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** Taking bookings now***                         PEEP Learning Together Course. For families with children aged 2-5 years with the following postcodes BL8 2, BL9 5, BL9 6, BL9 7.   Starts Monday 7th September at East Bury Family Hub. 1.30pm-2.30pm. 

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** Taking bookings now***                         PEEP Learning Together Course. For families with children aged 2-5 years with the following postcodes BL8 2, BL9 5, BL9 6, BL9 7.   Starts Monday 7th September at East Bury Family Hub. 1.30pm-2.30pm. 

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email HLE@bury.gov.uk to reserve your place.

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** Taking bookings now***                         PEEP Learning Together Course. For families with children aged 2-5 years with the following postcodes- M26 1, M26 2, M26 3 or M26 4. Starts Wednesday 9th September at Radcliffe Children's Centre. 10.00am-11.00am.

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** Taking bookings now***                         PEEP Learning Together Course. For families with children aged 2-5 years with the following postcodes- M26 1, M26 2, M26 3 or M26 4. Starts Wednesday 9th September at Radcliffe Children's Centre. 10.00am-11.00am.

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Email HLE@bury.gov.uk to reserve your place.

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DID YOU KNOW ???         Supporting your baby to explore a treasure play basket/ box at home will give them an opportunity to use all of their senses. It also is a great way to support them to develop good hand/eye coordination skills. 

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DID YOU KNOW ???         Supporting your baby to explore a treasure play basket/ box at home will give them an opportunity to use all of their senses. It also is a great way to support them to develop good hand/eye coordination skills. 

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DID YOU KNOW ???         Supporting your baby to explore bubbles helps to develop their eye movements when following objects that move. It also helps to calm your baby as they watch the bubbles float away.

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DID YOU KNOW ???         Supporting your baby to explore bubbles helps to develop their eye movements when following objects that move. It also helps to calm your baby as they watch the bubbles float away.

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DID YOU KNOW ???         Reading to and sharing books with babies and young children, and giving them time to respond, feeds their brain, helps them learn new words and grows their vocabulary.

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DID YOU KNOW ???         Reading to and sharing books with babies and young children, and giving them time to respond, feeds their brain, helps them learn new words and grows their vocabulary.

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DID YOU KNOW ??? Supporting your baby to explore and make music and sounds is great for building your child's listening and creativity skills. 

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DID YOU KNOW ??? Supporting your baby to explore and make music and sounds is great for building your child's listening and creativity skills. 

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DID YOU KNOW ???         Supporting your baby to make marks at home will help their creativity and coordination development. It will also prepare them for later writing skills. 

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DID YOU KNOW ???         Supporting your baby to make marks at home will help their creativity and coordination development. It will also prepare them for later writing skills. 

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Sensory play is great for children's development and their mood - find out why.

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Support for Parents from Action For Children

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Activity ideas for toddlers - Support for Parents from Action For Children

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At home with young children? We've got lots of activity ideas for toddlers, perfect for keeping them occupied and supporting development.

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Nutrition for Toddlers and Pre-schoolers

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Nutrition for Toddlers and Pre-schoolers

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Toddlers and pre-school children grow and develop quickly! It's an important time to make sure they are eating well to get all the energy and nutrients they need.

This is a great time for children to learn about food and eating, so they can get into the habit of having a healthy, varied diet.

In this section, you can learn what your toddler or pre-school child should be eating, and in what amounts.

A healthy diet is about getting the right balance of foods and drinks in the right amounts. Developing healthy eating habits in the early years can set a child up for good health in later life.
Helena Gibson-Moore, Nutrition Scientist, British Nutrition Foundation

The 5-5-3-2 portion guide

The 5-5-3-2 guide relates to amount of portions of each food group that children should be getting each day

Download the 5-5-3-2 portion guide

The 5-5-3-2 guide has portion size examples for a range of foods to give you an idea of what is appropriate to offer children. Children's appetites can vary a lot so let them decide how much to eat.

Download the guide

What is a toddler sized portion?

Starchy foods

Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers

High-fibre starchy foods, such as wholemeal pasta and brown rice, should be introduced gradually because toddlers can fill up very easily on these bulky foods and stop eating before they've eaten enough energy for their needs.

Fruits and vegetables

Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers

It might be useful to think about the colours of fruits and vegetables and to offer 'a rainbow' of options, selecting those that are purple/blue, orange/yellow, green and brown/white.

Some children may initially reject some fruit and vegetables, but do not give up offering these foods - sometimes you might need to offer them 5 -15 times before your child accepts them - keep persevering! Encouraging toddlers to eat lots of fruits and vegetables will not only give them the nutrients they need but will also train their palate to like these foods. This means they will be more likely to eat lots of fruits and vegetables throughout childhood and into adulthood.

Dairy foods

Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers

Skimmed and 1% milks are not suitable for children under 5 years.

Protein foods

Practical examples of portion sizes for toddlers

Try to serve these protein foods with another food or drink that is rich in vitamin C (such as fruit and vegetables) as this will help with iron absorption. In addition, oily fish (such as salmon, trout and mackerel) is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids and a dietary source of vitamin D.

How much should my toddler be drinking?

It is important to make sure your toddler is hydrated, because if not they may feel tired and not perform to the best of their abilities and in extreme cases may become seriously ill. Try to offer your toddler six to eight drinks per day (approximately 1 litre).

It is best to give your child water as their main drink because it does not cause tooth decay, unlike drinks containing sugar, such as fruit squashes, fruit juices, sweetened milks and fizzy drinks. Also, to discourage your child from developing a preference for sweetened drinks, it is best not to offer these too often.

