“COVID & KIDS” Q&A With Australia’s Leading Experts
MoPA™ After Dark is an exciting series of adults-only seminars, classes, functions and events; curated to help parents and educators be the best leaders and mentors we can be. After Dark will see us host world-leading academics and practitioners from a number of fields relating to Early Learning and Social and Emotional Wellbeing.
Watch or listen to the entire seminar here:
Watch the amazing panel discuss the impact that COVID-19 is having on children and families. During the 90-min Q&A the experts explored many of the MoPA Community’s burning questions on how to promote resilience in our kids, ourselves, and our relationships.
Learn about how kids and families are coping during the coronavirus pandemic from the leader of CPAS, a huge Australian study investigating the week-by-week psychological impacts of the pandemic. Our panel of clinical psychologists specialise in child development, and will provide tools, strategies, and resources to promote wellbeing in our children during these uncertain times.
My baby has had very limited exposure to people during her first 12-months – What can/should we do to catch up her social skills?
Meet The Panel
Prof. Peter Enticott
Professor of Psychology, Cognitive Neuroscience. Associate Head of School, School of Psychology.
Peter is a cognitive neuroscientist, registered psychologist, and Head of the Cognitive Neuroscience Unit in the School of Psychology at Deakin, Melbourne.
Peter’s work investigates social and emotional brain development in children. He also conducts neuroscience research into developmental disorders, such as autism.
Dr. Elizabeth Westrupp
Senior Lecturer & Clinical Psychologist
Elizabeth is a clinical psychologist, specialising in child and adolescent mental health. Her research focuses on understanding the way in which families and parenting practices shape children’s long term development, and trialing parenting support programs in the community.
Dr Westrupp is a Senior Lecturer at Deakin University and co-leads Intervention and Translation Sciences in the Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development.
Assoc. Prof. Jade Sheen
Clinical Psychologist & Family Therapist
Jade is a Clinical Psychologist who has focused exclusively on the treatment of children and adolescents experiencing anxiety, eating difficulties and behavioural concerns, as well as families.
Jade completed her Doctorate in 2004, Masters of Clinical Family Therapy in 2010, and is registered and endorsed in both Clinical and Health Psychology, with the Psychology Board of Australia.
Dr. Hannah Bereznicki
Lecturer, Cognitive Neuroscience
This event was curated by Dr Hannah Bereznicki, Lecturer in Psychology at Deakin University. Hannah’s research in the Cognitive Neuroscience Unit focuses on the neuroscience of early development, alongside optimising robust, plasticity-inducing non-invasive brain stimulation protocols to improve patient outcomes.
Hannah is committed to the translation of psychological research and theory to community groups, and eagerly brings this session of MoPA: After Dark to parents, carers, and educators.
About “SEED”: Deakin University
Deakin Psychology’s Centre for Social and Early Emotional Development (SEED) conducts world-leading research on social development, and its origins in early emotional life. SEED aims to promote emotional health, from pregnancy through to adulthood and into the next generation.
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Socials
Just one double-shot 3/4 mocha frappe latte chino, please 😜☕️🍰!!
Do you LOVE serving DELICIOUS food and coffee?? Our Cafe in Sandringham is hunting for casual team members to deliver first-class F&B experiences to all our gorgeous guests. All the deets are on our website in the ‘jobs’ section 👊👌🌈😉
Next week is NAIDOC week… And we can’t WAIT!
NAIDOC week offers an AMAZING opportunity for children to connect with Indigenous stories, traditions and values. To celebrate NAIDOC week at MoPA we’ve curated some gorgeous books and built our new ‘Dreaming Birds’ craft activity around their wonderful themes.
All NAIDOC programming will run from July 7 to July 14, ON TOP of the jam-packed holiday schedules. SOOOOO much fun!
“OUR EARTH” 🌍 + DOUBLE activities 🎨 = ALL school holidays!! (60% sold out already)
We’re doubling-down on pogromming EVERY DAY of the holidays, so that every session feels like a giant choose-your-own-play-based-learning-adventure!!!
Special thanks to our gorgeous little guests who wanted to show off their “OUR EARTH” craft outcomes in this lil’ vid. This activity, plus SEVEN others, programmed all day every day this school holidays. Let’s get bizzay!!! x
Hey Northsiders, guess what? MoPA is coming to Thomastown!
Over one million Melburnians have access to Thomastown in under 20-minutes, and so when this BEAUTIFUL building at 391 Settlement Road became available it was an absolute no-brainer that we secure it for Melbourne’s newest Children’s Museum.
