Posted on

Exciting Journey Ahead – Our Hygge Adventure

I was very lucky recently, I mean VERY lucky, and it doesn’t happen often. I entered a competition on the Facebook Page for Hygge in the Early Years, run by the amazing Kimberly Smith, and to my utter amazement I won!

The competition was to win a place on the latest cohort of the Hygge in the Early Years Accreditation scheme. This is such an exciting opportunity for me and my setting to bring some calmness and joy into our practice as we work through this journey. We are aware it isn’t an overnight process so we are taking our time with it and savouring each lesson.

Check back for updates soon!

Posted on

Book Review: Looking for Learning – Provocations

There are a large number of books for Early Years Practitioners out on the market, there’s only a handful that are “MUST HAVE” books and this is one of them!

img_20190914_1231112103048407065068093742.jpg

This delightful book by Laura England (AKA Little Miss Early Years) is just perfect in walking you through the whole process of setting and using Provocations in the children’s learning, you could call it a step by step guide.

It starts by looking at the theories behind Provocations and some of the well know theorists, such as Bruner, Vygotsky and Piaget, whose work has been influential in the use of provocations. The whole book is so easy to digest and can be picked up and read in little pieces or read on a car journey from York to Newcastle (that’s what I did – I wasn’t driving by the way!)

The books takes you through a journey into all aspects of our daily working routine from the 7 areas of learning to the Characteristics of Effective Learning alongside Continuous Provision. There are clear explanations and beautiful photos to really inspire your practice without filling you with a fear you will need to rush off to IKEA and spend a fortune on a heap of new resources.

Provocations are a part of our every day routine and this book really helps to bring it to life – I’m so glad I have my copy, have you got yours?

www.littlemissearlyyears.co.uk

Posted on

A little bit of Hygge everyday!

I was very fortunate today, I got to meet one of my lovely Early Years enthusiasts. Kimberley Smith is the Founder of KSEY Consultancy, the International Hub for Early Years Teaching and the driving force behind the Hygge in the Early Years movement.

I attended her Hygge Live event in Leeds this morning and it was a joyous and inspirational few hours which reminded us all to look after ourselves as well as the children (one of the prinicipal reasons I started the #selfcaresunday posts on my social media channels)

If you haven’t discovered this ethos and pedagogy yet I urge you to pop along to www.hyggeintheearlyyears.co.uk now and find out more.

Thanks for my gorgeous Hygge Journal too Kimberly!

You can purchase one for yourself just by visiting Kimberly’s website at www.hyggeintheearlyyears.co.uk

Posted on

Sorting and matching

One of my very lovely colleagues brought in a set of graded storage containers she bought from Morrisons and added them to the home corner as a maths activity. The children have to sort them into the correct size with the correct lid in order to put the final bug kid on. It’s kind of a domestic Russian Doll.

I happened to comment how awesome that was, next thing I know I come in to find a set of them in my locker. She knows me only too well!

No idea of the cost as they were a present but worth having a look in your nearest Morrisons!

Posted on

CPD with a difference!

I’ve just been doing the housework and some CPD at the same time.

Don’t be too shocked, I do do the housework sometimes! However I popped on my headphones and spent and enjoyable time listening to my very lovely friend Kimberly from KSEY Consultancy talking about a variety of topics relating to her specialist subject of Hygge in the Early Years.

Image Copyright KSEY Consultancy

These podcasts are free and well worth listening to, I’m certainly taking the latest one back to my setting and pointing my team in the direction of it. Mop, bucket and duster not included!

Available from:

iTunes

Audioboom

Spotify

Posted on

Number Fun February – Practitioner resource books.

In this post in looking at a few of the books around that I’ve found benefited my own CPD and practice which, therefore, has a positive impact on the children.

First up:

I’ve been lucky enough to have gone to a day training with Juliet based around this book (I literally had to stop myself being a fanboy and asking her to autograph my copy!)

This book is such an amazing “dip-in” resource and certainly fills you with confidence to take maths outdoors.

Next we have:

I feel it’s important to have displays that inspire and motivate the children for maths. Although this book is pretty old (I know the feeling!) It can still be found at various online second had book retailers or auction sites.

Then:

This is a recent addition but gives some great ideas and support. This is available online from the Preschool Learning Alliance (soon to be Early Years Alliance.)

In addition:

Also from the Preschool Learning Alliance is this one which also includes ideas for maths at home so it promotes some strong learning links.

What are your must have resources? Feel free to share them on here or our social media pages.