Last-Minute Elf on the Shelf Ideas for Children

If you’re looking for some fun and easy ideas to surprise your toddler or young children this Christmas season, look no further! These easy Elf on the Shelf ideas are quick to pull together and full of holiday cheer. With a little bit of creativity and a sprinkle of magic, you can bring these ideas […]

Let’s Build Friendships!

Busy Bees at Quinns Beach “A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left inside.” – Winnie the Pooh. Childhood friendships are the seeds that bloom into lifelong connections. At Busy Bees, we understand the importance of fostering a nurturing and inclusive environment where children can develop meaningful […]

How to support children with grief

For some children, grief is experienced when a family pet dies, but for others, it’s the death of someone close to them that changes life forever. Losing a family member can be a challenging and emotional time, and as parents and carers, you want nothing more than to support your child with the loss of […]

Celebrating the Child’s Voice in the Early Years

What makes you happy? What makes you sad? What would you like to do today? These are some of the many questions that Busy Bees Educators ask our children each day, to make them feel important, valued and empowered to be the best they can be. These questions are important because of the knowledge, understanding […]

Helping Children Overcome Their Fears

Do you remember being scared of the dark? Or were you more frightened of hairy spiders, painted clown faces, monsters under the bed, or sharks in the pool? Most of us remember battling some kind of childhood fear (and for some these fears continue on through to adulthood!) Feeling scared is a normal part of […]

Understanding Your Child’s Meltdowns

We are constantly absorbing emotions from those around us. That’s part of the reason being around children, with their heightened emotions, can be so exhausting. Understanding your child’s tantrums and the reality of what happens inside their brains during a meltdown, can help us diffuse the situation with understanding and calm. Understanding Your Child’s Brain […]

9 Phrases That Help Children Express Big Emotions

Being in tune with children’s needs requires a lot of patience and communication. Yet in an attempt to calm a child as quickly as possible, you might focus on the behaviour, and not what’s causing it. Instead of asking a child “what’s wrong with you?” it is more helpful to say “help me understand what […]

Nurturing Independence in Children

Children have a natural desire to push boundaries and defy limits. It’s how they learn to negotiate risk, test their own capabilities, and build their sense of identity. The early years are a crucial time for nurturing independence in children. As they grow from babies into capable young people, our children are building all the […]

What Are You Feeling?

  The below article has been written by Busy Bees Area Manager, Sue Johnson They are unexpected, they are powerful, they are energising, they are contagious, they are overwhelming, and they are random. They are personal, they are bold and don’t hold back, they impact us every day. They are our emotions! From the moment […]

How We Teach Empathy to Children

  What does empathy look like? Emotional sharing: when a person experiences unpleasant feelings because they saw or heard another person in distress (e.g. when we cry because a loved one is crying) Empathic concern: a person’s desire to care for others who are vulnerable or experiencing distress (e.g. wanting to help a person experiencing […]