Seed Bombing!

abc doesChild Initiated Learning, Creativity, Outdoors6 Comments

Now that the weather has finally decided to warm up a bit, you might want to get your children to partake in a little bit of Seed Bombing. Seed Bombing originally started out as a way of bringing a bit of 'nature' and 'colour' to disused and derelict pieces of land in towns and cities, but now you can buy ready made seed bombs to scatter in your own garden or outdoor area. But, why buy when you can make your own? (I was ably assisted by my youngest son, Geordie and my niece, Mabel). The concept of a Seed Bomb is a ball of seeds wrapped in compost and red clay. The clay gradually disintegrates when it is left … Read More

Play Pods in action by Juliet Robertson

abc doesOutdoors3 Comments

If you haven't come across the Creative Star blog  'I am a teacher get me OUTSIDE here!' or Juliet before then you really need to pay her a visit here and have a look. There are loads of great ideas to inspire you and your children in your outdoor environment This is what Juliet says about herself and her blog I'm an education consultant who is passionate about getting children outside. This blog is my way of getting too many outdoor ideas and thoughts out of my head to make room for more to appear! Still teach 1 day per week to keep my hands dirty and my mind fresh! Aside from this I run a lot training courses, workshops … Read More

Judging Attainment in Reception

abc doesBoys Learning, Child Initiated Learning, Continuous Provision, Creativity, Environment, Mark Making, Phonics, Planning and Assessment10 Comments

When I am not writing or delivering conferences I spend the rest of my time working in a wide variety of EYFS settings. Sometimes it is just a one off visit to do an audit of practice and provision or to help with a specific issue like mark making or outdoor. But there are some very lucky settings who have the 'pleasure' of repeat ABC visits. One of those is Halton Lodge Primary who I 'bother' on a fairly regular basis. I was originally invited by Darren when he took over as the new Head and identified EYFS as an area for his own professional development.  We have done some joint observations (much to the sheer joy of the EYFS … Read More

Practical Activities for 2 Year Olds – Kathy Brodie

abc doesCreativity, Nurseries, Planning and Assessment1 Comment

Following Kathy's last post here are some activites to get you started! Practical activities for your 2-year-olds In my last blog post, I talked about how to meet the sorts of challenges that practitioners may have in mixed age rooms. Some of these may be because settings are now taking 2-year-olds for the first time. In this blog post, I intend to be more practical and discuss some activities for your 2-year-olds. These will support their learning and development, but, much more importantly, they are fun!  Language Development Singing with your 2-year-olds helps them hear the different sounds and recognise the rhythms of words. It also helps children remember words. Not many people can recite a poem from beginning to end, … Read More