Kathy Brodie: Free CPD for Early Years Professionals

The Magic of Loose Parts Play: Unleashing Creativity in the Early Years

Kathy Brodie — Sat, 03 Aug 2024 00:04:57 +0000

Introduction

Have you ever watched a child turn a cardboard box into a spaceship? Or seen a group of children create an entire world using just sticks and leaves? That’s the magic of loose parts play.

Loose parts play is a simple yet powerful approach to early years education that can spark creativity, encourage problem-solving, and support holistic development.

But what exactly are loose parts, and why are they so beneficial for young children? Let’s dive in and explore this fascinating world of open-ended play.

What Are Loose Parts?

The term “loose parts” was coined by architect Simon Nicholson in 1971. He proposed that the richness of an environment depends on the number of loose parts it contains — items that can be moved, carried, combined, redesigned, lined up, taken apart, and put back together in multiple ways (Nicholson, 1971).

In early years settings, loose parts can be natural or manufactured materials that have no specific set of directions and can be used alone or combined with other materials. They’re open-ended resources that can be used in countless ways, limited only by a child’s imagination.

Some examples of loose parts include:

Natural items: pinecones, pebbles, shells, leaves, twigs, feathers
Recyclable materials: cardboard tubes, bottle caps, corks, boxes
Fabric and textiles: ribbons, scarves, felt pieces, burlap
Building materials: wooden planks, PVC pipes, guttering
Everyday objects: buttons, beads, clothespins, keys

The beauty of loose parts is that they can be anything — as long as they’re open-ended and can be manipulated by children in various ways.

The Benefits of Loose Parts Play

The advantages of incorporating loose parts into early years settings are numerous and far-reaching. Let’s explore some of the key benefits:

Creativity and Imagination

Loose parts play is a playground for the imagination. Without prescribed uses, children are free to transform objects into whatever they envision. A cardboard tube might become a telescope, a trumpet, or a tunnel for toy cars. This freedom nurtures creativity and encourages children to think outside the box.

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

When children play with loose parts, they’re constantly problem-solving. How can they make the tower taller without it falling? What can they use to create a bridge between two structures? These challenges foster critical thinking skills and encourage children to experiment, test hypotheses, and learn from trial and error.

Fine and Gross Motor Skills Development

Manipulating loose parts of various sizes and shapes helps develop both fine and gross motor skills. Threading beads onto a string, stacking blocks, or moving larger items like planks all contribute to physical development.

Language and Communication Skills

Loose parts play often involves collaboration, which naturally encourages communication. Children discuss their ideas, negotiate roles, and describe their creations, all of which support language development. For example, two four-year-olds engaging in an animated discussion about whether their stick-and-leaf structure is a “castle” or a “fortress” expands both their vocabularies!

Social and Emotional Development

Through loose parts play, children learn to share, take turns, and work together. They develop empathy as they consider others’ ideas and learn to compromise. The open-ended nature of the play also allows children to express their emotions and experiences in a safe, symbolic way.

Mathematical Thinking

Loose parts provide countless opportunities for mathematical learning. Children naturally engage in sorting, classifying, pattern-making, and counting as they play. They explore concepts of shape, size, and spatial relationships without even realising they’re doing “maths”.

Implementing Loose Parts Play in Early Years Settings

Now that we understand the benefits, how can we effectively incorporate loose parts play into our early years settings? Here are some practical tips:

Creating an Inviting Environment

The way we present loose parts can significantly impact how children engage with them. Consider creating inviting displays or “provocation areas” that spark curiosity. For example, you might arrange a collection of natural materials on a light table, or set up a vertical surface with magnetic loose parts.

Remember: The goal is to create an environment that says “come and explore” rather than “look, don’t touch”.

Sourcing and Managing Loose Parts

Building a collection of loose parts doesn’t have to be expensive. Many items can be sourced for free:

Ask parents to collect and donate items like bottle caps, corks, or fabric scraps
Collect natural materials during outdoor play or nature walks
Reach out to local businesses for donations of safe, clean materials

Top Tip: Rotate your loose parts regularly to maintain interest and offer new challenges.

Safety Considerations

While loose parts play is generally safe, it’s important to consider potential risks:

Ensure all items are clean and free from sharp edges or splinters
Be mindful of choking hazards for younger children
Regularly inspect items for wear and tear

Role of the Adult in Facilitating Play

As practitioners, our role is to facilitate rather than direct. We can:

Ask open-ended questions to extend thinking
Model different ways of using materials
Provide language to describe actions and creations
Observe and document children’s play to inform planning

Reflection Point: Think about a time when you’ve seen children deeply engaged in open-ended play. What was your role? How did you support without interfering?

Loose Parts Play Across the EYFS Areas of Learning

One of the fantastic aspects of loose parts play is how it naturally supports all areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). Let’s explore how:

Physical Development

Fine Motor Skills: Threading beads, manipulating small objects
Gross Motor Skills: Carrying, stacking, and arranging larger items

Example: I once watched a group of children create an obstacle course using planks, tyres, and fabric. They were developing balance, coordination, and spatial awareness — all while having a fantastic time!

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Sharing materials and collaborating on projects
Developing confidence through successful problem-solving
Expressing emotions through symbolic play

Communication and Language

Discussing ideas and plans with peers
Describing creations and processes
Learning new vocabulary related to materials and concepts

Literacy

Using loose parts to create and recreate stories
Making marks and early writing with various materials

Try This: Provide loose parts alongside favourite storybooks and watch as children bring the narratives to life in their play.

Mathematics

Sorting and classifying objects
Exploring shape, space, and measure
Counting and basic calculations in play contexts

Understanding the World

Investigating properties of different materials
Exploring cause and effect
Representing real-world experiences through play

Expressive Arts and Design

Creating 2D and 3D art with loose parts
Exploring colour, texture, and form
Using loose parts in imaginative role-play

By providing a rich array of loose parts, we’re offering children opportunities to develop across all these areas in an integrated, play-based way.

Overcoming Challenges in Loose Parts Play

While the benefits of loose parts play are clear, it’s not without its challenges. Here are some common concerns and strategies to address them:

Mess and Tidying

Concern: Loose parts play can create a lot of mess.
Strategy: Establish clear routines for tidying up. Make it fun by turning it into a game or challenge. Provide easily accessible storage solutions that children can manage independently.

Safety Worries

Concern: Some parents or practitioners might worry about safety risks.
Strategy: Conduct thorough risk assessments and communicate these to parents. Explain the benefits of loose parts play and how risks are managed.

Storage Issues

Concern: Storing a variety of loose parts can be challenging.
Strategy: Use clear, labelled containers for easy organisation. Rotate materials to keep storage manageable and play fresh.

Engaging Hesitant Children or Practitioners

Concern: Some children or adults might be unsure how to engage with loose parts.
Strategy: Start small with familiar items. Model different ways of using materials. Gradually introduce new and more complex loose parts as confidence grows.

Remember, overcoming these challenges is part of the journey. The rich learning opportunities provided by loose parts play are well worth the effort!

Documenting and Assessing Loose Parts Play

Observation and documentation are key to understanding the learning that occurs during loose parts play. Here are some strategies:

Take photos or videos of children’s creations and processes
Use learning journals to record observations and children’s comments
Create display boards showcasing loose parts projects

Use these observations to inform your planning. What interests are emerging? What skills are being developed? How can you extend the learning further?

Remember: The process is often more important than the product in loose parts play. Look for problem-solving, collaboration, and creative thinking rather than focusing solely on the final creation.

Conclusion

Loose parts play offers a world of possibility for early years settings. It provides a flexible, engaging environment that supports holistic development and aligns beautifully with the EYFS framework. By embracing loose parts, we’re giving children the freedom to explore, create, and learn in ways that are meaningful to them.

As you introduce or expand loose parts play in your setting, remember to start small, observe closely, and most importantly — have fun! The joy of discovery and creation is contagious, and you might find yourself as excited as the children about the possibilities of that cardboard tube or shiny pebble.

So, I’ll leave you with this question: What loose parts do you have lying around that could spark a child’s imagination today?

In the world of early years education, Sustained Shared Thinking (SST) has emerged as a powerful tool for fostering children’s learning and development. But what exactly is SST, and how can it be effectively implemented in nursery settings?

SST is an educational technique that involves adults and children working together to explore ideas, solve problems, and clarify concepts. It goes beyond simple question-and-answer interactions, encouraging deeper, more meaningful exchanges that extend children’s thinking.

At its core, SST requires active listening and thoughtful, open-ended questioning from practitioners. These skills create an environment where children feel valued and encouraged to express their ideas freely.

The benefits of SST are significant. Research shows that children who experience high-quality SST often demonstrate:

Improved cognitive abilities
Enhanced language skills
Better social and emotional development

SST can occur in various contexts throughout the day, from planned educational activities to spontaneous moments of curiosity. It’s a flexible approach that can be adapted to suit different learning styles and abilities, including children with special educational needs.

Implementing SST effectively requires a supportive environment, skilled practitioners, and thoughtful time management. This guide aims to provide early years professionals with the knowledge and tools needed to incorporate SST into their daily practice.

We’ll explore practical strategies for using SST, discuss how to overcome common challenges, and look at ways to measure its impact. We’ll also examine how to engage parents in SST, extending its benefits beyond the nursery setting.

Whether you’re new to SST or looking to enhance your existing practice, this guide offers valuable insights and practical advice to help you unlock the full potential of Sustained Shared Thinking in your early years setting.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

This course will equip you with practical techniques to transform every interaction into a valuable learning opportunity, engaging children in meaningful dialogues and creating environments that nurture deep thinking.

Get details of this online course here

What is Sustained Shared Thinking?

Sustained Shared Thinking is defined as:

“An episode in which two or more individuals ‘work together’ in an intellectual way to solve a problem, clarify a concept, evaluate activities, extend a narrative etc. Both parties must contribute to the thinking and it must develop and extend” (Siraj-Blatchford et al., 2002).

In practice, these are those beautiful, extended conversations you have with children where you’re both absorbed in the discussion or joint problem-solving. There’s a flow of information from both sides, and you’re using various ways to extend children’s learning and thinking.

For pre-verbal children, the ‘discussion’ may not be in words, but you can observe what fascinates them and how they approach problem-solving. You can then extend their thinking through physical interactions during play.

Why is it so powerful?

SST is a powerful technique because:

It involves a two-way conversation, with both parties learning
Children are at the centre, with you following their lead
It improves children’s metacognition (thinking about thinking)
It’s free – no special equipment needed

How can we achieve successful Sustained Shared Thinking?

Successful SST is built on two key skills:

Active Listening: Being in the moment with children, encouraging discussions and allowing thinking to develop at the children’s pace.
Positive Questioning: Sustaining discussions without taking over or overwhelming children with information or interrogation.

For example, when a child is intrigued by shadows in the playground, instead of explaining the science straightaway, you might ask, “What do you think makes the shadow move?” or a fascination with clouds may prompt the comment from the practitioner “I wonder what clouds are made of?”. This type of interaction encourages the child to share their ideas and theories, without the pressure of the feeling that there is a wrong or right answer.

When and Where are good times for Sustained Shared Thinking?

SST can happen throughout the day, but it’s particularly effective when:

Children are relaxed and interested in their play
There are minimal interruptions or distractions

Quiet areas like book corners, outdoor spaces or circle times can be ideal, but don’t discount those spontaneous moments of discovery and excitement.

Who can be involved with Sustained Shared Thinking?

All practitioners can initiate and encourage SST. You just need:

Motivation to spot opportunities
Skills in active listening and positive questioning
Understanding the importance of SST

SST can also be very successful between children, especially in mixed-age groups. And don’t forget to encourage parents to extend conversations and problem-solve out loud with their children at home.

In the following sections, we’ll delve deeper into practical strategies for implementing SST, overcoming common challenges, and measuring its impact. Sustained Shared Thinking is such a powerful technique for supporting children that it would be a real shame not to use it. Yes, it requires some work and skill-honing, but being able to share ideas and thoughts with children is such a privilege and joy that it hardly seems like work!

Understanding Sustained Shared Thinking

Now that we’ve introduced the concept, let’s dive a bit deeper into what Sustained Shared Thinking really means in practice.

Key Components of SST

Sustained Shared Thinking isn’t just about having a chat with children. It’s a deliberate approach that involves several key elements:

Joint attention: Both you and the child are focused on the same thing, whether it’s an object, an idea, a concept or a problem.
Two-way communication: It’s not just you talking at the child, but a genuine back-and-forth exchange of ideas.
Extending thinking: You’re helping to stretch the child’s understanding, not just confirming what they already know (and often stretching your own thinking!).
Sustained interaction: These aren’t quick, fleeting moments, but extended periods of engagement.

Theoretical Underpinnings

SST isn’t just a nice idea – it’s grounded in solid educational theory. It draws heavily on Vygotsky’s concept of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD). This theory suggests that children can achieve more when they have the support of a more knowledgeable other (that’s you!) than they can on their own (Vygotsky, 1978).

Think of it like this: If a child is building a tower with blocks, their ZPD might be the point where they can build it a bit higher or more stable with your guidance. You’re not building it for them but offering just enough support to help them reach that next level.

SST in Action

Let’s look at an example to bring this to life:

Imagine you’re in the garden with 4-year-old Zara. She’s looking intently at a snail, watching its slow progress across a leaf.

You: “What do you notice about how the snail is moving?” Zara: “It’s really slow and leaving a shiny trail.” You: “That’s interesting! Why do you think it might be leaving that trail?” Zara: “Maybe… maybe it’s like painting a path?” You: “That’s a creative idea! The trail is actually something called mucus. It helps the snail move more easily. Can you think of anything else that might need help to move smoothly?”

This conversation demonstrates joint attention (on the snail), two-way communication, and how you’re gently extending Zara’s thinking beyond her initial observation.

Beyond Words

Remember, SST isn’t just about verbal communication. For younger children or those with language challenges, it might involve:

Mirroring actions during play
Using gestures and facial expressions
Providing materials that extend their exploration
Using a visual clues or objects of reference

The key is that you’re tuned into the child’s interests and helping to develop their understanding in a collaborative way.

By truly grasping these core elements of SST, you’ll be better equipped to spot opportunities for these rich interactions throughout your day.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Get details of this online course here

The Benefits of Sustained Shared Thinking

Now that we’ve got a good grasp of what Sustained Shared Thinking is, let’s explore why it’s so beneficial for children’s development. The impact of SST is far-reaching, touching on several key areas of early learning.

Cognitive Development

SST is a powerhouse for boosting children’s thinking skills. When we engage in these extended, thoughtful interactions, we’re helping children to:

Develop problem-solving skills: By working through ideas together, children learn to approach challenges systematically and have a framework to use in other circumstances.
Enhance critical thinking: SST encourages children to question, analyse and evaluate ideas.
Improve memory: The deep engagement involved in SST helps to cement new concepts in children’s minds.

For instance, when you’re building a den with 5-year-old Tom and ask, “How can we make this side more stable?”, you’re prompting him to think critically about structure and balance.

Language Skills

It’s probably no surprise that SST is brilliant for language development. These rich conversations provide:

Vocabulary expansion: Children are exposed to new words in meaningful contexts.
Practice in expressing ideas: SST gives children plenty of opportunities to articulate their thoughts.
Improved listening skills: Children learn to pay attention to and build upon others’ ideas.

Imagine you’re exploring autumn leaves with 3-year-old Ava. As you discuss the colours and textures, you might introduce words like “crunchy”, “veins”, or “decay”, all within a context that’s meaningful to her.

Social and Emotional Growth

SST isn’t just about academic skills – it plays a crucial role in children’s social and emotional development too:

Building confidence: Children feel valued when their ideas are taken seriously and they are listened to.
Developing empathy: Through discussions, children learn to consider different perspectives, laying the foundations for Theory of Mind.
Strengthening relationships: The one-on-one attention involved in SST helps to build strong bonds.

When 4-year-old Zain is upset about sharing a toy, engaging him in a conversation about feelings and fairness is SST in action, supporting his emotional development.

Metacognition and Self-regulation

Perhaps one of the most powerful benefits of SST is its impact on metacognition – thinking about thinking:

Awareness of thought processes: Children become more conscious of how they – and you – arrive at ideas.
Planning and reflection: SST encourages children to think ahead and look back on their learning.
Self-regulation: As children engage in extended thinking, they practice focusing and controlling their attention.

For example, when you ask 5-year-old Maya, “How did you figure out how to balance those blocks?”, you’re prompting her to reflect on her own thinking process and to then verbalise it.

Long-term Impact

Research has shown that children who experience high-quality SST in early years settings tend to have better outcomes later in life. The EPPE project found that SST was a key feature of more effective pre-school settings, associated with better intellectual and social development in children (Sylva et al., 2004).

By incorporating SST into our daily practice, we’re not just supporting children’s immediate development – we’re laying the groundwork for lifelong learning and success.

In our next section, we’ll look at how to spot and create opportunities for these valuable SST moments in your setting.

Remember, every conversation is a chance to make a lasting impact!

Identifying Opportunities for Sustained Shared Thinking

Now that we understand the immense benefits of Sustained Shared Thinking, let’s explore how to spot and create these golden moments in our daily practice.

Recognising Child-initiated Cues

Often, the best SST opportunities arise from the children themselves. Keep an eye out for:

Curiosity: When a child shows particular interest in something, it’s a perfect opening for SST. For some children this may be questions, but for others you will need to look out for more subtle clues such as gazing or repeat returning back to an activity.
Questions: Children’s questions, even seemingly simple ones, can be springboards for deeper discussions.
Problem-solving attempts: When you see a child trying to figure something out, it’s an invitation to engage in a suitable way.

For instance, when 4-year-old Lily is puzzling over why her plant isn’t growing as fast as her friend’s, that’s your cue to start a conversation about what plants need to thrive.

Creating an Environment Conducive to SST

While we can’t force SST to happen, we can certainly create conditions that make it more likely:

Rich, open-ended resources: Materials like blocks, loose parts, or art supplies often spark interesting questions and ideas.
Cosy, quiet spaces: Having areas where you can engage in one-to-one or small group conversations without interruption is crucial.
Outdoor exploration: Nature is full of wonders and environmental provocations that can prompt deep thinking and discussion.

Consider setting up a ‘wondering wall’ where children can post questions or interesting objects they’ve found. This can be a great starting point for SST conversations.

Balancing Planned and Spontaneous SST Moments

While many SST interactions will happen spontaneously, it’s also worth planning for them:

During routines: Even everyday activities like snack time can be opportunities for SST. “I wonder why some fruits float in water and others don’t?”
In planned activities: When setting up activities, think about the questions or problems they might provoke.
Story times: Books are fantastic SST prompts. “What do you think might happen next? Who do you think…?”

Remember, though, to stay flexible. Sometimes the most valuable SST moments come from unexpected directions!

Recognising SST Opportunities with Different Age Groups

SST looks different at different ages:

Babies and toddlers: SST might involve mirroring actions, responding to coos and babbles, or exploring textures together.
2-3 year olds: Use lots of ‘I wonder…’ and ‘how’ questions. “How do you think we could make this tower taller?”
4-5 year olds: Encourage prediction and hypothesis. “What do you think would happen if we mixed these two colours?”

For example, when 18-month-old Zack is fascinated by a pinecone, you might explore it together, talking about how it feels and watching how it rolls.

Overcoming Barriers to SST

Sometimes, despite our best intentions, SST can be challenging. Common barriers include:

Time pressures: It can be hard to find time for extended conversations in a busy setting.
Large group sizes: It’s trickier to engage in deep discussions with many children at once (although not impossible).
Lack of confidence: Some practitioners might feel unsure about extending children’s thinking or feel they should always be the ‘knowledgeable other’ and have all the answers.

We’ll address strategies for overcoming these challenges in a later section. For now, remember that even short SST interactions can be valuable. It’s about quality, not just quantity.

In our next section, we’ll delve into specific strategies for making the most of these SST opportunities. With practice, you’ll find yourself naturally weaving SST into your daily interactions with children, creating a richer, more stimulating learning environment for all.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Get details of this online course here

Strategies for Effective Sustained Shared Thinking

Now that we’ve identified opportunities for Sustained Shared Thinking, let’s explore some practical strategies to make these interactions as effective as possible.

Active Listening Techniques

Active listening is at the heart of SST. It’s about truly hearing what children are saying, showing them that their ideas matter and giving them agency to take charge of their own learning.

Give full attention: Turn towards the child, make appropriate eye contact (keeping in mind cultural appropriateness and the child’s preference), and show you’re listening through your body language.
Use encouragers: Nod, smile, and use small verbal cues like “mm-hmm” to show you’re engaged, but don’t interrupt.
Reflect back: Summarise what the child has said to check your understanding. “So, you think the ice melted because it was near the radiator?”

Remember, active listening isn’t just about ears – it’s about eyes, body, and mind too.

Open-ended Questioning

The right questions can open up a world of thinking. Here are some types to try:

Possibility thinking: “What might happen if…?”
Reasoning: “Why do you think…?”
Evaluation: “How could we make this better?”
Problem-solving: “What could we try to fix this?”

For instance, when 4-year-old Amir builds a bridge with blocks, instead of saying “That’s nice”, you might ask, “How did you decide where to put the supports?”

Scaffolding Children’s Ideas

Scaffolding is about providing just enough support to help children reach the next level of understanding.

Extend vocabulary: Introduce new words in context. “Yes, the caterpillar is wriggling. It’s undulating its body to move along.”
Model thinking: Share your own thought processes. “I’m wondering if we could use something sticky to join these pieces together.”
Offer gentle challenges: Push thinking a bit further. “You’ve sorted these by colour. How else could we group them?”

Using the SSTEW Scale

The Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional Wellbeing (SSTEW) scale is a useful tool for reflecting on and improving SST practice. It includes indicators such as:

Supporting children’s concept development
Encouraging children to talk with others
Supporting children’s curiosity and problem solving

Although you may need specialist training to use the SSTEW scale effectively, you should consider using it to assess and develop your SST practice.

Embracing ‘Wait Time’

Sometimes, the most powerful thing we can do is… nothing. Giving children time to think is crucial.

Give a 10 second pause: After asking a question, silently count to ten slowly before speaking again. This allows children to understand, formulate a response and speak.
Resist the urge to fill silence: It’s okay if there are pauses in the conversation.
Watch for non-verbal cues: Children might be thinking deeply even if they’re not speaking.

For example, when you ask 3-year-old Sasha what she thinks might be inside a seed, give her time to ponder before offering your own ideas.

Using Visual Aids and Props

Sometimes, concrete objects can help to spark and support thinking.

Real objects: Having the actual item you’re discussing can lead to rich observations.
Photos and pictures: These can be great for comparing and contrasting for older children.
Drawing and mark-making: Encourage children to depict their ideas as you discuss them.

When exploring the concept of ‘floating and sinking’ with 5-year-old Leo, having a tub of water and various objects to test can lead to deeper engagement and understanding.

Remember, the goal of these strategies is not to lead the child to a predetermined answer, but to genuinely explore ideas together. In our next section, we’ll look at how to overcome some common challenges in implementing SST. With these strategies in your toolkit, you’re well on your way to fostering rich, thought-provoking interactions with the children in your care.

Overcoming Challenges in Implementing SST

While Sustained Shared Thinking offers tremendous benefits, it’s not without its challenges. Let’s explore some common hurdles and practical ways to overcome them.

Time Constraints

In busy settings, finding time for extended conversations can be tricky – this is usually the biggest and most often cited challenge, whatever type of setting you may be in, from childminder to day nursery to school.

Strategies to try:

Maximise routine moments: Use daily activities like nappy changing or snack time for one-to-one interactions.
Create ‘SST pockets’: Designate short periods throughout the day specifically for SST.
Delegate tasks: Work with colleagues to free up time for quality interactions.

Remember, even brief SST moments can be valuable. It’s about making the most of the time you have.

Large Group Settings

It can be challenging to engage in deep thinking with many children at once.

Approaches to consider:

Small group activities: Rotate children through small groups to allow for more focused interactions.
Use open-ended questions: Pose questions that multiple children can respond to in different ways.
Encourage peer discussions: Prompt children to share and build on each other’s ideas.

For instance, during circle time, you might ask, “What do you think makes a good friend?” This allows multiple children to contribute their thoughts.

Varying Developmental Levels

In mixed-age settings, meeting the needs of children at different stages can be complex.

Try these techniques:

Differentiate questions: Tailor your questions to suit different abilities.
Use peer scaffolding: Encourage more experienced children to support others.
Provide varied resources: Offer materials that can be explored at different levels, such as loose parts.

