When parents are too busy to leave the house, children need some at-home entertainment to keep them occupied. Entertainment that is healthy, educational, and exciting in essence.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, provides some well-rounded, exciting at-home play centre ideas that are simple to set-up.

“Children are active little beings, and even at home, they require healthy, educational, and constructive levels of entertainment,” says Kylie. Some play centre ideas that parents can incorporate into their homes include; an obstacle course, free drawing, ball pass, snack-making, and make-believe.

Obstacle Course: “Make home the ultimate and fun-filled obstacle course by using pillows, rugs, sheets, toys and furniture, for kids to navigate,” says Kylie. “Make sure the items are soft and safe, and enjoy watching them create a world of wonder,” adds Kylie.

Free-drawing: “Provide some wax crayons, colour pencils, water based paints, and large pieces of paper, and watch as their artistic flair and imagination run wild,” says Kylie.

Ball Pass: Whether it’s outside or inside, tossing a ball back and forth with little ones assists in building their fine-motor skills, and provides a great level of fun. Try using a variety of balls (suitable for the area in which they are playing), soft, large, small, light, and heavy and watch their dexterity improve as they become more confident with throwing, tossing and catching.

Snack-making: Making meals can become even more exciting, when kids help in the kitchen when preparing a snack for the family. Provide a variety of fresh fruit and vegetables and encourage them to taste and prepare colourful and healthy meal options. “For even more fun and individuality, let them prepare their plates in their own way; you might be surprised at what they come up with and what they eat,” says Kylie.

Make-believe: The home can be a mystical and exciting environment for make-believe play. Provide a box of dress-ups and encourage kids to make their own props and watch their imaginations explode. “Enable them to be as creative as possible, by adding effects such as music or lighting,” says Kylie.

“Children do not have face boredom when you realise that the home can be an ideal play centre experience away from the play centre,” says Kylie. Allowing them the comfort, creative control and unconditional support throughout their play experience will work towards their benefit, and support their physical, emotional and social development.

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

2023 has arrived, and along with it, comes a list of resolutions and goals set by many. For parents, it’s ensuring that their children get the very best out of life through educational, entertaining and simply wholesome experiences. This is where play centres play their biggest role.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, gets her children’s play centre ready for the year ahead, by educating parents on key items to bring when visiting Jungle Kids, or their nearest play centre.

“As the new year commences, it’s important to reaffirm that parents should be prepared for their children’s play experience. Having a simple yet effective checklist of items that their children may need when visiting their play centre is important,” says Kylie. “Below is a list of necessary items for children that parents should pack for ideal play centre preparation,” Kylie adds.

Wash towel/ face cloth: “As the Australian heat does its rounds this summer, keeping a dry and clean face cloth or wash towel for children is necessary,” says Kylie. From wiping sweaty faces, to a temporary dry up before heading home for a nice bath after a day of play, face cloths and wash towels do the trick to reduce germ buildup and keep children comfortable and dry after a sweaty day of play.

Spare clothes: “Keeping a spare set of clothes can come in handy for lots of reasons,” says Kylie.

Socks: “At Jungle Kids, socks are mandatory for a hygienic and optimum play experience,” says Kylie. Parents must pack socks for their children when coming to Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre’s play areas.

Comfortable shoes: Where shoes are allowed, having comfortable footwear for children is a must for play centre fun. It allows them to have as much physical freedom and mobility that is uninterrupted throughout their play experience. For an after-play solution, pack a comfortable pair of slippers or comfortable and soft footwear to soothe their feet, as well as provide ventilation and much-needed air to avoid sweaty, smelly and hygienic issues.

Hand sanitiser: Sanitising children’s hands before play is crucial before and after play. “Most play centres will have onsite wash basins with liquid soap. Parents should use these facilities to ensure that their children are well-prepared hygienically for play,” says Kylie.

Bottled water: Kids will go through a long and hot day of play. Having cold water on hand is crucial. Alternatively, parents can purchase water from the play centre’s cafe.

Snacks: Strenuous playing can make anyone hungry. “At Jungle Kids, our delectable selection of healthy meals, chilled water and alternative beverages provides a great and affordable pit-stop for children and parents from our comfortable cafe,” says Kylie.

Backpack: A large, named backpack where all items can be kept safely is a must. “Teaching kids to keep their own items together in one place is a valuable learning experience for life,” says Kylie.

“Preparation may sound tedious and daunting, but when regularly done, the results will be a relief for both parents and children. Being prepared for a busy day of play ticks many boxes, so let’s get ready for a great year of great play,” 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

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.

People fundamentally understand that physical fitness is crucial when it comes to their body’s health and welfare. Well-catered environments like gyms are ideal to facilitate such activities. For children, the environment many would least expect could be the most beneficial in the pursuit of their physical wellbeing.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, and proud mother, discusses and expands on the importance of promoting physical fitness for children at play centres.

“Play centres are the perfect environment for encouraging children to explore and develop their mobility skills in both a fun and educational way”, says Kylie. Play centres provide a wide range of physically stimulating activities. Each fun-filled activity encourages children to do a myriad of movements including, jumping, climbing, running, catching, and skipping, and effectively targets all muscle groups, providing excellent benefits for children of all ages.

Essentially, children receive an entire body workout, which is imperative for their development. Both the physical and entertaining activities available at play centres are designed to optimise children’s physical health and wellbeing. “Play centres are specifically constructed and equipped to cater for children to realise and channel their energy productively”, says Kylie.