Fruit juice provides some nutrients but is also high in sugar and is acidic, so, if you give your child fruit juice should be diluted with water and kept to mealtimes.To protect teeth from decay, toddlers should be consuming drinks (including milk) from a cup or free flowing beaker and not from a bottle. For more information see our resource on healthy hydration for children aged 1-4 years below.

Encouraging your toddler to eat a healthy, varied diet

It is normal for young children to refuse to eat certain foods from time to time. Some children will be reluctant to eat new foods and others will reject foods that are familiar even if they have previously eaten them without any fuss!

Typically, these types of behaviour tend to reach a peak between 2 and 6 years of age, after which most children will become more accepting of a variety of foods. Despite this stage being fairly normal, 'fussy' eating should not be ignored because it is important that young children get used to eating a healthy, varied diet that includes foods from the four main food groups.

It might sound obvious, but the key to overcoming fussy eating is to help your child learn to like the foods you offer, because children will eat more of the foods they enjoy. It is important to remember that children are born with very few food likes and dislikes - they acquire these through experience - and nearly all children are capable of learning to like a variety of foods from the four main food groups. You can help them to do this in a number of ways:

If at first you don't succeed - keep trying!

Repeatedly offering a food, so that it becomes familiar, is known to increase children's willingness to try it and eventually to like it. You might need to offer some foods 5 - 15 times or more before your child learns to like them, but they should get there in the end so do not give up!

Relax and praise

Pressurising or coercing your child into eating certain foods can sometimes work in the short-term, but this tactic may backfire because your child is likely to develop negative associations with the food and be even less likely to eat it in the future.

The best approach is to offer food in a relaxed way and to let your child decide how much they want to eat; when your child tries a new food or eats something they previously refused, even if it's only a tiny piece, praise your child. Praise can help children to develop positive associations with food which will mean that they will be more likely to eat them again in the future.

Create a healthy home.

Aim to create a healthy home environment. Stock up on healthy foods from the four main food groups and try to avoid having foods high in fat, salt and sugars on display or in your child's reach.

'Modelling', that is, allowing your child to learn from watching how you behave, has been shown to be an effective way to encourage children to accept new foods, so lead by example and eat the foods that you would like your child to eat.

It is also a good idea to limit your child's exposure to food advertising, for example by limiting their screen time, as this might negatively influence your child's food preferences by encouraging liking of foods high in fat, salt and sugars.

Frequently asked questions

Why is it so difficult to get young children to eat vegetables?

Vegetables can be quite bitter; particularly some green, leafy vegetables such as broccoli, kale or cabbage. Young children are very sensitive to bitter flavours and prefer sweeter foods. This means that they might be ok eating some sweet and tasty fruit but push their vegetables to one side, or even onto the floor!

Just eating fruit can mean that kids could miss out on some of the nutrients found in higher amounts in vegetables, as well as the opportunity to enjoy the varied dishes where vegetables are found - so it's important that they have a variety of both in their diet.

Food 'neophobia' - the fear of new things - is also a problem between the ages of 2 and 6 years. Neophobia is common at this stage in life and simply means that a child will usually turn their nose up at a new food. This can be a key reason young children tend to say no the first time you try to introduce something they are not used to, but it does not mean they won't learn to like it.

There are many ways that parents often use to try and get their kids to eat vegetables, but some are more effective than others. Coercion or force-feeding strategies, for example, can make both child and parent stressed and lead the child to like the vegetable even less! Similarly, using treat foods as a reward also seems to make children like the vegetable even less. Not only that, but they tend to like the less healthy reward food even more afterwards.

Hiding vegetables in foods can be a way to get children to eat vegetables with less fuss, as they do not notice them when eating. The problem is that because the child does not see the vegetables, they do not learn to like them on their own and may still reject them later.

How can I ensure my fussy young child eats their vegetables?

Studies have shown that the best way to get young children to eat foods is through repetition. Becoming more familiar with a food can help children to accept it. The problem is that research has also found that it can take between 8 and 15 times being given a food before it is accepted. As many parents will be aware, between 8 and 15 rejections of a vegetable also means between 8 and 15 stressful mealtimes or snacks, as well as wasted food and hungry kids.

Is there a way that could reduce the number of times a food has to be introduced and help young children to understand and accept vegetables as part of their daily diet?

The See & Eat project was funded by EIT Food and led by the University of Reading, with partners including the British Nutrition Foundation. The goal of the project was to encourage children to eat more vegetables by familiarising them with images that show the veggies growing, being picked, sold in store, and then being cooked and eaten. The theory is that this approach can help children become more familiar with vegetables and therefore accept them more readily.

The research team had already published a study using physical books, which showed promising results. They found that the children who were shown the books became more familiar with the vegetables and were also more likely to enjoy them! Books with fruit were also tested - but in these cases the researchers saw no difference between the groups with and without books. This might be because fruits tend to be sweeter, and kids are more likely to enjoy them than their less sweet vegetable counterparts.

The See & Eat project has now produced a range of eBooks that parents can use to introduce vegetables to their children. These books can be freely downloaded on phones or tablets. Each eBook has a set of images and accompanying text that show the journey of a vegetable 'from farm to fork'. This allows children to not only see the vegetable in its raw form, but to have a basic understanding of how it is grown and what it looks like in meals and snacks.

The eBooks are also customisable - allowing parents to edit the text or add their own images. This can help parents to personalise the books in a way that suits them and their children's learning and adds more flexibility than a physical book would have.

For more information on See & Eat, or to download the resources yourself, click here to be taken to the See & Eat website.

How much food should I serve pre-school children of different ages?