When discussing shapes, you might ask a 3-year-old to find circles in the room, while prompting a 5-year-old to describe the properties of a circle.

Engaging Reluctant or Shy Children

Some children may be hesitant to engage in extended conversations.

Strategies to encourage participation:

Start with interests: Begin conversations around topics the child is passionate about.
Use non-verbal SST: Engage through shared activities like drawing or building.
Create a safe environment: Ensure children feel their ideas are valued, no matter what.

For a quiet child who loves animals, you might begin by simply observing and commenting on the class pet together, gradually drawing out their thoughts.

Maintaining Adult-Child Ratios

Engaging in SST while maintaining oversight of the whole group can be challenging.

Consider these approaches:

Team up: Work with colleagues to allow for one-to-one or small group interactions.
Use observation areas: Create spaces where children can be seen while you interact with a small group.
Incorporate SST into whole group activities: Use storytelling or group projects as SST opportunities.

Lack of Confidence or Knowledge

Some practitioners may feel unsure about extending children’s thinking, especially in areas they’re less familiar with.

Ways to build confidence:

Embrace not knowing: It’s okay to learn alongside children. “I’m not sure why that happens. Shall we find out together?”
Use open-ended resources: Materials like blocks or natural objects can lead to discussions in various directions.
Seek professional development: Look for training opportunities to enhance your SST skills.

Remember, SST isn’t about having all the answers, but about exploring ideas together.

Cultural and Language Differences

In diverse settings, language barriers or cultural differences can impact SST.

Strategies to try:

Use visual aids: Pictures, objects, and gestures can support communication.
Learn key words: Familiarise yourself with important words in children’s home languages.
Celebrate diversity: Use cultural differences as opportunities for rich discussions.

By addressing these challenges head-on, we can create more opportunities for meaningful SST interactions. In our next section, we’ll explore how to integrate SST across different areas of the Early Years curriculum, ensuring a holistic approach to this powerful teaching strategy.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Get details of this online course here

Integrating SST Across the Early Years Curriculum

Sustained Shared Thinking isn’t just for specific ‘thinking time’ – it can and should be woven throughout all areas of the early years curriculum. Let’s explore how to integrate SST into various learning domains.

Literacy and Numeracy

These core areas offer abundant opportunities for SST:

Literacy:

During storytime, ask open-ended questions: “What do you think the character will do next?”
When mark-making, discuss the shapes and patterns: “What does this line remind you of?”

Numeracy:

While counting objects, explore concepts: “We have more big cars than little cars. How can we make them the same?”
When measuring ingredients for cooking, prompt predictions: “What do you think will happen if we add more flour?”

Remember, it’s not about getting the ‘right’ answer, but about encouraging children to think deeply and express their ideas.

Science and Exploration

The natural world is a treasure trove for SST:

During nature walks, encourage observation: “What changes do you notice in the trees since last week?”
When experimenting, prompt predictions: “What do you think will happen if we add these petals to the bowl?”
Notice what is happening everywhere: “What different shapes can you see in the clouds today?”

For instance, while planting seeds with 4-year-old Mia, you might ask, “What do you think the seed needs to grow?”

Creative Arts

Art activities are perfect for fostering imaginative thinking:

When painting, discuss colour choices: “What made you choose that colour for the sky?”
During music time, explore sounds: “How could we make this instrument sound happy/sad/angry?”

Physical Development

Even active play can incorporate SST:

When building obstacle courses, involve children in the design: “How could we make this part more exciting?”
During ball games, discuss strategies: “What’s the best way to catch a bouncing ball?”

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

SST can greatly support children’s understanding of themselves and others:

When resolving conflicts, encourage perspective-taking: “How do you think Jamal felt when you took his toy?”
During circle time, explore emotions: “What sorts of things make you feel proud?”

Understanding the World

This broad area offers endless SST possibilities:

When using technology, prompt problem-solving: “The computer isn’t working. What could we try?”
During cultural celebrations, encourage comparisons: “How is this festival similar to or different from ones you celebrate at home?”

Tips for Cross-Curricular SST

Follow the child’s lead: Be ready to explore whatever captures their interest, regardless of your planned focus.
Make connections: Help children link new ideas to their existing knowledge and experiences.
Use open-ended resources: Materials like blocks, playdough, loose parts, fabrics or natural objects can be used across multiple curriculum areas.
Document thinking: Use mind maps, drawings, photos or videos to record and revisit children’s ideas.
Collaborate with colleagues: Share SST strategies that work well in different curriculum areas or with different children.

Remember, SST isn’t about delivering curriculum content in a prescriptive way. It’s about using every opportunity to engage children in deeper thinking and discussion. By integrating SST across all areas of learning, we create a rich, interconnected educational experience that supports children’s holistic development.

In our next section, we’ll look at how to adapt SST strategies for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), ensuring that all children can benefit from this powerful approach to learning.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

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Supporting SST for Children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Sustained Shared Thinking is a powerful tool for all children, including those with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities. However, we may need to adapt our approach to ensure these children can fully engage and benefit. Let’s explore some strategies for supporting SST for children with SEND.

Adapting Strategies for Diverse Needs

Every child is unique, and this is particularly true for children with SEND. Consider these approaches:

Individualise your approach: What works for one child may not work for another. Observe closely and adjust your strategies accordingly.
Allow extra time: Some children may need longer to process information or formulate responses.
Break down concepts: Present ideas in smaller, manageable chunks.

For instance, when exploring the concept of ‘floating and sinking’ with 5-year-old Tom, who has autism, you might focus on one object at a time rather than presenting multiple items at once.

Using Visual Aids and Alternative Communication Methods

Visual supports can be invaluable for many children with SEND:

Visual timetables: Help children understand and predict what’s coming next.
Picture cards: Use these to represent ideas or choices.
Objects of reference: Concrete items can help convey abstract concepts.

For non-verbal children, consider:

Sign language: Learn key signs to support communication.
Communication boards: These can help children express choices and ideas.
Augmented and Alternative Technology (AAT): Explore apps or devices that can aid communication.

Creating a Supportive Environment

The right environment can make a big difference:

Reduce sensory overload: Some children may need a quieter, calmer space for SST.
Ensure physical accessibility: Make sure all areas are accessible for children with mobility needs.
Provide fidget toys: These can help some children focus during conversations.

Focusing on Strengths and Interests

Building on a child’s strengths can boost engagement and confidence:

Use special interests: If a child is fascinated by trains, use this as a springboard for SST.
Celebrate diverse thinking: Recognise that children with SEND often have unique perspectives to offer.

For example, 6-year-old Ava, who has Down syndrome, loves music. You might use rhythm and song to explore mathematical concepts with her.

Collaborating with Support Staff and Specialists

Working together can enhance SST for SEND children:

Share strategies: Discuss what works well with teaching assistants and other staff.
Seek expert advice: Consult with speech therapists, occupational therapists, or other specialists for tailored strategies.
Involve parents: They can provide valuable insights into their child’s communication style and interests.

Adapting Questions and Language

The way we phrase things can make a big difference:

Use concrete language: Some children may struggle with abstract concepts.
Offer choices: Instead of open-ended questions, you might ask, “Do you think it will sink or float?”
Use visual supports: Accompany questions with pictures or gestures.

Recognising and Valuing Non-verbal SST

Remember, SST doesn’t always involve words:

Observe closely: Notice how children engage with materials or respond to experiences.
Value all forms of communication: A gesture, facial expression, or action can be just as meaningful as words.

For instance, when 3-year-old Zain, who has limited verbal communication, lines up cars by colour, you’re witnessing his thinking in action. You might extend this by offering a new colour and seeing how he responds.

Patience and Persistence

Supporting SST for children with SEND may require extra patience:

Celebrate small steps: Recognise and value all attempts at engagement.
Be consistent: Keep offering opportunities for SST, even if the child doesn’t always respond.
Reflect and adjust: Regularly review what’s working and be prepared to try new approaches.

Remember, every child has the capacity for deep thinking and learning. By adapting our SST strategies to meet diverse needs, we can ensure all children have the opportunity to engage in rich, meaningful learning experiences.

In our next section, we’ll explore how to develop practitioner skills for SST, helping you and your team become more confident and effective in using this powerful approach.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Get details of this online course here

Developing Practitioner Skills for SST

Becoming proficient in Sustained Shared Thinking is an ongoing journey and you will have some strategies that are more natural for you than others. Let’s explore some of these strategies to help you and your team enhance your SST skills.

Self-reflection and Evaluation

Regular self-reflection is key to improving your SST practice:

Keep a reflective journal: Jot down SST moments, noting what worked well and what you might do differently.
Video yourself: With appropriate permissions, record some of your interactions for later analysis.
Use a self-evaluation tool: Consider using the SSTEW scale to assess your practice.

For example, you might reflect on a conversation you had with 4-year-old Ava about shadows. Did you ask open-ended questions? Did you give her enough time to respond? Have you returned to the conversation? What further opportunities could you provide in the continuous provision?

Peer Observation and Feedback

Learning from colleagues can be incredibly valuable:

Buddy system: Partner with a colleague to observe each other’s SST practice.
Team teaching: Work alongside a more experienced practitioner to learn new strategies.
Share successes: Discuss effective SST moments in team meetings.

Remember, the goal isn’t to criticise, but to learn and grow together.

Continuous Professional Development

There are many ways to expand your SST knowledge and skills:

Attend workshops: Look for training specifically focused on SST or related topics like questioning techniques.
Online courses: Consider e-learning options that allow you to study at your own pace.
Read widely: Stay up-to-date with current research and practice in early years education.

Practising Active Listening

Active listening is at the heart of SST. Try these exercises to hone your skills:

The silent game: Practice listening to a colleague for one minute without interrupting.
Paraphrasing practice: After a conversation, try summarising what the other person said.
Non-verbal cues: Pay attention to body language and facial expressions during interactions.

Expanding Your Question Repertoire

Develop a bank of open-ended questions to use in different situations:

Question challenge: Each day, try to use a new type of open-ended question.
Question audit: Review your questions at the end of the day. Were they truly open-ended?
Create a team question bank: Collaborate with colleagues to compile effective questions.

Building Your Knowledge Base

The more you know, the more you can engage in meaningful SST:

Follow children’s interests: If a child is fascinated by dinosaurs, brush up on your palaeontology!
Stay curious: Model lifelong learning by exploring new topics yourself.
Use reliable resources: Know where to find accurate information when you need it.

Developing Emotional Intelligence

SST isn’t just about cognitive skills – emotional intelligence is crucial too:

Practice empathy: Try to see situations from the child’s perspective.
Manage your emotions: Be aware of how your own feelings might impact interactions.
Create a feelings vocabulary: Expand the language you use to discuss emotions with children.

Embracing a Growth Mindset

Remember, becoming skilled at SST is a process:

Celebrate mistakes: View challenges as opportunities to learn and grow.
Seek feedback: Be open to constructive criticism from colleagues and managers.
Set personal goals: Regularly set and review targets for your SST practice.

For instance, you might set a goal to engage in at least three extended SST interactions each day, gradually increasing this over time.

Creating a Culture of SST

Encourage a setting-wide focus on SST:

Lead by example: Model SST in your interactions with both children and adults.
Discuss SST regularly: Make it a standing item in team meetings.
Celebrate SST moments: Recognise and praise colleagues when you observe effective SST.

Remember, developing your SST skills is an ongoing process. Be patient with yourself and celebrate your progress along the way. By continually reflecting on and refining your practice, you’ll be better equipped to provide rich, meaningful learning experiences for the children in your care.

In our next section, we’ll explore how to engage parents and caregivers in SST, extending the benefits of this approach beyond the setting and into children’s homes.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Get details of this online course here

Engaging Parents and Caregivers in SST

Sustained Shared Thinking doesn’t stop at the setting’s door. By involving parents and caregivers, we can extend the benefits of SST into children’s home environments. Let’s explore some strategies for engaging families in this powerful approach.

Sharing SST Strategies with Families

Help parents understand and use SST at home:

Parent workshops: Organise sessions to introduce SST concepts and techniques.
Information leaflets: Create easy-to-read guides with practical SST tips.
Regular updates: Share examples of SST moments in your setting’s newsletter or social media.

For instance, you might create a simple handout titled “5 Easy Ways to Encourage Thinking at Home”, featuring ideas like asking open-ended questions during bedtime stories.

Encouraging SST in Home Environments

Provide concrete ideas for SST opportunities at home:

Daily routines: Suggest ways to incorporate SST into everyday activities like cooking or bath time.
‘Think together’ challenges: Set simple tasks for families to explore together, like “How many different ways can you sort your socks?”
Question prompts: Offer a list of open-ended questions parents can use in various situations.

Remember, the goal is to make SST feel achievable, enjoyable and fun, not like another chore for busy parents.

Building Two-Way Communication

Create opportunities for parents to share their SST experiences:

SST journals: Encourage families to record thinking moments at home and share these with you.
Parent-child projects: Set tasks that involve SST and can be completed at home, then discussed in the setting.
Regular check-ins: Use drop-off and pick-up times to briefly discuss recent SST moments.

For example, you might ask 5-year-old Zara’s dad, “Zara was fascinated by shadows yesterday. Have you noticed her exploring this at home?”

Adapting to Diverse Family Contexts

Remember that every family is unique:

Multilingual families: Encourage SST in home languages. Provide key SST phrases in various languages.
Different family structures: Ensure your communication is inclusive of all family types.
Cultural sensitivity: Be aware that conversation styles and adult-child interactions vary across cultures.

Using Technology to Support Home-Setting SST Links

Leverage technology to bridge the gap between home and setting:

Apps and websites: Recommend child-friendly apps or sites that encourage thinking skills.
Video demonstrations: Create short clips showing SST in action to share with parents.
Online platforms: Use your setting’s online learning journal to highlight SST moments and suggest follow-up activities.

Celebrating Home Learning

Recognise and value SST happening at home:

SST display board: Create a space where families can share their thinking moments.
Show and tell: Invite children to discuss SST experiences from home during circle time.
Family SST awards: Consider simple certificates or stickers for families engaging in SST.

Supporting Parents’ Confidence

Some parents might feel unsure about engaging in SST:

Emphasise everyday opportunities: Show how SST can happen during normal routines, not just in ‘educational’ moments.
Start small: Encourage parents to begin with just one or two SST strategies and build from there.
Provide reassurance: Remind parents that it’s okay not to have all the answers. Learning together is valuable too!

For instance, you might say to a parent, “Remember, when Ethan asks ‘why’ for the hundredth time, it’s a great chance to explore ideas together!”

Addressing Common Challenges

Be prepared to support parents with SST hurdles:

Time constraints: Suggest quick SST moments that can fit into busy schedules.
Multiple children: Offer ideas for engaging siblings of different ages in SST together.
Reluctant children: Provide strategies for making SST feel like fun, not work.

Remember, the key is to make SST feel manageable and enjoyable for families. By working together with parents and caregivers, we can create a rich, thinking-focused environment that extends far beyond our settings.

In our final section, we’ll explore ways to measure the impact of SST in your setting, helping you to refine your practice and demonstrate the value of this approach to stakeholders.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Get details of this online course here

Measuring the Impact of SST

Assessing the effectiveness of Sustained Shared Thinking is crucial for refining our practice and demonstrating its value. Let’s explore various methods to measure the impact of SST in your setting.

Observation and Documentation Methods

Careful observation is key to understanding SST’s impact:

Learning journals: Record detailed SST interactions, noting children’s responses and developments over time.
SST tally charts: Track the frequency and duration of SST moments throughout the day.
Location: Keep a note of where the most SST happens or keep a chart in each area of your setting and tick when there is a SST interaction in that area.
Video observations: With appropriate permissions, record SST interactions for later analysis.

For example, you might note how 4-year-old Amir’s problem-solving skills develop over a series of SST interactions about building structures.

Using Assessment Frameworks

Incorporate SST into your existing assessment practices:

SSTEW scale: Use this specifically designed tool to evaluate your SST provision.
Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS): Link SST moments to the characteristics of effective learning and areas of learning and development.
Individual education plans: For children with SEND, include SST-related targets and track progress.

Remember, the goal is to use these frameworks to support children’s learning and to help your own CPD, not to create unnecessary paperwork.

Tracking Language Development

SST can have a significant impact on children’s language skills:

Vocabulary charts: Record new words introduced and used during SST interactions.
Conversation length: Note any increases in the duration of children’s contributions to discussions.
Complexity of language: Observe children’s use of more sophisticated sentence structures or reasoning words (because, therefore, etc.).

Monitoring Cognitive Skills

Look for improvements in thinking skills:

Problem-solving abilities: Note how children approach challenges before and after regular SST.
Creativity: Observe any increases in children’s imaginative thinking or novel ideas.
Critical thinking: Watch for children asking more probing questions or considering alternative viewpoints.

For instance, you might track how 5-year-old Zoe’s approach to building a den evolves over time, becoming more planned and considered.

Assessing Social and Emotional Development

SST can support children’s personal, social and emotional growth:

Emotional vocabulary: Note expansions in children’s ability to express and discuss feelings.
Empathy: Observe children’s growing awareness of others’ perspectives (Theory of Mind).
Confidence: Track children’s willingness to share ideas or take on challenges.

Gathering Feedback

Don’t forget to collect views from others:

Child voice: Ask children about their experiences. “What’s your favourite thing to think about with a grown-up?”
Parent surveys: Gather feedback on any changes parents notice at home.
Team reflections: Regularly discuss the impact of SST in staff meetings.

Long-term Benefits and Research Findings

While some impacts of SST may be immediately observable, others might only become apparent over time:

Transition information: Liaise with receiving schools to understand how children who’ve experienced SST fare in their next setting.
Research participation: Consider participating in academic studies on SST to contribute to the wider evidence base.

Creating Case Studies

In-depth case studies can provide rich evidence of SST’s impact:

Individual child studies: Track a child’s journey with SST over an extended period.
Thematic studies: Focus on how SST supports a particular area of learning, like scientific thinking.

For example, you might create a case study on how SST supported 3-year-old Mia’s understanding of change over time as she observed caterpillars transforming into butterflies.

Using Technology for Impact Measurement

Leverage digital tools to support your impact measurement:

Learning journey software: Use digital platforms to tag and track SST moments over time.
Data analysis tools: Consider using simple spreadsheets or apps to spot trends in your SST data.

Remember, measuring impact isn’t about creating perfect learners or ticking boxes. It’s about understanding how SST is supporting children’s development and how we can continually improve our practice.

By thoughtfully measuring the impact of SST, we can not only refine our approach but also advocate for its importance in Early Years education. After all, when we can demonstrate the power of rich, meaningful interactions, we’re championing quality early years practice for all children.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Get details of this online course here

Conclusion: Embracing Sustained Shared Thinking in Your Setting

As we wrap up our exploration of Sustained Shared Thinking, let’s take a moment to reflect on the journey we’ve undertaken together.

We’ve delved into what, why, and how of SST, uncovering its potential to transform our interactions with young children. From understanding its theoretical underpinnings to exploring practical strategies for implementation, we’ve seen how SST can enrich our Early Years practice.

Key takeaways include:

SST is more than just conversation; it’s a deliberate approach to extend children’s thinking and understanding.
There are recognised strategies that can help practitioners to improve their SST, even if they are not confident at first.
It can be used across all areas of the curriculum and with children of all ages, including babies and toddlers.
Successful SST relies on skills like active listening and positive questioning, which can be developed with practice.
Overcoming challenges, such as time constraints or engaging reluctant children, is possible with creative approaches.
Involving parents and caregivers can extend the benefits of SST beyond the setting.

Remember, implementing SST isn’t about perfection. It’s about creating an environment where thoughtful, extended interactions become a natural part of your daily practice. Start small, perhaps focusing on one or two SST interactions each day and build from there.

As you embark on your SST journey, keep in mind that every deep conversation, every shared problem-solving moment, is an opportunity to make a lasting impact on a child’s cognitive, social, and emotional development.

The beauty of SST lies in its simplicity. It doesn’t require expensive resources or complex training. It simply asks us to be present, to listen actively, and to engage genuinely with children’s ideas and theories about the world.

So, as you return to your setting, I encourage you to look for those SST moments. They might occur during a quiet one-to-one interaction, in the midst of bustling group play, or during everyday routines like snack time. Wherever they happen, seize them. Extend them. Relish them.

By embracing Sustained Shared Thinking, you’re not just improving your practice – you’re nurturing the thinkers, problem-solvers, and innovators of tomorrow. And that is truly powerful.

Remember, the journey doesn’t end here. Continue to reflect on your SST practice, share experiences with colleagues, and stay curious. After all, we’re on this learning journey alongside the children in our care.

Here’s to richer conversations, deeper understanding, and the joy of thinking together!

Frequently Asked Questions

How is SST Different from Regular Conversation with Children?

Question: How does Sustained Shared Thinking differ from everyday conversations we have with children?

SST goes beyond casual chat. It’s a deliberate approach where both adult and child contribute ideas, working together to solve problems or develop understanding. Unlike everyday talk, SST:

Involves extended back-and-forth exchanges
Focuses on deep thinking and problem-solving
Requires active listening and thoughtful questioning from the adult
Aims to extend the child’s thinking and understanding

For example, instead of simply answering a child’s question about why leaves change colour, you might explore the idea together, asking what they think and building on their ideas.

Can SST Be Used with Babies and Toddlers?

Question: Is Sustained Shared Thinking only for older children, or can it be used with babies and toddlers too?

Absolutely, SST can and should be used with our youngest learners! With babies and toddlers, SST might look like:

Mirroring and extending their vocalisations
Narrating their actions during play
Responding to their non-verbal cues and extending their explorations

For instance, when a baby is fascinated by a shiny object, you might explore it together, talking about how it feels, sounds, and moves. The key is to follow their lead and extend their interest through your interactions.

Remember, early SST experiences lay the foundation for later, more complex thinking skills (Siraj-Blatchford, 2009).

How Can I Find Time for SST in a Busy Setting?

Question: Our setting is always so busy. How can we make time for Sustained Shared Thinking?

Finding time for SST in a bustling environment can be challenging, but it’s not impossible:

Utilise routine moments: Nappy changes, mealtimes, and transitions can all be opportunities for one-to-one SST.
Create ‘SST pockets’: Designate short periods throughout the day specifically for focused interactions.
Rotate staff: Take turns engaging in SST while colleagues manage the wider group.
Integrate SST into planned activities: Design activities that naturally lend themselves to deep thinking and discussion.

Remember, even brief SST moments can be valuable. It’s about quality, not just quantity.

What If a Child Doesn’t Seem Interested in SST?

Question: What should I do if a child doesn’t seem interested in engaging in Sustained Shared Thinking?

Not every child will immediately engage in SST, and that’s okay. Here are some strategies to try:

Start with the child’s interests: Base your SST attempts around topics or activities the child enjoys.
Keep it playful: Frame SST as a fun exploration rather than a serious discussion.
Use concrete objects: Sometimes, having something tangible to explore can spark interest.
Be patient: Some children may need time to warm up to this style of interaction.
Consider timing: A child who’s tired, hungry, or overstimulated may not be ready for SST.

If a child consistently seems uninterested, reflect on whether your approach needs adjusting. Are you following their lead? Are your questions age-appropriate? Remember, SST should feel natural and enjoyable, not forced.

How Can We Measure the Impact of SST?

Question: We’re implementing SST in our setting, but how can we measure its impact?

Measuring the impact of SST involves both qualitative and quantitative approaches:

Observations: Record detailed SST interactions, noting children’s responses and developments over time.
Language tracking: Monitor improvements in vocabulary, conversation length, and complexity of language use.
Problem-solving skills: Observe how children’s approach to challenges evolves.
Social-emotional development: Track changes in children’s emotional vocabulary, empathy, and confidence.
Parent feedback: Gather insights from families about changes they notice at home.
Standardised tools: Consider using the SSTEW scale or linking SST to EYFS assessments.

Remember, some benefits of SST may only become apparent over time. Consider creating long-term case studies to capture the full impact of your SST practice.

For more detailed strategies, refer to the ‘Measuring the Impact of SST’ section in this guide.

References

Siraj-Blatchford, I., Sylva, K., Muttock, S., Gilden, R., & Bell, D. (2002). Researching effective pedagogy in the early years. Department for Education and Skills.
Sylva, K., Melhuish, E., Sammons, P., Siraj-Blatchford, I., & Taggart, B. (2004). The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Final Report. Institute of Education, University of London.
Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Harvard University Press.
Siraj-Blatchford, I. (2009). Conceptualising progression in the pedagogy of play and sustained shared thinking in early childhood education: A Vygotskian perspective. Educational and Child Psychology, 26(2), 77-89.

