Early Years Resources Blog

19/10/2018
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Inspection reports – key recommendations for settings

We’re very excited to have Pennie Akehurst from Early Years Fundamentals delivering our next training session ‘Are you really ready for an inspection?’ specifically designed for nurseries, pre-schools and playgroups. In a report published at the beginning of the Autumn term, Early Years Fundamentals made some key recommendations for settings based on the analysis of 2,947 Ofsted reports. This is what they had to say…. Do you use the Early Years Inspection Handbook? Although the EYFS is the statutory framework that shapes our practice, becoming familiar with the Early Years... Read More

Halloween Window suncatcher crafts 19/10/2018

Spooky Suncatchers – Halloween Crafts

How To Make A Halloween Window Decorate your windows with these Un-BOO-lievable Halloween suncatcher pictures and create a spooky atmosphere in your classroom, setting or home! Ideal for children ages 5-7 years old. Materials you will need: Glue Stick Scissors Black Card Tissue Paper Pale Pencil To make a Halloween Window, follow these simple instructions: Cut some strips of black card, roughly 3-4cm wide. (Don’t worry about making them straight, as wobbly edges look more interesting!) Glue 4 strips together to make a frame shape, then trim off any overhanging ends... Read More

Spiders Webs halloween crafts 19/10/2018

Spooky Spiders Webs – Halloween Crafts

How To Make Spooky Spiders Webs for Halloween Let the children practice their weaving skills and create their own colourful spooktacular spiderwebs this Halloween. Materials you will need: Lolly Sticks Black Paint Medium Paintbrush Black Wool Coloured Wool Medium Black Pom-Pom Small Wiggly Eyes Glue Scissors To make the spiderweb, follow these simple instructions: Clean and dry 3 lolly sticks. Paint the sticks black and leave to dry. Glue the sticks together to make a star shape. Take a ball of wool and glue one end to the inside of... Read More

19/10/2018

Importance of Literacy in the Early Years

Once upon a time… We all know the famous words, but can you remember the first time you heard them? From an early age, kids and parents tell stories for many reasons; to bond, to help sleep, to improve reading, and most importantly, for fun! Reading and writing are often seen as the fundamentals of early education, and it’s easy to see why. They constantly crop up in everyday life; from reading road signs to writing out your shopping list. This is why so much importance is placed on children’s... Read More

risky play benefits outdoors 17/10/2018

The Importance of Risky Play in Childhood

This article has been written by early years consultant, Anne Rodgers, from ATR Consultancy. Why is risky play such an important part of childhood? Children need to be kept safe from potential harm and hazards at all times, but they also need to explore and take risks. Risky play allows children to challenge themselves on many levels: Physically – by climbing a little higher, running a little faster or jumping a little further Emotionally – feeling out of control or overcoming fear Mentally – learning how to get out of trouble,... Read More

Autumn display competition 15/10/2018

Autumn Display 2018 Competition

WIN an Art & Craft Hamper – Worth £180! It’s competition time! The colourful season has arrived and we want to see the most amazing autumn displays. We have 3 amazing prizes up for grabs and all you have to do is complete the following 3 simple steps. How To Enter Create a beautiful Autumn Display Take a high quality Photograph of your completed project Send the photo to us via Email at sales@earlyyearsresources.co.uk – (use the email subject line ‘AUTUMN DISPLAY COMPETITION ENTRY’ and state the following in the email: Contact Name, Name of Establishment, Age of Children, OFSTED... Read More

superpower superhero set review 04/10/2018

Superpower Superhero Set Activities – Product Review

This review has been written by early years consultant, Anne Rodgers, from ATR Consultancy. Superpower Superhero Set Review Having been sent a set of these lovely little superheroes, I was happy to note that they were wooden and brightly coloured and each had a unique character of their own which would appeal to both boys and girls. Given unusual names such as; Priya, Luna, Xander, Orva, Kenzo and Tait, which herald from different cultures and countries, makes them truly inclusive as a toy and could be useful for helping children... Read More

halloween pumpkin cake recipe 28/09/2018

Halloween Pumpkin Cake – Recipe

How To Make Pumpkin Cake Make this ghoulishly good pumpkin cake, made with spices, chocolate chips and grated pumpkin – you can’t really taste the pumpkin, but it makes the cake extra light and moist. Younger children will have great fun helping with the baking this Halloween! Ingredients: A piece of pumpkin or squash weighing around 350g (12oz) 1 orange 175ml (12 tbspns) sunflower oil 200g (7oz) soft light brown sugar 4 medium eggs 225g (8oz) self-raising flour 1 tspn baking powder 1 tspn bicarbonate of soda 3 tspns ground cinnamon 2... Read More

Suncatcher autumn crafts 27/09/2018

DIY Suncatcher – Autumn Crafts

How To Make Autumnal Suncatchers Hello sunshine! Now that the colourful Autumn leaves are falling, it’s the perfect time to encourage the children to make their own beautiful suncatchers using the leaves they find – ideal for those sunny autumn days and a great way to welcome the season. Materials you will need: Paper plate Crayons Paints Clear sticky-backed plastic Leaves Wool Scissors Hole punch To make your own autumn suncatcher, follow these simple instructions: Decorate the rim of a paper plate with paints or crayons. (Different coloured fingerprints would also look good).... Read More

Leaf prints autumn crafts 27/09/2018

Leaf Prints – Autumn Crafts

How To Make Leaf Prints What better way to celebrate the colourful Autumn season than with some colourful leaf crafts! This simple, yet fun, idea is a great activity for the children in your setting. Materials you will need: Thin white paper Wax crayons Black card Scissors Glue Leaves To make your own leaf prints, follow these simple instructions: Arrange the leaves on a flat surface, bottom side facing up. Place a sheet of white paper over the top. Use a wax crayon to gently rub over the top of... Read More