Luna Park: Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village

The school holidays are here!

Yes, we know... you suddenly become an event planner, calendar wrangler, kiddies entertainer, time manager extraordinaire.

You KNOW Luna Park is a no brainer for non stop kiddie fun (unlimited rides, anyone? YES! For kids AND adults) and now the iconic Sydney historical theme park is introducing the BIGGEST Shopkins and Grossery Gang attraction with an entire Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village! YES!

Featuring a Shopkins Swapkins Station allowing children to swap their Shopkins with fellow fans (so, it's Shopkins aficionado heaven) and a Shopkins and Grossery Gang Museum and Treasure Hunt, there will be daily meet and greets with Kooky Cookie throughout Luna Park, and much more.

Featuring every Shopkins and Grossery Gang character ever created, a selection of one of kind Shopkins showbags and merchandise and an exciting opportunity for guests to have their very own Shopkin design made into a real life Shopkin by entering the Design your Own Shopkin competition, the Shopkins and Grossery Gang activities are bound to set little hearts racing and provide endless hours of entertainment these school holidays.

In addition to Luna Park Sydney’s traditional rides, including the recently reinstated Tango Train with a modern twist, LED light show and state of the art technology for a faster white knuckle ride, a brand new experience will be making its debut at the park only for the holiday period – The Avenger. For the older and braver crowd, the ride spins on three axes. Think extreme adrenaline and extreme fun for those brave enough to strap in.

Luna Park Marketing Manager, Brendan Biddell said, “We’re stepping it up a notch these school holidays and offering something for the entire family – the little ones can let loose in the Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village, while the bigger kids and adults can enjoy all the thrills of Luna Park’s rides, venues, attractions and entertainment.”

“Having the Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village is something we are really excited about, it’s a national first and caters to the school holiday crowd - an audience that is constantly on the look out for some extra entertainment options over the holidays.”

As the weather warms up, Luna Park will not only be THE perfect Sydney day out for young and older folks (the ferries wheel! Coney Island! The dodgem cars! The Hair Raiser drop tower! That million dollar view!), you should stay tuned for the fun pop up exhibits like this, themed events like Halloween (Halloscream), and much more.

For all your questions on Luna Park, click HERE.

For more on Shopkins at Luna Park, click HERE.

You can explore the Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village, open daily during the school holidays from 10am - 4pm.

NOTE: ENTRY IS INCLUDED WITH YOUR UNLIMITED RIDES OR ANNUAL PASS WRISTBAND.

The Shopkins and Grossery Gang Village is open daily until 10 October.

And: it's exclusive to Luna Park Sydney. 

Follow Luna Park on Instagram HERE.

Follow Luna Park on Facebook HERE.

And here is a trailer for the Shopkins FUN at Luna Park:

'Healthy Food, Healthy Gut, Happy Child' by Maya Shetreat-Klein: REVIEW

TwinnieWorld is lucky to have a guest blogger: Gabriella Dessanti, who will review books for this site, as well as sister site Josie's Juice.

Here, Gabriella reviews the new book 'Healthy Food, Healthy Gut, Happy Child' by Maya Shetreat-Klein.

Says Gabriella:

This is “the children’s food bible” for any conscientious parent.

This book is a practical step by step guide to heal and nourish a child’s body. A handy take home list at the end of each chapter summarises and reinforces key points.

The author draws on her experience as an integrative paediatric neurologist and various scientific studies to prove that true health begins from our gut. True health she asserts requires diverse and abundant microbes in living elements- sunshine, fresh food, even in soil. Microbial balance and biodiversity and is the key to robust health.  A well- nourished child allowed to interact with diverse exposures becomes naturally resilient.  What is encouraging as a parent that our children’s health is not static but fluid; it can be transformed by changing what they eat and their interaction with nature. Even chronic illness may not be cured but the quality of life can be improved.

The first step for true health is detoxification. She provides a checklist to take an inventory of your child’s health, to look holistically at all symptoms and also gives a guide to recognise toxicity symptoms. To detoxify we need to identify if a child has a full basin as this overflows with toxins and disrupts our cellular health.  Cellular health is critical, if cells are functioning suboptomally this has been implicated in autism, epilepsy, ADHD, allergies, asthma and other chronic conditions. The list of usual suspects we now commonly see in children.