Kathy Brodie Sustained Shared Thinking: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide for Early Years Practitioners. Available at: https://www.kathybrodie.com/articles/guide-sst/ (Accessed: 01 June 2026)o.

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Get details of this online course here

The Good Play Guide’s Must-Have Toys This Christmas

Kathy Brodie — Fri, 17 Nov 2023 00:47:21 +0000

I’m delighted to share with you this post on Must-Have Toys this Christmas from Amanda Gummer and the team at the Good Play Guide.

Christmas is just around the corner and the shops are already full of Christmas toys and treats!

With just over one month to go until the main event, you are likely considering what presents to buy for your loved ones.

Here at the Good Play Guide, we pride ourselves on finding innovative educational products from smaller, independent companies, that kids will love!

Here are a few great products with a learning focus – buy them for the kids in your lives, or if you work in a school or nursery why not use this as a wish list for any parents looking to buy your class a lovely Christmas gift…

The Rock Stepper playmat has been designed to support early learning and development, encouraging phonics, word formation and early maths skills. Shapes, letters, numbers, colours, and pictures will keep children of different ages engaged and it comes with flashcards and access to an app, encouraging children to interact with the mat in different ways! The mat is well cushioned, meaning bumps and bruises will be avoided, and the reverse side has a stylish design on it so you can turn it over when it’s not being played with instead of putting it away each time.

CubeFun is a game that encourages children to be active and imaginative. The soft and lightweight cubes are rolled like dice, and players follow the instructions on each side. The Christmas-themed cube gives instructions such as ‘prance like a reindeer’, ‘twinkle like a star’ and ‘float like a snowflake’, to name but a few! The game not only encourages children to get moving but also helps to extend vocabulary. Keeping children active indoors is often a challenge and these soft cubes are great for a rainy day activity.

The striking Quickbuild London Bus Airfix model kit is a wonderful introduction to the world of model building and a lovely activity to do with your child over the Christmas break. The models are built brick by brick and there is no need for glue, making the process mess free! Building sets like this are great for helping to strengthen children’s hand muscles and for developing their manual dexterity, hand-eye coordination and logical thinking, and will give them a real sense of pride when they have completed the life-like model.

Ollyball is a great lightweight ball for indoor and outdoor use. Made from recycled astronaut kits, it is durable and has a fantastic colourable skin – a great way for children to get creative! The colouring-book style graphics on the ball capture children’s attention and provide hours of fun. Children will intuitively use familiar ball play to create their own personalised, indoor games with family and friends and get everyone active this Christmas.

The inspirational Little Rebels plush dolls with their associated app are a great way to help children learn about iconic women such as Marie Curie, Amelia Earhart, and Malala Yousafzai, whilst playing imaginatively. The dolls provide strong female role models promoting gender equality and are a great tool to help children develop their knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

Nurturing Baby Brains: Key Insights on the First 60 Days and 1000 Days

Kathy Brodie — Wed, 08 Nov 2023 10:49:08 +0000

The first months and years of a child’s life are critical for healthy development, which is why I was so excited to speak with two experts on the neuroscience of early childhood.

Deborah McNelis and Nathan Wallace shared fascinating research on how baby brains grow and practical tips to provide the responsive care little ones need. As an early childhood educator, their insights gave me so much to think about in caring for infants in my own setting.

Let’s dive into the key takeaways on supporting our smallest humans during the foundational period of the “4th trimester” and first 1000 days.

The 4th Trimester: Why the First 60 Days Matter
Deborah McNelis explained how the first 60 days are like a 4th trimester, where newborns need round-the-clock nurturing to finish their development outside the womb.

A baby’s brain forms 1 million neural connections each second at this time based on their caregiving experiences! A consistent, responsive bond wires the brain for lifelong emotional and physical health.

Primary Caregiving in Childcare Settings
Both experts emphasized the importance of a primary caregiver model where babies bond closely with one or two consistent teachers. This “dyadic” caregiving approach mimics the evolutionary environment human brains expect.

Frequent transitions between multiple caregivers raise infant stress. Childcare centers should prioritize assigning infant teachers as primary caregivers to support secure attachment, something that the EYFS advocates with the Key Person approach.

Look Inside Developing Brains
Nathan Wallace described how experiences shape gene expression in the first 1000 days from conception to age two and a half. Low-stress environments allow more energy to build the “higher” brain centers for emotional regulation, problem-solving and learning.

Trauma and adversity in this period can significantly impact brain architecture. While not irreversible, it takes more effort to “rewire” neural pathways later on.

Fuel Creativity to Boost Brains
I loved Wallace’s point that creativity fuels cognitive development! Allowing infants endless opportunities for play without structured academics builds the foundation for intelligence.

He said genius Albert Einstein attributed his scientific breakthroughs to a nurturing early childhood full of creative freedom.

This emphasizes the different roles of early educators compared to primary teachers. We scaffold play much more than giving direct instruction.

Takeaway for Educators
Both experts agreed the most important thing is a nurturing relationship between caregiver and child. Infants need to feel heard and emotionally reflected before logical explanations. A little empathy goes a long way with our wee ones!

The research on brain development shows how early educators should have empathy and patience for the learning journey infants embark on each day. I hope these insights help you see their world through a neuroscience lens as well.

What are your biggest takeaways on supporting baby brains? Share your thoughts in the comments!

Want to find out more?

Both of the sessions discussed here are available to Early Years TV Premium Members:
You can find Deborah McNelis’s session here
And Nathan Wallis’s session here

Nature – and speech and language development

Kathy Brodie — Wed, 18 Jan 2023 23:51:19 +0000

Speech and language development in young children is crucial for their overall cognitive and social development, and what better way to develop it than through natural materials in our settings?

Natural materials, such as wooden blocks, shells, leaves, sticks and pebbles, provide a wealth of opportunities for children to explore and engage with the world around them. These materials have a number of benefits for speech and language development, including:

Encouraging Vocabulary Development: Natural materials have unique textures, shapes, sizes and weights, which can help children learn new words and concepts. For example, children can learn the names of different types of leaves; descriptive words for tactile materials such as spiky, cold, heavy; smells and tastes all unique to natural materials.

Facilitating Communication: Children often use natural materials as props in their play, which can help them to communicate their ideas and thoughts to others. For example, a child might use a rock to represent a character in a story they are telling.

Enhancing Social Interaction: Natural materials often encourage children to work together and collaborate, which can help them to develop social skills and improve their communication. For example, children might work together to build a tower with wooden blocks, which requires them to take turns and communicate with each other. They may have to work together to carry a large stick.

Improving Attention and concentration: Natural materials often have unique characteristics that capture children’s attention and interest, which can help them to focus and concentrate on an activity. For example, children might spend a long time examining a particular leaf, which helps them to develop their attention and concentration skills.

Overall, natural materials provide a rich and varied learning environment for young children, which can help to promote their speech and language development.

Healthy Bodies and Oral Hygiene

Kathy Brodie — Tue, 06 Jul 2021 19:00:55 +0000

The Importance of Music and Movement

Kathy Brodie — Thu, 25 Mar 2021 22:59:53 +0000

Guest post by Helen Battelley

We only need to stop and observe young children to see how movement is embedded within the very core of all early childhood development. Physical activity broadens our capacity to grow and is essential to a child’s optimal development.

However, living in a global pandemic has changed the way children access movement play. During 2020 and 2021, children had fewer opportunities for physical play with play parks, extra-curricular clubs and leisure centres closed. Research indicates many young children’s physical activity levels and play experiences diminished during lockdown, particularly for those living in urban areas alongside minority ethnic groups (The Sutton Trust, 2020; Ofsted, 2020).

Why is music and movement so important in early childhood?

Musical play and movement play with music are significant forms of play and are used in all cultures. There is an abundance of evidence to support the role of an infant’s innate response to rhythm and sounds in establishing early communicative abilities. Introducing young children to rhythm and musical experiences is keenly associated with developing language and reading skills, and the ability to perceive and produce rhythm. In 2005, a fascinating study carried out by Phillips-Silver and Trainor tested infants’ movement responses to auditory encoding of rhythmic patterns. The study identified babies and infants had the ability to feel rhythm in their bodies, presenting a physiological response to music, further reiterating music is an intrinsic part of our being and a powerful tool for motivation.

The benefits of musical play are seen in a wide range of children’s developing abilities, including those related to social interaction, communication, literacy, emotional understanding, memory, self-regulation and creativity (Kirschner and Tomasello, 2010). We can observe the power of music in our own lives, by seeing how certain songs evoke memories and responses. My go-to song to uplift and motivate me is ‘Chain Reaction’ by Diana Ross!

How can we best support young children in a post-COVID world?

Primarily, we will need to be available and aware of the potential challenges each individual child may have encountered and allow time for children to develop relationships and social skills above all else. Ensuring your provision is developmentally appropriate is essential. The components of DAP (Developmentally Appropriate Practice) are:

Child development and learning pedagogy
Each child as an individual and unique
The cultural and social contexts of each aspect of a child’s environment
Moving away from a ladder of progression mentality and adopting a more holistic approach, and an interweaving of the developmental processes

Simple activities that you can do with children

Start with simple, fun activities which can be further developed at home. For example, you can make a paper fortune teller and add a physical activity or action rhyme behind each number i.e. 10 star Jumps. Children can progress to make their own fortune tellers, promoting agency over the activity and encouraging their own creativity. Here is a link that shows how to make a fortune teller. Once created, simply add your activity behind the numbers.

Combine ideas with movement

Ideas that are communicated in parallel with actions (e.g. gestures and actions) are remembered better because general memory ability is enhanced by physical exercise (Madan and Singhal, 2012).

The more elements used within an activity will determine the vividity of the memory, triggering our auditory and visual memory which will be enhanced if we use gestures, a third component.

Here is an example of gesture associated rhyme.

Discover music with children

Listening to music together can be a shared, inclusive experience and promotes social bonding. Try creating some simple activities using music for motivation or as a rhythmic tool. Here’s an idea: Play Bjork’s ‘Oh So Quiet’ and invite children to travel around the space. When the music is quiet, encourage them to travel slowly (e.g. creeping or tiptoeing) and when the music is louder suggest they make larger and noisier movements (e.g. stomping, skipping or jogging).

Click here for an activity to introduce young children to musical instruments.

How does movement play support child development?

Anthropologists and the World Health Organisation suggest prolonged periods of sedentary behaviour (e.g. sitting) in early childhood reduces the ability to learn from experiences and produces developmental delays. Higher levels of physical activity during early childhood are associated with improved health outcomes, whereas sedentary behaviour is associated with poorer health outcomes. Prolonged periods of sedentary time and a lack of socio-dramatic play are also associated with an increased risk of loneliness, social anxiety and depression in children and adolescents. We must evaluate how much time children are spending in sedentary positions and make changes and choices to reduce that time.

As parents or educators, we can often feel the need to rush children to the next milestone. But children need time and space to develop relationships and connections to become feeling and thinking human beings. And they mainly learn through first-hand experiences: through interaction with their peers, objects around them and the wider environment. To support early language skills children must experience diverse vocabularies and language rich environments of stories, rhymes and actions songs before focusing on literacy outcomes (Pascal, 2018). The more diverse experiences a child encounters, the further learning potential.

Sources

Ofsted (2020) COVID-19 series: briefing on early years, October 2020. Available here.

Pascal, C., Bertram, T., Cullinane, C., Holt-White, E. (2020) COVID-19 and Social Mobility. Impact Brief #4: Early Years. The Sutton Trust. Available here.

Phillips-Silver, J. & Trainor, L.J (2005) Feeling the beat: movement influences infant rhythm perception.

Kirschner, S. & Tomasello, M. (2010) Joint music making promotes prosocial behavior in 4-year-old children. Evolution and human behaviour.

Madan, C. R., & Singhal, A. (2012). Using actions to enhance memory: effects of enactment, gestures, and exercise on human memory. Frontiers in psychology, 3, 507. Available here.

Pascal C., Bertram T. and Peckham K. (2018) DfE Review of Evidence on EYFS Early Learning Goals, Teaching Content and Pedagogy in Reception Year. DfE: London.

Helen Battelley is an internationally renowned Early Years consultant, trainer and author. Helen is the Founder and Director of Music + Movement, which delivers dance and movement workshops for children and CPD for practitioners.

She is the author of 50 Fantastic Ideas for Songs and Rhymes, a dip-in collection of rhymes, action songs and funny verse that come with tips and fun ideas to make the most out of the song. Find out more about Helen’s work here www.musicandmovement.org.uk and follow her on Twitter @musicandmove

Nature as a third teacher: Play cues and returns

Kathy Brodie — Mon, 15 Feb 2021 10:18:56 +0000

Guest post by Marina Robb, The Outdoor Teacher

The more that time goes on, the more I value nature as a third teacher!

There is this dynamic when we work outdoors with someone else, that is influenced by the context of nature – the three aspects being: the adult practitioners, the client or ‘young person/s’ and the natural world. As everything is actually alive and changing, they all affect each other’s experience of the moment.

Nature is our natural habitat and there is something, often below conscious awareness that allows us to encounter our natural selves. Usually being outdoors is a very pleasant experience, one which millions of people seek out for their own mental well-being. ‘Our natural self’ is the larger self that is absorbing and interacting through the senses with the external world. It includes the air we breathe and how touching a natural material may sooth or scare us!

In many ways our role as early years nature-based practitioners is to protect a particular time and space for the children, whilst they explore and play. Perry Else and Gordon Sturrock (1998) coined the term, Play Cycle and offered us terms such as play ‘cue’ and ‘returns’ for us to become more effective in our interactions with children’s play.
Cue: A lure or an invite
Return: The response

In this piece of writing, I am playing with their ideas of ‘cues’ and ‘returns’ to try to demonstrate how this is happening all the time when we are in nature. Often in human to human relationships, we value how that interaction may bring us a new piece of knowledge, or help us to feel emotionally safe and we accept in education that an adult will transfer knowledge to or teach something to a younger person. There is a general understanding in child development that there is an ongoing ‘serve and return’ between children and their carers – allowing for healthy emotional attachment.

What is less understood or valued is how the natural world also ‘returns’ our ‘cues’ and offers a vast spectrum of learning. This relationship ‘returns’ and grows our intellectual, physical, emotional and spiritual selves. As a child slips in the mud, the ‘return’ is multifaceted – from building of muscles, to the coolness of the mud, to the increase in bacteria in their gut, to emotional resilience. Nature as the teacher, is quite a complex, wise and far-reaching guide!

And nature is also full of ‘cues’. The temptation to climb the boughs of the tree, the taste of a black berry, the sensation of safety hidden in a secret place, the drops of water on our faces – and what is our ‘return’? We can interact, have a dialogue, transform it, fight and destroy it, or honour and cherish it. We can neglect and love it. We can transform what feels stuck into something that begins to flow and once again change occurs. In neuroscience we talk about mirror neurons, where we learn through imitation. In the natural world we experience that life has a cycle with beginnings and endings and is changing. From this we hopefully feel comfort with this common ground.

Nature as a teacher is almost the ideal role model – available and non-judgemental, a wonderful listener and seemingly generous and unconditional. For many of us, and I include myself who have struggled with humans at different points, nature is a reservoir of refuge. Nature speaks in metaphors and the language of feeling and we often find ourselves feeling this love – the cue is love and the return is love. This forms what we could call healthy place attachment, so that to be a healthy person we are healthily attached to ourselves, others and the natural world.

At the simplest, this is the basis of the model that I work with as a nature practitioner. That the most important invitation is to be what we are.

“Everything in nature invites us constantly to be what we are.” (Gretel Ehrlich)
This means that ideally, the space we offer is welcoming of difference and that we are watching closely for these ‘cues’ and ‘returns’ and do not assume that we are here to fill people up with knowledge, rather to encourage this intrinsic exploration, and to protect, as much as possible, that space from external agendas. All the time being mindful of this dynamic between the practitioners, the clients and the natural world and watching what wants to emerge.
I have always been interested in other cultures’ views of the human and natural world and how they approach community and nature. A nature-centric model as seen below helps us to frame human life within a wider natural world. It simplifies to me how a child, or a young animal needs to learn through this ‘serve’ and ‘return’ relationship and how nature, the context for our life, constantly provides this education.

Reference

Sturrock, G and Else, P (1998) ‘The playground as therapeutic space Playwork as healing’ (known as “The Colorado Paper’), available as part of the Therapeutic Reader One (2005) Southampton: Common Threads: https://ipaewni.files.wordpress.com/2016/05/colorado-paper.pdf

Find out more about the Play Cycle from Dr Pete King on Early Years TV here

Find out more about Marina Robb, The Outdoor Teacher, by clicking here or visiting their website here: https://www.theoutdoorteacher.com/

Meet the Author

Marina Robb has more than 30 years of experience in outdoor learning and nature connection and is the founder and Managing Director of Circle of Life Rediscovery Community Interest Company and The Outdoor Teacher Ltd, both leading organisations that aim to transform education and health through nature.

Marina’s book, Learning with Nature, foreworded by Chris Packham, is considered a must-have book for Forest School & Outdoor practitioners. Her second book, The Essential Guide to Forest School and Nature Pedagogy, published in 2021, contains everything you need to know from theory to practice.

‘Art is a necessity of human life’

Kathy Brodie — Mon, 21 Dec 2020 14:28:03 +0000

“I would have a workshop attached to every school, and one hour a day given up to the teaching of simple decorative arts. It would be a golden hour to the children”.

Oscar Wilde (first spoken on May 11, 1882 probably*)

Almost 140 years ago, Oscar Wilde understood that art and the appreciation of practical handicrafts was an essential part of children’s education.

Most Early Years settings value creativity and imagination in young children, encouraging practical activities.

However, there is a worrying trend that children should be ‘catching up’ on literacy and maths that they’ve missed, rather than the opportunities for the arts.

Maybe there should be an increase in access to dance, music, visual arts and handicrafts instead.

Or maybe we could consider another of Oscar Wilde’s wise insights, from the same lecture, that art is a ‘necessity of human life’.

*https://lnkd.in/djP3hbj

A reflection on starting out

Kathy Brodie — Sun, 25 Oct 2020 11:16:12 +0000

When I was just starting out as an Early Years consultant, I knew that I needed to let nurseries know what training I could offer and how I could help them. Bearing in mind that was well over a decade ago, when social media was in its infancy, this was trickier than it sounds now.

I was confident that I could help many nurseries, because the EYFS was about to become statutory and I had already been implementing it into the setting I was working at, as well as reading up as much as possible on written observations, development matters and the huge pack of documents that formed the Early Years Foundation Stage in the early days.

I had to reach out to those nurseries who I felt would be most interested in getting additional training and support, in an effective and professional way.

So, I bought some high-quality paper, had business cards printed and crafted letters of introduction to post to nurseries, costing me a lot for a new, small business. I spent time scouring through Ofsted reports of nurseries and settings. I chose to focus on the nurseries whose Ofsted reports had recommended improvements because I felt they would be the most interested in raising their inspection grades and they had clearly identified areas for improvement.

Wrong!

Not a single response, even with follow up phone calls.

And then an Outstanding nursery contacted me to design and deliver training for them…

It’s obvious – now – that it’s the managers and leaders of Outstanding settings who value well-trained staff, who want to have training that is specific because they have already identified for themselves where improvements need to be made, and who know the personal benefit to staff morale when they invest money into staff development.

The other reflection is that these settings rarely commission training to satisfy the requirements of an inspection report, but they do it for the benefit of the children and in the interests of good pedagogy. Often the inspection report identifies symptoms rather than root causes of poor practice because there is only so much that you can unpick during a one day visit. It is down to the staff within the setting to clearly identify what is needed in their unique circumstances, in their unique setting. And also being aware that this will change from year to year, cohort to cohort.

Counterintuitively – it’s probably the people who are already good who want to improve!

A Gender Gap in the Early Years?

Kathy Brodie — Wed, 21 Oct 2020 11:17:44 +0000

A guest post by Verity Downing (MEd Open) – Master of Education

Qualified Early Years Practitioner and Independent Academic

Within this reflective opinion piece, I refer to ‘female students’ and ‘girls’ and ‘male students’ and ‘boys’ as a matter of reflecting the phrases used in the government data, although, I respectfully acknowledge that gender and sex are deeply personal states of being that everyone expresses differently.

This title is ambiguous, I grant you. But what I’m referring to is the gap between the success of female students and male students across the EYFS that has remained a constant from 2013 to the present (DfE, 2019). This may come as a little bit of a shock, especially as I think it’s fair to say that we’ve become accustomed to describing our EYFS as ‘gender neutral’.

While it is an absolute positive that we can see, from information published in October of 2019, that the “gender gap continues to decrease” (DfE, 2019), it has only done so by “0.6 ppts from 2018” (DfE, 2019). This translates to girls still exceeding the success of boys with regard to “a good level of development” (DfE, 2019) by “12.9 ppts” (DfE, 2019). The biggest consistent gap between the success of boys and girls can be seen in reading and writing, however, in recent years, gaps are becoming worryingly evident in “self-confidence and self-awareness […] and the world” (DfE, 2019).

These gaps lead me to think: are girls outperforming boys, or are these gaps showing themselves because there is a disparity between what practitioners expect from boys and girls, or perhaps, looking farther afield, do the ELGs and Development Matters statements lend themselves towards stereotypically feminine strengths? I will stop myself from going down the rabbit hole of theoretical comparisons and the fundamental underlying principles of EYFS’ culture, and instead, concentrate on how we can tackle this disparity and ensure that no child is being disadvantaged as a result of their sex or gender expression.

My concerns with there being a gap between the success of boys and girls at this early age are;

that boys may not be being supported to reach their full potential,
that girls are seen to be over-achieving in the EYFS and are consequently being set-up for a fall in their future education (due to teachers’ expectations being too high of them as they were seen to be doing so well in the EYFS) and,
that these gaps could continue into later life.

It is our responsibility to liberate children from the “deleterious impact of gender-stereotypes” (Wolter et al., 2013, p. 64) and support them as they develop confidence and capabilities across the social and educational spectrum. A wide-ranging set of skills and interests will serve them well in the long-run.

Researchers offer the following explanations for the persisting gap:

It is thought that practitioners could fall into adopting traditional gender-based stereotypes of children (Baroody and Diamond (2012), Chapman (2016) and Runions (2014)), which can affect the children’s outcomes (Matthews et al., 2009), Robinson-Cimpian et al., 2014).
Sanford (2005) suggests that there is the chance that learning and educational development is happening in the EYFS, but that it is not being recognised. This goes back to my point that EYFS guidance tends to focus on feminine strengths. If, for example, boys are regularly seen playing with the blocks, it is possible that this familiarity closets the learning that is taking place (this example may explain the gap that is evident in “shape, space and measure” (DfE, 2019).
This also relates to practitioner’s valuing and recognition of behaviour that fits with their gender-based ideals. Chapman (2016), in her work that delved into how gendered ideas affect play within Australian EYFS settings, details that EYFS practitioners may give varying amounts, and types, of feedback to their students depending on their sex and behaviour.
While it goes without saying that all EYFS practitioners strive to ensure that they have relationships with the children that encourage feelings of safety, trust and fun, it is thought that girls are more likely to have better relationships with practitioners than boys, as their perceived superior social skills bias practitioners towards them (Robinson-Cimpian et al. (2014), Runions (2014) and Sanford (2005)). This in turn will influence where the children play and consequently what learning experiences they encounter. It could be concluded that the feeling of safety that is cultivated through these relationships may lead to female students exploring more areas of the setting, and boys not, resulting in the ELG gender gap (Downing, 2020).
Children may police each other with regard to behaving within gender stereotypes. Prioletta and Pyle (2017), who spent a considerable amount of time observing EYFS children at play in settings in Ontario, Canada, found that “in 70% of the videos, girls and boys played separately” (p. 398). This data also showed that the predominantly girl-only play happened at “the art/writing centre” (p. 398) and the boys-only play was mostly observed at “the blocks centre” (p. 399). I imagine that this will be relatable to many. This peer-on-peer policing based on understandings of gender can restrict the breadth of learning experiences that the children have. The writers go on to detail how at the girls-only play centres, the opportunities for literacy learning experiences were abundant, yet this is not the case for the boys-only play (Prioletta and Pyle, 2017). There is probable cause to think that this trend could be partially responsible for the gap in outcomes that are presented in the government data.

