Spirited Mama

Living a SPIRITED life filled with wanderlust, emotions and everything in between

Month: September 2019

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Go on a “DATE” with your kid(s) at Bounce Play Dates

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On September 16, 2019

In Kids, Wellness

BOUNCE is an indoor trampoline park that promotes fun and adventure in a healthy, safe environment. The BOUNCE team is committed to inspiring movement, creative expression and human connection where children of all ages can come and BOUNCE and have fun. Each BOUNCE trampoline venue is an adrenaline playground comprising around 3000 square meters of interconnected indoor trampolines, adventure features, padding and airbags.

What is Bounce Play Dates?

Unlimited jump time for Junior Jumpers (children under 125cm in height) anytime between 9am-12pm, Tuesdays-Thursdays, during the public-school terms. Children will have access to trampolines as well as a brand-new, fully equipped soft play area designed to engage all the senses.

Play Dates is for ‘walking age’ kids developing early stage movement skills in balance, coordination and agility. Play Date participants are preschoolers who are learning the fundamentals of physical, social and emotional skills, on the way to becoming the freestylers of tomorrow. BOUNCE is a safe and multi-sensory environment for kids to harness balance, coordination, strength and agility in a way that focuses on fun, creativity and self-expression.

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Bounce Play Dates and busy schedules

I feel like I’m BUSY all the time. I have to find creative ways to ensure that my kids get the very much needed physical exercise/outlets for their energy. Why do kids have SO much energy? Imagine all the things I could do if I had just a quarter of THAT energy. Bounce Play Dates is the perfect solution as Noah can jump freely without me having to worry about older kids around him.

Daily movement is important for all areas of development including fine motor and gross motor skill development; social and emotional development and even speech and language development.

Children and exercise
• An active child will also develop good muscle tone which helps them to sit upright at the table or on the carpets without slouching or moving around. “If a child tires easily because their muscles can’t keep them up against gravity this will have an impact on their concentration and fine motor skills,” says Tarryn Rutenburg, Occupational therapist and co-owner of Talk Sense Early Intervention Therapy Centre in Bryanston.

• “Eye-hand coordination such as throwing and catching objects or kicking a ball is
important for copying from the board and reading and writing. Coordination between the two sides of the body, such as when you BOUNCE on a trampoline, also improves communication between the two sides of the brain which is essential for learning to read,” she adds.

BOUNCE is a safe and multi-sensory environment for kids to harness balance, coordination, strength and agility in a way that focuses on fun, creativity and self-expression.

 

BOUNCE encourages parents and caregivers to jump too, because jumping on a trampoline has the same physical benefits for adults, and it’s one of the only muscle strengthening and cardio-based activities in one.
This means that parents can get in a good workout too! Also, bouncing together encourages bonding and good old’ fashioned quality time between parents and their kids. It’s so much fun, you can’t help but smile when you BOUNCE!

The benefits of visiting BOUNCE:

• It encourages a sense of belonging
• It helps children build confidence by challenging themselves
• They learn valuable skills and body awareness which comes in handy at school and
with other sports
• It boosts fitness levels in a fun, non-threatening way
• It helps to develop fundamental movement skills
• It offers the freedom to have fun and play!
• It helps children feel happy- exercise offers a natural endorphin high
• It helps to build neural pathways and help children think.
BOUNCE is proud to introduce Bounce Play Dates for little ones!

Bounce Play Date: the cost:
R145 per ticket with the parent/guardian able to jump too. this also allows a flexible check-in time where you don’t have to book on the hour. The ticket does exclude official BOUNCE grip socks which you can purchase at check-in for R30.00

Venue: Bounce Waterfall Lifestyle Centre only
Booking details: Book your spot online at www.bounceinc.co.za or call 011 517 2500 for more information.

Go on a Bounce Play date with your kid(s)!

Spirited Mama

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Benny Bushwacker: Human Nature on stage at Monte Casino

By

On September 10, 2019

In Entertainment, Lifestyle

BENNY BUSHWHACKER: Human Nature

Starring BEN VOSS
Written by John van de Ruit (SPUD)
Directed by Janice Honeyman

Already that is enough information to get you hooked 🙂

 

Benny Bushwhacker, aka Ben Voss, continues his successful national tour of his brand-new, one-man-show and will soon be heading to Gauteng to delight Joburg and Pretoria audiences.

