Three Ways School Sports Can Be Adapted For A Safer Return

Posted on 12/08/2020 by David Lowbridge

There’s no doubt that covid-19 is going to be around for the next year, if not longer. And many parents are worried about social distancing in school. Classrooms can be made secure, but PE and sports are a bigger challenge. Anyone who has watched a primary school football match will know that young children will swarm onto a ball. This close contact can be the perfect place for the spread of illnesses. So, how can children be given sports that … Continue reading →

How to Make a Miniature Pond in Five Easy Steps

Posted on 16/04/2020 by Christine

It’s fair to say that the current times have taught us a lot of things and just one of those is that it’s important, more now than ever that we make the most of our outside spaces at school and at home. As an added bonus, if we’re able to get creative within our outside space, it will have a positive impact on our children’s (and our own) mental health as well as a it being a great learning tool and … Continue reading →

Showing The Next Generations The Wonders Of Nature

Posted on 10/02/2020 by David Lowbridge

Last year was an amazing year. Children across the UK, and the world, went on strike to promote protecting the planet. But this isn’t always inherent. Research in America, completed by the University of Chicago found that children under 11 tend to prefer urban environments more than they do the outdoors. This does change as children get older, and was seen in the study as the children got older they preferred natural scenes more. But another study in the UK … Continue reading →

Bring The Outside – Inside

Posted on 20/12/2018 by David Lowbridge

There are many benefits for playing outside, whatever the weather. But that doesn’t mean that you can be outside all the time. December, January and February can sometimes be challenging times for outside play, not least because the rain can make outside areas slippery. Yet that doesn’t mean your outside area is completely redundant. In fact, you can take items from the outside and bring them into you classroom to continue outside learning even during these wet, cold winter months. … Continue reading →

Five Outdoor Group Games To Help Them Learn

Posted on 30/11/2018 by David Lowbridge

Outdoor games are great fun and excellent for learning key skills. Children that play regularly outside are developing their fine motor skills, learning about the environment, improving their confidence and building social skills. That’s why it is always great to offer games outside. Sometimes, you might want to suggest games to offer particular skill development. Here are some suggestions for you. Hide And Seek Every child knows hide and seek, and they all love the game. Children relish the challenge … Continue reading →

Playing Out In The Rain

Posted on 02/11/2018 by David Lowbridge

With the weather becoming wetter throughout the country, outside time is becoming less attractive to small children. It’s cold, wet, and at times we put less toys outside to play with because of the risk. However, there are reasons why you should encourage more outside play. Different Textures Playing outside during wet, rainy weather is completely different to play when it’s hot and sunny. These different experiences can help with learning co-ordination and sensory development. Different textures can also be … Continue reading →

Five Steps To Make Risky Play A Success

Posted on 27/04/2018 by David Lowbridge

Risky play offers lots of benefits for your children. It helps them gain awareness of their physical and emotional limits and allows them to develop coordination and self-esteem. However, many don’t like risky play because of the perceived dangers. Yet with some proactive precautions, risky play shouldn’t be dangerous. To help you with risky play, here are five steps to make it more successful. Share Concerns Among Staff All members of staff in your setting need to be involved in … Continue reading →

Great Outdoor Learning Activities For Springtime

Posted on 22/03/2018 by David Lowbridge

This week was the official start of spring, and this is one of the best times of the year for outdoor learning. Not only are outdoor areas starting to get more colour, the improved weather makes it easier to plan learning activities for outside. There are several options for you to create excellent, fun and educational experiences this spring. Here are a few of our favourite ideas for you to consider. A Fairy Garden Little children love fairies, trolls and … Continue reading →

An Outdoor Treasure Hunt – Creating Conversation Through Discoveries

Posted on 08/03/2018 by David Lowbridge

The outdoors is abundant in learning opportunities. Some of these opportunities are so common that they pass us by. However, for children, the outdoors is one of the greatest sources of learning, both about the world around them and for developing their senses, awareness, speech and social skills. Consider any outdoor space, this could be a park, wood, beach or an outdoor space in your setting. There are lots of resources in those areas that children can interact with and … Continue reading →

How Loose Parts Can Enhance Play And Learning

Posted on 23/02/2018 by David Lowbridge

When trying to develop young minds, there are many tools available. However, there seems to be a current drive to use technology to inspire and teach. This might be great at times, but there’s still lots of learning and fun that can be achieved through small, lower cost items. Loose Parts are an excellent tool for learning and are great fun for children. The best part is that they aren’t just for one use. Loose Parts can be used in … Continue reading →