Why is your child so captivated by her reflection in the mirror. It turns out that babies love looking at human faces, including their own, and playing with mirrors can offer a host of developmental benefits. In this article, we’ll explore the reasons behind babies’ fascination with mirrors and how mirror play can contribute to […]
Why do babies love mirrors? Read More »
If you’re looking for a fun and productive way to entertain your child at home, a treasure basket may be the answer. A treasure basket is easy and affordable to put together. It also has educational benefits for child as it encourages exploration and offers a sensory experience that benefits children’s auditory, visual, and tactile
How to make a treasure basket Read More »
Balls are useful play apparatus throughout early years development. Here’s how to get the most from a ball at key stages: Six months: Great for holding, squeezing, shaking and building grip and arm strength. Balls with bells inside help with visual tracking at a time when vision is not fully developed. 12 months: Rolling and
Ball play for babies | The perfect activity Read More »
Play people are an especially important part of any pre-school toy box. In these characters children recognise themselves and their families and friends. Their play is usually about enacting real-life or imagined scenes – simple scenarios such as being at home in the kitchen or driving along in the car – compounding their understanding of
Animal figures are a perennial favourite. When children are learning to talk they are a great way to explore sounds and noises. As they get older, they can become part of small-world play and form the basis of hundreds of adventures, imagined and real. Playing with toy animals provides a structure to children’s small world
Why are wooden animal toys a toybox essential? Read More »
Understanding that something, or someone, continues to exist even when it’s out of sight is one of the most important concepts a small baby can grasp. It’s why babies take such delight in games of peekaboo. They believe (so the theory goes), that when you cover your face you wink out of existence. They don’t
What is object permanence? Your baby’s first great cognitive leap Read More »
Is there a better toy than the simple block? Whether you need a castle or a cave, a house or a road, reach for the blocks. Can you think of anything that delights both babies and preschoolers as much? From a baby’s earliest attempts to grasp and manipulate objects through to a school-child’s sprawling constructions,
Guide to block play Read More »
Wind the bobbin up? Blackbirds baked in pie? It’s tempting to question the relevance of nursery rhymes in the 21st century. But ask any primary school teacher and they’ll tell you – the child who knows their nursery rhymes is almost always among the best readers and writers in their class. Nursery rhymes are such
Nursery Rhymes and Action Songs Read More »
Sand and water go together like coffee and chocolate. Nice on their own but great together. They are open-ended materials which means that the play possibilities are endless. There are no fixed outcomes here. It’s all about exploration and discovery and there is always something new to learn. Water play It might look like they
Sand and Water Play Read More »
“ So all we could do was to sit sit sit sit And we did not like it, not one little bit. ” The Cat in the Hat, Dr. Seuss ‘Only boring people get bored’ – we’ve all said it, or heard other parents saying it to their children, when they complain of having nothing to
The benefits of boredom | An early years superpower Read More »