World Book Day 2022 is drawing closer, and I’ve assembled some useful links and ideas to help you make the most of this special day My granddaughter Daisy has always enjoyed sitting down with a book. While she doesn’t need a special occasion to prompt her to read with me, she always enjoys World Book… Continue reading World Book Day 2022: fun resources and useful links
Author: grannysmithsdiary
Pocket money power: introducing children to coins and notes
In the age of contactless payments and online transactions, it might seem pointless to teach children about physical money. But there is so much they can learn from handling and exchanging coins and notes… I’ve been writing about the educational development of my granddaughter Daisy for several years now. But there’s been a gap in… Continue reading Pocket money power: introducing children to coins and notes
Fun Fridge Phonics: blending simple sounds and reading sentences
Building early reading skills can be simple and fun for children and carers alike. A set of magnetic letters and a fridge door leads to a lot of phonics blending fun... The kitchen is a great place for young children to learn. But those discoveries don’t have to be limited to fun food science, not… Continue reading Fun Fridge Phonics: blending simple sounds and reading sentences
Chocolate soup! Food science discoveries to get children cooking
It’s never too soon to involve your child in the basics of food preparation. There are so many safe, messy and yummy activities you can share with to get kids cooking. But when do you start to introduce your child to the science of cooking – with what happens when ingredients are combined, heated and… Continue reading Chocolate soup! Food science discoveries to get children cooking
Best of the Blog 2021: raising a confident, curious grandchild
Here’s a roundup of my best educational content from 2021. It's filled with activities and observations to make learning fun for your child or grandchild... I’ve been reflecting on the many blogs that I’ve written during 2021. A lot has changed in the past year. My granddaughter Daisy started the year in a Nursery class… Continue reading Best of the Blog 2021: raising a confident, curious grandchild
Children’s books offer more than just a story
Storytime is a special moment for a grandparents and children alike. Sometimes an idea in a book can spark a child’s imagination and shape their play for hours to come... There is no doubt that my granddaughter Daisy loves books. Having a book read to her at bedtime is part of her daily routine, with… Continue reading Children’s books offer more than just a story
Supercubes: numeracy and hands-on learning
Making ‘supercubes’ is a great way for children to explore cube numbers, and what happens when numbers are increased by the ‘power of three dimensions’ At times I see my granddaughter Daisy playing on her own, completely immersed in her imaginary play. At other times, she likes an adult to join her in the play:… Continue reading Supercubes: numeracy and hands-on learning
Learning the uppercase alphabet
For most children, learning the alphabet is an experience that takes place over a long period of time and involves a lot of repetition and familiarisation across many different contexts. There is a lot to learn, from the names of the letters to their order, to the fact that there are lowercase and uppercase versions… Continue reading Learning the uppercase alphabet
Buried treasure: harvesting potatoes with your grandchild
Most parents and grandparents will understand that spending a healthy amount of time outdoors brings huge benefits for children – sometimes the trick is to find those activities which enable children to enjoy the natural world with ease. Planting and harvesting fruits and vegetables is a great way to do this in your own back garden.… Continue reading Buried treasure: harvesting potatoes with your grandchild
Subitising fun with Compare Bears
My granddaughter Daisy has played with my set of Compare Bears on several occasions. By virtue of their varying sizes and colours, Compare Bears allow young children to explore and learn about counting, sorting, patterning, and size and mass comparison in a fun, relaxed way. Now they're supporting Daisy in an important new skill: subitising.… Continue reading Subitising fun with Compare Bears
Granny Smith's Diary 