As our lifestyles naturally change with the seasons, so should our homes. With autumn upon us and the cooler weather fast-approaching, it's time to bring out the winter woollies and start looking forward to cosy nights in.

To make your home as warm and inviting as possible and ward off those winter blues, here are 10 simple tasks and style updates to transform your home into a cosy haven.

1. COOL-WEATHER WINDOW COVERINGS

Sheer curtains are right on-trend and perfect for balmy summer weather but they're not so good at keeping the heat in and the cool out. If your windows are lacking in the window-covering department consider investing in some layered or insulated curtains or roller blinds. If you're adamant on sheers you can pick up window insulation kits from hardware stores or online.

2. INTRODUCE LAYERS OF TEXTURE

Think plush velvet, cosy knitted throws and warming hints of timber or brass if you're planning on redecorating this winter. Even just a few new cushions can make all the difference when you're trying to create a snug space to cuddle up in.

3. CHANGE YOUR COLOUR PALETTE

In summer, it's common to pare back the décor in your home and use neutral tones and pops of vibrant colour to reflect the season. As winter approaches, it's time to say goodbye to the whites and brights and embrace rich and warming hues, like terracotta, olive green and dusty pinks, to create a cosy and inviting retreat from the cold.

4. IS IT TIME FOR A NEW HEATER?

How often you use your heater and the size of the space you intend to heat will determine the type of heater that is best for you.

• Electric heaters are a cheap and portable option - perfect for renters and if they are not being used to heat large spaces or for long periods.

• Gas heaters are best for larger spaces and for those wishing to heat their homes for longer periods of time.

• Reverse-cycle air conditioners are much more costly to begin with but can end up being worth it in the long run as they are fairly economical for the amount of heat they generate.

5. COVER UP HARD FLOORS

If you have tiles, hardwood or concrete floors, rugs are an easy and effective way to cosy-up your home in winter. Hardwood floors are not only chilly underfoot in winter; they don't help hold in any heat, so unless you have underfloor heating, it's time to invest in a rug or two.

6. CLEAN AND SERVICE AIR-CONDITIONING

According to Energy.gov you should clean or replace your air conditioning system's filter or filters every month or two during each season. Filters may need more frequent attention if the air conditioner is in constant use, is subjected to dusty conditions, or you have fur-bearing pets in the house.

Keeping the filter clean or replacing old filters can lower your air conditioner's energy consumption by 5% to 15%.

7. STOCK UP ON FIREWOOD

If you're lucky enough to have a fireplace, stocking up now on firewood and keeping it dry with the right storage solution, will save you the panic if winter arrives earlier than expected.

8. IF YOU'VE BEEN THINKING ABOUT CARPET, NOW'S THE TIME TO DO IT

No one wants to be stepping onto a cold floor as they jump out of bed in winter! If you've been thinking of carpeting your home, or even just the bedrooms, now is the time! Your toes will thank you for it.

9. IS YOUR DOONA WARM ENOUGH?

We all know your doona is your best friend in winter so it pays to pick a good one! Whether or not you have carpet, heating, and even another body in the bed, will determine the kind of coverage you need. Wool and feather quilts are generally the best options for those seeking maximum warmth, where cotton or microfibre quilts provide lighter insulation.

10. REPLACED TIME-WORN LINEN AND TOWELS

A change in seasons is the perfect time to give the linen cupboard a clean-out! Soft fluffy towels and cosy flannelette or linen sheets are a must in the cooler months, so replace the old with the new for some extra added comfort!

Welcome valued existing and new families to Kidi Kingdom Child Care - Springfield

Natlie and myself would like to thank our current and new families for joining our centre and we hope you and your family are having a wonderful time with us at Kidi Kingdom Child Care.

We have been very busy this year at the centre, many new children and siblings are enrolling, we are very proud to have maintained at 100% occupancy! Thank you for your ongoing support.

Our Annual Mother's Day event was a big hit, we had such a great turn out, we hope you enjoyed your hand made gifts. I received wonderful feedback from our families from our Stay and Play sessions and I wish to remind families that you are always welcomed to arrange private parent / teacher meetings with your child educators.

Kind Regards, April Hall Centre Manager Natalie Andrews Assistant Centre Manager.

Please like our Facebook page and we always appreciate our loyal families helping our centre by share your positive experiences to the local community by writing a quick Google, CareForKids or Facebook review. Thank you for the families that have already taken to the time to write a review.

Kind Regards April Hall Centre Manager Natalie Andrews Assistant Centre Manager

Click here to visit our pages at Facebook and Instagram

Welcome Valued Families.

This last term at the centre I have been working with our outstanding educators in creating more welcoming and stimulating environments based on your child's strengths, interest and needs. I hope our families enjoyed our Stay and Play sessions that were hosted over March and April this year. We have an upcoming excursion for our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children to partake in a Naidoc Week event at Shailer Park, more details to follow.

