Digital World
Dr Kristy Goodwin, digital wellbeing and productivity expert, outlines the impact that technology has on us and explains how we can thrive in a digital world. As we rely heavily on technology, in both COVID and non-COVID environments, it becomes apparent that our multi-tasking efforts need to be adjusted. Dr Kristy Goodwin points out that […]