Blog

Do you find your children struggle to sit on the carpet for group time. Here are some things to consider;

• How long are your adult led sessions?
• Are you breaking children off in the middle of their play to come and sit with you for group time? This might b for things like assembly times.
• How many children are in your group? Could you break up into smaller groups (maybe even groups of 4-5 to start with and slowly increase it.
• Do you plan adult led sessions inside and out to show the importance of learning happening everywhere?
• Have you had a focus on how we can be a good listener? I like to have visual good sitting supports up, use verbal reminders and use makaton signs and actions.
• Are you making your sessions active and irresistible? The use of props, engaging stories, using different voices (e.g quiet whispers at times or showing excitement, action rhymes, creating intrigue and suspense (something discovered in a box)
• Have you planned around the children’s interests and what
...

A curiosity, a day dream or a question... this is often how learning begins. So how often do you allow children to pause? To walk slowly and wonder about the world around them. Offering opportunities to dawdle and see the world for the very first time? We're often so guilty of rushing along and taking children on our own agenda that we forget theirs!

Sometimes we have to remind ourselves that it is the process thats important. Not just when it comes to doing an activity but in life in general. I’ve been thinking about it lots this week. Noticing while in Scotland so many people even rushing to get to the viewpoint on a hike... I must admit I’m more of a dawdler myself and like to take in the small moments of the hike- the wind through the trees, the smell of the pine or the crunch under foot. Young children are very good at stopping, looking and being curious as they walk along. Perhaps we can turn to our children to learn this again from them. The importance of slowness and looking at ...

I'm blown away with how many of you have got in touch over the last week to share some of your photos of how you've made changes to you setting after taking part in my Hygge in Early Years Accreditation or after reading my book. 

We will be covering some of the fabulous transformations over the next few months on our blog but also in our new magazine Hygge in the Early Years.

Here is a little preview of how Daisy Chain nursery have added foliage to their sand area and made it feel more inviting....

Chloe and Bridgit at Pebbles Childcare have also made some changes to their provision....

Before

After

Grass Roots Day Nursery have been tuning into opportunities to ignite all of the senses...a key feature of hygge...

Telling stories always gives me that higgle feeling of joy and being cosy. 

My book recommendations 

• How to Catch a Star 
• Four Seasons in One Day 
• The Snowman 
• Lost Words 
• I Am the Seed That Grew the Tree - A Nature Poem for Every Day of the Year: National Trust 

Classic books 

• Not now Bernard 
• Where the wild things are 
• Hansel and Gretel 
• Goldilocks and the Three Bears 
• Gruffalo 
• Bear Hunt 
• Little Red Riding Hood 
• Dear Zoo 
• Mr Gumpys Outing 
• Whatever Next 
• Peace at Last

Ideas to support practice 

• Get outside to story tell 
• Listen to music and move to the story it creates (Four Seasons in One Day) 
• Tell a story with just props 
• Tell a story in the forest 
• Tell a story with a torch in the dark 
• Tell a story through movement (Going on a Bear Hunt) 
• Link your small world area to a story. 
• Hold a bedtime story night (Think Pjs, Hot chocolate, a roaring fire on the smartboard and a cosy atmosphere) 
• Use nature to make story
...

•  Consider seating; offering sofas to sit on that are a bit more comfy

•  A dining table to invite staff to come together over lunch

•  Lovely homely place mats  

• Plants

• Photos in frames of things you’ve done together as a team (Parties, local walks, summer bbqs)

• Soft warm lighting from lamps

• Flowers in a vase on the table

• A selection of teas and coffees

• Fruit basket

• Soft furnishings; cushions, throws

• Lending library of books

• Homely accessories- wicker hearts

• Room spray

• Declutter the space and organise

• Fairy lights

• Garlands (e.g felted leaves)

• Calming colours whites and greys mixed in with some warmer yellows.

• Consider how you migh...

1.  Identify Negativity