Second step is to heal from choosing food wisely. She discusses food sensitivities and how “healthy” food can hurt us, providing a handy list of typical symptoms for each food sensitivity.  She then provides an elimination diet “how to”. Beyond allergies and sensitivities there are also other foods to avoid including secret sugars in food. She helps us as consumers navigating the misleading and deceptive labeling used by food producers.

The third step is to nourish kids. Part 111 of the book dissects each food group, milk, meat, nuts etc and provides details of how farming and manufacturing process have changed these food groups, what effects these modified foods can have on our bodies and gives us the criteria to look for when purchasing each food.

The fourth step is pulling it all together. We are provided with guidance to put together a shopping list, how to successfully introduce change to the family diet and what to expect.   A sample meal planner is provided together with some useful recipes. She brings together the importance of nature from the outside in- how to effectively grow food in dirt, spend time in dirt, even eat dirt…mud pies, here we come!

I was impressed by the holistic approach of focusing not only on what kids eat and how well they dispose of toxins from their body but also more broadly nurturing their experiences with the natural world. It is a positive and practical guide which helps you slowly take on the daunting task of navigating our complex food environment and changing our diet. I was inspired by the recipes and some clever ideas of to make food exciting for kids.  It also more generally inspires readers to act responsibility for our kid’s sake, stand up to government and industries by voting with our dollar.

The main disappointment is that it is American based; she mentions the ineffectiveness of the American food authorities in protecting the health of our children however no comment in made on the Australian food authority as a comparison. Also some suggestions for sourcing food only have relevance for Americans.

'Healthy Food, Healthy Gut, Happy Child' by Maya Shetreat-Klein is out now, through Pan Macmillan.

Editor's note: more about the author, from the Pan Macmillan site:

Dr Maya Shetreat-Klein, MD, is an integrative paediatric neurologist with a medical degree from Albert Einstein College of Medicine. Board-certified in adult and child neurology as well as paediatrics, she completed the University of Arizona's two-year Fellowship in Integrative Medicine, founded by Dr Andrew Weil, and now serves as faculty. She lectures internationally to medical professionals and laypeople on environmental health and toxins, and healing with food and nature. Dr Shetreat-Klein lives with her family in New York City, where she runs Brainmending, her healing practice and urban farm.

Geomag: Product Review

This was the best little delivery for my little kiddies!

Combining two highly regarded, educational, tried and true play concepts - magnets and construction toys - presenting Geomag which will see your kids opening their mind to be their creative best. 

Geomag is the ultimate open-ended creative construction toy enhanced by the magic and intrigue of magnets, ensuring that the educational benefits that kids learn during play are ones that will stick!

Produced in Switzerland to the most stringent international toys standards, Geomag is now entertaining and inspiring Aussie kids from three to 103, all while providing a wealth of educational benefits developing math, problem-solving, spacial, coordination, creative and thinking skills.  

The characteristics of movement and the fascination of magnetism makes Geomag a unique construction toy. Fun and easy for little hands to manipulate, Geomag ensures that creativity never gives way to frustration. Kids can build ambitiously, big and fast, limited only by their imaginations.

Here is what Geomag looks like (and PS: it is THE perfect gift for Christmas).

The four inspiring lines of Geomag are as below:

GEOMAG CLASSIC Colour:  

This classic set combines magnetic rods, non-magnetic spheres and various accessories to build unlimited models and constructions in a very simple and fun way.  

