Following the success of Get Set Five, many people asked if I’d create something for younger children. They loved the idea of a series of regular play-based activities. It’s hard to constantly come up with new things to do. So I created A Year With My Child, for toddlers and young preschoolers. It’s not a […]
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Role-play was part of our own childhoods but does it still have something to offer today’s children and if so, how can we encourage it at home? Dr Helen Jones sets the stage: Table of contents: Introduction As a child I spent countless hours taking refuge from the world in the security of my own
An introduction to role play Read More »
Keen to get Wobbel boarding but not sure which Wobbel board is best for your family? We’ve made choosing the right Wobbel board easy, with this comprehensive guide. What is a Wobbel board? Wobbel boards, as the name suggests, are boards for wobbling on! They comprise a single wooden arch, that can be used to
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Why do we value some play materials over others? What’s so special about sand, water, sticks and clay? This question is explored in Resources for Early Learning, by Pat Gura, a favourite book from my teaching days. In it you’ll find the following vignette: A girl and boy of about nine or ten years old
Is play better with natural materials? Read More »
How do you ask questions? And why? During a test, a teacher asks a question to get an answer. They want to know what you know – and if it’s correct. But there’s a flaw with this kind of questioning – it doesn’t help you to learn. Closed questions lead to short answers and do not promote
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Are you familiar with this illustration: It’s Bloom’s taxonomy. A taxonomy is a classification, and here we are classifying thought. Some cognitive challenges are harder than others. Basic recall (the bottom of the pyramid) is fairly straightforward (until you get to my age, at least!). Applying what you know is more of a challenge and
Higher-order thinking skills: how to create an agile mind Read More »
Do you have a preschooler? Would you like to help them develop some key skills before school starts in September? How wonderful to go in on that first day feeling like you belong. I get emails from parents on this topic almost daily and I’m always happy to help, but I now feel I could
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Opera singer and vocal coach Mary Cole explains vocal development in young children and shows us how we can help inspire our children’s vocal confidence from an early age. Table of contents Introduction Vocal development in newborns Vocal development in infants Vocal development in toddlers Final word Introduction It was a warm evening in late March when I
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How do children learn to communicate? How does language happen and is it something that can be nurtured? Early Years teacher, Emma Gouldbourn, looks at the fascinating process of our children’s language, from baby babble through to toddler talk. Table of contents Introduction Baby babble How to create a communication friendly space How to encourage speech and
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Dr Helen Jones looks at what art means to children and how to provide quality opportunities for drawing and painting at home Table of contents: Introduction Why paint? The benefits of making art How do the stages of visual representation develop? How to support your child with art Final word ‘Intelligence itself is built upon
The developmental stages of drawing Read More »