Outdoor Maths 18/09/2020
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Tips and Tricks on Taking Maths Outside!

During these unprecedented times we are always looking at ways in which we can adapt and switch up the environment we work in. Now more than ever we are looking for new ways that children can learn numeracy in a safe environment. Whether this is in Primary School or Nursery, with your Childminder or Homeschooling, we have the tips and tricks to adapt your usual teaching style to suit your outdoor maths lessons. So why not take the children outdoors and use the endless amount of space to explore how... Read More

Card Tube Animals - Animal Crafts 13/08/2020
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Card Tube Animals – Animal Crafts

These card tube animals are a great activity for the kids, using left over card tubes from around the house! Suitable for ages 0 to 5 years old. Read the simple instructions below to get started: Art materials you will need: Cardboard tubes PVA glue Scissors Paints and paintbrush Googly eyes Instructions for the Card Tube monkey and elephant: Draw around the head, arm, face and tail templates onto a cardboard tube and cut them out. Paint these pieces and a cardboard tube with brown paint, and add a lighter... Read More

Rainbow Fish - animal crafts 12/08/2020
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Rainbow Fish – Animal Crafts

Get creative with this Rainbow Fish and why not extend the activity by using the craft as props for a story or as part of a sea-based song time. Suitable for ages 0 to 5 years old. Read the simple instructions below to get started: Art materials you will need: White card Squares of coloured tissue paper Squares of shiny paper Coloured card Large googly eye Scissors Pencil Tracing paper PVA glue Instructions for your Rainbow Fish: Take a sheet of tracing paper and a pencil. Use a template to... Read More

Sealife Special - Summer Crafts 12/08/2020
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Sealife Special – Summer Crafts

These colourful sealife creatures are made using recycled egg boxes.Why not encourage the children to come up with their own ideas for some more underwater critters. Suitable for ages 5 to 10 years old. Read the simple instructions below to get started: Art materials you will need: Cardboard egg box PVA glue Paints & paintbrushes Pipe cleaners Scissors Tissue paper White card Thread Instructions for your sealife Octopus: Cut out a section of the egg box and paint it green and leave to dry. Add some eyes with black and... Read More

Rock Pool - Summer Arts and Crafts 07/08/2020
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Rock Pool – Summer Crafts

Take the children on an imaginary trip to the seaside this summer and make this fabulous rock pool. Collect recycled materials such as egg boxes, foil pie cases and scraps of craft foam and wool, and in no time at all you’ll have created your very own sealife centre! Suitable for ages 5 to 7 years old. Read the simple instructions below to get started: Art materials you will need: A piece of thick card Newspaper Egg boxes Masking tape PVA glue & water A plastic container Large brush for... Read More

Summer Straws - Summer Crafts 06/08/2020
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Picnic Straws – Summer Crafts

These picnic straws are the perfect accessory to brighten up any summer outing or picnic! Suitable for ages 0 to 5 years old. Read the simple instructions below to get started: Art materials you will need: Scissors A pencil Coloured card Coloured pencils or felt pens A glue stick Small sticky dots Sticky tape Straws Instructions for your Picnic Straws: Draw the shapes onto coloured card and cut them out. Cut out a circle for the middle for the flower, a butterfly’s body and a beetle’s shell from another colour.... Read More

04/08/2020
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Buzzy Bees and Happy Hummingbirds – animal crafts

These Buzzy Bees and Happy Hummingbirds are the perfect accessory for your flower pots, windows or vases! Suitable for ages 5 to 7 years old. Read the simple instructions below to get started: Art materials you will need: Plastic bags Masking tape or sticky tape Coloured tissue paper Pipe cleaners PVA glue A glue brush Thin garden sticks or skewers Scissors Feathers Thin white card Gems and googly eyes Instructions for your Buzzy Bees: Make an oval body from a plastic bag in the same way as the hummingbird. Tear... Read More

school closures in ireland and re-opening 27/07/2020

Re-Opening Schools in Ireland – A Primary Teacher’s Perspective

This article has been written by primary school teacher Lorraine, from All Things Primary, who shares her lockdown experience in Ireland and school re-opening plans for September. Times are very uncertain for many people around the world at the moment, but I don’t think it has ever been as uncertain for teachers and school communities than it is right now. In Ireland, schools have been closed since March 12th and are scheduled to reopen in under 5 weeks time. Unlike the UK, the school closures here were blanket closures –... Read More

a childminders life after lockdown - re opening childcare setting 21/07/2020

Life After Lockdown – A Childminders Experience

This article has been written by Ofsted ‘Outstanding’ Childminders, Chloe Webster & Bridgit Brown, from Pebbles Childcare, who share their experience re-opening their childcare setting after lockdown. Like many practitioners across the country preparing to re-open after lockdown, we were naturally apprehensive – could we keep the children safe? Would the children return happily after such a long period of absence? What will our practice look like with new guidelines, routines and practices in place? These were all thoughts that went through our head as we prepared to re-open the... Read More

Paper Plate Monkeys 15/07/2020
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Paper Plate Monkeys – Jungle Crafts

Make your very own paper plate monkeys. These cheeky monkeys are fun to create and will make a wonderful jungle-themed art and craft display! Ideal for children aged 0 to 5 years old. Read these simple instructions below to get started on your Paper Plate Monkeys crafts: Art materials you will need: Paper plates Paints – dark brown, light brown and black Paintbrush Scissors Glue Instructions for your Paper Plate Monkeys: Step 1:Draw around the arm shapes onto the edge of a paper plate and cut them out. Keep the... Read More