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Secret life of 4 year. Olds was series of programmes where they studied children aged 4 . They set them task in a nursery as well as observing play. The presenters are educationalists and it's very funny. There was also secret life of 5 and 6 years old. It was on UK tv Ch4. If you have a VPN you may be able to find it in the archives, or you can see selected bits on You tube. It's easy watching and nice to watch.

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Secret life of 4 year. Olds was series of programmes where they studied children aged 4 . They set them task in a nursery as well as observing play. The presenters are educationalists and it's very funny. There was also secret life of 5 and 6 years old. It was on UK tv Ch4. If you have a VPN you may be able to find it in the archives, or you can see selected bits on You tube. It's easy watching and nice to watch.

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The Kids Decorate Eggs And Get Grumpy! | The Secret Life of 4 Year Olds

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4 year old develop relationships with old people

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4 year old develop relationships with old people

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This was a series of programmes where they were studying the impact of inter generational friendships and interactions. Anuraeery was set up in an old people's home. Grisnis just the selection of the cutest bit, but you can find the whole series on You tube and apple tv. It's lovely.

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Most Heartwarming Moments From Old People's Home For 4-Year-Olds | Compilation

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A simple guide to emotional development milestones

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A quick guide to emotional development milestone from 2-7

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A quick guide to emotional development milestone from 2-7

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Growth and Development Milestones for 2-7 Year Olds

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The journey through childhood is a real winding road. However, it is fairly well-known that the ages between 2 and 7 are pivotal when it comes to setting children up for the future. This period witnesses profound growth and transformation in various developmental domains.

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This is about the Leuvens Scales. This gives guide ce about levels of engagement and enjoyment. This means that that happier and more secure the children feel the higher the levels of engagement in learning and therefore the more secure the learning.

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Teacher Stress Awareness (Mini CPD) - How can you help teachers understand and manage stress?

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9 Simple Stress Management Techniques for Teachers | Acacia

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Teaching is a rewarding profession, but it comes with its fair share of challenges and stressors. Teachers face immense pressure from parents, students, and the public to improve student outcomes. It’s no wonder burnout is so common in the teaching profession. From managing classrooms and lesson planning to meeting academic standards and supporting students’ diverse […]

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P4CNZ - Philosophy for Children New Zealand

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Philosophy for Children (P4C) is an international educational programme aimed at Year 1 - 13 students. It taps children's natural curiosity and sense of wonder and is dedicated to empowering them to make sense of themselves, and the world around them, through philosophical inquiry.

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Not a new book but still a trusty old faithful that I (and probably lots of you) still refer to...

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Not a new book but still a trusty old faithful that I (and probably lots of you) still refer to...

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According to John Hattie Visible Learning and Teaching occurs when teachers see learning through the eyes of students and help them become their own teachers.

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Food for thought??

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Walking through an elementary school hallway the day after Halloween, I felt sucked through a vortex of uniformly decorated orange and black bulletin boards meant, I suppose, to "showcase students' learning." What learning? Only the Grade 2s' display of 18 identical crepe-paper pumpkins stood out -- and that's because they were in puffy 3D.

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Now December is nearly here, which means the kids will soon be at work producing 18 identical puffy candy canes. Yikes. Call me Scrooge, but I've got to wonder why do we still put kids, like trained monkeys, through these and other time-wasting, individuality-sucking, banal exercises?

I'll admit that I am as guilty as the next teacher of falling prey to the occasional cutesy holiday die-cuts and pre-packaged "educational" kits that are pimped out through glossy staff room magazines. But lately my way of beating the academic doldrums is a little more old-school: philosophy with kids.

I have found that even 15 minutes a day of thoughtful dialogue can make a difference. We need to recognize that the number one life-skill is the ability to find the meaning of life. Children need philosophy.
Questions as mirrors

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Have you ever asked a seven-year-old "What is the meaning of life?" or "What is existence?" Do you think children are ready for these questions?

They may be hungry for them.

What we believe about children's capabilities -- and even about their dignity as people -- is reflected in the types of questions and conversations we invest with them. When we explore with them tougher, meaningful issues, even very young children recognize and appreciate this. We notice that they sit up a little straighter, with eyes a little brighter, as they dig deeper to rise to the challenge.

Conversely, when we don't talk to children or only ask them trite questions about inconsequential matters, they internalize this too. They may respond in a similarly disengaged or dismissive fashion to mirror or please. Worse, in some cases, they construct their identities around our limited view of them.

For this reason, it's important to be aware of the types of questions we address with children. This is the first step. The next step is to help them harness their ability to meaningfully deal with heavier topics.
Getting philosophical
So, what to ask children? Most open-ended questions of deep human importance are a great place to start. Keep in mind that philosophical questions are not to be confused with just "hard" questions (like what is the square root of 456,784?) and they are not scientific questions (such as "How many stars are there in the universe?"). Questions like these, worthwhile though they may be, are not philosophical as they can be empirically explained.

Rather, for philosophical questions there may be more than one right answer. They inspire debate and invite us to construct reasons and offer proofs.

What is beauty?
What is happiness?
What is justice?
What is the right way to live?
Is it ever right to tell a lie?
Could there ever be a perfect world and what would it be like?
Could something exist outside of time and space?
Can two people disagree and both be right?
How do you know you are not dreaming right now?
If you could eliminate one emotion from the world, would you? Which one? Why?

Note that the benefit of exploring philosophical questions lies not only in the answers that may be unearthed. Indeed, fixating on having everyone wrap up with tidy conclusions can be counterproductive to other aims of philosophical dialogue with children.

As the great philosopher Bertrand Russell stated: "The man who has no tincture of philosophy goes through life imprisoned in the prejudices derived from common sense, from the habitual beliefs of his age or his nation . . . . To such a man, the world becomes definite, finite, obvious; common objects rouse no questions, and unfamiliar possibilities are contemptuously rejected."
Blank looks are okay

Conversations with Kids: 'Where Is Your Mind?'

"Most people think their mind is in their head, but it could be anywhere...it could be all around...it could be in another dimension." -- Kerry, Grade 4

"What if you don't own your mind? Like, what if somebody else controls it or something? Maybe . . . what if you're just a small part of something a lot bigger?" -- Jordan, Grade 4

"I think you own your mind. I think your mind sticks to you the way an operating system sticks to a computer." -- Alex, Grade 4

"Maybe thoughts just split in half . . . maybe ideas slip out of holes in your head . . . because sometimes I get an idea and then I only remember half of it." -- Baljinder, Grade 4

So, even without determining Truth with a capital "T," children who participate in philosophical dialogue can strengthen their cognitive abilities, develop communication, cooperation, and self-correcting skills, and gain self-knowledge and self-confidence.

Though be warned: at the first encounter of a philosophical question, children may stare blankly or parrot Barney-esque platitudes. But this is all the more reason to help them unleash their true potential. And perhaps we are the ones who need to dig deeper to grasp the beauty in the apparent "simplicity" of their answers.

More frequently, my students respond with ideas that blow my mind and shake or humble my own world view. Engaging in philosophical dialogue with children, I am finding out how children, like potted plants, can grow up and out and with greater depth when we allow them the space to do so. Bigger plants need bigger pots . . . bigger people need bigger questions.
Back to Athens
Now, before you accuse me of latching on to some latest educational trend, let me remind that philosophy actually is the oldest discipline, the grandfather of knowledge. Even the word "philosophy" itself is derived from Greek origins meaning "love of wisdom" -- reminding us how this discipline was around even before Socrates was charged with "corrupting" ancient Athenian youths with his curious questions.

In my classroom, I have seen philosophy reach kids for whom nothing else can.

Perhaps the child who falls into the wrong crowd is simply seeking to connect in a community of peers. Maybe the hyperactive child just needs stimulating questions to give him reason to focus. Possibly the underachieving child is just hungry for food for thought. All of these benefits and more are available to children who are given the opportunity to engage in philosophical dialogue.

It's a good thing then that children with their incessant "but why?" are naturally philosophers. So let them lead the way. Every child deserves the opportunity and skills to examine his or her own life . . . no need to wait for adulthood, until some of that life is already gone.

In two more articles to come in the near future, I will share some ideas for practical, fun methods of teaching children philosophy through dialogue and provide some inspiring, concrete examples of how children can successfully grapple with philosophical concepts.
Related Tyee stories:

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Walking through an elementary school hallway the day after Halloween, I felt sucked through a vortex of uniformly decorated orange and black bulletin boards meant, I suppose, to "showcase students' learning." What learning? Only the Grade 2s' display of 18 identical crepe-paper pumpkins stood out -- and that's because they were in puffy 3D.

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Engaging Young Children in the Outdoor Environment  (Video #166)

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Observing Practice Series NQS PLP - Linking literacy learning through outdoor play

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Storytelling Tips for Children with Dr. Jean

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Center for Language Teaching Advancement | Michigan State University

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Seven Keys to Good Storytelling | Josh Campbell | TEDxMemphis

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Good tips, but....what a boring voice!

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Actions to enhance a story. The reader knows the story so well. Always reada story toyourself before you read to children.

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Reading to Children - Tips & Techniques - "Itchy Bear" Neil Griffiths - ELC

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I really liked this talk just for myself, it's really interesting. It's all about learning new skills.

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds.

The first 20 hours -- how to learn anything | Josh ... - YouTube

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgBikgcWnY

How can I learn in 20 hours?

How many hours does it take to learn something new?

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you tube TED talk 20 hours - Google Search

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Please click here if you are not redirected within a few seconds. The first 20 hours -- how to learn anything | Josh ... - YouTube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5MgBikgcWnY How can I learn in 20 hours? How many hours does it take to learn something new?

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Young children are competent: Marjorie Henningsen at TEDxBeirut

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Every kid needs a champion | Rita Pierson | TED

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Improving child development with words

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Improving early child development with words: Dr. Brenda Fitzgerald at TEDxAtlanta

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The Power of a Teacher | Adam Saenz | TEDxYale

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'Engaging' and 'Inspiring' Teachers. | Amjad Ali | TEDxNorwichED

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The key to inspiring children to pursue science can be found in the curious and inquisitive spirit we all tap into as we first discover the world. Wendy Hawkins demonstrates why we need to inject a more experimental approach into our science curriculum to ensure that we stay connected to the scientist in all of us.

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"Babies and young children are like the R&D division of the human species," says psychologist Alison Gopnik. Her research explores the sophisticated intelligence-gathering and decision-making that babies are really doing when they play.

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Patrick Lencioni: Are you an ideal team player? | TED Talk

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It’s time to change the way we prepare people for success, says Patrick Lencioni. Drawing from his own observations, he makes a compelling case that, in our increasingly team-oriented world, the key to success is being humble, ambitious and smart.

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How can we give our kids a brighter future?

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Strap video cameras to their foreheads! To better understand child development, Richard Neville decided to see the world from a child’s point of view. What did he observe? Children want to learn, and we might just be getting in their way…

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Patricia Kuhl shares astonishing findings about how babies learn one language over another -- by listening to the humans around them and “taking statistics” on the sounds they need to know. Clever lab experiments (and brain scans) show how 6-month-old babies use sophisticated reasoning to understand their world.

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Lego Therapy is a great intervention that encourages social communication. It could be a really good speaking and listening intervention for a small group in N and/or P1

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A short video from the perspective of a parent of having their daughter at home.

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Special needs parents in 'survival mode'

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Tim Clarke, whose daughter Molly has complex needs, describes the impact of lockdown on his family.

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Talking about the different levels of social interaction and social skills

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Social Skills : it's not about what you say

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Clear ideas about how to support children with building vocab when reading stories

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Sharing books to build SENTENCES and VOCABULARY

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Bryony Rust is a speech and language therapist with lots of short, easy to access videos about different ways to support speech and language development.

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speech language "speech therapy" "speech and language therapy" parenting "late talkers" "speech delay" toddlers "speech activities" "toddler activity ideas" "toddler speech boost" "learn with adrienne" "toddler speech learning activities" "speech therapy ideas for toddlers" "speech pathology" "speech delay 2 year old" "speech delay 3 year old" autism

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Welcome! My name's Bryony and I'm a Speech and Language Therapist living on the Isle of Wight. Through online programmes, practical workshops and specialist ...

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This video is made for kids but I really enjoyed it and thought it is a good resource.

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The National Autistic Society has some great videos - check out the 'Everyday breakthrough' campaign

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autism "autism spectrum disorder" "aspergers asd autistic spectrum disorder"

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The National Autistic Society is here to transform lives, change attitudes and create a society that works for autistic people.

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The Trouble with Normal: My ADHD the Zebra | Emily Anhalt | TEDxSyracuseUniversity

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Brilliance is absent without the presence of darkness, no matter where you are or what you do, strive to be great in spite of your circumstances. As you listen to Emily's talk, reflect on what you believe it takes to be successful - What are the things that give you strength?

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Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD/ADD) - causes, symptoms & pathology

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I can't find any great videos for this - this is the best one. I love colourful semantics and have seen the benefits of it. I would be a great intervention for EAL children or children with limited speech. I will try and do some training on it when we get back to school. Let me know what you think!

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Could your child with ADHD also have an autism spectrum disorder - or was the original diagnosis incorrect? Here's how to get a comprehensive evaluation - and address your child's ADD or ASD challenges head-on.

Children running up stairs after school

What's the Relationship Between ADHD and Autism?

Roughly two-thirds of children with attention deficit disorder ( ADHD or ADD) have at least one co-existing condition, and autism spectrum disorder ( ASD) is among the conditions that commonly occur with ADHD. Some studies suggest that up to half of kids with ASD also have ADHD.

If child has been diagnosed with ADHD, but the diagnosis doesn't seem to explain all of her struggles, you may wonder if she has ADHD and autism.

What's the Difference Between ADHD and Autism?

ADHD is marked by inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. "It is primarily a disorder of self-regulation and executive function - skills that act as the 'brain manager' in everyday life," says Mark Bertin, M.D., a developmental behavioral pediatrician and the author of The Family ADHD Solution .

Autism Spectrum Disorders - a continuum of conditions that includes autism, Asperger's syndrome (now outdated), and pervasive developmental disorder not otherwise specified (PDD-NOS) - are characterized by problems with social interactions, communication, and stereotyped (repetitive or ritualistic) behaviors.

"Children with autism do not intuitively understand some aspects of the social world," says Bertin. "Their social development, reflected in play and communication abilities, is delayed. They have specific symptoms, such as limited imaginative play or lack of gesture language," Bertin says.
[Self-Test: Is My Child on the Autism Spectrum?]
While the primary components of ADHD and ASD are different, there is some overlap in symptoms. The trick to differentiating between the two is to determine which executive function or developmental building block is broken or missing, thereby causing the symptom.

"Children with ADHD may struggle socially, but with ADHD alone, markers of early social development, such as turn-taking play, gesture language, responding to names, and imaginative play, are usually intact. Traits like appropriate facial affect (the child's facial expression reflects his or her current emotional experience), humor, and empathy are also unaffected," says Bertin. Those traits, when lacking, are key indicators of autism.

"Kids with ADHD may not be able to stick to turn-taking play, but they understand it. They may not respond when called because of attention problems, but they are socially engaged and recognize their name and what it means," says Bertin.

How Are ADHD and Autism Diagnosed?

In order to obtain an accurate, complete diagnosis, Bertin suggests working with a professional who is familiar with both conditions. "A thorough evaluation aims to define a child's strengths and weaknesses," says Bertin. "Various test measures try to document ADHD symptoms, executive function, social and communication delays, anxiety, mood disorders, and a host of other symptoms."
[Self-Test: Autism Spectrum Disorder Symptoms in Adults]
Tests alone are not enough. "Evaluating both ADHD and autism remains a clinical skill based on getting to know a child and seeking a comprehensive picture of his life in the real world, a global sense of a child's social and conversational abilities, as well as his play and daily living skills."

Diagnosis can be a fluid, ongoing process. It was for Clark, now 17, according to his mother, Pamela Fagan Hutchins, the author of the book The Clark Kent Chronicles: A Mother's Tale Of Life With Her ADHD And Asperger's Son . Although Hutchins' earliest concerns about Clark were about autism-like symptoms, ADHD, not ASD, was Clark's first diagnosis.

"We first noticed autism-like symptoms when Clark was two, like running to the left in circles while waggling his left hand," Hutchins says. "It was when he started school that we noticed ADHD symptoms. He had a lot of trouble staying on task." Clark was diagnosed with ADHD in fourth grade, and with Asperger's syndrome about a year and a half later.

