Celebration: Jasmine Whelan, 5, from Kellyville Ridge, has her face painted at the party. Photo: Natalie Roberts
CHILDREN of Seven Hills Scallywags Playgroup can be forgiven for thinking they are celebrating their own birthdays rather than Playgroup NSW's 40th anniversary.
They include Jasmine Whelan, five, from Kellyville Ridge and Elysha Magee, two, from Kellyville who got their faces brightly painted for the party at the Seven Hills Community Centre in Artillery Crescent last Thursday.
It was one of hundreds of parties that are being held across NSW as part of Playgroup NSW's "40 birthdays in 40 weeks" celebration.
Parents, carers and children up to the age of six attended the free party to also discover what NSW Playgroup is about through play, making friends and having fun.
The party at Seven Hills had a "circus" theme that included a jumping castle, face painting, arts and crafts, circus games and morning tea.
Playgroup NSW chief executive Sandy Kervin said a playgroup gave mums, dads, grandparents and carers the opportunity to make new friends, discuss ideas, learn about childhood development and share parenting experiences.
The organisation supports over 30,000 parents, carers and children attending over 1320 sessions of Playgroup each week.
? Playgroup NSW works to support community playgroups and provides specialise services to grandparent playgroups, baby playgroups, children with chronic illness or disability, autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and culturally and linguistically diverse groups.