Five colourful sets containing between 30 to 120 pieces starting from $30 rrp

GEOMAG CLASSIC Panel:

The addition of bright and transparent panels that give more rigidity, colour and appeal to the rods and sphere constructions.  Triangles, squares and pentagonal panels in many different colours across five sets containing from 22 to 180 pieces. From $20 rrp

GEOMAG E-Motion Magic Spin: 

E-Motion expresses the concept of dynamism contained in the Geomag play activity and allows kids to build fun creations in motion, giving life to surprising optical effects.  This collection has special accessories and instructions to create spinning tops and many dynamic constructions.  Available in three various sets starting from the basic ‘speedy spin’ up to the ‘magic spin’, these sets contain from 10 to 38 pieces.  From $30 rrp

GEOMAG Glitter:  

Glitterised rods and panels in new fashion and glamour colours.  Girls will love making creations with magical sparkly effects. Geomag Glitter is available in four sets with a piece count from 22 to 68. From $20 RRP.

STOCKISTS: 0419 432 761

Available at a range of toy stores including Australian Geographic and Kidstuff

www.geomagworld.com ~ Instagram: @Geomagworld #geomag

Highly recommended by TwinnieWorld and Josie's Juice!

Jimmy Giggle's Christmas Party: WIN tickets + album release

Jimmy Giggle!

Mention his name and kids go kinda nuts... and with good reason! Jimmy Giggle is fun and kids respond to his particular brand of joy.

And now, he is bringing the Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party Tour to excited kids of all ages.

In fact, there has been a huge demand for Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party Tour, with a fifth Melbourne show announced! The response to this tour has been wonderful and this cements Jimmy’s reputation as one of Australia’s most popular children’s entertainers.

Jimmy Giggle is set to light up this festive season adding plenty of cheer to the holiday celebrations with the release of a brand new album, followed by live Christmas shows in Melbourne and Sydney. The magic of Christmas will come alive with Jimmy - joined by Hoot and Hootabelle, the super talented songstress Ali McGregor and a very special guest appearance from Santa and his elves - YES! They will be performing some of your favourite Christmas songs live on stage this December. These shows promise to be the highlight of the summer holidays for children and parents alike. And you know what it's like, parents! School and daycare holidays start, and boom: mum and dad need to be entertainment central.

For tour and ticketing details, visit: www.livenation.com.au.

There is also an exciting new album! Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party, just released.

This album features some very special Australian prominent artists and guest celebrities - see track listing below.

Tickets are selling fast for these very limited shows - be sure to get in quick!

JIMMY GIGGLE’S CHRISTMAS PARTY TOUR DATES:

THE CONCOURSE, CHATSWOOD: SATURDAY DECEMBER 19

ENMORE THEATRE: SUNDAY DECEMBER 20

SYDNEY ARTS CENTRE, MELBOURNE: MONDAY 21, TUESDAY 22 DECEMBER & WEDNESDAY 23 DECEMBER.

TICKETS ON SALE NOW.

For complete tour and ticket information, visit:
www.abc.net.au/abcevents and www.livenation.com.au

AND! The Jimmy Giggle 'Christmas Party' album, available November 6.

Jimmy Giggle is set to light up Christmas adding plenty of cheer to your celebrations with the release of a new album.

2015 ARIA award winning nominee, Jimmy Giggle, has teamed up with some very special guest celebrities and prominent Australian artists, such as David Campbell, Tina Arena, Justine Clarke, Deb Mailman, FiFi Box, Kate Miller Heidke, Ali McGregor and Lah Lah to deliver you and your family the Christmas album of the year. Jimmy Giggle’s Christmas Party is chockoblock full of covers of everyone’s favourite Christmas carols, plus a few reworks and originals, including: Deck The Halls, Santa Claus is Coming to Town, Frosty the snow man and many more. All these favourites will have will have the whole family singing along and having a hoot of time for this years festive season!

Giggle and Hoot is an award winning ABC TV children’s show starring best friends Jimmy Giggle, Hoot the Owl and Hoot’s best owl pal, Hootabelle. Giggle and Hoot focuses on preschoolers lives and routines through friendship, laughter, imagination and music. It airs every day on ABC4Kids and reaches over 2million people each week across 5 metro cities.
Purchase now at ABC Shops.