Although parents find it stressful not knowing the source of their child's challenges, there isn't always a definitive answer. "There are times when we need to put aside the diagnostic debate, in the short run, and focus instead on a plan to address whatever is going on with the child," says Bertin. "It can be helpful to think, 'What interventions would be most useful right now?' instead of waiting for complete certainty. In fact, the interventions themselves may help determine the most accurate diagnosis."

In Clark's case, treatment with ADHD medication helped to clarify his diagnosis. Some time after being diagnosed with ADHD, Clark started taking Concerta to treat his symptoms.

"It was clear, after he started Concerta, that the autism-like symptoms remained," says Bertin. "He still ran laps around the house, to the left, was insensitive to the feelings of others, was prone to making odd statements, and rattled off statistics."

Clark, now 17, continues to take Concerta. "He doesn't love it," says Hutchins, "but he recognizes he can hold everything together better when he is on it, and that he is less anxious and less prone to outbursts."

For ADD, there is substantial evidence in favor of using medication. For autism alone, there are medications that may help with specific symptoms, such as obsessive behavior, but not the underlying condition.

Cassie Zupke's son is a case in point. Zupke runs a non-profit group, Open Doors Now, and is the author of We Said, They Said: 50 Things Parents and Teachers of Students with Autism Want Each Other to Know . Her son, James, 17, has mild autism, with a history of severe ADHD symptoms. "As a toddler, James had no fear," says Zupke. "He would take off and wouldn't stop if I called him. I'd have to physically catch him to get him to stop."

It was delayed speech that led Zupke to have James evaluated at age three. A neurologist diagnosed James with mild autism. James was in special education for preschool and kindergarten, then in a regular classroom for first grade. "It was a disaster," Zupke says. "He had severe meltdowns due to his sensory difficulties and poor social communication skills. His impulse control was still terrible. He ran when he got a chance and he got into everything - the teacher's desk, the janitor's closet."

Zupke didn't like the idea of starting James on medication, but believed he was in danger. James's teacher reminded Zupke that taking medication wasn't a long-term commitment. They could take him off it if side effects were a problem. James started taking Adderall. "That decision probably saved his life," Zupke says. "Not only did it improve his impulse control dramatically, it also helped him pay attention in class."

Beyond Meds: Treating ADD and ASD Effectively

Non-medical interventions are also used before children get a definitive diagnosis. "If a child has ongoing social challenges, for example, many of the interventions are similar - such as behavioral therapy to help develop skills," says Bertin.

After Clark was diagnosed with ADHD, he received counseling and assistance with organizational skills. When he was later identified as having Asperger's, the focus of treatment changed. "Treatment now involves helping Clark intellectually grasp the gaps between him and the rest of society - why hygiene matters, what kind of things he does that other people might find odd or insensitive," his mother says.

Several other interventions, including speech therapy, occupational therapy, educational interventions, and parent training, can be explored.

When Your Child Has Both ADHD and Autism

Dr. William Dodson, of the Dodson ADHD Center, in Greenwood Village, Colorado, is a psychiatrist who specializes in both ADHD and Asperger's. When a patient has both, Dodson takes a direct and honest approach: "The concepts I try to get across to patients and their parents is that ADHD and Asperger's are two separate and distinct conditions that happen to be found together much more frequently than would be expected by chance alone. The patients have won the negative genetic lottery and have two lifelong conditions that will affect every moment of their lives from here on out.

"Next, I try to assess if the person with ASD is motivated to do the work autism requires," Dodson explains. "Is he or she lonely? Does he or she miss human companionship? Without this longing, there is no motivation for the patient to come out of his inner world.
[ADHD and the Autism Spectrum]
"For people with coexisting ADHD and ASD, treating the ADHD is a means to an end of treating the ASD," says Dodson. "The world is a classroom for people with ASD, and they have to be ready to observe and practice what they've learned."

Toward that end, medication to treat the ADHD is a must, Dodson says. "Few people with both ADHD and ASD succeed without medication to remove the additional obstacle of ADHD from their path."
[When to Consider Autism Medication]
Updated on September 25, 2019

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ADHD and Autism: Differing Symptoms of ADD & ASD

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Could your child with ADHD also have an autism spectrum disorder - or was the original diagnosis incorrect? Here's how to get a comprehensive evaluation - and address your child's ADD or ASD challenges head-on.

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ADHD and autism are separate neurodevelopmental disorders that can share some symptoms. There are key differences, and a person can have both conditions.

In this article, we look at the differences between autism and ADHD, the full name of which is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

We also explore whether there is a relationship between the two conditions and describe diagnoses and treatments.

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The three subtypes of ADHD are inattentive, hyperactive-impulsive, or combined.

ADHD is a common neurodevelopmental disorder. According to the American Psychiatric Association (APA), ADHD affects around 8.4% of children and 2.5% of adults. Doctors diagnose it more often in males than in females.

Children with ADHD experience difficulties with attention, hyperactivity, and impulse control. They may struggle to concentrate, sit still, or think before they act.

There are three subtypes of ADHD, and a doctor will base the diagnosis on a person's specific symptoms.

The ADHD subtypes are:

ADHD symptoms may improve as a child gets older and can gain more focus and control over their impulses.

Adults who continue to experience symptoms may benefit from counseling, which can help a person learn to manage the condition.

Autism spectrum disorder affects a person's social communication and interaction in various contexts. There is no cure, but treatment can help people make progress in the areas that they find challenging.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), around 1 in 59 children in the United States has received a diagnosis of autism spectrum disorder.

The American Autism Association report that autism typically appears before the child reaches the age of 3 years old and that it is five times more likely to develop in males than in females.

Telling the difference between autism and ADHD can sometimes be difficult, especially in younger children. The following descriptions may help with differentiating between the symptoms of the two conditions:

Attention span

Children with ADHD often have difficulty paying attention to the same thing for too long, and they may get distracted easily.

Autistic children may have a limited scope of interest. They may seem to obsess over things that they enjoy and have difficulty focusing on things that they have no interest in. They may be able to recall facts and details easily, and some may excel in math, science, music, or art.

It may be easiest to spot these signs while the child is doing their homework. A child with ADHD may not be able to pay attention to any subject.

An autistic child may have high levels of focus on their favorite topics, but may not be able to engage in subjects that interest them less.

Communication

Communication difficulties are characteristic of autism. Some children with ADHD also have these difficulties, but they typically present in different ways.

Children with ADHD may:

talk continually

want to have the last word

not notice how their words affect other people

interrupt others

Autistic children may:

have difficulty expressing their emotions and thoughts

not use gestures to communicate

struggle with eye contact

fixate on one topic of conversation

play differently - they may not understand turn-taking or imaginative play

not initiate or respond to social interactions

Routine and structure

Children with ADHD can become bored quickly with a structure that they find uninteresting, including that of the classroom. Without variety, they may also lose interest in activities.

In contrast, autistic children often demonstrate an insistence on sameness, wanting to adhere to routines or ritualized patterns of verbal or nonverbal behavior.

For instance, they may read the same book over and over or want the same foods for dinner every evening. Changes to routine can cause upset and irritability.

There is some overlap in the symptoms of autism and ADHD, and it is possible to have both conditions.

Prior to 2013, APA criteria did not allow doctors to diagnose people with autism and ADHD at the same time. As a result, there is very little research involving the conditions occurring together.

However, medical professionals now recognize that many children meet the criteria for both.

The CDC estimate that 14% of children with ADHD in the U.S. also have autism spectrum disorder. Other research puts this number at 15-25%.

Researchers do not fully understand what causes either condition, although genetic factors likely play a role in both.

Parents and caregivers who are concerned that their child may have ADHD, autism, or both should talk to their family doctor or pediatrician. The doctor may recommend referring the child to a child behavior disorder specialist.

A doctor will base an ADHD diagnosis on symptoms that have been present in the past 6 months. If a doctor suspects autism, they may look into a child's behavior and development over previous years.

In either case, they may wish to hear from teachers and other caregivers, as well as parents.

The doctor will also want to rule out conditions that can cause symptoms similar to those of autism or ADHD. These issues include:

hearing problems

learning difficulties

sleep disorders

In addition, the doctor may uncover symptoms of co-occurring disorders, such as:

According to a 2010 study that looked at data from more than 2,500 autistic children in the U.S., 83% of the children also had at least one other developmental disorder, while 10% had at least one psychiatric disorder.

An autistic child or a child with ADHD may benefit from behavioral therapy or medication.

Treatment varies, depending on the child, their symptoms, and the presence of other conditions. Some treatments for autism and ADHD include:

Behavioral therapy is typically the first line of treatment for younger children. For older children, a doctor may recommend a combination of behavioral therapy and medication.

Autistic children may benefit from additional forms of therapy, depending on their needs. Some options include:

counseling

educational interventions

occupational therapy

sensory integration

speech therapy

Training and education can also better enable parents and caregivers to help children manage their symptoms.

Autism and ADHD are separate conditions that share some symptoms. Any parent or caregiver who is concerned that a child is showing signs of one or both conditions should talk to their doctor.

Although there is no cure for either condition, several therapies and medications can help children make progress in the areas that they find challenging.

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Autism and ADHD: Differences in symptoms, diagnoses, and treatments

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ADHD and autism are separate neurodevelopmental disorders that can share some symptoms. There are key differences, and a person can have both conditions. In this article, we look at the differences between autism and ADHD, the full name of which is attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.

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ADHD vs. Autism | Differences & How Are ADHD and Autism Related?

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The Enveloping Schema | How Children Learn

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The Trajectory Schema | How Children Learn

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The Transporting Schema | How Children Learn

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The Containment Schema | How Children Learn

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The Positioning Schema | How Children Learn

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SCHEMAS - WHY YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THEM | Early Childhood

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Understanding schema and using them to plan for play and learning

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Understanding schema and using them to plan for play and learning

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Mr Starbuck Education - Ideas for Primary Teachers

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USING SCHEMAS TO OBSERVE & PLAN MORE ENGAGING ACTIVITIES | IMPROVE BEHAVIOUR & FIND THEIR INTERESTS

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Have a look at this website for nice ideas.

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Early Years Education | Alistair Bryce-Clegg at ABC Does

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Alistair Bryce-Clegg is an educational consultant specialising early years education. At ABC Does Alistair offers advice for early years practitioners.

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There are some free courses available on here that maybe of interest to you. They are FREE, but if you want a certificate of completion you would have to pay. The course itself is free. read carefully before you sign up .

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Class Central * Find the best courses, wherever they exist.

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Class Central aggregates courses from many providers to help you find the best courses on almost any subject, wherever they exist.

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https://www.lasershortcourses.co.uk/courseList.php

This site currently has 50% off and is very relevant for Early Years

# data[].attributes.headline
 Useful WEBSITE FOR A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES

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 Useful WEBSITE FOR A RANGE OF ACTIVITIES

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Some of these are open opened ended than others

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Among all the changes that impact a child's early life, one of the most significant is the move from early education and care setting to a full-time school. The following article provides Educators with a guide on planning supportive transition practices for preschoolers going to primary school the following year...

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early years learning framework australia

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Childcare Website, Early Childhood Education, Childcare Articles, Printables, Worksheets, EYLF Templates, Kids Games, Children Activities, Teaching Materials, Childcare Forum for Educators and Students

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Mathematical challenges and open ended learning in the Early Years, and beyond

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This collection of activities is particularly suitable for 3 to 5 year olds.

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A useful place for resources and cources

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Early Years Centre

CPD accredited training resources, created specifically for early years settings and devised by leading practitioners

Face to face training from as little as £8 per attending learner, in addition to more than 256 ground-breaking early years online courses with unlimited access from as little as £8 per employee.

The Early Years Training Hub is part of The Big Initiative which is a totally free multi-agency social platform created specifically to work hand-in-hand with parents and employees within early years, offering them free support to improve their own well-being and their work with young children.

The Initiative works together with leading practitioners to bring you free parental training, free well-being training, free preventative training for young people, and also free early years provision training. The Initiative has been fully pre-funded for the next five years for any early years setting.

More information

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CPD accredited training resources, created specifically for early years settings and devised by leading practitioners Face to face training from as little as £8 per attending learner, in addition to more than 256 ground-breaking early years online courses with unlimited access from as little as £8 per employee.

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A great website with some activites across the years

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It is no secret that Pretend Play forms an essential part of a child's development. Children learn by observing, imagining and doing.

We often think of "play time" as a time reserved for running around the playground and letting off steam between lessons, or for sitting down quietly with a few good toys to tinker with. These forms of play are important in themselves, but they are not the only forms of play.

Learning through play is now widely recognised by practitioners as an essential method of learning and development for young children, and a number of theorists and researchers have identified the values of pretend or imaginative play as a vital contributor to the normal development of a child.

At any Early Years setting and across Primary Schools, you will see children enjoying imaginative play; perhaps zooming a piece of paper around the room as if it were a racing car or a flying aeroplane, or playing the part of a firefighter in their engine, a shopkeeper, a parent, a dentist or a nurse.

Children use objects to represent something else, or assign themselves and others roles and then act them out. It may seem very simple, but in pushing back the barriers of reality these children are learning and developing many different and important life skills.

This pretend play, which allows different perspectives to be taken, and during which ideas and emotions are moulded and rearranged, is a major feature of a child's social and cognitive development.

Here we look at the 5 key reasons why teachers encourage their EYFS, Key Stage 1 and Key Stage 2 learners to get involved in the world of make believe and to participate in pretend play every day:

1. To encourage imagination and creativity

Research has identified that an important benefit of early pretend play is its enhancement of a child's capacity for cognitive flexibility and, ultimately, creativity.

By absorbing themselves in an imaginative game, whatever it may be, children are given the opportunity to practice using their imagination, to exercise their brain and train it to think creatively, and to learn how to think for themselves.

The ability to use our imagination is a cognitive skill that we all require throughout life, and we need to encourage children to learn how to do this from the start with frequent opportunities for imaginative play.

It is because of the development of the imagination during childhood that we as adults become capable of carrying out most of the tasks that daily life requires. Albert Einstein said, "Logic will get you from A to Z; imagination will get you everywhere." It is true!

Adults have to use their imagination every day to help them solve problems, make plans, to prosper and discover or invent new things. Imagination is required to properly visualize and to be able to enjoy pleasures in life such as a good book or a film.

It is an essential enabler for understanding other people's perspectives and for thinking creatively.

2. To support social and emotional development

When a child engages in pretend or imaginative play, by pretending to be different characters or by controlling objects in their own way and observing the result, they are essentially experimenting with the social and emotional roles of life.

It's about learning who they are as individuals and how they fit into the world around them, how the world works and how to walk in somebody else's shoes.

They develop empathy and learn how to co-operate, to become responsible and how to share responsibility.

All young children have moments of selfishness and this is normal (it's all about survival!). With maturity and opportunities for experimental pretend play, children begin to recognise and learn how to respond positively towards other people's feelings.

Think of a role play situation where children are playing together. They have to agree on a topic and negotiate roles and rules. All of this requires co-operation, collaboration and an understanding of others.

The idea of "theory of mind", an awareness that a person's thoughts, opinions and feelings may be different from our own, and that we are all capable of taking on different perspectives, is closely linked to pretend play.

For example, children who regularly take part in pretend play activities involving role play are better able to display empathy because they have effectively experimented with emotions and had a go at being "somebody else" for a while.

Pretend play also benefits children hugely in developing their self-esteem and self-awareness. There is a sense of freedom which flows from the realisation that you can be anything by just pretending, and children love this! It's a safe and secure way to experiment and test boundaries, and build confidence.

Through make believe, pretend play allows children to experience and express both positive and negative feelings. They learn how to modulate the effect of these emotions, how to deal with them positively, how to control their impulses, learn good manners and positive behaviour, and in some cases how to reduce aggression.

3. To improve language and communication skills

It is fascinating to listen to our children interacting with friends. They often come out with words or phrases that we had no idea they knew! They can do very amusing impersonations of their parents, carers and teachers too!

Pretend play allows children to experiment with and learn about the power of language, how it affects us and those around us. It also helps them to understand that words give us the means to re-enact situations, to put our point across and to make ourselves heard and understood.

Pretend play offers the perfect opportunity to expose children to new vocabulary, and the more different scenarios they are introduced to, the more scope there is for widening their vocabulary!

They could spend a whole afternoon at the "airport" preparing them for a new experience, or a whole morning in a "hospital" learning all the different words associated with a potential visit. Not only does pretend play broaden their horizons in this way, but it helps to reduce anxiety as language and situations become more familiar.

