Children benefit hugely from regular, frequent and progressive outdoor play, and it should therefore be an integral part of their early education. This addition to the 100 ideas series offers early years practitioners easy-to-implement outdoor play activities and practical advice on managing and evaluating your provision. Dip in and out of the ideas which range in complexity, from 'getting started' activities for practitioners who are inexperienced or less confident about outdoor play, to more challenging strategies for those who have used Forest School ideas. Julie Mountain's wealth of knowledge and abundance of creativity and enthusiasm shines through with activities involving mark making, storytelling, communicating, exploration, maths and mud! In addition, there are guest ideas from outdoor play experts Kierna Corr, Felicity Robinson, Lesley Romanoff, Juliet Robertson, Lily Horseman and Mary Jackson and an extensive further reading section. The ideas in this book will inspire you to get outside and make the most of your outdoor space however big or small it is and whatever the weather decides to throw at you! INCLUDES Teaching tips - Taking it further ideas - Ideas for involving parents - Bonus ideas

This book offers early years practitioners a combination of simple, quick to understand and test activity ideas as well as sound and practical advice about managing and evaluating high order outdoor play. Julie Mountain emphasises the importance of outdoor play and the benefits children gain from regular, frequent and progressive outdoor play opportunities. Dip in and out of the ideas which range in complexity, providing 'getting started' activities for practitioners who are inexperienced or less confident about outdoor play, as well as more challenging strategies for those who have used Forest School ideas or have well developed outdoor practice. The ideas will help readers see the potential of whatever outdoor space they have and there is something in there for every type of weather!

Forest School sessions have risen in popularity in recent years, with many nurseries and pre-schools offering them as part of their regular programme of activities. This new title in the best-selling 100 ideas series is filled with easy-to-implement ideas for introducing Forest School activities and concepts into each day, without putting pressure on the practitioners' time or the setting's budget. 100 Ideas for Early Years Practitioners: Forest School promotes the use of natural resources and the environment, as well as encouraging and instigating child-led learning and play. It addresses health and safety in the outdoor classroom, discusses issues and myths surrounding Forest School, and explores how integrating it into early years settings and provision can enhance children's learning as well as developing a range of 'soft skills' such as self-confidence, working with others, sharing, problem solving, empathy and respect for self, others and their environment.

100 Ideas for Early Years Practitioners: Supporting Children with SEND is a must-have resource filled with fun, creative and engaging multi-sensory activities and strategies to best support the learning and development of children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND), across the Early Years Foundation Stage. Increasing numbers of children require specialist interventions and support when they start in the Early Years. Susan O'Connor uses her wealth of experience to present 100 practical ideas to help all those working in the Early Years meet the individual learning needs of children with SEND, including attention and behaviour difficulties, speech and language difficulties, early signs of dyslexia, autism and dyspraxia, and social and emotional difficulties. With ideas focusing on fine and gross motor skills, working memory, social skills, early speech and language skills, and self-esteem and wellbeing, these fun and engaging strategies are suitable and easy to implement for both indoor and outdoor learning.

Do you want to create exciting outdoor experiences for children? Are you looking for guidance on how to incorporate the wilder and riskier elements of outdoor play into your planning? This book will give you the confidence to offer the children in your setting adventurous and challenging outdoor activities, as well as ways to utilise natural resources to their best advantage. There is clear, practical advice on what you need to do, which is underpinned by the theory that supports the benefits of this approach. Examples from settings are included, to illustrate best practice and to show how things can be achieved. Issues considered include: - being outside in ′bad′ weather - the importance of risk-taking - the benefits of rough and tumble play - observing and assessing children in this mode - how these experiences improve children′s learning - explaining activities to parents, colleagues and managers - ensuring health and safety requirements are met - the role of the adult in facilitating these experiences. Suitable for all students and practitioners working with young children from Birth to 8 , this book will not only give you ideas for outdoor play but also help you understand exactly what you are doing, why it is educationally sound and developmentally important for children, and where it connects with the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) in England, the Foundation Phase (FP) in Wales and the Curriculum for Excellence in Scotland. Sara Knight is an experienced early years educator and Senior Lecturer at Anglia Ruskin University. She is a trained Forest School practitioner and author of Forest Schools and Outdoor Learning in the Early Years.

Forest School sessions have risen in popularity in recent years, with many nurseries and pre-schools offering them as part of their regular programme of activities. This new title in the best-selling 100 ideas series is filled with easy-to-implement ideas for introducing Forest School activities and concepts into each day, without putting pressure on the practitioners' time or the setting's budget. 100 Ideas for Early Years Practitioners: Forest School promotes the use of natural resources and the environment, as well as encouraging and instigating child-led learning and play. It addresses health and safety in the outdoor classroom, discusses issues and myths surrounding Forest School, and explores how integrating it into early years settings and provision can enhance children's learning as well as developing a range of 'soft skills' such as self-confidence, working with others, sharing, problem solving, empathy and respect for self, others and their environment.

100 Ideas for Early Years Practitioners: Observation, Assessment & Planning is not only filled with easy to implement and practical ideas for the early years classroom, but it also demonstrates why assessment is an important formative tool to help further children's learning. In this book, early years expert and experienced author Marianne Sargent explains the cycle of observation, assessment and planning with advice on how to carry out different types of observation, guidance on how to make effective use of observations to assess children's knowledge and understanding, and explanations for how to use this information to inform future planning. The book also offers ideas on how to carry out summative assessments - as well as how to organise assessment information for reporting purposes. With the ever-increasing focus on observation, assessment and planning in the early years, this book is a must-have for all practitioners looking to effectively introduce all three into their setting while still ensuring the children in their care are in an environment where they can be confident, feel supported and still have fun as they grow and learn.

There are more than one million children in UK schools who speak English as an additional language (EAL), and this number is continually rising. Many early years practitioners are unsure about how best to support these children and need guidance to do this with confidence. This book offers advice on how to welcome and provide for children with EAL and how to support their families, taking into consideration their unique identities and culture and ensuring that these are preserved and appreciated in the setting. With links to all areas of the curriculum and specific focus on language acquisition, each idea is straightforward and can be easily adapted and developed to suit children's individual needs. It is an essential guide for all practitioners in early years settings to raise your competence and confidence in providing for EAL learners.

An excellent, easy to use tool for those new to working with this early years age range, as well as more experienced practitioners.

A beautifully designed book full of creative ideas and fun activities to get your children outdoors, with a foreword by Chris Packham. Spending time outdoors and interacting with the elements gives our senses a host of stimuli that cannot be recreated indoors. Whether you're splashing in muddy puddles, making shelters, foraging blackberries, playing hide and seek or watching birds, experiencing the natural world reduces stress, makes us feel alive and lays critical foundations for a healthy developing brain. Learning with Nature is ideal for parents, teachers and youth workers looking to enrich children's learning through nature and teach them to enjoy and respect the great outdoors. Written by experienced Forest School practitioners, it is packed with more than 100 tried and tested games and activities suitable for groups of children aged between 3 and 16, which aim to help children develop key practical and social skills and gain a better awareness of the world. The book is well-organised and features step-by-step instructions, age guides, a list of resources needed, and invisible learning points. Explore, have fun, make things and learn about nature with this fantastic guide.