'tiny bites for tiny sparks' Host a High Tea for World Prematurity Day 2014

TSWA Management August 19, 2014

We would be delighted if you would like to support us by hosting a high tea for World Prematurity Day 2014! Bring out the finger sandwiches, delicate patisseries, the pearls and stylish outfits to create a memorable event for you and your guests. You can choose your own location, whether it be hosting at your home, workplace, local park or cafe. The official date for World Prematurity Day is the 17th November 2014, but you are welcome to host your high tea anytime from the 1st to the 17th November.

Your contribution helps us to continue to raise awareness, educate and support Western Australian families experiencing high-risk pregnancy, their NICU/SCN journey and growing up.

Click here for more details and to register for the event.

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Pregnancy Babies and Children's Expo 2014

Toddler Tuesdays - Week 12 of the 12 weeks of winter

TSWA Management August 19, 2014

Welcome to week 12, the final week of ‘The 12 Weeks of Winter’. Spring is right around the corner and i’m sure everyone is looking forward to some more reliable sunshine. This weeks activity for ‘Toddler Tuesdays’ is Teddy Bears Picnic.

You will need -

A blanket to use as your picnic rug.
Some stuffed toys or dolls to invite to the picnic.
Some unbreakable cups and plates and children’s tea set would be ideal.

Instructions -

For morning or afternoon tea invite your child to the Teddy Bears Picnic. Have them assist you to gather the items and set them up in the lounge, family room or another area of your home that suits you. Serve up your child’s morning or afternoon tea including a drink and make sure there is a little something for each of the guests. This is an open ended imaginative activity so be fun and creative.

Focus -

Imaginative play is a very important step in development. Semi structured activities such as this provide a comfortable framework of language your child can use to play. Mealtimes are a regular occurrence so your child should already feel familiar with that process. Adding the teddies and change of setting can encourage development of additional language using describing words and instructional words.

If you have not already provided some feedback about our ‘Toddler Tuesdays’ activities we would love to hear from your now. Please go right ahead and leave a comment here or post an image or comment to our Facebook page. If you enjoy the activity we would encourage you to share this post with your friends.

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A partnership with the Women and Infants Research Foundation (WIRF)

Top tips for photographing your baby in NICU

Toddler Tuesdays - Week 11 of the 12 weeks of winter

TSWA Management August 12, 2014

Welcome to week 11 of ‘Toddler Tuesdays’. You can find more of our ‘Toddler Tuesdays’ activities here, we hope you are enjoying them. This week’s activity is Rainbow Fish. You may already be familiar with the children’s book, The Rainbow Fish, if not you may like to extend the activity by borrowing this book from the library.

You will need -

1 paper plate.
Gluestock.
Scissors.
Coloured spots - you may like to cut out magazine pages as spots, wrapping paper, coloured paper, or these spots we have prepared for you here. You’ll need quite a few spots, especially if you have used a large dinner plate sized paper plate.
Marker pen.

Instructions -

Have all of the items ready for your child at the kitchen table or toddler table before presenting the activity to your child. The ability of your child will govern how much assistance you provide to them with the activity, encourage them to try each step. First cut a wedge shape from the paperplate, the wedge will then be glued on as the tail of the fish and the opening become the fishes mouth. The coloured dots can then be stuck all over the fish to create a rainbow fish. Finally give the fish an eye using the marker and you are all done.

Focus -

This activity has a heavy focus on fine motor skills and co-ordination. When your child is cutting encourage them to keep their thumb on top. If they struggle with that concept you might like to draw a smily face on their thumb and remind them to make sure they can always see the smile when cutting. Even removing the glue lid and twisting up the glue encourages hand strength and fine motor control.

If you try out one of our activities please let us know what your toddler (and you) thought. Feel free to leave a comment here or post an image or comment to our Facebook page. If you enjoy the activity we would encourage you to share this post with your friends.

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Pregnancy Babies and Children's Expo 2014

TSWA Management August 10, 2014

The Pregnancy Babies and Children's Expo 2014 was held over the last three days and Tiny Sparks WA was proud to host our first stall at this event.

We met some fantastic families over the weekend. Some who had 'met' us online and came up to introduce themselves, some who were proud to see their children's photo displayed as one of the 'faces' of our community, some who wanted to learn more about our community and the services we provide, other local organisations excited to see a local charity and wanting to collaborate, some just wanting to support with a greatly appreciated donation.

Our kanga and joeys certainly attracted the eye of the children and we even had one little girl convince her mum to buy two! We were also grateful to the families that purchased a 'Buy 1 Gift 1' kanga and joey so that we can send one into a current NICU family.

We could not have manned the stall without the support of our fabulous volunteers and members, including Eloise, Michelle, Sharon, Maria, Madalyn, Amber and Bronwyn. Also thanks to the partners and parents who helped look after our children while we were busy at the Expo!

Hosting our stall would not have been possible without the generous donations of our community. To ensure we are able to continue to raise awareness and support our community, we would appreciate your ongoing support. Tax deductible donations can be made by clicking here.

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Toddler Tuesdays - Week 10 of the 12 weeks of winter

TSWA Management August 5, 2014

Welcome to week 10 of ‘Toddler Tuesdays’. You can find more of our ‘Toddler Tuesdays’ activities here, we hope you are enjoying them. This week’s activity is sensory play with your very own goo!

You will need -

A large plastic container or ice-cream container
2 cups cornflour
1 cup of water
A painting apron or old clothes
Optional - 2 drops of food colouring
Optional - towel or plastic sheet to cover your floor or table

Instructions -

You may like to do this activity in an empty bathtub to contain the mess, or use a towel or plastic sheet to cover your table or floor. Have all items ready but don’t mix your goo together just yet. Depending on the age and ability of your child they may be able to do all of the mixing themselves or you might need to do this for them. Place the cornflour into the large contained and add your food colouring if you are using it. Next add the water to the container and start mixing using your hands. This may take some time. Encourage your child to play the mixture as they are mixing and to describe what they are feeling if they have the language for that. If they don’t you might like to commentate for them. Once it’s all mixed together let them have some free play. You will find that when you move the goo quickly and compress it, it will hold together and once you stop pushing it will become runny again. This is an open ended task governed only by imagination.

Focus -

This activity encourages the strengthening of fine motor skills and co-ordination using sensory play to manipulate the goo. Touch is the focus of this sensory play. Many prems have sensory issues so it’s important to work within your child’s limits with this activity. Some may like to stir with a spoon but not like to get their hands grubby. Some may be ok to touch it but only using gloves. Work with what you already know about your child to make this activity fun for them. You may need to model getting grubby so they are comfortable with that. As this activity is open ended it is an excellent base for imaginative play and language development. Encourage the use of descriptive words whilst playing.

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Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for
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Preterm Birth Prevention in The Lancet

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World Hearing Day We can’t emphasise the importance of newborn hearing screening enough! The earlier you are aware of hearing loss, the more success early intervention is. A staggering 5% of the world population require intervention for hearing loss.

This past week we were contacted by a family with a heartbreaking story. We can’t share their story with you, but they did pose a question we can share. ‘What would it take to ensure every family admitted to NICU receives a Care Package in WA each year?’ Each year around 4,500 babies are admitted to a Neonatal Unit in WA. To fund a Care Package for each of these families we need to raise $180,000! We started this program back in 2014 and were delivering just 10 packages a month. The program has grown and grown and we are now delivering just over 100 packages per month but we need to see that number more than triple, so no family goes without! Please help us, help more WA families by making a tax deductible donation. https://www.justgiving.com/tinysparkswainc

Shout out to little Lewi (ex 27 weeker, now in year 2) Lewi was told 7 month's ago that he was going blind in his left eye - which has been an ongoing issue from birth. After 7 months of eye patching for 2 hours a day, his eye sight is now 'perfect'. So for the next 3 months at least, he is eye patch free. They do not expect his sight to change again. It’s been a hard 7 month's, with lots of tears, arguments, questions but he has done the hard work and it has paid off. Lewi wanted to share his story so he can inspire any other Tiny Sparks that may be going through a similar journey. (And their mums and dads too) Dont give up he says "it will be worth it in the end" Love Lewi x

Many organisations we partner with have been impacted this morning. It is unclear what the longer term outlook is at this stage. If you wish to stay connected with them please look at their websites. You can find ours here: https://www.tinysparkswa.org.au

Our volunteers deliver around 100 Care Packages each month! Providing essential items to families in Neonatal Units and supporting women admitted for long term hospital bedrest to prolong their pregnancy.