We love love LOVE that this building is rich in heritage and artful history. It was originally a pottery studio, built in 1923, and home to potters from all over the world for more than 50-years. And now, this beautiful big building will be re-imagined as Melbourne’s newest Children’s Museum, jam-packed with immersive learning experiences, but also dance, theatre, storytelling, craft, art, and more, all designed to support the Early Years Learning Framework and Victorian Curriculum.
Tag your northside BFFs and start planning your playdates, excursions and parties. We expect to be ready to open in mid Spring of 2024 and will keep you posted with progress updates. xx 🌈🎨🧑🎨❤️
“Our Earth” starts tomorrow at MoPA!!
Understanding ‘our place in this world’ is a lifelong journey for most. But SO many of the most important lessons are learned early in our lives, at home. To help facilitate the important conversations to have with children, MoPA’s educators have developed a range of new activities called “Our Earth” and this new series starts tomorrow at MoPA. All the new activities run all day, every day. Visit our fancy new website for more detail.
But ALSO, as a reminder of how easy it can be to make a difference, we’ve put together...
🌈 A BIG LIST OF SMALL THINGS (THAT ALL MAKE A DIFFERENCE) ☀️…
1. Ride your bike or scooter
2. Plant some veggies
3. Buy second hand or swap with friends
4. Cook at home
5. Eat more vegetables and less meat
6. Organise a community clean up
7. Save water
8. Buy less packaged products
9. Recycle
10. Turn off the lights
11. Use a blanket instead of the heater
12. Clean with natural products
13. But the imperfect produce
14. Mend it instead of replacing it
15. Air dry your washed clothes
16. Compost organic waste
17. Refill water bottles
18. Turn off the tap while brushing your teeth
19. Carpool
20. Eat left overs instead of throwing them out
21. Use energy efficient lights
22. Use both sides of the paper
23. Plant a tree
24. Eat seasonal produce
25. Recycle batteries and buy rechargeable
26. Walk more
27. Make a bird feeder
28. Plant flowers for the bees
29. Buy less plastic toys
30. Up-cycle for craft projects
31. Donate old clothes and toys
32. Visit the library instead of buying a book
33. Plant native plants
34. Organise a toy trade with friends
35. Use reusable bags
36. Keep your cat indoors
37. Clean up your favourite park
38. Have a quick shower
39. Use cold water to wash clothes and dishes
40. Water your plants in the morning
41. Use a reusable coffee cup
42. Only run the dishwasher when full
43. Install slow-flow shower heads
44. Use reusable straws
45. Use Beeswax wrap
46. Avoid aerosol cans
47. Use fans instead of aircon
48. Turn off unnecessary electronics
49. Pack lunches in reusable containers
50. Be kind to creatures
What does yellow SMELL like? Ok, but what does it SOUND like? And how does it FEEL?
Asking children abstract questions about simple subject matter is SUCH a fun and fascinating way to unlock creative thinking. The resulting discussions will also probably be the cutest thing you’ll hear all week.
Those that have explored the giant sensory colour wheel at MoPA Sandringham will remember that this exhibit is a huge abstract exploration of colour. And if you’ve perhaps just walked past it in the past, thinking that it sits smack bang in the centre of the Museum just because it’s beautiful - next time we suggest you pause, engage, discuss your colourful ideas with those around you, and soak up your child’s amazing abstract thought exploration…
x MoPA
As we grow older, and then become mothers and fathers ourselves, we start to realise that communicating the depth of our gratitude for Mums is impossible. But we sure can try 🥰 !!
This week at MoPA, we plan to do our BEST to show all our mothers and others just how much we love and appreciate them. Starting Monday 6th we’re kicking off a full week of festivities starting with the most gorgeous crafter-noons (and crafter-mornings!? 😅) making thousands of the lil’ flower cards pictured here in this post.
All our Mumma-focused curriculum will run ALL day EVERY day, right up until Mother’s Day, May 12th.
Love you Mum 💝
x MoPA
There ain’t nothin’ like a super-cute puppy post to get us all to paws and reflect... 🐾
One of MoPA’s key partners, MacKillop Family Services, do LOTS of AMAZING work to ensure every child has the opportunity to grow up in a safe and loving home. One beautiful example [that’s particularly close to home for the team here at MoPA] of their work is the incredible “Paw Pals” program; supporting the placement of therapy dogs with children who have experienced trauma, to help them reconnect with their learning.
Some of the MoPA team actually had the pleasure of meeting one of the program’s participants recently and... WOW. This. Program. Changes. Lives.
And today - 30 April, 2024 - MacKillop’s matching partners are TRIPLING all donations to the annual #pawpalsappeal . So, a $10 donation will become $30; $100 becomes $300, and the $333 donation MoPA has made this morning has become $999 - WOOP!
Head to www.pawpalsappeal.org.au before midnight tonight to TRIPLE your impact ❤️
