The Power of Play and Schemas in Early Learning Despite its acknowledged importance, UK classrooms face a tension between recognising play’s value and applying it practically. Play opportunities have experienced “marked reductions,” often because play and learning are viewed as …

Supporting the Transforming Schema Through Art As early years practitioners, we often encounter children who seem magnetically drawn to mixing, squishing, and transforming materials. These little scientists are exploring what we call the transforming schema, and art activities provide the …

Standing at my classroom window this morning, watching the last of the autumn leaves spiral down onto the playground, I was reminded of Jamie, a four-year-old in my class who struggles with any form of transition. Just six weeks ago, …

Why a cardboard box full of leaves might be the best language tool in your classroom I used to think story boxes were just another craft project that would end up forgotten in a cupboard somewhere. Then I watched four-year-old …

How One Simple Texture Activity Transformed Our Creation Story Time (And Stopped the Fidgeting Forever) If you’ve taught Bible stories in EYFS, you know the challenge. Twenty-eight children aged 4-5, different attention spans, varying developmental needs, and a curriculum requirement …

8 Multi-Sensory Learning Ideas for Any Subject Let’s be honest, for many of us, school was a largely visual and auditory affair. Sit down. Look at the board. Listen to the teacher. Read the book. Repeat. And for some students, …

Making Religious Education Accessible Through Sensory Stories Religious education has traditionally relied heavily on verbal instruction and visual aids, but what about learners who process information differently? For students with profound and multiple learning difficulties (PMLD), autism, developmental delay, or …

The Circle of Life: Sensory Story and Learning Activities The themes of growth, change, and the interconnectedness of life offer profound learning opportunities for children of all skill levels. Through sensory storytelling, we can help learners with PMLD, SEN, and …

From Caterpillar to Butterfly: Creative Learning Adventures with The Very Hungry Caterpillar Transforming Eric Carle’s beloved story into rich sensory and craft experiences that support the EYFS Every early years practitioner knows the magic that happens when you open “The …

Using Blocks for Maths and the Early Years Young children are natural mathematicians, constantly counting, sorting, and making sense of quantities in their world. This carefully crafted sequence of ten activities harnesses that innate curiosity, guiding children through a playful …