Early learning

Montessori schools are found around the world with a distinct approach to learning and development in young children. But who is the person behind the name?

Modern early years curriculums are built around the value of play, understanding it as an unprecedented language for early learning and development. Although the importance of play within learning theory in children’s social and emotional development is something that is widely recognised today,  it has only become an established philosophy since the mid-to-late 19th century!

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. 

Scientific literacy develops a wide range of skills that can be transferred across all areas of development, making this an approach well worth implementing with children of any age.

There are many benefits to physical activity and studies show that being active in body can enable us to concentrate more and problem-solve rationally by developing our executive function skills.

With so much going on, it can be difficult to get everything done, but sometimes it’s necessary to think about what happens when we slow things down in order to appreciate the moment and fully immerse ourselves in all that an individual interaction has to offer. 

We’re going to ‘think outside the box’ and explore how we can use outdoor spaces to teach maths outdoors.

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

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.

In this learning workout, it’s time to explore ways to engage children in learning about community. There are endless possibilities for this and each will be influenced by the specific nature of your community! Let’s get started… 

Risky play is all about providing the environment and means for children to test these limits in a safe and supportive way. Knowing of the presence of a ‘safety net,’ a familiar person, doesn’t eradicate any sense of danger or anxiety but helps to promote the positive feelings of curiosity and adventure instead.

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. 

Play-based learning is an essential aspect of early childhood development and a core way to engage children in a satisfying and stimulating environment. But another valuable way to continue to promote this necessity for play-based learning is to seek out even more opportunities to learn about the power of play!