Our children’s first few months are such a precious time. We want to hold on to the newness – they’ll never be this young again. The sleepless nights seem eternal and yet three months race by in the blink of an eye. But time passes and as they grow, our babies become stronger and 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, …
Find it hard to believe an easel is essential? It’s actually a brilliant piece of equipment to have around, for many more reasons than painting. Easels encouage children’s wrists to bend upwards, in the same way they do for writing. Standing at an easel is also good for upper arm and shoulder strength, which in …
Easels and the magic of the vertical surface for writing 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 …
Learning to distinguish between shapes is essentially an early form of reading. Children who can tell which shapes are which, can better differentiate between different letters when they progress on to reading. Being able to recreate shapes also helps with writing. Most letters are based on a combination of circles and squares, or lines at …
Sorting is the most important activity your child will ever do. Without it, no other kinds of play are possible. And done right it’s a superpower. In this simple guide we’ll explore different sorting activities and how best to introduce them. What is sorting and why is it important? Sorting is simple. Just group things …
Sorting activities | Help to your child organise her thinking Read More »
Constructive play is the second of four types of play outlined by Sara Smilansky, a developmental psychologist who studied how play develops in young children. The rest of the series is here: What is constructive play? Constructive play is not just construction play – blocks and Lego – but any kind of play where materials …
Does your baby or toddler enjoy repetitive play with everyday objects? Is she less interested in ‘proper’ toys? This is functional play, the first of four types of play outlined by Sara Smilansky, a developmental psychologist who studied how play develops in young children. The rest of the series is here: Preschoolers are happy to …
Have you ever wondered what the benefit of listening to stories is for children, beyond the joy of simple entertainment? Reading stories to young children helps them make sense of the world. Without experiences of their own to draw on, stories act as signposts for the young mind, directing them along the right path and …
Does your child enjoy making up stories? Does she pretend to be you, using toys and other props to imitate adults? This is dramatic play, one of the four types of play. You can read about the others here: What is dramatic play? Children imitate what they see. They watch you washing the dishes then …