Children grow up so quickly and it’s inevitable that some of the finer details of childhood thoughts, events or activities are forgotten over the years. One great way of preserving the memories for years to come is to create a memory book. It’s something that parents and children can work [...]
As part of their early education, children are often ripe for learning and one of the topics they could learn about is science. Forget any fuddy-duddy notions that science is boring and only for grown-ups, as taught in the right way, science can be immense fun for all ages to [...]
If your child is constantly curious to know exactly how things work, then here are some ideas and inspiration to help you give informative explanations to your child and further their understanding and learning. Anyone who has under-5s will no doubt appreciate that it’s a normal part of family life [...]
Grandparents can be a great source of inspiration and knowledge and, those who are actively involved in a child’s life, can significantly benefit childhood learning. We take a look at the variety of ways in which children can learn with, and from, their grandparents. There used to be a time [...]
Vehicles and transport are often the centre of great interest from young children. If you’re keen to help your child learn, then they can also be used as a good starting point for early childhood education. Here are some ideas and inspiration for helping children learn about vehicles and transport. [...]
During early childhood, children are learning all the time and, rather than being hard work, it’s fun and enjoyable. One of the topics that it helps to learn about is other people. Here are some ways in which you can help your child broaden their knowledge about other people and [...]
Young children enjoy learning and finding out about new things and one of the areas that may intrigue them are jobs and work. If you’re keen to help build your child’s knowledge and learning before they start school and beyond, then here are some ideas and inspiration for helping them [...]
Many parents rely on nursery care for their children, but sadly not all children love being in nursery. If you’re finding that it’s something your child hates, then here are some tips and advice on dealing with nursery issues. It’s a worst case scenario for parents – you’ve waited ages [...]
Toddler’s are growing and learning all the time, but how much do you really know about your toddler’s learning ability? Below you’ll find a series of statements relating to the skills and abilities that toddlers have. As you read through the statements, ponder whether you think it’s true or false, [...]
Helping children learn about the world around them and the environment helps provide a good basis for early childhood education. One of the ways in which you can do this is to help them learn about the changing seasons. Here are some practical ideas to make learning about the seasons [...]
Most children enjoy food and they’re often intrigued to know more about what you’re doing when you’re preparing meals in the kitchen. Help children discover more about cooking and trigger a lifelong interest in food, by learning about cooking. Learning in the Kitchen If your child shows interest in what [...]
Playing is an important part of life for young children and should be part of every day, as they learn important lessons through play. If you’ve got more than one child, then they could benefit from playing together. Here are some practical tips and ideas for encouraging siblings to play [...]
Learning about nature and animals can help broaden children’s knowledge about the natural world and is a great way of helping develop their early childhood education. Here are some practical ways in which you can help your child learn about nature and animals. Learning About Birds Garden birds can be [...]
As adults, we take the concept of time for granted, and it’s often hard to realise how difficult it can be for children to grasp the basics of time. Learning how to tell the time is taught to children in schools, but there’s plenty you can do at home to [...]
Play is, or should be, at the heart of children’s lives and is a vital part of their learning and early childhood education. There are lots of different approaches to play, but playing with other children is both beneficial and important for their learning experience – here’s why. During the [...]
Pre-schoolers are usually bursting to learn and know about everything! One issue that you can encourage them to learn about before they go to school is recycling. Pre-school age children are one of the keenest groups of learners, with this age group typically wanting to know all there is to [...]
Thanks for your question. There aren’t any set guidelines regarding early admittance to primary school, so the crux of the matter will really reside with the primary school in question and your local education authority. In some cases, they may agree to early school admittance, if you can demonstrate that [...]
Are you keen to make early childhood learning fun, but aren’t quite sure where to start? We catch up with one family who’ve done just that and hear how they ensured learning was always fun in the early years. Maria and Chris have two children, now aged five and seven [...]
There’s a lot of emphasis these days made on the importance of early learning, but are young children pressured to learn too much too soon? It’s hard to get away from references for the need for early learning. It’s talked about in the media, at nursery, in books, by other [...]
Most pre-school children, under the age of five years old, will attend nursery or playgroup. Whilst some children take to it automatically, others aren’t so keen to stay. Here are some useful tips on how you can help your children get used to nursery and help them settle in happily. [...]
There are numerous developmental milestones in a young child’s life and one of them is the learning process involved in progressing from crawling to walking. Being able to walk doesn’t come easily and doesn’t happen without a considerable amount of learning first. It normally takes a while before babies successfully [...]
Ever wondered when babies start learning? Get the lowdown on when the learning process starts and how you can help enhance it. It would seem logical to think that babies first start learning when they’re born, but in fact the learning process actually starts much earlier than this. Believe it [...]