Personal vocabulary flourishes as they begin to use words appropriately and in context.

Through imaginative play and role play, children learn to choose their words carefully so that others can understand what they are trying to communicate.

In turn, children learn to listen properly to what others have to say, as they have to do this in order to understand what is going on around them and how they fit in - as essential skill for learning anything at school!

4. To develop thinking, learning and problem solving abilities

By its very nature, pretend play presents children with a variety of different problems to solve and scenarios to think about carefully.

Deciding what games to play, what roles to take on, who will be involved and how, what materials are needed for the game and what rules apply to the game, and how to overcome scenarios where something "goes wrong", all require much thought and deliberation in one way or another.

Participating in pretend play in such a way requires a child to call upon cognitive thinking skills that they will find themselves using in each aspect of everyday life, and this will stay with them all the way through to adulthood.

Memories are formed through imaginative play. Children make use of images that they have created in their minds to recreate past experiences during pretend play.

This form of abstract thinking helps them to work out what has happened in any acted out scenario, and to learn how to gather and manage their thoughts and reactions to such a scenario, and to mentally solve problems that they may have encountered in these scenarios so that they know how to overcome any difficulties the next time.

It can be something as simple as setting a table for a meal or calling a family member on the telephone, or something as complicated as navigating their way to school or dealing with a trip to the dentist.

And by incorporating props such as books and magazines, signs, coins, food items, pens and paper (or anything else you have to hand!), pretend play can help a child to develop mathematical and literacy skills if these props are used appropriately.

Pretend play helps children gain a better understanding of science, the wider world in which they live and important world events that occur around them.

Whether they are discovering space and the solar system by acting out the role of Tim Peake blasting off to the International Space Station in his rocket, or learning about prehistoric times by stomping around the school playground like dinosaurs, imaginative play has an essential part to play.

5. To enhance physical development

Aside from all the wonderful cognitive benefits that pretend play has to offer, it is important to remember that pretend play is very often physical and is a wonderful way for children to be active, to exercise and to develop their motor skills.

Gross motor skills are put to good use as pilots run around flying their aeroplanes, fire fighters climb up ladders and whizz down slides throwing water everywhere, goodies run after baddies and chase them over play equipment, horses gallop across fields and over jumps and would-be Olympic athletes and gymnasts put their skills to the test in the school playground.

Fine motor skills and hand to eye co-ordination are improved as children try to dress dolls with fiddly bits of clothing, dish out coins to pay for items they have bought in a shop, or make recipes with "ingredients" plucked fresh from the sandpit.

Even in situations where physical pretend play appears to become a bit too "physical", evidence suggests that a role play game involving rough and tumble, provided that this is well monitored and doesn't go too far, can help in the development of the frontal lobe, the front part of the brain, that regulates behaviour.

Rather than breaking it up too quickly, allowing children to play physically, if this is what they enjoy doing, helps them to learn self-regulation and to understand when this type of behaviour is appropriate or actually when it is not.
And as if all that isn't enough, pretend play is fun too! When we let our imaginations take over and when we really play together, as children want to do, there are no limits as to where their minds can take them and there is no chance of running out of things to enjoy and talk about with them! If you are looking to enhance your school's play facilities to actively encourage Pretend Play, please Contact Us to see how we can help. We have some really exciting, Imaginative and Creative School Playground Equipment to encourage young minds to truly make believe. If you enjoyed this post, you will definitely find these interesting: The Importance of Building Dens and Ways to Promote Den-Making 5 Brilliant Playground Resources For Early Years Learners

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Why Pretend Play Is Important to Child Development

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It is no secret that Pretend Play forms an essential part of a child's development. Children learn by observing, imagining and doing. We often think of "play time" as a time reserved for running around the playground and letting off steam between lessons, or for sitting down quietly with a few good toys to tinker with.

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Childhood is a time of magic and shapeshifting, when beds become boats with sheets as sails, out on a wild sea made of pillows; a tea towel becomes a cape of invincibility, flying out behind a child who is now a superhero; a clothes horse and blankets transform into a castle where a princess cowers from a dragon that silly old parents might believe is a teddy bear.

Yet what might look like simple fun is actually highly important work. When children use their imagination in play they are developing crucial psychological and emotional capacities that help them understand the world in which they live and their relation to it; they are learning to solve problems, create new possibilities, even change the world.

According to child psychologist Sally Goddard Blythe, director of The Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology and author of The Genius of Natural Childhood: Secrets of Thriving Children, the importance of imagination in all areas of child development cannot be overstated. "This kind of play allows children to tap into their creativity and really run with it, without any boundaries, in a way that's very freeing," she says.

"Put simply, imagination is the ability to create visual images in the mind's eye, which allows us to explore all sorts of images and ideas without being constrained by the limits of the physical world. This is how children begin to develop problem-solving skills, coming up with new possibilities, new ways of seeing and being, which develop important faculties in critical thinking that will help the child throughout life."

Imaginative play also allows us to explore both the physical world and the inner self at the same time, helping us to recognise our own emotional responses to things, which is a very healthy process. "Between the ages of three and four, children begin to engage with modes of speech, attaching words to emotional experiences - we might hear our child telling off their dollies for being naughty, for example, or lovingly tucking them into their cot before bed. In this sort of imaginative activity, children can act out through play and private speech all the things that are going on in their life, processing how they felt when they were told off themselves, and developing an empathetic understanding of why their parent was angry, or how it feels to care and be cared for."

Credit: Getty

Studies have shown that imaginative play can foster important social qualities, such a co-operation, empathy, and appreciation of others' feelings. In a 2013 study on "Pretend and Physical Play", psychologists Eric Lindsay and Malinda Colwell observed that children who engage in imaginative play express more emotional engagement, thoughtfulness and understanding, and less negative emotional expression such as selfishness and anger, and score higher on tests of emotional regulation and understanding.

The authors also noted how books, films and even video games can actually become fuel for children's imaginative play. Kids can take on storylines they've been exposed to and extend them into a more elaborate and extended narrative, processing social situations and problems through the fantasy space of the story.

According to Goddard Blythe, fuelling children's imaginations in this way is essential. "By listening to or engaging with existing stories the child is then able to create their own version, design their own 'set', imagine how the characters look to them. They can feed off existing stories and develop them, explore them, transform and manipulate them in different ways that are suited to the issues they might be struggling with in their own lives."

The best news? Fuelling their imaginations doesn't require anything more than the most basic tools. "Adults think children need more than they actually do to play - what they really need is the time, the space and the encouragement to do it. Invite your children to imagine what a cardboard box could be - whether that's a castle, a boat, a spaceship or anything else they come up with. Then follow their lead, giving prompts to extend the fantasy when they encounter problems. Most important is creating opportunities for the child to play freely, then they can develop this in whatever direction their imagination takes them."

The power of a child's imagination can change a twig into a magic wand, a cardboard tube into a telescope, a bubble bath into a deadly swamp - and by sharing imaginative experiences with your child you can help them transform and develop into creative thinkers and problem solvers who might even one day change the world.

Powering family time and imagination

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Best of all, Mastercard has teamed up with Disneyland Paris to offer you a chance to win a priceless trip for a family of four, enter the competition now! For more information and to unlock more priceless experiences, visit priceless.com.

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Why imaginative play is important for a child's development

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Childhood is a time of magic and shapeshifting, when beds become boats with sheets as sails, out on a wild sea made of pillows; a tea towel becomes a cape of invincibility, flying out behind a child who is now a superhero; a clothes horse and blankets transform into a castle where a princess cowers from a dragon that silly old parents might believe is a teddy bear.

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Playing is a natural and enjoyable way for children to keep active, stay well and be happy. Freely chosen play helps children and young people's healthy development. To have good physical and mental health and to learn life skills, they need various unstructured play opportunities from birth until they're teenagers.

Freely chosen play

Freely chosen play is when a child decides and controls their play following their own instincts, imagination and interests. They play without being led by adults.

There's no right or wrong way to play. Freely chosen play improves children's health, well-being and development.

Why play is important

Play improves the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children and young people.

Through play, children learn about the world and themselves.

They also learn skills they need for study, work and relationships such as:

confidence

self-esteem

resilience

interaction

social skills

independence

curiosity

coping with challenging situations

Developing physical health through play

Physical play such as running, skipping and riding a bicycle helps children develop:

good physical fitness

agility

stamina

co-ordination

balance

Developing social skills through play

Playing can help children develop their social skills with others. By listening, paying attention and sharing play experiences, this helps a child:

explore their feelings

develop self-discipline

learn how to express themselves

work out emotional aspects of life

Playful parenting

Through play, parents can connect fully with their children and have fun.

A parent or carer can support and take part in their child's play activities but they shouldn't direct what happens.

It's important they give their children time, freedom and choice to play. If an adult makes all the decisions about how, what and when their child plays, the child won't enjoy their play experiences.

Play and challenge

Children often want to create challenge and uncertainty in their play. Through risky, challenging play, children test themselves and find out their own limits. They learn how to deal with risk through play and can use these same skills later in life.

Parents should encourage their children from birth to extend themselves. Teach them basic skills including:

riding a bicycle

swimming

road safety

Explain that it's important to learn from mistakes, to try again and to believe in themselves. Help them understand their limits and their boundaries. Allow them to have fun in their play.

Play and digital technology

To make sure children have time for unstructured, freely chosen play every day, parents should limit screen time. The younger the child, the less time they should be using digital devices.

Keep certain times and areas in the home technology-free zones such as:

Don't use digital devices to distract your children or keep them quiet. Talk to your children, play games or look at a book together. Join in your children's screen time and talk about their online activity.

Show your children good example by limiting your own screen time.

More useful links

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Playing is a natural and enjoyable way for children to keep active, stay well and be happy. Freely chosen play helps children and young people's healthy development. To have good physical and mental health and to learn life skills, they need various unstructured play opportunities from birth until they're teenagers.

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Classifying and sorting can be done with any objects with both similar and different characteristics by sorting them according to their characteristics, such as class, kind or size. According to classifying and sorting involves three steps:

1. Children decide which characteristic to sort by

2. Children physically sort the objects

3. Children are be able to provide and describe their rational for their classifications

Historically, with a perspective of learning as sequential relating closely to age, this resulted in the construction of developmentally appropriate practice (DAP). However, more contemporary perspectives such as constructivism, views children as innately capable and maintains that learning leads development as opposed to development ruling the learning (Arthur et al, 2014). As a result, children should be exposed to mathematics and provided with rich, open-ended numeracy experiences from a young age to support their development, rather than waiting until they are deemed developmentally ready. Classifying and sorting, as well as all mathematics experiences, are most effective when incorporated authentically into children's everyday life. It is important for children to see mathematics in the real world to understand it's place and uses ( ).

More specifically, early mathematical concepts such as classifying, sorting, comparing and the problem solving that is involved to do these are the foundation for later, more complex mathematical thinking ( ). Classifying and sorting is important for developing numerical concepts and the ability to group numbers and sets, important for completing complex sums in the upper primary years. By classifying and sorting, logical thinking is applied to everyday objects, which is important for later mathematics as well as all decision making ( ). Significantly, studies have shown that competence in numeracy stemming from the early years increases academic performance in all subject areas in subsequent schooling ( ).

Bring in a mystery box with different classifications of objects inside. Discuss the differences and similarities with a group of children and talk about how we could group the objects according to their similarities. Follow children's suggestions and ideas and work intentionally and collaboratively with them to teach classifying and sorting. Lay the objects out on the ground according to their classifications and wonder with the children how else we could classify them. Classify the objects collaboratively. Classification examples can include manmade and natural, heavy and light, long and short, animals and insects or different colours. Include magnifying glasses, scales and measuring tools for children to explore the differences.

Provide loose parts for children to practice 1:1 correspondence by sorting objects into the corresponding numbers. Items of varying size, textures and colours such as buttons, dice and bottle tops, marbles, or particularly, natural and sensory materials with different scents and origins such as honkey nuts, flowers, herbs, shells, stones, feathers, flowers and sticks. This enables children more interesting and authentic classifications such as by smell or location (e.g beach, bush and garden). Include various materials with numbers on them such as jars, honkey nuts and stones painted like dominoes with the numeral as well on the other side to make the activity more intentional. Providing materials such as such as scales for weighing, rulers/tape measures enables children to compare materials according to their weight and size.
Objects that enable children to make patterns such as different coloured and sized beads.
A variety of 2D and 3D shapes to sort with diff materials eg, spheres from tree trunks, cube dices marble spheres
Use objects with are personally and culturally relevant to students.

For more information on the benefits of "Loose parts" visit

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Classifying and sorting can be done with any objects with both similar and different characteristics by sorting them according to their characteristics, such as class, kind or size.

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1-1 correspondence, short article with video links

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1-1 correspondence, short article with video links

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One to one correspondence is the ability to match an object to the corresponding number and recognise that numbers are symbols to represent a quantity. Young children often learn to count without having an understanding of one to one correspondence (Kearns, 2010). This means that while they can count they may not understand the meaning or value of the numbers. Numbers and symbols are abstract for children so 1:1 correspondence is the connection between the symbol, the language and the quantity (Kearns, 2010).

1:1 correspondence is crucial to learn as it is used in our every day lives, such as counting money or preparing food for people. Most children can rote count fairly easily, however this demonstrates memory and not the understanding of concept of quantity. Therefore, it is important that children are enabled to count, understanding what they are doing and what the numbers mean. Significantly, familiarity builds children's confidence with mathematics and is a crucial skill for being able to perform calculations in the future (). It is also necessary for reading as children must recognise what that words are separated by space and have meaning ().

Establishing whether children have grasped the concept of 1:1 correspondence can be done by asking them to count objects; if the child coordinates their counting with the objects by collecting or pointing to them, they h﻿﻿ave an understanding of 1:1 correspondence. However, if their counting is random and they can not align the numbers with the objects, they require further teaching and opportunities to practice. Have children match the written numeral to a number of objects.

Dice games and activities are fantastic for developing 1:1 correspondence as children learn that the number rolled relates to the number of actions or objects they have to take. Importantly, these games can be easily adapted to suit children's interests such as using dinosaur characters on the board or having themes for the games that are interesting to the children. Children can also have a role in creating the rules or themes of games which is fantastic for thinking and communication skills. Encourage children to make their own games, such as stacking the number of blocks that is rolled on the dice and seeing who can get the tallest without it collapsing.

Examples of indoor dice activities: Rolling the dice and then going forward the corresponding number of spaces on a board as a race to the end; picking up the corresponding number of objects to the number rolled and at the end of the game count the objects accumulated by each player and whoever has the most wins. For example, children could dress up as astronauts and collect the corresponding amount of moon rocks from the pretend moon surface.​ Children may have to collect concrete items and then count them at the end see who got most. Children can keep a tally throughout the game or document data from the dice rolls to find which is the most common number to be rolled. Literacy can also be incorporated by having letters on the board and children have to identify the letter in order to collect an object.

Dice games can easily be created specifically for playing outside and can involve more gross-motor actions for children. Outdoors, the games can be played with giant "yard dice" and children can create their own outdoor games.
Examples of outdoor dice activities: Fishing out the corresponding number of ducks from a little pool. Rolling a dice and hopping the corresponding number of steps on hopscotch. Children can draw their own hopscotch and make it more intricate, or change the actions children have to do such as hopping, twirling and clapping.

​Provide loose parts for children to practice 1:1 correspondence by sorting objects into the corresponding numbers. Items such as buttons, dice, a deck of cards (remove Jack, King and Queen or keep to perhaps represent zero), glass pebbles. Natural objects are particularly good such as stones, flowers with petals, sticks or various materials with numbers on them such as jars, honkey nuts and stones painted like dominoes with the numeral as well on the other side. Objects that partition items are also useful such as muffin trays, ice block trays, jars or egg cartons. Leave children to explore or sit with them and use intentional language and open-ended questioning to extend their thinking and enhance their learning.

Children begin to recognise that numbers represent quantity as they gain experience with adding and subtracting objects. They understand that adding objects or taking them away changes the original number and understand that numbers are representations for amounts.

Opportunities to practise

Incorporate sums into every day authentic contexts. For example, use number stories during morning tea e.g. I had 4 pieces of apple but I ate 2 pieces so how many do I have left?

Read books which involve number stories such as 5 little ducks. Write and state the number story and number sentence for children to see, such as there were five little ducks and one went away, which leaves 4. So, 5 - 1 = 4.

Story stones that relate to a book involving number stories; this enables children to retell the stories with concrete objects, enhancing their understanding of 1:1 correspondence.

