School holiday activities for kids
The Manjimup Public Library and Art Gallery, in conjunction with the Shire of Manjimup's Community Development Officer, hosted an exciting program of activities for children to take part in during the September/October school holidays.
One of the major drawcards for both parents and children was the FREE 'Messy Play Day' which took place from 9:30am - 11:30am on Thursday 29 September at the Manjimup Timber and Heritage Park. Presented by the Warren Blackwood Early Years Network, the messy play day gave children fun, sensory play experiences, whilst eliminating the mess and clean-up for parents that quite often prevents this type of play in the home.
Shire President Wade DeCampo explains that by giving children the opportunity to investigate materials with no preconceived knowledge or familiarity with them, you're helping them develop and refine their cognitive, social, emotional, physical, creative and linguistic skillsets.
"Children learn best and retain the most information when they engage their senses, and as many of us would agree, a lot of our favourite childhood memories are associated with one or more of our senses such as the smell of rain or our favourite dish being prepared, the feeling of sand at the beach, the sound of laughter; we've all got different cues and triggers," said Cr DeCampo.
The first 100 children received a free pair of gum boots thanks to the Shire of Manjimup and the Child Health Clinic Committee. Parents also received a gift in the form of a 'show bag' of information that may be useful for parents of children in the 'early years'.
"So many organisations have joined in on the celebrations associated with the messy play day and it's such a heart warming display of community spirit, all in the aim of getting our youth engaged and providing them with activities to liven their school holidays," said Cr DeCampo.
Click here to view the full school holiday activities program.
-ENDS-
Authorised by Brian Robinson, Acting Chief Executive Officer
Contact Gina Nieuwendyk, Coordinator Communication and Executive Support
Contact: 9771 7777
Contact for comment: Wade DeCampo, Shire President.
Contact: 0427 094 081
PARTNERS WHO HOSTED AN ACTIVITY AT THE MESSY PLAY DAY
| Manjimup Fire and Rescue | Attending with a fire truck |
| Manjimup Family Centre | Foam Play |
| Shire of Manjimup | Tapioca Play |
| Local Drug and Alcohol Group | Glitter paintings |
| Shire of Manjimup Library | Spaghetti Scrabble |
| East Manjimup Primary School | Nature Wands |
| Department of Health | Clay play, bubbles, slime and feet painting |
| Playgroup WA | Messy books |
| Relationships Australia | Slime |
| Manjimup Community Resource Centre | Play dough |
| Kearnan College | Ooblik |
MORE INFORMATION ABOUT SENSORY PLAY
Angie Dorrell, an accreditation validator and former commissioner, puts sensory play into perspective when she says "imagine trying to teach a group of four-year-olds about melting without allowing them to hold an ice cube as it melts in their hands or to watch cheese on bread in the microwave. As a grownup, imagine learning how to use a computer without actually sitting in front of a computer! Ultimately and without a doubt, we need to experience certain properties with our own senses in order to comprehend and communicate important properties."
Five reasons why sensory play is beneficial:
- Research shows that sensory play builds nerve connections in the brain's pathways, which lead to the child's ability to complete more complex learning tasks.
- Sensory play supports language development, cognitive growth, fine and gross motor skills, problem solving skills and social interaction.
- This type of play aids in developing and enhancing memory.
- Sensory play is great for calming an anxious or frustrated child.
- This type of play helps children learn sensory attributes (hot, cold, sticky, dry).
