Kids on the coast

If your kids want to try Baseball, the Gold Coast’s new summer season starts in October. As part of the Batter Up in School Baseball Program, the Surfers Paradise Baseball Club will be holding sessions for 3,500 kids in seven schools over three weeks, as well as hosting come and try 
days on August 1 and 8. 
To find out more, visit 
www.gcba.baseball.com.au Read more

If you’d like to help Matilda, a local two year old girl with cerebral palsy, raise enough funds to buy a mobility walker, why not join in Riverwalk, an annual fundraising event run by The Developing Foundation on September 12? Riverwalk is a sponsored 6km walk along the Brisbane River where 90% of the sponsorship money raised by the family goes to the family, so every donation makes a difference. More information about Matilda and the Riverwalk event can be found at www.matildascause.com Read more

Minimising disadvantages for children in remote communities is the key priority of a charity called One Laptop Per Child (OLPC). The charity has gained the support of Commonwealth Bank, Telstra and News Limited to deploy 15,000 educational laptops preloaded with software to remote and indigenous schools across Australia over the next 12 months. Its vision is to provide each of the 400,000 children living in remote communities with a laptop in the next five years. To find out more or donate to the cause, visit www.laptop.org.au Read more

To celebrate its 11th year and the end of school holidays, the Carrara Markets will host a free fun day for Gold Coast families on Sunday October 3. There’ll be lots of free activities including pony rides, merry-go-round, animal farm, roving entertainment and giveaways. Young ones, or the ‘young at heart’, will also be entertained by the puppies and fish at the market’s pet shop, remote control cars, boats and helicopters at the toy shop and a colourful range of kids’ fancy dress costumes. Free entry and ample parking. Read more

The cost of education continues to rise, irrespective of the schooling choices families make. New estimates state that parents could spend more than $5,800 a year sending their teenager to a Queensland state high school and the bill jumps to about $17,000 a year for private high schooling. Primary school is not too much cheaper.

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Computer-based fun and games are no longer out of reach of children with a disability, thanks to a new website called the All Abilities ePlayground. The website offers a virtual playground designed to enable children to play and independently explore the virtual play space regardless of a possible physical or learning disability. Sonokids Australia, a non-government organisation developing technology and computer programs for people with a disability, worked closely with the Gold Coast City Council, Queensland Disability Services and children of all abilities to develop the new website. Check it out at www.allabilitiesplayground.net.au Read more

New laws have been introduced giving state school principals the power to expel students either permanently or for a short term – without seeking departmental approval.  Read more

The staff and services of the Mater Children’s Hospital and Royal Children’s Hospital will be merged under one roof at the new Queensland Children’s Hospital when it opens at South Brisbane in 2014.  Read more

The team at Australia Zoo Wildlife Warriors have set a challenge for primary and secondary schools to show how they make a difference to their local environment, and to fundraise for global wildlife conservation. Read more