Hints to help your children to grow

By Dion Teasdale
A FREE seminar focused on early childhood learning at home and in the community will be held in Lilydale this week.
The Early Learning and Children’s Literacy seminar will be held at Swinburne University of Technology, Lilydale this Friday, 28 October.
Yarra Ranges Best Start community facilitator Anne Monichon said the free seminar was for parents, guardians, and anyone that worked with children in the children’s services and community sectors.
“Anyone who attends the Early Learning and Children’s Literacy seminar is going to leave with some great strategies and new skills and ideas to bring into their family or work life,” Ms Monichon said.
The seminar aims to provide information about children’s development, the powerful influence of families and communities, and how to promote family wellbeing through programs based on play, music and books.
The seminar will feature keynote speakers including Lynne Wannan, chairperson of the new Victorian Children’s Council, Dr Elfiede Ihsen, senior lecturer at Swinburne University of Technology, and Jill Faulkner, service manager of Primary Health Care, Eastern Access Community Health.
Ms Monichon said the programs on show all brought ‘interactivity’ back to play.
“For families juggling so many competing demands in this hightech, high performance world it’s easy for kids to miss out on the play and interactive games that are so important for their development,” she said.
“There is a growing body of evidence to show how early exposure to books, reading and interactive play can greatly benefit the young child’s social, emotional and language development.
“I think the seminar will get people enthusiastic about getting interactive with kids.”
The seminar has been organised by Yarra Ranges Best Start, the Shire of Yarra Ranges, Swinburne Lilydale, Ranges Community Health, Eastern Access Community Health and Eastern Regional Libraries, with financial support from MOSAIC Yarra Ranges Integrated Family Service.
For further information phone Anne Monichon on 1300 368 33.