What can we do about this?

The smallest changes can make the biggest of differences.

Invite as many different people into your setting as possible. Sometimes there is nothing more influential than for a child to meet a ‘real-life [insert job title]’. Additionally, think carefully about how you interact with your visitor and the language used about them as the children will follow your lead. This then leads into ensuring that your setting represents people defying gender stereotypes in society. Also, if a female/male comes in to visit and is in a traditionally feminine/masculine job, ensure that this is as equally represented and appreciated as someone who is working outside of gender stereotypes.
This leads on to ensuring that we are mindful about the language and phrases that we use when around the children. “Matthew, can you please hold the door open as you’re a big, strong boy” may seem like a harmless phrase, but this is conveying all sorts of messages to Matthew and the other children who are listening in.
Think critically about how you assess your children. “Dominic is playing with the blocks again. I’ve already got an observation of him using positional language”. Don’t overlook this; what else is happening there? Is he sharing and taking on his friends’ ideas? Is he persisting when that top block wont quite stay still? Is he making a garage just like the one that mummy took the car to on the weekend for it to be fixed? Sometimes we have to look beyond what is right in-front of us and recognise the children’s play for its variety and value.
We need to get to know our children. The more that we talk 1:1, in small groups and in bigger groups with our children, the better. This immediately nips in the bud any chance of us falling into gender stereotypes if we can value and understand our children for their special, individual, little selves. Also, choose a topic to discuss with your key group. Let’s say ‘People who help us’. Brainstorm it together and model using inclusive language. If an unhelpful gender stereotype comes up, address it. Handle the situation gently and ask lots of questions. “Girls can’t be firemen!” “Why do you think that? Have you seen this book where there are lots of pictures of girl firefighters? Heather, would you like to be a firefighter when you grow up? It would be great to help people, wouldn’t it?”. These conversations allow us to open the children’s horizons.
Let’s encourage the children’s ownership of the resources. If you notice that one area is dominated by boys which could potentially alienate girls, or vice-versa, address it! Ask the boys why they don’t play with the playdough. “We like to play outside”. So, take the playdough outside! “We like the building area”. Incorporate little diggers and signposts into the outdoor playdough area. The results can be astonishing! Plus, think of all of those opportunities for incorporating fine-motor skills and mark-making skills into that play. I can sense the reading and writing gap narrowing as I type!
This then opens up the wonderful world of the role-play area. Building on from your brainstorming, “Perhaps we could turn our role-play area into a fire station?” Facilitate the children to have an input into creating this area. The opportunities for encouraging inclusive play in this area are endless. Oh, and get involved! Model playing different roles. This is a great way to build and strengthen your relationships with the children that will encourage them to see you in a whole new light. Prioletta and Pyle (2017) say “becoming involved in children’s play can be a useful way for practitioners to encourage […] alternative ways to be a girl or boy” (p. 405). We mustn’t underestimate our competences, versatility, and adaptability, and instead should push ourselves and capitalise on it because we can be incredibly influential in showing the children that everything is available to them.
In an ideal world, there would be a more balanced EYFS workforce, with more men joining the profession. However, when reflecting on their research, Wolter et al. (2013) said:

“it is not the biological gender of the kindergarten practitioner per se that has a differential effect on girls’ versus boys’ competence. Rather, our female practitioners were just as effective in supporting individual learning in boys as in girls as long as they took care not to provide predominately feminine gender-typed activities but offered masculine gender-typed activities to the same extent” (p. 64).

I have written this piece, chose to focus on it for my Masters research, and hope to continue researching it during future Doctoral work, because I really believe that we owe our littlest learners the best start to their education; a start that is free from the restraints that society puts on sex and gender expression. We want our learners to develop skills and interests in the widest reaching range possible. We want our learners to take these skills and interests on into the big wide world and change it for the better. We want our learners to be whatever they want to be, and we as practitioners can support that. And it’s wonderful.

(Please note, statistics for the 2019-2020 period were due to be released this month, however, due to the pandemic, the scheduled release will not be going ahead https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/announcements/early-years-foundation-stage-profile-results-in-england-2019-to-2020)

References:

Baroody, A. and Diamond, K. (2013) ‘Measures of preschool children’s interest and engagement in literacy activities: Examining gender differences and construct dimensions’, Early Childhood Research Quarterly, 28(1), pp. 291-301.

Chapman, R. (2016) ‘A case study of gendered play in preschools: how early childhood educators’ perceptions of gender influence children’s play’, Early Child Development and Care, vol. 186, no. 8, pp. 1271-1284.

Department for Education (DfE) (2019) Early years foundation stage profile results in England: 2019, [Online], Data Insight and Statistics Division, Department for Education. Available at https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/839934/EYFSP_2019_Main_Text_Oct.pdf (Accessed 5 October 2020).

Downing, V. (2020) ‘The stronger the bonds, the greater the chances of success: Actioning on research to address the gender-based achievement gap in the Early Years’, Impact: The Journal of the Chartered College of Teaching, Issue 10, Autumn 2020, pp. 34-36.

Matthews, J. S., Cameron Ponitz, C. and Morrison, F. (2009) ‘Early Gender Differences in Self-Regulation and Academic Achievement’, Journal of Educational Psychology, 101(3), pp. 689-704.

Prioletta, J. and Pyle, A. (2017) ‘Play and gender in Ontario kindergarten classrooms: implications for literacy learning’, International Journal of Early Years Education, vol. 24, no. 4, pp. 393-408.

Robinson-Cimpian, J., Ganley, C. and Copur-Genctruk, Y. (2014) ‘Practitioners’ Perceptions of Students Mathematics Proficiency May Exacerbate Early Gender Gaps in Achievement’, Developmental Psychology, 50(4), pp. 1262-1281.

Runions, K. (2014) ‘Does Gender Moderate the Association Between Children’s Behaviour and Practitioner-Child Relationship in the Early Years?’, Australian Journal of Guidance and Counselling, vol. 24, no. 2, pp. 197-214.

Sanford, K. (2005) ‘Gendered Literacy Experiences: The Effects of Expectation and Opportunity for Boys’ and Girls’ Learning’, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, 49(4), pp. 302-315.

Wolter, I., Gluer, M. and Hannover, B. (2013) ‘Gender-typicality of activity offerings and child-practitioner relationship closeness in German “Kindergarten”. Influences on the development of spelling competence as an indicator of early basic literacy in boys and girls’, Learning and Individual Differences, vol. 31, no. n.a, pp. 59-65.

But what is ‘normal’?

Kathy Brodie — Tue, 06 Oct 2020 16:45:40 +0000

Growing up, we lived in the countryside – right out in the countryside. For us, part of normal school life was getting the bus into school, right from Reception age to school leaving age.
This was the case for more or less every child from every surrounding village. The bus would weave from place to place, picking up children outside their homes and ending up at school some considerable time later.

As children, we would know the bus driver’s names, have our favourite seats, our friendship groups. We would chat on the bus, share snacks, collaborate on homework and generally grow up together.

This was all entirely normal for us all.

When my husband talked about his journey to school, it was about walking together through his housing estate with his mates, meeting up with friends on the street after school or going to buy sweets from the local shops – all of which sounded incredibly exotic, odd and scary to me!

But for each of us, our experiences were ‘normal’. It’s what we did, how we grew up in the age and place that we lived.

Currently everyone – adults and children – are living through a pandemic that has turned the world upside down. As adults, parents, practitioners, educators, teachers, we’ve tried to keep things as regular as possible, whether that is lessons, seeing our loved ones or regular activities. This has been possible because we knew how things were done in the past. However, for young children, whatever we do is normal for them at that time.

It has never been more important to understand that for children whatever happens is ‘normal’ because this releases adults from the pressure of feeling that children have ‘missed out’ on experiences or activities. You may’ve planned a summer holiday that got cancelled but spent time all together at home instead. For the children, they will still remember a summer holidays spent together. The children may’ve missed playing with their friends at nursery, but instead have formed closer friendships with different aged children in your street or siblings, who they would not normally see because the older children would be in school.

Just as my experiences of travelling to and from school are different to my husband’s experiences of before and after school – but still be entirely normal for each of us – children will see these times as ‘normal’ for them.

So, please don’t worry too much about the ‘missing-outs’ or ‘catching-ups’ – enjoy the benefits instead.

Spirals in Nature

Kathy Brodie — Wed, 04 Mar 2020 19:45:16 +0000

I used to think that there was nothing better than a children’s book with great illustrations and a compelling story.

Last week I discovered that a book with great illustrations, a delightful story, set in nature, including facts for discussion AND links to schematic play, is even better!

The book is called Swirl by Swirl: Spirals in Nature, written by Joyce Sidman and illustrated by Beth Krommes.

In it, Joyce explains the benefits of spirals in nature, from fitting into small places to being strong and being able to hold on. She includes the more obvious spirals in nature, such as the sunflower head and daisy, but also includes whirlpools, tornadoes and waves. Within each full-colour page, the correct names are given for each spiral, such as the nautilus shell.

The love of nature and of being outdoors is obvious throughout the book but combines this the science in an engaging way.

Then, on the final pages, the science is explored in a child-friendly and easily explained way, just right to start the conversations with children about the way spirals support and help nature – from the butterfly’s tongue to the Fibonacci sequence.

This is an ideal book for children who may be exploring spirals or rotation in their schematic play, especially with Beth’s charming illustrations, which are full of tiny, precise details to discover.

In short, this is a book that can be enjoyed for its lyrical words, gorgeous and meticulous illustrations or the science of spirals in nature. That has to be perfection!

You can purchase both Kindle and hardback editions of the book on Amazon here (Affiliate link) or order from your local bookstore.

Quality story books reflecting positive images for all

Kathy Brodie — Tue, 14 Jan 2020 17:21:39 +0000

Quality Story Books for the Foundation Stage reflecting positive images for all
By Fiona Greenwood

I was delighted to be contacted by Fiona to tell me that she’d been inspired by Kala Williams’s Early Years TV interview. Here’s what happened:

After watching Kala Williams on Early Years TV I became painfully aware of how few books we had in our Nursery which reflected diversity. It also made me think about stereotypes in children’s books and illustrations and I decided to spend some of our fundraising money on some good quality books.

As Kala had discussed, it struck me how few books there are which reflect Britain today so after searching the Internet I phoned my local Waterstones to help me in my quest.

They were incredibly happy to help and it was brilliant to see how many appropriate books they had for sale in their store. Vicky also ordered more for me and below is the start of what will become our new library. Some of these titles will also become our Core Books which the children will get to know extremely well.

I am Assistant Head at a predominantly white British Nursery School which made it so important for us to question the books we had and purchase new books which showed positive images of our whole society, not just of our immediate area.

This first list are great stories that depict black girls as the main character – not set in Africa – but here at home!
Look up! by Nathan Bryon
Billy and The Beast. by Nadia Shireen
Biily and The Dragon. by Nadia Shireen
Suzy Orbit Astronaut by Ruth Quayle
Ten Minutes to Bed Little Mermaid by Rhiannon Fielding
The Dinosaur Department Store by Lily Murray
Cendrillon by Robert San Souci is a fabulous Caribbean Cinderella. Imagine the discussions with this book!

Here are a few books where the illustrations depict diversity
Jack and the Flum Flum Tree by Julia Donaldson
When a Dragon Comes to Stay by Caryl Hart
Flotsam by David Weisz

The next few books kick stereotyping into touch for both boys and girls
Pink is for Boys by Eda Kaban
Not Every Princess by Jeffrey Bone
The Girls by Lauren Ace (This is a beautiful book)
Julian is a Mermaid by Jessica Love

And a few Early Years books about our environment in danger
World in Danger by Frankie Morland
Greta and The Giants by Zoe Tucker
A Planet full of Plastic by Neal Layton ( with multicultural images too)

Five Fantastic Faeces Facts

Kathy Brodie — Fri, 10 Jan 2020 09:00:10 +0000

Five Fantastic Faeces Facts. (5 minute read, just for laughs)
by Jungle Jo

Yes that’s right, I’m going to talk about poop. Some of you may find it a bit disgusting and others like me chuckle about it. I’m surrounded by it every day with my animals and children so to do my job I need a crazy sense of humour. Like it or not poop is really interesting and super important for the planet. There are several names such as dung, frass, guano, droppings, pats, manure, pellets, scat, dodo, number 2’s etc. dozens to choose from. It all depends on the animal its structure, shape and what the animal eats. Whatever you want to call it here are some cool facts for you to chuckle about.

1. Animals eat poop including humans. Animals can eat it to hide the scent of their babies from other animals such as wolves eating their pups poop. Some animals like rabbits will poop a soft nutritional pellet overnight and eat it. So actually eat their own poop (imagine that). The first time they ate it, their digestion hasn’t completely absorbed all the nutrients so they don’t waste it; they just eat it a second time round. Cockroaches, worms and millipedes eat other animal poop which cleans up the planet but then they will poo an amazing fertiliser which in turn grows our fruits, trees and veg. Of course the dung beetle is the most famous poop eater of them all. Thank you very much poo eaters you rock.

Humans can use poop in our food products the most expensive coffee in the world has been eaten and excreted through a civet cat. There are drinks such as beer and even green tea which benefit from faeces. Finally shellac is the excretion from an insect which we use to coat many of those tasty crunchy coated sweets which we all love. Yummy…

2. Animals and humans can use poop to make houses. There are several species which can use other animals’ faeces to make a home or nest. Birds are great at using herbivorous animals poop. It has a great fibrous structure and dries solid. Using poop for your house can repel other animals; it can be shaped into many different structures both small and large. It can work as a great insulator. It can also become a wind block and rain proof once smoothed and finished off with a coating of your own dribble. Humans have used animal excrement for thousands of years. Normally horse or cow manure mixed with urine, hair, mud and straw. It has protected us from all of the elements and many countries still use it to this day. Remember that it’s super strong and thankfully over time the odour becomes weaker. Just remember to not light a match.

3. “Poo with a purpose” or a “very important poo” (VIP). Here I am backing up the point I make on the video. Spiders are not everybody’s best friend but I love them and own 4 tarantulas. Their poo is absolutely awesome. They do not poop like we do. Every living thing, plant and animal, as we know must eat and excrete. The spiders and tarantulas of this world are the perfect recyclers. They eat and then their excretion is their venom and their WEB. Yes their web is their poop. It is completely recycled into a liquid protein silk which they can use for their houses, to catch their prey, to dance on and generally show off their skills in remarkable patterns and orbs. If their web breaks they can eat the broken web to recycle it and remake their web again. They can poop a tiny silk pellet which they leave in their webs, if they don’t catch any more food they will eat the silk pellet to make more web. Oh my goodness, it amazes me. The Madagascan bark spider is smaller than your thumb nail and can throw its first single thread of web downwind 25 meters across. Spider silk, poo, web whatever you want to call it is super strong and super fantastic.

4. The shape of poo (Ed Sheeran would be proud. lol) It comes in all shapes and sizes. Different colour, texture and scent but it all has a meaning and purpose for being that way. If it’s not as it should be then we know that something is wrong. Being an animal handler means that it can tell me how my animal health is. If something is not quite right with the poop then your animal is literally “down in the dumps” pun intended.
We can identify the animal by its shape. We can tell what it has been eating or even if it’s still in the area and if it’s a predator or prey. The main fact here is this, everyone always wants to know. Is it a cat, dog or fox that’s going in my garden? Who is the culprit? Well here’s the answer, Fox poo twists and tapers at the end. Happy identifying everyone.

5. Poop benefits the Earth. I’ve mentioned many reasons for the importance of poop. Here are just a few points to finish off.
Animals can hide in it. They can make houses, decorations and gifts for their partners with it.
It works for insulation or cooling effects. It can be used as a facemask to purify the skin. It fertilises the planet layer over layer to keep our plants growing. Bats spread seeds around through their guano helping to germinate new forests. Some animals cover themselves in a predator poo so other animals think they are the predator and stay away. Apes throw it as a weapon and can literally poo on cue. Hippos spray it all over the place to mark their territory and impress their girlfriends. They will spray it 10 meters away so stand well back.

However you look at it or try not to talk about it and laugh like the children do. Poop is fantastic stuff and without it our crops wouldn’t grow as well. Animals wouldn’t be able to find shelter and the planet wouldn’t be as interesting or diverse as it is today. So in my eyes I will raise a glass of apple juice and toast to the amazing world and say “poop I salute you, thank you for all you dodo”.

Thanks for reading! Jungle Jo

Watch Jungle Jo on (aka Joanne Frisby) on Early Years TV for free from 31st January to 7th February. Premium Members have full access from 31st January onwards.

Find out even more interesting and fascinating things on Jo’s website here:
http://www.junglejo.co.uk/
and on Facebook here:
https://www.facebook.com/Jungle-jo-355575581675508/

Children’s Multicultural Books

Kathy Brodie — Sat, 04 Jan 2020 08:00:04 +0000

I had the enormous pleasure of interviewing TEDx speaker and author Dr Brynn Welch on the last Early Years Summit. Dr Welch’s particular research interest is diversity in young children’s literature and having books where children can ‘see themselves’. It’s something she cares passionately about – so much so that she wrote her own book for her son, Ben, called ‘Bennie Goes Up, Up, Up‘.

The interview really made me think about the books that we provide for children and how it is so easy to choose books without thinking about the messages we are sending children subliminally. For example, you don’t have to be a star athlete or President – you can just be you enjoying regular activities. It also reminded me of something that Carmen Powell said in October 2019 when talking about her book ‘Matthew and the Magic Goat‘, that the main character in her story has a prosthetic limb, but this isn’t mentioned or play a part in the story. It’s simply part of his life.

Having books that reflect children’s own race, ethnicity, disabilities, family structures and every other facet of their lives is so important because it helps them to relate to the story and the messages about making friends, being kind or just reflecting their own experiences. Belonging and being part of the wider community is an essential part of self-esteem, self-worth, empathy, understanding, Theory of Mind and so much more – but is incredibly difficult if you can’t relate to the stories that are being told.

It is also important that children appreciate and value families that are different from their own, with different cultures, heritages, traditions and artefacts, especially if they are unlikely to experience this in their immediate environment. Books may be their only window onto the wider, multicultural world.

With all this in mind, I was delighted to able to talk with Kala Williams, who is a literacy specialist, with a personal interest in diversity being in the forefront of educator’s minds when choosing children’s literature. Kala has an evident love of the printed word and bringing it to life for children, so I was delighted that she was able to discuss this with me AND read out a very pertinent poem in Patois as well.

You can watch the interview from 3rd January to 10th January 2020 for free on Early Years TV here:
https://www.earlyyears.tv/episode/kala-williams-on-culturally-diverse-literature-for-children/

It will then be available to Early Years TV Premium Members in the back catalogue. Find out more about Early Years TV Premium here: https://www.earlyyears.tv/go-premium/

Multicultural Children’s Book Day Friday 31st January 2020
In addition, there is a Multicultural Children’s Book Day to look forward to on Friday 31st January. This day features some incredible authors, free resources and lots of links for further information. Full details are below. Please do mark your diary for this great day!

The website is here: https://multiculturalchildrensbookday.com

Sign up on the website to get:
FREE Classroom Physical and Developmental Challenges Kit 2020: Understand and Celebrate our Differences
This FREE Classroom Kit contains books, activities, challenges and links to further resources.

Follow on social media:
Twitter: @MCChildsBookDay
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MulticulturalChildrensBookDay/
The hashtag on 31st January will be: #ReadYourWorld

Find the Literacy Early Years Summit here:
https://www.earlyyearssummit.com/online-store/

Carmen Powell was interviewed on Early Years TV, which you can access as part of Early Years TV Premium here: https://www.earlyyears.tv/go-premium/

Informative and beautiful sharing books

Kathy Brodie — Thu, 02 Jan 2020 12:44:07 +0000

Penny Tassoni MBE is very well-known for her textbooks for Early Years practitioners and educators because she knows how to explain difficult concepts in a very approachable and accessible way.

She has now applied this same skill to an informative and useful set of picture books for children, covering sharing, making friends, tidy up time and children’s food. The books are designed to be read together by parents and carers with their children to help the children to make those all-important connections. They are beautifully illustrated by Mel Four with clear images that are sure to delight children.

In the back of each book, there is a double-page of advice and help for the adults, which help and guide, without being too prescriptive. This is ideal for first-time parents, or if you are an educator working alongside parents.

These are a highly recommended set of books to have in your Early Years setting or on the bookshelf at home. I hope Penny Tassoni will go on to produce more in this delightful series.

* Disclaimer: Featherstone/Bloomsbury were kind enough to give me a set of these books for review purposes

From Early Years Summit to great practice in the setting

Kathy Brodie — Sun, 10 Nov 2019 16:54:30 +0000

In the weeks, months and sometimes years after an Early Years Summit, I meet enthusiastic people who say “after watching the Summit, we implemented….” or I’ll get emails with pictures showing the changes as discussed in the Summit and how the children have benefitted.

I love these interactions because there is always a judgement call with the Summit – what to include, the length of the presentations, how many, who and so much more – so it’s just fabulous to hear and see that we’ve pitched it just right, thereby having a direct impact on the children and everyday practice.

So I was just delighted to receive an uplifting email from Emma less than a week after the Summit had finished, explaining how she had already implemented some of her own learning from the Summit. Emma and the participants in this vignette have kindly given me permission to share it with you.

Thank you very much indeed for sharing your experiences, Emma!

I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I did.

Emma says:

I had a very soggy forest school playgroup session this week, not that we cared! We made a music tree using so many items from the mud kitchen and everywhere else around (lots of items from my trolley suddenly found themselves on to the tree!), which made me think of the musical literacy from [the Early Years Summit] last week.

One boy was busy banging one pan and I asked if he could find another item that sounded similar, after trying most of the other objects on the tree, he came to the other pan that was almost next to where he had started and decided that it was “similar but not the absolute same” as the other one, indeed it was a heavier pan and it made a much deeper clang. This little boys description was that the second sound was “heavy” – I liked that analogy!

Shortly afterwards I had my most active boy turn his attention to the mud kitchen. He spent a long time exploring floating and sinking and it occurred to me that he was following the scientific process, making a hypothesis, carrying out an experiment to see if he was right, talking through what he had found out and coming to a conclusion.

It fascinated me so much that I then put some pictures together in a piece of documentation for his parents and his grandad (see below).

I have to say that listening to the speakers last week [on the Early Years Summit] on emotional literacy has really helped with this little boy, he gets so caught up in the moment and in his plans he forgets that others are around or may have an opinion too.

Although I knew many of the strategies that were talked about, it is always good to have a refresher and without that refresher, I don’t think I would have been able to have the conversations with him that I had.

The Aquatic Classroom – 3 opportunities for transferable learning

Kathy Brodie — Sat, 12 Oct 2019 08:00:41 +0000

When Jo Wilson from AquaSensory first contacted me, I was a little bemused as to how swimming lessons could be relevant to an Early Years setting. However, once I got talking to Jo, I realised there are lots of things we can transfer from the way AquaSensory is taught and the way we use resources in a setting.

I’ve chosen my 3 favourite ‘transferable learning’ moments, but there are plenty more!

‘Bubble of Joy’. This is the way that Jo explains to parents how to be ‘in the moment’ with their child in the pool. It is all about shutting out external distractions and really focusing on being together in the water.This has so many parallels with good Early Years practice. Being able to focus together with a child on something, whether that is an activity or a toy, is the bedrock for Sustained Shared Thinking (those lovely in-depth conversations you share with children).Describing this as a moment of ‘Joy’ explains the pleasure of spending time with children. I would suggest this may be a precursor to Professional Love, as described by Dr Jools Page.

A ‘bubble’ is also a perfect word in this situation. How often have we just started to talk with a child, get something out, discover a worm – when this ‘bubble’ is burst by an interruption? They really are delicate moments to be enjoyed when they happen and appreciated for their fleetingness.

Having a ‘Bubble of Joy’ moment is great for children’s learning and development, as well as being joyful for everyone involved.
Connection. Jo suggests that being in the water, especially with very young children, increases the connection between parent and child.This is very similar to the way we may describe bonding or attachment in Early Years pedagogy. Of course, in the water, the baby or infant is depending on the parent to ensure their physical safety in a very direct or immediate way.Connection in a setting is more about finding out about children’s likes, needs, interests, families and wider community.
But practitioners also have a responsibility to keep children emotionally safe by checking those connections sensitively and regularly, whilst giving them the freedom to grow and develop – just as you would hold a baby in the water, but allow them to splash and move independently within that grasp.

