Businesses in Adelaide’s southern suburbs have been recognised for their child-friendly practices at the 2022 Communities for Children Child-Friendly Business Awards.
The awards are run by the Communities for Children Onkaparinga Initiative, funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, and facilitated by AnglicareSA.
They recognise businesses in the City of Onkaparinga that support children and families by creating welcoming and respectful environments.
Each year, families and children are invited to nominate their favourite local child-friendly business for an award. This year, 29 businesses were nominated.
More than 370 community votes were received, delivering six ‘Excellence’ award winners and 13 business ‘Encouragement’ awards. Part of the prize includes promotion by Communities for Children of all award recipients as child-friendly businesses.
AnglicareSA’s Communities for Children Onkaparinga began working with businesses and local business associations across the community in 2005 to help promote the importance and benefits of family and child-friendly business practices.
Businesses that are welcoming of families and children support a sense of community belonging, promote the well-being of children and provide an important backdrop for childhood learning in the community.
Having a positive sense of identity and experiencing respectful, responsive relationships strengthens children’s interests and skills in being active contributors in their world now and in the future.
Thank you to all 19 award-recipient businesses for supporting the children and families of our local community by creating stand-out child-friendly environments and practices that welcome and respect everyone.
2022 Child-friendly business award winners
The following information about the child-friendly practices of each business has come from a variety of sources including the community nominations, community votes, and the business.
Excellence award (6 Businesses)
Megazone Noarlunga
Megazone Noarlunga owners Caity and James are a friendly young couple, who always make you feel welcome. They offer great parties, and their food menu has a range of freshly made options. Always good service, great food, heaps of things to do, clean, and with amazing and super friendly staff! There’s something to keep everyone entertained.
Dance Xplosion
Dance Xplosion has allowed my child to develop their confidence, coordination, and social skills at a rapid rate. They provide a fun, inclusive, family environment for locals, with dance classes for kids as young as two that are at convenient times for families. They offer a tailored fee structure and there is an undercover courtyard out the back for families to sit and relax, a share kitchen and a homework space.
Green Leaves Early Learning Seaford Meadows
Green Leaves Seaford Meadows is an amazing centre, going above and beyond. It feels like family when you walk through that front door. Everything they do is focused on the children and families within their community. They offer a great personal approach and are always working with families to help their child to learn and grow. We truly feel supported and like our child matters.
Little Picassos – Woodcroft Studio
Little Picassos celebrates the artist in every child. They are amazing at supporting young artists to grow. They encourage children of all ages to enjoy and learn art and no one is kinder or more devoted than Amanda, who runs the Woodcroft class. Amanda is a wonderful teacher who genuinely cares for every child in her classes, treating them with kindness and respect.
Pamper and Parties of Adelaide – Home Salon South
Pamper and Parties of Adelaide do the best kids’ parties and kids’ sessions. Emma works with children of any age or gender, catering to all their interests, and takes pride in being professional and delivering excellent service. A great, safe place for kids of any age, and disability-friendly. Emma’s softness and kindness in making kids feel comfortable, relaxed, and trusting to do something different is so important.
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Becks Bakehouse Port Noarlunga
My family and I love this place – great staff and food. Becks Bakehouse is our local bakery in Port Noarlunga. The staff is so friendly – service with a smile. As regular customers, the staff knows my kids by name, which makes them feel welcome and they are always happy to warm a bottle for me. Becks is also active in the community and sponsors the Port Noarlunga Surf Lifesaving club and the Port Noarlunga football club.
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Encouragement award (13 Businesses)
Lollipop’s Playland & Cafe – Happy Valley
The friendly staff at Lollipop’s Playland are amazing – hands-on and always on the floor cleaning when needed. They always do an amazing job to keep the children safe. Repairs seem to be done quickly. The food is great and prepared on-site and the price is good. Their child safety is impressive, with wristbands and electro-magnet locks. It’s an amazing play cafe.
Jump! Swim Schools Aldinga Beach
Family-owned and operated, Jump! Swim Schools Aldinga Beach prides itself on providing an optimal learning environment for children. Jump! is a perfect family-friendly business, an amazing swim school with passionate instructors who bring out the best in the children. Our daughter has flourished under their care and commitment to teaching.
