Early learning

We’re going to ‘think outside the box’ and explore how we can use outdoor spaces to develop mathematical learning.

Learning theories aim to offer insight and understanding from a particular perspective, embedded in the cultural and historical context in which it evolved.

Play with sand is a form of messy play that offers endless possibilities for children to engage all sorts of skills for a well-rounded and healthy development. As a provocation with open-ended possibilities, sand is a resource that is sustainable and reuseable, to be used indoors and outside for all ages. Sand play offers a wide range of benefits for children in their early years, supporting their development in multiple areas. 

Process based activities give children an ideal opportunity to engage deeply in the processes behind their actions, supporting decision-making and developing a true sense of autonomy over their learning experiences.

One prominent schema that often presents itself early in children’s development is that of trajectory, which involves throwing and pushing and pulling.

This learning workout aims to look at some of the ways we can come to understand risky play, drawing upon some key examples of risk at play, and learn about safe ways to implement it in practice. 

We all love a nursery rhyme, and they often take us back to our own special early childhood memories. Whether it’s by audio, video or singing ourselves, think about ways in which you can use nursery rhymes to deepen knowledge and understanding, or promote social and emotional wellbeing.  

The outdoor provision is an essential ingredient for healthy, well-rounded child development.  There are so many ways we can promote a love of the outdoors with the children in our care, to  inspire them to connect with nature and sow the seed for a lifetime of confident, outdoor adventures! Here are just a few of our favourite suggestions!

Whether it’s to create a mindful sensory space for calming time or to use during the creation of a colourful piece of art, the use of bubbles can add so much fun to your practice.

From visual timetables to songs relating to actions and times of the day, aspects of routine are used throughout early education and care in a variety of ways.

Risky play goes against the most basic instinct of a professional working in early education and care: to keep children safe is paramount to our job. But, paradoxically, risky play actually promotes everything best practice in early education and care stands for too: creating engaging and stimulating environments that test boundaries, sustain and expand confidences in individual ability and provide opportunities to grow. 

Seasonal changes are a dynamic aspect of understanding our ever-changing world, which makes them a great topic for engaging with the outdoors in different ways on a daily, sometimes hourly, basis.  

Environments that stimulate children’s learning are not just about the space they interact in but relies on the professional conduct of the adults around them to create an engaging place for provocation and thought.

This article offers a different outlook for using digital technology for learning to offer some frameworks, reasoning and advice for how to purposefully use technology in your setting.  

The natural environment is ever-changing. Every interaction we have is unique and allows us to explore new opportunities we never knew possible… much like working with babies!