DEVELOPMENTAL PLAYGROUP - ENROLMENT OPEN Many of our tiny sparks have incredibly challenging starts to life. The interventions they receive to save their lives can have life long consequences, but just who will be impacted, and how these consequences may unfold is largely unknown. Our Developmental Playgroup seeks to provide early support from suitably trained developmental experts in the fields of physiotherapy, speech therapy and occupational therapy to provide advice and guidance to families in a play based setting. Enrolments for Term 1 are now OPEN! Enrolment is open to any child in WA aged 6m actual age to 3 years of age who was admitted to a Neonatal Unit after birth. Neonatal Unit admission can be for any reason including but not limited to premature birth, sick full term, or surgical requirements. The cost of this program is heavily subsidised by our fundraising efforts and generous donors. Enrolment can be completed via our website: https://www.tinysparkswa.org.au/shop/dpgt420new-6fwty

From all of us to all of you wishing you a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Stay safe, make some memories and enjoy each others company 🎅🏻🎄💜

For many years we have run our annual Christmas Quilt Drive and in spite of COVIDs attempts to derail everything in 2020, humanity prevailed! Many sewing groups ran with this project including the remarkable Get Scrubbed Group and our own Crafty Creators. Since the delivery cut off we have been busy sorting, packing, posting and delivering to 26 hospitals around the state. Our final delivery was made this morning to Bunbury Regional Hospital. Along with the Christmas quilts, stockings and cards, hospitals also received ‘Baby’s 1st Christmas 2020’ ornaments thanks to the ongoing generous support of local family run business, @footeandflame . This year we distributed a staggering 544 gifts for Christmas in maternity, Neonatal and Special Care Nursery beds all over WA! Huge thanks to volunteers Christine H, Elke, Zach and Xavier for generously giving their time to assist with collation and deliveries. To our drop off points Margaret, Jenny, Liesl, Briana, Sandra and Christine L thank you for opening your homes for drop offs. Melinda thank you for hosting the stocking sew along and answering lots of questions. To everyone who coordinated family, friends or an organised sewing group we thank you! Thanks to you, Christmas in hospital this year will be a special time for so many. Thank you all for helping to make this possible 🙌🏻💜🎄

The Interact Club at Willetton Senior High School voted to support Tiny Sparks WA with the funds made from a fundraiser, Spring Cool Down, where they sold drinks, ice creams, and icy poles to students. Interact is a youth branch of Rotary International and comprises of students between the ages of 12-18 who participate in regular fundraising and community service activities for both local and international charities. Last year, they were able to donate over $10,000 to various incredible organisations. Club Secretary Angela says, ‘We recognise your organisation's invaluable efforts in improving the wellbeing of mothers enduring high-risk pregnancies and children born sick or premature who require neonatal unit care. You have all helped positively impact many lives, and we admire and respect your hard work.’ Funds donated by the Interact Club will support our Care Package program. The students were asked to provide a message of support to the recipients. Their cards will read, ‘This care package has been sponsored by the Interact Club of Willetton Senior High School. We hope this supports you and your family during these difficult circumstances.’ Thank you Interact Willetton 🙌🏻💜 We are so grateful for your generous contribution! 📸 Picture supplied by Willetton Senior High School

International Volunteer Day 🙌🏻💜 “Volunteering is at the very core of being a human. No one has made it through life without someone else’s help.” - Heather French Henry As a 100% volunteer run organisation we truly value every single person who contributes their time to further our mission, to improve the health and wellbeing of Western Australian families enduring high-risk pregnancy, infants requiring neonatal unit care and the associated childhood impacts; including the communities supporting them. Thank you all 💐🙌🏻💜

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Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for
high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.

'tiny bites for tiny sparks' Host a High Tea for World Prematurity Day 2014

Toddler Tuesdays - Week 12 of the 12 weeks of winter

Toddler Tuesdays - Week 11 of the 12 weeks of winter

Pregnancy Babies and Children's Expo 2014

Toddler Tuesdays - Week 10 of the 12 weeks of winter

Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for
high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.

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Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.

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Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.

Tiny Sparks WA is Western Australia's premier charity for
high-risk pregnancies and babies born sick or premature.