Guest Authors

Through social media and my business, Early Years Story Box, I had the pleasure of speaking to an early years professional who really gave me food for thought and made me question if we could possibly be doing more to support children who speak...

I currently have a new little assistant to work with at The Sensory Projects, this week he has been reminding me of a skill I talk about often on my training days: mouthing. Mouthing is currently more interesting to him than anything else. My...

I’m not prejudiced, am I? Unpicking unconscious bias The year 2020 has not been easy for many but as humans, we are very resilient and are beginning 2021 with optimism and hope. The coronavirus pandemic highlighted for me that phrase, “We’re all...

Should phonics be taught in Nursery? It is an interesting question. Some may say: children of this age are far too young to learn phonics, let them play! children have too much to do already without learning to read before they are 4 children do...

“Three things in human life are important: the first is to be kind; the second is to be kind; and the third is to be kind.” - Henry James Kindness is not just a feeling. It is a skill that takes children years to develop. All too often we talk...

Why has music survived as long as it has? For the longest time, science has asked this question – why is music still a part of our lives today? Since the beginning of time, people have recorded their everyday activities: from the Egyptian...

Adding positive touch to stories and rhymes The enjoyment of stories and rhymes is as natural and intuitive as sharing the benefits of nurturing touch. The Story Massage Programme is a fun way of bringing storytelling and positive touch together...

During the course of the COVID-19 pandemic, lots of changes have happened within our environments and our working practices. Even though we understand these changes and the reasons for them, they can still be unsettling. Some people may have...

It can be tricky getting little ones to sleep at any time. No excuse is needed, no reason is necessary – they want to stay awake to stay near you. During uncertain times, when routines go out of the window, it can be tricky to get ourselves as...

I am autistic. The pertinence of this to you is that having an autistic brain means I am capable of taking in vast amounts of information and organising this. A skill I use when I write articles about the sensory world for Parenta. Experience...

Like many parents (and practitioners) there are times when things go smoothly with my children and then there are other times when I honestly feel like I’m wading through mud. It’s like we go in cycles of things going really well for so long and...

Six benefits of sensory rooms A sensory room is a specially designed, safe space that provides children and people affected with autism with the right environment that helps stimulate their neural development. For many people, sensory...

As adults we are currently experiencing more uncertainty than we have perhaps ever known before. Due to the global pandemic things are getting changed at the drop of a hat – events are cancelled, the rules regarding whether or not we can...

“How can we improve parental engagement during this pandemic?”A few weeks ago I was invited to work with a nursery school leadership team for a strategic planning workshop. Known for excellent parental engagement, the school had been struggling...

The nature-nurture debate can often divide opinions; are our children a result of genes (whom they are born into), or are they mostly influenced by their environment? Whatever your opinion on this, I think most people accept that the environment...

Josie, a nursery teacher has been workingwith me on her leadership development. She shared how she had taken over from an outstanding practitioner, and everyone in the room was very clear and confident about what they do and how. There was one...

“Should I use a reward chart in the early years?”A few weeks ago my best friend’s five-year-old came home from school very upset. She was terrified that her name was going to be put on the raincloud in her class. Her teacher had started a new...

We spend a lot of time teaching children how to do new things and we help them to become the best version of themselves. We praise effort and success and we build children up the best that we can, which is crucial for their development. We build...

We naturally all use music in a multitude of ways when working with young children, but have you ever stopped and considered all of the benefits? By doing so, you might just think of different ways of using music for different purposes.Music is...

Readers of my previous article may have watched a tiny video clip of my newborn son responding to the rhyme “Incy Wincy Spider”. If you did not see it and would like to, take a peak here now: https://tinyurl.com/yyb4922j - it’s very cute (I am...

“Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it.” George Santayana (1863-1952), philosopher There is great value in learning about history. It gives those who were there opportunities to reminisce, recognise and appreciate the...

How children’s learning and development can be affected by their stage of development andindividual circumstances such as moving school, birth of a sibling, family breakdown and adoption and care.As experienced and knowledgeable practitioners,...

I’m sure that circle time will already be a regular part of your nursery routine. It offers such a wonderful time for getting to know one another, chatting about different things, playing games and singing songs. But what are the main benefits...

Many of us are planning our provision around being outside more of the time. It is my view that this will do more than just limit the spread of coronavirus, but it will also help to combat the lack of nature in our children’s lives and promote a...

This month I thought it might be helpful to focus on group development within the nursery setting. As the new terms get underway, we have all faced a lot of recent change and uncertainty. I recall working with Rosa, a nursery manager who, last...

As children return to your setting, you will all be going through a period of adjustment. How we communicate and relate to each other is key to our collective wellbeing. Being alert to signs of stress is important as you seek to support children...

Regular readers will probably have come to expect an article from me within Parenta’s pages, and may even have noticed my absence from the previous issue or two. Well, I have a good excuse: I was busy having a baby! My new “little assistant” at...

Singing is the one musical activity in which almost everybody can participate – all you need is your voice. Through the ages, singing has been a way to unite people through anthems and war cries. It allows us to express devotion, whether...

Perfectionism is a common trait and many of us experience varying levels of it throughout our lives. It can make us strive for more and work hard, but it can also be a hindrance and prevent us from moving forward through fear of getting things...

When my children were born it always amazed me how many people were of the opinion that you could spoil a baby or ‘make a rod for your own back’ by cuddling them too much. I never understood it. Imagine being inside your mother’s womb where you...