When my son was in Year 3, his enlightened teachers decided to ditch the idea of conventional homework and replaced it with a homework grid. Sure there was maths and English but on rotation there might be drawing or sport or housework or even culture. However while that was the vision of the person who devised the grid homework system, arts and culture never appeared in our homework. The teachers told me this was because for many families this would be a step into unfamiliar territory and the kids would have nothing to write about or record. That rather makes me want to weep but not as much as when I was at the theatre about a month ago and I heard a woman in her 20s confess to her date that this was her first ever theatre visit. Say what? Devastating. There is so much exposure to the performing arts can teach a child and so many ways in which they can enrich a young mind. It warms my heart to see little ones eyes light up when watching a performance. There is nothing, nothing as perfect for this as the Out of the Box Festival which comes to our city every two years. Everyone one of the theatres in our premier performing arts precinct is given over to performances especially for children aged 3-8. How good is that. Add to that workshops and hands on activities and what you have is eight days of the best of the best for under 8s. Today with my little mate Elliott and his mum Alison there was Bollywood Dancing, a gong garden in the grounds of the Nepalese Pagoda and the Gazillion Bubble Show. That's pretty special if you ask me.
Today's steps:15,889
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