Of course, we need the data connections with families such as phone numbers, allergy information and so on. But making that true connection is noticing a child who is a bit quieter than normal, or if friendships seem a bit strained or knowing extra support is needed prior to a transition.

Those kinds of social and emotional connections, where we hold the child in our thoughts, are just as important as the physical connection when we hold a child safely in the water.
Skin to skin contact. By the very nature of being in a swimming pool, there will be skin to skin contact between parent and child. Jo highlights this as one of the benefits of swimming.In the Early Years sector, there has been much discussion over cuddles and contact between children and staff. These have ranged from Cuddle Policies to how it affects the epigentic mechanism and DNA to the joys of ‘snuggling up’ to share a story.There is growing evidence that skin to skin contact has many benefits, from better breastfeeding to more positive behaviour patterns.
Although this debate has been around for a long time, hearing Jo talk about how she can see the benefits of parents carrying babies close to them in the water, taking time over getting children changed to swim and enjoying cuddles together, reminded me that it is such a simple, human action but it is so easily forgotten in the busy-ness of the day.

Those are my top 3 ‘Hmmmmm’ moments, but Jo has plenty of other pedagogical ideas to share in her video on Early Years TV.

Watch her episode here for free from 11th to 18th October. Or you can join Early Years TV Premium Membership here for full access to the video for as long as you are a member – and a personalised, downloadable CPD certificate for every video you watch.

Enjoy!

What is the best thing we can give teachers?

Kathy Brodie — Sat, 24 Aug 2019 23:41:39 +0000

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Chanie Wilschanski again last week. This time we were discussing the sorts of things that headteachers, managers and administrators need to think about before the start of a new school year.

One of the many things that I love about talking with Chanie is that she has actually been in practice, so really understands the pressures and frustrations (and joys!) of working with young children, whilst also keeping an effective and motivated team.

She commented last time that, as leaders and managers, ‘the best thing we can give teachers is each other’.

I asked Chanie to expand on that in this interview, so she explained that by getting teachers to help each other, to acknowledge each other’s strengths and to set up a culture of mutual support and trust really pays dividends – for both the teachers and the children.

Coincidentally, I also did a quiz this week, where one of the questions was ‘Would you prefer to lead a team or be part of a team?’, which set me thinking – surely there are times when one is better than the other? And vice versa? And it might depend on the team?

This took me back to when I was studying for my teaching qualification, where we considered team cultures (Handy, C. 1993, 4th Ed.). Very broadly, this is the idea that different organisations have different ‘cultures’ or ways of working:

Power Culture is like having a leader at the centre of a ‘web’ of influence and power. They can be competitive, but also highly responsive to changing situations.

Role culture can be thought of as ‘columns’ where people fulfil roles and there is a clear career progression but may be less flexible.

Task culture is project orientated, where the combined team is vital to complete the task. Once that is achieved, the team may disband or reorganise ready for the next project.

Person culture, where the structure is loose and only serves the individuals within, so these may be freelancers or it may be a group working in the ‘gig’ economy.

(Adapted from Handy. Find more in-depth explanations and details here.)

But why is it important to reflect on the culture in your school or setting or group?

Working long hours with young children can be hard work. Having a team that works well can make a huge difference. Understanding the team dynamic and using some of Chanie’s advice could really help.

Find Chanie Wilschanski’s interview on Early Years TV here.

5 books on Supporting Children’s Mental Health

Kathy Brodie — Mon, 19 Aug 2019 10:24:24 +0000

It is becoming more and more important to understand children’s mental health.

It is too easy to assume that children have no worries because they don’t need to pay bills, go to work or care for others.

The statistics are alarming. For example, one in eighteen (5.5%) preschool children have been identified with at least one mental disorder (1). But knowing there’s a problem and knowing what to do about it are two very different things.

So I was delighted to read five very helpful, but very different books this month, all published by Featherstone (part of Bloomsbury Publishing)(2)

What’s going on in my head? by Molly Potter

A beautifully illustrated book, written using language that is ideal to share with even the youngest of children, this book starts with how emotions link to general health. Molly goes on to give some meditation ideas for children; asking for help; friends and thinking habits.

There is much to enjoy about this book. The many different scenarios and the variety of solutions are particularly useful – addressing the vast majority of everyday situations that children may find themselves in, from friendship problems to school and parents.

There are three full pages of guidance for parents and carers at the back, which condenses the advice, including resilience and emotional literacy.

There are two great books in the Featherstone ’50 Fantastic….’ series that I’ve chosen for their help in supporting children’s mental health.

2. 50 Fantastic Ideas for Emotional Resilience by Jillian Harrison-Longworth

Jillian notes at the beginning of her book that children do not learn to be resilient by osmosis, they need to be taught some skills directly. Her 50 Fantastic activities are perfect for this.

The 50 activities are 10 in each of the 5 key characteristics of emotional resilience: routines; self-esteem; confidence; perseverance, and co-operation. These activities look deceptively simple, for example, drawing together or talking about your own reflection in a mirror, which means you can pick up the book and use it immediately.

However, to get the most from these activities, I would suggest treading about each of them all the way through, including the top tips, to ensure you understand the reasoning behind each activity.

3. 50 Fantastic Ideas for Mindfulness by Tammie Prince

This book has some excellent meditation and mindfulness activities. Most of them require no resources or very simple resources that you are already likely to have, such as pebbles, mirrors or leaves.

The activities are mostly about the process as children use their natural mindfulness to stack stones, flower breathe or smell the roses (or other flower scents).

The book ends on some ‘mindful teacher’ ideas for practitioners and educators. Although I think practitioners could easily use the ideas intended for the children for their own mindfulness as well. For example, the first activity, Just Breathe, changes ‘energy from tension to relaxation’ simply by using a breathing technique. Easy, useful and very effective.

4. A sense of Place: Mindfulness Outdoors by Annie Davy

This book on mindfulness is a more in-depth book, with references to seminal work and some interesting research references. Chapter 6 on mindfulness pedagogy is particularly interesting and includes focusing on the breath, nature’s breath, fire and finding a ‘sit spot’.

A sit spot is described as a place where adults can sit quietly and notice the invitations or affordances that nature offers for learning – as well as the impact this can have on everyone’s wellbeing.

The 3 part structure of this book – Setting the scene; Learning through the senses, and A sense of place – makes this an easy book to access, whilst still discussing some complex ideas and concepts.

5. Let’s Talk about When Someone Dies by Molly Potter

Hopefully, this is something that, as parents and practitioners, that we don’t have to encounter too often, but there may be occasions when it is necessary.

As with Molly’s other books, this is beautifully and sensitively illustrated throughout, with clear advice.

Molly includes some pages on different types of funerals, as well as how children may feel or the questions that may come up. This is an excellent book for practitioners and parents who would like to discuss death with children in a clear and non-euphamistic way. It would be ideal to have in the staff room or office, ready in case it was needed to help support children through difficult times in their lives.

So, five very different books, but as a group, they cover a lot of angles when supporting children’s mental health as a matter of good practice.

It is also very encouraging to see ever more recognition that the practitioner’s own mental health is valued in these books as well.

You can purchase these books on the Bloomsbury website here: https://www.bloomsbury.com/uk/superpage/featherstone/

or from Amazon here:

What’s Going on in my head by Molly Potter

50 Fantastic Ideas for Emotional Resilience by Jillian Harrison-Longworth

50 Fantastic Ideas for Mindfulness by Tammie Prince

A sense of Place: Mindfulness Outdoors by Annie Davy

Let’s Talk about When Someone Dies by Molly Potter

(1) https://files.digital.nhs.uk/A6/EA7D58/MHCYP%202017%20Summary.pdf
Mental Health of Children and Young People in England, 2017 Published November 2018 by NHS Digital

(2) Disclaimer: I was sent one or more of these books from the publishers for free. You can be assured that the reviews are fair and honest reflections of the contents.

Managing our own discomfort

Kathy Brodie — Mon, 05 Aug 2019 19:20:48 +0000

Babies are fascinating.

They learn so much, so quickly and absorb their surrounding environment with all their senses.

As parents, practitioners or educators, one of our responsibilities is to ensure the environment is suitable, stimulating and accessible for children. However, this can mean very different things to different people.

For example, a stimulating environment may be considered to be somewhere full of toys, colour, noise and moving objects. Although this may stimulate all the senses, it may not necessarily be a suitable environment for babies or children. Deborah Carlisle Solomon reminds us of this during her Early Years TV interview, where she explains that a rattle may be over-stimulating for a baby because the baby can’t let go of the rattle.

Another aspect that Deborah reminded me of was ‘not solving problems for babies’.

This is illustrated in the lovely video ‘Ruby reaches for a Toy’, where you can watch 6-month-old Ruby stretching and wiggling and moving until she reaches the toy she wants on the blanket.

As an adult, you may experience the almost overwhelming desire to move the toy closer or simply give Ruby the toy. However, if you do succumb to that temptation, you are not allowing Ruby to solve her own problem or encouraging her to keep trying. At the far extreme, you could be unwittingly teaching babies that they are unable to do things for themselves and must wait for adult intervention without even trying.

Babies and children must be allowed to have uninterrupted play and to allow them to solve problems themselves to encourage tenacity.

Managing our own discomfort at the baby’s attempts and struggles – and not jumping in too soon – is an essential part of this.

This is easier said than done, especially as practitioners and educators primary roles are to care for children, to scaffold learning and to make the environment accessible for them. So this is a tricky balancing act, between making the environment challenging but also still manageable.

Skilled practitioners and educators will be able to see when a baby is becoming distressed or anxious and will be able to intervene before this is a problem, but it is something we should all check from time to time – is my ‘helping’ hindering the baby’s own learning, tenacity and problem-solving abilities?

Mixed age grouping in Early Years settings

Kathy Brodie — Wed, 31 Jul 2019 08:00:00 +0000

I really love the idea of family grouping or mixed age groups in a setting.

It happens naturally in settings where there is limited space for segregation, such as in a community centre or in a church hall. I have been lucky enough to see this in several settings and seen some great advantages.

For example, social interactions take on a whole new level, with more experienced (not necessarily older) children leading the way with organising games, sharing, turn-taking, ‘they learn to be both leaders and followers’.

Language can be greatly enhanced. Children with more vocabulary and advanced sentence structures become great role models for less advanced children, especially where there is an age gap of 24 months or less.

You’ll hear in my interview with Kim Hunter, a Canadian award-winning teacher, on Early Years TV talk about her setting and the children playing in their groups. She discusses a couple of advantages in particular:

Children who are more familiar with the setting and their rules enforce the rules naturally with the other children.
Children can help each other with transitions, even micro transitions. For example, stopping play and coming to the lunch table or coming together for circle time.

When this is happening naturally, Kim says that the teacher’s role is to ensure that the learning is positive and that children aren’t leading each other astray!

However, there is one challenge which is often cited with mixed age groups – meeting the needs of all children. How can the resources be provided that will both ‘stretch and challenge’ the older children, and still be developmentally appropriate for the younger children?

It is possible to be able to do this. I’ve witnessed some amazing practitioners and environments that do provide for all ages together. This is often through open-ended resources, such as blocks and block play, where children could use the blocks in a way that met their own needs at that time.

Another way to do this is to have loose parts, such as planks, logs and crates. These can be used to set up physical challenges that are appropriate for the ability of each child, for example, different types of obstacle courses.

Of course, it should also be remembered that children of exactly the same age are likely to be at different levels of development in different areas. Some three-year-olds may be using scissors competently and without help, but some six-year-olds may still need to learn that skill.

Although this is not a new concept – just one of many examples here: Evangelou, D. (1989) – it is still being actively researched today: Winsler, A, Willson-Quayle. A, Caverley, S. and Latorre, M. (2002).

Personally, I think this is something worth reflecting on if you’re making changes. Maybe two mixed-age rooms would give you better prosocial interactions, language development and role models? And is a good way to keep siblings together in the setting too.

Maybe worth a thought?

You can see Kim Hunter’s interview on Early Years TV for free from Friday 26th July to Friday 2nd August: Kim Hunter on Early Years TV. As an Early Years TV Premium member, you’ll have access to the video all the while your membership is current.

Quantity Time vs Quality Time with Kim Hunter

Kathy Brodie — Sat, 27 Jul 2019 08:00:19 +0000

I first interviewed Kim Hunter for the Summit on Leading Practitioners. At her inspirational setting, children spend their time outdoors in mixed-age groups, enjoying a beautiful natural setting.

In this interview for Early Years TV, I wanted to explore some concepts that Kim has been researching since the Summit, namely the ‘Fear and Love Spectrum’. This is the idea that children’s contemporary childhood is changing and the world that children are growing up in has the increased potential to be fearful or isolating – from Stranger Danger to excessive screen time and violent games on smartphones.

Kim has lots of thought-provoking and intriguing insights into children’s experiences, but the one that caught my attention was ‘quantity time’. I guess we’ve all heard of ‘quality time’, where parents and children can spend dedicated time together, turning off screens, reading a story etc.

However, Kim advocates for ‘quantity time’. This is where the practitioner, educator or parent spends unhurried time with the children doing a job or activity. The example Kim uses is getting a bucket of soapy water to wash the walls in her setting. The children are free to come and help, watch or just talk to the adult during the washing.

The reason I found this particularly interesting is because it brought back memories of being with my own children. Sometimes we had the best conversations when we were doing the washing up, fruit picking or on long car journeys. I was also reminded of times in the nursery when we putting the toys away in the shed, which took time to get them all in the shed in the right order. There would usually be a child or two stood in the doorway watching or chatting.

There are some real benefits to children being allowed to ‘go with the flow’ rather than being constantly urged into activity:

Boredom is considered to be good for children, as Dr Teresa Belton explains here.
Going from one activity to another are micro-transitions, which can be stressful for some children. These could be even more stressful if you consider larger transitions, such as parents taking children to lessons. Anne O’Connor’s book Understanding Transitions in the Early Years explains this really well.
These can be times when children start to confide in you, maybe because there is no pressure to answer questions or do an activity ‘correctly’.

We spend a lot of time planning activities, preparing the environment, setting up continuous provision, finding provocations etc.

My interview with Kim reminded me that sometimes the best ‘activity’ is just spending time together.

Watch Kim Hunter’s full episode and all her ideas about the Fear and Love Spectrum here for free from 26th July to 2nd August 2019. Or you can join Early Years TV Premium Membership here for full access to the video for as long as you are a member – and a personalised, downloadable CPD certificate for every video you watch.

Enjoy!

Explaining kindness to children

Kathy Brodie — Sat, 20 Jul 2019 14:15:11 +0000

One of the things that young children need to learn as they grow up is the concept of ‘Theory of Mind’. This is understanding that other people or children will have different opinions, thoughts, experiences, beliefs, imagination and perceptions than our own. Robert Seyfarth explains a classic ‘Theory of Mind’ experiment in this Youtube video here.

By about 4 years old, children will start to realise that not everyone thinks the same way they do, or that they have the same ideas or motivations. They will be able to understand that they may be hungry, but their friend isn’t. Or that their friends all have different favourite colours.

Theory of Mind is an important concept because it affects behaviour and decision making. For example, without Theory of Mind, I’m unable to understand why my friend is upset when I snatch a toy from them. So if a practitioner’s response to this incident is: “You must say sorry” this is totally meaningless. Sorry for what? From the child’s perspective: I’m happy because I have a toy. I don’t know why my friend is crying.

So you can see how trying to explain kindness to a very young child with no Theory of Mind has some problems.

However, you can help children’s understanding by implementing a few guidelines with them, sometimes called Golden Rules or similar. By encouraging children to consider other’s feelings they will start to develop a Theory of Mind. Things like ‘We have Kind Hands, Kind Feet’ can be a good start to encourage children to think about their actions, but it doesn’t help them to understand the thought process of ‘being kind’.

This is one of the reasons that I really like the Yoginis ‘Kind Hearts, Kind Words, Kind Thoughts’ mantra. By encouraging children to think about their actions first, you are encouraging them to consider the other person’s feelings, consequences of actions and their own motivation.

The ‘Kind Words’ is especially interesting, as it is unusual to find rules that include this, but we know that the language we use and the way we speak to people can be harmful too. However, children still have to learn this and, depending on their role models, this may be a difficult thing to learn.

Talking about role models, it is fairly well understood that children will imitate what they see, rather than what they are told. Bandura’s research into ‘learnt behaviours’ using a ‘Bobo Doll’ can be seen here.

So, explaining kindness to children can be achieved in two ways:

Clear guidelines for children to help them understand Theory of Mind i.e. that others have feelings. Followed byways of implementing this i.e. playing together in ways that meet typical social norms.
Being good role models, by making sure that we use kind words ourselves and that our actions are always thoughtful.

You can watch Sue Hartley and Katie Brennan of Yoginis explain their more of these concepts along with their ethos, activities and Yoga sessions in their interview on Early Years TV here.

You can watch this Early Years TV Episode as a EYTV Premium Member at any time.

Enjoy!

Challenge and Risk in the Early Years – 2019 Spring Summit

Kathy Brodie — Sat, 06 Apr 2019 17:57:35 +0000

What do you think of when someone mentions ‘risky play’?

Maybe it’s “We used to go out to play by ourselves and had to be back by tea-time”.

Or maybe you think about the rope swing in the big tree or the time you went so fast down the slope on your bike that you landed in the stinging nettles at the bottom.

All of these types of play can be considered ‘risky’. Indeed, Professor Ellen Sandseter has researched this and identified 6 different types of risky play:

Play at height
2. Play at high speed
3. Play with dangerous tools, including ropes
4. Play near dangerous elements, such water or fire (or stinging nettles!)
5. Rough and tumble play
6. Play where you get ‘lost’ or out of adult’s sight

On the 2019 Spring Early Years Summit, I have 15 Early Years specialists and experts from around the world – including Professor Ellen Sandseter – sharing their expertise and knowledge about risky play. Everyone offers their top tips, advice and strategies for risky play, no matter where you are on the risky play spectrum.

Interestingly, a number of the speakers say how they themselves were not confident with aspects of risky play initially, but have now embraced it because they can see the huge benefits for children – from self-esteem and resilience, right through to physical development. The value of a benefit/risk assessment can’t be emphasised too much!

The other half of this Summit is ‘Challenge’. I think it is really beneficial to try to understand the challenges that the children face in our settings, from micro-transitions to social interactions to moving onto their formal schooling. These often mean an ’emotional risk’ for children as they make new friends or extend their own knowledge about the world around them.

In the Summit, we explore cognitive load theory with Alistair Bryce-Clegg, and how the different challenges children encounter can be ‘Cup filling or Cup emptying’ with Sandi Phoenix, using the Phoenix Cups framework.

As usual, there are all the practical activities that provide both Challenge and Risk, from Woodwork with Pete Moorhouse, Japanese outdoor environments with Julie Mountain and injury and risks outdoors with Dr Mariana Brussoni. In addition, the Summit includes information for managers and administrators, from policies and procedures with Rachel Buckler, Risk and the Ripple effect with Chanie Wilschanski and policy review of benefit/risk assessment with Tim Gill.

I’m sure you will also enjoy the thought-provoking perspectives from Sid Mohandas on gender stereotypes in risky play, Kathryn Solly’s ‘challenge and adventure’, Helen Little’s research on suitable environments for risky play, as well as Niki Buchan’s views on hazards and a ‘safe’ environment.

There is definitely something for everyone in the free, online ‘Challenge and Risk’ Summit – whether you are the person on the bike going exceedingly fast into the nettles or the person watching and waiting with the dock leaf in hand.

To sign up for access details and more details about all of the speakers, please go to the dedicated website here or here: www.earlyyearssummit.com.

The History of Physical Development Champions

Kathy Brodie — Tue, 26 Mar 2019 13:07:02 +0000

In this blog post, I asked Sharon Skade what had motivated her to set up ‘Early Years Physical Development Champions’ and what the benefits for children are.

You can find out more on Sharon’s FB group: @EarlyYearsPhysicalDevelopmentChampions and you’ll find lots of interesting posts, articles, links and advice on her Twitter feed here: twitter.com/GMUnder5s

You can contact Sharon directly to ask about training and consultancy here: sharons7@hotmail.co.uk

Here is what Sharon had to say about young children’s physical development:

Physical activity specialists are often seen as the poor relations when matters of curriculum are discussed.

I experienced this first hand during my time working for a Local Authority, when having been asked to consult on local provision for families and attending some very productive meetings I was not invited back as I only had a Level 3 Childcare qualification. My various Coaching qualifications were not recognised, even though many of my ideas were implemented.

I was delivering a long-standing successful physical activity programme for children and their parents/carers and had developed a new programme which would encourage parents to interact and engage in physically active games with their children and be able to continue this in the home environment without the need for expensive specialist equipment or a large amount of space.

In some instances, the sessions involved providing time for the parents to learn how to play but more alarming was this knowledge had to be shared with the practitioners supporting the session.

There seemed a shared myth in Early Years that Physical Development just happened as children grew, physical competence and the development of movement took care of itself. The onset of free-flowing settings and the myth that children were always on the move, provided a tick box for the provision of PD with little attention to actual time spent moving or any observations of how a child was moving their body and how this could be supported and developed.

I soon realised for my knowledge and experience on physical development to be acted on in this environment and to get the support of Early Year’s Professionals and Health Visitors I needed to gain more knowledge in their field. So, I undertook a Childhood Studies Degree. This again proved alarming as there was no module on Physical Development and many of the practitioners and tutors believed it just happened, even though it was now a Prime Area in the EYFS #PrimeForAReason, not a poor relation and not just to make the numbers up.

I researched other Under 5’s physical activity specialist and found GreaterSport, who had been doing some desk top research on provision for Under 5’s and had developed a leaflet Let’s Play Baby and Let’s Play Toddler, which was included in the Child Health Record Book across GM (Red Book).
I volunteered with GreaterSport and eventually gained a full-time position as Under 5’s Training and Development Officer, my role was made redundant in December 2018.
Which has proved a positive, I was so passionate about continuing the great work with Stockport Early Years team and Bertram Nursery Group that I bit the bullet and set up as an Independent Early Years Consultant and Trainer.

During my time at GreaterSport I developed the leaflets into physical activity programmes and created Early Years Physical Awareness training, whilst these were very successful, they only had short term impact. I looked at developing on line training to reach more people but again this did not appear to create a legacy or sustainability (plus my IT skills did not reach that level).
I felt that the only option was to get out on the ground to fully understand the issues and barriers to promoting opportunities for children to choose to be physically active.

Two main issues were highlighted by the practitioners’ lack of outdoor space and resources, so more myths uncovered
• Physical Development only happened outdoors
• You need expensive resources to be physically active

I also highlighted two main issues
• Lack of understanding of PD
• Emphasis on the other areas of learning

So What
• Levels of school readiness low
• High proportion of children not meeting CMO guidelines
• Early Years Professionals lack of awareness of role of PD on other areas of learning
• Low levels of positive physically active role models in settings.

What Did I Do?

This was not going to be resolved by one three-hour training course, so I began to
• Offer a series of talks
• Spoke at Conferences Whole System Approach to Physical Literacy
• Created a twitter account @GMUnder5s

To raise my profile and more importantly the importance of physical activity from birth.

My personal dream is to have a Physical Development Champion in every nursery in Greater Manchester and for every borough to have a physical pathway that incorporates all professionals who work with families and their children under 5.

Therefore, I needed to create a training model that met the needs and goals of all involved
and ensure this knowledge can be cascaded to other professionals and shared with parents.

All professionals who work with families and children under 5 need to be sharing the same positive messages about physically active play.

So, I consulted with Health Visitors, Physiotherapists, Children Centre staff, nursery and key stage one staff to understand their concerns around children’s physical development.

One simple finding was that getting a class full of Reception/Year1 children ready for P.E., specifically taking and putting back on shoes and socks was very time consuming and left little time for P.E meaning P.E was often avoided.
Taking this barrier to P.E back to nurseries I promoted the benefits of children going bare foot and that part of their continued provision should be children taking shoes and socks off and putting them back on, themselves.

Some of the ideas and activities the Early Years Professionals have developed in tandem with the children’s interest have been amazing, with impact and benefits noted in so many areas of learning.

Another finding was that Physical Development was very often not a planned activity but delivered by an external provider. It was therefore vitally important for practitioners to create opportunities indoors for children to choose to engage in physically active play.
One simple change was to remove some chairs from activities and have No Table Tuesday, again great impact on children and practitioners.