Young children need energy (from food) to grow and develop. As children get older, their body size increases, and they will typically eat more food as a consequence.

Generally it's a good idea to offer larger portions to older children than younger children but you can be guided by the size of your child and their appetite that day.

The British Nutrition Foundation 5532 guide for 1-4 year olds provides portion size suggestions for a range of foods from each of the four main food groups. For many foods we give a range - taking pasta as an example, the suggested portion size is 2-5tbsp and it may be useful to think about the lower range (2tbsp) as being most suitable for a 1-year-old and the higher range for a 4-year-old (5tbsp).

What if my child wants more than the recommended portion size?

Young children's appetites can vary hugely from meal to meal and from day to day. Appetite can depend on things like how active they are, mood, how much they like the food and time since their last meal.

Young children are usually fairly good at regulating their own appetite (they know when they are hungry and when they are full). Therefore, if a child eats more than usual at breakfast, they may well make up for this by eating less than usual later in the day. If you are concerned that your child is always eating larger than the recommended portions, you could try:

Serving smaller portions to start with and allowing them to ask for more if they are still hungry

Using child-sized plates or bowls (using adult-sized may encourage you to serve them too much)

Encouraging them to eat more slowly if they are a quick eater, as this can give their body more time to realise it is full.

What if my child refuses to eat what's on their plate?

It is important that young children eat a variety of foods from the main food groups.

The 5532 guide suggests how many portions from each of the food groups should be eaten per day. Pressuring children to eat, completely banning less healthy foods and using treat foods as a reward could actually decrease children's liking of the foods you want them to eat.

However there are lots of positive things you can do to help your child eat well:

Eat a healthy meals yourself, and eat with your child when you can (children are more likely to eat foods that they see others eating and enjoying)

Make mealtimes fun and inclusive (allow children to touch and smell foods and involve them in food preparation where possible)

Provide plenty of opportunities for children to try new foods (it may take 10+ attempts until they accept a new food!).

If a child regularly leaves food on their plate from a particular food group (for example fruit or vegetables), maybe try offering this again as a snack later on (for example offer fruit for dessert or veggie sticks as a snack). This may also help to reduce waste!

Do I need to worry about how much my child is fed at nursery and preschool?

In the UK, there are guidelines that nurseries, preschools and childminders should follow to make sure that portion sizes, as well as food quality and the way they feed children, are appropriate.

In England, Wales and Northern Ireland these guidelines are voluntary and in Scotland they are compulsory.

If your child goes to a nursery, childminder or preschool, it's always a good idea to have a look at their menus and policies on food. It's also a good idea to ask what your child has eaten during the day - knowing which foods they've already had will help you to decide what to feed them later, to ensure their diet is varied. You could encourage your child to talk about what they ate and what they enjoyed that day if they can.

Foods to avoid giving to toddlers

Salt - children aged 1 to 3 years should have no more than 2g of salt (0.8g sodium) per day to reduce the risk of health problems in later life. Foods prepared at home can be flavoured with herbs, spices or lemon instead of salt. Some foods, such as cheese and meat products, are relatively high in salt so try to check food labels and avoid those which have more than 1.5g of salt per 100g (or 0.6g sodium).

Some raw eggs - toddlers can eat raw or lightly cooked hens' eggs that have a red lion stamped on them (the British Lion Quality mark). Hens' eggs that don't have the red lion mark, as well as other eggs including duck or quail eggs, should be cooked until both the white and yolk are solid. Avoid foods containing raw or partially cooked eggs that you cannot confirm are red lion stamped to reduce the risk of salmonella poisoning

Shark, marlin and swordfish - should not be given to toddlers because they contain more mercury than other types of fish.

Whole nuts - the NHS advises that whole nuts should not be given to children under the age 5 years because of the risk of choking but you can give your baby nuts and peanuts from around 6 months old, as long as they're crushed, ground or a smooth nut or peanut butter.

Low-calorie foods - for most toddlers there is no need to offer 'low-calorie' or 'low-fat' foods because children of this age need lots of energy for growing and for physical activity. However, once a varied diet is accepted and provided your child is growing well, semi-skimmed milk can be introduced from 2 years.

Sugars - sweet foods and drinks can lead to tooth decay, so these foods should be limited and consumed only at mealtimes.

Overweight and obesity, physical activity, supplements and dental health

Overweight and obesity
The UK has one the highest rates of childhood obesity in Europe, with more than 1 in 5 children aged 2 to 4 years estimated to be overweight or obese. Being overweight or obese is bad for your child's health both now and over the longer term. Overweight and obese children are more likely to suffer from emotional and psychological problems and tend to grow up to be overweight or obese adults, which can lead to serious health problems such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease and certain cancers.

It can be difficult to tell if your toddler is overweight. If you are concerned about your child's weight then you can contact your GP or health visitor. They can check their weight and height and advise you if their weight is in the healthy range.

If your child is overweight then encouraging them to do plenty of activity and offering a healthy diet will help their weight to get back into the healthy range.
Physical activity
Getting plenty of physical activity every day is really important for health and development in young children.

It improves bone health, develops movement and coordination and contributes to a healthy weight. It's recommended that children under 5 years are active for 3 hours across the day. Children who are not walking yet, can be active through floor-based play, such as tummy-time or playing with toys and swimming. Children who can walk can get active through playing inside or outside, with activities like dancing, skipping, playing in playgrounds, playing with balls, scooting, cycling or swimming. It's also important to minimise the time children spend sitting down, for example, when in a buggy or watching screens.
Dental health
It is important to look after your toddler's teeth. As soon as their first teeth appear, register them with a dentist and visit regularly, as advised by your dentist.

