Getting kids to do jobs around the house is often a challenge unless there is some fun in it. Fortunately, there are some interesting and entertaining ways to make cleanup time, an event to look forward to.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre and proud mum, discusses how to encourage kids to complete their jobs in a fun way.

Grab a small bucket and add some paper towels, a sponge, a cloth, a small dustpan and broom and some vinegar and water in a spray bottle and suddenly kids have their own cleaning caddy. Allow them to personalise their cleaning caddy with their name and some drawings. Then, when it’s time to cleanup, let them use their own cleaning caddy and watch as they take responsibility for the job ahead.

When making the bed, pretend the pillows, cushions or soft toys are balls and let the kids toss them to you as you place them on the bed. “Have the children organise them by size or colour before they pass them,” says Kylie. “Or, better still, let them have ownership over how they arrange them on the bed,” she adds.

Encourage kids to organise their toys and belongings based on size, colour or types of toys. This supports their learning as well as keeping things tidy. Extend this to the kitchen and let them organise their cutlery, cups, plates, and bowls when they put them away after a meal. “Teaching kids that everything has a place and should be put away after use, will become a life-long habit,” says Kylie.

Similar to cleaning up after playtime at their play centre, cleaning up after a play session at home can be a fun activity. For added fun, put on some music for 5 to 10 minutes and have a race to see who is quickest at tidying up in the given time.

Create a job list that provides each member of the house, adults and kids, with their list of jobs. Jobs completed can result in a gold star, or sticker. Whoever has the most gold stars or stickers at the end of the week, can receive a special treat or a prize, and can also be given the title ‘job master of the week’.

These exciting tips are just a few of many exciting ways to incorporate fun into completing jobs about the house. “Getting kids into the rhythm of cleaning up helps them become independent and proactive as they get older,” says Kylie.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA Group

We develop our muscles through strength and endurance training. Similarly, we develop our minds through exercises that support our ability to process tasks, concentrate and manage our emotions.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, informs on focus-building exercises during play and how these can positively assist children undertake their day-to-day activities.

“Promoting a well-focused mindset in children should start early, particular during their first five years of psychological and mental growth,”says Kylie. ” Building a child’s mental focus through key emotional control will immediately improve their concentration on tasks that can positively affect their future in both schooling, and the working world, if regularly practiced,” Kylie adds.

Focus-building exercises that can assist children include: Mind-body integration, memory and concentration games, story-based games, puzzles and mazes.

Mind-body integration: Mind-body exercises strengthen the neural connections between the brain and body. Mind-body exercises include meditation, relaxation exercises, breathing activities and guided imagery. Enabling children opportunities to have quiet times where they can relax is important. Playing quiet music or undertaking a guided imagery session can support relaxation and improve self-control. Teaching them to breathe deeply, especially when they are upset or hurt, can promote positive emotions.

Memory and concentration games: These help to improve a child’s memory retrieval and stimulate other parts of the brain. Regularly memorising sequences of visual and auditory stimuli exercises the brain circuits and strengthens neural connections and ultimately improving memory function.

Story-based games: A good story book and a good imagination are all that’s needed to support a child’s language and creative development. Parents can read a short story and give the child a quiz on the story. Alternatively, read a paragraph or two from a story and then ask the child to come up with what they think might happen next. Or for an extra twist, ask the child to come up with their own ending. These games assist in building a working memory and improving concentration. They can also help in the development of logic and a good sense of humour.

Puzzles: Puzzles of all types are excellent for a child’s development. “Puzzles allow for memory recollection as well as visual and mental improvement in understanding how to structurally compile a puzzle’s image,” says Kylie.

Mazes: Finding your way around a maze is a perfect exercise to improve concentration, planning, sequencing, processing speed and visual-motor integration.

