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At this time of the year it’s so tempting to head inside as soon as it gets dark and get all cosy. But have you ever thought of adding twinkly lights to your mud kitchen area and letting the play continue into the late afternoon/ early evening? ✨

As it gets dark outside let your children still play outside. Everything changes as we get to dusk, more shadows, different sounds which offers children a different sensory experience. There is so much joy to be had. 

The night sky is one of our weekly themes in our Rewilding Wanderlust Nature Study Programme. Night time offers a great opportunity to explore dark and light. Perhaps by going on a full moon walk, laying beneath the stars, searching for the Northern lights or seeing what wildlife comes out at night. Have you ever looked under a log or stone at night to see what you can spot? Or what about shining a torch into a pond at night to see who’s awake!

Here are three more ideas to try tonight!

1. Night Time Mud Kitchen

We've had s...

What is a tinker tray?

Tinker trays are filled with open ended loose part materials that will spark curiosity, problem solving, critical thinking and imaginative play. The objects in the tray can be used in any way the child chooses and there is no set way that they should be used.  It is commonly used in the Reggio Emilia Approach to learning and can be adapted for a range of different ages and stages of development. 

Materials for a tinker tray

Any tray with compartments can be used to display and store the loose parts to be used in play. I quite like using trays made out of natural materials like wood and seagrass as i always think we can display our materials in a beautiful way in these. Here are some ideas of what you could use or re-use:

• A cutlery tray insert
• A chocolate box or biscuit box insert
• Bun trays
• Tie box
• Jewellery tray insert
• Desk drawer dividers
• Tool boxes
• Crafting boxes
• Ice cube trays
• A tea bag caddy

Items ideas for your tinker tray:

We can creat...

I know through my interactions with you online that many of you would like a little bit of support in setting up a provocation. 

Firstly I hear you ask, what is a provocation? A provocation can come in many different forms, but it is always intended to provoke thoughts, ideas, and actions that can help to expand on a thought, project, idea or an interest. These are an important aspect of child led learning seen in the Reggio Emilia Approach. By setting up a provocation we are allowing young children to see, experience and make decisions about the world themselves through their own explorations. It could be from a book, a photograph, interesting objects. The interaction with the provocation can involve problem solving, working imaginatively, form new ideas and make their own conclusions. 

As the provocations are open ended with the concept of the child finding their own answers rather than being told them there is no right or wrong outcome from working here. The process of the learnin...

A wonderful guest post by my member Jennifer Wooldridge (@mamasden)

Are you settling into your new rhythm?

Change can be really hard and they say it actually takes up to 7 weeks before we adapt. Think about times you may have been on a new health drive, whether a diet or starting at the gym the first few weeks are always the hardest.

We all have a daily routine which we are used to but now have to create a new balance in our lives, a rhythm at home over the coming weeks and this will help establish a new normal, a new sense of balance in our lives. I know we have all been feeling anxious of late but we need to start reflecting on the change and creating a new calm in our family lives.

Let’s take this time to recharge our batteries and to think about what we have taken for granted and the fast paced lifestyle we are used to. We have all had to stop and think and change our ways, whether willingly or for the greater good. But for lots of our children they have lost their routine an...

Join our Wanderlust Child Nature Study Programme here for £5 instead of £120

Hi, I’m Jenny from Little Robin Education. My background is a bit mixed, I have a biology PhD, and then became a secondary school biology teacher. I now stay at home with my two boys, aged 1 and 3, and run my creative business Little Robin Education from my front room! I specialise in nature education for young people, and make and sell nature flashcards designed to inspire a love of the outdoors in children.

I’m here on the Hygge in the Early Years blog to give you six simple outdoor activity ideas to do with preschoolers. Some of these activities require access to outdoor space, which I know isn’t easy for everyone at this time. I will suggest an inside version for each activity in case you’re isolating.

1. Egg box colour hunt

My three year old loves painting at the moment, but sometimes it’s a bit of a struggle to get him outside. I’m hoping it’s a phase! He did really enjoy this activity though, a...

This week we are joined by my wonderful member Jen from Mama's Den who is sharing with us her thoughts on supporting home learning during the Coronavirus outbreak. 

We have all been thrown into a new way of life this week and whilst some of us were already starting to implement a new, calmer hygge lifestyle into our homes it can be hard to stick to those new mindful practices when our normal is so abnormal.

Take time to breath, and think about the positives that will come as you take over the schooling of your child. You have always been their primary influence anyway so that is not going to change. So just do what your can, your child will continue to learn, this might just be more practical learning rather than academic. 

The thought of home schooling may fill many with dread and anticipation. I want to let you all into a little secret…. It’s ok to just let your children play.

Learning through play is vitally important for your child’s development and at this time in particular w...