I first made these a couple of years ago and they were a HUGE hit with the children. There is lots of opportunity for talk as well as observing how the apples change in size and colour. As I say later in the instructions, the process takes about 2 weeks from start to finish so it is worth getting going on them early. The process of the initial making and then the ensuing decay is fascinating. Not to mention the end results. I love them! They are dead easy to make (excuse the pun)! You need Apples (any sort will do) Apple peeler Play dough utenstils Blunt wooden skewers or sticks Lemon juice (optional) Water (optional) My boys loved making … Read More
(At Least) 50 Fantastic Ideas To Try At Home…Can You Help?
As more people are self-isolating and schools and childcare settings across the world are closing, we thought we would contribute to easing the burden by providing another place you can direct parent’s /carers to for support. We are part of a wonderful, international community of Early Years practitioners who have a wealth of knowledge and a HUGE bank of ideas and activities. So, let’s gather together and share them! As a starting point I am going to use my blog to share activities that can fairly easily be done at home. I’ll gather a collection of ideas each week and post them on the website – with links from social media. If you would like to contribute please email me … Read More
Continuing an Early Years Approach into Key Stage One
In the first of three blog posts I have asked Joanna from her setting in Yorkshire to talk us through her school’s Early Years Approach to Key Stage One. Why she decided to do it, what she actually does and the all important impact on emotional as well as academic attainment. Over to you Joanna… Our journey started five years ago and we haven’t looked back since. Walking around our setting now, it is hard to believe that we ever worked any other way; the formal classroom layout replaced with quiet nooks, busy provision areas and thoughtful provocations. Children are everywhere… on the floor, on cushions, in pairs, in groups or sitting quietly on their own. Our Key Stage One … Read More
Texture Kitchens – Berry Paint
To encourage children to explore some different painting techniques in your outdoor space, there is nothing more engaging than being able to make your own paint. That can be as simple as mud paint (more of that tomorrow) or you can try making berry paint. Berries are in abundance at this time of the year and obviously not all of them are safe for children to work with. So, you would always check the berries you are using and have the conversation with the children about how some berries can be dangerous. I stuck to using familiar berries like raspberries, blackberries and blueberries. You need to be able to extract the juice from the berries (the fun bit), so you … Read More