Sorting the forest (school) from the trees
We all want children to be outdoors and engaged with nature. In this blog we will consider the ethos of Forest School and compare it with other outdoor learning approaches that have become popular.
Getting Underway with Heuristic Play
Heuristic play for young children is based on open-ended resources that can be explored and investigated, and encourage hypothesising (predicting what might happen).
What is a Schema?
Have you ever watched a child line up their toys again and again, spin the wheels of a car, or fill and empty a bag over and over? These patterns of behavior are not random—they’re powerful clues into how young children learn. Known as schemas, these repeated actions reveal how children make sense of the world around them through play.
(more…)10 ideas for beach school (even if you’re in the city!)
While we all like to be beside the seaside, it’s not always conveniently near us! Bring the beach to your setting with these exciting ideas.
(more…)M is for Montessori – recommended resources
A Montessori nursery follows the philosophies and teachings of Dr. Maria Montessori. It is designed to take advantage of the sensitive years between the ages of three and five, when the child is most able to absorb information from his environment.
Room for 2
Many two-year olds will spend more time with you in your setting than they do with their own parents, so it’s important to provide a caring and supportive environment where your children feel they belong. It needs to be thoughtfully laid out as well as practical.
How to develop pre-coding skills in the early years
This blog contains ideas that can be used with young children away from such tools to build up the skills and vocabulary needed for coding electronic devices. These have become known as pre-coding skills.
6 easy steps to an enabling (not disabling) outdoor risk assessment
When we accompany children outdoors to learn, it can take them outside of their comfort zone; and it can do the same to us as practitioners. Many working in Early Years settings are worried about real and perceived risks that are present when children are active outdoors, and this can be one of the main barriers to settings developing an integrated approach to outdoor learning.
(more…)9 reasons why outdoor learning is so important
Children’s brains are hardwired to engage with the natural world, and unless they are exposed to such relevant environments on a regular basis, we risk denying them the opportunities they need for optimal brain development.
(more…)How EdTech can add value to early years education
Young children build up an understanding of the world around them through a variety of play activities. This includes the use of digital technology. It is important, therefore, that all children become confident with this media in early years settings, especially those who do not have access to technology at home.