The Kids First Blog

Make a lasting impact on the lives of kids and families Your Impact You really ‘get’ that you positively and permanently impact young lives and the lives of those around them. And you really ‘get’ that being in a team of people who share that key value adds even more joy to the work you […]

After a BIG year, the run up to December holidays can be exhausting for children, families and hard-working teachers. When everyone is tired, the last weeks of preschool and school can be tricky. With routines out of kilter, exciting extra outings and a seemingly urgent need to catch up with everyone you know before 25 […]

Preview(opens in a new tab) One of the trickiest thing about starting school in Australia is that every state seems to do it differently! Instead of all children starting school when they are of a similar age, each state has its own set of rules about the age at which children can start school. And […]

Use your gifts to help kids thrive and not just cope! Your impact: As an occupational therapist, you’re committed to making a positive and permanent change to children’s lives. You love working in a diverse team and you get extra joy when you collaborate with like-minded colleagues who share your values. Of course, you… Have […]

Being stuck inside because of wet winter weather is a challenge for active, curious kids. So what educational games and toys will keep your kids engaged and entertained when they can’t go outside this winter? Kids First Children’s Services founder and teacher, Sonja Walker, gives her top tips… While computer games, Netflix, iPads and DVDs […]

Some occupational therapy rooms are full of crash mats and things for children to jump onto. Not only are these types of jumping and crashing activities fun for your child, they also have a lot of sensory benefits. A crash mat can provide proprioceptive input and deep pressure for your child which leads to better […]

We’ve all been there … you’re in a play group or at story-time at your local library… All the other toddlers in the room are babbling away a mile a minute to anyone who will listen, and your child is quietly enjoying building a stack of colourful blocks or flipping through the pages of a […]

Your children are at home. Perhaps preschool is closed for a while – and there’s only so many repeats of Peppa Pig that you can bear! You’re committed to ensuring that your children develop all of the positive skills they need to have a happy, healthy, confident start to primary school – but you’re not […]

Is your child lovable, but challenging? If your 3 to 6 year old’s tantrums, tears, dramas and downright defiance are driving you to despair, you are not alone! Don’t miss this FREE webinar full of practical tips that will help you and your child to build better behaviour (and, even more importantly, a strong relationship […]

It’s a new preschool year and you’re hoping it will be the best one yet for your child. Kids First’s Early Learning Support Specialist, Kirsty Gale, shares eight tips for getting your little one’s first days of kindy or daycare off to a great start. 1. Goodbye tears usually don’t last for long Many children […]

Bilingual children have unique language and learning skills As the parent or preschool teacher of bilingual children, your desire to help the kids in your care make the best possible start is natural…but how can you achieve this? 15% of Australian children live in homes where languages other than English are spoken. It’s important for […]

Australia’s bushfires have brought unprecedented loss, fear and sadness to our nation and as ‘city slickers’ it’s hard not to feel guilty as our country cousins struggle with drought, fire and untold tragedy. All is not lost, however, because the spirit of Aussie mateship is alive and well – and it is something we can […]

Your child is starting at a new school soon. Perhaps it’s the first year of ‘big school’, or maybe high school is just around the corner. You may have moved to a new area – or even a new country – and the social landscape in your child’s new setting is as unfamiliar for you […]

Does your child: Have frequent tantrums? Meltdown at the slightest provocation? Find it hard to calm down after experiencing ‘big emotions’? Seem unable (or unwilling!) to listen or following instructions? Struggle to interact appropriately with other kids? Avoid messy play? Pinch, bite or hit other children? Get frightened by sounds like a flushing toilet, vacuum cleaner or […]

A psychologists who works with children in Sydney’s northern beaches says that while it is normal for children to occasionally become bored with one another, time spent with siblings is an important part of building family relationships and teaching kids to co-operate, respect and compromise with others. Brothers and sisters can be great friends and […]