“Utilising these focus-building tools will assist children undertake day-to-day activities, and will help them master their ability to concentrate effectively without any distractions,” says Kylie.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA Group

Children do not like others to control their activities and want to have freedom in everything that they do. It is not an easy task because anything can turn into a struggle. This is usually a normal behaviour in children. However, there are times when certain children are particularly stubborn and this can become difficult for parents to deal with, especially in a public space such as a play centre. “Stubbornness can surface at any age and can continue into adulthood. It is important as a parent to learn how to deal with stubborn behaviour to limit the stress it puts on both child and parent,” says Kylie-Jane Shannon, the owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre.

There are some ways a parent can deal with stubbornness. Parents are advised that they should not try to argue with a stubborn child who is always ready to argue back. Do not give them that opportunity. Instead, it is advised to listen to the child and hear what they have to say. Try to turn it into a conversation instead of an argument. If the parent shows that they are willing to listen, it will make the child more willing to listen as well. Never force a child to do anything they do not want to do. This will just make them more rebellious and they will be set on doing exactly what they’ve been told not to do.

“It is important to build a connection with the child. If, for example, the parent wants the child to stop behaving incorrectly on the swings, the parent could swing for a while with the child to show the correct behaviour and camaraderie and then, after a while, ask the child to show similar behaviour,” says Kylie. “Another thing parents can do is to offer their child options. This will allow the child to feel as if they have choices and will make them feel more in control,” adds Kylie.

“Parents should also put themselves in their children’s shoes and try to understand the situation from their side. If something was promised to the child and the promise is not being followed through for a specific reason, then the parents need to explain to their children exactly why this promise could not be kept,” suggests Kylie. Stubborn children find it difficult to accept an outright refusal, so parents should work on their negotiating skills and try and compromise. Parents should lead by example and always try to display a positive attitude. It is also important to develop some rules about behaviour and the consequences that can occur if those rules are not followed. It is important to be consistent with these rules but not rigid as this can also have a negative effect.

“It can be tough dealing with a stubborn child but at the same time it’s important to realise that every child is different. The above tips can be helpful in dealing with stubborn children, but, the most important thing a parent can do is to find ways that work for them as well as for their children,” says Kylie.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA News

In general, it can be difficult to get young children to concentrate for any length of time. Put them in a setting such as a play centre and it can be even more difficult because they become over excited and overly stimulated as there is so much happening around them. Kylie-Jane Shannon, the owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, gives some tips on how to improve children’s concentration in a play centre setting.

Some kids are just naturally excited, which is not a bad thing as it means they are curious, energetic and optimistic. Sometimes when kids are over excited they struggle to focus and concentrate. Play centres are often buzzing with excited and enthusiastic children running around and playing and many children can become over stimulated. “There are ways that parents can help to improve their children’s concentration in a play centre setting, and this involves picking up on certain behaviours as their children are playing,” says Kylie.

If the child is not concentrating or is over excited at the play centre, avoid reacting in a way that is going to escalate the situation. Always react calmly, and simply take the child aside and have a quiet conversation with them. Trying to shout over the top of children or yelling at them does not help.  If they are not listening or responding to instructions, attempt to do some breathing exercises with them. In a gentle voice, tell them to stop, take three deep breaths and then proceed calmly back to play.

“It could also be beneficial to discuss things with your child ahead of time about behaviour in a play centre or the steps to take to avoid getting over excited,” suggests Kylie. “This is particularly important for children who have been diagnosed with or suffer from ADHD,” adds Kylie. Tactics that can be used include, creating a fun song or rhyme that can be recited when its time to take a break or making eye contact with them to increase their focus, maintain concentration and listen to what is being said.

It’s important to pay attention to what steps help the child to calm down and make sure to exercise them when the time comes. Ensure that the child takes a break from play every now and then. This will prevent them from being overly stimulated and can help them to re-focus. If all else fails, it is perhaps time to leave the immediate environment. This will perhaps upset the child initially, but eventually they will calm down as often it is nearly impossible for them to take a breather amongst the ever present stimulation.

Play centres are great places for kids to exercise, develop their physical and mental strength, learn social and emotional skills and enjoy the company of other children. However, remember that every child is different and something that works for one child might not necessarily work for another child. Always keep this in mind, be patient and have fun!

