It’s that time of the year again – the magical and marvellous World Book Day! A day that’s lots of fun for young bookworms as they get ready to embark on a journey through the enchanting world of stories, where every page is a portal to an exciting adventure.
Below are some ideas to celebrate World Book Day 2024
What will your little bookworm dress up as this year
From super heroes, heroines, wizards to magical creatures! World Book Day is the perfect time for children to transform into their favourite characters. Whether they’re donning a cape like Superman, waving a wand like Harry Potter, or fluttering around like a magical fairy, let their imagination run wild. This is the chance for them to become the star of their own story!
A yummy bookish picnic
What’s a celebration without some delicious treats? Pack a magical picnic basket filled with snacks that match your little one’s favourite book. How about some honey cakes inspired by Winnie the Pooh or a potion punch straight from the world of wizardry? Let their taste buds join in on the fun as they indulge in book-themed delights.
Storytelling
Gather ’round, young readers! It’s time for some storytelling. Grab a cosy blanket, it’s time to snuggle up with their favourite plush friends. Whether it’s a classic book, a modern adventure, or a bedtime story that takes your little one to dreamland, let the words take your little loved one on a magical adventure.
Why not create a book
Making up a story together with your child is a great activity that helps to get them using their imagination. Grab some paper, pen and crayons, and let their creativity flow. Draw characters, imagine fantastical worlds, and write down your very own story.
Here at Little Scholars Playground, we have a range of books to help spark your little loved one’s imagination. Shop our books here.
Author
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, women in STEM and the Montessori practice.
The threat of closure of Croydon’s Nursery Schools
Croydon’s standalone Nursery Schools are under threat of closure. The future of these Nursery Schools is currently being considered as part of a consultation around the future of Croydon’s maintained nurseries (local authority run nurseries). Our own daughter attends one of these maintained nurseries. She attended a private nursery from the age of 14 months until the age of 3 years. We became unhappy with this private nursery. The constant staff turnover, minimal stimulation for our daughter, unqualified staff, lack of developmental feedback and lack of care began to take its toll. So we decided to move her to the Ofsted rated outstanding maintained Nursery School that she goes to today. She now has a record of achievement folder, which is regularly updated and her key worker is a qualified teacher. Her development has exceeded our expectation and part of that is because of her nursery. We were even told in the summer during playscheme by a few of the staff members at the nursery that she is ready for Primary School (even though she is not due to start Reception until September 2024) and we were also told that if we lived in America, she would have been moved up a year.
The impact that maintained nurseries have on the education sector
Maintained Nursery Schools are local authority funded schools, with a headteacher and qualified teachers leading a team of specialist early years practitioners. They provide education for children aged 2-5-year-olds. There are now less than 400 remaining in England. 98% of them are rated good or outstanding by Ofsted, a standard that is unmatched by any other part of the education sector. Below are just a few of the benefits of maintained nursery schools:
Unlike private nurseries, they have a unique pool of expertise in supporting children with SEND. They often take children whom other settings do not have the resources or expertise to support.
They have a huge impact on young lives: 64% are in the 30% most deprived areas of England, and because of the quality of education they offer (62% are graded Outstanding by Ofsted) they help to bridge the gap between disadvantaged children and their peers.
The whole early years sector benefits from the expertise of maintained nursery schools. They act as catalysts to raise standards in their local community, through supporting schools and early years settings to work together to improve their quality, including through a network of Early Years Teaching Schools.
They help to provide a space for children with the greatest need. They work closely with health and social care to meet the needs of vulnerable children and families and offer a much needed family support system within the nursery school and support many children in need who are increasingly not picked up by other services.
Playschemes and wrap around care. Many provide affordable school holiday playschemes and breakfast and after school clubs for children up to the age of 8 years.
They’re substantially cheaper than private nurseries. Yet provide a higher standard of early years education.
“No other part of the education sector is as highly rated as maintained nurseries, and yet no other part of the sector faces a less certain future”
How you can help to save Croydon’s maintained Nursery Schools
Croydon Council are asking for your views on a proposal for the future of Croydon’s Maintained Nursery Schools (local authority run nurseries). All responses will help the Executive Mayor of Croydon in Cabinet to understand the impacts of the proposal and make an informed decision on whether to close these nurseries. Please have your say by Tuesday 17th October 2023 (your child does not have to be in a maintained nursery):
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, women in STEM and the Montessori practice.
As a business we’re moving from a core part of our business being focused on STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) learning and moving towards STEAM (STEM + Art). STEAM like STEM focuses on developing a child’s critical thinking, problem-solving and creativity skills.
STEM education focuses on the disciplines of science, technology, engineering and maths. It encourages children to develop both their analytical and technical skills, as well as helping them to solve real-world problems using scientific and mathematical principles.
