50 Fantastic Ideas for Getting Children Active


Book Description

50 Fantastic Ideas for Getting Children Active is filled with simple and accessible ideas to make physical activity an enjoyable and meaningful part of daily life in the Early Years. Young children's physical and mental development, health and wellbeing can be significantly improved by regular physical activity, from tummy time that informs crawling to walking, and sitting still that impacts on fluent handwriting. Dr Lala Manners uses her wealth of experience to present 50 ideas to engage with young children physically in a positive way and get them active, from Scrabble and Stand where toddlers lift themselves up to standing as quickly as possible to Duvet Tunnels where children commando crawl under a sheet. Many of the ideas in this book can be used both indoors and outdoors and all of them involve using easily-accessible or free-to-source materials that can be found at home and in Early Years settings. With over 40 books in the 50 Fantastic Ideas series there's something for everyone – whether you're a practitioner looking for new ideas or you want to try out a popular well-loved activity with a new twist. Each book offers a wide range of fun and creative activities to carry out with children aged 0 – 5 years, with lists of resources, step-by-step instructions and information about the benefits for children.




50 Fantastic Ideas for Teaching Phonics


Book Description

The 50 Fantastic Things series is a no nonsense, ideas bank .no frills, just 50 examples of great ideas already in practice!




50 Fantastic Ideas for Songs and Rhymes


Book Description

There's no better way to get children moving, laughing and learning than with songs and dance, but sometimes it can feel like you've exhausted your rhyme repertoire or simply run out of musical steam. 50 Fantastic Ideas for Songs and Rhymes offers a mixture of traditional favourites, fresh alternatives to well-known rhymes, action songs, original rhythms and funny verse that will have everyone giggling. All activities include suggestions for actions and dances and tips for incorporating songs and rhymes into other areas of children's learning. Adults will feel confident singing and moving to music with children, whether one-to-one or in groups, and children will love the repetition, rhymes and rhythmic movements of these activities. Drawing on developmental research to compile the very best musical activities, this book will boost practitioners' confidence and improve children's cognitive abilities and movement skills. With over 40 books in the 50 Fantastic Ideas series there's something for everyone – whether you're a practitioner looking for new ideas or you want to try out a popular well-loved activity with a new twist. Each book offers a wide range of fun and creative activities to carry out with children aged 0 – 5 years, with lists of resources, step-by-step instructions and information about the benefits for children.




50 Fantastic Ideas for Outside All Year Round


Book Description

Outdoors is a great space to enhance and extend children's learning. There are lots of children who have a natural affinity with the outdoors and use it as their preferred learning space. As adults supporting children's learning, it is important to support the investigation of their outdoor environment, but also that learning is taken into those spaces and delivered to children in the most engaging way that it can be. What you can (almost) always guarantee is children's enthusiasm to take their learning outdoors, what you can't always guarantee is the weather! In 50 Fantastic Ideas for Outdoor All Year Round Alistair has created 50 ideas that will get children and practitioners outside and learning come rain, snow, wind or sunshine! All of the activities have got their own central skill that can then be adapted to fit the interests of the children or each setting's own particular outdoor environment. So, whether your setting's outdoor space is a back garden, a small yard or large playground there will be activities that can be used and that will inspire young learners.




50 Fantastic Ideas for Exploring Nature


Book Description

Many practitioners are under pressure to deliver effective outdoor learning experiences for all children. Current resources are aimed at academic studies or families - this book is an inspirational and accessible resource for practitioners. A starting point for outdoor activities that really engage, encourage and develop children.




50 Fantastic Ideas for Mindfulness


Book Description

_______________ The 50 Fantastic Ideas series is packed full of fun, original, skills-based activities for Early Years practitioners to use with children aged 0-5. Each activity features step-by-step guidance, a list of resources, and a detailed explanation of the skills children will learn. Creative, simple, and highly effective, this series is a must-have for every Early Years setting. Introducing mindfulness in Early Years settings equips young children with life-long skills that develop as they mature. 50 Fantastic Ideas for Mindfulness features a range of activities that enable children to build awareness of their emotions, focus on the present and empathise more easily with others. From ideas to manage distractions to games for independence, this collection of ideas includes colourful photographs and easy-to-follow instructions, making it a fantastic resources to bring mindfulness into the Early Years.




