Ashley Pether

Small children learn through play. When you’re in an early years setting, it’s clear to see the discoveries and the breakthroughs children make when they’re having fun. As such, a child-centred approach can work extremely well for under-fives. This style of learning involves putting the child at the centre of their learning. In practice, this […]

The ability to read and write is a fundamental skill that is used throughout life. From reading for pleasure to self-education, to writing to express your thoughts, ideas and feelings. These core literacy skills allow us to make sense of the world through language. As with many skills, early years settings can play a significant

Research shows that children are spending less time outside, discovering the natural world. It’s a shame, but the popularity of computer games, all day kids’ television and a fear of child abduction have shrunk the amount of time that children play outside . . . This trend is a problem. Not only are children at

The idea of ‘loose parts’ stems from the 1970’s when an architect called Simon Nicholson discovered that items in our environment could stimulate creativity. The definition of a loose part is really broad and can include items such as . . . Beads Buttons Packing Yarn and wool Bubble wrap Egg cartons Plant pots Pebbles,

Encouraging, nurturing and valuing creativity is one of the most valuable gifts that you can give to an under-five. That’s because young children benefit enormously when they’re given the freedom and permission to express their ideas fully: … • They gain confidence through unchallenged self-expression • They grow their independence when they take responsibility and

As the weather warms, children of all ages will LOVE hitting the beach. Sand and water enables hours of fun and this learning opportunity can easily be replicated in your nursery or preschool setting. Here’s how… A rich learning experience. Children can learn a lot from playing with sand and water. Let’s look at some

Small world play offers a rich learning experience for early years children. Similar to role play, small world activities encourage children to use their imaginations to relive day-to-day experiences or play out fantasy worlds, but with an important difference… With role play, a child is usually acting out a specific character. In comparison, a child

When children discover books, they tap into a huge range of learning opportunities.. And they don’t even need to be able to read independently for books to offer a rich learning experience. Let’s explore why… Books and stories are a fantastic way for reception, pre-school and nursery children to develop their language and literacy skills.

When creating an enabling environment for your early years’ setting, the layout of your space is almost as important as the learning and equipment you provide. As you know, during the ‘early years’, children learn through play, self-discovery, and independent learning.. Key to this is providing a variety of activity areas that are dedicated to

Did you know there’s no need to spend a fortune when creating enabling environments in your early years setting? In fact, sometimes less is more. As you know, small children thrive when they’re given the space and freedom to use their imagination, express their ideas, and explore possibilities. And when it comes to construction play,