Like with every area of your provision, it is worth asking the question 'what is snack for?' before you start to plan for it. At it most basic level, snack is an opportunity for young children, who burn lots of energy in their play and exploration of your environment, to re-fuel. But, in truth there is SO much more that snack could and should be than that. At best it can offer some brilliant leaning opportunities. At worst it is a bag of apples and some cartons of milk dumped on a table. Halton Lodge have a small but perfectly formed snack area with a 'Have a go if you want to' waiting area with leveled challenges in it There … Read More
Cross Phase Planning – Nursery and Reception
Whether it is Nursery and Reception or Reception and Year 1 together – cross phase working and planning can be a HUGELY positive experience for children but if it is done 'properly' then there are lots of challenges for the practitioners. Whilst adult directed activities are not such usually the issue, the main challenge comes through effective differentiation within the continuous provision. Your resourcing and challenge in all of your areas has to cater for the ability levels of all of your children from the lest to the most able. With two age groups together you are often significantly increasing the range of ability you are catering for. I have never yet come across a setting where the provision has … Read More
Mark Making In Reception and other ideas from Hampshire
Sorry for blog absence but as well as my jaunts around the country I also have had a deadline looming for 2 books for Bloomsbury. I am co authoring them with Kirstine Beeley and they are part of the '50 Fantastic things to do with…' range. So I have just finished (HOORAY!) 50 fantastic things to do with Paint and 50 Fantastic things to Squish, Squash and Squeeze. Both coming to a bookshop near you soon! Anyway, as I said in my previous post I went on a trip to Hampshire to deliver some conferences and work with some settings. These are settings that the LA have already identified as having very good practice and my job is to help … Read More
Music in EYFS – Part Two!
Earlier this year I had a guest post from Kate Davison outlining a very interesting music project that she was doing with Nurseries in County Durham. You will find the original post here. The project has continued and gone from strength to strength and also taken a couple of interesting turns that no one anticipated. Here is Kate's update…. Parental Engagement, Mood and Behaviour Seascape Nursery in Peterlee, an area of significant disadvantage, managed by Kelly Walton, has taken the project in a very interesting and different direction to where I ever envisaged it going. Kelly noticed that the music played had an impact on how the children behaved and their moods. Initially she observed how the children responded to … Read More