A healthy diet low in sugars will help to prevent your child from developing tooth decay. Sugary foods and drinks should be limited to mealtimes as the more often your toddler consumes these types of foods and drinks the more likely they are to get tooth decay.

To prevent tooth decay it is best to give your toddler only water or milk to drink between meals and to encourage drinks to be consumed from a cup or free-flowing beaker and not from a bottle. You should make sure to supervise your toddler brushing their teeth twice a day with fluoride toothpaste for 2 minutes.
Supplements
It is recommended that children under the age of 5 years should take a daily supplement of vitamins A, C and D (in the form of liquid drops) - ask your GP, health visitor or pharmacist for more information. Vitamin drops including vitamins A, C and D are available free of charge for low income families through the Healthy Start scheme. Speak to your health visitor or find more information on this page from the NHS.

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Nutrition for toddlers and pre-schoolers

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Toddlers and pre-school children grow and develop quickly! It's an important time to make sure they are eating well.

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Tiny Happy People - Packing a bag together 

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Tiny Happy People - Packing a bag together 

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Tell your child where you're going and ask them what you think they might need . For example, if you're going to the park, you might need a ball, some sun cream and a jacket.

Ask open questions and try to encourage your child to work it out themselves. If they're struggling to think of an item, you could give them a descriptive clue . For example, "you will need this if it gets cold at the park".

Encourage them to think about the order of your day . What will you do first? What time will you come home? This is great practice for when they start school , and they have to think about all their different lessons they might have in one day.

Once they name an item, get them to fetch it from around the house and pack it in their bag themselves. As they're putting items in, ask them why they think they'll need them. This will encourage them to reply in full sentences and use critical thinking skills .

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This fun activity can help with School Readiness and teaches kids how to get ready by themselves. Suitable from 4-years-old, watch the video on our site to find how to get kids thinking about their schedule and what they might need.

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50 Things To Do Before You're Five - suggestions for families and settings 

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50 Things To Do Before You're Five - suggestions for families and settings 

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How can Local Authorities promote a Summer of Play to enhance learning, health and school readiness?

As very young children return to a more open society and life beyond the home, following Covid restrictions, developing their confidence and independence has never been more important. Hear how, by promoting 50 Things within the Home Learning Environment (both indoors and outdoors), Local Authorities can support young children's play, early development, and conversation skills, nurturing independence and school readiness.

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A menu of exciting activities for families with young children, giving them great suggestions for how to have fun and learn at the same time.

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How can I make tidying with my child more fun?

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An activity to help make tidying with your child a fun opportunity to learn while cleaning up toys together. Why not try playing a tidy up game?

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Top 10 Potty Training Tips - if children are ready 

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Top 10 Potty Training Tips - if children are ready 

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How your baby's sense of humour develops

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How your baby's sense of humour develops

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By showing things going wrong and teaching us how to break rules in a safe way, they guarantee laughter and help build your bond.

"Babies can be surprised even in the first few months of life," says Professor Reddy.

But not everything surprising is funny. To be humorous, there also needs to be a 'playful frame'.

In other words, to enjoy surprises, babies need to understand the context in which they happen and be able to share the emotional reactions of people around them.

is a great (and possibly universal) example of the element of playful surprise, and it's usually a favourite of younger children who aren't talking yet.

When they're older, children start to play with language and this is reflected in the kinds of surprises that entertain them.

Adding an unexpected word in their favourite song or choosing unexpected music for your dance together are easy ways to introduce surprise to older children, recommends Sam Avery, a stand-up comedian and dad to twin five-year-old boys.

"I remember when the boys were really into rainbows, I decided to sing 'Heads, shoulders, knees and rainbows' and they screamed with laughter! We tried it again with 'wheels on the rainbow' and they laughed and laughed."

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How your baby's sense of humour develops - and what you can do to boost it

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Researchers at the University of Portsmouth found that baby as young as 7 months understand how to make an adult laugh. For babies and toddlers, laughing and joking are great ways to learn and to show that they're starting to understand the world around them.

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Tiny Happy People - Taking a trip to the toilet 

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Tiny Happy People - Taking a trip to the toilet 

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Being able to use the toilet independently is an important skill that will help your child with the big transition to primary school.

You might want to support these with pictures that you can put in order with key words on them like "toilet", "flush", "sink" etc. This will help your child understand the key words and the order in which they have to do things.

Talk through this activity with your child and be there with them every step of the way. This will help make it a fun experience and not one to be scared of.

Encourage your child to ask questions if they want to and be open and honest in your answers.

Learning this skill together can also help children with other key skills, such as following instructions and sharing with other people.

Practising this skill regularly at home will help build your child's confidence . While you're at home, you can be there to remind them what to do and support them if they need help .

Always be aware of water temperature and teach your child not to make the water too hot.

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Using the toilet independently before starting school is an important skill that will help your child to make this transition comfortably. We have some great tips in our video to help you help your child go to the toilet with confidence.

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How to prepare your toddler for a new baby

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How to prepare your toddler for a new baby

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A new baby is exciting news for you and means lots of changes for their older brother or sister.

While it's not inevitable they'll find it hard, there are lots of ways you can help prepare them for your new addition, says parenting and child development specialist Lorraine Lee. "And one really important tip is that you don't hinge your happiness on how your toddler does or does not respond to the news, because they may not always understand what's happening."

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How to prepare your toddler to meet a new baby

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Child development specialist Lorraine Lee explains how there are lots of ways you can help prepare your toddler to meet a new addition to the family.