When you become a parent, there’s an expectation that you’ll know how to do everything, but for some parents it doesn’t all come naturally. One area where some people often struggle is with learning to play with their child. If you’re a born player and child at heart, then it [...]
Many children benefit from attending educational classes, but it’s not always easy to find out what’s available. If you’re keen to find an educational class for your child, then here are some useful tips for discovering what’s available. There are a wide variety of educational classes available for children, from [...]
Crawling is one of the major developmental milestones for babies, but it’s also an important in their learning experience too. Here we explore how babies learn through crawling. The exact stage at which a baby masters the art of crawling varies, as every baby is different. Before they’re able to [...]
How much do you really know about your pre-schooler’s learning ability? Below you’ll find a series of statements relating to the skills and abilities that pre-schoolers have. As you read through the statement, think about whether you think it’s true or false – then check below to discover the answer. [...]
Whilst the majority of children go to school to gain an education and be taught, an alternative option that some people chose is to home school their children. But there are both pros and cons to homeschooling. There are a growing number of children aged from five years and upwards [...]
If there’s a lack of baby and toddler groups in your area, or you’ve not found one that appeals to you, then you could try and set up your own activity group. Activity groups are loved by all – both mums and dads and babies and toddlers. Babies and toddlers [...]
Young children are full of life and energy and need to be kept entertained. Although you can spend out loads on days out and play centres, it’s not feasible all the time, but there are plenty of other cheaper play ideas you can keep them entertained with instead. Here are [...]
Talking to your baby and getting them familiar with language and your voice will help their learning ability in a number of ways. Here we highlight some of the main benefits. From the time a baby is born, their hearing is fine tuned to be able to pick up the [...]
Babies and toddlers learn more about the world, about themselves and gain important new skills in a number of ways. One important way in which they learn is through interaction with other people. For babies and toddlers, life is an almost continual learning curve. In the early years, they learn [...]
Many primary schools run after school and breakfast clubs and, as well as being handy for parents who need to drop children off early on their way to and from work, they also have other educational and learning benefits too. Breakfast Clubs Schools have run various after school clubs for [...]
Not sure what the Steiner approach to education involves or how children in Steiner schools learn? We’ve got the lowdown on this approach to education and learning. The Steiner approach to education was formed by Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher, artist and playwright (1861 – 1925). Steiner developed a spiritual [...]
If your child needs extra help or has special educational needs, then help is at hand from schools. Special educational needs (otherwise known as SEN) is the term used to refer to children who have disabilities or learning difficulties that mean it’s more difficult for them to learn in the [...]
Children seem to be divided into two camps – those that rush out of school eagerly wanting to tell you everything they’ve done all day, and those that don’t mention it at all. Talking to your child about school is a positive thing to do, even though they may seem [...]
Stages of learning throughout school are split into Key Stages. Here we explore what Key Stage One is. Key Stage One covers the time when your child is aged five to seven years old and is in their first few years of primary school education (Year 1 and Year 2). [...]
A child’s time at primary school is an important stage of their learning and education, so finding the right school for your child should be a priority. The UK law states that all children must be in full-time education by the start of the term following their fifth birthday. It’s [...]
It’s the bane of many children’s lives, but homework does serve an important educational purpose and it’s helpful for parents to encourage a healthy attitude to homework from an early age. Going to school all day is enough for some children, so coming home and having to do more work [...]
If your children are approaching the age of five and will soon be starting school, then here are some useful tips on preparing them for the educational transition. It’s a big step for children to start school for the first time and it’s no wonder that many youngsters are nervous [...]
All words are made up of single letter sounds and synthetic phonics makes use of this in an effective teaching method. Here we explore what this method is and how it helps learning. All the letters of the alphabet have their own sound and synthetic phonics is a teaching method [...]
Playschools and nurseries are a popular form of pre-school early education experience for children, but how do they help with learning? Between the ages of three and five years old, before they’re eligible to start school properly, children are able to attend various forms of pre-school, including playschools and nurseries. [...]
Pre-school learning environments are specially designed to be age appropriate for young children, helping to support and boost their development and learning. Here we look at the ways in which pre-schools can help children learn. Pre-schools are available to children under the age of five years old and offer a [...]
Montessori nurseries are a popular option with parents for pre-school early education. Here we look at the characteristics of Montessori nurseries and their unique view of teaching children. Montessori nurseries are named after their founder, Dr Maria Montessori, and Italian woman who developed the child education method we now know [...]
The early years are an important learning stage for children and the so-called Foundation Stage aims to help key areas of children’s learning and development during this time. Here we explore what the Foundation Stage involves, what children learn and how it can benefit them. The idea of the Foundation [...]