​
Teach addition with popsticks/objects in jars e.g. jars with the answers on them and popsticks with the sums.

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One to one correspondence is the ability to match an object to the corresponding number and recognise that numbers are symbols to represent a quantity. Young children often learn to count without having an understanding of one to one correspondence (Kearns, 2010).

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Every year in the early childhood field you can be sure that you will come across the process versus product creativity and learning debate. It's not a new concept and it's certainly not a bad thing to engage in a little healthy debate among colleagues. Except it has now become a fight among many rather than a healthy debate. Educators are vying to get their important message and personal philosophy across to the other 'side' who are quite obviously wrong...and it's getting nasty in many cases.

The rise of social media as an avenue to express professional beliefs and early childhood theory has seen many now find a voice. I'm not one to censor people's beliefs or desire to get their passionate point across - but I am growing weary and to be honest quite saddened by the vehemency of this debate among Educator Facebook groups and other social media avenues. Debate, conversation and reflection about practice is one thing - words that aim to belittle another educator or parent just because they choose to do something differently is another. I see people getting so caught up in making sure people understand their point of view and the 'right' way of doing things that they are losing sight of why we do the important work that we do and why it is always imperative that we remember that the children we are entrusted to nurture and grow are all individuals and should be treated as such.

No one philosophy or teaching style suits every child...or indeed all educators or parents. I fear we are losing sight of this fact in these ongoing fights on social media about what is the 'correct' way of doing things and who is the most educated and therefore knows best. It has always been best practice to draw upon our own strengths and knowledge as well as those from the theorists and research from years gone past. We must always open our mind to new learning - just as we invite children to do.

I'm going to be frank - the Process V Product art debate/argument has been around for a very, very long time - it's not going away. Why? Because we don't all teach the same way, children do not all learn the same way. We don't always follow the path of research and what the 'experts' tell us. I've been in the early childhood profession for nearly 30 years now in one way or the other and I can assure you that what is 'the right way' today will no doubt be different again in 5 years time. The cycles come and go and we continue to learn and try new things. As do children. But when it comes to this debate I think we need to step back from trying to convince others that there must be an absolute.

Why do we have a need to separate these two approaches - how are they so different and why it seems must we only choose one?

When children engage in process art the aim is that they enjoy the process of making and doing the art - it's no so much about what the end product turns out to be or if there is even an end product at all. Sounds simple right?

This form of art tends to have originated from a preconceived idea from an educator or parent. There are often steps or directions the child needs to follow to make the artwork look the way it is 'supposed to' according to the teacher or parent. Educators or parents often do the 'more advanced' elements for the child to ensure it all ends up looking 'right' and so that a parent will be overjoyed to put it up on their wall or the fridge to display. There is often not much room for individual creativity and self expression. Or is there?

I think that sometimes we oversimplify the definition of product art to just cute crafts/gifts for parents that are obviously not age appropriate or colouring in stencils. We therefore don't allow the opportunity to explore the possibilities of this medium or the obvious extensions and the many benefits for children.

I am a huge champion of play based learning - I have been writing and sharing activities based on this concept here on this blog for over 10 years now so please do not doubt my philosophy when it comes to supporting children on their learning journey through play. We embrace and engage in outdoor play and move with the children's interests and voice every single day .

I have been in this game for a while now (as I know many reading this article have to) and I am well aware of the negatives and the benefits of each type of approach so please don't mistake this post as being either pro process or product. What I am trying to express is that there can be room for both if done well by a skilled educator . We don't need to draw a line in the sand we cannot step over. We don't need to limit children, we need to give them credit for knowing what they enjoy doing.

The skill is in being able to provide a balance. To think outside the box of what 'must be done because' and instead offer a process type medium for children that might also offer opportunities for product type experience at the conclusion of the activity. Let's not put children into a box or ensure they have to be on one side or the other of our beliefs. This type of experience does not need to be included every day obviously but I believe there is room for this concept.

I will always offer a learning program and experiences for children in care and indeed my own children that leans toward process art and play based learning experiences. But children have shown me repeatedly over the years that they don't all learn or play in the same way - sometimes there must be room for something different. And I believe that is ok.

I have had the unique privilege as both educator and parent to watch my twin girls play and grow - I see the wonder of the nature v nurture debate everyday. They are so very different and as they grow older I have had to change the way I offer experiences to each of them. They have had an early childhood full of play based learning , opportunities for messy, sensory play with no 'end product expected', hours of outdoor challenges and fun and yet one twin needed more.

This twin needs structure and order and activities that challenge her thinking skills and problem solving processes -her whole body relaxes when she is engaged in activities like colouring in stencils (gasp!) or following steps to make something so it 'looks' as it should (gasp again!) I now offer these experiences to her because she absolutely thrives on them and when I look back across the years I see that she always has and she can easily become lost if she doesn't have a goal to her craft. Open ended experiences can sometimes stress her - she often needs a goal. Does it mean she doesn't also enjoy the process experiences and the joy of just playing? No. But if I wasn't offering the product type art and craft experiences I feel I would be doing her a disservice - I would be stifling her personal creativity, the way that she prefers to learn. I would not be listening to her voice or supporting her to follow her individual learning journey.

How do we know this about a child unless we are offering a range of perspectives for them to try?

My other twin has many sensory processing challenges and we have worked with occupational therapists and other specialists from when she was very young to support her with those challenges. She learns and finds her voice best when engaged in messy, sensory open ended experiences that are more process based. I have had to expose her to those sort of experiences from a young age to help her overcome her sensory difficulties. It has been a difficult road at times. She craves large muscle activities and play before she can sit to focus and a colouring in stencil or any form of stringent product based art makes her feel inferior and frustrated. She gives up on it quickly. So she makes the choice not to engage in those experiences and I respect that. But the opportunity is there in case she wants to challenge herself and she occasionally does. What if she was not offered that opportunity to choose because I was to set in my own educational philosophy? What if I never challenged her?

She will be entering the first year of school next year and I already know she is going to struggle with the product based element and expectations so I try to include Process for Product type experiences regularly now rather than just Process v Product experiences. It can be difficult and requires me to think a little outside the box and challenge my own preference towards just offering process based craft but I believe being exposed to these crafts and activities will help support her when she enters the world of school next year. She will never like worksheets and colouring pages and neither do I - but the reality is she is about to be exposed to them on a daily basis (unfortunately) . It will challenge her yet my other twin cannot wait and is already creating her own 'worksheets for school'.

They are different, they enjoy their art and craft and even play in different ways. They both have the right to do so and it is my role as parent and educator to ensure I can offer them a mix of mediums to ensure they are not only supported but also challenged.

I will never be convinced that only a product based approach is best for a child - the benefits of process orientated art is clear to all, but I also see the benefits and value of combining both, of offering children a choice, of including craft as well as art, of respecting their need to challenge themselves and explore their own unique self expression and creativity using a mix of both approaches. But it must be done well.

1. Offer access to colouring stencils and templates for those children who like to explore this art medium but do not impose rules such as colouring within the lines or using certain colours for different object. Let the child explore the stencil in the way they need to using the tools they choose. Let them colour in the lines if they want to - some need to challenge themselves in this way but ensure they understand that is is not your expectation.

2 . If using a themed craft ensure you are also implementing aspects of open ended art. Perhaps you are making Christmas trees using paper plates cut into triangles and green paint. Nothing wrong with that- themed product based craft can help a child follow directions, learn about the theme you are highlighting and challenge them to actively participate in steps needed to achieve a goal. BUT You can make it a process for product type craft by letting the child construct their own version of the tree. If they paste every triangle on top of another then leave it that way, don't make it 'right'. If they paint one triangle but not the others leave it that way. If they request another colour paint use it as a conversation starter and follow their thought process. If they are working slowly and meticulously to achieve a goal and are obviously enjoying the order of the activity and steps required then let them. If they seem to enjoy you helping them work to construct (as many children actually do) then be more involved. If they are happy exploring the craft in their own way then stand back and let them create rather than craft. There are many possibilities other than disregarding this type of craft disdainfully. Challenge yourself to think outside the box rather than to only see one outcome.

3. Allow room in every activity for self expression and creativity to emerge. You can still offer a product orientated craft with an overall end product in mind (usually educators to choose this type of craft around special occasions such as Christmas) but allow the child to deviate if they need to and ensure you are also providing plenty of opportunities for open ended experiences based around this theme or craft in other ways. Allow the child to use the materials provided in a completely different (yet within accepted safety guidelines)way to create something different to yours.

4 . Strive for balance and use meaningful and effective observation skills. Know the children in your care - who loves structure and following directions and detailed crafts and who prefers to explore and create in their own way? Recognise that every child is unique in their learning style and that is ok. Provide experiences that embrace a mix of both to challenge the group as a whole.

5 . If you are going to provide authentic opportunities to craft then do it well. Provide real tools (i.e hammer and nails, clay tools, sewing machine)and work alongside them to model their use. Use quality art and crafting materials. Provide opportunities for the child to manage risk and solve problems. Take the time to teach them the new skills required to achieve the outcome - but let them veer away if feeling stifled.

6. When offering a process for product craft experience ensure you have already asked yourself what you are wanting to achieve with this craft. It is ok for you to have a goal in mind but have you also considered if there is value for the child? Are you encouraging and supporting the emergence of new skills? Are you being authentic in offering this craft? Is it developmentally appropriate for the children you have in your care? Can you modify it or support children to modify it themselves?

I hope this article has provided some opportunity for reflection. It is not my aim to change your mind or personal philosophy in any way but I do encourage you to engage in debate rather than a passionate argument over sides next time you see the Product V Process discussion emerging on a social media platform.

There is no rule that you must only embrace one theoretical approach to provide a high quality learning environment for children. What you must do though is believe in the child and their unique capabilities and voice. Give them opportunities to show you by providing a balance of experiences - do not dismiss just because you do not learn in the same way.

I'd love to hear your thoughts in the comments below - but please keep it respectful. It is always ok to disagree and debate - not ok to belittle 🙂

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How Educators Can Solve The Product V Process Craft Debate

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Not sure as an early childhood teacher or educator what you're supposed to do when it comes to product v process crafts? Use these strategies

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Q&A – What Does ‘Open-Ended Play’ Actually Mean? - Teachwire

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Keeping you up-to-date with the latest on education, including great teaching ideas and current issues in education.

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Don't be put off, its not a long article!

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The zone of proximal development (ZPD) refers to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner.

It represents tasks beyond the learner's current abilities but are attainable with the help and guidance of the more knowledgeable other (MKO)). The ZPD is the range of tasks a person can't complete independently but can accomplish with support.

Thus, the term "proximal" refers to skills the learner is "close" to mastering. The ZPD ensures challenge is not too hard or too easy.

ZPD is the zone where instruction is the most beneficial, as it is when the task is just beyond the individual's capabilities.

To learn, we must be presented with tasks just out of our ability range. Challenging tasks promote maximum cognitive growth.

ZPD Theory

The zone of proximal development was developed by Soviet psychologist and social constructivist Lev Vygotsky (1896 - 1934).

Vygotsky introduced the ZPD concept to criticize psychometric testing which only measured current abilities, not potential for development. He argued assessment should be collaborative to reveal emerging skills.

The zone of proximal development (ZPD) has been defined as:

"the distance between the actual developmental level as determined by independent problem solving and the level of potential development as determined through problem-solving under adult guidance, or in collaboration with more capable peers" (Vygotsky, 1978, p. 86).

For teachers, the ZPD is the space between current teaching knowledge and potential new level with assistance. Willingness to learn enables ZPD progression.

Vygotsky believed that when a student is in the zone of proximal development for a particular task, providing the appropriate assistance will give the student enough of a "boost" to achieve the task.

To assist a person to move through the zone of proximal development, educators are encouraged to focus on three important components which aid the learning process:

The presence of someone with knowledge and skills beyond that of the learner (a more knowledgeable other).

Social interactions with a skillful tutor that allow the learner to observe and practice their skills.

Scaffolding, or supportive activities provided by the educator, or more competent peer, to support the student as he or she is led through the ZPD.

Scaffolding Theory

The ZPD has become synonymous in the literature with the term scaffolding. However, it is important to note that Vygotsky never used this term in his writing, and it was introduced by Wood, Bruner, and Ross (1976).

Scaffolding consists of the activities provided by the educator, or more competent peer, to support the student as he or she is led through the zone of proximal development.

Support is tapered off (i.e., withdrawn) as it becomes unnecessary, much as a scaffold is removed from a building during construction. The student will then be able to complete the task again independently.

Wood et al. (1976, p. 90) define scaffolding as a process "that enables a child or novice to solve a task or achieve a goal that would be beyond his unassisted efforts."

As they note, scaffolds require the adult's "controlling those elements of the task that are initially beyond the learner's capability, thus permitting him to concentrate upon and complete only those elements that are within his range of competence" (p. 90).

It is important to note that the terms cooperative learning, scaffolding and guided learning all have the same meaning within the literature.

The following study provides empirical support both the concept of scaffolding and the ZPD.

Wood and Middleton (1975)

Procedure: 4-year-old children had to use a set of blocks and pegs to build a 3D model shown in a picture. Building the model was too difficult a task for a 4-year-old child to complete alone.

Wood and Middleton (1975) observed how mothers interacted with their children to build the 3D model. The type of support included:

* General encouragement e.g., 'now you have a go.'

* Specific instructions e.g., 'get four big blocks.'

* Direct demonstration, e.g., showing the child how to place one block on another.

The results of the study showed that no single strategy was best for helping the child to progress. Mothers whose assistance was most effective were those who varied their strategy according to how the child was doing.

When the child was doing well, they became less specific with their help. When the child started to struggle, they gave increasingly specific instructions until the child started to make progress again.

The study illustrates scaffolding and Vygotsky's concept of the ZPD. Scaffolding (i.e., assistance) is most effective when the support is matched to the needs of the learner. This puts them in a position to achieve success in an activity that they would previously not have been able to do alone.

Wood et al. (1976) named certain processes that aid effective scaffolding:

Gaining and maintaining the learner's interest in the task.

Making the task simple.

Emphasizing certain aspects that will help with the solution.

Control the child's level of frustration.

Demonstrate the task.

Intersubjectivity

Intersubjectivity is when two people (i.e., the child and helper) start a task together with a different level of skill and understanding, and both end up with a shared understanding.

As each member of the dyad adjusts to the perspective of the other, the helper has to translate their own insights in a ways that is within the grasp of the child, and the child develops a more complete understanding of the task.

It is essential that they work towards the same goal, otherwise there won't be any collaboration. It is important that they negotiate, or compromise by always working for a shared view.

If you try to force someone to change their mind, then you"ll just get conflict. You need to stay within the boundaries of the other person's zone of proximal development.

Example of Scaffolding

Vygotsky emphasized scaffolding, or providing support to learners to help them reach higher levels of understanding. This can be mapped to progressing through Bloom's taxonomy, where educators scaffold tasks from basic understanding to more complex analysis and creation.

For example, a teacher might start by providing information (Remembering) and then ask questions that require understanding.

As students become more proficient, tasks can be scaffolded to require application, analysis, evaluation, and creation.

Example: In teaching a concept like photosynthesis:

1. Remembering: The teacher provides the basic definition.

2. Understanding: Students explain the process in their own words.

3. Application: They might conduct an experiment on plants.

4. Analysis: Dive deeper into how different variables affect the process.

5. Evaluation: Debate the most critical components of photosynthesis.

6. Creation: Design an optimal environment for plant growth.

Each step can be scaffolded, starting with substantial teacher support and gradually releasing responsibility to the students as they climb Bloom's taxonomy, guiding students from foundational knowledge to higher-order thinking skills.

Scaffolding vs. Discovery Learning

Freund (1990) wanted to investigate if children learn more effectively via Piaget's concept of discovery learning or guided learning via the ZPD.

She asked a group of children between the ages of three and five years to help a puppet decide which furniture should be placed in the various rooms of a doll's house. First, Freund assessed what each child already understood about the placement of furniture (as a baseline measure).

Next, each child worked on a similar task, either alone (re: discovery-based learning) or with their mother (re: scaffolding / guided learning). To assess what each child had learned, they were each given a more complex, furniture sorting task.

The study's results showed that children assisted by their mothers performed better at furniture sorting than the children who worked independently.

More Knowledgeable Other

The more knowledgeable other (MKO) refers to anyone who has a better understanding or a higher ability level in a particular task, process, or concept than the learner.