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NHS Better Health Start for Life - learning to talk, 3-5 years 

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NHS Better Health Start for Life - learning to talk, 3-5 years 

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Skip to main content

3 to 5 years

If your child is in nursery, the nursery will continue to review their development. When your child goes to school, your health visitor will inform the school nursing team about any extra support they're having.

If your child needs extra support, your health visitor or the school nurse can help. They may put you in touch with a speech and language therapist and you may also be offered support.

What is my child learning?

Between 3 and 4 years, children learn to:

listen to stories and start to remember them

use words like "he", "she" and "they"

ask questions like "why?"

Between 4 and 5 years, children learn to:

have longer conversations and take turns talking

understand when things are put in order, such as "first we'll eat breakfast and then we'll go to nursery"

make clear speech sounds by the age of 5

How can I help my child's speech development?

spend time telling your child about your day and asking them about theirs

play make-believe and rhyming games together - try asking "what word rhymes with cat?"

talk about words that start with the same sound, for instance, words beginning with "p"

try playing "I spy!"

encourage them to problem solve, for example "your favourite hat is missing, what shall we do?"

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Speaking more than one language

It's important to talk to your child in the language, or languages, you feel most confident speaking.

Children who speak more than one language babble and say their first words in the same way as children learning one language, but some may do it slightly later. It is important not to confuse this slight delay with language difficulties - most children quickly catch up.

Help and advice

Ask your health visiting team for support whenever you need it, they will be able to provide tips and advice.

Remember, children learn to talk at different ages. If you are worried, speak to your health visitor or nursery key worker. Or contact your local speech and language therapy service for advice.

For more ideas on how you can help your child, visit:

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Skip to main content If your child is in nursery, the nursery will continue to review their development. When your child goes to school, your health visitor will inform the school nursing team about any extra support they're having. If your child needs extra support, your health visitor or the school nurse can help.

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The toddler stage is an important time in your child's life, as they develop physically, emotionally and socially.

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Weaning means introducing your baby to solid foods alongside their usual breast milk or infant formula. We're here to guide you through the weaning journey and explain what it all means.

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Little Moments Together- Helping your child to talk 

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Little Moments Together- Helping your child to talk 

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Talking and listening to your baby helps build their communication skills from the very start. Discover our new Little Moments Together Cards perfect for helping you chat to your 0 to 2 year old throughout the day.

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NHS Better Health Better Start for Life - learning to talk, 2-3 years 

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NHS Better Health Better Start for Life - learning to talk, 2-3 years 

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Chat, play, read!

Young children love it when you chat, play and read with them, even if you think they're too young to understand. You can turn almost anything into a game. And every little thing you do together will help set them up nicely for the day they start school.

Tips to help with speech development

Here are some tips and activities to help your child develop their speech skills:

try playing with things your child is interested in, and be at their level physically while you're playing together.

as soon as you notice your child looking or pointing at something, talk about it before their attention moves on to something else

use picture books to introduce your child to new things and point to the pictures and say what you see

take turns to make noises or speak - slow down your speech, give them plenty of time to respond and listen carefully to what they have to say

make reading, singing and playing fun by using lots of actions and different voices

use the same song or book, as young children learn a lot from singing the same song or looking at the same book again and again

talk to your child in short, simple sentences, as it helps them understand what you are saying and makes it easier for them to have a go at copying when they are ready

Video: Play the memory game

Watch this video of a grandma and her grandson playing a fun memory game. They take turns naming different household objects. But can they remember which one has gone?

Ideas to help your child learn

Here are some ideas to help your child learn to use more words by chatting, playing and reading with them.

When they say "Dog", you could respond with "Yes, it's a big, noisy dog".

Talk to your child about feelings.

Chat to your child about what has happened so far in the day and what is going to happen next, for example you might say "Now we have had breakfast, we can go to the park".

Look at picture books together and talk about things they can see and how we use them, for example "A chair is something we sit on".

Encourage your child to use their imagination, for example, sing "Old MacDonald had a farm" and ask your child to suggest animals.

Make a game with some empty bottles and a ball and take turns to roll the ball and see how many bottles you can knock down - talk about everything you do, saying things like "Well done, you knocked down 2 bottles".

Act out stories with soft toys and chat to them as you are doing actions.

Learning activities

Your local council may offer activities to help your child improve their communication, language and literacy skills.

Learning more than one language

It's important to talk to your child in the language or languages you use.

A child learning more than one language should babble and say their first words in the same way as a child learning one language.

It is important not to confuse this slight delay with language difficulties - most children quickly catch up.

For more help on languages, have a look at the parent's questions on the National Literacy Trust website.

Help and advice

You and your child will see a health visitor at about 2 to 2-and-a-half years to talk about your child's development. If your child goes to nursery, they will also have a progress review with their key worker.

If your child needs a little extra support, your health visitor and nursery can help. They may also put you in touch with a speech and language therapy team, or signpost you to local activities.

Ask your health visitor for support whenever you need it, they will be able to provide tips and advice.

Remember, children learn to talk at different ages. If you are worried, speak to your health visitor or nursery key worker, or contact your local speech and language therapy service for advice.

For more ideas on how you can help your child, visit:

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Skip to main content Young children love it when you chat, play and read with them, even if you think they're too young to understand. You can turn almost anything into a game. And every little thing you do together will help set them up nicely for the day they start school.

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NHS Better Health, Start for Life - learning to talk, 0-6 months 

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NHS Better Health, Start for Life - learning to talk, 0-6 months 

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Skip to main content

Chat, play, read!

Babies and young children love it when you chat, play and read with them, even if you think they're too young to understand. You can turn almost anything into a game. And every little thing you do together will help set them up nicely for the day they start school.