Creating PD Champion training has involved a great deal of consultation and insight gathering so the training can be accessed and utilised by all professionals working with children under 5,.to benefit the children in their care and provide the professionals with awareness and knowledge to share good practice.
To “Have the confidence to break the Status Quo and do things differently to make a difference to the 225,000 Under 5’s in GM”

It was great to see another 30 Physical Development Champions graduate in Stockport on training funded by Stockport Early Years and School Sports Partnership.

Even more inspiring was seeing the impact across the whole spectrum of care and education, Child Minders, Private Nurseries, Maintained Nurseries, Reception and Year One classes.

This training has benefited 2500 children Under 7 in Stockport and has created a legacy of understanding and partnership working across Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum colleagues and Key Stage One colleagues, supported by Helen Grimsditch, Russ Boaler and myself.

By schools adopting a collaborative, approach with their feeder nurseries in understanding the importance of providing quality opportunities for children to engage in physically active play and the positive impact this has on all areas of a child’s development, more children in GM will start school ready and in turn schools will have a greater understanding of the physical needs of children starting reception.

Sharing resources and knowledge in this way means we can provide the best possible active start in life for the 225,000 Under 5’s in GM.

I was honoured to be asked to support Dr Lala Manners in her recent two-part article “Time for action” where she describes PD Champion Training as “a successful training model in Manchester and why it can be replicated”.

It most definitely can as I was invited to deliver PD Champion training to Bertram/Holyrood nurseries in Scotland, who are now creating amazing innovative opportunities for children to choose to be physically active.

Children and food

Kathy Brodie — Thu, 21 Mar 2019 10:38:59 +0000

The past few weeks seem to be dominated by food thoughts.

First of all, I had interviewed Deb Blakley, Australian Accredited Practising Dietitian, Nutritionist and mum – who created Kids Dig Food in 2012. We discussed food, children’s body image and the type of eating experiences that children have in our settings. It’s so important that we consider what food times are like for children because these early experiences will help to form children’s perspectives on food, eating and body image.

This really made me think about the different ways that we serve food – from rolling snack time to picnics outdoors to preparing food with the children. Are these chosen just for the convenience of the staff and the nursery/setting’s routines? Or do they change according to the cohort of children in the setting that day and time? How are children’s preferences met? How are the nutritional contents of a meal calculated?

Obviously, practitioners can’t prepare and serve a unique menu for every child, but the settings that I have seen where meal and snack times work really well always have consideration for the children first. For example, knowing which pre-schooler may still need some food as finger food because he or she is still learning how to use a knife and fork. Or gently reminding those children so engrossed in their play that they haven’t yet had a drink this morning.

This type of thoughtful support stops food and meal times becoming a time of stress and anxiety, for both staff and children.

The other food-related interview was with Louise Mercieca from The Health Kick, who was discussing nutritionally appropriate recipes to make with and for children.

The first one that I tried – homemade baked beans – was a huge success and I can say with confidence that I will be making this very easy recipe again.

The second recipe was a bit less successful in some ways. This was Banana Chocolate Mousse, using a banana, an avocado, some cacao powder (much healthier than cocoa powder as it doesn’t have all the added sugars etc.) and a drizzle of syrup. You basically whizz it all up together.

However, I used a large avocado and a smallish banana, so it ended up a bit more like Chocolate Avocado with banana, but it was still an excellent chocolate mousse. And I still have the rest of the box of cacao powder to mix into future recipes to make them super chocolately!

I really enjoyed playing around in the kitchen with different food combinations and it has really made me reflect on the nutritional balance of my own food over the day.

My final food thought (and you’ll see why this was my final food thought in a minute…) was as the ice cream van went past us, music blaring – on a freezing cold day, hailstones still fresh on the pavement and blowing a gale. Initially, I wondered if he actually sold anything that day. Then I wondered why we only have ice-cream vans and not ‘crisp and chocolate’ vans or maybe that should be ‘fruit and smoothies’?

I think I may give the food videos a rest for a week or two!!

Meanwhile, Happy and Healthy Eating to you all.

You can see both Deb Blakley and Louise Mercieca on the Early Years TV back catalogue as a Premium Member. More details here.

Some of the benefits of homebased childcare

Kathy Brodie — Thu, 29 Nov 2018 21:46:12 +0000

Pebbles Childcare was the first winner of the brand new category ‘Childminding Business of The Year’ at the Nursery World Awards 2018. Bridgit Brown has built up this childminding business, based in Worthing, West Sussex, over the last 3 years, drawing on her 20 years of childcare experience in a huge range of settings.

I was therefore delighted when Chloe Webster, who works at Pebbles Childcare, offered to write a guest blog, detailing some of the many benefits of home-based childcare. You can see how this good practice supports children’s holistic wellbeing and development.

Home-based childcare has countless benefits, despite a sad lack of understanding and recognition from society, other childcare professionals and parents alike, who still struggle to see home-based childcare as a viable career and childcare option.

Home-based childcare provides children and their families with a home-from-home childcare environment, which for the parents enables them to build up a friendly rapport with their child’s caregiver, and the process of walking into someone’s home, instantly puts you at ease, making the parent as well as the child feel comfortable.

For the children, home-based childcare provides an individual and holistic approach to childcare and with reduced ratios, provides them with a sense of ‘family’ amongst the flexible, real-life learning experiences that home-based childcare has the freedom to provide.

In addition to this, home-based childcare providers are able to offer a more flexible service for parents and families as well as being more spontaneous and ‘in the moment’ in terms of planning learning opportunities and experiences.

Within a home-based childcare setting, children are able to form relationships with others of varying ages and these provide incredible learning opportunities in themselves. Whilst meeting the needs of children of varying ages can be quite challenging at times for us as practitioners, the benefits for the children completely outweigh these challenges.

They learn from each other, learn compassion and understanding, develop relationships incredibly early on and as previously mentioned, the sense of family and solidarity that the children develop not only with their caregivers within a home-based childcare setting, but with each other provides the children with secure, long-lasting attachments on a much deeper level than they may experience within a larger setting and within their own age group.

Similarly, children develop language faster when interacting and exposed to this consistently from their early days, whilst the older children quickly develop a sense of responsibility and independence as they understand, support and help to meet the needs of the younger children in the setting; this in itself is an invaluable learning experience and has incredible benefits on their self-esteem and their understanding of not only the world, but their ability to form relationships and attachments.

Another benefit of home-based childcare is the freedom to plan ‘in the moment’ and be responsive and flexible in our approach to the activities and learning experiences we provide. Within a home-based childcare setting we are in a much better position to provide hands-on and ‘real-life’ experiences as it is so much easier for us to plan and facilitate outings around the children’s interests.

Outdoor play and learning play a huge part in our pedagogy and the children in our care benefit greatly from daily outings and adventures within our local and wider community.

In Early Years, we are all aware of the incredible benefits outdoor play has on our children’s learning and development and from a home-based childcare perspective we are incredibly lucky to take these experiences one step further and bring our children’s interests and learning to life on a daily basis, without having to worry about calling in extra staff, parental permissions and planning outings weeks in advance.

The outings and adventures we embark upon with our children on a daily basis, whether it be a nature walk to collect natural items reflective of the current season to learn about and explore the season and the physical changes and impact the season has on the natural world, or a simple outing to the supermarket for the children to choose ingredients for their baking activity, a train journey to learn about signals and lights, or simply taking our pet beagle for a walk and stumbling across wild ponies within our local area; the possibilities and the benefits of these outings truly are endless and the children gain so much more confidence, knowledge and experience by experiencing and exploring these environments first hand.

Not only this, but by being responsive and responding to the children’s interests instantly and incorporating these into our daily outings, we are enabling the children to take charge of their own learning and through the hands-on, ‘real-life’ experiences that being outdoors provides; sparks their curiosity and critical thinking significantly more than if they were just shown the experience in a book.

As a setting, we are so keen to provide our children with the most relevant, real-life experiences and promote overall life-skills as well as meeting learning and development needs, that we developed our own weekly beach school sessions for our children in January 2018 and as a result of this, our children have increased in confidence when facing the elements, adverse weather and have an incredible curiosity and knowledge of the natural world and this has had significant benefits on their confidence, learning, curiosity and their risk-taking within their outdoor exploration.

Similarly, risk and challenge are much easier to facilitate within a home-based childcare environment than in larger settings and this is something we believe the children benefit from. Children are encouraged to explore, test their limits and challenge themselves both physically and cognitively within a flexible, trusting environment supported by confident and knowledgeable adults as we believe the benefits the children receive through exploring and managing their own risks in their play, completely outweigh the potential risk factors and consequences that may occur.

Through exploring and taking and managing risks as part of everyday practice and routines, children become not only confident and critical thinkers, but this also promotes their self-esteem, trust in each other and the practitioners who support them, as well as providing them with essential life skills as they explore and partake in activities involving the elements (fire, water etc) as well as taking physical risks through tree climbing, swimming in open water as well as using real tools and wood as part of their construction and imaginative play.

Home-based childcare has endless benefits on not only the learning and development of the children who attend, but also for the families of these children who feel confident in leaving their children within a familiar, flexible, individual home-from-home environment.

You can find the Pebbles Childcare website and blog here: http://www.pebbleschildcare.co.uk/

Leading Practitioners, Leading Practice – Early Years Summit

Kathy Brodie — Fri, 21 Sep 2018 17:32:04 +0000

I’m very excited to announce that the Early Years Summit has had a bit of a make-over.

The Early Years Summits are free, regular, online conferences. Twice yearly a group of experts and specialists share their knowledge, research, expertise, and enthusiasm with the world. These have had themes such as Quality Interactions; Personal, Social and Emotional Development; Physical Development; Outdoor Play and Learning.

As usual, these video interviews are available for free during the broadcast week – 22nd to 28th of October 2018.

But this Autumn Summit 2018 has something a bit extra.

You’ll still hear from leading Early Years experts from around the world, such as Alistair Bryce-Clegg, Christopher Phoenix, Professor Jan White, Rachel Buckler and Sandi Phoenix.

There’s still tons of great advice, thought-provoking discussion and lots of top tips to support your Early Years practice.

BUT – in addition to all this is a full programme of leading practitioners and educators from around the world, who are doing exceptional things for their children, from unusual environments to reflective safeguarding practices to children’s and practitioner’s wellbeing.

These outstanding practitioners and educators explain how they have implemented, grown and reflected on their own practice. They offer real-life solutions to challenges you may be having right now. You can learn about their methods and processes. Find out how they are making it better for children and get lots of support and advice to help you do the same. Of course, there are always the ‘top tips’ as well!

I’m delighted to have the experience and knowledge of both experts AND practitioners on the Summit in this unique way.

To find out more details and to sign up for the Autumn 2018 Early Years Summit, simply click below:

www.earlyyearssummit.com

Fantastic Nursery Garden ideas

Kathy Brodie — Thu, 30 Aug 2018 20:29:02 +0000

Being outdoors with the children has a huge range of benefits, but sometimes thinking of a new activity or how to improve that small, disused corner can be a challenge.

Luckily, there is now a book that meets that challenge!

50 Fantastic ideas for nursery gardens is a full-colour book, with ideas that are presented clearly and are easy to follow. There is an activity per page (some go over 2 pages), with some of the classic ideas such as building a bug hotel and feeding the birds, to the more unusual, such as making elderflower cordial and a plastic bottle greenhouse.

As well as all the beautiful photography and colour co-ordination, each page is structured well, so you can instantly see what you need, what to do, the type of learning that may happen and some fantastic Top Tips. There are activities for all the seasons and ideas for large or small gardens.

The love of being outdoors and in the garden really shines through in this book, which makes it a joy to read and explore.

You can purchase this book from Featherstones here or Amazon here.
*Disclaimer: I was kindly given an advance copy of this book for review purposes

Early Years TV is here!

Kathy Brodie — Thu, 10 May 2018 09:14:29 +0000

I’m really pleased to be able to announce my exciting new venture: Early Years TV.

Over the last few months we’ve been beavering away behind the scenes to create what I hope will be a wonderful resource for professional development for all Early Years practitioners and educators. It’s a weekly “TV show” where I interview some of the leading experts in Early Years who share their top tips and ideas – all for free.

We cover topics like practitioner’s well-being, nurturing your staff, scheme & schema, safeguarding and workplace diversity, all the way through to leadership and management, health inequalities, news updates, and sometimes simply examples and stories to inspire you.

Each interview is posted at 6pm on Friday evening (UK time) and is available to watch completely free for a week, until the next episode is posted.

If you sign up to get updates, you will get an email to let you know which video is on now and what is coming up in the next episode. You can unsubscribe from this at any time.

In the very near future, we’ll be offering a monthly membership, where, for a small fee, you will be able to access the previous videos from the library back catalogue as well as watch the current videos for as long as you are a member. You can buy Lifetime Membership now, which is a one-off payment for all videos, forever – and there’s a FREE Early Years TV notebook and pen for the first 100 Lifetime Members!

We do hope you enjoy Early Years TV, find it inspirational and useful for your practice with the children.

For more information and sign up:
https://www.earlyyears.tv/

What is an Enabling Environment?

Kathy Brodie — Mon, 16 Apr 2018 18:25:46 +0000

An enabling environment is one that provides children with appropriate challenges, allows them to explore freely and has plenty of sensory stimulation. Getting the environment right for children will support their holistic development – their all-around, integrated learning and development.

In this article, which was published in Teach Early Years, I’ve given you tips in a number of specific areas that will show you how to provide an enabling environment for your children.

Click here or on the image to download the article.

You can find more about Holistic Development in my book The Holistic Care and Development of Children from Birth to Three.

Holistic development from Birth to Three

Kathy Brodie — Tue, 06 Feb 2018 15:04:08 +0000

The age from birth to three is an explosion of development and learning for young children. From being totally dependent on parents and carers for their every need to becoming independent children, with unique personalities, complex language skills and physical abilities, children learn it all in an incredibly short time.

This does not happen in a vacuum, however. Babies need to hear language and see communication to be able to learn proficiency; a whole range of physical skills are required and need to be practised before crawling, cruising and walking can be mastered; attachment, bonding, episodes of joint attention and developing resilience are just a few of the social and emotional aspects that will help to develop personality.

Similarly, this development doesn’t happen according to a fixed timetable (although there are some general developmental norms) or in discrete pockets of development.

Babies and young children learn and develop holistically, meaning that many areas develop all at the same time and interdependently on each other. This is particularly pertinent in the birth to three age range, where there can be significant benefits to giving babies and young children experiences that are interconnected and consider all areas of learning and development.

For example, baby massage is physically soothing, and, in addition, it is beneficial for bonding and emotional soothing.

Physical development with respect to eye contact, pointing and babbling are all important beginnings of communication.

Of course, communication in the form of storytelling and narratives greatly supports young children’s sense of self, their sense of community and may also be a vehicle for exploring their own sense of morality at the basic level of ‘goodies’ vs ‘baddies’.

Superhero play (which may take the form of ‘goodies vs baddies’) can be used to encourage different forms of movement with older children such as leaping, spinning and creeping during their play.

As you can see, birth to three is all about the interactions, the interdependencies and the links between ALL areas of learning and development.

I have explored these concepts and ideas in my latest book – The Holistic Care and Development of children from birth to three which has just been published. The aim of the book is to illustrate just how vital it is that we consider children holistically, rather than arbitrarily sub-divide their accomplishments into pre-determined boxes, especially in the birth to three age range.

In the book, I have included lots more examples, as well as activity ideas to support them. There are also the underpinning theories about babies and young children’s development at the beginning of each chapter to set the context.

Babies and young children are amazing learners, capable and curious. It seems a shame not to acknowledge this and support them in their preferred way of learning – holistically.

You can purchase the book now from David Fulton Publishers here: https://www.routledge.com/The-Holistic-Care-and-Development-of-Children-from-Birth-to-Three-An-Essential/Brodie/p/book/9781138211056 or from Amazon here: http://amzn.to/2nOcDQK

The Joy of Winter

Kathy Brodie — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 11:18:45 +0000

Here in the UK, it is now turning cold and the first snows are falling. It’s tantalisingly close to our house – I’ve seen cars going by with snow on the roof – but so far we’ve only had frost.

I love the snow for the way that it transforms the whole landscape, deadening noise and turning the black branches of trees into sparkling sculptures.

Of course, one of the most magical moments is when children experience snow for the first time. It is worth all the time getting on hats and coats and gloves and boots just to go out to feel this strange substance floating down from the sky.

I was waiting to collect my son one day from Reception class, just as it started to snow. Without exception, every child came out of the door, looked up and stuck out their tongue to catch a snowflake. It was such an instinctive thing for the children to do!

Even if it doesn’t snow this week, there are so many wonderful things to do outdoors in the winter:

collecting sticks, fir cones, evergreen branches
jumping in puddles, squishing in mud and finding frozen puddles
‘painting’ by dripping liquid paint onto the wet paving stones and watching the paint spread and move
having boat races in angled pieces of guttering
spotting different berries, hips and haws on the bushes and trees
lighting a fire and cooking over it
looking out for bats and owls at dusk
using strings of lights, torches and lamps to light up the area after dark

Because it gets dark so early, there are plenty more opportunities to explore light and dark indoors, for example:

have a shadow puppet show using a sheet and backlit with a strong torch
project stars, planets or shapes onto the ceiling
create a magical land by lighting the room just with strings of lights and draped fabric
paint using glow in the dark paints and then view the paintings with the lights off
for the more adventurous, use a black light torch that makes colours and white gleam out in the dark

Stories such as ‘Owl Babies’ by Martin Waddell and ‘Whatever Next!’ by Jill Murphy can start conversations about being afraid of the dark and the types of adventures that can be had once the moon is out.

For older children, there are opportunities to discuss the planets and stars. In the UK at this time, you may be able to see Saturn from dusk in the Southwest sky and possibly Mercury low in the sky after sunset.

Even if it isn’t winter in your part of the world – what are your favourite winter activities?

Take Care of Yourself

Kathy Brodie — Wed, 01 Nov 2017 13:06:54 +0000

It is now well and truly autumn in the UK.

The nights are drawing in and there is a definite chill to the air. Over the weekend I started to ‘put the garden to bed’ – clearing up the leaves, cutting back the raspberry canes and picking the last of the dahlia.

By the time I came indoors it was beginning to go dark and the solar lights had winked on.

I felt tired and ached, but also felt incredibly peaceful and calm, satisfied with a good day’s work shared with an inquisitive robin.

Coincidentally, I have had cause to think about mindfulness and calm over the last week, and how critically important this is if you are a practitioner or educator in the Early Years.

Last Friday I listened to a fabulous presentation by Katie Sheen who talked about mindfulness as a way of living every day, all day. Her story is very uplifting and her experiences have resulted in a lovely App called ‘Appreciating Windowsills’. The game encourages you to think of why you appreciate normal, everyday things – such as the sun on the windowsill.

Then on Monday I was lucky enough to get a sneak peak of Sonia Mainstone-Cotton’s new book ‘Promoting Emotional Wellbeing in Early Years Staff’. Without giving it all away, this great book has lots of simple, easy things you can do as a staff team to promote your emotional wellbeing, such as having breakfast together or bringing fresh flowers into the staff room.

Sonia also talks about ‘being kind to yourself’, even to the extent of stroking your own arm. I use scented hand cream and really think about massaging it into each finger. During those few minutes the internal storms about my work or other problems have settled and usually the priorities are much clearer.

She also talks about finding joy in the everyday, echoing Katie Sheen’s advice. This can be from the perfect formation of petals in a flower head to the laughter of a child or a smile from a stranger in the street.

Why is it critical that we are kind to ourselves and nurture our own wellbeing?

Young children are still trying to regulate and make sense of their emotions. A very powerful way of learning this is to watch and imitate the adults around them. If they can see you using calming methods or being mindful, then they are more likely to follow in your footsteps.

You may have children in your setting who don’t currently have role models for good emotional self-regulation. Without this essential skill, further learning and skills acquisition is going to be much harder (or even impossible).

In addition, self-regulation becomes a virtuous cycle. Children who can regulate their emotions are more likely to have positive social interactions and are more likely to persevere at challenging tasks, reinforcing emotional regulation.

Children need to have those good adult role models around them.

So, try and find a moment of joy today. Appreciate a leaf shape, the smell of your coffee or the sound of a bird singing. Have a few minutes of sheer enjoyment with the children, without thinking about learning goals or recording an observation, just be in the moment with them. Notice and mention to a colleague the good work she or he is doing. Take a minute of calm and notice the warm sunlight or the twinkling raindrops.

Most importantly – take care and be kind to yourself.

Find out more information about Appreciating Windowsills here: http://mindfulness.soulnutrition.org/appreciatingwindowsills/

You can order Sonia’s book here: http://amzn.to/2iRgRs6

Is it a bird, is it a plane – no, it’s a book!

Kathy Brodie — Fri, 20 Oct 2017 20:24:14 +0000

Superhero play is ever present in most settings, but it can be difficult to accommodate or ensure that learning is taking place.

However, this new book from Nicky Simmons and Ginny Morris, can really help to identify learning. Usefully linked to the EYFS, ‘Enhancing Provision Through Superheroes‘ is arranged into the areas of provision, from outside, maths, literacy to investigation and creative areas. This makes it very easy to use for planning and organising superhero play in the setting.

Other great aspects of this book are the explicit links to the characteristics of effective learning, under each of the three areas (engagement, motivation and thinking), which extends this from a simple activity book to one that encourages practitioners to challenge children’s thinking and creativity.

My favourite activity in the whole book is ‘Exciting Explosions’, a great mixture of science, maths and glitter, which encourages investigation as well as following instructions.

This book is very useful to give practitioners ideas and inspiration whilst working in the setting, but is doubly useful for reflective practitioners who are looking to link their practice to the curriculum and extend learning in a creative way to meet children’s interests.

I can’t go without mentioning the companion book to this one, also by Simmons and Morris, ‘Planning for Learning in Early Years‘ which is subtitled ‘A practical approach to Development Matters’.

This book is laid out in exactly the same format at Development Matters, making it familiar and easy to navigate. The left-hand column is the familiar Development Matters statements, however, the middle column is ‘suggested learning statements’ (eg I am learning to balance when running) and the far right-hand column is entitled ‘Looking ahead’, which contains the next stages of learning and development, by age.

This format means that it is a very logical book to use when writing planning as well as formulating next steps.

Put together, these two books make activity planning for Superhero play, observing play and interests, and choosing next steps incredibly easy and quick to do.

A definite Super Power!

You can get both books from Amazon:
Superheroes
Planning for Learning

.
I was lucky enough to get free preview copies of both books.

Continuing your Professional Development

Kathy Brodie — Sun, 15 Oct 2017 15:15:18 +0000

The Autumn Summit 2017 is now over but that is no reason to stop your professional development!

So, I’d like to share some of the great content that our Autumn 2017 Summit speakers have created, from viral blogs to fascinating and fun videos, they are all here, for free, so you can continue your professional development journey before next year’s Summit.

Rae Pica’s blog on barefootedness went viral, and you can still find it here:
http://www.raepica.com/2017/09/12/barefoot-benefits-brain-development/

and Jan White extends this theme (along with some fantastic photos):
https://janwhitenaturalplay.wordpress.com/2012/04/09/its-spring-now-why-not-think-about-going-barefoot/

And once you have children on their feet, why not celebrate Diwali with some dancing? Helen Battelley suggests using the videos links below to teach children a variety of Bollywood dance routines. She suggests ‘Try creating a short routine using 4/5 of the moves (take note of the names given to the movements). This will initiate curiosity for other cultures, promote physical skills, coordination, musicality and engagement.

Children enjoy dressing up, use old adult Saris, each adult Sari creates 4 or 5 children’s Saris. Also, children may wear ankle bells to reinforce the rhythm of the music. A quick way to make ankle bells is to attach large jingle bells to pipe cleaners and twist gentle around the ankle.

Try dancing to Panjabi MC – Mundian to Bach Ke.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jifw0oBPV9I
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hrza_3z1vJc&t=52s

Celebrate the return of Rama and Sita – Happy Diwali’

In this great video, Maggie Dent explains the importance of movement, why it is so important, and – as ever – those great Common Sense ideas, such as having a rocking chair in your setting:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Adzva0SFbiY

Sally Goddard Blythe explains why ‘Society’s technological drive at odds with child development’ in this very interesting article for Nursery World magazine:
Society’s technological drive at odds with child development

Dr Lala Manners explains the ‘Joy, play and doing together’ in this great blog. The blog also has links to the Finnish document that recommends their level of physical activity, which makes for very interesting reading!
http://www.activematters.org/news/951/65/Joy-play-and-doing-together/d,general/

Sandi Phoenix has just launched a set of Phoenix Cup Filling Cards that comes with 52 cups cards designed to educate, inspire and create awareness about filling your cups and the cups of those around you. Find more details of this brand new and beautiful resource here.