Tracklisting:

1. Jingle Bells (FiFi Box)
   
2. Rudolph The Red nose Reindeer (Hoot)
   
3. Santa Clause is coming to Town (Deb Mailman)
   
4. Deck the Halls (Tina Arena)
   
5. Frosty the Snowman (Lah Lah)
   
6. Jimmy’s Christmas Present
   
7. Jingle Bell Rock (Ali McGregor)
   
8. Twelve Days of Christmas - Giggle Style (Ali McGregor, Lah Lah,
   Hoot & Hootabelle)
   
9. (Everybody’s Waitin’ for) The Man with the Bag (David Campbell)
   
10. ZatyouSantaClaus?(JustineClarke)
    
11. SilentNight(KateMillerHeidke)
    
12. WeWishYouAMerryChristmas(DavidCampbell,JustineClarke
    & Deb Mailman)
    
    For more: www.abcmusic.com.au
    
    And here is the cute as album cover:
    

Kardashian Kids at Big W: PHOTOS

You probably saw on the various news outlets that the kool kat of the Kardashian Klan Khloe Kardashian was in Australia, and she was spuiking the new Kardashian Kids range… guess what, you guys: it's super cute!

Kardashian Kids - the lovable children’s apparel collection designed by Kourtney Kardashian, Kim Kardashian West and Khloé Kardashian - has just launched online and will be instore at Big W on August 6, 2015.

“My sisters and I are perfectionists, especially with our kids' line. We want the clothes to be chic and stylish, but also items that will actually be worn and played in,” says Kourtney Kardashian. “Design details like fabrics, structure, waistbands and hems are all equally as important to us as what the clothes look like.”

Here are the pics of the range, then read on for more:

Says the blurb:

The highly anticipated range for little girls features an assortment of adorable designs from every day styles to special occasion items including woven broderie lace dresses with rose gold button finishes, playful soft tulle skirts with rose gold foil polka dot details, loveable one-pieces with girly tulle ruffles and two piece sets in fun geometric prints.

“We thought, if our own kids want to dress in tutus or try on our clothes, why
don’t we give kids stylish outfits that are super cute, but also reflect styles that their moms would wear? ‘Mommy and me’ style is everywhere right now! The white lace dress, bomber jacket and peplum top are all pieces that could match mom’s looks,” adds Kim Kardashian West.

In addition to offering exclusive Australian styles, the debut Australian range will be the only Kardashian Kids collection worldwide to offer designs up to size 7T for little girls.

“We are delighted to welcome Kardashian Kids to BIG W. The collection is a wonderful addition to our existing children’s range, and a great example of providing our customers access to great brands and beautiful styles at everyday low prices,” comments Alison Jones, General Manager of Marketing, BIG W Australia.

“We're really proud to have a collection that is simple, stylish, functional and in great fabrics and shapes,” says Khloé Kardashian. “Most importantly, it's a fun collection that little girls will love. We want to make fashion fun for them!”

The Kardashian Kids Spring 2015 range for little girls will be available from size newborn (000-24mnths) to Toddler (3-7yrs) and retail from $20 to $35 exclusively online at BIG W starting July 28 and inside BIG W stores nationwide starting the August 6.

Fans can stay up-to-date on the latest Kardashian Kids news by following on
Facebook (facebook.com/kardashiankids), Instagram (@kardashiankids) and Twitter (@KardashianKids) 

Flynn's Restaurant: diner's minimum age of seven

This post on Facebook… a friend alerted me and my guess is that it'll go viral:

It's from a Queensland restaurant called Flynn's.

It reads:

Flynns Restaurant requires diners be a minimum age of 7 years old. 

This is a reply to the post for Christine Hall. Yes, we have applied the rule of not permitting children below the age of 7 in the restaurant minutes after you left because we respect our guests' wishes to dine in a calm atmosphere. The feedback from our diners regarding screaming babies have been nothing but wholly negative and in the interest of their wishes we have decided to introduce this policy and it will stand.

As a born and bred European myself, I do follow a good dining etiquette and it is my responsibility as a manager to step in and politely convey information to the families with small children to find alternative arrangements (just like every other family does in Europe). If one pays money for having an enjoyable lunch during an anniversary or honeymoon, please do yourself and other patrons a favour by getting a babysitter or by removing the screaming baby from the room. It is purely out of respect for other diners, regardless whether they are two or twenty of them in the restaurant. Those are basic social skills and we do not feel that we should be teaching parents how to handle their children. Sonia Tymecka, the manager of Flynn's restaurant.