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA News

Eating healthily for a child is always important no matter the situation; after play is no exception. When children play they constantly use their muscles and burn a lot of energy. A well-balanced healthy meal is always needed afterwards to restore their energy and feed their growing muscles. “The availability of unhealthy foods like some fast foods or processed foods has made it tough for parents to ensure that their children are eating a healthy diet. If we factor in our hectic schedules, it becomes even harder.” says Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre.

There are many different and creative ways for parents to ensure that their children are getting the correct nutrition. Adhering to a healthy diet supports children’s development. It helps them to maintain a healthy weight, stabilise their moods, sharpen their minds and could help them to avoid a variety of health issues. “There are specific types of foods that children should eat after being active so their energy and fluids are restored,” says Kylie.

After being active, children should eat some carbohydrates as they contain glycogen. Muscles need glycogen which can become depleted when children are active and therefore it needs to be replaced. Carbohydrates are also absorbed a lot quicker than fats and proteins, making them easier to digest. Some good food ideas that contain carbohydrates include; fruit salads, toasted sandwiches or a fruit smoothie. These foods are a quick and healthy snack after play. Studies have shown that milk is better for muscle recovery than sports drinks and children can pick their favourite flavour. Fruit is a good snack, especially pineapples, any type of berry, and bananas. “This is why it is important at indoor play centres to have proper food choices on the menu for active children.” says Kylie.

After a period of being active, children also need to have some protein. This is because protein contains amino acids, which help build muscles. Muscle proteins are broken down when children are active and need to be restored. Some good food ideas for protein include; eggs, yoghurt, chicken, and cheese. Eggs are one of the healthiest sources of protein and can be prepared in many different ways. Yogurt, especially plain Greek yogurt, is high in protein and when eaten with berries or granola, makes a perfect snack. Chicken is high in lean protein and when paired with carbohydrates, makes a great after play meal. Cheese is a good source of protein and also contains healthy fats. Finally, do not forget to keep children hydrated with water, fruit smoothies or milk after active play. Try some of these snack ideas next time your children need a boost after a hectic day of playing.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA News

Recent studies have indicated that too much time spent on smartphones or other digital and screen devices can be detrimental to aspects of children’s development. This can include, slower development of social skills, a decrease in physical health, and interrupted sleep patterns.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, discusses ways that indoor play centres can provide alternative activities that can combat the negative influences of too much time on digital and screen devices.

“Studies have shown that the average child can spend up to six hours a day on a digital or screen device, which can cause concerns that parents should take seriously. Concerns can include social isolation, poor physical health, and problems with vision to name a few,” says Kylie. “While there is a lot of educational and entertaining online activity, parents of young children should try to limit online viewing to an hour or two a day. It is also advisable for parents to monitor children’s online activity to ensure they are using devices appropriately and responsibly and to reduce digital device addiction,” adds Kylie.

Offering children alternative options to online activities is healthy and an indoor play centre is an ideal alternative. “Indoor play centres are excellent as they offer activities that can rejuvenate all of a child’s senses,” says Kylie. Importantly, children develop good social skills, and are better able to interact and communicate with others,” adds Kylie.

Spending too much time in front of a digital or screen device can be particularly detrimental to a child’s physical health. Activities at indoor play centres can support the development of children’s agility, speed, and overall athletic ability. “At Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, the enclosed ball pit, triple story slide and jeep rider are three activities that support children’s physical and mental development and help to develop independence in children,” says Kylie.

Expending energy in an indoor play centre environment can be both rewarding and fulfilling for many children. Many of the activities are designed to challenge children’s physical, mental and emotional stamina, thus enhancing their sense of wellbeing. “Activities that enable children to expend their energy and tire them out, can also contribute to better sleeping patterns and happier, more well-adjusted children,” says Kylie.