It's essential to note that the MKO isn't necessarily an adult or a teacher. It could be a peer, a younger person, or even technology or media, as long as they provide the learner with the knowledge or scaffolding needed to perform a task.

Often, a child's peers or an adult's children may be the individuals with more knowledge or experience.

The relationship between the MKO and the ZPD is vital to Vygotsky's theory. The MKO assists or scaffolds the learning experience to help the learner function within their ZPD.

Through this guidance, the learner can tackle and master tasks they couldn't accomplish independently.

Over time, as the learner internalizes this support and becomes more capable, the scaffolding can be reduced, and the learner can perform the task without assistance. The ZPD moves as learners acquire new skills and knowledge with the help of the MKO.

In educational settings, the concepts of MKO and ZPD have inspired practices like cooperative learning, differentiated instruction, and scaffolded learning experiences.

Teachers aim to identify each student's ZPD and then act as the MKO, or facilitate interactions with other MKOs, to provide the right level of support, allowing students to achieve and learn effectively.

Educational Applications

Vygotsky believes the role of education is to provide children with experiences which are in their ZPD, thereby encouraging and advancing their individual learning. (Berk, & Winsler, (1995).

"From a Vygotskian perspective, the teacher's role is mediating the child's learning activity as they share knowledge through social interaction" (Dixon-Krauss, 1996, p. 18).

Cooperative Learning

According to Vygotsky (1978), much important learning by the child occurs through social interaction with a skillful tutor. The tutor may model behaviors and/or provide verbal instructions for the child.

Vygotsky refers to this as cooperative or collaborative dialogue.

The child seeks to understand the actions or instructions provided by the tutor (often the parent or teacher) and then internalizes the information, using it to guide or regulate their own performance.

Lev Vygotsky views interaction with peers as an effective way of developing skills and strategies. He suggests that teachers use cooperative learning exercises where less competent children develop with help from more skillful peers - within the zone of proximal development.

Scaffolding is a key feature of effective teaching, where the adult continually adjusts the level of his or her help in response to the learner's level of performance.

In the classroom, scaffolding can include modeling a skill, providing hints or cues, and adapting material or activity (Copple & Bredekamp, 2009).

Consider these guidelines for scaffolding instruction (Silver, 2011).

Assess the learner's current knowledge and experience with the academic content.

Relate content to what students already understand or can do.

Break a task into small, more manageable tasks with opportunities for intermittent feedback.

Use verbal cues and prompts to assist students.

Scaffolding not only produces immediate results, but also instills the skills necessary for independent problem-solving in the future.

A contemporary application of Vygotsky's theories is "reciprocal teaching," used to improve students" ability to learn from text.

In this method, teachers and students collaborate in learning and practicing four key skills: summarizing, questioning, clarifying, and predicting. The teacher's role in the process is reduced over time.

Vygotsky's theories also feed into current interest in collaborative learning, suggesting that group members should have different levels of ability so more advanced peers can help less advanced members operate within their zone of proximal development.

Examples of ZPD

Example 1

Maria just entered college this semester and decided to take an introductory tennis course. Her class spends each week learning and practicing a different shot. Weeks go by, and they learn how to properly serve and hit a backhand.

During the week of learning the forehand, the instructor noticed that Maria was very frustrated because she kept hitting her forehand shots either into the net or far past the baseline.

He examines her preparation and swing. He notices that her stance is perfect, she prepares early, she turns her torso appropriately, and she hits the ball at precisely the right height.

However, he notices that she is still gripping her racquet the same way she hits her backhand, so he goes over to her and shows her how to reposition her hand to hit a proper forehand, stressing that she should keep her index finger parallel to the racquet.

He models a good forehand for her, and then assists her in changing her grip. With a little practice, Maria's forehand turns into a formidable weapon for her!

In this case, Maria was in the zone of proximal development for successfully hitting a forehand shot. She was doing everything else correctly, but just needed a little coaching and scaffolding from a "More Knowledgeable Other" to help her succeed in this task.

When that assistance was given, she was able to achieve her goal. Provided with appropriate support at the right moments, students in classrooms will be able to achieve tasks that would otherwise be too difficult for them.

Example 2

Clinical psychology trainees at the Center for Children and Families at Florida International University are trained using approaches aligned with Vygotsky's zone of proximal development (Hong & del Busto, 2020).

Trainees are paired with more senior trainees (e.g., a first-year student with a second or third-year student) for co-therapy sessions. The senior trainee scaffolds the junior trainee's learning by initially taking the lead and modeling skills, then gradually encouraging the junior trainee to become more independent in leading sessions as they demonstrate competence.

This allows trainees to be involved in clinical care early in their training, with support and coaching from a more experienced peer. It meets them in their zone of proximal development - what they can do with guidance vs what they cannot yet do independently.

Supervisors assign trainees different roles based on experience level. More senior trainees are given opportunities to develop supervisory skills by training junior peers. Junior trainees are supported in gaining clinical skills.

The zone of proximal development concept is applied not just for patients in case conceptualization but also for trainees' own professional development. Supervisors provide individualized support and scaffolding to help each trainee progress.

Example 3

Social interaction, aided by cultural tools, supports teachers in developing new aspects of their practice and identity. The interpersonal activity facilitates the transformation of their teaching expertise.

This demonstrates the value of mediation through the ZPD (Shabani et al., 2010).

Collaborative peers and mentors: Observing and discussing teaching practices with experienced colleagues helps teachers learn new instructional approaches and strategies. This social exchange facilitates development within their ZPD.

Action research: By studying their own teaching through classroom inquiry, teachers can gain insights into improving their methods. The self-reflection shifts their ZPD forward.

Diaries: Writing reflectively about teaching experiences enables teachers to analyze their development and assumptions. This metacognition expands their ZPD.

Technology: Using digital tools and platforms introduces teachers to innovative teaching techniques. The technology mediates new pedagogical capabilities.

TESOL discourse: Engaging with academic research and theory opens teachers to alternative perspectives on teaching and learning. This discourse stretches their ZPD.

Coursework: Formal professional development courses scaffold teachers' learning of new knowledge and competencies. The instruction targets their ZPD.

Student data: Responses and achievement metrics provide feedback to teachers on areas needing growth. This evidence shifts teachers' self-perception.

References

Berk, L., & Winsler, A. (1995). Scaffolding children's learning: Vygotsky and early childhood learning. Washington, DC: National Association for Education of Young Children.

Copple, C., & Bredekamp, S. (2009). Developmentally appropriate practice in early childhood programs. Washington, DC: National Association for the Education of Young Children.

Dixon-Krauss, L. (1996). Vygotsky in the classroom. Mediated literacy instruction and assessment. White Plains, NY: Longman Publishers.

Freund, L. S. (1990). Maternal Regulation of Children's Problem-solving behavior and Its Impact on Children's Performance. Child Development, 61, 113-126.

Hong, N., & del Busto, C. T. (2020). Collaboration, scaffolding, and successive approximations: A developmental science approach to training in clinical psychology. Training and Education in Professional Psychology, 14(3), 228.

Shabani, K., Khatib, M., & Ebadi, S. (2010). Vygotsky's zone of proximal development: Instructional implications and teachers' professional development. English Language Teaching, 3(4), 237-248.

Silver, D. (2011). Using the 'Zone'Help Reach Every Learner. Kappa Delta Pi Record, 47(sup1), 28-31.

Vygotsky, L. S. (1978). Mind in society: The development of higher psychological processes. Cambridge, MA: Harvard University Press.

Wass, R., & Golding, C. (2014). Sharpening a tool for teaching: the zone of proximal development. Teaching in Higher Education, 19(6), 671-684.

Wood, D., Bruner, J., & Ross, G. (1976). The role of tutoring in problem solving. Journal of Child Psychology and Child Psychiatry, 17, 89−100.

Wood, D., & Middleton, D. (1975). A study of assisted problem-solving. British Journal of Psychology, 66(2), 181−191.

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Vygotsky's Zone of Proximal Development & Scaffolding Theory In Psychology

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The zone of proximal development (ZPD) refers to the difference between what a learner can do without help and what he or she can achieve with guidance and encouragement from a skilled partner.

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Tammy McGary

Toddlers use language in more sophisticated ways during this phase of their life. This occurs as a toddler has a better grasp of the rules of the language, through increased vocabulary and learning new skills. They are becoming increasingly familiar with the concept of conversation and through play and social interactions it strengthens and improves their verbal skills.

Language Development Milestones

uses two or three words together, e.g. "go potty now"

explosion' of vocabulary and use of correct grammatical forms of language

refers to self by name and often says 'mine'

asks lots of questions

uses pronouns and prepositions

uses simple sentences and phrases

labels own gender

copies words and actions

makes music, sings and dance

likes listening to stories and books

ask questions beginning with, "Who, What and Where"

able to say name, surname and how old they are

use regular plurals and regular past tense correctly (may be a few errors while talking)

begins to understand vocabulary indicating time, e.g. tomorrow, yesterday, later

begins to understand and correctly use adjectives depicting size, e.g. small, smaller and smallest

understands cause and effect relationships

recognizes and identifies almost all common objects and pictures

understands most sentences

understands physical relationships

can say name, age, and sex

uses pronouns

strangers can understand most of words

During this stage, toddlers are interested in conversation. They have developed a better grasp of vocabulary, grammar and sentence structure. Toddler's sentences become longer with more grammatical structure. In particular toddlers will enjoy mixing with other children their own age, even though at times they can't always understand each other.

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Language Development for Toddlers 2-3 Year Olds - Aussie Childcare Network

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Tammy McGary Toddlers use language in more sophisticated ways during this phase of their life. This occurs as a toddler has a better grasp of the rules of the language, through increased vocabulary and learning new skills. They are becoming increasingly familiar with the concept of conversation and through play and social interactions it strengthens and improves their verbal skills.

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Article by Sue Gifford

Since young children often show creative mathematical thinking when solving problems, we are inviting teachers of 3 to 5 year olds to share children's responses to NRICH activities, as teachers of older children currently do. Young children may reveal their thinking in different ways when solving problems, by what they say, do or record. So examples may be in the form of written observations and annotations of photos, children's recording or even videos (but please avoid gdocs format).

Written observations of children's comments and actions
What young children say can be very revealing: for instance, in the article The Value of Two Ruth Trundley tells the story of taking three year old Alice to the swimming pool:

We establish that there are four toilets in the changing room. When we get into the changing room Alice looks at the door for one toilet and asks, "Where are the other three?"

This question shows a lot more about Alice's understanding of the 'three plus one-ness' of four, than any recording she might have done at that age.

Photos and Video
Sometimes photos capture children's problem solving more effectively: the boys' satisfaction in their solution to the problem of parking 10 cars in two car parks is evident here. Of course you need to check you have permission to send us photos.

The activity Maths story time presents the problem of pirate panda who refuses to share his gold coins with the other pirates. The problem gets interesting when another character comes along and there is a remainder. Three to five year olds will readily give advice!

Often we need to observe children's actions when solving problems to understand their thinking; for instance, when sharing, do they 'deal' items one by one or give everyone a specific amount straightaway? A nursery child's creative solution to the problem is shown in this video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1zguAec3AaE

You need to see the solution to appreciate it! Video can be the best way of capturing the problem solving processes children go through. For instance, children can be seen refining strategies by using trial and improvement. Videos can also form a useful basis for conversations with children: replaying and discussing a video can help them to reflect on their thinking and learning. Of course, parents or carers must give permission before videos can be shared.

Children's recording
Older children's creative solutions may be shown by their recording, especially when accompanied by explanations. One reception child invented the solution of the pirates taking turns to have the remainder: 'Pirate Sally gets it first, that's why she has 5'. She also offers an alternative solution: 'If there were two more coins then everyone could have the same'.

This is good evidence for the EYFS Characteristics of Effective Learning: Creating and thinking critically- choosing ways to do things and finding new ways (Standards & Testing Agency, 2014). It also shows an effective combination of verbal explanation and pictures to support a number sentence. Not many children of this age will write standard equations. Young children often show creativity in the way that they combine conventions of writing, drawing and using symbols to express their thinking. In the example below the child uses speech bubbles to show pictorially the amount each pirate receives, with the remainder given to a non-pirate friend: 'He's saying 4 coins each, that's why I've given them speech bubbles. The pirate without a hat isn't a pirate. They've given the other coin to their friend. The number 13 is for all the coins'.

In this inventive recording the solution is graphically displayed and only the total is expressed in numerals. The teacher's notes are crucial in providing the child's explanation and together these records give insights into the child's thinking. More examples of young children's creative mathematical expression are in Janine Davenall's article, Young Children's Mathematical Recording, which shows children using arrows and hands to record subtraction problems, as well as a variety of emergent number sentences.

Younger children can also record, given coloured pens and large sheets of paper! Number rhymes provide a ready source of simple problems: see the NRICH task Number Rhymes for more ideas.

Below are some examples of nursery children showing their solutions to the problem of how many of the five little speckled frogs might be on the log or in the pool. These also show creative use of a combination of drawing, symbols and mark making to express the children's thinking.

Please send your examples of children's thinking to primary.nrich@maths.org

Acknowledgements:
EYFS maths pedagogy work group, Bucks, Berks & Oxon Hub 2017; Fiona O'Shea, Milton CoE Primary School; Helen Thouless
Rachel Fleming, Headington Prep School.

Reference:
Standards and Testing Agency (2014) Early Years Foundation Stage Handbook
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/301256/2014_EYFS_handbook.pdf

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Article by Sue Gifford Since young children often show creative mathematical thinking when solving problems, we are inviting teachers of 3 to 5 year olds to share children's responses to NRICH activities, as teachers of older children currently do. Young children may reveal their thinking in different ways when solving problems, by what they say, do or record.

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Lo sentimos, la página que usted busca no se ha podido encontrar. Puede intentar su búsqueda de nuevo o visitar la lista de temas populares.

Guide

A guide to normal childhood development that can help you recognize when your child might need professional attention.

What's In This Guide?

Thanks to the American Academy of Pediatrics for this content.

Every child is different, and so is every parent's experience; but experts have a clear idea about the range of normal development from birth to age 5 - and signs that a child might have a developmental delay. Below you'll find milestones organized by period of development, and tips on when to contact a health professional about your concerns. Remember - there is no penalty for being cautious about your growing child, and if there is a problem acting early can make all the difference.

Movement Milestones

Visual and Hearing Milestones

Smell and Touch Milestones

Developmental Health Watch

If, during the second, third, or fourth weeks of your baby's life, she shows any of the following signs of developmental delay, notify your pediatrician.

Movement Milestones

Visual and Hearing Milestones

Social and Emotional Milestones

Begins to develop a social smile

Enjoys playing with other people and may cry when playing stops

Becomes more communicative and expressive with face and body

Imitates some movements and facial expressions

Developmental Health Watch

Although each baby develops in her own individual way and at her own rate, failure to reach certain milestones may signal medical or developmental problems requiring special attention. If you notice any of the following warning signs in your infant at this age, discuss them with your pediatrician.

Movement milestones

Walks alone

Pulls toys behind her while walking

Carries large toy or several toys while walking

Begins to run

Stands on tiptoe

Kicks a ball

Climbs onto and down from furniture unassisted

Walks up and down stairs holding on to support

Milestones in hand and finger skills

Scribbles spontaneously

Turns over container to pour out contents

Builds tower of four blocks or more

Might use one hand more frequently than the other

Language milestones

Cognitive milestones

Finds objects even when hidden under two or three covers

Begins to sort by shapes and colors

Begins make-believe play

Social and emotional milestones

Developmental health watch

Because each child develops at his own particular pace, it's impossible to tell exactly when yours will perfect a given skill. The developmental milestones will give you a general idea of the changes you can expect as your child gets older, but don't be alarmed if he takes a slightly different course. Alert your pediatrician, however, if he displays any of the following signs of possible developmental delay for this age range.

This guide was last reviewed or updated on May 18, 2022.

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Parents Guide to Developmental Milestones

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Lo sentimos, la página que usted busca no se ha podido encontrar. Puede intentar su búsqueda de nuevo o visitar la lista de temas populares. A guide to normal childhood development that can help you recognize when your child might need professional attention. What's In This Guide?

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"If you imagine less, less will be what you undoubtedly deserve," Debbie Millman counseled in one of the best commencement speeches ever given, urging: "Do what you love, and don't stop until you get what you love. Work as hard as you can, imagine immensities..." Far from Pollyanna platitude, this advice actually reflects what modern psychology knows about how belief systems about our own abilities and potential fuel our behavior and predict our success. Much of that understanding stems from the work of Stanford psychologist Carol Dweck, synthesized in her remarkably insightful Mindset: The New Psychology of Success (public library) - an inquiry into the power of our beliefs, both conscious and unconscious, and how changing even the simplest of them can have profound impact on nearly every aspect of our lives.

