Many parents and grandparents will have heard of STEM in the context of education, but will not know what to make of it, or how to encourage more STEM learning. This is especially true if you’re caring for a child who is still in their preschool years. In this blog I’ll unpack what STEM means… Continue reading STEM ideas for early years play
Tag: Education
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
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
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
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
Olympics give children a glimpse of a diverse world
It’s been a momentous couple of weeks in the world of sports – the Games of the XXXII Olympiad finally began in Tokyo and, more importantly, my granddaughter Daisy participated in her first school Sports Day! Although Daisy has always been a physically active child and has been to several sports classes from football to… Continue reading Olympics give children a glimpse of a diverse world
Preschool numerical patterns: Numberblocks and number bonds
“Daisy, how many toes have you got on this foot?” I was sitting in the back of the car with my granddaughter Daisy as we travelled home from another afternoon spent rock-pooling at the beach, and Daisy had cast off her wellies and socks. Daisy looked at the foot I was drying and quickly answered… Continue reading Preschool numerical patterns: Numberblocks and number bonds
Keeping your grandchild safe online
Recently, my granddaughter Daisy attended a school home-learning session, where her nursery teacher talked briefly to the children about internet safety. Daisy is already using the internet, apps and smart screens as part of her everyday routines – she joins videoconferenced classes, she practices her reading skills on apps such as Reading Eggs, and watches… Continue reading Keeping your grandchild safe online
Lockdown Storytime: homeschool activities for preschoolers
My granddaughter Daisy has several storytimes throughout her busy day. Storytime is an integral part of a young child’s day, one that helps to develop their creativity and imagination, especially for preschool learners. Parents very quickly discover that young children have their favourite stories, which they enjoy listening to over and over again – these… Continue reading Lockdown Storytime: homeschool activities for preschoolers
Granny Smith's Diary 