Whether children are participating in activities in an indoor play centre or spending time on digital and screen devices, parents should ensure that children have access to healthy food and water. Sometimes, children who spend too much time in front of digital or screen devices, can tend to eat unhealthy snack foods high in sugar and sodium as they are readily available and easier to eat in front of the screen.

Understanding the dynamics between children and digital technology is crucial for parents. “While digital technology is educative and entertaining, parents should consider age-appropriate platforms and balance online viewing with other activities that promote and support a child’s physical, mental, emotional and social development. As with everything in today’s world, moderation is the key,” says Kylie.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA News

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) often occurs during childhood, with symptoms including hyperactivity, and a limited attention span. This condition can affect children in many ways, including difficulty with learning and making friendships and low self-esteem. It is important to note that if a parent suspects their child has ADHD symptoms they should seek medical advice.

There are many strategies and techniques that parents and carers can provide to support a child with ADHD. Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, elaborates on some of these. “Both indoor and outdoor play allows children with ADHD to express their spiritedness in a more conducive environment,” says Kylie. “In the context of outdoor activities, rustling leaves and gentle wind breezes across the skin, provide a level of calmness that helps children with ADHD to relax,” she adds.

“Indoor play centres provide the perfect environment for interpersonal skill development, teaching children to take turns, respect each other and learn to manage personal space,” says Kylie. “The variety of play activities such as slides, ball pits, swings and balancing beams help with the improvement of children’s flexibility and coordination as well as providing an effective outlet for children to expend their energy,” adds Kylie.

Effective strategies and techniques that support all children but can be particularly effective for children with ADHD include understanding rules, using positive language and praise, preparing children to switch activities or finish an activity, and helping children to manage their behaviour.

“It is imperative to remind children of appropriate play, and should be done in a specific manner, as children with ADHD usually understand best through demonstration,” says Kylie. “For example, telling a child that fun balls must be placed in the ball pit after one is done playing with them followed by enacting the rule, is the most helpful way of explaining rules effectively,” adds Kylie.

Using positive language and praise is a more effective way of supporting a child to manage their behaviour. For example, saying ‘Please wait for your turn’ as opposed to Don’t push’ demonstrates how we learn to interact respectfully with each other. Commending positive behaviour is vital for all children, however, those with ADHD react very positively to praise. Commend a child who has demonstrated positive behaviour. For example, say, ‘Well done Micah, for playing so well with your friends today’ or ‘Thank you Micah for being kind to Rosie today’.

It is important to support children to manage their own behaviour. Strategies that can help include, giving children an indication of when an activity will end or when they will need to switch or transition to a new activity. All children, but more often those with ADHD, need time to realise that the situation they are currently in or experiencing is about to change. “Reminding children of the duration of play, as well as mentioning the time left before finishing an activity, eases the packing up process and helps prepare children for home time,” says Kylie.

For children who find it hard to manage their behaviour or display forms of tantrums, it is important to be kind but firm. Children like boundaries, so being clear about behavioural expectations and what will and won’t be tolerated is necessary from the outset. It is also important to be consistent about behavioural expectations. “for example, should a child display impatience in a crowded line that potentially may trigger a tantrum, suggest a detour to another play area until the traffic of the previous area slows down,” says Kylie.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA News

The years between the ages of three and five, often referred to as the preschool years, are a particularly formative period in children’s lives when their ability to learn and observe their surroundings is at its most active. Activities and experiences undertaken during these years can influence and mould children’s emotional, intellectual, physical and social development.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, identifies some of the play activities provided to support the development of children’s fine and gross motor skills, sensory integration, emotional intelligence, visual perception and problem-solving skills in an indoor play centre environment.

Using play dough is an inexpensive yet entertaining activity for young children as it helps children to develop their fine motor skills and foster their creativity. “Play dough is great in that it allows one to integrate any topic into the activity, providing a learning opportunity as well as enabling creativity,” says Kylie.