50 Fantastic Ideas for Exploring Number


Book Description

The 50 Fantastic Ideas series is packed full of fun, original, skills-based activities for Early Years practitioners to use with children aged 0-5. Each activity features step-by-step guidance, a list of resources, and a detailed explanation of the skills children will learn. Creative, simple, and highly effective, this series is a must-have for every Early Years setting. Developing a secure understanding of number in the Early Years is key to ensuring number confidence for future stages of learning. A wide variety of meaningful hands-on experiences are required to develop a child's deep understanding of number. 50 Fantastic Ideas for Exploring Number presents ideas that are all about doing – to not only stimulate the senses, but to also provoke thinking and talking, allow questions to be asked, and ensure that links are made between number concepts and the real world. The ideas require little preparation beforehand, can be used by practitioners without any specific expertise in teaching early number, and include easy-to-source materials. Each area of early number sense is covered from adding on and taking away to number stories, identifying and writing numbers. Alison Hutchison draws on her wealth of experience to present 50 ideas and experiences that make numbers fun and accessible so that, as they explore and investigate, children are fully engaged partners in their learning at this crucial early stage of their number journey.




50 Fantastic Ideas for Supporting Neurodiversity


Book Description

_______________ The 50 Fantastic Ideas series is packed full of fun, original, skills-based activities for Early Years practitioners to use with children aged 0-5. Each activity features step-by-step guidance, a list of resources, and a detailed explanation of the skills children will learn. Creative, simple, and highly effective, this series is a must-have for every Early Years setting. This dip-in-and-out guide will help practitioners to adapt their teaching style to become more inclusive of neurodivergent children, and provide meaningful and innovative ideas that can be embedded into everyday practice. Featuring activities such as mirrored play, meditation, symbol stories and treasure baskets, these ideas are expertly formulated to support and develop children's sensory regulation skills and communication skills, whilst enabling practitioners to understand and engage with non-speaking or pre-verbal children. All forms and templates can be downloaded from the companion website. This book was Highly Commended in the Happy and Healthy category at the Teach Early Years Awards 2023.




50 Fantastic Ideas for Co-Regulation


Book Description

_______________ The 50 Fantastic Ideas series is packed full of fun, original, skills-based activities for Early Years practitioners to use with children aged 0-5. Each activity features step-by-step guidance, a list of resources, and a detailed explanation of the skills children will learn. Creative, simple, and highly effective, this series is a must-have for every Early Years setting. _______________ Co-regulation is the process when children develop the ability to manage emotions, responses, and impulses both in mind and body (self-regulation) through connection with nurturing and reliable caregivers. Children need to understand their own feelings and those of others, and learn to regulate their behaviour accordingly. One of the key ways children learn to self-regulate is through co-regulation. With modelling, support and nurture, practitioners can learn to co-regulate alongside the children so that they can develop those important skills. This dip-in-and-out guide will help practitioners provide the strongest foundations for children and to give them the best emotional start in life. It provides meaningful and inclusive ideas for co-regulation that can be embedded into everyday practice, and be used for a broad range of emotional needs, without being tokenistic. These practical and easy-to-resource ideas are expertly formulated to support and develop children's self-regulation skills.




50 Fantastic Ideas for Circle Time


Book Description

The 50 Fantastic Ideas series is packed full of fun, original, skills-based activities for Early Years practitioners to use with children aged 0-5. Each activity features step-by-step guidance, a list of resources, and a detailed explanation of the skills children will learn. Creative, simple, and highly effective, this series is a must-have for every Early Years setting. Circle time stimulates learning in all areas of development – from the improvement of social skills and positive relationships to encouraging children to listen to each other within a caring and respectful environment. Judith Harries brings together creative ideas for circle time where learning can be shared and music and drama can be enjoyed. The book includes circle time activities and games that cover all of the Early Learning Goals through the sharing of thoughts, feelings and experiences. It can also be used across the curriculum, including helping children with literacy and mathematics through phonics and number games. This timeless collection of ideas featuring colourful and fun photography is a fantastic resource with many new activities for circle time, as well as some old favourites.