• How to budget for next Christmas

    The intention to plan ahead for next Christmas tends to fall by the wayside at around the same time as the January credit card statement arrives in the mail but next year can be different with these tips to take the pressure off.

    No need to cut back next Christmas - all you have to do is follow these four steps.
  • School holiday family movie reviews

    School holiday family movie reviews

    Scene from Disney's new film, 'Frozen'.
  • Bottle Cap Bug Craft

    Reuse what would normally go in the bin to make these cute little bugs. Don't forget to give them each a name.

    Lovely little critters - Don't forget to give them a name.
  • Best printable activities for kids of 2013

    We have a huge collection of printable activities and worksheets for kids of all ages and here is the best of the best from the past year. Perfect entertainment for the school holidays - all you have to do is download and print.

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  • Gingerbread Christmas cookie recipe

    You can have a lot of fun cutting these spicy cookies into different shapes, from circles to more elaborate festive forms - Christmas trees, stars and even snowflakes.

    A beautiful gift

Preschoolers

Stepfather creates children's book to propose to his childhood pen pal

KATIE CARLIN When American Rick Skalski decided it was time to propose to his childhood pen pal he knew he had to include one other very special person in the proposal – his stepson Evan – and the idea for a superhero proposal storybook was born.

Childcare workers asked to hand back wage rise

CHILDCARE.

Jonathan Swan and Bianca Hall The Abbott government is asking childcare providers to ''do the right thing'' and hand back $62.5 million given to them to improve wages in the poorly paid sector.

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Childcare costs: families spending 9% of income after subsidies

When do your children need you most?

Prisoners' children are 'forgotten victims'

Why it matters that Angelina Jolie's white child plays with black dolls

Younger Kids

Tribute site set up for victims of Carlingford school crash

Amanda Hoh "Dear little boy in heaven, my family feels very sorry for what happened yesterday at my school. I hope you are now in heaven without the pain you had yesterday. Rest in peace. Teresa."

Older Kids

School holiday water activities

Getting soaked has never been so much fun for children, writes Wendy Preston.

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Entertaining Kids

FiLIP Smartwatch helps parents track their child's location

Eva Recinos For parents thinking about getting their child a cell phone for safety, the FiLIP smartwatch and phone hybrid may stave off that need for a few years.

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Family Life

Top 10 recipes of 2013

We have huge range of recipes in our collection thanks to a number of very talented contributors, especially Kristy Komadina from The Life She Made, but here are the ten most popular ones of the year. Enjoy and get baking these school holidays with the kids - it’s a great way to spend some quality and delicious time together.

Comments

Police search for missing 4-year-old

Connor Elliott Graham

Rachel Olding Police have launched a search for a four-year-old boy who has disappeared from his home in northern NSW.

Top ten articles of 2013

How to budget for next Christmas

Top ten galleries of 2013

Best printable activities for kids of 2013

Recipes

Roast turkey with stuffing

NEIL PERRY There's a simple reason why turkey with all the trimmings is such a hit at Christmas - it's so utterly delicious!

Reader reviews

5 Minute Raspberry Meringue Mess

5 Minute Raspberry Meringue Mess

NICOLE AVERY This is a quick throw together recipe using seasonal fresh berries to make a pretty and delicious dessert. It is perfect for Christmas entertaining when you have lots of mouths to feed and want to offer a couple of choices for dessert.

Reader reviews

BBQ pineapple

Pineapple green smoothie

Pea and ricotta fritters

Peach cobbler

Chicken and Cannellini Bean Nuggets

Chocolate biscuits with nutmeg recipe