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Maybe the most fundamental aspect of education, literacy should be something every child can genuinely enjoy learning. We reckon it’s time to ditch the pen and paper for a while and intertwine this crucial skill into the way kids absorb without really trying. When they play.
The activity – Reading Nook by Teach Mama
In a nutshell – Making up a cosy spot just for book time is a great trick to create positive reading connections even for the most resistant little ones. It doesn’t have to be a big deal, just gather some fluffy pillows, pile up some books and separate your snuggly corner with a cardboard wall.
What you need –
The activity – Song Sticks by Pre-K Pages
In a nutshell – Glue some simple symbols from your favourite nursery rhymes and songs to create the sticks. Then let kids choose one and guess what it stands for before they sing. Rhymes are not only a great way of developing listening and speaking skills but also work as a great social exercise. Perfect for quick interludes too!
What you need –
The activity – Alphabet Learning with Chalk Rocks by And Next Comes L
In a nutshell – Why not try some creative alternatives to those printed worksheets? Take the learning outside and draw letters with chalk on the pavement so that kids can fill the spaces with pebbles or erase them carefully with a fizzy mixture. It’s immersive and makes children focus on each letter for a longer time.
What you need –
The activity – Secret Letters by Busy Toddler
In a nutshell – Sprinkle a little bit of magic into your children’s day. Take a white crayon and write some letters or short words on a white piece of paper. Hand kids some watercolour paints and watch their amazement when they discover secret marks coming up out of nowhere…
What you need –
The activity – Sight Word Floor Game by Your Teacher’s Aide
In a nutshell – Make a trail of cards with words that your kids have just learnt and turn them into a game. Let’s see who can get the furthest with spelling out all the words correctly!
To mix this activity up, you can use dice or get them to jump from one step to another on one leg to work on the gross motor skills.
What you need –
The activity – Train Track Word Building by Paper and Glue
In a nutshell – A nifty way to sneak in some EYFS teaching to pure fun. Write letters on the toy train track parts and let kids’ imagination go wild with building the paths and connecting different letters to make up some familiar words. Later, encourage children to say the letters out loud when their vehicles drive over the writings.
What you need –
The activity – Who Am I? by Ice Breaker Ideas
In a nutshell – It’s a classic, adjusted to our EYFS literacy needs. Tell each kid to first write down a word they have learnt recently and then stick it to their friend’s forehead so that they can guess what the word is without looking at it. Feel free to play around with the questioning rules to make sure that all the little participants can get involved!
What you need –
The activity – Alphabet Museum by Parents.com
In a nutshell – Create a DIY showcase with some cardboard boxes and write a big letter in the middle of each one of them. Have kids look for various, small items in the nursery and place them in a box corresponding to the letter they begin with. This activity can be a long lasting game if you change the ‘exhibition’ every now and then or move the boxes around.
What you need –
The activity – Learning Letters On The Go by No Time For Flash Cards
In a nutshell – Write letters around the edge of a paper plate and cut in between each letter. Next time you are somewhere outdoors, give the kids the plates and have them fold down the letters as they spot them in their surroundings. You can create groups and turn this activity into a playful competition.
What you need –
The activity – Spelling With Lego by Twinkl
In a nutshell – Good, old LEGO comes to the rescue yet again. Write two to four-letter words on the long blocks and see if the little ones can recognise the marks and find single, corresponding blocks to stick on top of them.
What you need –
Guidance from the Danish Health Ministry, translated in full to English.
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The full recommendations from a working group of over 70 nursery chains in the UK.
Please note: here at Famly we love sharing creative activities for you to try with the children at your setting, but you know them best. Take the time to consider adaptions you might need to make so these activities are accessible and developmentally appropriate for the children you work with. Just as you ordinarily would, conduct risk assessments for your children and your setting before undertaking new activities, and ensure you and your staff are following your own health and safety guidelines.
Find out below how Famly helped Tenderlinks in recording child development, and see what we can do for you in a personal demo.
“Famly’s strengthening our parent partnerships as staff can quickly note down meaningful observations and then come back to them later ensuring they can stay focused on the children." - Vicky-Leigh, Manager, Tenderlinks Nursery
Find out below how Famly helped Tenderlinks in recording child development, and see what we can do for you in a personal demo.
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Find out below how Famly helped Tenderlinks in recording child development, and see what we can do for you in a personal demo.
Sign up nowFind out below how Famly helped Tenderlinks in recording child development, and see what we can do for you in a personal demo.
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