Scavenger hunts are another activity that can be adapted to any theme, and can be either an indoor or outdoor activity. “Pre-schoolers can learn a lot through scavenger hunts,” says Kylie. “Providing pre-schoolers with a checklist of objects to be searched for, promotes memory recall, reinforces the development of colour, shape and letter recognition and strengthens their attention span and spatial awareness,” Kylie adds.

Body bridges stimulate gross motor skills, build wrist, hand and shoulder stability, and help develop a child’s core strength. “Body Bridges allow pre-schoolers to create bridges with their bodies for toys such as small cars to travel across,” says Kylie.

Letter craft activities support children’s literacy development and can be incorporated into fun and exciting activities. “Creating letters with any objects, for example, creating the letter “H” with tree leaves, or the letter “S” with toy trains, helps children identify letters in a fun yet constructive manner,” says Kylie.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre provides a well-grounded approach to building an educated, active and healthy group of children. The wide range of pre-school activities, and the friendly and competent staff support parents and guardians to help their pre-school aged children to develop critical growth milestones.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA News

For many years, themed play centres have taken the concept and benefits of play, and expanded on them. Both traditional and themed play centres provide for and build healthy physical and cognitive strength. However, themed play centres assist in building children’s imagination, igniting creativity, and inspiring ingenious problem-solving skills.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre owner, discusses the benefits of themed play centres, and how they can inspire children’s creative development.

“Children are constantly using their imagination, however, often they require the added push to turn their dreams into motion,” says Kylie. “This is where themed indoor play centres come into their own. Colourful and characterised settings and decor create an immersive experience, transporting children to another world,” Kylie adds.

There are many benefits of visiting a themed indoor play centre. Both parents and children can see the opportunities for fun and excitement, improving children’s’ health via interactive play experiences, inviting children into colourful themed spaces and providing businesses with a competitive edge. “The addition of a themed area or event within an indoor play centre creates undeniable excitement, and attendance,” says Kylie.

“As an example, Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre has a Safari themed party option among others. A themed safari event can arouse excitement for children and encourage their imaginative play,” Kylie adds. Theming the space with wildlife elements through colourful, life-sized and sound-enhancing pieces can become an intuitive method to teach children about wildlife. “For parents in particular, they can engage and interact in themed events, contributing to the fun levels, while instilling the faith and trust of an indoor play centre as an ideal and suitable environment for both entertainment and education,” says Kylie.

Imaginative play is important for children’s physical and mental health. Children learn to understand how their bodies operate, build friendships, and explore through creative imagining. Indoor play centres provide a holistic experience through physical challenges like climbing, swinging and jumping. “They also enable children to socialise with peers through teamwork and allow shared moments in game creation and imagination building through story telling,” says Kylie.

“The concept of colourful themed spaces has always posed a great level of artistry in attracting children to spaces with themed set pieces,” says Kylie. “Children develop an understanding of certain colours, what they evoke, and how they contribute to the overall composition of a particular theme,” adds Kylie.

Themed indoor play centres provide key business growth through an advantageous competitive edge. “While generic play centres serve to enable children to have fun, themed play centres enable children to learn through play, accommodating every child’s taste and preference,” says Kylie. This helps to promote the business brand and centre it as the premium choice of play centre to visit.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au.Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA News

Fun and excitement form the foundation of all play centre experiences, as well as the intuitive, educational aspects that accompany them. What’s at the fore, is the particular environment that play is conducted in. At play centres specifically, there are a number of key areas that act as important venues to foster ideal cognitive and physical development.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, discusses the essential play areas that promote holistic development for children at play centres.

Sensory play areas identify and describe an environment where children’s senses are stimulated and support fine motor, emotional and cognitive development. “Sensory experiences include activities such as, play dough, drawing, and painting, as well as ball pit areas,” says Kylie. As dough is malleable, children can shape and construct objects through tactile means, and can be physically involved in creating, developing and materialising an idea. Drawing, and painting enable children to be creative as they imaginatively guide a paintbrush on paper, creating colourful and creative artworks through both tactile and visual development. Ball pit areas can facilitate fine motor skills development by children learning to throw and catch.

