Attracting about 150 young children plus their parents, the school-holiday program included a range of sensory activities. 

Highlights of the day included making play dough ice creams, painting, building and getting messy with slime. 

A slippery slide kept the young ones cool. 

Event coordinator Mandy Tootell said the activities were made to appeal to all senses. 

“Messy play really engages the senses of younger kids which adds to their early learning,” Ms Tootell said. 

“These activities really help kids to build social skills, they challenge them to think outside the box and get really creative,” she said. 

The NT Government recently granted Katherine Isolated Children’s Service $3000 for their school holiday program following the success of Family Fun Day earlier in the year. 

A new jumping castle was purchased with the money, which Ms Tootell said will enhance the children’s gross motor skills at their events. 

“The jumping castle is for those kids who like to be upside down and throw themselves around,” Ms Tootell said. 

“It helps with stability and motor function and the new crocodile provides the perfect safe space to build these important functions,” she said. 

Katherine Isolated Children’s Service celebrated its 30th year of operation this year as a remote mobile playgroup and parent information service in the greater Katherine region. 

The service regularly hosts playgroups in communities and on pastoral stations, and have recently had the capacity to service Katherine families for one-off events in the school holidays. 

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