Early learning

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.  

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!  

To create an environment that encourages this stimulation and engagement, we need to ensure that the provocations of our learning opportunities promote curiosity and active enquiry.  

Being with nature is so much more than just popping outdoors. Whether in a woodland, walking around the garden, or spending time by the seaside, being with nature involves immersing ourselves in the moment and engaging with the wonderful natural space around us.  

From the colours we use to the way we use furniture in the setting, taking time to reflect on our use of physical space in the setting can be beneficial for the children and staff working in the space.

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.

How do we implement effective early literacy strategies? Being immersed in a literacy-rich environment allows children to soak up a plethora of experiences…but what does that look like?

Sensory play refers to activities that allow us to interact with our senses, whether it be touching unfamiliar textures, exploring what we see through colours and light, or trying new tastes. 

The 1001 Days Movement is a campaign that works to increase the recognition of just how important the infant years are to our continued development and learning through life.

Lets explore some simple ways to keep our reading experiences interesting and engaging for all and make early reading fun

This learning workout will look at how we can use block play specifically to develop early numeracy skills, across the curriculum.

We are going to explore how early education and care can build the important foundations for early literacy and suggest how to increase literacy opportunities for young children.

Water is an open-ended resource, meaning the provision isn’t usually intended to have a specific outcome or instructions to follow.