Dramatic play areas are great for children to develop their social, emotional and problem solving skills as well as their oral communication. Themed children’s parties also support dramatic play and skill development “At Jungle Kids, The Fairy, Pirate and Safari themed parties offered, are opportunities for children to creatively develop their imagination through the use of exciting settings and props,” says Kylie. She goes on to add that, “the concept of fun and learning co-exist effectively through dramatic play if the environment and its accompanying elements are conducive.”

A block construction play area supports the development of children’s fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination, and also contributes to a sensory play aspect. Block construction also teaches children about balance, spatial awareness, judgement and perception,” says Kylie. Block construction encourages children to use their decision-making skills to fit pieces together and build supported structures as well as encouraging oral communication and learning to share and to co-construct with peers.

Play areas should be fun-filled, yet mentally and physically engaging for children’s growth and development. While there can be a place for children to use technological devices, children should be offered challenging play environments that ultimately support their overall development and health and wellbeing.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au. Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA News

The concept of structured and unstructured play has always intrigued the play centre industry, and in addition, has riddled the industry with the question of which one is better than the other. The truth is, both structured and unstructured play equally present their own vitality for a child’s wellbeing.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre and proud mother, discusses the importance of structured and unstructured play, and their key benefits for children’s development.

Before analysing the key benefits of both, it is important to contextualise and define structured and unstructured play. Structured play is synonymous with goal-oriented play and primarily utilises logic to systematically solve problems, whereas unstructured play, also known as free play, is both open-ended and highly creative. “For children to develop logical and creative thinking capacities, cultivate life long learning skills and enrich their development, both structured and unstructured play activities should be presented to children regularly,” says Kylie.

There are many examples of structured play. They include: following a particular set of rules to reach a particular goal; toy assembly instructions and directions when building a particular toy, playing board games and organised sports like soccer, netball and football among many others. In terms of unstructured play, examples include: drawing, colouring, painting (essentially art); inventing games and stories; and block-building among others.

The importance of structured and unstructured play is pivotal for introducing both purpose and curiosity-driven learning in a child’s developmental phases. “With structured play activities, children are learning how to best recognise patterns to meet pre-conceptualised and established goals as efficiently as possible. Unstructured play, on the other hand, teaches children how to become inventive, as well as explore the possibilities of what could be,” says Kylie.

Structured play has proven to be highly beneficial for children in active listening, problem-solving and reaching results-driven goals. Children can develop resilience, confidence, effective communication and team-building skills.

Unstructured play promotes important qualities such as empathy, imagination and creativity. Children are given a sense of freedom, control and creative abilities in a pressure-free environment. This can allow children to develop an ‘out-of-the box’ perspective in situations, as well as showcase their expressive self.

In terms of balance, it is of utmost importance to have both structured and unstructured play co-exist in a manner in which both elements are equally presented and effective. This can highly affect a child’s wellbeing and development within an educational/play centre environment. “Activities conceptualised thoroughly by play centre owners should equally channel and challenge both the logical and creative thinking skills in children, ” says Kylie.

There are ways in which unstructured play, for example, can lend its qualities to structured play and vice versa “Should children lose focus on a particular structured task, an unstructured activity can be utilised to help children refocus,” adds Kylie.

Many interchangeable and helpful ideas can include the following: themed play structures that foster creative and imaginative play to achieve a pre-established learning goal, decision-making tasks, and the task of delegating as a means of structured play to complete a creative task in unstructured play. These are just a few ways in which the elements of both structured and unstructured play are both ideal and important in children’s play and learning development.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre has dedicated its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au. Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is situated at 2B Commercial Drive Wallan, Victoria and can be contacted on: (03) 5783 4104.

Written and syndicated by YDMA News.