Remember you can stay up to date with classroom news and events via the Hubhello App.

Kind Regards, April Hall Centre Manager / Educational Program Leader.

Welcome Families of the Early Learners Room.

What a fantastic start to the 2022 year! We have had lots of fun learning explorations enjoyed by all children. We said a big welcome to some new friends who joined our Early Learners group and are enjoying getting to know our new friends and helping them settle into the kindy environment. In March we focused our learning on the weather where we studied rain, clouds, the sun and rainbows. This was inspired by conversations regarding the rain and floods we had in early March and included lots of hands-on activities relating to these areas. In April the children's interests took us on a dinosaur adventure where we became archaeologists and dug for dinosaur bones, studied fossils, enjoyed creative dinosaur arts and sensory activities learning about where dinosaurs lived.

We celebrated Easter together with lots of easter egg hunts and our Easter Bonnet Parade. Now in May we have just begun a new learning project based on the children's interests. Our new learning project is life on the farm. We look forward to many messy & sensory activities, lots of singing about farm animals, reading about farm animals and plenty of imaginative play opportunities to explore new aspects of the farm. If you have any parent suggestions or feedback we would love to hear from you via email or face to face at drop offs and pickups. If you would like any 1-1 time with me, please speak to Miss April to arrange a teacher meeting.

Thank you. Miss Sarah and Miss Jayde.

Dear Families of the Junior Early years Room.

First of all we would like to express how proud we are of our Juniors and all that they have accomplished so early in the year already in terms of adjusting to their routines, being introduced to toilet training, learning from each other and teaching each other new tasks and play during free time and group activities. Over the last few months we have learned more about animals, cultures, the weather, counting, alphabets, colours and much to our delight have experienced a large increase in the children's verbal communication as we put our focus on learning first words and putting together sentences to express our needs.

We also participated in calendar events including St.Patrick's Day, Harmony Day, Easter, ANZAC and Superhero Day which saw the children engage in various activities, crafts and dress ups. We also hope all our mothers and mother figures enjoyed their special celebration and gifts this year! In the coming months we will focus on learning about our bodies and healthy habits as the children are becoming increasingly aware of self care. As always if you have questions regarding your child's routines, development or any other queries, please feel free to have a chat with us or send a message to the centre.

Thank you, Ms Chrystle, Miss Tata and Miss Katelyn.

Gurumbah Bigi (Good Day) Families of the Early years Room.

What great fun we've had over the last three months with exploring different genres each month. In March we got to learn about our bodies and how we can make our bodies happy and strong through exercising and healthy eating.

This encourages the children to take responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing. Following April we took some time to involve the alphabet hitting a great milestone with each child getting to know their own letter and connecting it to the alphabet songs. I'm so excited to see what May brings us as the other educators and I have seen a great interest with the children in sea life so we have dedicated this month to just that. So stay tuned in the wonderful journey of the Early Years Classroom.

Many Thanks, Ms Taneeka, Ms Maddi and Ms Shaena.

Welcome Families of the Senior Early Years Room.

Over the last three months we have explored recognising emotions as this plays a big part in the children's early years. We're finding exploring our emotions is important as we wish to ensure your child is confident in communicating with us and yourselves at home. The children have participated in many center events such as Harmony Day, Holi Celebrations where the children participated in a white t-shirt day with colour bombs, Easter and Mother's Day.

During the term we have experienced science experiments to support children's curiosity and questioning of the world around them. We have also been looking at children's developmental milestones to ensure they are meeting age appropriate requirements. We congratulate Miss Maddy who has moved to School Care and welcome Miss Raquel who has moved into the room as the assistant.

Thank you, Miss Sandy and Miss Raquel.

Welcome Families of our Prep/Kindergarten Room.

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new Early Childhood Teacher in the Pre-Prep Classroom. My name is Miss Frances and I have loved working with the children since I've started and slowly getting to know each and every one of them. I have gotten to know the children's likes and dislikes to ensure they are prepped for school. The classroom has participated in many center events including Easter, ANZAC Day, St Patrick's Day and Mother's Day.

I'm really looking forward to expanding our program to include their interests and their likes and dislikes. Our next plan is to revamp the room and make it our own along with Miss Anum who I've also really enjoyed working with, she's a great support to both me and the children. I'm so proud of the work the children have been producing in the room and I'm sure I'll see even more as we learn and grow together.

Thank you, Miss Frances and Miss Anum.

Welcome Families the Before and After School Care and Vacation Care Room.

I'd like to take this opportunity to introduce myself as the new School Care educator. I loved working with them during the school holidays and discovered my love for this age group. I have gotten to know the children and we have participated in many center events including Harmony Day, Easter, ANZAC Day, Holi Celebrations, St Patrick's Day and Mother's Day.

I'm happy to support the children with their homework while at the center and am excited to continue working with them over the coming months. Our next plan with the children will be preparing our next school holidays adventure together.

Thank you, Miss Maddy T.C.