Pre-school age children who attend nurseries, pre-schools or other forms of recognised childcare services will be being looked after under the Foundation Stage of early learning. As part of this, there’s a number of early learning goals that providers are striving to meet. Here we explore what these goals are. [...]
Computer games for children of all ages are widely available these days, but could playing a computer game harm a child’s learning ability rather than increase it? The debate about the effect of computer games on children has been raging for a long time and there are a variety of [...]
Playing can help children understand a variety of concepts and ideas. One way in which play can be beneficial is with helping children gain a better understanding of their own, and other people’s, feelings and emotions. Playing With Other Children As they evolve from being a toddler to a pre-schooler, [...]
Playing with toys offers great fun and enjoyment for children, but it can also serve a practical purpose too. Through playing with age appropriate toys, children’s learning and development can be boosted, giving them a good start in life and a firm foundation for further learning and education. Here we [...]
If you’ve got some spare time to fill, or want some new ideas for amusing pre-school age children, then here are some tried and tested play ideas for pre-school children, aged three to five years old. Gardening And Hide And Seek Pre-school age children are naturally curious and like to [...]
Play is an important part of life for all children and, as well as being enjoyable and fun, it also boosts their learning too. As parents, you can help their learning and development even more by choosing age appropriate toys. Here are some examples of toys that are suitable for [...]
Playing with toys is not only highly enjoyable for children, but it also serves an educational purpose too. If you choose age appropriate toys for your child, which are aimed at their particular stage of development, you can aid their learning even further. Here are some examples of the types [...]
All children love playing. As well as being great fun for them, it also serves as a practical tool for helping them learn. By choosing age appropriate toys, designed for their particular stage of development, you can aid their learning and development even more. Here are some examples of toys [...]
Children learn a lot about their own skills and abilities, the world around them and how things work by playing. By choosing age appropriate toys for your child, you can help boost their learning and development and give them a great start in life. Here are some ideas for toys [...]
Play is an important part of learning for children and age appropriate toys can help aid their learning and development. Here are some examples of the types of toys suitable for two year olds and the learning benefits they have. Dressing Up Clothes The imaginations of two year olds are [...]
Children learn in a number of different ways and one fun way in which they can learn about different concepts and gain new skills is through water play. Children have a natural, inbuilt ability to learn and they commonly learn about different issues through watching, listening, asking questions, trying new [...]
As they grow and get older, children develop in a number of ways. Two of these ways are socially and emotionally and here we look at exactly how they change and become more aware of social and emotional issues and how they interact with the rest of the world. Emotional [...]
There are a range of physical activity classes available for children of all ages and they bring with them an array of benefits. Here we highlight the key benefits for children. Getting children interested in being physically active and having regular exercise is important, but it’s also good to do [...]
In the early years, children go through great periods of learning and development. Here we look at how they develop intellectually. Intellectual development is the term used to refer to the way that a child’s mind and brain function develops. It includes their ability to communicate, to think in creative [...]
There are a variety of movement and dance classes aimed at young children, but do they have any particular benefit? Being active is well documented as being important for all ages and getting children interested in being physically active from a young age is great. For toddlers who have mastered [...]
Children can gain a huge amount of pleasure from learning a musical instrument, plus it can also boost the development of vital skills. Here we look at the benefits of learning a musical instrument. Being able to read music and play a musical instrument is very rewarding for children and [...]
It’s often taken for granted, but music features widely in our lives and without it life would be dull. Getting children involved in singing and music classes has heaps of benefits – here’s the lowdown. Music features in our lives from almost the time a baby is born. It’s taken [...]
Play is vitally important for babies and children, as it helps them learn and gain understanding, but how often should they play? For babies and toddlers, it’s through play that they learn about the world and about the abilities and skills they have. They’re able to explore their surroundings and [...]
It’s important for babies and toddlers to play, as it helps them learn vital new skills. If you’re stuck for ideas as to how to play with your baby or toddler, here are some tried and tested play ideas that they may enjoy. Play helps babies and toddlers learn new [...]
These days you’ll find a range of craft classes available for children of all ages. But what benefits can be gained from attending such classes? Many children enjoy having a go at arts and crafts activities, such as making collages, painting, drawing, making models or sticking and gluing things. If [...]
It’s one of the best moments for parents to hear their child speak their first words – especially if it’s ‘mama’ or ‘dada’! Learning to talk is a big achievement for children, so find out how you can help your child learn to talk. A child’s understanding of speech and [...]
When they become pre-schoolers, children are going through a period of rapid learning. One area in which they’re gaining new skills is in solving problems – and you can do your bit to help them learn to become problem solvers. Children are referred to as being pre-schoolers when they’re between [...]
