About half of the blog posts on this website are early years in focus. I am currently working 50% on early years work and 50% on primary matters. In Scotland, one is qualified to teach from 3-12yrs with a primary school education qualification.
To find a relevant blog post, a quick way is to use the search facility below. Just type in a key word and see which blog posts come up. Please do come back in a couple of months as I intend to categorise this section once again.
The Urban Beach Visits
Find nature in the heart of a city
A Tyre Sandpit
A DIY solution without busting the budget.
10 Tips for Visiting School Grounds and Outdoor Spaces
Things to think about when visiting other schools
The Art of Woodland Play
A playful forest walk with lots of artwork thrown in for good measure.
10 Ideas for Playing in Long Grass
Long grass – a “must have” play resource
Boggle Hole
Pirate inspiration from the sea
Foraging for Fruit – A Way to Love Gardening
Summer time… and the living is easy
Daisy Footprints
Daisies are tough little flowers and the fun of footprints and daisies makes this a summer activity not to be missed!
Beach Play – 10 Ideas
With the summer holidays either approaching or begun, then there is nothing better than a visit to the seaside.
Inspiration and action to change an outdoor space
Black Horse Hill Infant School are inspired to use a bit of imagination to make changes to their outdoor space.
A Maths Stick Picture Game
Sticks, children and maths outdoors are the perfect combination for learning!
10 Little Stick Activities
Sticks are possibly the most versatile play resource that nature ever invented.
Rainy day rubbings – exploring pattern outside
A useful alternative to paper and crayons for exploring texture and patterns outside.
How to Make a Seed Bomb
Making and setting seed bombs is a great way to get kids planting!
10 Rock, Pebble and Stone Play Ideas
Pebbles, stones and rocks – ideas for learning and play activites.
Wishing Rods and Speed Brakers
Folklore and mythology through beech trees.
10 Ideas if You Can’t Leave Resources Outside
Creative, solution-focused thinking for when it comes to outdoor play provision.
When Trikes are Not Enough
Washing a trike is all when and good but sometimes it’s just not enough!
Waldkindergarten – Forest Kindergarten in Germany
Today there are more than 1800 Forest Kindergartens in Germany.
A Japanese Nursery Outdoor Space
A snapshot of what an outdoor space looks like in a rural Japanese nursery.
Stick Logic
Maths and sticks are the perfect combination for Maths Outdoors!
Being Naughty
Naughty or excitement of exploring?
The One About The Plastic Pipes
If you ever pass by a building site, have a quick look.
The Black Suitcase
A simple black suitcase can be an incredibly useful play resource.
Literacy in the Woods at the Secret Garden Outdoor Nursery
Reading and writing are complex processes.
The Glamis Monster
One of the most impressive low level features at Glamis Adventure Playground is the monster.
Check out this greenhouse
Sometimes the outdoors is indoors.
The Forbidden Fun of a Compost Bin
There is a high play value in a compost bin!
A Recycled Sandpit Kitchen
Child-friendly playspaces are there to be celebrated.
Axioms of Sensorimotor Play
“Children need to transport whatever is in the table out of the table.”
Outdoor Play with Bread Crates
Bread crates have to be one of the toughest and most versatile resources around.
The Scottish Skogsmulle Sessions
How do children cope with the “Swedish-ness” of this approach?
A Swedish Skogsmulle Session
There are subtle differences between a Forest School session and a Skogsmulle session
Do you have a poisonous plant in your school grounds?
Which are poisonous and which aren’t? Do you know?
Labyrinths, spirals and rope
Amazing mazes, labyrinths and mythical creatures.
A Forest Kindergarten Session
Give children the opportunity to experience a little wilderness.
