Term 3 SPRING HOLIDAY SESSIONS!

It is that time again! With only a week left of school for the term we are ready to roll out our holiday sessions for Term 3. We are exited to offer these new topics and know that the children will be just as excited when you tell them about what is in store! Also a very special thank-you to the Jaccard Family who after feeling inspired by this initiative have volunteered their time to organise this holiday's craft. It is a cute one and very fishy! ;)....So...here we go!....(and don't forget to invite your friends!)

Tuesday, 23 September 2014, 10AM: The Great Barrier Reef
Ted Horwood Reserve Playground, Corner of Park and Renown Roads

Join us for an insightful morning learning about the wonders of the Great Barrier of Reef and why it needs our support! We will do a "Fintastic" Bottle Cap Craft and also a little science experiment to show how disturbing the waters around a reef might affect its residents. As always, afterwards we will give back to the beautiful park by doing a little clean-up before we say our goodbyes.

What to bring:

-bottle caps
-A healthy personal morning tea and drink.
-Gold coin donation for craft.
-Gear for park clean-up: rubbish bag, gloves, etc.


Monday, 29 September 2014, 10AM: Free to Roam!
Nancy's Freedom Farm, 97 Arcadia Road, Arcadia

Come along for a fun time to see how 'Free to Roam' chickens are happy ones! Farmer Nancy will show us around the paddocks and your child will be able to gather his own freshly laid eggs from the coop.  Some of the farm animals have also birthed new additions so we will be able to frolic with them as well. This is always a magical experience for both parent and child and we are excited about sharing it with you. We will also share a story and a morning tea picnic together. Please arrive on time as Farmer Nancy will be waiting to escort us all together.

What to bring:

-gum boots
-picnic rug
-A healthy, small plate of food to share.
-Money and recycled egg cartons if you would like to purchase eggs.

TERM 2 WINTER HOLIDAY PROGRAM SCHEDULED!

We are happy to announce that we have now finalised our Term 2 Winter Holiday Children MAD Holiday Program. We hope you will share with your friends and come and join us for some winter fun as we take a lovely nature walk through the forest and learn about the gift of giving!


SCHOOL HOLIDAY SESSIONS WINTER TERM 2

Monday, 30 June 2014, 10AM: A Walk Through the Forest
Cumberland State Forest, Castle Hill Rd. West Pennant Hills

Join us as we take a walk through Cumberland State Forest and search for nature's best treasures. Learn about the creatures that inhabit our local forests and how many of these species are threatened due to deforestation. We will share a story, craft and morning tea together. We will meet at the visitor's centre at Cumberland State Forest on Castle Hill Rd, West Pennant Hills, from which we will head of on our walk on the Sensory Trail (pram and wheel chair friendly) located across from the visitor's centre car park. Please visit Cumberland State Forest for more visitor information.

What to bring:
-Warm clothes, hat and gumboots
-A healthy plate of food to share with friends
-Water bottle
-Picnic rug
-Gold coin donation for craft

Monday, 7 July 2014, 10AM: The Gift of Giving 
North Rocks Park, North Rocks Rd. North Rocks
(at 11:30AM those interested may follow along to the Community Library, Westfield North Rocks)

Bring your pre-loved books to North Rocks Park as we collect books to donate to the RIDBC Community Library. We will share a story, make a "craft of kindness" and talk about the gift of giving; not just monetarily but also by what we do and say to others.
 Donating books to the new community library located in Westfield, North Rocks presents a wonderful opportunity to our children of how they can give something of their own to share with others in our local community. A donation box for books will be at the park or you may tag along with us after our session to drop of your books personally at the library which is a couple of blocks from the park on the corner of North Rocks and New North Rocks Rds.

What to bring:
-Warm clothes for park playing
-A healthy personal morning tea and water bottle
-Any book donations for the book library
-Gold coin donation for craft.
  
What is the Community Library?
The Community Library is a small space which opened earlier this year in Westfield North Rocks. Books may be donated, borrowed or swapped. They may also be simply purchased for a gold coin donation. Proceeds benefit the Royal Institute for Death & Blind Children, which is located across the street from the shopping centre. Our family has seen first hand how this space has benefited the community by being a quiet haven for local school children to retreat after school, a place for parents with children to have a quick read of a magazine or short story while their children draw on the black board walls and where strangers simply meet each other while perusing the books for a short conversation. It has been a weekly stop during our shopping outings for the little book worms in my family, too!

We hope to see you there and please spread the word with your friends!
x Lachlan & Meg

Sweet Max needs a loving home! Can you help?

Let me introduce to you, Maxwell! a.k.a Max. He enjoys long walks on the beach and in the bush, endless rounds of fetch, basking in the sun, long afternoon naps and tummy rubs.




Max is a dorgi; a dachshund/corgi. Basically he is an oversized sausage dog and he is proud of it! (He loves sausages,too!) Don't let the breed fool you. He is not dainty at all. He's a strong, meduim-sized pooch, about 18 kgs. He's just vertically challenged!

Maxwell joined our family in July 2007. He was just about 7 months old and I found him at the RSPCA. I moved to Australia from America and had to leave my other dog, Wilson behind due to strict quarantine regulations here. Maxwell filled a big void in my heart as I am a girl who has grown up with dogs; in my house, in my bed, sharing an ice cream cone, you name it!

Unfortunately I married a non-dog man. (I know! Forgive him. He really is an awesome guy, despite this,) After years of trying to convince my husband that Maxwell should be an "inside" dog, I have realised I have lost the battle. Don't get me wrong, Max LOVES being outside. When he is in he want out half the time. It was great when I was child-free and out all day gardening. Now, I have three children and school runs and violin lesson, ballet. You get the picture. Poor outside Max doesn't get enough attention like he would if he were inside eating dinner with us and enjoying popcorn and movie night.

I can't bear looking at him gazing in on us from the back porch. I love him, my kids love him (my hubby won't admit but deep down, he loves him) but Maxi deserves SO MUCH BETTER for his life. Sometimes being a good dog parent means not being selfish and doing what is best for your furry friend. I feel that there is a better home for him than us and I really want him to have that.

So if you are a dog lover and think you can give Maxi a loving home, please let me know. We would love to introduce you to him and see if it is a good match. He's very intelligent and learns very quickly. The short stent my hubby did let him inside, he was house trained very fast and learned not to go in certain rooms, so he is a smartie! He would also still be happy as an outside dog as long as he gets the daily exercise and attention a dog deserves. He is up to date on vaccs and a happy, healthy pooch! Great with my three children (they lay with him and climb all over him if I'm not watching. He takes it all!)

If interested contact Meg on 0433 273 400 or at growingminds.aus@gmail.com 
We are located in the Hills District of Sydney. Please share this post with your friends! Thank you! x

SCHOOL HOLIDAY SESSIONS SCHEDULED!

SCHOOL HOLIDAY SESSIONS TERM 1

Meeting at Ted Horwood Playground at the Ted Horwood Reserve, Baulkham Hills (corner of Renown and Parkland Rds)

Tuesday, 15 April 10AM: "Egg"celent Recyclables!

Save all of those egg cartons from your Easter festivity preparations and bring them to the park for a morning of carton creations! Children will make their own carton creations and brainstorm other ideas that they can do with this common household recyclable. We will also talk about the recycling process: what can be recycled, where does it go and what can we do to help.We end our session giving back to the Earth with a helping hand- a walk to clean up any rubbish that we may find.

Tuesday, 22 April 10AM: Go Native!

Join us while we talk about what it means to be "native" and the important role that native plants and animals play in our ecosystem.We will read a story, make an Australian native creature and learn how to attract and identify popular natives in our own backyard.We end our session giving back to the Earth with a helping hand- a walk to clean up any rubbish that we may find.

What to bring to each session:
-Gold coin donation to go towards craft supplies
-Sun hat
-Individual morning snack and water bottle
-Egg carton(April 15 session only).
-Rubbish bag, gloves or grabber for park clean up

We hope to see you there and please spread the word with your friends!

x Lachlan & Meg

Our First Meet Up in Feb!

Our first MAD! meet up was in February. It was a very small crowd but it was good to see that small numbers does not mean small hearts. The children we did have were very excited to be there and make a difference picking up rubbish in the park. We read a book about taking care of the Earth and also shared ideas of how we could help right in our own home.

Our next meet ups will be each Tuesday, April 15 & 22 during the school holidays at 10am, again at Ted Horwood Reserve, Baulkham Hills. Another post will be up this week with the agenda for each morning. I will give the heads up that you'll need to bring an egg carton for the craft! Please visit our Facebook page and help spread the word with your friends. Together I know we can light a fire in the hearts of children to help make our world... THEIR world, a better place!

First Event Scheduled!

We are happy to announce that our first Children MAD event is scheduled! It will be held at the Ted Horwood Reserve (corner of Renown & Park Rds). We will first meet at the lovely playground. The play space offers equipment appropriate for 3-12 year old, has a large shade sail and is enclosed for ease of mind. The reserve also has many covered pavilions and buildings with undercover that shelter large picnic tables that we can use for activities. It also has a small hall that might be an option to utilise in the future.

Ted Horwood Reserve is part of the beautiful Bidjigal Reserve that spreads through many suburbs of the Hills District. There are numerous trails that can be explored and will lead you along the Darling Mill Creek and branch off to other reserves and parklands in the Hills. Please visit the Bidjigal Reserve Trust for more information about this wonderful reserve and a trail map.

EVENT DETAILS:

CHILDREN MAD MIXER

FRIDAY, 21 FEBRUARY 3:30 PM 

TED HORWOOD RESERVE, BAULKHAM HILLS
(Park Rd. car park is closest to the playground area)

AGENDA:

3:30 pm: Meet & Greet at the Ted Horwood Playground (enclosed area). Everyone will have time to eat an after school snack they have packed, play and socialize.

4:00 pm: We will gather around for a story and discussion and then end our session with a little 'Park Clean-up'

What to bring:

- sunhats

- an individual snack and water

- a bag for collecting rubbish on our clean-up walk and gloves if desired. If you have a rubbish grabber, that would be great!

Please invite all your friends with children ages 3-12!

Younger siblings are most welcome!

COMING SOON!

Our blog isn't quite ready to be launched but we are working on it. Check back soon for take off! Until then, "like us" on Facebook and connect with other MAD crusaders!
https://www.facebook.com/childrenmadsydney