Marina’s Piano Studio
Marina provides a friendly, supportive, and fun environment for children to learn to play the piano. She is patient, kind, innovative, and dedicated to her students. Her skills in teaching, and adapting methods to suit every learner are reflected in her student’s achievements. Marina shares teaching tips and learning resources with her family. There is a beautiful garden where parents can wait on the garden bench. And she is known for organising free recitals that family and friends are encouraged to attend.
Laughing Llama Dance and Drama – Cherry Gardens
Laughing Llama is a mother/daughter team, providing a dance and drama theatre club for home-schooling children and children’s party entertainment. They are passionate about supporting children to unleash their confidence, learn that their voice is important, and have the opportunity to express themselves appropriately in a safe and inclusive environment. Emma is honestly amazing. So kind and gentle and understanding. She truly brings out the best in all the kids.
The Original Pancake Kitchen Reynella
With its quirky décor, it really is a fun space to have a party or just dine in with the family. The staff at the Original Pancake Kitchen Reynella are the friendliest and most helpful I have come across when trying to wrangle two unruly h-angry children. They were helpful in ordering and fulfilling wishes, getting our meals out extremely quickly, answering all our questions, and anticipating our needs. With special-needs kids it is hard to go out at times and the staff were very happy to help accommodate us.
Trend Fitness
Trend Fitness has a great family atmosphere and friendly staff. While Trend Fitness is a gym for people aged 16 and over, they are extremely child-friendly with a great onsite crèche for kids, available between 9 am and 12 pm, Monday to Saturday. Providing connection and socialisation for children, while mum or dad get some physical fitness. This makes gym time so much easier! The gym also runs events during the year outside of the gym, which members’ families are invited to attend.
Legacy Lifestyle Supports
Legacy Lifestyle Supports are totally committed to providing support for children with a disability. Their support workers are great and they genuinely strive to tailor their support to individual needs. The school holiday events are a really inclusive, fun outing my child can go on, supported by disability support workers, and their Lego Days are so much fun! What’s different about their programs is that all children are invited to attend, not just children with a disability, which promotes inclusion.
Bradley’s Bakery – Christie Downs
Bradley’s range of things for kids is amazing and they pride themselves on making their bread without preservatives, which is great for everyone. I have been visiting Bradley’s Bakery since 2013 and the staff there is always absolutely amazing. They have strongly connected with my son and other local children. My son can walk in and they know exactly what he wants, always with smiles on their faces and happy to chat with him.
Christies Beach Hotel Bistro
Christie Beach Hotel Bistro is a real child-friendly business – fun for the kids and accommodating for families. Friendly staff and lots of space for kids to play inside and out and a fantastic playground for them – keeps them amused for ages. Their large amount of parking spaces right at the front door certainly makes the visit more relaxing too.
Dee Dee’s Cafe
Dee Dee’s Café is one of the friendliest kid-friendly cafes in the south. The staff are absolutely wonderful and are always so friendly and welcoming to those of all ages, and always stop to chat with children, making them feel welcome. The space is safe and inviting, with its subtle nature theme and there is an area set up with games and colouring-in books for children
Deep Blue Café
Deep Blue Café is a great place to visit as a family. We have had lunch and dinner at this cafe several times now with cousins and our son. Staff have welcomed us and acknowledged the children each time we have been there. The relaxed atmosphere of the café, outside and in, made our meal-times very relaxing and enjoyable. A great choice of seating options and dog friendly too!
Fasta Pasta – Christies Beach
Fasta Pasta Christies Beach has always had a great attitude towards ensuring families feel welcome. The staff are happy to hold open the door to help you get a pram inside and once in, there is plenty of space to move. My kids make a mess when they go out to eat and the staff at Fasta Pasta Christies Beach never seem phased by it. There is a cool kid’s menu that folds out with lots of different games and colouring-in, and monthly colouring competition.
Helzi & Beans Coffee House
Helzi & Beans is a little family-run cafe with a beautiful community feel that goes above and beyond to make sure kids are always welcome. They are super child friendly. They run story-time for parents with young ones and there are always children running in and out as they also own the music school next door. I bring my pram in with my baby, and they do a great job at making me feel comfortable and connected to my local community.