Play centres are fundamental in promoting inclusivity and removing the idea of competition to allow children to enjoy the activities and challenge their minds. “Children should always have fun in the process of learning as it is necessary for their mental health as well”, says Kylie. Play centres provide children with the platform to be themselves, acknowledge others’ differences, socialise with others and help to develop strong healthy minds and bodies.

Another essential component of play centres is that they enable children to connect with other children. To promote mental and physical health and wellbeing, children socialise with each other effectively through physical activities, and help each other to overcome physical challenges. Children develop frameworks of understanding and how to collaborate with other children. “Children thrive when they work together, and that’s where the magic happens”, says Kylie.

Ultimately, children have high levels of energy that need to be expended, therefore the benefits of play centres are critical to a child’s physical and mental development. Physically active children generally perform well at school, with improved concentration and a longer attention span. Equally as important, children develop better sleep patterns, which is ideal for their muscle recovery and development. “Play centres are the superlative choice for children to be exactly who they are, and challenge them holistically in the hopes of developing the best, and healthiest versions of themselves” ,says 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.

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.

Not only do play centres have the ideal and necessary resources and physical environment for children to explore, socialise and learn, they also enable parents to develop closer bonds with their children. The child-parent relationship is a bond that can be facilitated effectively within play centres and often helps to improve child-parent relationships.

Kylie-Jane Shannon, owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre and proud mother, advises on the importance of play centres and parenting, and how both aspects work simultaneously.

“Families have significant roles and duties in the personality development of children,” says Kylie. Parents stand as the first socialising experience and agents for their child. This particular experience can affect the way a child perceives their surroundings, basing their initial communicative contact as a method of response. “At Jungle Kids, we inform parents on the importance of supervising their child during play centre fun,” says Kylie. Play centres allow for healthy and effective communication between parent and child. “Parenting in play centres should be fun and educational,” says Kylie.

Play centres can present a wealth of benefits for parents. Parents can be informed and learn about what a play centre is and what benefits it can have for their children’s physical, social and emotional development. In addition, parents are given the opportunity to meet other parents and share their experiences. Play centres can also inform parents and support them to understand emerging techniques in child-rearing and training, giving them the ideal platform to nurture their child’s social and educational development.

“Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre strives to ensure that parents connect intimately and informatively with their child, promoting a rich, nourishing and entertaining experience that flows from their play centre experience, straight into their homes,” says Kylie. “An unbreakable and natural bond in parent-child relationships sets the positive foundation for a child’s character, and also enables the parents to communicate more effectively.”

The involvement of parents within a play centre presents many key ideals. These include; being more positive, and less critical of children; not making comparisons between their child and other children; and the advantage of being a good listener and encouraging good communication skills. “Parents should allow for optimism in their experiences and learn to be the best example they can be for their child in play centre environments,” says Kylie.

When communication is given and received with sincerity and love, the bond between child and parent can be strengthened. A play centre can play a leading role in supporting parents to enrich the child-parent relationship and is an ideal environment to help develop natural and sincere communication.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre dedicates their expertise and delight to serving Australian families within the town of Wallan, Victoria. Checkout their full range of services and current featured promotions. 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.

Indoor play centres are one of the most popular leisure destinations for families with young children. However, play centres can become a hazard to public health and safety if not properly maintained. Owner of Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre, and proud mother, Kylie-Jane Shannon, shares the essential components of promoting safe and hygienic standards at play centres.

The first essential component for play centres, is to ensure that all resources, play equipment including indoor and outdoor toys, swings, bikes, etc, as well as the physical areas are thoroughly disinfected and sanitised regularly. Ensuring that everything is well-organised everyday is another essential component for promoting safe and hygienic standards.

“As a well revered play centre, Jungle Kids ensures that sanitising meticulously and arranging the play centre before the very first customers step in, and after the last customer steps out, is of utmost importance and is regularly exercised by staff,” says Kylie.

With numerous children using the play centre’s equipment and resources daily, disinfecting surfaces regularly, allows for greater control of the hygiene standards that assures parents that their young ones can enjoy themselves in a safe and sanitary environment.

Another essential component of a safe and hygienic environment is to enlist the participation of both the children using the centre and their parents. Through good communication, play centres can implement hygienically beneficial protocols that set the hygiene standards for the centre. Examples include, ensuring that everyone thoroughly washes and sanitises their hands before they enter the play centre, and if directed to do so, adults wear a mask. “If everyone is aware of, and maintains safe and hygienic standards, we can help keep both kids and parents safe and healthy, and communicate our standards in a fun and informative manner,” says Kylie.

Another essential component is to ensure that parents adhere to the rules and regulations of the play centre. “For example, at Jungle Kids, the play centre strictly advises that all children must wear socks when they’re in the play centre, and that parents supervise their children’s activities,” says Kylie. Following the rules and regulations assist play centres highly maintain a safe and orderly environment.

The final component is to ensure that all play centre equipment is well maintained and safe for daily use. “At Jungle Kids, all play centre equipment is safe, regularly serviced and versatile to cater for all age groups,” says Kylie. All surface areas in the play centre should be preserved well, and show no signs of wear and tear.

The essential components discussed above should serve as the most informative and frequently practiced etiquette to best deliver and uphold the ideal play centre experience for children and parents.

Jungle Kids Indoor Play Centre continues to dedicate their expertise and delight to serving Australian families within the town of Wallan, Victoria. Checkout their full range of services and current featured promotions. 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