Your thoughts?

Hi-5 'House of Dreams' Australian Tour!

Hi-5 is here, you guys!

They are touring Australia!

Hi-5 presents the 'House of Dreams' Australian tour, and you can come along and enjoy a brand new national tour with your fave five people:

Dream big this June and July school holidays join Hi-5 in their brand new Australian stage show, Hi-5 House of Dreams, when it tours around Australia from June 28 to July 15, visiting Sydney, Brisbane, Perth and Melbourne.

The Hi-5 House of Dreams tour gives audiences an invitation to the most exciting “slumber party” ever! There’s not much sleeping but lots of singing and dancing and adventure when our favourite puppet Chats takes control of the Hi-5’s dreams and makes their dreams come true!

Using Chats’ Magic Dream Catcher audiences will travel through jungles, fairy grottos, underwater coral gardens, the Wild West, and even outer space!! This interactive and energetic show will have audiences totally immersed in the world of dreams.

Hi-5 House of Dreams is a whimsical trip into a fantasy adventure where you can catch your favourite Hi-5 songs – Underwater Discovery, Move your Body, It’s a Party and Living in a Rainbow and plenty of new songs with the Hi-5 gang – Stevie, Mary, Tanika, Ainsley and Dayen.

Here they are below, and details on dates:

The remaining 2015 national tour dates

Sydney – Concourse Theatre, Chatswood: 7-8 July

Perth – Regal Theatre: 14-15 July 

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Join Hi-5 for their House of Dreams stage show as they travel across Australia this winter school holidays!

More about Hi-5:

Hi-5 was launched in Australian in 1998 with five dynamic performers entertaining children aged 2-8 with music, movement, problem solving and play.

The children’s musical group is well known globally, reaching an estimated global audience of more than 10,000,000 children across Europe, North America, Australasia and Latin America with its tours, music and TV shows. The Hi-5 TV series has consistently been one of the top three most successful pre-school shows in Australia.

Hi-5 has won three Logie Awards for Most Outstanding Children’s Program, five ARIA Awards for Best Children’s Album, five Australian DVD and Video Industry Awards, an APRA Award, an AMIA Award and a Helpmann Award.

Follow Hi-5 on Facebook here.

To book tickets, go here. Here you will see 

TwinnieWorld readers can win one of two family passes (valued at around $200 each) for the Sydney performances on Tuesday and Wednesday at The Concourse, at Chatswood for the 10am or the 1.30pm performance. For more about where The Concourse is and how to get there, go here. The show is one hour long, with an interval. For more about the show at this venue, go here.

All you need to do to enter is email me at: josiegags@optusnet.com.au - and let us know which time and day you want to enjoy the world of Hi-5 fun!

Winners will be drawn on Sunday night, and advised on Monday AM. You must email your entry for this one, as I need your full name and phone number so I can reach you!

The Top 20 Dilemmas of Being a Modern, Multi-tasking Mum by Anna Abignano

I love this.

My friend Anna is a wonderful human, a top mummy, an exceptional PR person, and… a witty writer!

She sent me this today and I knew I had to share.

So, in the spirit of Mother's Day and all the mothers out there who do a KICK-ARSE job, this is for you too:

