The Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) sets the standards that all early years providers must meet to ensure that children learn and develop well and are kept healthy and safe. Department for Education, 2021. View Document
Every child is a unique child, who is constantly learning and can be resilient, capable, confident and self assured
Children learn to be strong and independent, through positive relationships.
Children learn and develop well in enabling environments .in which their experiences respond to their individual needs and there is strong partnership between parent/ carers and practitioners.
Children develop and learn in different ways. The framework covers the education and care of all children in the early years provision. Including children with special educational needs and disabilities.
Staff at the pre-school work within the guidelines laid down within the EYFS, to support their key children, and all the settings children in their learning and development.
The characteristics of Effective Learning and the prime and specific areas of Learning and Development are all interconnected
• The three Prime areas are fundamental, work together, and are moved through to support development in all areas.
• Personal, Social and Emotional Development
• Communication and Language
• Physical Development
• The four Specific areas include essential skills and knowledge for children to participate successfully in society.
• Literacy
• Mathematics
• Understanding the World
• Expressive Arts and design
For more information and to view the Early Years Foundation Stage document, click here
Communication Trust have developed a series of booklets for anyone who works with children and young people, called ‘ Universally Speaking – ages and stages of children’s communication development’ The booklets show where children should be with their communication skills at any given age. Please click here to download.
Building a den is great for encouraging children’s imagination and reinforces their sense of self. For children, a den is a place to sit and observe the world or a place to escape. Children use dens to be alone, and to be with one another.
Dens are fun to build inside the house, children who would not naturally enjoy drawing and coulouring and making marks, will spend hours mark making in dens they have made for themselves!
Other ideas
Children love to explore water! How about giving them some sponges, flannels and brushes with a bowl of soapy water so they can wash their own toys! This active learning experience will help to develop your child’s sense of responsibility and pride whilst supporting their muscle control which will help with their early writing development.
Other ideas
Mark making is an important developmental milestone and starts children on their journey to becoming a writer. Children like to make their marks, but pencils and paper are not always a favourite particularly with boys and younger children. Offering experiences which are outside give children the chance to make marks on a larger scale. A simple way to do this is to give your child a pot of water, selection of brushes and rollers and let them experiment with making their marks on the ground, fence or wall. They can make as much mess as they like, there’s little to clear up and it’s exciting to see how magically the marks will just disappear!
Other ideas:
Singing songs and rhymes and reading stories with your child is important, because rhythms and repetitive language make it easier for children to learn language skills. Share rhymes and stories with your child and watch the learning begin.
By spending time with your child, singing or talking softly to them, playing peekaboo over and over again; you are helping to build connections in your baby's brain. Helping them to feel secure and loved which supports the development of the brain, and builds on your child self-esteem and confidence.
Other ideas
Boxes - Young children love to play with boxes! Find a large cardboard box to play in. Boxes are great for sitting in and climbing in and out of. Talk to your child about what their box could be; it could be a car, castle or even a space rocket! You could decorate your box together or add further objects to make it come to life. This experience is great for developing your child’s imagination! The possibilities are endless, have fun playing!
Other ideas: