This month, we have a beautiful book giveaway from Lonely Planet Kids. The book Wild Things encourages kids to get outdoors and celebrates the little things. There are over 100 magical adventure ideas in the book that are simple, fun and achievable. It’s about celebrating the outdoors and creating a special childhood for your child.

Activities include:

• Tracking dragons
• Creating fairy fashions
• Brewing magic potions
• Building snow unicorns
• Capturing moon magic
• Creating secret messages
• Looking after the natural world
• Making wild mini worlds

About Wild Things

Have you ever wanted to find fairies in the garden, meet a unicorn, ride a dragon or share a picnic with a mermaid? Just because you’ve never seen these magical creatures doesn’t mean they don’t exist!

The Wild Things of stories and the imagination are everywhere, but they’re shy, secretive, sometimes camouflaged and only reveal themselves to true believers.

This fantastical guidebook will help you track dragons, create fairy fashions, brew magic potions, build snow unicorns, discover trolls and go on night hunts to capture moon magic. Search forests, meadows, fields, ponds, rivers and the seaside, as well as everyday places like school playgrounds, local parks or among the pots on the patio.

You can discover the mysteries of nature all year round and at any time of day or night. So switch your imagination on, use your senses, brush up on your magic skills and take a giant leap into the world of the Wild Things.

TO ENTER the Giveaway

1. Head over to Lonely Planet Kids and read about the Wild Things book.
2. Email marketing@staging.makingrainbows.com.au and explain a favourite activity to do outside with your child.
3. That’s it!

Terms & Conditions

• You must be an Australian resident older than 18 years of age to enter.
• You must provide a valid email address and entries are limited to one per household.
• Entries close Friday, April 19, 2019, at 11:59 pm Australian EST.
• Entries will be judged on merit and creativity.
• One winner will receive a copy of Wild Things.
• The winner will be contacted by email.
• The winner must claim the prize within two days or the prize will be re-drawn.
• The winner agrees to have their contact details passed on to organise the prize postage.
• The giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by Facebook.

Label everything! As soon as you start going on outings with your little one, it becomes important to label all the bits and pieces follow your child around, like bottles and dummies, sippy cups and bibs.  Bright Star Kids makes it easy and stylish with their extensive variety of high quality name labels.

We are excited to give away a Designer Daycare Name Label Value Kit that includes 114 labels for a variety of uses, including shoes, sippy cups, dummies, containers, clothing and more.

About the Designer Daycare Name Label Value Kit

We love this kit because it includes everything you need to label you child’s items. The labels are dishwasher safe, water proof and dryer safe — so there’s tip-toeing around hoping they will last. 

PLUS, they look good! In the designer range, there are HEAPS of different designs to choose from, including mermaids, cars, superhero, foxes, hearts, monsters, smiley faces and more. You’re sure to find something that appeals to you and your child. Below is a snapshot of some of the styles.

TO ENTER the Giveaway

1. Head over to the Bright Star Kids website and look through the products.
2. Email marketing@staging.makingrainbows.com.au and explain which product you love and why.
3. That’s it!

Terms & Conditions

• You must be an Australian resident older than 18 years of age to enter.
• You must provide a valid email address and entries are limited to one per household.
• Entries close Saturday, March 16, 2019, at 11:59 pm Australian EST.
• Entries will be judged on merit and creativity.
• One winner will receive Designer Daycare Labels Value Kit of their choice (subject to availability).
• The winner will be contacted by email.
• The winner must claim the prize within two days or the prize will be re-drawn.
• The winner agrees to have their contact details passed on to organise the prize postage.
• The giveaway is in no way sponsored, endorsed, administered by Facebook.

Making Rainbows is pleased to announce a partnership with The Wesley Hospital. The Wesley provides continued care right from before birth, to settling bub in at home. The Making Rainbows team visited their first class maternity ward to talk about the benefits of music, movement and sensory play for babies. A special discount for Wesley parents will be hitting the wards soon! 

Making Rainbows founder and director, Bernadette Clegg, got the best surprise when she walked into one of the large maternity rooms. She met 2 day old Beatrix with her Mummy and Daddy and recognised the parents as previous Making Rainbows clients! This is the second time this family have used Wesley Maternity. Little Beatrix will attend Making Rainbows too, just like her big sister did last year.

Bernadette said, “The community aspect is what I love most about Making Rainbows. Supporting families and being part of their lives is so rewarding. Partnering with The Wesley is such a privilege, as we both care deeply about the care and wellbeing of parents and their little ones.”

We are crazy for rainbows and cuteness here! If you’re looking for a sweet and simple activity for the mid-term break, you can turn the humble paper plate into a vibrant rainbow. This activity can provide children with a sensory experience as they decorate their rainbows, and follow it up with singing Sing a Rainbow together. 

This activity is fun for:

• Birthday party craft
• Holiday craft
• Sensory activity
• Baby interaction (sing rainbow songs and wave the rainbow cloud about)
• Bedroom decor

Sing a Rainbow by Arthur Hamilton

Red and yellow and
Pink and Green
Purple and orange and blue

I can sing a rainbow
Sing a rainbow
Sing a rainbow too

Listen with your eyes
Listen with your ears
And sing everything you see

I can sing a rainbow
Sing a rainbow
Sing along with me

Materials 

• Paper Plates
• Scissors
• Paint
• Paint Brush
• Craft Glue
• Cotton Balls

1. Cut a paper plate in half.

2. Paint each colour on the semi-circle to create your rainbow. Think red and yellow and pink and green. Purple and orange and blue. Allow to dry.

3. Once dry, glue the cotton balls at the end of the rainbows for clouds. 

Guess what!? Making Rainbows has been nominated for the What’s On 4 Little One’s Awards!! Last year Making Rainbows were one of the finalists. To win WE NEED YOUR VOTE!

About the National What’s On 4 Kids Awards

The national What’s On 4 Kids Awards reward, recognise and celebrate the very best in children’s activities, classes, clubs, volunteers, family days out and kids party entertainers across Australia. Making Rainbows is proud to offer a very special service for families with children under five years of age because we believe in the value of investing in your child’s life during these precious years.  It’s exciting to be recognised for something we just LOVE to do, and if you love Making Rainbows, we would love your vote.

How to Vote

1. Head over to the What’s On 4 Kids Awards Page and press the CLICK HERE TO VOTE button.

2. There’s a lot of information and categories, but just scroll down until you see our category which is:

Category: Best local Toddler/Baby Activity 0-3 years.

3. Press the arrow to reveal the drop down menu and choose Making Rainbows from the list.

4. Then enter your details and press SUBMIT MY VOTE.

THANK YOU! 

One of the BEST things about Mother’s Day is the sweet little handmade cards made by the kids. They are treasures to keep! Fill in the blank letters bring out the cutest things, and below is a version you can download for free. Just click the image below or press here for the PDF file.

Writing the Letter

• Draw a picture or add a photo to the circle frame.
• Some of the lines, for example, “You’re as ____ as a ______.” may need a little direction. A tip is to start kids off with an adjective suggestion: Brave, Strong, Kind, Nice, Lovely and they tend to get the idea.
• However, try not to guide children too much because their own responses are absolutely adorable (and funny).

Template

Just click the image below for the PDF file.

Jacqueline & Aston

Making Rainbows amazing Administration Manager and her son Aston filled it out together. Check out some of the adorable responses, like:

• Favourite food = coffee.
• Mum is happy = wine.

Spot on.

About Making Rainbows

Making Rainbows is a Brisbane based business connecting children, families and communities through music, movement and sensory play. Find more details about the current class times and locations here.

Term 2 is here and we are excited! There are a lot of fun and exciting things happening at Making Rainbows. We have new classes in Toowoomba on Mondays and Fridays, along with 17 other locations around Brisbane.

Just take a look at this gorgeous space at our Toowoomba location! Plus, our brand new mats have arrived and we are doing a happy dance.

Making Rainbows Mats

We want your bubs to be happy and comfortable, and so we designed our own colourful mats. They are made by Recycled Mats, a local company located at Tweed Heads, the same company that developed the seating for the Commonwealth Games this year! Made from recycled plastic bags, the mats are ideal for children because they are hygienic and easy to look after. You’ll find larger versions of the mats in schools and childcare centres all around Australia and New Zealand.

If you would like to purchase a Making Rainbows Mat for your home, they are available for $25. Simply put an order in with your class teacher. The mats are great for indoor floor play and outdoor picnics. The great thing about these mats is you can just hose them off if they need a clean.

Designs

There are three designs:

• Meadow Breeze: Lime and Aqua
• Autumn Leaves: Red and Orange
• Cherry Blossom Skies: Pink and Aqua

Mats are 60 cm.

More Info About Recycled Mats

Recycled mats are:

• made using 100% recycled polypropylene
• soft and comfortable long-lasting UV treated
• lightweight and easy to roll up, transport and store
• mould resistant, fully washable and quick to dry
• reversible (two designs for the price of one!)

Our mats are a must-have addition to the early learning classroom, making teaching about diversity easy, practical and fun. Early readers will love this soft, warm space to share a story, whilst babies can explore textures and visual stimulation during tummy time. We also see our mats at sporting events, fetes and festivals, beaches and campgrounds, living rooms and office foyers. Wherever people love to combine bold colour splashes, talking-point designs and resilient, low maintenance ground cover, our recycled mats fit the bill. Make any space a celebration of colour, creativity and cultural diversity with high-quality recycled mats. Check out the entire range of Recycled Mats.

HELLO ADORABLE!

Here’s a cute craft you can whip up with your little ones and you probably have everything you need for this activity in your house right now.

This activity is fun for

• Birthday party craft
• Holiday craft
• Sensory activity
• Baby interaction (sing rainbow songs and wave the rainbow cloud about)
• Bedroom decor

Materials

• Template (print it here)
• Scissors 
• Felt pen
• Googly eyes (optional)

Instructions

1. Print the 2-page template by clicking the image below or click here.

2. Cut the cloud shape.

3. Cut out the rainbow rectangle, leaving a section of white along one of the short sides (to allow you to glue).

4. Glue along the short edge and place behind the base of the cloud.

5. Using scissors, cut in between each coloured line.

6. Repeat with all the lines until you have rainbow streamers coming from the cloud.

7. Draw in the face and add googly eyes with glue if desired.

Rainbow cuteness!

Making Rainbows isn’t only about a fun hour of music, movement and sensory play each week, we are about fostering connection and precious moments with your little one every day. If you have a spare five minutes, this is how you can turn a simple cardboard roll into a twirl of wind-catching rainbows. Babies will enjoy tracking the bright colours and movement and young children can blow or run with their rainbow streamers.

This activity is fun for

• Birthday parties
• Toddler play
• Baby interaction 
• Sensory activity
• Dancing

Materials

• Scissors
• Sticky Tape
• Paper Glue
• Cardboard Roll
• Crepe Streamers
• Template

Print the template

Click the template picture below for the free Rainbow Wind Catcher printable PDF file.

Instructions

1. Print & cut the rectangle template. You can download for free here.
2. Glue the template rectangle to a cardboard roll.
3. Cut sections of crepe streamers approximately a 20 centimetres length. You’ll need approximately six lengths.
4. Tape crepe paper lengths inside of cardboard tube and trim ends to desired length. They need to be short enough to move when you blow through the opening and long enough for movement.

   Tip: It’s easy to attach the streamers by using a section of tape on the streamer before attaching it inside the cardboard roll.

Game Ideas

1. Sing a Rainbow

Sing a Rainbow is a popular song that was written by American songwriter, Arthur Hamilton in 1953, and the world has enjoying singing it ever since. Delight your little one with this song while waving the rainbow maker around, tickle their arms with the soft streamers. Listen to Delta Goodrem’s whimsical version here.

Babies will enjoy the interaction, plus will be learning too! Dr Grant from Gateway Therapies says, “Babies are born with their visual acuity, processing and perceptual skills still developing. While they may struggle to see details, they are programmed to be interested in moving objects, and things that have clear outlines and contrast. A rainbow wind catcher can help your baby to practice focussing on and tracking moving objects. These skills are important later in life for tasks such as reading, and catching a ball. Plus, they will have fun and be engaged too.”

Sing a Rainbow by Arthur Hamilton

Red and yellow and
Pink and Green
Purple and orange and blue

I can sing a rainbow
Sing a rainbow
Sing a rainbow too

Listen with your eyes
Listen with your ears
And sing everything you see

I can sing a rainbow
Sing a rainbow
Sing along with me

2. Run a Rainbow

Young children can run in the backyard or park with the rainbow maker high above their head. Watch the wind tunnel through the roll making the colourful streamers fly in the air.

3. Blow a Rainbow

Young children (and parents) can blow through the cardboard roll to see how wild they can make the rainbow streamers fly.

4. Shake & Dance A Rainbow

The colourful streamers make for wonderful pom-pom shakers too. Put on your favourite music, spin, dance and shake away.

5. Do a Rainbow Party

Add some colour to your next rainbow themed party by providing a rainbow maker to enjoy and take home for each child. Children can even make their own with whatever coloured streamers they like.

About Making Rainbows

Making Rainbows is a Brisbane based business connecting children, families and communities through music, movement and sensory play. Find more details about the current class times and locations here.