The top 20 dilemmas of being a Modern, Multi-tasking Mum 

1. Trying to insert a tampon with acrylic nails.
2. Trying hard not to hit your husband with a hot pan when he asks “What’s for Dinner?”
3. Trying hard not to suffocate your husband with a blanket when he channel surfs while you’re sitting next to him folding washing.
4. Trying not to hit your husband with a tea towel when he is still channel surfing while you are still folding washing.
5. Trying not to get third degree burns while you’re balancing a sick, screaming toddler on your hip the same time as attempting to cook spag bol.
6. Getting carpet burn picking up every single grain of rice your 10-month-old throws on the floor, wishing you had floor boards.
7. Getting splinters from the floor boards picking up every single grain of rice your 10- month-old throws on the floor, wishing you had carpet.
8. Screaming your head off and doing a quick dive toward your toddler when you see blood pouring out of her mouth, only to realise she has strawberries stuck in her teeth.
9. Burning off ten kilos scrubbing Sudocrem out of the carpet.
10. Getting back pain picking up and re-folding the washing your toddler has decided to grab and fling all over the living room floor for fun.
11. Being in total denial at the mouldy smell coming from the load of washing you ran two days ago but are yet to hang up.
12. Skidding on milk that was spilt all over the kitchen floor two days ago, but you haven’t had the time (or the inclination) to mop it up.
13. Trying to remember what a mop looks like.
14. Not allowing your husband to touch your droopy, I’ve-breastfed-three-children boobs, then spending four hours a day researching new boobs online wondering if you can somehow disguise the cost of your new breasts on the joint credit card or somehow convince your Bank Manager for a new boob payment plan.
15. Hiding out in your wardrobe eating an entire block of Cadbury Chocolate Hazelnut. Comforting yourself that it’s ok to do so as it contains nuts, and possibly not good for your kids anyway.
16. Cleaning up so much poo that you’ve awarded nicknames to the different kinds of explosions: “Cadbury chocolate poo”. “I-don’t-feed-him-enough-fibre guilt pellets”. “She’s about to get gastro poo”. “Corn on the cob poo”. “What the f$#@ just happened poo”.
17. Rushing your daughter to emergency because she sustained first-degree burns on the hair straightener you forgot to turn off.
18. Finding yourself humming the tune to “Dorothy the Dinosaur” while you’re in the bathroom getting ready for a girl’s night out. Then getting in the car, looking in the rear-view mirror deciding you look like a Yeti because the last time you plucked your eyebrows was possibly three months ago.
19. Wondering whether to chill the wine at midday.
20. Not allowing your husband to touch your legs during sex because you haven’t bothered to shave or wax them for three months. Wondering if you can donate your leg hair to Carpet Court. 

About the Author: 

Anna Abignano (pronounced “A-bin-yar-no) is a very busy single mum of two gorgeous kids who never make life as a mother dull! She juggles motherhood by running her own freelance PR business, All About PR, and swears that one day she will own shares in a hair-colouring company seeing as a grey hair sprouts at least once a fortnight. Other than that, she has good genes on her side being told she looks 30 instead of 40. She is hoping it’s a compliment rather than a pick-up line, but honestly concludes it must be true as women tell her that, too. She is currently cooking dinner while her kids fight over the iPod.

This post was also posted at Josie's Juice here.

The Wiggles Are Engaged! Emma Watkins and Lachy Gillespie - the Yellow Wiggle and Purple Wiggle - are getting married

How cute is this news!

Two of The Wiggles are engaged!

Emma Watkins and Lachy Gillespie (aka: the Yellow Wiggle and Purple Wiggle), are delighted to share their happy news that they’ve today announced their engagement.

Lachy recently proposed to Emma on Sydney’s beautiful harbour.

After a delighted “yes!” from Emma, Lachy took her out to dinner where, unbeknownst to Emma, both their families were waiting.

Blue Wiggle Anthony Field, Red Wiggle Simon Pryce, and all at The Wiggles HQ are thrilled and wish Emma and Lachy all the very best.

The couple have been together for close to three years, and only recently revealed to the public that they are a couple.

Here are Emma and Lachy’s announcements via their social media just now:

Lachy’s Facebook announcement here:

Hi Everyone! The happiest day of my life! I asked Emma Watkins, the girl with the yellow bow, to marry me... And she said YES!

Emma’s Facebook announcement here:

The most beautiful thing... Lachy Gillespie (Lachy Wiggle) asked me to marry him! YES of course xx

The Wiggles Facebook announcement here:

We have some wonderful news for you all. There is a Wiggly Wedding on the horizon! Lachy proposed to Emma and she said YES! Lachy told us, “It was the happiest day of my life!”. Both Anthony and Simon are thrilled for Emma and Lachy as are the entire Wiggly team. Congratulations and best wishes to them both during this exciting time!