Benny Bushwhacker : Human Nature will be on stage at The Studio Theatre at Montecasino from Thursday, 3rd – Sunday, 20th October for a strictly limited season.

Joburg audiences loved Ben’s previous shows, including Green Mamba, Black Mamba, Mamba Republic, Bend it Like Beauty and Beauty and the BEE to name but a few. Now they get to see the chance to see this award winning actor, comedian, writer and producer back on stage in his brand new show!

Benny Bushwhacker : Human Nature kick-started a fabulous tour when it won two Standard Bank Ovation Awards at the National Arts Festival Makhanda in Grahamstown – the very first staging of the show.

The Republic of South Africa proudly welcomes home Benny Bushwhacker (aka Ben Voss), the world’s funniest conservationist. The legend returns to share what it takes to survive the African bush … and for the African bush to survive.

 

The genial South African, who recently trended worldwide for banging heads with swashbuckling British survivalist Bear Grylls, is touring South Africa’s theatres and festivals with an hilarious yet sobering look at the collision between man and environment.

 

For somebody who has spent more time away from the hustle and bustle of everyday life than a hibernating Arctic wood frog, Benny Bushwhacker brings untainted humanity and delicious humour to his performance that will have you laughing out loud and wondering why, when it comes to the bush, the most uncommon human trait is common sense.

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Whether it be his opinion on how to spot a know-it-all in Kruger, or the relative chances of his estranged wife, Brenda, replacing the buffalo in the Big 5, Benny delivers time and again with his unique sense of humour and classic bush logic.

 

Benny Bushwhacker’s stories and experiences have been translated from bush to page by his unofficial biographer, John van de Ruit, (of Spud fame) and directed from page to stage by the lioness of theatre, Janice Honeyman.

When asked about the project, Director Janice Honeyman said:

“I have worked with Ben before and have always enjoyed it. He’s a good actor, and a thinking actor. His Mamba series impressed me, so I chose to direct his alter ego, Beauty Ramapelepele. Ben then worked with me last year on the Snow White Pantomime as Evil Queen Hildagonda, in which he was fantastic. The opportunity to work with him again as Benny Bushwhacker is great fun. The concerns of the content are very close to my heart and putting it into a less didactic, preachy context feels good for me.”

 

Writer of the piece, John van de Ruit, expressed his involvement thus;

“Ben and I have been friends and collaborators for over twenty years. In that time, I have had the best seat in the house to witness his talent and versatility as a comedic actor. He has the unique ability to capture reality and extremity, often simultaneously, with hilarious consequences. It does help that he was born with a rubber face, a razor-sharp mind and the body of Frankenstein. This made him the perfect fit for Benny Bushwhacker, a celebrity conservationist with a big heart and little education to speak of.”

 

While touring South Africa, Benny Bushwhacker is raising awareness and Moola for the Lebombo Leopard – Human Conflict Survey. And while leopards are not known to change their spots, through this initiative, Benny will try to help humans to do so.

 

Ben Voss states; “I am closely involved with the Lebombo Leopard Human Conflict Survey in Mkuze, Northern Zululand. A big part of this project is to raise money to set cameras to monitor leopard movement in the area after two children were taken by these cats on the reserve boundary. My interest is not so much conserving pristine bush, as conserving the line between humans and nature. These boundaries are critical. As a roving species, Leopard are under constant threat from humans, and communities are under threat from Leopard. So this conflict seemed like a “natural” fit for my show. I care about nature, I care about humans and if the leopard is to survive we are going to have to create more green spaces, and keep communities healthy and happy.

Voss continues; “The theme of the show is even based around saving the leopard and there are donation boxes for the project at every show. Every single cent in those boxes goes towards the initiative. At the moment we are raising on average R1000 a show and I have nearly 100 shows this year. So R100 000 is my target!”

Book your seats soon for this wonderful look at life on the wild side, because, like the rhinos of Africa, you never know if you will get the chance to see it again.

Benny Bushwhacker : Human Nature is on stage at The Studio Theatre @ Montecasino from Thursday 3rd – Sunday 20th October.