STEAM learning on the other hand, adds art into the mix. STEAM focuses on using creativity and design thinking to help solve problems. STEAM recognises and values that art and design can enhance innovation and creativity and that incorporating art into STEM can lead to more innovative and well-rounded solutions.
Both STEM and STEAM learning have their benefits. STEM learning helps to prepare children for careers in science, technology, engineering and maths, which are all in very high demand. It also helps develop critical thinking and problem-solving skills that are useful in many fields.
STEAM education, adds an artistic and creative element to STEM learning, allowing children to explore different ways of thinking as well as encouraging them to use their imagination. It can also lead to more diverse and innovative solutions to problems. This is because art and design thinking can offer unique perspectives that may not be immediately apparent through traditional STEM approaches.
Incorporating art into education has a lot of benefits for children. It can help children develop their imagination, creativity and self-expression, as well as empathy and their emotional intelligence. Art and design can also provide a form of therapy and stress relief, and can be a source of joy and fulfilment for children.
If you would like to introduce STEAM learning to your children. We have a great pack of STEM activity cards. The 32 activities and experiments are simple and fun and can be created with everyday items from around the home and the supermarket. The cards are double sided with illustrated instructions and key learnings for each activity/ experiment. You can shop our STEM activity cards here.
Overall, both STEM and STEAM education have their benefits, and incorporating art into education can have a lot of positive effects on children’s development and well-being. As a business we will be launching an art prints range in May and we will be talking a lot more about art. Natalie is the illustrator for the business and a qualified web and app designer, so she has lots of creative experience.
What are your thoughts about STEAM learning? Let us know in the comments below.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, black women in STEM and Montessori.
When it comes to education, visual aids can be a powerful tool to enhance learning and engagement, especially for children. One type of visual aid that has proven to be effective are educational posters. Educational posters are specifically designed to display information and concepts in an engaging and visually appealing way, which can help children learn and retain information more effectively.
Here are some of the benefits of educational posters for children:
Enhancing learning: Educational posters can help to reinforce educational concepts in a visually compelling way, making them more memorable and easier to understand. Posters can also help spark curiosity and interest in learning.
Encouraging engagement: Children are often drawn to colourful and visually appealing posters, which can encourage them to engage with the material and spend more time exploring and learning. The posters can create a fun and interactive learning environment, which helps to keep children interested and engaged.
Improving retention: Educational posters can help to improve retention of material by presenting information in a clear and visually stimulating way. Children may be more likely to remember what they have learned when it is presented in a way that is easy to understand and engaging.
Supporting language development: Educational posters can also support language development by introducing new vocabulary and concepts. By seeing and hearing new words in context, children may be more likely to remember and use them in their own language.
Promoting independent learning: Educational posters can be used to create independent learning opportunities, allowing children to explore and discover new information on their own. This can help to develop critical thinking skills and foster a love of learning.
Overall, educational posters can be a valuable tool for supporting children’s learning and development, and can help to make learning more engaging, memorable, and fun. These posters can be used in a variety of settings, including classrooms, homes, and libraries, and can benefit children of all ages and backgrounds.
When selecting educational posters for children, it is important to choose posters that are age-appropriate and relevant to the child’s interests and learning goals. Additionally, it is important to display the posters in a prominent location where they can be easily seen and accessed by the child.
In summary, educational posters can offer many benefits for children, including enhancing learning, encouraging engagement, improving retention, supporting language development, and promoting independent learning. By using educational posters as part of a comprehensive approach to learning, children can develop a lifelong love of learning and a solid foundation for academic success.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, black women in STEM and Montessori.
Ok, Mums and Dads, Let’s get to the nitty gritty of independent play. There is a lot of pressure to be able to constantly entertain our children without the use of a screen. There is a famous quote from Maria Montessori that “Play is the work of the child.” But what does this mean? Children learn and grow through play. She said that “the satisfaction which they find in their work has given them a grace and ease like that which comes from music.” Independent play is important for children’s development, it can boost their confidence, creativity and much more. So how do you start giving your child time to explore and learn more about themselves?
7 ways to encourage independent play
Support your child rather than lead
Make independent play part of their daily routine
Avoid too many rules
Be mindful that a child’s attention span is short
Make sure their toys are age appropriate
Let your child be fully engaged and avoid too much commenting and expectations
Start with time together and then move onto independent play
Children as young as 2 months can show signs of beginning to engage with some independent play, simply by observing different texture and colours.
What are the benefits of independent?
Enhances problem-solving skills
Boosts creativity
Forms a child’s interests
Reduces over-stimulation
Enhances brain development
Enhances a child’s confidence as they explore and master different things
Helps a child to feel relaxed and in turn calms their nervous system
So take this time as an opportunity to sit back and relax a little.
What are some of your favourite independent play activities? Let’s start a conversation in the comments below.
Natalie is the co-founder and illustrator at Little Scholars Playground. She is passionate about literacy, learning, illustrating, black women in STEM and Montessori.