If you are looking for inspiration of all sorts, from baking to balancing logs, check out Steven White’s gallery at Tiptoes Nursery, Larbert:
http://www.tiptoesnursery.com/gallery/

The Foundation Years website has just released a very useful, 8-page document of SEND resources, as well as lots of other links to information and support sites that you may find useful:
https://foundationyears.org.uk/2017/10/send-resource-list/

If you would prefer a change and would like your professional development in a face to face conference, Greater Sport have just announced their Conference for next year – 24th of March 2018 at Sale West Conference centre, Manchester. See here for more details.

Alternatively, Nicola Burke is doing a live Conference on Friday 17th November, in London, all about embedding music in the EYFS (Early Years Foundation Stage). See here for more details.

And, of course, if you’d like to pre-register for the Spring 2018 Summit – all about Outdoor Play – simply register here and I’ll keep you updated.

Do we need Men in The Early Years?

Kathy Brodie — Wed, 02 Aug 2017 13:47:02 +0000

One of the workshops that I attended at the Men in The Early Years (MITEY) Conference in Bradford was run by Jeremy Davies from the Fatherhood Institute and centred around recruiting men into the early years’ sector.

Early on in the workshop, Jeremy asked a very interesting question, which set the pace for the workshop – Why does it matter to children if we have men in the early years? Where is the evidence coming from? Bearing in mind that this was a ‘Men in the Early Years’ conference, I thought this was a fascinating place to start and I started to guess that this was going to be more than your average workshop!

Sure enough, after a series of group discussions, we had covered some very stimulating questions, with some excellent contributions from both Jeremy and his audience. A few things gave me particular pause for thought:

First of all: It had generally been agreed that dads can be harder to engage with in Early Years settings. A regularly cited reason for having men in childcare is that they can then put other men at their ease and they can talk to each other – ‘blokes can talk to blokes’. However, a good point was made that this is not always the case (not everyone likes football!!) and that it may not actually be good for some people to exchange ideas – what if the dad was disparaging about having a male carer? What if he knocked the confidence of the male carer?

This was really interesting to me, as I hadn’t consciously thought about it, but I think I’d always assumed that dads would be encouraging and that there would be common ground. On reflection, it did seem obvious that this would not be the case. I’ve met men (and women) who are distrustful of men in childcare – obviously, with reflection, these could be dads (and mums).

Later on in the workshop, we were discussing how society in the UK is set up to support mums and women in childcare, but what would happen if dads and men had the same support and information input? Research shows that the answer to this great question is that they learn at the same rate and as well as women. Not too surprising, so why don’t we target men and dads to learn about childcare? This could break the cycle of having 95% plus of the Early Years workforce being female, because men would be just as knowledgeable. As David Wright from Paint Pots nursery noted – boys and girls need men and women (see David’s podcast for Men in Child care here).

The third ‘Oh, that’s interesting’ moment came when discussing dads and biology. When dads get involved with the pregnancy, it has been shown that the male body becomes ‘primed’ for care-giving, in order to create capable caregivers. So there is already a workforce of dads out there who are biologically primed to be care-givers. Not only that, once they have been a dad, the biological care-giving persists, so they can respond to children much more quickly once back in that situation.

So the whole workshop had me really thinking – from “Are men the right people to talk to dads and men?” to “Maybe if dads and men had the same support as mums get, would we have more engaged men for the Sector?” to “Biologically, dads are primed as care-givers forever!”

Most importantly, I had more questions when leaving the workshop than when I entered, and plenty of reflections to make on my own assumptions about Men in The Early Years.

Jeremy summed it up beautifully at the end, though “Men are from Earth, Women are from Earth – get over it!”

** Update ** The 2018 MITEY Conference will be Tues 10th July, at City Hall, Bristol. More details as I get them!

Find out more about the Fatherhood Institute here and on Twitter here: @fatherhoodinst

What can neuroscience teach practitioners?

Kathy Brodie — Fri, 28 Jul 2017 21:26:07 +0000

I was delighted to be able to catch up with Mine Conkbayir at the Childcare Expo in Manchester. It was the first time we had met in person, although I had previously interviewed Mine for the Spring 2017 Summit. On the Summit, Mine had explained to me how neuroscience can support children’s personal, social and emotional development.

However, in this latest interview, I wanted to examine neuroscience as a broader topic – and why we need to know about this as Early Years Practitioners. So, I was thrilled when Mine agreed to record this interview with me, where she talks about Love, self-regulation and finding out more about neuroscience.

Enjoy!

You can also read more about this fascinating topic in Mine’s book Early Childhood and Neuroscience: Theory, Research and Implications for Practice available from Amazon here.

Some of the links that Mine mentions are:
Lighting up Young Brains: https://www.kathybrodie.com/viewpoint/lighting-young-brains/
and original report at: http://www.savethechildren.org.uk/sites/default/files/docs/Lighting_Up_Young_Brains.pdf
Neuroscience for Kids: http://faculty.washington.edu/chudler/neurok.html

You can still buy the video interview with Mine Conkbayir on the Spring 2017 Summit here: Early Years Summit Online Store

Men in The Early Years 2017 (MITEY17) Conference

Kathy Brodie — Fri, 21 Jul 2017 14:07:30 +0000

I had the great pleasure of attending the second Men in The Early Years (MiTEY) Conference in Bradford this week.

There were so many great people – the first two people I met when I arrived were the amazing dynamo who is Nathan Archer and the man who started the Men in The Early Years Conference last year in Southampton, David Wright (aka Mr Paint Pots), a brilliant start to the day! And the content of the day turned out to be just as impressive.

Dr Jo Warin, along with Yuwei Xu, spoke about the gender flexible Early Years practitioner. In this fascinating keynote, Dr Warin talked about a number of interesting facets of being a man in a female dominated environment but the one area that grabbed my attention was the discussion about our understanding of ‘gender’.

Dr Warin discussed the idea that once you have a ‘critical mass’ of men in a setting, it becomes part of the zeitgeist or simply part of the dominant ethos within the setting. Before that happens, however, the way that practitioners are trained and view gender needs to be examined. Dr Warin explained how we need flexible and gender sensitive practitioners (both men and women) and gender sensitivity training, rather than gender ‘blindness’. The fantastic example she gave of this was an image of a fully bearded man – with a glitter beard!

Yuwei Xu went on to explain that gender neutrality is probably not desirable and may not be possible in any case – the likelihood is that if ‘gender’ was ever removed as a way of describing people that there will be something else to replace it (hair colour? eye colour?). Interestingly, Yuwei used clothes and dressing up with the children as a way of discussing gender flexibility during his research.

This really made me think about the different men I have worked alongside in settings and how different they all are, but also some of the assumptions that I may have made along the way. I will also be reviewing my training material to ensure it is gender sensitive.

The next Men in The Early Years Conference, in 2018, will be in Bristol, UK.

You can find more of Dr Jo Warin’s research here: Dr Jo Warin
And you can find out more about Yuwei Xu’s research here: Yuwei Xu

Picture this – a beautiful story book

Kathy Brodie — Tue, 23 May 2017 23:10:08 +0000

Today is ‘National Simultaneous Storytime 2017′ in Australia, where all over the country children will be reading The Cow Tripped Over the Moon, written by Tony Wilson and illustrated by Laura Wood.

Linked with the fact that May is National Share a Story month which has the theme of ‘Picture a Story’ all about the illustrations, it seemed too good an opportunity to share all your favourite picture book ideas with everyone.

I had lots of great suggestions and you won’t be surprised to hear that the Gruffalo was strongly recommended by many, including Sharon Wood who was the first person to nominate this great book, illustrated by Axel Scheffler.

Pamela Davenport chose another classic: We are Going On a Bear Hunt. She says “The book and wonderful illustrations by Helen Oxenbury captured my children’s imagination, making up different endings to the story. Going on walks and exploring nature and the environment, my children loved to explore the swishing swashing grass, squelching mud and a variety of other senses associated with the story”.

Sonia Mainstone-Cotton reminded me of a great book – Peace at last by Jill Murphy. Sonia says “I loved the illustrations and the repetitive writing. I have read this so many times to my children and many other children I work with. In more recent years, with the children I work with now I love Lost and Found by Oliver Jeffers and his other books. The illustrations are beautifully simple”.

Jake Forecast also chose Jill Murphy, but his choice was “Whatever Next”. He says “Baby Bear wants to go to the moon, so he grabs a rocket and snacks and sets off. He makes friends with an own, has a picnic on the moon and even waves to people on the aeroplane!

This book is a great way to express imagination and creativity skills. In my setting, we based an activity on the story, whereby a child uses a cardboard box, a sieve, a packet of biscuits and a pair of wellington boots to pretend we are on the moon. We also had other additional adventures with other suggestions!

A great book to recommend to all practitioners, especially is the topic is Light and Dark and using imaginative skills”

From the tried and tested to a book that was brand new for me: Lima’s Red Hot Chilli, suggested by Paula Franklin. She says “This is my favourite book to read to pre-school children, it keeps them totally captivated by the wonderful illustrations and the repetitive phrase, ‘don’t eat the red hot chilli….’ The children choose this book over and over again, it explores the five senses and we have based different activities around it, such as food exploration, tasting and cooking. It’s also a great book for including in a story sack, the children love to anticipate what food comes next and the use of props enhance the story even more”. I would totally agree that the illustrations are just incredible, full of colour and life. Beautiful!

Holly Warren has chosen two books where the illustrations were as important as the story:
1. The Flower by John light illustrated by Lisa Evans. The way she uses black and white, and colour are spectacular. Her illustrations are the soundtrack to the story, they give it depth and feeling. The colours of hope.
2.Ignis by Gina Wilson illustrated by P.J.Lynch. Another spectacular story where the illustrations take us right into the story making us feel part of it. The use of colour and texture kept us looking at the pictures wanting to touch the dragon and join in his quest.

Both gorgeous books!

Cathy from Aunt Cathy’s Childminding Service had a Spring/Easter theme – ‘We’re Going on an Egg Hunt’ (lift the flaps and find the eggs) and ‘Charlie Chick’ (pop up Book). She says “My kiddies just now are all loving both these books, I think I must read them at least twice a day, and they read them themselves. We have read them together so often, it’s great to hear them making the stories up when they’re reading them themselves.” Cathy also has a book stash – a great idea!!

Konstantina Moustaka (Early Years Practitioner) explains why she likes this picture book:

“Picture books are such an important part of young children’s lives and I have to admit that I am fascinated by the impact they can have on their development. I always find it very hard to choose just one but I think that ‘My adventure island’ is definitely one of my favourites.
Timothy Knapman’s rhyming text makes this book extremely pleasant to read. Illustration in books is also very important since children spend most of the time observing the pictures and read through them. On top of that, Sara Warburton’s bright colours and vivid images engage children and let their imagination run wild. They go on an adventure to eat chocolate cake, to enjoy an ice-cream with a dinosaur, to be a pirate, a cowboy, a magician, a knight, to climb on top of a tree and jump in a mud pie.

In this book, a family is presented by Timothy Knapman as a safety net for young children. They can spread their wings and fly but they can always land safely. They can travel to their imaginary island without any fear because it is an island so close to the land!”

Finally, Rachel McClary, as a self-confessed picture book addict, couldn’t choose one, so chose five! https://rachelmcclary.com/2011/03/05/my-top-5-books-for-under-5s/ AND a favourite author: https://rachelmcclary.com/2011/07/13/lauren-child/

Thank you, everyone, for sharing your choices and I hope you have an enjoyable Simultaneous Story Day!

May – National Share a Story Month

Kathy Brodie — Fri, 05 May 2017 09:59:12 +0000

The month of May is National Share a Story month. For 2017 the theme is ‘Picture a Story’, encouraging children to look at illustrations and pictures in books. This is part of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups (FCBG) aim of bringing children and stories together.

It reminded me of a visit that I had to an art gallery with Early Arts many years ago. We were asked to look at the pictures hanging on the wall, and then to look at them through a kitchen roll tube. It was amazing how the pictures looked different when you viewed them in this way – picking out the details – even if the detail was a patch of colour or a seemingly insignificant piece of background, it suddenly came alive.

Of course, this is a technique that great authors have been using for many years, from the Ahlberg’s ‘Peepo!’ book to Nick Sharratt’s ‘Shark in the Park’. Another Ahlberg book where the illustrations are as much of the story as the text is ‘Each Peach Pear Plum’ (and I used to know this off by heart when my children were small!). These delightful illustrations encourage both careful observation and also an understanding of the nursery rhymes and stories, making it a great book to start discussions about different stories.

One of my absolute all time favourite writer/illustrators – and I have to confess I have many favourites – is Helen Cooper. You can find her author page here. From ‘The Boy Who Wouldn’t Go to Bed’, where the little boy’s bedroom is reimagined, to the humour and mischief of the ‘Pumpkin Soup’ stories. In every book, there are tiny details to be discovered, little pieces of visual humour and a glorious choice of colours to match the mood.

In addition, Helen Cooper was good enough to send a letter in reply to my son, who wrote to her one summer, saying how Pumpkin Soup was his favourite book. She even included some little illustrations. That’s true dedication!

I would be really interested to hear about your favourite illustrated children’s book and why those illustrations are so important to you and the children.

Meanwhile, I hope you have a bright and colourful month of May.

Further information:

Find out more about the Federation of Children’s Book Groups here and a list of great activities you can do with the children.

Ordance Survey want to hear about your adventures outside here

Information about sharing stories with babies here and activities with babies and activities around the country.

Find out about Early Arts here.

The Ahlberg’s author page is here.

Nick Sharratt’s author page is here.

Sensory processing and children with autism

Kathy Brodie — Sat, 08 Apr 2017 18:47:05 +0000

In today’s guest post, Mrs M. explores the world of sensory processing. For many of us, we assume that others experience the world in the same way that we do – lavender is a calming smell, it is pleasant to have soft music playing in the background and the smell of bacon frying makes your mouth water. However, this is not always the case.
Mrs M. takes us through some of the different experiences that children with autism have and, most importantly, how we can support children to make sense of the world around them and thrive in it.

*****

Imagine living in a world that bombarded you from every angle with sensory information that you couldn’t process…

Imagine desperately wanting to open your morning snack, but being unable to as your fingers feel as if you are wearing a thick pair of gloves.

Imagine walking into your classroom every morning only to be hit by the smell of your teacher’s perfume which is so strong that it makes you feel sick just to be near her.

Imagine the labels in your uniform scratching against your skin like a cactus, making your skin sore and irritated.

Imagine the flickering of the light in the classroom flashing so brightly that it was like a strobe light in a disco.

Imagine the smell of lunch wafting down the corridor which is so overpowering that you simply can’t focus on anything else.

Imagine not being able to feel your seat underneath you, almost as if you had been numbed. No matter how hard you wriggled around you just can’t get comfortable.

Imagine snapping your pencil in half every time you tried to write as you can’t judge the amount of pressure you are applying on the paper.

Imagine the sound of the chairs scraping along the floor as if it was fingernails being scratched down a blackboard.

Imagine being surrounded by beautiful bright displays that make your eyes go funny and your head spin around like you’re on a fairground ride.

Imagine having to filter out all the noises, visual distractions and smells from around the classroom every second of every day.

Imagine having to hold all this in.

Having to concentrate.

Trying to focus.

Attempting to follow instructions from your teacher.

I can only imagine how hard this must be. But this is what living with sensory processing can feel like for many children. Because they process information from the world around them differently than we do.

This video produced by the National Autistic Society called ‘Too much information’ is a great way to put yourself in a child’s shoes for just a minute to see how overwhelming the world around them can be when they have sensory processing issues.

You see for us…

When we hear a sound…we can filter it.

When we get hot…we can take our jumper off.

If we feel hungry…we eat some food.

If we find ourselves getting a little bit bored during a meeting…we simply chew on our pen and take a sip of water to help us focus.

But for children with sensory processing disorder the picture far more complicated than that because sensory processing is a complex neurological disorder in which the brain can respond differently to sensory input. They can over-respond to stimuli and under-respond to the world around then.

Therefore, it can be so confusing as we try to unpick children’s behaviour if we suspect they have sensory processing disorder or autism.

Let me explain…

For some children with sensory issues, their brain can under-respond to sensory input, which can lead to a child being passive, distracted, and sometimes difficult to engage. You see some children who under-respond simply don’t know what they’re missing out on. They have no inner drive to explore the world around them and this can prevent core skills from developing.

Children that fall into this category can need lots of sensory input and rich experiences to stimulate their nervous systems…sensory rooms, outdoor play, swimming, light toys, music therapy, soft play, bubble tubes etc.

However, there is another group of children who also under-respond but seek sensory input just to confuse us…as they are driven to seek feedback. They are the kids who often have no sense of danger and can struggle to calm themselves down. This is because children who seek sensory input have no control as to how much sensory feedback they seek – there is no limit for them. This often leads them to banging and crash into objects which to the onlooker can make us thing they are hyper or aggressive. And some children don’t realise how loud they are which can confuse us into thinking that they are simply rude or deliberately not following our instructions.

Children that have difficulty in these areas would benefit from physical activities such as bouncing on a trampoline, swings, scooters, therapy balls, massage, sensory play, soft play, weighted blankets/ jackets etc.

For some children, their sensory receptors can also over-respond which can make a child become distressed with light, sound, smells as these can feel painful to them. These children can often want to avoid things that they don’t like and are often in an exhausting cycle of flight or fight mode. This often leads to behavioural outburst that they cannot control in their heightened, arousal state.

For children like this they need lots of desensitisation activities. Slowly increasing their exposure to things in a safe controlled way. They need strategies outing in place to help them cope with difficult situations and relaxation activities should be an integral part of their day.

And just to confuse us even more, some children who are over-responsive can also seek sensory feedback as a calming strategy, as it can be used to block out the sensory input they are finding difficult – such as chewing and humming/ covering ears to block out a noise. It is a mistake to remove these strategies as they are enabling the child to cope with their environment.

This is where we need to act as detectives and try new strategies such as chew toy for chewing or earphones to cover their ears to help them block out the noise. See what works, try new things and provide a ‘carry around toolkit of resources’ that can be used to support each individual child.

Some children who are over-responsive to touch can also confuse us a little by seeking out touch. I know this can sound a little odd, but it is usually on their terms and they are firmly in control and feel secure with the activity. They could be children that seek movement, like to touch other people, push and bang in lines or like giving hugs.

Deep pressure activities work best to help desensitise these children – such as massage therapy, Wilbarger brushing techniques, weighted jackets, outdoor play, pushing and pulling heavy toys etc.

But just to complicate the matter even more, many children can have difficulties across many areas of Sensory Processing and can be over-responsive to some things, and under-responsive to others. Many individuals can seek sensory input that can sometimes be difficult to unpick. And this is particularly true for children with autism, as their ‘normal arousal’ level is so narrow it is even more difficult for them to regulate themselves, which can lead to a very spiky behaviour profile.

So, it’s our job to try and work out what sensory issue our child is trying to avoid, seek or block out, and adapt the environment accordingly whilst providing alternative, appropriate activities.

This can be done in a variety of ways.

An occupational therapist can do a full assessment for children if you suspect that they have sensory processing disorder.

There are a variety of books and resources available online so you can do some research yourself.

Speak to the parents to build up a holistic picture of what is going on as what happens at home and school are intrinsically linked.

Play detective, watch and observe. What is the function of their behaviour? Are they seeking something, or are they avoiding something?

Find strategies to put in place, this is called a ‘sensory diet.’ It could be a weighted lap belt for the child that wriggles in their seat, a fiddle toy for the child who can’t concentrate at story time, or some ear defenders for the child that gets upset every time they have to go in the hall.

Look at your environment through the eyes of someone with autism. Be aware of smells, sights and sounds yourself.

Create a sensory toolkit packed full of resources that can be carried around form class. Some useful things to have in there could be…

Bubbles

Chew toys

Fiddle toys

Blue tac

Ear defenders

Whiteboard and pen (to write down instructions)

Timer

Light toys

Beanbags

Weighted lap belt (cheaper ‘microwavable wheat bags’ can also do the trick)

Chewing gum

Portable table top work station (to provide a distraction-free workspace)

Lego/ playdough/ stress ball…

Obviously, there is no one size fits all when you are supporting children with sensory issues or autism. So, if you have read this today and have any specific questions relating to a child you are working with, just send me an email and I will be happy to help if I can.

Mrs M

asliceofautism@yahoo.com

Education for Sustainable Citizenship in Early Childhood

Kathy Brodie — Sun, 12 Feb 2017 13:51:05 +0000

Dr John Siraj-Blatchford is a well-known name in Early Childhood research and a staunch advocate for improving the outcomes for young children. I have read a lot of his writing, but one article caught my eye when preparing the Early Years Summit – Wellbeing and Sustainable Development. Co-authored with Lynette Brock – a passionate supporter of play for children – the article explores how sustainability and integrated cross-generational initiatives are essential to improving children’s wellbeing and welfare.

This was a fresh perspective on children’s wellbeing that I’d not come across before, but which made a lot of sense. So I was delighted when Dr Siraj-Blatchford and Lynette Brock submitted the guest blog post below, linked to this very subject!

At the end of the blog post, you will find a link to the original article, along with links to other, free articles, and details of training sessions and conferences.

Education for Sustainable Citizenship in Early Childhood

by Dr John Siraj-Blatchford and Lynnette Brock.

Education for Sustainable Development is about Environmental Education, it is about Global and Intercultural education, and it is about the Economics of wellbeing and the virtue of thrift. Most important of all, Education for Sustainable Development is also about improving the learning outcomes of children who are currently underachieving. Inequality and underachievement provide a significant barrier to sustainable development and this has been identified as a major priority in the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. References are provided at the end of this posting to free to download resources that provide more detailed explanations and rationale.

Education for Sustainable Citizenship in Early Childhood (ESCEC) draws upon the logic of the Convention on the Rights of the Child which requires us to consult the child on all matters that affect them. In fact their future is the central concern of Sustainable Development, and we therefore believe they should be given a voice in determining this future. From the ESCEC perspective it is important for children to learn about the interdependency of humanity and nature, and about their interdependency with other people near and far. But it isn’t enough just to learn about the efforts being made in achieving a more peaceful and sustainable world, in adopting a ‘rights’ perspective it is clear that children also need to be involved in contributing to these efforts.

SchemaPlay is currently engaged in a very successful and ongoing 6 month collaboration with Kent County Council Early Years and Child Care Service in promoting Education for Sustainable Citizenship in Early Childhood Education (ESCEC) across the local authority.

A ‘Nursery in a Nursery’ at Little Learners Preschool Kent

The SchemaPlay model provides a major extension and continuation of work first published by Chris Athey in 1992. The model has also been built upon the pedagogic insights of Vygotsky’s ‘Zone of Proximal Development’ (ZPD), Csikszentmihalyi’s (1979) concept of ‘Flow’, and the distinction Piaget (1969) made in his later work between cognitive schemes and schema. Recent evidence related to the existence of ‘mirror neurons’ and breakthroughs in our understanding of ‘embodied cognition’ have provided further justification for our adoption of this approach.

