If you want to improve your Phonics – SING!

Alistair Bryce-CleggABC Does A Blog, Continuous Provision, Creativity, EYFS Policy and Practice, Music, Nurseries, Phonics, Reading9 Comments

I love a bit of singing in the Early Years. In fact I love a bit of singing in general! A couple of years ago at my boys school Christmas Carol Concert, during a particularly rousing rendition of ‘Oh, Come All Ye Faithful’, my eldest son turned to me and hissed ‘Pipe down Bublé!’ On the whole, regardless of your ability as a singer children will always join you in a chorus of whatever you fancy warbling. Also, there are some brilliant songs out there (have only just got Cauliflowers Fluffy (Paintbox) out of my head!). When I first became a teacher my wife bought me a guitar, I learned 4 chords over the summer holidays and I have never … Read More

Texture Kitchen – Mud Paint

Alistair Bryce-CleggABC Does A Blog, Child Initiated Learning, Continuous Provision, Creativity, Environment, Malleable Materials, Mark Making, Messy Play, Mud Kitchen, Outdoors, Texture Kitchen, Texture Kitchen Week of Ideas, Uncategorized4 Comments

In this outdoor painting space, I wanted the children to be able to use all of the skills that they had learned about painting indoors and apply them in a different way outdoors. I used 2 artists easels because they are easy to put up, collapse and adjust. Plus they give the children some experience of the equipment that a professional artist might use. To stand on the easel and hold the paper I had 2 pieces of thin plywood cut to size for me at B+Q. To cover the board, I used lining paper from Wilko’s as this can be as large or small depending on the preferences of the children. To make the paint you will need Bowls … Read More

What To Do In Your Outdoor Texture Kitchen – A Week of Ideas…

Alistair Bryce-CleggABC Does A Blog, Continuous Provision, Messy Play, Mud Kitchen, Outdoors, Texture Kitchen, Texture Kitchen Week of Ideas3 Comments

Over the course of the next week I will be posting some ideas for things that you can do to extend the play in you texture/mud kitchen. Today I just wanted to give you a quick overview of the set up and some of the items and enhancements that we used. On Monday I will be posting about setting up the Transient Art Station On Tuesday, the Clay Station On Wednesday, making Berry Paint and Potions On Thursday, making Mud Paint and Mud Pies and on Friday I will be doing a GIVEAWAY from Cool Canvas of these gorgeous wooden lockers. To be honest, wouldn’t mind them in my house! So, worth checking back for on Friday for all of the giveaway details… When … Read More

Susan Isaacs on Play.

Alistair Bryce-CleggABC Does A Blog, Boys Learning, Child Initiated Learning, Continuous Provision, Creativity, EYFS Policy and Practice, Nurseries, Play, Uncategorized5 Comments

At the moment I am putting the finishing touches to a new book that I am writing for Sage all about play. I have always really enjoyed writing about my own thoughts on Early Years education, but in creating this book I have had the opportunity to go back, re-read and discover what other people have to say about it. One of my favourite re-reads has been The Educational Value of the Nursery School by Susan Isaacs. Her writing is so relevant to today it is hard to believe that it was first published in 1937! Isaacs was a pioneer of children’s play putting the development of emotions and feelings at the heart of her practice. She was committed to … Read More