One of the most basic beliefs we carry about ourselves, Dweck found in her research, has to do with how we view and inhabit what we consider to be our personality. A "fixed mindset" assumes that our character, intelligence, and creative ability are static givens which we can't change in any meaningful way, and success is the affirmation of that inherent intelligence, an assessment of how those givens measure up against an equally fixed standard; striving for success and avoiding failure at all costs become a way of maintaining the sense of being smart or skilled. A "growth mindset," on the other hand, thrives on challenge and sees failure not as evidence of unintelligence but as a heartening springboard for growth and for stretching our existing abilities. Out of these two mindsets, which we manifest from a very early age, springs a great deal of our behavior, our relationship with success and failure in both professional and personal contexts, and ultimately our capacity for happiness.

The consequences of believing that intelligence and personality can be developed rather than being immutably engrained traits, Dweck found in her two decades of research with both children and adults, are remarkable. She writes:

For twenty years, my research has shown that the view you adopt for yourself profoundly affects the way you lead your life. It can determine whether you become the person you want to be and whether you accomplish the things you value. How does this happen? How can a simple belief have the power to transform your psychology and, as a result, your life?

Believing that your qualities are carved in stone - the fixed mindset - creates an urgency to prove yourself over and over. If you have only a certain amount of intelligence, a certain personality, and a certain moral character - well, then you'd better prove that you have a healthy dose of them. It simply wouldn't do to look or feel deficient in these most basic characteristics.

[...]

I've seen so many people with this one consuming goal of proving themselves - in the classroom, in their careers, and in their relationships. Every situation calls for a confirmation of their intelligence, personality, or character. Every situation is evaluated: Will I succeed or fail? Will I look smart or dumb? Will I be accepted or rejected? Will I feel like a winner or a loser? . . .

There's another mindset in which these traits are not simply a hand you're dealt and have to live with, always trying to convince yourself and others that you have a royal flush when you're secretly worried it's a pair of tens. In this mindset, the hand you're dealt is just the starting point for development. This growth mindset is based on the belief that your basic qualities are things you can cultivate through your efforts. Although people may differ in every which way - in their initial talents and aptitudes, interests, or temperaments - everyone can change and grow through application and experience.

Do people with this mindset believe that anyone can be anything, that anyone with proper motivation or education can become Einstein or Beethoven? No, but they believe that a person's true potential is unknown (and unknowable); that it's impossible to foresee what can be accomplished with years of passion, toil, and training.

At the heart of what makes the "growth mindset" so winsome, Dweck found, is that it creates a passion for learning rather than a hunger for approval. Its hallmark is the conviction that human qualities like intelligence and creativity, and even relational capacities like love and friendship, can be cultivated through effort and deliberate practice. Not only are people with this mindset not discouraged by failure, but they don't actually see themselves as failing in those situations - they see themselves as learning. Dweck writes:

Why waste time proving over and over how great you are, when you could be getting better? Why hide deficiencies instead of overcoming them? Why look for friends or partners who will just shore up your self-esteem instead of ones who will also challenge you to grow? And why seek out the tried and true, instead of experiences that will stretch you? The passion for stretching yourself and sticking to it, even (or especially) when it's not going well, is the hallmark of the growth mindset. This is the mindset that allows people to thrive during some of the most challenging times in their lives.

This idea, of course, isn't new - if anything, it's the fodder of self-help books and vacant "You can do anything!" platitudes. What makes Dweck's work different, however, is that it is rooted in rigorous research on how the mind - especially the developing mind - works, identifying not only the core drivers of those mindsets but also how they can be reprogrammed.

Dweck and her team found that people with the fixed mindset see risk and effort as potential giveaways of their inadequacies, revealing that they come up short in some way. But the relationship between mindset and effort is a two-way street:

It's not just that some people happen to recognize the value of challenging themselves and the importance of effort. Our research has shown that this comes directly from the growth mindset. When we teach people the growth mindset, with its focus on development, these ideas about challenge and effort follow. . . .

As you begin to understand the fixed and growth mindsets, you will see exactly how one thing leads to another-how a belief that your qualities are carved in stone leads to a host of thoughts and actions, and how a belief that your qualities can be cultivated leads to a host of different thoughts and actions, taking you down an entirely different road.

[...]

The mindsets change what people strive for and what they see as success. . . they change the definition, significance, and impact of failure. . . they change the deepest meaning of effort.

Dweck cites a poll of 143 creativity researchers, who concurred that the number-one trait underpinning creative achievement is precisely the kind of resilience and fail-forward perseverance attributed to the growth mindset. She writes:

When you enter a mindset, you enter a new world. In one world - the world of fixed traits - success is about proving you're smart or talented. Validating yourself. In the other - the world of changing qualities - it's about stretching yourself to learn something new. Developing yourself.

In one world, failure is about having a setback. Getting a bad grade. Losing a tournament. Getting fired. Getting rejected. It means you're not smart or talented. In the other world, failure is about not growing. Not reaching for the things you value. It means you're not fulfilling your potential.

In one world, effort is a bad thing. It, like failure, means you're not smart or talented. If you were, you wouldn't need effort. In the other world, effort is what makes you smart or talented.

But her most remarkable research, which has informed present theories of why presence is more important than praise in teaching children to cultivate a healthy relationship with achievement, explores how these mindsets are born - they form, it turns out, very early in life. In one seminal study, Dweck and her colleagues offered four-year-olds a choice: They could either redo an easy jigsaw puzzle, or try a harder one. Even these young children conformed to the characteristics of one of the two mindsets - those with "fixed" mentality stayed on the safe side, choosing the easier puzzles that would affirm their existing ability, articulating to the researchers their belief that smart kids don't make mistakes; those with the "growth" mindset thought it an odd choice to begin with, perplexed why anyone would want to do the same puzzle over and over if they aren't learning anything new. In other words, the fixed-mindset kids wanted to make sure they succeeded in order to seem smart, whereas the growth-mindset ones wanted to stretch themselves, for their definition of success was about becoming smarter.

Dweck quotes one seventh-grade girl, who captured the difference beautifully:

I think intelligence is something you have to work for ... it isn't just given to you.... Most kids, if they're not sure of an answer, will not raise their hand to answer the question. But what I usually do is raise my hand, because if I'm wrong, then my mistake will be corrected. Or I will raise my hand and say, 'How would this be solved?' or 'I don't get this. Can you help me?' Just by doing that I'm increasing my intelligence.

Things got even more interesting when Dweck brought people into Columbia's brain-wave lab to study how their brains behaved as they answered difficult questions and received feedback. What she found was that those with a fixed mindset were only interested in hearing feedback that reflected directly on their present ability, but tuned out information that could help them learn and improve. They even showed no interest in hearing the right answer when they had gotten a question wrong, because they had already filed it away in the failure category. Those with a growth mindset, on the other hand, were keenly attentive to information that could help them expand their existing knowledge and skill, regardless of whether they'd gotten the question right or wrong - in other words, their priority was learning, not the binary trap of success and failure.

These findings are especially important in education and how we, as a culture, assess intelligence. In another study of hundreds of students, mostly adolescents, Dweck and her colleagues gave each ten fairly challenging problems from a nonverbal IQ test, then praised the student for his or her performance - most had done pretty well. But they offered two types of praise: Some students were told "Wow, you got [X many] right. That's a really good score. You must be smart at this," while others, "Wow, you got [X many] right. That's a really good score. You must have worked really hard." In other words, some were praised for ability and others for effort. The findings, at this point, are unsurprising yet jarring:

The ability praise pushed students right into the fixed mindset, and they showed all the signs of it, too: When we gave them a choice, they rejected a challenging new task that they could learn from. They didn't want to do anything that could expose their flaws and call into question their talent.

[...]

In contrast, when students were praised for effort, 90 percent of them wanted the challenging new task that they could learn from.

The most interesting part, however, is what happened next: Dweck and her colleagues gave the students a subsequent set of harder problems, on which the students didn't do so well. Suddenly, the ability-praised kids thought they weren't so smart or gifted after all. Dweck puts it poignantly:

If success had meant they were intelligent, then less-than-success meant they were deficient.

But for the effort-praised kids, the difficulty was simply an indication that they had to put in more effort, not a sign of failure or a reflection of their poor intellect. Perhaps most importantly, the two mindsets also impacted the kids' level of enjoyment - everyone enjoyed the first round of easier questions, which most kids got right, but as soon as the questions got more challenging, the ability-praised kids no longer had any fun, while the effort-praised ones not only still enjoyed the problems but even said that the more challenging, the more fun. The latter also had significant improvements in their performance as the problems got harder, while the former kept getting worse and worse, as if discouraged by their own success-or-failure mindset.

It gets better - or worse, depending on how we look at it: The most unsettling finding came after the IQ questions were completed, when the researchers asked the kids to write private letters to their peers relaying the experience, including a space for reporting their scores on the problems. To Dweck's devastation, the most toxic byproduct of the fixed mindset turned out to be dishonesty: Forty percent of the ability-praised kids lied about their scores, inflating them to look more successful. She laments:

In the fixed mindset, imperfections are shameful - especially if you're talented - so they lied them away. What's so alarming is that we took ordinary children and made them into liars, simply by telling them they were smart.

This illustrates the key difference between the two mindsets - for those with a growth one, "personal success is when you work your hardest to become your best," whereas for those with a fixed one, "success is about establishing their superiority, pure and simple. Being that somebody who is worthier than the nobodies." For the latter, setbacks are a sentence and a label. For the former, they're motivating, informative input - a wakeup call.

But one of the most profound applications of this insight has to do not with business or education but with love. Dweck found that people exhibited the same dichotomy of dispositions in their personal relationships: Those with a fixed mindset believed their ideal mate would put them on a pedestal and make them feel perfect, like "the god of a one-person religion," whereas those with the growth mindset preferred a partner who would recognize their faults and lovingly help improve them, someone who would encourage them to learn new things and become a better person. The fixed mindset, it turns out, is at the root of many of our most toxic cultural myths about "true love." Dweck writes:

The growth mindset says all of these things can be developed. All - you, your partner, and the relationship - are capable of growth and change.

In the fixed mindset, the ideal is instant, perfect, and perpetual compatibility. Like it was meant to be. Like riding off into the sunset. Like "they lived happily ever after."

[...]

One problem is that people with the fixed mindset expect everything good to happen automatically. It's not that the partners will work to help each other solve their problems or gain skills. It's that this will magically occur through their love, sort of the way it happened to Sleeping Beauty, whose coma was cured by her prince's kiss, or to Cinderella, whose miserable life was suddenly transformed by her prince.

This also applies to the myth of mind-reading, where the fixed mindset believes that an ideal couple should be able to read each other's minds and finish each other's sentences. She cites a study that invited people to talk about their relationships:

Those with the fixed mindset felt threatened and hostile after talking about even minor discrepancies in how they and their partner saw their relationship. Even a minor discrepancy threatened their belief that they shared all of each other's views.

But most destructive of all relationship myths is the belief that if it requires work, something is terribly wrong and that any discrepancy of opinions or preferences is indicative of character flaws on behalf of one's partner. Dweck offers a reality check:

Just as there are no great achievements without setbacks, there are no great relationships without conflicts and problems along the way.

When people with a fixed mindset talk about their conflicts, they assign blame. Sometimes they blame themselves, but often they blame their partner. And they assign blame to a trait - a character flaw.

But it doesn't end there. When people blame their partner's personality for the problem, they feel anger and disgust toward them.

And it barrels on: Since the problem comes from fixed traits, it can't be solved. So once people with the fixed mindset see flaws in their partners, they become contemptuous of them and dissatisfied with the whole relationship.

Those with the growth mindset, on the other hand, can acknowledge their partners' imperfections, without assigning blame, and still feel that they have a fulfilling relationship. They see conflicts as problems of communication, not of personality or character. This dynamic holds true as much in romantic partnerships as in friendship and even in people's relationships with their parents. Dweck summarizes her findings:

When people embark on a relationship, they encounter a partner who is different from them, and they haven't learned how to deal with the differences. In a good relationship, people develop these skills and, as they do, both partners grow and the relationship deepens. But for this to happen, people need to feel they're on the same side. . . . As an atmosphere of trust developed, they [become] vitally interested in each other's development.

What it all comes down to is that a mindset is an interpretative process that tells us what is going on around us. In the fixed mindset, that process is scored by an internal monologue of constant judging and evaluation, using every piece of information as evidence either for or against such assessments as whether you're a good person, whether your partner is selfish, or whether you are better than the person next to you. In a growth mindset, on the other hand, the internal monologue is not one of judgment but one of voracious appetite for learning, constantly seeking out the kind of input that you can metabolize into learning and constructive action.

In the rest of Mindset: The New Psychology of Success, Dweck goes on to explore how these fundamental mindsets form, what their defining characteristics are in different contexts of life, and how we can rewire our cognitive habits to adopt the much more fruitful and nourishing growth mindset.
Public domain photographs via Flickr Commons

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Fixed vs. Growth: The Two Basic Mindsets That Shape Our Lives

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"If you imagine less, less will be what you undoubtedly deserve," Debbie Millman counseled in one of the best commencement speeches ever given, urging: "Do what you love, and don't stop until you get what you love. Work as hard as you can, imagine immensities..."

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Easy to read article with links to further reading

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You have heard about growth mindset and know many teachers who are keen to develop it.

But how do you develop a growth mindset in schools?

Growth mindset refers to a learning theory developed by Dr Carol Dweck. It revolves around the belief that you can improve intelligence, ability and performance. The opposite, a fixed mindset, refers to the belief that a person's talents are set in stone . Years of research have shown that mindset is malleable. This means that by helping students to develop a growth mindset, we can help them to learning more effective and efficient.

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How to Develop a Growth Mindset In Schools

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You have heard about growth mindset and know many teachers who are keen to develop it. Growth mindset refers to a learning theory developed by Dr Carol Dweck. It revolves around the belief that you can improve intelligence, ability and performance. The opposite, a fixed mindset, refers to the belief that a person's talents are set in stone .

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An newspaper article about the importance of sensory play

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EYFS: Do you really understand sensory play?

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Sensory play might look like a bit of fun, but it is essential for children's development. Here, David Cahn explains why

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25 Fun Mindfulness Activities for Children & Teens (+Tips!)

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Fun mindfulness activities for kids to teach them about mindfulness. Enjoy!

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I can clearly remember sitting in a parents group when my youngest was in elementary school, participating in a discussion about what we most wanted for our children. Being happy was at the top of everyone's list, and yet our ideas of what this meant and how to "make" it happen seemed unclear, at best, not to mention more than a little out of sync with how the world actually works. Parents at this workshop wanted their kids to make the team, get the part in the play, be accepted to the right college, remain strong and healthy, have good friends, never go through loss or grief, and the list goes on.

Listening to each parent wax poetic about their beautiful, loving dreams for their children's futures, I realized that "happiness" was defined as the wish for them to never feel let down or disappointed and for everything in their lives to be perfect.

You see the problem with this version of happiness, right?

Happiness Is Riding the Waves

If you have children, you know the feeling: the deep desire to fix things that don't go their way. That urge to manage and get ahead of their possible worry, frustration, and sadness, and to see them "happy."

When it comes to helping our children be truly, sustainably happy, the idea-so prevalent in our society-that happiness is an end goal, a place to get to, or a thing to attain is the first obstacle.

In my work with adults, one of the most common places they get stuck is worrying about their children. I admit that I have gotten stuck there a few times (or more) myself.

If you have children, you know the feeling: the deep desire to fix things that don't go their way. That urge to manage and get ahead of their possible worry, frustration, and sadness, and to see them "happy."

Attempts to make everything go smoothly for our children and to have things go their way as a path to happiness, though often well-intentioned, have some unfortunate consequences. Though we may try to micromanage (imagining that it's helping our kids), by doing that, we aren't teaching them some of the basic truths of life and how to work with them.

As the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Jon Kabat-Zinn, advises, "You can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf."

The most obvious of these truths is that sometimes things are hard. Sometimes things don't go our way, sometimes we are disappointed. Sometimes, what's going on in our world is unavoidably tumultuous, and frightening. We can't always shield our children from this truth, however much we want to protect them.

And, equally true: There are ways to work with all of it.