We are currently providing one day courses that include presentations, practical activities and open discussion. Participants will be shown how our model has been developed to support early years’ educators understanding of their role in providing emotional scaffolding, and in ’seeding’ children’s learning in free-flow play. Our next training opportunity is offered in London and focuses specifically on Education for Sustainable Citizenship:

13th April 2017: Quality education for Sustainable Citizenship in Early Childhood, Friends House, 173-7 Euston Road, London NW1 2BJ

See us also at the ENABLE Conference: 8th March 2017 presenting: Taking Play seriously: Examining how play works and how best to support it, ENABLE Conference, London

Bookings for training sessions can be made through the links provided on: http://www.schemaplay.com/Schedule.html

Or by email to: lynnette@schemaplay.com

Further reading available free for download:

Siraj-Blatchford, J., and Brock, L. (2016) Wellbeing and Sustainable Development: The legacy of Maria Montessori, paper presented at the European Early Childhood Education Research (EECERA) Conference, Dublin, September, Download from http://schemaplay.com/Docs/Wellbeing_SD.pdf

Siraj-Blatchford, J. & Brock, L. (2015 ) Taking play more seriously: A Montessori approach to understanding Free Flow Play , TACTYC Research Briefing Download from: http://schemaplay.com/Docs/Research%20Brief%20Final%20P.pdf

Siraj-Blatchford, J., Smith, K., and Pramling Samuelson, I. (2010) Education for Sustainable Development in the Early Years, Gothenburg, Organisation Mondiale Pour l´Education Prescolaire (OMEP) Download from: http://www.327matters.org/Docs/ESD%20Book%20Master.pdf

See also:

Siraj-Blatchford, J., Park, E., and Mogharreban, C. (EDs) (2016) International Research on Education for Sustainable Development in Early Childhood, Springer Books

Siraj-Blatchford, J. and Huggins, V. (2015) ESD Special Edition of Early Education, the Journal of the British Association of early Childhood Education (BAECE) https://www.early-education.org.uk/early-education-journal

Dr John Siraj-Blatchford is an Honorary Professor at the University of Plymouth, and works as an independent educational researcher, trainer and consultant. He was previously employed at the University of Cambridge Faculty of Education and served as an Associate Director of the ESRC Teaching and Learning Research Programme. He was recently commissioned by UNESCO to provide an ECCE review of the UNESCO Decade for Education for Sustainable Development and he chaired the ECCE for Sustainable Development workshop at the 2014 UNESCO ‘End of Decade’ Conference in Nagoya, Japan.

Lynnette Brock is an inspirational trainer with a wealth of experience gained from working with young children in a range of early years’ settings where she held a variety of posts including practitioner, SENCO, head teacher and group training consultant. Prior to SchemaPlay, Lynnette delivered the Early Childhood Studies degree, and is a Montessori teacher trainer. Lynnette is also an avid supporter of play in both the indoor and outdoor environment; in particular the role of play in contributing to children’s self-esteem, motivation, learning and knowledge. She is passionate about supporting early years’ educators in ‘seeding’ the play environment to effectively balance play and teaching

Men in Childcare – interview with Eamon Doolan

Kathy Brodie — Sat, 28 Jan 2017 11:16:58 +0000

Eamon is an award winning, international early years educator. Although only in his early twenties, he has worked in America and Germany, as well as having significant experience in his home town, Dublin.

His international experience and highly diverse experiences in Ireland make for an interesting narrative.

Enjoy!

Eamon’s Twitter:@Eamond44

You can find out more about Dimples Crèche and Montessori here: http://dimples.ie/

If you enjoy the podcast, please leave a review on iTunes too – it helps to promote the podcast and get it to reach a wider audience.

The Many Faces of Anxiety

Kathy Brodie — Fri, 20 Jan 2017 10:26:19 +0000

It seems particularly apt to have a post from Mrs M. about the different faces of anxiety in January, as this month is often linked with the Janus, the Roman God of war and peace or the beginning and end of conflict. In this guest blog, Mrs M. describes how we can recognise the signs of anxiety in children with autism, and then some really practical strategies for managing anxiety. It is an honest and inspirational piece. Please do share and comment.
Enjoy!

For my son, anxiety is part of who he is.

In fact, it is as much a part of his make up as the colour of his hair or the freckles on his nose that come out every summer. It is his constant companion and is far more than just a bit of worry that can be soothed away with some reassuring words of encouragement.

It is with him forever, and it is important we take it seriously as it plays such a huge part in his life.

It was also actually one of the first indicators to us as he was growing up, that something wasn’t quite as it should be. The older he got the bigger his worries seemed to grow. But at the time we didn’t realise that all the different behaviours we were seeing were driven by this hidden force lurking inside him. And the more we tried to overcome it and force him into situations that we thought he should be able to cope with, the worse we made it; because we didn’t take his anxiety seriously. We didn’t realise how much his anxiety was controlling his emotions and behaviours.

So we bowed down to pressure.

Pressure to make him conform because he looked so ‘normal.’ Pressure from professionals who didn’t have the answers we were so desperately seeking. And pressure from ourselves to live up to the perfect family image that everyone expected us to be.

Pressure to fit our son into societies neat little boxes.

But in fact, we quickly learnt that the key to us being able to move forward as a family unit was far more about us learning to accept and embrace his differences as much as anything else. Learning to accept that his anxiety was part of who he was, and it wasn’t going anywhere. And after all that we had to learn how to unpick his behaviour to see what was really going on underneath the surface.

And so out of necessity his anxiety became our constant companion. We have reluctantly learnt to share our lives with it, having to let it into our routines and family time. Allowing it to dictate the ebb and flow of daily life like the tide. It’s inevitable when your child has anxiety linked with their autism, there is no hiding from it…ever! So, we learnt to accept that it is part of what makes him so unique and roll with it.

Sometimes we can all see his anxiety, even people that don’t know him inside out like I do. It is etched on his face, in his body language and it seeps out of every muscle in his movements. There’s no mistaking it. It controls him like a puppet master making him bite his nails, compels him to ask the same questions again and again with nothing being able to satisfy its hunger. It makes him pace around the room like a caged tiger, and at times it completely takes over his body. Primal instincts kick in which trigger the fight or flight reflex in his body.

But this anxiety also has a darker more secret side.

The side that not everyone sees. This kind of anxiety disguises itself and takes many forms, and shows many faces.

This cruel force can morph and change costumes at its own will. Like a shape shifter it controls our children and confuses the adults who are fooled by its whim. It becomes hyperactivity, violence, exhaustion, fear, illness, or demand avoidance to name but a few. All these facets of our children are driven by anxiety. It can hide and pounce as children learn to mask their emotions and fit in to the confusing world around them.

And so, we find ourselves putting unhelpful labels on our children to give meaning to behaviours that we don’t understand.

High needs, challenging behaviour, low functioning, disruptive, hyper, impulsive, normal, obsessive, high functioning, passive, aggressive, avoidant, or even naughty.

But I fear that these labels only serve to box our kids in.

Making us set rigid expectations for them in a world that should actually be far more flexible for children on the spectrum. These labels can lead us to make assumptions and take things for granted. Not seeing the potential pitfalls and variables that affect autistic children so intensely. Leading us to miss the hidden anxiety that is so often driving so many of these behaviours that society wants to put a label on.

When I think what we really should be doing is looking at how we, as the adults, respond to our children’s anxiety. How we reflect on our own practice, honestly, and without fear of criticism or failure. Believe me when I say that over the years I have made many mistakes. I have got things wrong, and spent many a sleepless night thinking how I could have handled things better. But when I think about it, those mistakes taught me so much.

So as practitioners, we need to be asking ourselves if we were flexible enough (because when fire meets fire no one wins I can tell you!) We also need to be sharing good practice, sharing our successes and our failures. Working collaboratively with parents, and talking to colleagues openly. Bouncing ideas off each other in order to support these vulnerable children effectively as a team.

We need to see beyond the labels.

Understanding that often their behaviour is telling us, in the only way that they know how to, that something is wrong. And often if sensory issues can be ruled out, then the controlling factor is usually anxiety in disguise.

Real, deep, life defining anxiety.

Anxiety about failing, anxiety about not understanding, anxiety about the social interactions and rules they can’t make sense of. Anxiety about filtering out the acute sensory overload that is probably taking up all their energy. Anxiety about holding it all together and that sense of implosion that is building in their tummies as the hours tick by until home time. And even anxiety about being anxious. It’s exhausting for them, and often tricks us adults into thinking that the issues lie elsewhere…

It can make kids isolate themselves and withdraw often getting overlooked, confusing us to think that all is well, but whose parents report seeing a different child at home. The ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ kid that you can’t make sense of.

It could be the real cause of the child in class that often complains of headaches or feeling sick, even asking to go the toilet more often than they probably should.

It’s probably the source of all those delay tactics when it’s time to settle down to work, the real reason that a child seems to have a knack of finding lots of distractions around the classroom, rather than them simply being fidgety or hyper.

It could be controlling the child in class with their head down on the table, chewing their sleeve, scratching their arm or rocking back and forward on their chair. The one you may think is just being stubborn.

It’s almost definitely ruling over the kid that needs extra support as they often refuse to even attempt their work, and regularly disrupt the class because that is better than them facing the embarrassment of failure in front of everyone. You see anxiety breeds low self-esteem and the need for self-preservation.

It can also be the real reason that a child can struggle to follow verbal instructions in the classroom, and leads them to regularly forget what they are meant to do when the lesson starts. Not simply because they have poor concentration or just don’t listen.

And I can say with certainty that anxiety will be the puppet master pulling the strings as a child gets frustrated and explodes in class, often with no awareness of who is around them and how they can hurt themselves or other people in the process. It throws chairs and swears in anger, and it leaves children and staff confused and scared in many schools up and down the country. That child is probably overflowing with stress chemicals pumping through their bodies. Going from one panic attack to another in a constant primal state of flight or fight… due to anxiety.

So instead of labels…

I think we need to be open minded and far more flexible.

We need to see beyond the behaviour, and play detective to peel away the hidden faces of anxiety that is often driving our children’s behaviour.

Perhaps by making behaviour analysis tools part of our daily practice, so we can begin to really understand what’s going on with these kids and break down those walls of hidden anxiety.

We need to think outside of the box and make real accommodations in the classroom that are meaningful and not just ticking a box for a policy.

We should understand that one size doesn’t fit all, and every child is different. And see things from the child’s perspective and not just our own.

And slowly but surely, these amazing kids will begin to trust us, let down their guard, and their inner anxiety may just have nowhere to hide anymore. No more shadows to lurk behind and no more masks to wear.

Mrs M

(Next month I will look in detail at how sensory issues can affect children behaviour in the classroom as anxiety and sensory issues are often so intrinsically linked it can be hard to unpick at times)

A slice of Autism: What’s normal anyway is now available from Amazon, with 11 Five Star reviews, this book is definitely worth a read!

And do have a look at her blogspot: ASliceOfAutism

Exploring construction materials

Kathy Brodie — Fri, 13 Jan 2017 13:10:45 +0000

Artist and qualified teacher, David Veron invented a creative construction toy for his wife’s daycare nursery in 2015. Realising its potential he offered it to nurseries and schools near his hometown of Otley in Yorkshire. By the start of the second year began exporting across Europe and as far away as The Falkland Islands. The construction toy he called u-nu has now been enjoyed by thousands of young children.

David has kindly written this guest post about some of the things he has learned about how children use construction to further their learning, imagination and design skills.

I’m now approaching the end of my second year exploring the subject of early years construction and I’m finding out all sorts of interesting data.

There can be little doubt that early years construction is a vital part of how we encourage children to explore the world around them. By combining different kinds of construction materials, both bought and found, and making them available in an area of continuous provision, we offer children the opportunity to develop a diverse range of skills, from creativity to collaboration – from gross and fine motor skills to numeracy.

It goes without saying that we should also take an holistic approach to their learning, and where children are engaged in one activity, we as practitioners need to remain aware of the opportunity to introduce elements from their other experiences.

Take for example the activity of building a tower. This could relate to a book that has recently been read to the children, let’s use for example the classic story of Rapunzel.

What if we then introduce some small world toys and engage with the child to recount the story, asking them questions about how Rapunzel feels being trapped up in a tower. They may wish to subvert the story and to take ownership of the narrative. This in turn may feed back to redesigning the original structure of the tower to provide Rapunzel with her own means of escape.

Are we still just developing gross motor skills while doing a bit of early years maths? Of course not, suddenly we’re helping them develop their own story telling abilities while exploring the child’s empathy with a character. The child is experiencing the formation of a narrative and representing it through language, at the same time they are being creative, exploring materials and using them in an informed way to meet their goals. All good EYFS learning.

By exploring the ways in which we use our resources we extend the value in them. By cross-referencing what we discuss with children with the early learning goals in the EYFS, we can begin to see the world through a child’s experience.

Where we see a bunch of wooden blocks sprawled across the floor, they see characters or landscapes in the narrative of their play. Once we enter the imagination of the child we can begin to enhance their play experience, guiding them gently towards their early learning goals. We can only do this when we understand more about the potential of our resources.

Picture if you will an image I once saw of a number of stepladders lying in a pile on the floor next to a garden wall. There was a person on top of the pile of stepladders struggling to peer over the wall.

This image was intended to illustrate the point, ‘It doesn’t matter how many resources you have, they count for little if you don’t know how to use them’.

This resonated with me. Over the years I have seen resources remain unused both in our nursery and in my time as an art teacher in a secondary school. This is not always an indication that someone bought the wrong resources, rather that no one has considered how to benefit from that particular resource by applying a little creative thinking into how it is used.

Since launching u-nu I have had the privilege to encounter a large number of excellent practitioners. Some of these dedicated educators have shared their experiences with me, providing ideas of how u-nu can help young children develop through different stages of exploration during play, obtaining transferable skills along the way.

In discussion with my wife (a nursery owner for the last 12 years) we decided to try and bring these ideas together and share them with other practitioners using u-nu in their settings. To this end we have designed a set of work cards offering suggestions of how to engage children in the construction area to achieve better learning outcomes.

As a teacher as well as the originator of the whole u-nu concept, I feel it is incumbent upon me to maximize the educational benefit my invention can have upon young minds.

At u-nu we always welcome feedback and want to share examples of best practice. We are on a mission to assist settings provide the very best outcomes within the construction area.

If you’d like us to send you our free support worksheets, including our easy to follow assessment pro forma you can contact us at u-hu@u-nu.co.uk

If you haven’t already adopted u-nu in your setting and wish to do so, then please use the code kathybrodie to receive a 10% discount when checking out at u-nu.co.uk

You can find out more, and hear what Early Years Professionals have to say about u-nu by watching this short video.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=DONDHXFVFd4

Twelve Days of Christmas

Kathy Brodie — Wed, 14 Dec 2016 11:56:12 +0000

I am super excited to tell you that Mrs M. has written a special Festive blog for us, full of her usual great practical advice and top tips. I love Mrs M’s writing because I can really relate to it (I get a wiggly tummy sometimes too!) and it always makes me smile, but most of all, she has a great knack of emphasising the positives – perfect for the holiday season! I hope you enjoy it as much as I have.

Hi folks, it’s lovely to be back doing another guest blog for Kathy after what has been a hectic few months in our household I can tell you.

I ended up having to take a few months off from writing. So, for those of you waiting for my series of blogs to continue in which I have been looking at supporting children with autism in the classroom, don’t worry I’ll be back in the swing of things by January with my next instalment as promised. In it I will be looking at managing anxiety in the classroom, and how unmet sensory needs can lead ‘challenging behaviour.’ Keep an eye out for that one in the new year, and apologies for my absence these last few months…what can I say? Sometimes life just has a habit of getting in the way at times doesn’t it!

Anyway, back to the here and now and I can’t believe as I am sat here writing this how quickly we’re hurtling towards Christmas. And I don’t know about you, but for me, this is the time when panic usually starts to set in as I realise how much I still have left to do in the coming few weeks.

The shopping, wrapping, unexpected guests, decorations, school concerts, parties… I mean the list goes on and on. If I allow myself to dwell on it all too much little wave of nausea washes over me as I stress about the Christmas cards write yet and how on earth I am going to manage to be in three places at once next Wednesday as my kids school commitments ramp up by the day.

So, let’s take a deep breath and pause from the Christmas chaos for just a minute.

A moment of calm if you like, and let us step out of our glitzy (and pretty darn uncomfortable) party shoes for a while and into the slightly more comfortable shoes of the child with autism, a child like my son, to see what small steps we can take to help them survive the chaos.

Let us consider how all this sparkle and stress that leaves us on our knees by the last day of term can affect the children we support each day. Children who can really struggle with change, children who can’t always express how they are feeling, children who often have massive anxiety problems, or sensory issues who can often be left feeling overwhelmed and confused by the whole process of Christmas.

So, continuing in the spirit of all things sparkly and festive, why not grab yourself a cheeky mince-pie, pop the kettle on and spend a few minutes reading top tips for helping children survive the festivities at school in my ‘Ode to 12 days Of Christmas.’

On the first day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“One Visual Timetable”

This should cover all elements of my day, leave room for surprises and unplanned changes and be shared between home and school to ensure all potential issues can be prepared for well in advance.

On the second day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“Two minute warnings”

I need to know how long I have left to complete an activity and I need a warning for when the activity will finish. Timers help me understand the concept of time throughout the day.

On the third day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“Three ‘time out’ tents”

I need somewhere in the classroom I can escape to when things get too much. A tent or a blanket over a desk will do. Sometimes I may need a little help to recognise when I need some time out or even some visuals to help me ask for it can be useful.

On the fourth day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“Four social stories”

Social stories help me understand new behaviours and activities, they can help ease my anxiety and they calm me down when I read them.

On the fifth day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“Five sensory breaks”

There are lots of things at this time of year that can overwhelm me in school. So I need lots of breaks throughout the day and lots of time outside to reset my nervous system.

On the sixth day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“6 ‘now and next’ cards”

Telling what is happening next is vital, as I need time to transition from one thing to another. Having a visual showing what happening ‘now and next’ is great.

On the seventh day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“Seven clear instructions”

When I am anxious my brain becomes muddled and my tummy gets wiggly, so talk to me slowly, and clearly. Having visual prompts to match what you are saying also helps me process things.

On the eight day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“Eights ear defenders”

Sometimes things that may not seem loud to you can be really loud or distracting to me. Having some ear defenders can help me cope in situations that might cause me anxiety.

On the ninth day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“9 second pauses”

If I don’t respond straight away it doesn’t mean I haven’t heard you I may just need longer to process what you’re saying. So, pause for about 9 seconds and repeat the same words again to me… oh and make sure you get my attention by saying my name first before you speak to me. I don’t need to look at you to hear what you are saying, so please don’t force me to as it can be really uncomfortable for me when people do that.

On the tenth day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“Ten notes home to mum”

It’s important you talk to my parents about any changes that are happening as they can help me prepare for it at home. Share lots of positives too so it’s not always negative. Also, I can bottle things up in school and get upset when I am at home so please believe my mum and dad when they tell you about all my worries. It’s not because they are doing something wrong, it’s just because home is my safe place.

On the eleventh day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“Eleven sensory tool kits”

I need a bag that I can carry around with me that has all the things I need to keep me calm. It could contain blobs of blu-tac to play with, fiddle toys or chew beads. Please don’t give it me as a reward as its essential I have access to my kit at all times when I need it.

On the twelfth day of Christmas my teacher gave to me…

“A big hug for just being me”

I may be different from other kids but if you take the time to get to know me and truly accept me for who I am then you will see that I am just a kid like every other. And I have so much to offer in my own special way!

Have a lovely Christmas folks, and see you in the New Year

Mrs M xx

A slice of Autism: What’s normal anyway is now available from Amazon, with 11 Five Star reviews, this book is definitely worth a read!

And do have a look at her blogspot: ASliceOfAutism

Anthology of Educational Thinkers – perfect for all practitioners!

Kathy Brodie — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 14:50:20 +0000

I love reading about the different perspectives and pedagogical approaches to young children’s play, learning and development. It is fascinating to me that different people can view the same scene of children playing, but be able to analyse this in many, many different ways.

The more you reflect on different types of pedagogy, the greater your understanding of how children learn, play, grow and develop. It is vital that practitioners don’t fall into the (very easy) trap of ‘We’ve always done it like this’ and forget to reflect on their own practice.

There are some great opportunities for self-reflection and professional development, such as attending conferences, having professional discussions with others in networks or sharing on social media sites. But for quiet, personal reflection there is nothing to beat a great book, especially if it challenges some of your existing thinking.

So, when I received my copy of ‘An Anthology of Educational Thinkers’ written by Sally Featherstone, I was a little nervous that this would just reinforce all my current thinking, giving few opportunities for reflection.

How wrong can you be!

True, all the favourites are included – Fröebel, Montessori, Vygotsky, Rousseau and Piaget.

But there are some refreshing inclusions that did make me think, for example (and this is not an exhaustive list!):

Benjamin Samuel Bloom, of ‘Bloom’s taxonomy’ who helped to develop the classification of the elements of learning, starting from knowing facts to ultimately, self-actualization.

Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, who writes about the ‘internal state’. The theory of Flow describes those times when you are so absorbed in your activity that time just disappears and the only important thing in the world is what you are doing right here, right now. I read about this years ago, and although the research was with adults, it could just as easily be describing those children you see totally absorbed with their play. It was super to be reminded of this and revisit some of the theory

Alfred Binet, of the IQ test, especially relevant at the current time with discussions about the value and use of standardised testing.

There are also some brand new names for me, amongst others:

Jane Addams who investigated immigrant children in Chicago and their subsequent ‘Americanisation’.

Hermann Ebbinghaus who researched memory and the learning curve. He also invented the ‘cloze’ methods (where there is a blank in the sentence for a child to fill in).

Simon Baron-Cohen who specialises in autism and in particular gender aspects

Which is all great for personal interest and development, but how can these impact on my daily practice?

Luckily there is a section for each person on their legacy and impact, especially if the theory has underpinned a government policy or programme (eg Bronfennbrenner’s theory underpinning Head Start in the USA).

In addition, there is an excellent, and probably unique, section for every Educational Thinker on how they have influenced early years practice in each curriculum of the UK. So links between Gesell’s work and Development Matters are made; Comenius and the use of picture books; Pestalozzi and his child-centred learning, using ‘head, heart and hands’.

In my opinion, having this section for each Educational Thinker makes the book essential for every practitioner doing any sort of Childhood Studies course, because it is not enough to know the theory, this must be applied in practice and understood in the modern context.

I also think it makes the book is essential for reflective practitioners. When we debate the pros and cons of testing, assessment, child-centred learning etc. it is vital that we understand the background, the theory and context that this was developed in and how this has now been adapted for modern life.

An Anthology of Educational Thinkers is a fantastic combination of theory, practice and reflection – perfect for a present, whether you are an experienced practitioner or a brand new student.

You can get your copy from Amazon here or direct from Bloomsbury here.

Disclaimer: I was lucky enough to receive a free preview copy of this book.

Kathy Brodie: Free CPD for Early Years Professionals

The Magic of Loose Parts Play: Unleashing Creativity in the Early Years

Introduction

What Are Loose Parts?

The Benefits of Loose Parts Play

Creativity and Imagination

Problem-Solving and Critical Thinking

Fine and Gross Motor Skills Development

Language and Communication Skills

Social and Emotional Development

Mathematical Thinking

Implementing Loose Parts Play in Early Years Settings

Creating an Inviting Environment

Sourcing and Managing Loose Parts

Safety Considerations

Role of the Adult in Facilitating Play

Loose Parts Play Across the EYFS Areas of Learning

Physical Development

Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Communication and Language

Literacy

Mathematics

Understanding the World

Expressive Arts and Design

Overcoming Challenges in Loose Parts Play

Mess and Tidying

Safety Worries

Storage Issues

Engaging Hesitant Children or Practitioners

Documenting and Assessing Loose Parts Play

Conclusion

Further Reading and Research

Recommended Articles

Recommended Books

Recommended Websites

Sustained Shared Thinking: A Practical and Comprehensive Guide for Early Years Practitioners

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

What is Sustained Shared Thinking?

Why is it so powerful?

How can we achieve successful Sustained Shared Thinking?

When and Where are good times for Sustained Shared Thinking?

Who can be involved with Sustained Shared Thinking?

Understanding Sustained Shared Thinking

Key Components of SST

Theoretical Underpinnings

SST in Action

Beyond Words

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

The Benefits of Sustained Shared Thinking

Cognitive Development

Language Skills

Social and Emotional Growth

Metacognition and Self-regulation

Long-term Impact

Identifying Opportunities for Sustained Shared Thinking

Recognising Child-initiated Cues

Creating an Environment Conducive to SST

Balancing Planned and Spontaneous SST Moments

Recognising SST Opportunities with Different Age Groups

Overcoming Barriers to SST

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Strategies for Effective Sustained Shared Thinking

Active Listening Techniques

Open-ended Questioning

Scaffolding Children’s Ideas

Using the SSTEW Scale

Embracing ‘Wait Time’

Using Visual Aids and Props

Overcoming Challenges in Implementing SST

Time Constraints

Large Group Settings

Varying Developmental Levels

Engaging Reluctant or Shy Children

Maintaining Adult-Child Ratios

Lack of Confidence or Knowledge

Cultural and Language Differences

Get Our In-Depth Online Course on Sustained Shared Thinking with Kathy Brodie

Integrating SST Across the Early Years Curriculum

Literacy and Numeracy

Literacy: