This recent article by the International Play Association (IPA) highlights that during times of crisis, play has a significant therapeutic role helping kids recover a sense of normality and joy.

Play is a basic and vital part of the pleasure of childhood and an essential part of all aspects of children’s development. Due to the necessary decisions that have had to be made by governments during the pandemic, IPA has created a simple handbook for parents and carers about how we can support our kids in play during a crisis.

It is simple and easy to read and shares expertise on:

• Observing and thinking about their play
• Play with difficult themes, loss, grief and death
• Managing noisy, destructive and messy play
• Balance between internet and screen based activities and play
• Playing when you can’t leave you home.

While playspaces were  closed, Variety Storytime’s recordings shows how they have kept community playdates happening online.

Content source:  Variety Livvi’s Place

Image source:  IPA

Sport was put on hold, and some children’s fitness and competency levels may have weakened, whist we stayed home to stay safe from COVID-19. Now that some children in sports are beginning to practice and play, do activities together to help them recondition, improve skills and increase fitness levels.  

Preventing Play and Sports Injuries

You can help protect your children from being injured by following some simple guidelines:

• Warming-up – prepare the body by loosening muscles with warm-up exercises
• Take breaks – provide frequent rest periods and drink breaks to stay hydrated
• Use proper equipment – check equipment is in good working order and use safety gear that is the correct size and fits well
• Maintain playing surfaces - check playing fields for holes and ruts that might cause children to trip and fall. Report maintenance issues to the owner of the field.
• Provide active adult supervision - any team sport or activity should be supervised by suitably qualified adults.
• Commit to safety - select clubs and teams that have a documented safety and injury prevention plan/strategy. Be sure that the coach enforces playing rules, always requires that safety equipment be used and that there is a first aid trained person on site.

If your child is feeling pain or has an injury, keep them at home or sidelined until you can seek medical advice and they are cleared to play. 

Keep checking the NSW Government website for any changes of restrictions and resuming community sports.

Helpful links

Click here for NSW Health’s Childhood Overweight and Obesity Detailed Data Report.

Click here for Australia's Physical Activity and Sedentary Behaviour Guidelines and the Australian 24-Hour Movement Guidelines

Click here for NSW Education’s Live Well @School campaign with excellent videos and resources.

Click here to access Australian Government – Sports Australia Physical Literacy Framework.

Click here for Raising Kids Network – The Importance of Play. 

Click here for Better Health Victoria

Click here for Sport Australia

A fun part of camping can be huddled around the campfire for cooking, conversation, and warmth!  Campfires can also be a potential hazard for children. 

It is important to always put out a campfire completely with water, not sand or dirt.  If covered with dirt or sand, heat can be retained for hours, resulting in severe burns on feet if walked upon.

Should a burn occur, the best first aid is cool running water for a full 20 minutes.  If the burn is bigger than 3cm, see your doctor, or go to the nearest hospital. 

Check out The Cool Runnings video now!

To find out more about The Cool Runnings burn prevention and first aid campaign and to download the app click here.  

Image Source:  The Cool Runnings

The harness must fit snugly to ensure optimal safety and bulky items can make the harness fit too loose.  A quick way to check the harness is to do the ‘pinch test’.  If you can pinch the webbing at the top of the harness then the harness is too loose and will need to be tightened by using the harness adjuster at the front of the child car seat.

Safety tips include:

• Remove bulky clothing items before putting child in car seat
• Check the fit of the harness by doing the ’pinch test’ and adjust if required
• Place rugs or blankets over the harness if extra warmth is needed, after the child has been placed in the child car seat
• Use the heating options in the vehicle to keep children warm

For further information on keeping kids safe in the car and around roads see

A Parent’s Guide to Kidsafe Roads

Fire and Rescue NSW has a fantastic Winter Safety Checklist!

Safety tips include:

• Kitchen
  • Never ever leave cooking unattended. “Keep Looking When Cooking”
  • Don’t overload power points and power boards
• Smoke alarms and home fire escape plan
  • Have an adequate number of suitable smoke alarms installed throughout your home and make sure that you test them regularly
  • Develop a written home escape plan in case of fire and practise it regularly
• Heaters and fireplaces
  • Heaters should be placed on a flat, level surface.
  • Never use a gas heater or BBQ made for outdoor use inside your home.
  • Always supervise children and pets when heaters are in use.
  • Keep heaters well clear from items that might burn. A minimum of one-metre clearance from clothes, bedding, furniture, curtains and other combustibles is recommended.
• Fireplaces
  • Place a mesh screen in front of your fireplace to prevent sparks and wood falling out.
  • If you have a fireplace in your home make sure the chimney is clean, and its properly ventilated.
  • Never use petrol, oil or kerosene to help light the fire. They could cause an explosion.
• Wheat bags
  • Do not use on babies or young children
  • Buy a new hot water bottle and/or wheat bags every winter and follow the manufacturer’s instructions
  • Never place a heat pack into a bed
• Hot water bottles
  • Do not use on babies or young children
  • Don’t overfill or use boiling water in your hot water bottle — use hot tap water
  • Once filled, avoid direct contact with your skin — use a fitted cover or wrap the bottle before use.
  • Never leave on one body part for more than 20 minutes.
• Electric blankets
  • Check before use each year — cords should not be frayed and the blanket covering the wires should not be worn out.
  • Don’t sleep with your electric blanket on - warm the bed and then turn it off.

