Thousands of families from diverse backgrounds will come together at the WA Children’s Week opening event Go for 2&5 Family Fun Day in the natural surrounds of Whiteman Park on Sunday 19 October 2014. With so many family activities becoming so expensive, this free event offers something for everyone, with a huge variety of activities for children and an expo for parents connecting them with over 30 family and children’s services agencies. Children’s Week emphasises the importance of the rights of the child to play, be healthy and be protected and to raise community awareness of the rights of children.
Fun and interactive activities available on the day will be a climbing wall, rope bridge, cuddly animal encounters, mini golf, amazing maze and many more. Parents will not only be able to visit the Parent Expo and gain valuable information and resources, they can also check out the Go for 2&5 Healthy Eating Pavilion which offers important information on healthy lifestyle and lunchbox ideas with free food tastings and Chef Explorer Brendan Murphy. Meerilinga Young Children’s Foundation Inc. is celebrating 30 years of convening Children’s Week in Western Australia. WA Children’s Week Ambassador Fairy Queen Caroline continues to spread the magic of the Children’s Week message across the State.
Meerilinga coordinates four major events, WA Children’s Week Launch, WA Children’s Week Opening event – Go for 2&5 Family Fun Day and Parent Expo; WA Children’s Week Awards; and Go for 2&5 Children’s Week Art Exhibition. A wide range of community events and activities are organised at National, State and local levels to focus community attention on the needs and achievements of children and young people. Events are coordinated in each state or territory by the state Convenor. Children’s Week is a National annual event held around the fourth Wednesday every October to coincide with UNICEF Australia’s Children’s Day. It is based on the articles expressed in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, emphasising play, wellbeing and protection.
Children’s Week aims to recognise the talents, skills, achievements and rights of children and young people with the key message of ‘Celebrating Children’. Children’s Week is proudly sponsored by the Department of Local Government and Communities, Healthway, The Department of Education, Lotterywest and the West Australian.