Childhood Wonder

Babies don’t come with manuals! The Happy Parenting Program provides support for parents of babies around 2 to 6 months of age through free, interactive workshops held by experienced early childhood facilitators. This ECU research project is investigating which types of workshops provide the best support for parents.

We are now recruiting families for our Term 3 program which begins in late July. Workshop locations include Greenwood, Beckenham, and online. Contact us at [email protected] or on 6304 2228 for more information or click the link below to register your interest: https://eaecu.au1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_blRU1CZMAG8kTwa

Caregiving times like nappy changes are an opportunity to connect and build on the relationship with your baby.

⭐️Slowing down
It takes babies time to process what’s happening in their world. When we slow down our movements we give them the opportunity to tune in and pay attention.

⭐️Communicate what you’re doing
When we tell babies what we’re doing before we do it, it helps them to feel safe and secure. This builds trust in our relationship. It also increases their language development.

⭐️Offer Choices
Babies are born with preferences. Offering a choice of two things helps us get to know who they are and what they like. In Toddlerhood choices help nurture our childrens growing desire to be independent.

⭐️ Create Predictability
When we create predictability in caregiving rituals our babies are able to anticipate what’s going to happen. This creates a feeling of trust and safety. It also allows them to be an active participant in their care. Lifting their legs, helping push their arm through a shirt. As they get older they’re able to do more for themselves leading to self-confidence and co-operation.

Would love to hear your thoughts and questions about nappy changes below. 👇

Thank you to everyone who has supported me on this journey so far including, RIE® Associate Patty Ryan , RIE Associate Sharon Smith , RIE® Associate Polly Elam and everyone at the RIE® organisation. If you’d like to learn more about RIE® please visit www.rie.org.au .org.official

Slow days at home full of play ✨💖 Many of our most favourite things in this photo…

I’m so excited to be a part of this in-person RIE® Foundations™ course next month in Perth, Australia. RIE® Associate Sharon Smith will be facilitating. A few places have become available so if you’d like to join us please get in touch via direct message or email [email protected] or [email protected]

“Children learn from anything and everything they see. They learn wherever they are, not just in special learning places”. - John Holt

We’ve been busy at Childhood Wonder creating new offerings for our community ✨

Links for more information or to register below, in bio and stories.

Being with Infants & Toddlers Online Workshop:
https://bit.ly/3ojPjtW

The Wonder of Childhood Homeschool Community:
https://bit.ly/3Oinr3T

Thank you, Emily

Who else loves working with clay? Photo flashback to our nature playgroups. Mamas and their little ones creating magic together 🙌✨

Childhood moments full of wonder ✨ Love this photo of my daughter exploring the sand. This was almost four years ago 🙈

An ideal first play object for an infant learning to grasp is a cotton square/scarf/napkin because:

✨ It’s light weight and easy to manipulate.
✨ A baby first begins to grasp the blankets that cover them at night and it’s very similar.
✨The first grasp to develop is the Ulnar Palmer grasp. When the infant grabs an object they wrap their fourth and or/fifth finger around it gently. A piece of cloth is easy to pick up with these last two fingers and keep hold of it.
✨ Cotton is stiff enough that if it falls on your baby’s face they can breath easily underneath.
*Disclaimer it’s not advisable to use scarfs made from any other material but the cotton for this reason above.
✨Some infants delight in hiding underneath it and pulling it back off. I recall a baby in one of my parent infant classes that spent much time hiding this way. It was such a joy to observe his awe and wonder with an object as simple as this.