Why is Imaginary Play Important? When you see your little one engaged in an elaborate pretend scenario, don’t dismiss it as ‘just playing.’ Imaginary or pretend play provides incredible cognitive, social, and emotional benefits that can give your child a developmental boost. This article will explore why pretend play is so important and how parents …
Turn-Taking and sharing Activities for Toddlers Turn taking is a pivotal social skill that children must acquire early in life. It’s an essential component of social interaction, allowing them to effectively, and positively, engage with others. Turn taking is a behaviour for learning that helps in activities where the child needs to share attention, participate …
If you are supporting a child with sensory processing disorder (SPD), everyday environments can easily become overwhelming. With SPD, the brain has trouble receiving and responding appropriately to information from the senses. A child may become overstimulated by loud noises, crowds, bright lights, certain textures, or other sensory input that most people naturally filter out. This can lead …
Supporting a Child with SPD: 50 Tried and Tested Strategies Read More »
How to Handle Unsolicited Parenting Advice As a new parent, you’ll experience the highs of joy and wonder along with the lows of challenges—including coping with unsolicited parenting advice. This comprehensive guide provides pro tips to help you evaluate advice objectively, set clear boundaries, and gain confidence in your parenting instincts. As you embark on …
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Impulse Control In Children Today, I’d like to delve into a topic that many of us encounter in our journey as teachers and parents – impulse control or impulsivity in young children. As an SEN teacher, I’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse range of young learners, each with their unique strengths and …
Positive Parenting Buffers Young People Against the Impacts of Stress The intricate relationship between family dynamics and child development is a topic of increasing interest in the scientific community. A wealth of research is now dedicated to understanding how stress and adversities faced in early life can impact brain development, leading to cognitive, emotional, and …
Parenting a Child with Intense Emotions: A Relational Perspective Parenting a child who feels intense emotions can be a challenge. It’s normal for children to experience a wide range of emotions, from fear and embarrassment to anxiety and joy. As parents, it’s crucial to help our children learn how to manage these emotions in healthy …
Summer is the perfect opportunity for children to engage in sensory activities that stimulate their creativity and encourage exploration. As parents, we all want to see our little ones grow and benefit from new experiences. That’s why we’ve put together a list of unique and exciting sensory garden activities that are sure to keep your …
Free Outdoor Summer Sensory Activities For Toddlers Read More »
Choosing a Nursery Selecting the ideal nursery for your little one is a crucial decision in your child’s early education journey. As a parent, you want to feel confident that your chosen nursery will provide a safe, nurturing, and stimulating environment for your child. With numerous options available, it can be overwhelming to know where …
Choosing the Right Nursery for Your Child: Key Considerations Read More »
We all know that raising kids can be a rollercoaster ride, filled with ups and downs. It’s a rewarding journey, but it can also be challenging. Here are some top tips on how to raise children with a focus on connection and trust. Let’s dive in! 1. Communicate openly and honestly It’s essential to establish …
Raising Kids with Connection and Trust: A Parent’s Guide Read More »
Parenting Quotes Raising children is brilliant, bonkers and beautiful all at once. Some days feel like a dream come true, other days a total nightmare – but mostly it’s somewhere in between. Regardless, parenting creates memories you’ll treasure forever. These parenting quotes start to sum up how we feel about raising our children. It can …
Parenting Activities Having children of different ages is wonderful in many ways, as they can learn from each other and form close bonds. It can present some ummm… challenges when trying to find activity ideas that suit everyone. As a parent, you want to make sure each child feels included and engaged, no matter their …
I think I may have found my new favourite book. I have written a lot about the importance of play in learning. I hadn’t come across anyone putting forward the arguament as passionately as Peter Gray in his book Free To Learn: Why Unleashing the Instinct to Play Will Make Our Children Happier, More Self-Reliant, …
The letter below was written by a parent of an autistic child who read one of our recent posts on the importance of co-regulation. Too often our schools can be aversive places for children. As parents and teachers, as humans, we want our children to be happy and fulfilled at school. It should be a …
The Power of Co-Regulation: A Letter from a Parent of an Autistic Child Read More »
Our Favourite Books For Play-based Learning As parents, we all want to ensure that our children are learning and growing in the best possible way. Using play as a way to promote learning is not only effective, but it’s also super fun! Children get to learn new skills, express their creativity, and make new friends …
Heuristic Play and EYFS The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework sets standards for the learning and development of children from birth to five in the United Kingdom. It aims to ensure that children receive high-quality education and care that helps them achieve their full potential. One of the key components of EYFS is play …
Heuristic Play: Enhancing Physical Development in the EYFS and beyond Read More »
The Best Tactile/Touch and Feel Books for Babies. Our youngest has always been into books, having a grandma who used to run a bookshop can’t have hurt. Being the youngest of five has some benefits when it comes to reading material. We have a lot. Annoyingly we did get rid our some of our books …
Learning Through Play Together: SEN Siblings 100 Ways Your Child Can Learn Through Play: Fun Activities for Young Children with SEN by Georgina Durrant was released in June 2021. This book* builds on the success of Georgina’s website The SEN Resources Blog. In the book Georgina shares 100 activities that are designed to provide inclusive …
These three transport-themed books are firm favourites in our household. Vehicles and transport are always popular themes from Early Years to Journey planning in secondary school. Have a look at my transport-themed teaching resources. These have been chosen as they passed the test of holding the attention of our younger children. They are good quality …
Poppy is our 5th and youngest. We had passed on most of the old baby toys we had as the others grew up and moved past this stage. So we had to find some new toys for her to play with. These 5 are her favourite toys. The ones she will now reach for and …
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