Play centres promote fun and fair play for children that in turn stimulates healthy growth and physical and mental development. Play centres also support children to explore their physical surrounds and inspire their creativity.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, proud mother, and owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, advises parents on how to support their children’s exploration at play centres. “The best, and healthiest way to support children’s exploration is to encourage, facilitate and interact in ways that stimulate children’s thought processes as opposed to just reciting facts,” says Kylie. Including children in conversation and asking probing questions such as, ‘Why do you think…?’ or, ‘I wonder what would happen if…?’ inspires and motivates children to draw thoughtful predictions and conclusions based on the evidence from their own explorations. “Co-exploring with children also promotes additional excitement and stimulates mental and physical development,” adds Kylie.

Using well-facilitated exploration strategies as opposed to directing children’s play, promotes deep conversations that are pivotal to developing children’s understanding, observations, and experiences as well as promoting creative ideas related to their experiences. The concept of questioning and commenting can also be an ideal motivator for children to make sense of each experience, as they learn to constructively respond to questions about how they feel and what they enjoy at a play centre.

“As children embark on their phase of exploration in play centres, they can be guided by parents as initiators and then be encouraged to explore on their own and with their peers, enabling them to communicate their experiences and understandings of play with other children and adults,” says Kylie.

This process can be achieved by encouraging children, asking open-ended questions about their experiences, observing attentively and listening, inspiring them through language, and lastly, encouraging children to participate in peer discussions. These strategies aim to develop language, decision-making, creativity and communication for children through a manner that is not tedious, but exciting and cultivating.

Importantly, once children’s play exploration has been initiated by parents, going forward, parents can lead from the side, giving children the opportunity to start learning and experiencing things on their own. “Parents can lead on the side by supporting their child’s problem-solving and decision-making skills by asking probing questions such as ‘How do you think we can/could…?’ or, ‘What do you think would happen if…?’ to best develop the analytical and logical aspects of children’s thought processes,” says Kylie. “Parents can also encourage their child to use all five senses as a means of describing their experiences. As an example, parents can ask how it felt climbing the monkey bars, or jumping into the ball pit,” adds Kylie.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre has dedicated its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au. Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Written and syndicated by: YDMA News

Play has evolved and changed rather gradually for the past four decades. With newfound and extensive play aspects introduced in the play centre industry, children are provided with an all-round play experience that accommodates both their development, and their uniqueness.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, and proud mother, discusses the six major categories of play that provide the well needed cognitive stimulation and nourishment for children’s play centre experience.

“Children require, and essentially need multiple types of play to best facilitate and support meaningful and constructive learning opportunities as they develop their motor, language, emotional, social and cognitive abilities,” says Kylie. “Play can be subdivided into six main aspects: sensory, physical, dramatic, nature, age-appropriate and music and art play,” adds Kylie. Every aspect of play extensively challenges children’s abilities.

Sensory play: Children develop important sensory abilities that include; sight, smell, hearing, touch and taste. Each sense is stimulated one way or another during play.  “Play environments should provide a range of play equipment to best help children in the exploration of their five sensory skills,” says Kylie. As an example, “At Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, the Jeep Rider and Enclosed Ball Pit Area provide children with visual, auditory, kinesthetic and tactile learning opportunities to explore their senses.

Physical play: Strengthening young people’s bodies as well as developing gross motor skills are central to this type of play. Physical play promotes muscle development, hand-eye coordination, balance and fine motor skills. “At Jungle Kids, Play Centre, areas such as the Triple Story Playground stimulate the necessary elements of physical development for children,” says Kylie. Children have the opportunity to climb, crawl, swing, hang, roll and jump, all skills to promote excellent physical health.

Dramatic play: At Jungle Kids, it’s lights, camera and action! Children are introduced to a variety of activities that inspire children to enact stories, create unique narratives and cultivate a supportive play environment that develops their emotional, communicative and creative abilities. “Dramatic play is also known as pretend or imaginary play, and is a critical element for children’s daily educational program,” says Kylie.

Nature play: Children benefit well and are highly responsive to daily connections with nature. “Be it log balancing, or watching flying butterflies, nature play is ultimately identified as child-initiated and child-directed,” says Kylie. Play centres should include nature-based activities within play environments for children to both experience the natural world, as well as learn and develop their understanding of animals and plants and their responsibility to care for them.

