Children with type one diabetes join in the jellybean picnic in Canberra

Families of children with type one diabetes gathered as part of the jellybean picnic on ice, making the most of the inviting afternoon.

Diabetes ACT chief executive officer Gil Cremer said she planned the event to help families realise they were not alone.

Ms Cremer said while the ACT hadn't hosted a meet-and-greet event for a few years, she planned to make it an annual priority.

"There are about 260 children in the ACT under 18 with type one diabetes," she said.

"It's one of the most common diseases in childhood.

"The event is to give them a chance to see other children with type one diabetes, and so they realise they can do what other kids can do.

"To help them see they're all in the same situation, and they don't look or act different to other children."

Ms Cremer said the ice skating activity also provided a welcome distraction from the daily grind of incurable genetic disease.

"Most children have at least four to five injections of insulin each day, or they're on the continuous insulin pump," she said.

"They also have to monitor their blood glucose levels, so they prick their finger and check that, some of them up to 10 times a day.

For eight-year-old diabetes sufferer Brianna Blackmore, the event provided a chance to spend time with her three siblings, Taliah, 10, Makayla, six, and Kaiden, five.

Their mum, Anne Blackmore, said it was the first event of its kind they had been able to attend, as they were usually held in Sydney.

"It's not very often we get to come out to something like this, because there are a few of us," she said.

"It's a great opportunity to meet other families who are I the same position as we are."

Mrs Blackmore said it helped Brianna realise there was a lot of support for her and others in a similar position.

"I think it's quite important for her to know there are other people out there experiencing the same as her."