You’ve just sat down with a well-deserved cup of tea when you hear the pleading call, “Come and play with me!” It’s been a busy day and you’ve got a million things on your mind but you obligingly put down your drink and commit to some quality playtime with your toddler or preschooler. The problem …
A parents’ guide to enjoying play (even when you don’t feel like it) Read More »
Can young children really understand science and how can we help them to discover and experiment? Table of contents Introduction What does science mean to you? You might primarily think of it as a subject you learnt at school, with facts to remember, or you may think more about the process, the testing of a theory …
Here in England the summer holidays are underway and the days are long. If, like me, you’re looking for cheap (i.e. free!) ways to entertain your child over the next few weeks, I’ve created a daily series of play tips you might find helpful. I’ve set myself three constraints: The materials must be common enough …
In the year leading up to my eldest son starting school, I didn’t spend as much time with him as I had hoped. I had just launched 100 Toys, we moved house, and my wife was pregnant with our fourth child. I’m sure you understand. Life with young children is busy. I had hoped to …
Summer Camp | Get ready for school in just a few weeks Read More »
Playsilks look beautiful, but what do you actually do with them? Fabric of all kinds should be one of the first things in the toy box. Wool, cotton, polyester – you can use anything. But there’s something special about silks. Their weight, strength, translucence and colour make them perfect for the job. In the 100 Toys house we …
You’ll often hear me say that children learn through play, that you should provide open-ended materials to encourage exploration and discovery. But it’s not completely true. There’s a more powerful and primitive force at work that shapes your child’s learning long before she starts to experiment with paint or collage, blocks or natural materials: Imitation. …
Imitation in childhood | How your child learns and how you can help Read More »
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 …
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 …
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 …