Starting School by Janet and Allan Ahlberg The daddy (and mummy) of all starting school books. Fun pictures and gentle humour cover all the important stuff, from pegs to playtime. A lovely, re-assuring read that never seems to date. Lucy and Tom at School by Shirley Hughes Hughes’s timeless illustrations bring school to life in …
Do you worry that your child can’t sit still for more than a few minutes and that they will struggle to concentrate when they get to school. How can you help your child to focus? Rightly or wrongly, being able to ‘sit nicely’ is a behaviour that most teachers will reward with praise, not only …
We hear a lot about teaching children to read too early, and it’s certainly true that it’s not right for every child. Your child will get to grips with phonics, but she might not be ready until she starts school. If this sounds like your child, don’t worry, there is plenty of time. Leave it …
The first day at school is exciting, a chance for new friends and new adventures. There are sure to be a few worries and wobbles before the big day but with this simple guide you can be sure it will pass off smoothly. Posts in this series: Starting School Series | Read More Children must …
Children don’t learn to read, write and count at school. Yes, you read that correctly. School can’t teach them to do it for you. Teachers just don’t have the time. Of course, they try. All children get some version of literacy and numeracy tuition for an hour every day. But most of the teaching is …
If you’re lucky enough to be able to walk to school with your child then you’re likely to be doubling their one-to-one time with an adult for the day. In the busy classroom, teachers rarely have the opportunity to work directly with a child, so the time you have together first thing in the morning …
7 simple ways to boost learning on the way to school Read More »
Flashcards have a bad reputation. There are even books about it (Einstein Never Used Flashcards – a good read, btw!) They epitomise pushy parenting. But showing flashcards to a toddler in an attempt to turn them into a genius at the expense of creative play is very different from using them with a four- or …
When was the last time you painted a picture or knelt down in the mud and dragged your nails through it? When did you last hop? Or tested what happened when you poured nail polish on the carpet? I bet you remember with crystal clarity – and more than a touch of revulsion – what …
It’s easy to get caught up in the academic preparations for starting school, but just as important as literacy and numeracy is the idea of self-care. What we mean by that, in this early-years context, is does your child have the skills and know-how they need to face the challenges a school day presents? This …
Self care for preschoolers | Help your child become independent Read More »
Would you like to help your child learn some maths but don’t know where to begin? Or do you think that maths is something that happens once children start school? In early years teaching, there are two main branches of maths: number and shape. At first glance they don’t seem to have too much in …