Our capacity to support our children's happiness is directly related to our ability to help them clearly see and be with what is. The ability to stand our ground and support them in learning to do this is essential to their well-being, and ours. As the founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, Jon Kabat-Zinn, advises, "You can't stop the waves, but you can learn how to surf." Our job is to teach our children to clearly see the waves life sends their way, and to give them surfing lessons. And, of course, to be there lovingly when a wave or two catches them by surprise.

So how can we model being with what is to support our children learning this crucial truth in life? How do we teach them to surf?

5 Steps to Nurture Your Child's Emotional Resilience

When your child is struggling, here are some suggestions:

1. Check in with yourself

You need to be able to be with it first before you are able to skillfully support your child.

2. Be there for yourself

It's challenging to really accept that everyone, including your child, will experience difficulties in life. Support yourself in staying with this reality. You might try saying to yourself something along the lines of, "This is hard. I know that my child, like all children, will have struggles, and will experience all the difficulties of being human in an uncertain world. As a parent, seeing them struggle will be hard for me, too. I am here for myself through this process."

3. Help them to name it

Identify your child's feelings to help them do the same! Are they feeling sad? Confused? Angry? Scared? Naming feelings is a powerful way to take a step back from their intensity, which supports the capacity to work with big emotions.

4. Use the "And"

For example: "I know this is hard, and I am here for you." Or, "I know you are upset (or bored, or disappointed...), and you are going to be okay." Along with naming, it offers kindness and acceptance for the fact that they are hurting, while encouraging them that these feelings are nothing they can't handle.

Resist the urge to fix, advise or to do an end run around the problem. This supports their capacity to be with what is with kindness and curiosity, and widens their window of tolerance to manage difficult situations and emotions.

5. Help them find calm

Give your child strategies to calm their nervous system. Below are a few kid-friendly breathing techniques you can demonstrate and do with them.

Mindful Breath Practices for Children

1. Belly breathing - When breathing in, the belly expands slightly; and when breathing out, it contracts.

2. Mindful breathing - Simply noticing the breath and feeling it move in the body. I like to add visuals and words when I work with young people. For example, on the in breath, I am a lake and on the out breath, I am calm. This technique can be adapted to use any visual and taps into the power of imagination.

3. Teddy bear breath - This is a great variation on the belly-breathing practice for little ones. Have them lie down with a teddy or stuffed animal on their belly, and let them watch as it moves up and down while they breathe, as if they are rocking it to sleep.

4. Four square breathing - This is a great tool for older children. Breathe in for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4. Breathe out for a count of 4. Hold for a count of 4. Do several rounds and return to normal breathing.

After moving through these exercises together, if the emotions are still really powerful, it is often helpful to then redirect your child's attention to an activity that helps them to shift their mindset. They might listen to music, do some gentle yoga poses, make a craft project, or take a bubble bath.

Teaching children that feeling the full range of our emotions as they arise is not something to be avoided, and that it's consistent with happiness, is powerful. Giving them tools to be with their emotions-not swept up by them, or avoiding and denying them-is a gift for a lifetime.

Busy schedules, digital devices, long commutes-all of this leads to families who are disconnected from each other as never before. Here are 7 ways mindfulness can strengthen your relationships, increase your well-being, and bring the family back together. Read More

Considering how to make the children in our lives better people helps us reflect on how we ourselves can be more compassionate. Read More

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Helping Children Embrace Big Emotions - Mindful

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I can clearly remember sitting in a parents group when my youngest was in elementary school, participating in a discussion about what we most wanted for our children. Being happy was at the top of everyone's list, and yet our ideas of what this meant and how to "make" it happen seemed unclear, at best, not to mention more than a little out of sync with how the world actually works.

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1. Acknowledge your child's perspective and empathize.

Even if you can't "do anything" about your child's upsets, empathize. Just being understood helps humans let go of troubling emotions. If your child's upset seems out of proportion to the situation, remember that we all store up emotions and then let ourselves experience them once we find a safe haven. Then we're free to move on.

Empathizing doesn't mean you agree, just that you see it from his side, too. He may have to do what you say, but he's entitled to his own perspective. We all know how good it feels to have our position acknowledged; somehow it just makes it easier when we don't get our way.

"It's hard for you to stop playing and come to dinner, and still, it's time now."

"You wish you could have me all to yourself, don't you?"

"You're so disappointed that it's raining."

"You want to stay up later like the big kids, I know."

"You're mad your tower fell!"

Why this encourages emotional intelligence:

Feeling understood triggers soothing biochemicals; that neural pathway you're strengthening each time he feels soothed is what he'll use to soothe himself as he gets older.

Children develop empathy by experiencing it from others.

You're helping your child reflect on his experience and what triggers his feelings. For little ones, just knowing there's a name for their feeling is an early tool in learning to manage the emotions that flood them.

2. Allow expression

Little ones can't differentiate between their emotions and their "selves." Accept your child's emotions, rather than denying or minimizing them, which gives children the message that some feelings are shameful or unacceptable.

Disapproving of her fear or anger won't stop her from having those feelings, but it may well force her to repress them. Unfortunately, repressed feelings don't fade away, as feelings do that have been freely expressed. They're trapped and looking for a way out. Because they aren't under conscious control, they pop out unmodulated, when a child socks her sister, has nightmares, or develops a nervous tic.

Instead, teach that the full range of feelings is understandable and part of being human, even while some actions must be limited.

"You're so mad your brother broke your toy! I understand, AND it's never okay to hit, even when you're very mad. Tell your brother in words how you feel.

"You seem worried about the field trip today. I used to get nervous on field trips too, in kindergarten. Want to tell me about it?"

"You're so frustrated! Nothing seems to be going right for you this morning...I wonder if you just need to cry? Everybody needs to cry sometimes. Come snuggle with Daddy and you can cry as much as you want."

Why this encourages emotional intelligence:

Your acceptance helps your child accept her own emotions, which is what allows us to resolve our feelings and move on, so she is better able to regulate her own emotions.

Your acceptance teaches your child that her emotional life is not dangerous, is not shameful, and in fact is universal and manageable. She learns that she is not alone. She learns that even the less pleasant parts of herself are acceptable, which means that she is wholly ok, just the way she is.

3. Listen to your child's feelings.

Remember, rage doesn't begin to dissipate until it feels heard. Whether your child is 6 months or sixteen, she needs you to listen to the feelings she's expressing. Once she feels and expresses them, she'll let them go and get on with her life. In fact, you'll be amazed at how affectionate and cooperative she'll be once she has a chance to show you how she feels. But to feel safe letting those feelings up and out, she needs to know you're fully present and listening. Assured that it's safe, children have an amazing ability to let their feelings wash over and out, leaving them relaxed and cooperative. Your job? Breathe through it, stay present, and resist the urge to make those troublesome feelings go away. Your child instinctively knows how to heal herself.

"You seem so unhappy right now. Everybody gets upset sometimes... I'm right here. Tell me about it."

"You are so sad and mad you just want to scream and yell and cry. Everybody feels that way sometimes. I'm right here listening and see all those big feelings. You can show me how mad and sad you are.

"You are so mad you're yelling at me to go away. I'll move back a little. But these feelings hurt and scare you, and I won't leave you alone with these upsetting feelings. I'm right here and you're safe. You can be as sad and mad as you want, and when you're ready, I am right here to hug you."

Why this encourages emotional intelligence:

The nature of healthy human emotions is to move through us, swamp us, and then pass away. When we fend them off or repress them, emotions get stuck inside us rather than finding healthy expression. But children are terrified of their strong emotions overwhelming them, so they try to fend them off until they feel safe enough to experience them. Because emotions are stored in the body, tantrums are nature's way to help young children vent.

When we help our children feel safe enough to feel and express their emotions, we not only heal their psyches and bodies; we help them trust their own emotional process so that they can handle their own emotions as they get older, without tantrums or repression.

4. Teach problem solving

Emotions are messages, not mud for wallowing. Teach your child to breathe through them, feel them, tolerate them without needing to act on them, and, once they aren't in the grip of strong emotion, to problem-solve and act if necessary.

Most of the time, once kids (and adults) feel their emotions are understood and accepted, the feelings lose their charge and begin to dissipate. This leaves an opening for problem solving. Sometimes, kids can do this themselves. Sometimes, they need your help to brainstorm. But resist the urge to rush in and handle the problem for them unless they ask you to; that gives him the message that you don't have confidence in his ability to handle it himself.

"You're so disappointed that Molly can't come over because she's sick. You were really looking forward to playing with her. When you're ready, maybe we can brainstorm ideas of something else to do that sounds like fun."

"You're pretty frustrated with Sam not giving you a turn. Sometimes you feel like not playing with him anymore. But you also really like playing with him. I wonder what you could say to Sam, so that he could hear how you feel?"

Why this encourages emotional intelligence:

Kids need to express their feelings, but they also need to know how to shift gears to find constructive solutions to problems. That takes practice and modeling on our part.

Research shows that simply empathizing with our kids is insufficient to teach them to manage their feelings, because they still feel at the mercy of their emotions. Teaching kids to honor their feelings as signals about things they need to handle differently in their lives empowers kids.

All children need coaching to learn to express their needs without attacking the other person.

5. Play it out

When you notice a negative pattern developing, recognize that your child has some big feelings she doesn't know how to handle, and step in with the best medicine: Play. For instance:

For instance, maybe your four year old always wants Mommy. Instead of taking it personally, help him work through his feelings about how much he prefers Mom by playing a game where poor bumbling Dad "tries" unsuccessfully to keep him away from her. Dad gets between Mom and son, and roars "I won't let you get to Mom....Hey, you just ran right around me!...You pushed me right over!...You are too strong!....But this time you won't get past me!"

Your four year old will giggle and boast and get a chance to prove he can ALWAYS have his mom. He'll also discharge all those pent up worries that make him demand her.

Why this encourages emotional intelligence:

All children experience big feelings on a daily basis. They often feel powerless and pushed around, angry, sad, frightened, or jealous. Emotionally healthy kids process these feelings with play, which is how little ones of all species learn. Helping your child "play" out his big inner conflicts lets him resolve them so he can move on to the next age-appropriate developmental challenge.

Your child can't put his deeper emotional conflicts into words; that's tough even for most adults. But he can play them out symbolically and resolve them without even needing to talk about them.

Laughter releases stress hormones just as well as tears -- and is a lot more fun.

Want More?

Teaching Emotional Intelligence When Emotions Run High
Helping Your Child with Anger
Books to Help Your Child Develop Emotional Intelligence

Photo: Thank you Crushed Red Pepper!

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5 Steps To Nurture Emotional Intelligence in Your Child

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Even if you can't "do anything" about your child's upsets, empathize. Just being understood helps humans let go of troubling emotions. If your child's upset seems out of proportion to the situation, remember that we all store up emotions and then let ourselves experience them once we find a safe haven.

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What is Emotional Intelligence and what can it look like

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What is Emotional Intelligence and what can it look like

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You've probably heard or read about the term "emotional intelligence". To find out how it applies to those who work with young children, we asked Dr. Daniel Goleman, author of the book Working With Emotional Intelligence, to share his insights on the work that has been done in this field.

EARLY CHILDHOOD TODAY: What exactly is emotional intelligence?

DANIEL GOLEMAN: Howard Gardner was one of the first researchers to view intelligence broadly. In recent years, a growing group of psychologists has come to agree with his theory of multiple intelligences. Yale psychologist Peter Salovey expands Gardner's category of personal intelligence into five main domains that make up emotional intelligence:

1) Knowing one's emotions: self-awareness recognizing a feeling as it happens;

2) Managing emotions: handling feelings appropriately;

3) Motivating oneself: emotional self-control delaying gratification and stifling impulsiveness;

4) Recognizing emotions in others: empathy - the fundamental "people skill;" and

5) Handling relationships: a skill in managing emotions in others. These abilities combine to foster self-esteem and leadership and interpersonal effectiveness.

ECT: Why is it important for teachers and parents of young children to understand emotional intelligence?

GOLEMAN: Emotional intelligence begins to develop in the earliest years. All the small exchanges children have with their parents, teachers, and with each other carry emotional messages. These messages repeat over and over to form the core of a child's emotional outlook and capabilities. A little girl who finds a puzzle frustrating might ask her busy mother (or teacher) for help. The child gets one message if her mother expresses clear pleasure at the request and quite another if mommy responds with a curt "Don't bother me - I've got important work to do." Such encounters mold children's emotional expectations about relationships, outlooks that will influence their functioning in all realms of life, for better or worse.

During the first three or four years of life, the brain grows to about two thirds its full size and evolves in complexity at a greater rate than it ever will again. During this period, key kinds of learning take place more readily than later in life - emotional learning foremost among them.

ECT: What can teachers do to help develop emotional intelligence?

GOLEMAN: Teachers need to be comfortable talking about feelings. This is part of teaching emotional literacy - a set of skills we can all develop, including the ability to read, understand, and respond appropriately to one's own emotions and the emotions of others.

Emotional "literacy" implies an expanded responsibility for schools in helping to socialize children. This daunting task requires two major changes: that teachers go beyond their traditional mission and that people in the community become more involved with schools as both active participants in children's learning and as individual mentors.

There is no area where the ability of the teacher matters so much, since how a teacher handles his or her class is in itself a model, a de facto lesson in emotional competence - or lack thereof. Whenever a teacher responds to one student, 20 or 30 others learn a lesson, and these lessons can be useful (for example, learning in the earliest school years to control impulses or recognize feelings). You can teach about the most basic emotions, such as happiness and anger, to the youngest children and later touch on more complicated feelings, such as jealousy, pride, and guilt. The basic premise that children must learn about emotions is that all feelings are okay to have; however, only some reactions are okay.
Key Ingredients of Emotional Intelligence
In his book, Dr. Goleman explains that whether or not children arrive at school with the ability to learn depends greatly on how much the important adults in their lives have given them these seven key ingredients (adapted from Heart Start: The Emotional Foundations of School Readiness by the National Center for Clinical Infant Programs).

Confidence. A sense of control and mastery of one's body, behavior, and world; the child's sense that he is more likely than not to succeed at what he undertakes and that adults will be helpful.

Curiosity. The sense that finding out about things is positive and leads to pleasure.

Intentionality. The wish and capacity to have an impact and to act upon that with persistence. This is related to a sense of competence, of being effective.

Self-control. The ability to modulate and control one's own actions in age-appropriate ways; a sense of inner control.

Relatedness. The ability to engage with others based on the sense of being understood by and understanding others.

Capacity to communicate. The wish and ability to verbally exchange ideas, feelings, and concepts with others. This is related to a sense of trust in others and pleasure in engaging with others, including adults.

Cooperativeness. The ability to balance one's own needs with those of others in group activity.

Daniel Goleman, Ph.D. has written several books including Emotional Intelligence; Vital Lies, Simple Truths; The Meditative Mind; and, as coauthor, The Creative Spirit.

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Emotional Intelligence in Early Childhood | Scholastic

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You've probably heard or read about the term "emotional intelligence". To find out how it applies to those who work with young children, we asked Dr. Daniel Goleman, author of the book Working With Emotional Intelligence, to share his insights on the work that has been done in this field.

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It's outdoor learning day on May 21st - check out some of these resources. Perhaps it will inspire some of your videos!

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Resources to help you get children outdoors to play and learn

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Free resources including books, outdoor learning and play ideas, and other teacher and parent resources to help you get outdoors.

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More resources for outdoor learning day...

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More resources for outdoor learning day...

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Time in nature has not been cancelled!

With COVID-19 changing the way we're living our lives, and many events and gatherings being cancelled or postponed, it's important to remember that not everything we love to do is on hold.

Spend time in nature, take a walk to your local park, go on a bush walk, take a wander down the beach, even relax or play in your own backyard - we've put together a list of 25 Things to do in Social Isolation.

