Childhood is a funny thing for parents. Fleeting overall, but peppered with so much colour and drama and so many milestones that it can become hard to remember when first words were said, what early favourite toys were, and how much they truly wanted to be a fireman. This of course is in contrast to long days and often longer nights, and an overwhelming feeling that starts with, "can I cope?" and ends with, "time is running out".

How to capture those special memories of childhood

• Always choose to participate in the event before stepping back to take photos.

• Take LOTS of pictures. It seems like a contradiction to point number 1, I know, and the priority should be to live life, but never forget to take your camera with you. Set up your computer to automatically upload pictures from your phone to your computer, and once a year throw those images onto a USB or, better still, get them printed and file them.

• Be in the photo. Consciously make an effort to ask the stranger to take the photo. If you aren't in any photos, were you really there? Remember you are one of the most important people in their childhood.

• Buy a newspaper on the day of the birth of your children and put it into tissue and plastic to preserve it. I still have all the newspapers for my kids from their birthdays, and already it is something Master 9 finds fascinating. This idea is more about giving your child an essence of the time, which is sort of like a memory, but from a different perspective. I also give this idea to friends and family when they have their babies.

• Take a Christmas photo of your family every single year on Christmas Day. It's the one time of year you are assured to have some family members or friends around to take the picture. Commit to this one-you won't be sorry.

• Take a Christmas card photo each year. If Christmas Day is usually stressful, then dress up prior to Christmas, take a photo and use an online photo service to convert it to a Christmas card. Order an extra one for yourself. Bonus points here if you dress up in costume!

• Buy a box for each child from a stationery store and fill it with their artwork. As each year ends, decide on keeping only the most precious and take a photo of the rest.

• Create an email address for each of your children and email the photos to their email address.

• Use a wall in your home to record the kids' growth. If you move, simply make note of the heights and transfer.

• Email memories to their email address as a way of recording funny things they do, milestones, records, school newsletters that feature their name, etc. Imagine the joy when they begin using their account and find special messages from you dating back years!

• Keep their favourite book. Even now when I see a book from my childhood it brings back so many memories.

• Use an online photobook company to record all the main food you cook in the home and all the recipes that have been passed down. Keep adding to it, and when the kids move out of home you can give them the family cookbook. Food is always such a big part of memories, and this is a great way to capture another part of childhood.

• Frame your children's artwork. This is something I have done for all my kids since they were little. Only the best pieces make the cut, but it is almost like achieving 'pool room' status if they get framed. One day, I will pass some of this onto my children, and one day, of course, they will get to keep it all.

• Create a time capsule. I am doing that this year. It is hard with multiple kids, but I think I would wait until the youngest could consciously choose something to add to the capsule as the ideal time.

• I save the kids' most beautiful loved clothing (3 or 4 pieces for each child), and pop them into tissue paper along with 1 or 2 treasured toys. They will eventually be transferred into a blanket box and become a treasure to pass on when they are older.

• Create a memory jar. On New Year's Eve, have each family member add a favourite memory from the year to the jar. Add a different colour piece of paper for every year and, when the kids are older, you will have a jar of wonderful life memories to reflect upon.

• Record their dreams and aspirations. This is something I never really thought of doing before.With each of my three children, I took the time to ask them "What is your dream?". When asked recently, Miss 3's dream was to be a cowgirl (inspired by Sheriff Callie), Master 6 wants to be a policeman, and Master 9 just dreams of being happy. The word 'dream' is such a wonderful word, and the answers will never be confined to occupation. Because of that, it is probably the ideal question to ask your child, on video, each year. Walt Disney once said "It's kind of fun to do the impossible. "Dreams are kind of like that. Sometimes impossible in real life, but fun to try nonetheless. You won't regret asking this question.

Dear Valued Centre Families,

What a fantastic year we have had here at Kidi Kingdom Child Care Coomera. Our Pre Prep graduation was a big success, everyone did an amazing job. Please feel free to have a look at the ceremony on our Facebook Page!

We have started our yearly swimming program with Bergman's Swim School. It has been a great experience for the children. We also have some extra experiences that are attending the centre like Dental 2 You, who will be visiting us in March, please ensure you keep an eye out on our facebook page for the upcoming dates. Please remember to like our Facebook Page to ensure you receive important information and centre event notifications so your child doesn't miss out. Our vacancies are now limited, if you wish to take on additional days or even recommend a friend, please do not hesitate to contact Ms Sarah and we will be more than happy to secure a place for you. We look forward to sharing 2022 with you all.

Kind Regards, Ms Sarah Centre Manager.

Please like our Facebook page and we always appreciate our loyal families helping our centre by sharing your positive experiences to the local community by writing a quick Google, CareForKids or Facebook review. Thank you for the families that have already taken to the time to write a review.

Kind Regards, Sarah Piccolini Centre Manager	Click here to visit our pages at Facebook and Instagram

Welcome Valued Families of Kidi Kingdom Child Care Coomera to our first Newsletter of 2022.