Age-appropriate play: This type of play focuses on the core aspects of developmental ages and general guidelines for safe, stimulating and appropriate play areas and equipment. Both indoor, as well as outdoor play centres should provide age-appropriate play opportunities for children. “For example, a one-year-old child cannot be expected to climb monkey bars intended for an eight-year-old. Play equipment must be age-appropriate, allowing fun for all ages, as well as a versatile learning environment,” says Kylie. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre provides the necessary elements of age-appropriate play through their top of the line materials, equipment and activities for children from infants, to school-age children.

Music and art play. “Children can learn, as well as explore their creativity in the world through music and art play,” says Kylie. Music and art play enhances children’s innovation, vocabulary, memory, creative expression and brain power. Art and music can ignite passion in children and support them to develop their creative attributes and make sense of the world around them.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre has dedicated its expertise and delight to serving families within the town of Wallan, Victoria.

Check out their full range of services and current featured promotions at junglekids.com.au. Visit their Facebook page to view all their activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5.00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is situated at 2B Commercial Drive Wallan, Victoria and can be contacted on: (03) 5783 4104.

Written and syndicated by YDMA News.

Play centres encapsulate the image of fun and adventure for children. Another benefit is that they are the perfect environment for children to develop different aspects of their well-being, brain development, gross and fine motor skills and social skills.

Idea development is about implementing different ways of exploring ideas and finding solutions that best solve problems in the most effective manner. Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, and proud mother, elaborates on how play centres are the perfect environment for children to build optimum idea development, and frameworks for a structural thought-process.

Play encourages and stimulates emotional, motor, social and cognitive growth that children require during their initial and most fundamental stages of development. “When children have fun, their experience of play is productive for their brain development as they begin to ascribe meaning to their surroundings”, says Kylie.

Play centre activities stimulate brain development as well as functions. Each activity aligns with a certain part of the brain to promote growth and facilitate the child’s cognitive development.

“At Jungle Kids, every activity aims to challenge and grow children”, says Kylie. Each play centre activity is created to task children in an entertaining manner; the advantage is that children then begin to formulate their thought-patterns and abilities to construct both ideas and resolutions to overcome each challenge presented before them.

Play Centres ultimately build children’s imagination, language patterns and intelligence. “Children interact, engage, communicate and socialise with each other, allowing them to express themselves, build friendships and, more intuitively, share ideas”, says Kylie. Children begin to build and exchange ideas to complete challenges, and navigate between both good and bad ideas, understanding what works and what doesn’t.

Play centres allow children to also establish an independent mind set. While socialising provides its benefits, developing independence is equally as important. When a child plays alone, they are given the opportunity to observe other children playing and learning what the norms are within that group. Thereafter, when they want to shift toward group play, they’re more aware of the rules expected of the participants. In addition, playing alone helps stimulate children’s creativity and imagination, and ultimately helps them develop independence. “Children generally thrive socially with other children, however the true testament is when a child can single-handedly accomplish each challenge”, says Kylie.

Holistically, play centres present a balance of fun and education to best equip children in every developmental phase, ensuring that their ability to construct and execute solid ideas is well challenged and commended. Play Centres are the definitive launchpad for children to make sense of the world and its diverse setting, and be introduced to a multitude of obstacles, but more importantly to learn how to best combat them.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre has dedicated its expertise and delight to serving Australian families within the town of Wallan, Victoria. Visit the Facebook page to view all the activities and special offerings. Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is open seven (7) days a week and is open until 5:00pm on weekdays during the school holidays.

As part of their Play-all-day Single Admission, adults and babies attend free of charge. 12 months to 3 years old attend at $8.50 and 4 years old to 12 years old attend at $10.00.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre is situated at 2B Commercial Drive Wallan, Victoria and can be contacted on: (03) 5783 4104.

Written and syndicated by YDMA News.