Be sure to keep up to date with information about COVID-19 at the official Australian government website - Coronavirus (COVID-19) Health Alert and the Western Australian government website - Coronavirus: COVID-19
Download Your Copy
25 Things to do in Social Isolation

1. Camp out overnight in your own backyard! Pitch a tent or sleep under the stars.
2. Start a nature journal - sketch or paint leaves, fungi, flowers or other nature finds.
3. Collect leaves and make a nature crown or necklace. Pointy leaves are perfect!
4. Try star gazing - what's the first star you see in the night sky? How many can you count?
5. Make a "campsite" in your backyard with a cubby (try and make it waterproof) and pretend campfire.
6. Get on your bikes or scooters and head out for a family ride, around your neighbourhood.
7. Plant out the vege patch with seasonal vegetables.
8. Go on a photo safari. Choose a subject (or colour scheme) and see what you can "capture".
9. Go geocaching around your neighbourhood ! if you've never tried a digital treasure hunt before, visit the "Things To Do - Geocaching" section of our website.
10. We're going on a bear hunt! Place a teddy in your front window so passersby can see them. How many can you see in your neighbourhood?
11. Get artistic with sidewalk chalk. Draw a hopscotch or rainbow on the footpath outside your house!
12. Use a notebook to press nature treasures. Collect leaves or flowers, and write notes to remind you of when and where you found them.
13. Discover more fun ways to play outdoors. Download theNature Play WA app to get started.
14. Break out the card & board games. Snakes & Ladders, Monopoly, UNO and Pictionary: let's play!
15. Learn a new skill. Who in your family can teach you how to knit, sew, bake, garden or build?
16. Go on a bug hunt! What creepy crawlies can you find in your very own back yard?
17. Create a "boho" picnic experience in your backyard - use couch cushions and floor rugs, with bedsheets hung off your swing set as a canopy.
18. Learn how to service your scooter or bike. Check for damage, punctures & give it a good clean.
19. Create a living tepee. Fasten together sticks or bamboo & plant a climber (peas or beans).
20. Cook on backyard fire pit. Snags in a frypan or toast on a toasting fork. And who can forget the toasted marshmallows? (Check for fire bans first!).
21. Go on a family bushwalk. Check the "Things To Do - Hiking" section on our website for trails. Be sure to check for any park closures before you go.
22. Write a letter. Find out your friends' addresses, write to them, or send a picture you've drawn.
23. Try cloud watching. Can you see animals or shapes? Tell a story about them as they float across the sky.
24. Cook together. Make jam or preserves using seasonal fruit. Design your own label for your jam.
25. Try mindfulness. Choose a spot outside to spend 5-10 minutes each day. What sights & sounds do you experience? Do the change from day to day?
Go to Resource

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Time in nature has not been cancelled! With COVID-19 changing the way we're living our lives, and many events and gatherings being cancelled or postponed, it's important to remember that not everything we love to do is on hold.

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This will give some understanding of what can be covered in EY maths

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Stay with it, its good!

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Developments in our understanding of how three- to seven-year-olds learn mathematics have practical relevance for the mathematics we plan for in nursery, Reception and Year 1 settings. They also bring into question the current weight being attached to number and recall over other areas of mathematics in the proposed changes to the Early Learning Goals - the set of measures by which children are assessed in their Foundation Stage profile - at the end of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS). In this article, I will explore the 'what': looking at significant elements of research in relation to two 'big ideas' in Early Years mathematics - the relationship between number and quantity, and spatial reasoning. I also consider the 'how': the development of children's reasoning and mathematical thinking in relation to these big ideas.

The 'what'

One significant development in our understanding of the early learning of number is the recognition that establishing a robust connection between numbers and quantities is not simple and takes time. The second area that is important in making sense of how mathematical understanding develops is the role of early spatial awareness in predicting later mathematical achievement.

Connecting numbers and quantities

"Quantities and numbers are not the same thing."

(Nunes and Bryant, 2009, p. 4)

In everyday life, many number symbols we see and use are distinguishing labels - for example, bus numbers, shoe sizes, road numbers, etc. Typically, it is quite rare to see numbers attached to quantities - for instance, in the case of boxes of eggs or multipacks of crisps. The number on a 64 bus does not mean that 63 buses have already passed by; a shoe numbered '5' does not mean that I have four other pairs of shoes. Nunes and Bryant go on to say that 'Because the connections between quantities and numbers are many and varied, learning about these connections could take three to four years in primary school.' (2009, p. 4)

A key early conceptual development for children in the EYFS, as well as those in the first years of statutory schooling, is to help them to establish a clear connection between numbers - including written numerals - and quantities (Lyons et al., 2014). Yet much of what we do mathematically, certainly from the end of Year 1, becomes quickly abstract. Children bring their own varied, rich knowledge about numbers to school (Trundley, 2008), but they might not link their counting or number knowledge to quantity, or quantity to numerals, even though they will have had experience of both: 'I'm 3.' 'He's got more than me.' (Mix et al., 2012) It is crucial for practitioners to continue to provide young learners well into Year 2 with plentiful and varied opportunities to organise, estimate, count, compare, share out and label different objects, in many different contexts and for different purposes. They should also support them in counting through the 'tricky teens' - the numbers from 11 to 19 - which in English are unhelpfully irregular. By seeing as well as hearing the numbers from 20 to 100, where it all begins to regularise, practitioners can also help children to see the patterns in the number sequence.

Research points to the following as helpful in supporting young children's number sense:

Counting real objects that can be moved, rather than pictures of objects or 'objects' on a screen. 'Estimation stations' are gaining popularity, with a box for self-written estimates (Thompson, 2008).

Counting into a container to draw attention to the seven individual items becoming one group of seven - for instance, by asking: 'How many are in the bag now?' (Bills et al., 2007; Trundley and Williams, in press)

Drawing attention to the cardinal principle by saying before the count begins: 'It looks like we've got about seven here - let's count to find out.' (Johnson et al., 2019)

Counting out from a larger collection, by asking, 'Can you fetch me nine buttons from that jarful?' This is the key assessment of the 'big idea' of counting (Young-Loveridge, 2011).

Alongside this, and somewhat contrarily, it is not helpful for adults to ask children to count when they have already subitised (recognised a small amount without counting) - for example: 'I can see four there and I'm four.' (Clements and Sarama, 2009) Perceptual subitising is the ability we all have to recognise up to four items without having to count these. It is difficult to identify more than four without arranging these into a recognisable or iconic arrangement. Conceptual subitising builds on this knowledge to recognise larger groups: 'There's six, look - three here and three here.' Dice and dot patterns are easily subitised and children should be encouraged to recognise these without 'counting to check'. These understandings link into important later work combining and partitioning numbers (Gifford, 2018).

Gifford (2015) identified various aspects of Early Years provision that are particularly helpful in contributing positively to children's early number sense. These include the following: routines - snack time, making number labels, 'stock taking'; games - outdoor tracks, skittles, keeping score; number rhymes and books - ensure that at least some include symbols; simple problem-solving - e.g. sharing gold coins amongst pirates; playfulness - correcting mistakes, testing ideas; and 'sustained shared thinking' with adults, which I return to later.

The importance of spatial reasoning

A recent study has reported that ball skills can predict mathematical attainment. This ability is known as 'interceptive timing' and might not be as surprising as it first appears:

"The neural circuitry used to build up a child's understanding of their external environment, the way they orientate themselves spatially... is also used to process numbers and more abstract thinking."

(Mon-Williams, 2018)

Research is unequivocal in supporting the importance of spatial reasoning in mathematical attainment (Gunderson et al., 2012; Cheng and Mix, 2014; Clements et al., 2015). Spatial reasoning develops from static to dynamic and incorporates the following elements:

understanding relationships - how things fit together, how moving parts work

language - hearing, describing, directing; position, direction

spatial memory - where things are

sense of direction - finding your way back

spatial representations - creating mental images, composing and deconstructing; perspective and movement; understanding models, maps, diagrams.

For young children, a range of construction and pattern-making tasks and making and discussing models and maps all contribute positively to the development of a child's spatial awareness. Having a treasure hunt would be a meaningful way of combining spatial elements in the EYFS. In particular, high-quality jigsaw-play with an adult aids spatial skills - from indent puzzles to many pieces (Hawes et al., 2017; Schroeter, 2017).

Currently, the Early Years Foundation Stage curriculum (DfE, 2014) and the concluding Early Learning Goals are being adapted by the DfE. In a draft pilot of the goals (DfE, 2018), 'Shape, space and measure' was removed as a learning goal for the end of the EYFS. Although it should be the case that assessment goals do not constitute the entire curriculum, it is not difficult to appreciate that what is tested will be taught, with other areas being neglected. But this omission is being resisted across both the mathematics and the Early Years communities (Gifford, 2019). The draft ELGs were released for consultation by the DfE, with 'Shape, Space and Measures' remaining omitted and significant additions to the goals piloted. The public consultation ends in January 2020 and a revised EYFS is expected to be implemented on a statutory basis from September 2021.

The 'how': Supporting children's reasoning and mathematical thinking

Mathematics in the Early Years consists of taught episodes alongside observations of children's self-directed play. Research has found that mathematics is very unlikely to happen unless adult-initiated episodes are organised, alongside planned mathematical environments (Gifford, 2005, Mix et al., 2012). Of course, taught episodes can take place 'big and outside' and be responses to what we observe in play (Gifford, 2015). For example, play on a roadway with bikes could lead to some adult-initiated 'hooks' involving the giving of directions or map-making. I like to link child- and adult-initiated mathematics as 'listening to' and 'listening for'. I listen to the children to note their interests and achievements, and I listen for what I can develop mathematically. This demands knowledge of both the development of the children and the likely trajectories of learning for mathematics (Clements and Sarama, 2009).

Despite the identification of high-quality adult-child interactions in the form of sustained shared thinking as being important in extending children's learning, longitudinal research into effective pre-school education (Siraj-Blatchford et al., 2002; Sylva et al., 2004) found few examples of these interactions taking place in mathematics.

"Sustained shared thinking" occurs when two or more individuals "work together" in an intellectual way to solve a problem, clarify a concept, evaluate an activity, extend a narrative etc. Both parties must contribute to the thinking and it must develop and extend the understanding."

(Sylva et al., 2004, p. 6)

Developing sustained conversations means that we open up mathematical discussions, rather than close them down by awaiting correct answers: firstly, by examining the mathematical tasks and challenges we offer - do they 'demand' engagement and talk? - and secondly, by developing practices and prompts that leave space for children to think - for example, 'Tell me more?' (Koshy et al., 2015).

Encouraging children of all ages to work and think like mathematicians involves a pedagogy that encourages them to use their intuition, memory, understanding, spontaneity and confidence. These thrive in a safe mathematical environment, where mistakes are treated as natural and worth exploring (Gifford, 2015). The term 'mastery' is ubiquitous in current mathematics narratives. It can be a way of nurturing a safe mathematical environment, as it involves:

an underpinning belief in every child having a potential to succeed

Low-threshold/high-ceiling tasks that allow every child to make a start and that enable the adult to develop what is needed next

focusing on key ideas and exploring these from all sides - in other words, exploring mathematical ideas, such as the two mentioned in this article, in depth.

To summarise, three important aspects for practitioners to develop are:

early number sense without a rush to the abstract

spatial reasoning

rich interactions and 'sustained shared thinking'.

Over 30 years ago, Shulman (1986) referred to pedagogical subject knowledge. We need more training for all those working in the Early Years to understand early mathematics. This blend of knowledge about what research informs us that children need to thrive as well as how we need to behave to nurture this remains key.

References

Bills L, Latham P and Williams H (2007) Encouraging all learners to think. Mathematics Teaching 181: 14-16.

Cheng Y and Mix KS (2014) Spatial training improves children's mathematics ability. Journal of Cognition and Development 15(1): 2-11.

Clements DH, Germeroth C and Brittany Sovran B (2015) The building blocks of mathematics for infants and toddlers: An annotated bibliography for course developers. Early Educator Central. Available at: https://earlyeducatorcentral.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/public/resources/The%20Building%20Blocks%20of%20Mathematics%20for%20Infants%20and%20Toddlers.pdf (accessed 5 December 2019).

Clements D and Sarama J (2009) Learning trajectories in early mathematics - sequences of acquisition and teaching. In: New RS and Cochran M (eds) Encyclopedia of Language and Literacy Development. London, ON: Canadian Language and Literacy Research Network, pp. 1-6.

Department for Education (DfE) (2014) Statutory framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. Available at: www.foundationyears.org.uk/files/2017/03/EYFS_STATUTORY_FRAMEWORK_2017.pdf (accessed 5 December 2019).

Department for Education (DfE) (2018) Early Years Foundation Stage profile 2018 handbook (pilot version September 2018). Available at: www.foundationyears.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/EYFSP-Pilot-Handbook-2018.pdf (accessed 5 December 2019).

Gifford S (2005) Teaching Mmathematics to 3-5s: Developing Learning in the Foundation Stage. Maidenhead: Open University Press.

Gifford S (2015) Early Years mathematics: How to create a nation of mathematics lovers? In: NRICH. Available at: https://nrich.maths.org/11441 (accessed 5 December 2019).

Gifford S (2018) Subitising. In: NRICH. Available at: https://nrich.maths.org/14004 (accessed 5 December 2019).

Gifford S (2019) The case for space in the early years. British Society for Research into Learning Mathematics. Available at: https://bsrlm.org.uk/the-case-for-space-in-the-early-years (accessed 5 December 2019).

Mon-Williams M (2018) Children with better co-ordination more likely to achieve at school. University of Leeds . Available at: https://www.leeds.ac.uk/news/article/4264/children_with_better_co-ordination_more_likely_to_achieve_at_school (accessed 8 January 2020).

Gunderson E, Ramirez G, Beilock SL et al. (2012) The relation between spatial skill and early number knowledge: The role of the linear number line. Developmental Psychology 48(5): 1229-1241 .

Hawes Z, Moss J, Caswell B et al. (2017) Enhancing children's spatial and numerical skills through a dynamic spatial approach to early geometry instruction: Effects of a 32 week intervention. Cognition and Instruction 35(3): 236-264.

Johnson D, Ginet L and Mix K (2019) The role of adult and environmental input in children's math learning. In: McCray J, Chen J and Sorkin JE (eds) Growing Mathematical Minds. New York: Routledge, pp. 55-82.

Koshy V, Jones D, Ellis V et al. (2015) Developing talk at KS1. In: Talk Maths Talk. Available at: www.talkmathstalk.co.uk/developing_talk (accessed 5 December 2019).

Lyons IA, Price GR, Vaessen A et al. (2014) Numerical predictors of arithmetical success in grades 1-6. Developmental Science 17(5): 714-726.

Mix KS, Sandhofer CM, Moore JA et al. (2012) Acquistion of the cardinal word principle: The role of input. Early Childhood Research Quarterly 27: 274-283.

Nunes T and Bryant P (2009) Key Understandings in Mathematics Learning. Paper 2: Understanding Whole Numbers. London: Nuffield Foundation.

Schroeter E (2017) The importance of spatial reasoning and geometry in Kindergarten. In: The Learning Exchange. Available at: https://thelearningexchange.ca/importance-spatial-reasoning-geometry-kindergarten (accessed 5 December 2019).

Shulman L (1986) Those who understand knowledge growth in teaching. Educational Researcher 15 (2): 4-14.

Siraj-Blatchford I, Sylva K, Muttock S et al. (2002) Researching Effective Pedagogy in the Early Years (REPEY) Research Report 356. London: Department of Education and Skills.

Sylva K, Melhuish EC, Sammons P et al. (2004) The Effective Provision of Pre-School Education (EPPE) Project: Technical Paper 12 - The Final Report: Effective Pre-School Education. London: DfES/Institute of Education, University of London.

Thompson I (ed) (2008) Teaching and Learning Early Number, 2nd ed. Maidenhead: OUP McGraw Education.

Trundley R (2008) The value of two. Mathematics Teaching 211: 17-21.

Trundley R and Williams H (in press) Learning from Variation.

Young-Loveridge J (2011) Assessing the mathematical thinking of young children in New Zealand: The initial school years. Early Child Development and Care 181: 267-276.

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Mathematics in the Early Years: What matters? | impact.chartered.college

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Developments in our understanding of how three- to seven-year-olds learn mathematics have practical relevance for the mathematics we plan for in nursery, Reception and Year 1 settings. They also bring into question the current weight being attached to number and recall over other areas of mathematic

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List of things to help with improving maths

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List of things to help with improving maths

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'improving mathematics in the early years and key stage 1' reviews the best available evidence to offer five recommendations for developing the maths skills of 3-7-year olds.  recommendations include integrating maths into different activities throughout the day – for example

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at registration and snack time – to familiarise children with maths language and make the most of the school day.  it also highlights that story and picture books can be a powerful tool for engaging children with basic maths concepts

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while board games (such as snakes and ladders) are particularly beneficial to developing understanding of numbers.  based on the best available international research – and drawing on the expertise of teachers and academics – this report is packed with examples and case studies to support practitioners.

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Improving Mathematics in the Early Years and Key Stage 1

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Support maths understanding for three - seven year olds.