Tips to help with speech development

Here are some tips and activities to help your baby develop their speech skills:

try playing with things your baby is interested in, and be at their level physically while you're playing together

as soon as you notice your baby looking or pointing at something, talk about it before their attention moves on to something else - that might be within a couple of seconds for babies

use picture books to introduce your baby to new things - point to the pictures and say what you see

take turns to make noises or speak with your baby, even with young babies, as you can respond to their babbling by copying back the sounds you hear and then waiting for them to take another turn

make reading, singing and playing fun by using lots of actions and different voices

use the same song or book - babies and young children learn a lot when they are familiar with particular songs and books

talk to your baby in short, simple sentences, as it helps them understand what you are saying and makes it easier for them to have a go at copying when they are ready

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Video: Copy your baby!

Watch this video of a dad copying the noises of his newborn baby. They are having such a good chat!

Ideas to help your baby learn

Here are some ideas to help your child learn by chatting, playing and reading with them.

At bath time you could talk about the water and the sounds it makes.

Spend time talking to your baby face-to-face about anything and everything.

See if your baby can copy you when you stick out your tongue or blink your eyes.

Respond to your baby when they make noises - try saying things like "Wow, you can make loud noises!".

Sing songs and rhymes with actions and lots of repetition, like "Row, row, row your boat".

Play together with fabric books that have different textures and talk to your baby about how the book feels.

Read to your baby.

Learning activities

Your local council may offer activities to help your child improve their communication, language and literacy skills.

Learning more than one language

It's important to talk to your child in the language or languages you use.

A child learning more than one language should babble and say their first words in the same way as a child learning one language.

It is important not to confuse this slight delay with language difficulties - most children quickly catch up.

For more help on languages, have a look at the parent's questions on the National Literacy Trust website.

Help and advice

Your baby's eyes and hearing will be checked while you're still in hospital, or within a few weeks after the birth.

Your midwife will support you for a week or so after your baby is born and then a health visitor will take over. Your first appointment will be around 10 to 14 days, then at 6 to 8 weeks. You can discuss your baby's development and ask any questions you might have.

Ask your health visiting team for support whenever you need it, they will be able to provide tips and advice. Remember, children learn to talk at different ages. If you are worried, speak to your health visitor or nursery key worker. Or contact your local speech and language therapy service for advice.

For more ideas on how you can help your child, visit:

Did you know?

Babies start to recognise their mother's voice during pregnancy. Ask your midwife for tips on helping your baby learn to communicate after they're born.

Sign up for emails

Get more tips and advice on your pregnancy, baby and parenting sent to your inbox.

Sign up now for our pregnancy, baby and toddler guide

Get personalised emails for trusted NHS advice, videos and tips on your pregnancy week by week, birth and parenthood.
Get weekly emails

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Skip to main content Babies and young children love it when you chat, play and read with them, even if you think they're too young to understand. You can turn almost anything into a game. And every little thing you do together will help set them up nicely for the day they start school.

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Internet Matters - 0-5 Online Safety Advice 

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Internet Matters - 0-5 Online Safety Advice 

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supporting preschoolers online nought to

fives

more and more preschoolers now have

their own devices

and if they don't they're probably using

shared devices

here's what you can do to make sure they

have a great time online

and don't stumble across things you

wouldn't want them to see or hear

whilst it's always best to supervise

young children online

there are lots of free tools that you

can use to help you set

up devices safely parental controls on

your home broadband are free and easy to

set up

they allow you to control the websites

your child can access

most popular devices and apps also have

inbuilt controls to help you decide

what your child can access and set rules

around when they should be using them

and for how long make sure to use secure

passwords when setting up any parental

controls

and even if your child is not using them

turn on safe search on google and

restricted mode on youtube to filter out

inappropriate content

our setup safe guides walk you through

the steps

so you can get set up in just a few

minutes

not all screen time is created equal so

it's important to ensure your child has

a balanced diet of activities

both online and offline that can help

them develop key skills and have fun

it's very important that screens are not

displacing or disrupting sleep

face-to-face friendships or physical

exercise

where possible their screen time is best

spent together with you

choose a variety of safe and educational

online games and apps to play with your

child

so that you'll feel more comfortable

with them exploring

make use of websites and platforms

designed specifically for preschoolers

like cbb's youtube kids nick jr

and use age ratings and reviews in the

app store to check app suitability

it's never too early to start setting

boundaries as a family

set some rules around how and when

devices should be used at home

and while you're out and about this will

encourage your child to develop

good digital habits and give you the

opportunity to make sure they are using

devices positively and with purpose

it's important to talk with your

children about what they enjoy doing

online

take the time to have regular chats

about their safety helping them

understand what they should watch out

for online

reassure them if they see or hear

anything online that upsets them

they will not be in trouble and they

should come and talk to you about it

because safety on the internet matters

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Pre-school (0-5) online safety tips and advice | Internet Matters. Help pre-schoolers get the best out of the internet and understand staying safe online.

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List of Food Banks and Pantries accessible to Bury residents 

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List of Food Banks and Pantries accessible to Bury residents 

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NHS Better Health and Start for Life - learning to talk, 1-2 years  

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NHS Better Health and Start for Life - learning to talk, 1-2 years  

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Learning to talk takes time! Find out how you can help your toddler with their speech development. If you have any concerns, talk to your doctor or health visitor.

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Bury Children's Centre's and Family Hubs Facebook Page 

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Bury Children's Centre's and Family Hubs Facebook Page 

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Log into Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family, and people you know.