I would like to take this opportunity to thank our current and new families for choosing our services and how excited I am to be the Educational Programs Leader for Kidi Kingdom Child Care Coomera. My new role will consist of ensuring all children are receiving the best high quality education and care and supporting our amazing educators to enhance each and every child's strengths, interest and needs. I will be working with the educators to provide support and guidance where necessary. I look forward to reaching new goals with our educators for 2022.

Kind Regards, Miss Steph Educational Program Leader.

Dear Families of the Early Learners Room.

Firstly, I would like to welcome you all back to our room for the new year and would like to welcome our new families to the Early Learners Room. I am so excited to be a part of your child's learning journey.

The last few months we have had lots of fun learning and exploring our world. The children helped Miss Rachael and Miss Talia plant a blueberry tree and we have been watching it grow. We each take turns watering it and we are all waiting patiently for our first blueberries to grow for us to eat.

The Early Learners have been showing a lot of interest in connections, both with the educators and other children in the room. We have noticed some lovely friendships developing and hope they stay friends for many years to come. With this in mind Miss Talia and myself have been focusing on group activities where the children interact with one or two other children. We have focused these games around the children's interests in balls, practicing rolling the ball to each other and some children trying to kick the ball to their friend. The children have also been showing a great interest in where things go? Which has led us to play peek-a-boo, where's the baby? and activities involving tunnel play for the children to develop their reasoning skills and deductive skills as they try and figure out where the object has come out from.

Below are some website links I use in the Early Learners Classroom and I suggest for any parent wanting some ideas for their children to do at home.

www.happilyevermom.com/activities-baby-make-diy-ball-drop

www.kidspot.com.au/parenting/things-to-do/rolling-ball-game/news

Thank you, Miss Rachael, Mrs Talia & Miss Sapphire.

Welcome to all our wonderful families in the Junior Early Years Room.

We trust everyone has had a great Christmas and a Happy New Year. This year we have welcomed many new families. I would love to introduce myself, my name is Miss Puneet Kaur and I am the Lead Educator in the Junior Early Years Room.

Last year was amazing. We engaged in so many amazing experiences related to centre events, classroom themes, sensory and learning activities. In our program we are focusing on culture, colors, numbers, letters, and many more fun experiences. In the last three months we celebrated Recycling Week, Remembrance Day, Christmas, New Year, Australia Day, Chinese New Year, and Waitangi Day. The children had lots of fun on all these days but our most favorite day was our Christmas Celebrations with the amazing Larrikin Puppet Show.

During December, we did plenty of different activities related to celebrate Christmas. The children participated in cooking experiences. We made a cake with blueberries, we decorated our room with the help of the children's creativity and the children cut the grass with scissors and we used that grass to make our Christmas tree.

Children showed great interest in these activities and they have learnt some new words from our conversational reading.

Below are some websites I use and suggest for any parent wanting some ideas for their children to do at home.

https://www.funwithmama.com/cultural-diversity-activities-for-elementary-students https://childhood101.com/sensory-play-ideas

Thank you, Miss Puneet, Miss Harman, Miss Amber & Miss Sonya.

Welcome back to our returning families and a very warm welcome to our new families joining the Early Years Classroom.

In the Early Years Classroom before meal times a thank you manners song is sung, every morning we practice saying our first and last names and greeting each of our friends using languages from all over the world, like the words Ciao, Kia Ora and Malo e Le lei.

Our focus for this term will be promoting children's sense of belonging, connectedness and wellbeing, ensuring all children are feeling safe, secure and supported. Promoting in all children a strong sense of who they are and ensuring children experience pride and confidence in their achievements. Discussing how wonderful it is to have so many children in the class with similarities and differences and how these make each of us unique and special. Providing opportunities for the children to share their strengths, interests, beliefs and backgrounds.

Below are some websites I use and suggest for any parent wanting some ideas for their children to do at home.

www.learning4kids.net

www.kidsactivities.com

www.handsonaswegrow.com

Thank you, Miss Bec & Miss Caroline.

Dear Pre Prep/Kindergarten Families,

I would like to say, it has been a pleasure in teaching all the children in the Pre-Prep. We wish all the children all the best in starting 'Big School' 2022.

As we start the new year, the pre-prep children will be starting to learn literacy and numeracy skills for the next couple of months, and they will also have the opportunities to participate in group experiences.

The pre-prep room has also been learning about making healthy choices, and therefore learning more about healthy foods, which will lead up to our upcoming in-class cooking projects in the coming weeks.

Thank you Mrs Antonietta, Miss Simone & Mrs Wendy.

Dear Families of the the Before and After School Care and Vacation Care Families, Wishing everyone a Happy New Year for 2022. I hope everyone enjoyed their well deserved rest over the Christmas break.

The children have been shown great interest in physical play including soccer, football and ball games which allow the children to develop fine and gross motor skills, agility, balance and coordination skills. This will also build on social skills and working together as a team. Our journey together has been remarkable over the past year, I look forward to building many lasting relationships with your children and embarking on many new learning adventures.

Thank you, Mrs Naila.