Guest Authors

What’s a great start to the day? Across sectors, leaders agree that the things you do first in the morning make a difference to how the rest of the day pans out. In this article, we take a look at what leaders in early years education can do to...

Writer Joan Didion said “We tell ourselves stories in order to live” (Wikipedia, 2020). We also seek out the narratives of others in order to live more fully with both the taking in, and the expression of stories, facilitating healing and...

I do not know how he came to acquire the nickname Egg but ever since he came along that’s what my youngest son has been called. I run The Sensory Projects www.TheSensoryProjects.co.uk (which should now really be called The Sensory Projects and...

Ask a teenager what they do in their spare time, and they will often say, “listen to music”. Ask an adult what they do to relax, and they will often say, “listen to music”. Music is so pervasive that it is hard to think of any situation where...

Back in March of this year I had the absolute pleasure of speaking at the Birth to Five Spring Festival. It was such a great privilege to work with such esteemed colleagues when writing the Birth to Five framework “For you… and with you” and...

Having fun while moving is the best way to develop your little one’s self-confidence. The cornerstone of building self-confidence is to make activities fun. Remember the pleasure of being able to achieve something you really enjoyed for the...

Tap tap, he hits the cushion with the palm of his hand, tap tap, I copy his rhythm hitting a cushion near me. His eyes light up and a grin widens on his face. We go on tapping the cushions, laughing and grinning at each other, and then as...

Everyone is talking about well-being. It’s a lovely, floaty word that hovers around settings, wafts its way through earnest leadership meetings and flutters its fairy wings on the cheeks of dishevelled childcare workers who are mired knee-deep...

 I do not know how he came to acquire the nick-name Egg but ever since he came along that’s what my youngest son has been called. I run The Sensory Projects www.TheSensoryProjects.co.uk (which should now really be called The Sensory Projects and...

Historically, fathers have been side-lined in bringing up children, with mothers seen as the ‘gatekeeper’. Indeed, back in the mid-1970s, a father’s involvement was typically around 15 minutes a day. Thankfully, this outdated mindset has changed...

From the beginning, there are many things that can be introduced to support a child’s ongoing development. But parenting is a complex business, with so much to think about and be concerned over. Some may be meaningless worry, doing little more...

Introduction All adults who come into contact with pupils in their work have a duty to safeguard and promote their welfare. The Children Act 2004, places a duty on organisations to safeguard and promote the well-being of children and young...

Research shows that high quality professional development experiences are essential for improving practice in the early years. Professional development matters because it impacts positively on staff motivation and retention, and when it is well...

I don’t believe I’ve ever met anyone who wishes to be merely tolerated. And yet, the word tolerance is often used when we speak about diversity. To tolerate something involves a type of sufferance or permission, an allowing something else to be...

Movement and music bring us joy, but did you know if you add some extra ingredients, and a little bit of magic, it becomes a gateway to the world?! Here at Littlemagictrain, we are passionate about the use of movement and music to create a fun...

Early years classes can have a wide-ranging mix of representation. Whether through emigration or asylum, the different languages and heritages represented in groups has made diversity an aspect of life that is here to stay. History shows us that...

One of the hardest things that I’ve found within my parenting journey is finding the right balance when setting boundaries. We all want the absolute best for our children and through speaking to lots of different parents, it is common for people...

Loss of habitat for wild species Loss of habitat for nature’s wild species is a worldwide threat. The lakes, forests, swamps, plains, and other habitats which plants, fungi, and animals call home are disappearing at an alarming rate. With every...

As early years practitioners, we tend to be excellent at finding time to sit with the children and listen to them. We can be strong role models, providing relaxed, thoughtful conversation, sharing toys and resources, and supporting positive...

  I do not know how he came to acquire the nick-name Egg but ever since he came along that’s what my youngest son has been called. I run The Sensory Projects www.TheSensoryProjects.co.uk (which should now really be called The Sensory Projects...

Imagine you were on one of those house make over shows. You think you are going out for a nice day at the spa with an old friend, but when you get home a camera crew meet you and there is a lot of whooping and excitement and everything in your house has changed.

Music is considered by many to be an international language that travels beyond traditional boundaries. Along with countries and cultures, music also transcends the boundary of health. Studies show that playing familiar music has been shown to improve cases of depression, anxiety, pre-operative stress and other high stress situations like dialysis and cancer treatments.

Your children are living in a three-dimensional world. Full of people, plants, animals… and a whole host of things to engage with and make sense of. Wherever you are located, whatever philosophies your setting follows, and whatever environments you have available, your children are surrounded by wonder. With voices to interpret, social skills to understand, dangers to be aware of and emotions to fathom.

Parents play the most significant role in their children’s education. As their child’s first and foremost teacher, they are their child’s very own ‘expert’ with a deep authority of knowledge. In short, they know their child best. From birth to school age, children will spend the majority of their time with their parents/carers, living amongst the behaviours and attitudes of the home environment. This clearly has a huge influence over children’s learning development and outcomes.

Separation anxiety is common in very young children and clingy phases along with some fear of unfamiliar adults and places is to be expected. However, some children continually struggle when their caregiver has to leave, which is not only emotionally difficult for the child, but also for the adult who is having to walk away. Here are ways in which you can ease separation anxiety and make the transition less traumatic.

Empower your team to feel the beat of the tambourine …like a Dancing Queen - Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing, Thanks for all the joy they’re...

There’s no doubt that using playfulness, games and puzzles enhances children’s learning. Play optimises opportunities for gaining new skills, remembering information, recognising social cues and understanding basic principles; it’s foundational to children’s learning and development. Yet, does playfulness always have to have an educational twist?