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Get advice on reading to children, how to read aloud, encouraging older children to read and helping reluctant readers with exciting, page-turning books. We also have useful leaflets full of tips and advice for you to download and tips for carers and foster families.

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FREE indoor activities for for kids and families

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FREE indoor activities for for kids and families

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The brilliant thing about dancing is you don't need any special kit or even much space. There are loads of ways you can shake it to a beat:

find a live performance or music video of your favourite song and try to copy the dance routine - if it doesn't have a routine, create your own!

have a competition to see who can come up with the best new dance moves - can you make up a signature move for yourself?

if you have the space and enough people, a game of musical chairs is always a winner

Or get moving with your favourite Disney characters with one of our dancing Shake Up games:

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Free indoor activities for kids - Healthier Families

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Loads of ideas and inspiration for fun stay-at-home activities when you and the kids are stuck indoors.

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Renewing library items, finding a library, search our catalogue, joining a library, and other services available.

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Helping your child deal with uncertainty and change

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Helping your child deal with uncertainty and change

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Maybe you've switched to a new nursery for your child. Or perhaps a family member is poorly, so you can't visit granny like you normally do. Even little changes to your family routine can unsettle your child.

"Children are very aware of who is looking after them, what is happening and any changes to that," says Elizabeth.

Even babies are aware of what is coming next.

"So they are very good at picking up when something is different in the household or their routine has changed."

"Explain what is happening in an age-appropriate way, even before you think they might understand. And give words to what they are experiencing. You could say, 'We can't see Granny at the moment as we don't want her to get sick and we feel sad.' If we don't give children explanations they start to think it's something they have done."

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How to help your child deal with uncertainty and change

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Child communication expert Dr Elizabeth Rapa from the University of Oxford gives us her tips for helping young children cope with uncertainty and change.

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Greater Manchester-BBC Tiny Happy People Nursery Rhymes

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Greater Manchester-BBC Tiny Happy People Nursery Rhymes

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All about Government help with childcare costs, including 15 to 30 hours free childcare, Tax-Free Childcare, tax credits, Universal Credit, vouchers and support while you study

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Find a dentist near you on the NHS website. Check your local dentist's opening times, services, facilities, reviews and ratings.

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What do Ofsted do in early years settings?

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What do Ofsted do in early years settings?

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Since 2001, Ofsted has been responsible for inspecting and registering early years settings, like nurseries, childminders, and preschools. And, if you grew up in England, you may remember Ofsted turning up every so often to inspect your school. But even if you do remember the strangers in suits, carrying clipboards and watching your grownups, it still might not be 100% clear to you what Ofsted and their inspectors do. And if you didn't go to school in England, you might even be wondering who on earth Ofsted are.

So let us explain...

‍

‍

Who are Ofsted?

Ofsted is short for the Office for Standards in Education. They are a governmental department that registers and inspects schools, children's homes, apprenticeship providers and early years settings like:

Ofsted inspects against the Early Years Inspection Handbook for Ofsted-registered Provision to check that settings are meeting the statutory requirements of the Early Years Foundation Stage or EYFS. Essentially, it's their legal responsibility to check your child's nursery or preschool is meeting their legal responsibilities.

Early years settings are judged in five categories:

Overall effectiveness

The quality of education

Behaviour and attitudes

Personal development

Leadership and management

‍

After an inspection, settings receive a written report and a grade of Outstanding, Good, Requires Improvement, or Inadequate.

‍

‍

What does an Ofsted early years inspection look like?

Early years settings will usually receive a telephone call that Ofsted is coming to inspect them the following day, but not always. Depending on the type of inspection your child's setting is having, the first you might know about the inspection taking place is a poster on the door when you drop off. However, if your child's setting receives notice the day before their inspection, they must let you know that Ofsted are coming.

During the inspection process, one or two of Ofsted's inspectors will observe what happens in your child's setting throughout the day, as well as talking to the staff and the leadership team. They will usually also speak to some parents or carers and pick up or drop off.

You don't need to do anything differently while your child's setting is being inspected as inspectors will aim to minimise any disruption to the children. The inspector may ask your child how they feel about their setting or collect some personal information in the course of their inspection. Ofsted's inspectors all undergo background checks (just as the other adults at your child's setting do) and your child will never be alone with an inspector.

A few weeks after Ofsted has inspected your child's setting, the report and final grade given can be found on Ofsted's website.

‍

What if I have feedback for Ofsted about my child's setting?

At the start of the inspection of an early years setting, you may have an opportunity to talk to the inspector about your child's education and care. The inspectors will be in looking to find out:

How much your child's educators share with you about your child's learning and development, including how you can support their learning at home

How much the setting share with you about how they're supporting your child to how your child to progress to the next stage of their learning

If you receive funding for your child's education and care, how this is being used to support your child's needs

However, while Ofsted are responsible for checking that your child's setting is doing everything they are legally supposed to, the inspector visiting your child's setting can't resolve individual disputes.

If you have a concern about your child's education or care, Ofsted advises you go directly to the setting first, unless you fear children are at risk of harm. If you are concerned about a child being at risk of harm, Ofsted advises you to contact your local authority's children's services department.

How can I support my child's teachers?

For your child's educators and carers, the day Ofsted come to do an inspection is hugely important. An Ofsted grade can have a huge impact on a setting, both positive or negative, so while some settings can't wait to show off all their hard work to inspectors, they may find the process stressful or nerve-wracking. Here are a few ways you can help them out:

A visit from Ofsted takes a lot of energy and is often the culmination of years of hard work. Whether the inspection goes well or not, it can put a lot of strain on the educators and leaders at your child's setting. Dropping them a quick message or wishing them good luck can mean the world.

