Making sensory resources for your setting Sensory resources are great for younger children in the early years, for those with SEND and also make a great addition to calm down boxes for those who find managing their emotions and behaviour a challenge. There is a wide variety of sensory resources on the market. However, these can often be costly and … [Read more...] about Do it yourself sensory resources for the EYFS
Enabling Environment
Top tips on encouraging children to tidy up
Top tips for practitioners to support children with tidying up Getting children to help with tidy up time in the early years can often be challenging; with certain children helping and certain children never helping. Tidying up can become a consuming part of the day, so it is important to get it done as quickly and stress-free as possible. Tidying … [Read more...] about Top tips on encouraging children to tidy up
Helping Early Years Practitioners understand the EYFS
An easy way for Early Years Practitioners to find out about the EYFS When recruiting new employees or having new students, it is important that everyone is familiar with the EYFS. As the EYFS covers many aspects, it is far easier to understand these elements if they are broken down. If employees are fairly new to childcare, it is often the … [Read more...] about Helping Early Years Practitioners understand the EYFS
Are display boards a waste of valuable practitioner time?
Why display boards are a waste of practitioner time Display boards are usually something that practitioners take a great deal of time and pride in completing and changing and are often fondly admired by the parents; however are there any real benefits of having a room full of display boards or do they simply waste time? Could time that is spent by … [Read more...] about Are display boards a waste of valuable practitioner time?
Top 10 outdoors Early Years winter activities
EYFS Winter outdoor activities Winter is often a tricky time of year to try and plan outdoor activities as the usual planting, growing, water play, bug hunts and even mud play can be harder for the children to participate in as temperatures drop, the ground hardens and any signs of bugs seem to disappear along with the flowers. However winter … [Read more...] about Top 10 outdoors Early Years winter activities
Conducting a Mock Ofsted Inspection
Top tips on conducting a mock Ofsted Inspection It is good practice to carry out Ofsted mock inspections as often as you can. This will help prepare practitioners and highlight any issues to work on before the real inspection. Conducting mock Ofsted inspections are easy to do especially when following the Early Years Handbook. This document … [Read more...] about Conducting a Mock Ofsted Inspection
Top Tips on accessing the outdoors, even in the cold
Top Tips on accessing the outdoor environment, even in the cold Outdoor space and time for every child is crucial every day, yet when living in the UK with the unpredictable weather and cold temperatures. it can be difficult to be motivated to spending time outdoors. However it is possible to make the most of the outdoors in all weathers. The … [Read more...] about Top Tips on accessing the outdoors, even in the cold
Should all pre-school children wear a uniform in the Early Years?
Do you think that all pre-school children should wear a uniform? Wearing a uniform marks a big step in a child’s life, showing their belonging to a setting and sets them up for the future when in their work they may be required to wear a uniform. However is preschool too early to begin instilling such norms and taking away children’s choice about … [Read more...] about Should all pre-school children wear a uniform in the Early Years?
Are settings rated below Ofsted ‘Good’ beneficial to children’s development?
Are ‘Good’ settings beneficial to children’s development? Unfortunately sometimes settings are graded at levels 3 and 4 which are seen as requiring improvement or inadequate, in these cases settings are allowed to continue offering services to families and offering care and education to children, however some feel this should not be the case and … [Read more...] about Are settings rated below Ofsted ‘Good’ beneficial to children’s development?
Top 10 home corner/ role play idea
Why change your home corner? A role play area is an important area of any early years environment and really allows children to explore the ideas they have from their home cultures, stretch their imaginations. Role play is fantastic for development in so many areas of the EYFS (2012) including communication and language, personal, social and … [Read more...] about Top 10 home corner/ role play idea