Performances are Wednesdays – Fridays at 20h00, Saturdays at 16h00 & 20h00 and Sundays at 15h00.

Ticket prices are R130 – R180 and bookings are through Computicket.

The duration of the show is 65 minutes with no interval.

There’s no Age Restriction (although there’s “No Under 3’s” for the comfort of other patrons)

Check out www.benvoss.co.za for general information or to click through on booking links to the various venues around the country.

Follow Benny Bushwhacker on Social Media:
Facebook : https://www.facebook.com/BennyBushwhacker

 

For those Pretoria residents not able to make the excursion to Jozi, there will also be a one-night-only opportunity for Pretoria audiences to see the show at Atterbury Theatre on Wednesday 13th November at 20h00.

Ticket Prices are R140 – R160. Bookings are via iTickets.

 

Spirited Mama

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The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve says NO to cub petting!

By

On September 9, 2019

In Animals, Environment, Family

The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve says NO to cub petting!

 

September 9th 2019 – The Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve in the Cradle of Humankind will no longer be offering cub petting to the public, with immediate effect.

For 30 years, the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve has shared its love of wildlife with South Africans and visitors from across the world. But times have changed. Under the new ownership of the Bothongo Group the reserve is refocusing its efforts on animal welfare.

“As new owners, we have acknowledged that what was acceptable in 1990 when the reserve first opened to the public, may no longer be acceptable in 2019,” says Jessica Khupe, Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve Brand Manager. “Human beings have always wanted to get up close and personal with wild animals,” says Khupe. “Understandable as this is, studies have shown that it is not good for animal welfare.

Recent campaigns have highlighted the global problem of cub petting and unscrupulous operators both locally and abroad. Simply put, it is not necessary to touch an animal to connect with the importance of wildlife conservation. We’d also like to make it very clear that we are utterly opposed to the abhorrent canned hunting and lion bone trade.”

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Recently appointed Chief Operations Officer of the reserve, Mike Fynn, explains: “Breeding and rearing animals for the purpose of cub petting and interaction is not only undesirable from an animal welfare perspective, it’s also not a sustainable business model. From now on, we will focus on educating the public about wildlife and the importance of conservation. This is why, with immediate effect, we choose to put a stop to cub petting at the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve and sincerely hope that other facilities responsibly follow suit.”

Over the past few months, while under new stewardship, the reserve has initiated a three-year plan to upgrade all of its public facilities, habitats and wildlife enclosures, which will be remodeled around the welfare and well being of its animals. Many of them are species that are endangered thanks to human activity and habitat loss.

According to Fynn the reserve team will dedicate themselves to a new internal mantra of being a ‘nurture reserve’.

In addition, he says they will commit to the following:

  • We will strive to maintain a healthy, genetically diverse and contented animal collection, and we will work with local and international institutions and bodies ensuring that we play our part in managing the long-term survival of endangered and threatened species.
  • We pledge not to sell or exchange any of our animal family, especially our lions, unless it’s to a reputable accredited facility and/or licensed wildlife institution.
  • We will breed animals only if this serves a conservation purpose.

“To those of our visitors who are disappointed that they can no longer cuddle a lion cub at our reserve: this is the right thing to do,” says Khupe. “As animal lovers, we understand how charismatic African wildlife is. But the truth is that our love for our animals may inadvertently harm them, even though we don’t mean to.”

She adds that she’s excited about this new journey: “We take the opportunity to re-welcome the greater public, wildlife stakeholders, tour operators and travel agents to actively support our reserve as it evolves into a BIG, must-see destination, that provides an authentic and informative wild animal experience for generations to come. Our wildlife family now has a voice again.”

https://www.rhinolion.co.za/

We’ve been to the Rhino and Lion Nature Reserve on a few occasions AND we whole heartedly agree that cub petting IS.NOT.NECESSARY!

My boys, currently 9 years and 2 years, don’t understand why we won’t let them pet the cubs like the other grownups and kids do. BUT I hope that someday they will understand their parents’ MO behind saying NO to cub petting and interaction.

How do YOU feel about cub petting and interaction?

Spirited Mama

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