If you love your child's setting, tell the inspectors! Even if you don't spot the inspector at drop-off or pick-up, you have the opportunity to arrange a phone call with them to offer your feedback.

While managers may have previously felt that they couldn't say much on the day, Ofsted now advise that leaders can share how an inspection went with whoever they think is appropriate. So, while Ofsted advise against circulating the report widely until their moderation process is complete, you can certainly ask your child's setting how it went. They're bound to appreciate you reaching out.

Settings and their communities do not always agree with Ofsted's judgements and can even feel the inspector wasn't fair. Sadly, only the setting themselves can appeal the outcome of an Ofsted inspection, so if you feel your child's setting was judged unfairly or incorrectly, the best thing you can do is let your child's educators know you believe in them.
Get free tools now
‍

‍

What do the Ofsted grades mean about my child's setting?

Here are some key things to remember when considering your child's setting's grade:

Read the full report
Whether your child's setting gets 'Outstanding', 'Inadequate', or anything in between, always read the report written alongside the grade. This will help you to contextualise the judgement and learn more about what the inspector observed. One word just won't tell you everything you need to know.‍

Don't assume the worst
Even if a setting is handed the judgment 'Inadequate', it doesn't always mean that all aspects of the setting are inadequate or that your child is necessarily at risk of harm. A nursery may be given this grade but still have strengths in some areas, alongside a plan to address any issues. If you're concerned, talk to a member of the leadership team at the setting.‍

The inspection is a snapshot
The Ofsted rating given by inspectors is mostly based on what they observe on the one day they visit your child's setting - this is, of course, only a small snapshot of how the setting runs. Ofsted themselves state that "We may see things when we carry out an inspection, but you [parents and carers] will be in the setting far more regularly than us."‍

Check the date
The normal inspection cycle for early years settings is roughly once every 6 years, (or within 30 months of registration) during which time settings can change a lot. Remember to take the date of an inspection into account.‍

Talk to the setting
Most importantly of all, raise any queries you have about the report directly with your child's setting. Most leaders will be happy to explain or expand on different things the inspector noted in their report.

‍
You can find out more about how an inspection happens in Ofsted's own guide for parents and carers or check out their guidance for EY providers and practitioners themselves.

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Helping parents understand Ofsted in the early years | Famly

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What to expect when Ofsted comes to inspect your child's nursery or preschool and what those all-important grades really mean.

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The lullaby Trust-Keeping baby safe in sleep

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The lullaby Trust-Keeping baby safe in sleep

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The Lullaby Trust raises awareness of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), provides expert advice on safer sleep for babies and offers emotional support for bereaved families

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50 Cool Things to do with a cardboard box

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50 Cool Things to do with a cardboard box

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25 fun things to do with a plastic bottle

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25 fun things to do with a plastic bottle

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Supporting your Neurodiverse child padlet

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Supporting your Neurodiverse child padlet

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I was a bit scared when we found out we were having a baby, obviously happy, but a bit scared and in the beginning I was a bit clueless. The child development part is my favourite bit, but there's things in there, like things about mental health, that I didn't know about and that I didn't know you needed to know about.

Ross, 22

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DadPad | The Essential Guide for New Dads | Support Guide for New Dads

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Developed with the NHS, DadPad gives new dads and dads-to-be the knowledge and skills needed to gain confidence and give their baby the best start in life.

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Parent Information on Choosing Correct Footwear

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Parent Information on Choosing Correct Footwear

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Advice and guidance on foot health and footwear for children aged 0-13+

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What is Healthy Start?

If you're more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk.

If you're eligible, you'll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops. We'll add your benefit onto this card every 4 weeks.

You can use your card to buy:

plain liquid cow's milk

fresh, frozen, and tinned fruit and vegetables

fresh, dried, and tinned pulses

infant formula milk based on cow's milk

You can also use your card to collect:

Healthy Start vitamins - these support you during pregnancy and breastfeeding

vitamin drops for babies and young children - these are suitable from birth to 4 years old

If you live in Scotland

You can get help from Best Start Foods (opens in a new tab) instead.

Advice on healthy eating

For more advice on healthy eating, visit:

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If you're more than 10 weeks pregnant or have a child under 4, you may be entitled to get help to buy healthy food and milk. If you're eligible, you'll be sent a Healthy Start card with money on it that you can use in some UK shops.

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Have a look on the website for fun things to do with your family!

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Connecting people, communities, and local services throughout Bury.

We care about Bury and our communities and want to empower you and your family to live a happier and healthier life.

We aim to bring together everything you need to live a happier and healthier life in Bury, all in one place. You can find services, information, advice, events, activities, and support that is available for people living within the borough of Bury, including Whitefield, Radcliffe, Prestwich, Tottington and Ramsbottom.

You can find what you are looking for by browsing our main categories, Adult Social Care, Children, Young People & Families, and Health, Wellbeing & Lifestyle, or use our onsite search tool. You can also use the onsite navigation, located at the top of every page to explore other useful sections.

We also have areas of the website dedicated to support unpaid carers, children and families with special educational needs and disabilities, and care leavers living in Bury.

Why not take a look at our What's On in Bury section to find activities and events happening in and around Bury?

Did you know you can list your service or upcoming event with us here on The Bury Directory for free? If you have any questions or require further support, you can contact us today.

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Connecting people, communities, and local services throughout Bury. We care about Bury and our communities and want to empower you and your family to live a happier and healthier life. We aim to bring together everything you need to live a happier and healthier life in Bury, all in one place.

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Cards to support you talking to your child whilst out and about. 

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Cards to support you talking to your child whilst out and about. 