After school can be a lovely time to connect with your child, some are so excited to share news of their day however if your child is like mine, you may be stuck with one-word answers. School days are long, tiring and even if your child has been in an early learning setting full time…
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Heading into the new school year can be very exciting and a little nerve racking. I’m certainly not the Mum at the school as soon as the gates open with my hair perfect and an even crease ironed into my son’s pants. But over the years I’ve found the below tips help us to get…
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I’ve had two of my three children start kindergarten now. I cried both times. The build up, the fact they don’t need me as much anymore, the sheer fact that time could pass so quickly. It’s all just too much. I found the whole lead up to starting kindergarten exciting but overwhelming too. Taking them…
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When people say that children are like sponges, they are not mucking around! The ability of children to establish, retain and implement new skills and information is truly astounding. Language is such a pivotal skill that will assist children through all areas of development. The ability to collect and understand information through receptive language as…
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In short, absolutely yes! And here are some reasons why: Freedom – offering children loose parts means there are no rules nor predetermined outcomes of how things are ‘meant’ to be used. Loose parts celebrates the process over the product in play. Fine and gross motor skills – children involved in loose parts benefit from…
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“Don’t do that, you’ll get dirty” “Take that out of your mouth” “Out of the puddle”. I think that at some stage or another, we’re all guilty of saying these words to our children. And at certain times it is of course appropriate, but are we doing a disservice for our children if we don’t…
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Happy International Men’s Day Men in the early childhood sector comprise a very low minority of our profession and I believe this is a great loss for our children. There are many reasons why children would benefit from more males in our sector but some of the most obvious are the basic different caring styles…
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Reading books with children is one of the best things you can do for your child. This can assist in fostering strong relationships, developing a love of stories, promoting receptive and expressive language as well as sparking imagination and creativity. When reading stories with children, I love books that are fun to read. I want…
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I was in a restaurant with friends recently and I could not help but notice a Mum having a challenging time trying to keep her daughter still and quiet while they enjoyed a meal with others. Mum was getting frustrated and her voice was getting louder, the child was getting more restless and, it did…
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With those excitable two special words, Santa Claus, about to start flowing from little ones mouths, it is coming to that time of year when we look forward to hearing Christmas carols and music all around us. The classics bring back loads of childhood memories about that feeling of excitement and getting ready for Christmas…
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