A huge day for Amaze Part 3! Our philosophy on animals in our centres is well known. Amaze Hinterland (Mudgeeraba) has lizards, chickens, birds, fish and even a cricket breeding program! Miss Shivarn Lange has been bringing her gorgeous puppy in which the children absolutely love. Diaz from a hinterland was snapped showing the love! Mr Ben and Miss Kara Maree were also quoted on the benefits of animals in early childhood. Well done team!!!
Play-Doh fun something children need to knead to prepare for school
May 2, 2017 4:08pm – Madura McCormack
CHILDREN need to knead and sculpt Play-Doh to build finger muscles and prepare for school, experts say.
Griffith University early childhood professor Bev Fluckinger said the old-school toy is beneficial for physical, social and creative skills and should be introduced as soon as kids can grasp it.
“The physical benefits of manipulating Play-Doh certainly do help children develop their fine motor skills and strengthens their fingers, but that’s one of the smaller aspects of Play-Doh,” Dr Fluckinger said.
“Play-Doh is something that is used for social time, where kids can use their imagination and their creativity to create scenarios and dialogues as they’re playing.”
She recommended introducing Play-Doh to children from as early as six months to a year old.
“Building muscle tones in their fingers; it makes transition to school and early years in school much easier.”
Amaze Childcare general manager Lucy Cook said technology had not dented the popularity of Play-Doh because of its versatility.
“It’s a calming sensory experience that also allows for parallel play, so children may not be playing with each other, but side-by-side,” she said.
We are thrilled to be featured on Kochie’s Business Builders website. We’re so proud of our Amaze Child Care Team!
This Queensland business is keeping it in the family
By Shihana Shahabdeen – May 9, 2017
No one knows the value of good staff more than Lucy Cook and Phil Mazey, founders of Queensland’s Amaze Early Education Centre. When they lost all of their staff (twice in quick succession), they realised something had to change. This small business began with one centre in 2008 and has now expanded to eight centres across Queensland. With business booming, another one is currently under construction and is due to open late 2017.
Carla Tooma and Moira Major (From the 1029 Hot Tomato Gold Coast Galey, Mal and Moira Drive Show) popped in to Amaze Hinterland Early Education Centre to ask our kids some questions about their mums! And boy did they give some cute answers.
With having four boys, close in age, including twins, it has always been a challenge dealing with the physical-ness and rough and tumble. I learnt early on that an open plan environment is not good. In the words of the band Offspring, “you gotta keep ’em separated”. Consequently, my house has many different zones with tv’s or Xbox, computers and outdoors.
There are so many great reasons why the park is an ideal place for both parents and kids to have fun. In this article, Amaze Owner, Lucy Cook, helps demonstrate just why parks are so great.
https://www.mydeal.com.au/blog/post/taking-your-kids-to-the-park-is-a-great-idea
If you’ve ever heard your child complain, “Nobody likes me!” or “They won’t let me play!”, you know how painful it is for your child to feel friendless. All you want to do is wrap your arms around them and protect them from feeling all alone.
Are you too busy or tired to entertain your children or ensure they are getting enough exercise?
Lucy recently guest blogged on AustralianMum.com about her tips for enjoying holidaying with kids!
Have kids they said, it will be fun they said. That’s ok, but no-one ever warned me of the perils of travelling with kids.
I knew it was a bad sign when we hadn’t even crossed the Queensland/New South Wales border and number 1 child vomited all over the other 3 children. In our wisdom, we decided to travel by car from the Gold Coast to Sydney, with 4 children under 5.
CHILDCARE kids are as emotionally and socially healthy as children who are kept at home.
Working parents can heave a sigh of relief as research found five-year-olds who went to childcare in their first three years turned out to be happy, stable kids.
The five-year European study from the Economic and Social Research Institute tracked 11,000 children.
After weighing up the combined feedback of parents and teachers, the authors of Childcare, Early Education and Socio-Emotional Outcomes at Age Five concluded that there was “little difference” between children cared for by parents or professionals.
The experts found that the mental health of parents, the number of parents, children’s health and gender had more impact on a child’s development and that high-quality child care could even cancel out negative family factors.
Queensland’s Lucy Cook has a Masters degree in Education and 20 years’ experience. She runs six early education centres and believes children in childcare can flourish if the service is of the highest quality.
“It can’t be any care, it has to be high-quality and the right blend of nurturing, love and learning,” she said.
“Child care gives parents a support group of teachers and other parents that they may not be able to access due to both parents working and they reap social, psychological and financial rewards.”
The research assessed children on sharing and kindness, conduct and emotional difficulties, hyper-activity and peer problems.