As babies begin to move from crawling to walking, they enter what’s known as the toddler stage. This is an important stage of life, as toddlers are learning more and more each day. Here we explore exactly how they learn key skills and information. Being a toddler and finally being [...]
Pre-school age children are at a time in their life when they’re learning all the time, especially from things that are going on in the world around them. One way in which they learn is through example. Your pre-school age child is likely to be on the ball and listening [...]
One of the main ways in which pre-schoolers learn is by doing this and copying the actions of the people around them. Here we look at how pre-schoolers learn by helping at home. Pre-schoolers are actively learning all the time and it’s an age when they’re exploring lots of new [...]
By the time they reach pre-school age, children are keen learners, but exactly how do they learn? Pre-schoolers are defined as children between the age of three and five years old and it refers to the time before they attend school at five years old. From the age of three [...]
Learning to talk is a monumental stage for children and an exciting time for parents, too. Here we look at how children develop language skills in early childhood and what you can do to help them. The development of language skills starts way before the time when the first recognisable [...]
Children’s awareness of money develops slowly. By the age of three or four they’re usually aware that money changes hand and is involved to obtain food or other goods, and is something you carry in your purse or wallet, but they probably won’t understand the value or full use of [...]
Children learn in a number of different ways and one fun way in which they can learn about different concepts and gain new skills is through water play. Children have a natural, inbuilt ability to learn and they commonly learn about different issues through watching, listening, asking questions, trying new [...]
Maths is one of the essential skills that children need to learn. As parents, you can give your child a great start in life by helping them develop an appreciation of maths from an early age. Even if the mere idea of maths make you breakout in a cold sweat, [...]
Being able to read and write are two skills that many of us take for granted – without them, life is very difficult. Learning to write is a key skill in early childhood education and it’s something you, as a parent, can get involved in too. By the time children [...]
Reading is one of the most important skills we can learn, plus it’s also enjoyable and is a great form of relaxation for all ages. As a parent, you can play a valuable role in your child’s early education by helping them learn how to read. Getting your children interested [...]
Born without the power of speech, babies have to communicate their needs and feelings by sound – mostly through crying or facial expressions. But there is one unique way in which you could add a new dimension to communication with your baby and that’s through baby signing. What Is Baby [...]
Young children are described as pre-schoolers when they’re between about three and five years of age and before they start going to school. Like other young children, this age group go through various developmental stages and reach key milestones. Age Three To Four When children reach the age of three, [...]
There are many skills for a child to learn as part of their early education and one of them is the development of their imagination skills. Having good imagination skills can make all the difference to life, whatever your age. For children, it can help them with various areas of [...]
Pre-school is an important stage in a child’s early learning experience. To help prepare your child for what’s likely to happen at pre-school, here’s a bit of insight into what typically happens and the types of activities children are likely to undertake. Children are ready to go to pre-school when [...]
Babies and toddlers learn and grow at quite a pace. Although every baby and toddler will reach the developmental milestones at slightly different ages, here’s a guide to what the main developmental stages are and when the average child can expect to reach them. Developmental Milestones Of Babies Between birth [...]
Babies grow and learn at a fast pace and one area which they can benefit greatly from is attending physical activity classes. Here’s why. Developing physical skills and becoming physically active is an important part of life. Getting babies off to a great start will serve as a good foundation [...]
Babies, toddlers and young children gain early education experience in a wide variety of ways. One of the ways in which they can learn valuable information about both the world around them, and how we interact with it, is through the outdoors. Being outside in the open air is not [...]
The cost of early education can add up, especially if you have more than one child, but some help is available for those struggling to pay pre-school fees. Various forms of pre-school early education classes are available for children aged under five year olds, and mostly from the age of [...]
When it comes to education for under 5s, there’s a surprisingly large choice of options available. If you’re looking for pre-school education for your child, it can be a bit of a minefield, so here we look at the available options and the questions you may need to ask when [...]
As soon as babies are born, they’re ready and willing to start learning and all of their five senses are active. One important way in which they learn is through touching. Babies may be unable to communicate verbally with other people until they’re older, but they can still learn effectively [...]
Toddlers are at an important stage of their life and they’re keen to learn all they can. You can help give your toddler a great start in life by helping them learn new skills and gain new experiences at home. Early childhood education is not just about being taught at [...]
The power of music is not to be under-estimated and for babies and toddlers, as well as older children, there’s a lot to be gained through interacting with music. Music has always been a part of a child’s early learning experience. Parents, for example, have traditionally sung nursery rhymes to [...]
Early learning is important for young children, as it gives them a good start in life. For children in England aged three to four years old, there’s help at hand for parents, in the form of free early learning opportunities. The early years are an important stage of life and [...]
