Physical development in early childhood

Clare Devlin, Early Education Associate What aspects of physical development should we focus on within the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and other early years curricula? In this article, I explore the importance of physicality at this crucial point in a child’s development. The article explores two key aspects, “moving and handling” and “self-care”. It […]

Outdoor learning in the early years

by Kathryn Solly The benefits of outdoor learning in the early years have now been firmly recognised for  both educators and young children’s learning and development. Being outside in the fresh air for three hours every day helps benefit brain and body functioning. Simply being outside improves health, social and emotional wellbeing, improved immunity, sight, […]

Families’ access to nature project

The Families’ Access to Nature Project was undertaken by the Froebel Trust and Early Education between October 2021 and January 2022. Children, their parents, and their early years educators talked to us about their access to nature and being outside together. The document below summarises key findings from the project for early years practitioners interested […]

Risk: A Forest School Perspective

Guest blog by Sara Knight Why are opportunities for risk and adventure essential for normal development in the early years?  Tim Gill (2007) identifies four arguments: helping children to learn how to manage risk (understanding safety) feeding children’s innate need for risk with reasonable risks in order to prevent them finding greater unmanaged risks for […]

Going out to play and learn

Why go outside? Big movers Have you ever been in an open space with young children? The first thing they want to do is to break away from your hand and run! They are born with the desire to move, and open space is exciting. Learning to move is not just about making muscles strong, […]

Outdoor play and learning – ideas, info and lots of links

When writing our January Early Years Teaching News, I tweeted a survey to ask if practitioners and leaders would like information about ICT or outside play. Sixty-nine percent voted for outside play and when seeing this, Kathryn Solly, Early Education Associate, outdoors expert, consultant and author, offered to help write something for us. Outdoor play: pedagogic […]

Babies and toddlers outdoors

This content by Jan White comes from our out of print leaflet “The Sky is the Limit: Babies and Toddlers Outdoors: developing thinking, provision and practice” Babies need to be outdoors This is a time of astounding development of the senses, mind and body.  During this year, babies gradually gain command of their body, developing the […]

Outside in all weathers, by Kathryn Solly

Healthy settling for high wellbeing How can we best help children feel at ease so that they are secure and settled in their new provision? To hold children in mind and consider them as the person to put first means supporting their wellbeing as utmost priority. 10 pointers for healthy settling Children confidently leave their […]