Autumn Exploratory Jelly…

Alistair Bryce-CleggCreativity, Malleable Materials, Messy Play, Texture Kitchen19 Comments

It is time to get your Autumn Jelly ingredients ready! If you make some Autumn Jelly, don’t forget to share the results. This is a really simple activity that gives you lots of opportunities to explore many aspects of the EYFS. If you involve the children from the very beginning then not only will they be able to talk about and name the resources that they have collected, they will also be able to explore how the gelatine changes the water from a liquid to a solid. You can talk about how the mixture goes from hot to cold and what the final jelly feels like in their hands. There should be lots of opportunities for a variety of experiences, talking … Read More

A Learning Journey Approach to Display.

abc doesEnvironment, Nurseries18 Comments

This week I am revisiting a blog post from way back in 2013 that focussed on a method of taking children’s learning journeys into display. It was a really popular post and since then I have seen the display replicated in many different ways on my travels all over the world. Thanks to Ladybrook Primary  for being the initial inspiration! At Ladybrook they had a version of this in both Nursery and Reception This is Reception. A large display board has been divided up so that each child gets a large(ish) square. The whole thing was really well thought out from the backing paper to the mounts that the photographs were on. The display starts with a photo of the … Read More

Ice Cream Play Dough

Alistair Bryce-CleggUncategorized7 Comments

Last week I found myself at the TTS ‘Time for Two’s’ Conference in Manchester. I was delivering a Keynote and a couple of workshops alongside Alice Sharpe amongst others. It was a great day with some brilliant ideas and resources for those working with two year olds (not to mention plenty of great food!). I am sure TTS will be doing more conferences, so keep an eye out for them. During her keynote Alice talked about the amazing things that happen when you mixed cornflour with hair conditioner. What she didn’t do was tell the delegates what actually happens! So, for any of you who were there and were left wondering and those who are now wondering…It makes a really … Read More

Continuous Provision Planning

abc doesContinuous Provision14 Comments

Planning for Continuous Provision can be very time consuming and what gets written on paper often doesn’t translate into actual practice. I have been working with a number of schools and settings looking at how they can make their Continuous Provision planning less of a chore and more effective so, I thought I would share what we have been doing in the hope that it might be helpful. I would always start with the question ‘What is Continuous Provision?’ It is not just provision that is continually accessible. It is a selection of resources that have been placed in areas by practitioners that continue the provision for learning in the absence of an adult. Differentiated prompt cards for children to … Read More