For additional information and resources visit:

• Product Safety Australia’s Winter Well Safety Tips
• Kidsafe NSW’s Heater and Fireplace Safety infographic.
• Kidsafe NSW’s Electric Blanket and Hot Water Bottle infographic
• Kidsafe NSW’s Keep Looking When You’re Cooking infographic
• Kidsafe NSW’s Heater and Fireplace Safety infographic.
• Fair Trading NSW
• Fire and Rescue NSW
• Product Safety Australia

Steam inhalation can be a common home remedy for colds and other respiratory infections.  While there is weak evidence about the benefits of steam inhalation, some health professionals recommend this type of treatment to their patients.  A recent study in England shows that there is in increase in scalds relating to steam inhalation, especially in those areas with higher prevalence of COVID-19. 

Scald injuries are the most common burns injury for children and steam inhalation is a potential scald hazard.  Avoid steam inhalation for children and discuss with your doctor an alternative method for reducing symptoms associated with colds and respiratory infections.

Content source:  Colin T, Brewster J, Choong C, Thomas D,and  Naiem M. (2020). Steam inhalation and paediatric burns during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lancet https://doi.org/10.1016/S0140-6736(20)31144-2

NSW Poisons Information Centre reports that there has been spike in the number of calls due to hand sanitiser exposure incidents, mostly by babies and young children ingesting it at home.

“Hand sanitiser products should be stored safely and out of reach of children. When they are used by young children it should be under the supervision of an adult. Washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is also a safe and effective option to help combat COVID-19,” said Genevieve Adamo, Senior Poisons Specialist from the NSW Poisons Information Centre (PIC).

With the increased demand for hand sanitisers, some products – including imported and homemade - may not be clearly labelled and could be made of more toxic alcohols such as methanol.  Some of these products could be in containers that look like drink bottles, especially to young children.  

What should you do if you suspect your child has ingested hand sanitiser?

“Regardless of the quantity, people should always call the Poisons Information Centre for first aid and monitoring advice and ensure they have the container of the ingested product with them,” Ms Adamo said.

“Calling the Poisons Information Centre first to see if you or your child need to go to hospital may prevent unnecessary visits to the Emergency Department…. In the current climate, it also prevents people increasing their risk of exposure to COVID-19.”

For advice on possible poisoning, contact the 24 hour Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26.

Content source: NSW HEALTH

Automated vehicles will be available in the market in the near future. These vehicles will be programmed to drive themselves and will not require any steering, accelerating, and/or braking from the vehicle occupant(s). There is the potential for these vehicles to impact private transportation - especially for those who cannot legally or safely drive themselves because of youth, age, disability, or incapacitation. 

The Monash University Accident Research Centre (MUARC) is conducting an online survey aims to understand parents' attitudes towards using an automated vehicle to enhance their children’s mobility (MUHREC ID 23197). 

Click here to take part in the online study!

Participants are eligible to complete the online survey if they: are aged 18 years or older, are an active driver (i.e., drive at least once per week) and have at least one child (aged 17 years or younger) who lives with them. 

The online survey will take about 20-25 minutes to complete.

Participants who complete the online survey can enter a draw to win one of five $100 gift vouchers!

Content Source:  Monash University

Image source:  Monash University

There is an updated mandatory safety standard for projectile toys in Australia.  It is designed to protect children from choking or serious eye injuries from toys like bow and arrow sets and toy guns.

It is a timely reminder that parents and carers should only purchase safe, approved products that meet the requirements of the mandatory standard,” ACCC Deputy Chair Delia Rickard said.

Key requirements of the mandatory standard are:

• minimum size measurements of a projectile to avoid choking
• clear warnings so that projectiles are not aimed at the eyes or face
• discharge mechanism must be designed so that it cannot launch an improvised projectile in a hazardous manner.

“Under the Australian Consumer Law all suppliers must comply with the mandatory standard to protect children from injury or risk fines and penalties,” Ms Rickard said.

Content and image source – Product Safety Australia

These types of small high powered magnets can be found in in toys, games or novelty goods such as puzzle cubes, jewellery or construction modelling kits.  You can find a list of the products they found here.

There is a permanent ban on the supply to Australian consumers of certain small high powered magnets. This applies to both Australian and overseas based suppliers. For more information on the ban, see: Small high powered magnets.

Why are small high powered magnets so dangerous?

If a child swallows more than one, the magnets can stick together across the walls of the child's intestine or other digestive tissue, which can lead to internal injuries and even death.

The magnets may also pose a choking hazard to young children.

Keep small high powered magnets out of the reach of children. 

Content and image source: Product Safety

Do you know of a great playground or would you like to nominate a wonderful playspace located at your local school or early childhood centre?

Click here for more information or to submit your Expression of Interest to be a judge for these prestigious Awards!