Blog Tag: Activity

Early years activity: Nature inspired playdough exploration

Playdough offers a rich sensory experience that nurtures creativity, imagination and fine motor development. Create an inviting space where children feel inspired to explore and engage in sensory play. This open-ended experience encourages children to experiment, create and express their ideas freely, supporting their curiosity and individuality.  Nature inspired playdough exploration learning aims Resources you will need for… Continue reading Early years activity: Nature inspired playdough exploration

Early years activity: Fruit Salad 

Encouraging healthy eating habits from an early age is essential for children’s growth and development. Making a fruit salad provides opportunities for children to explore different tastes, textures, weights and colours while developing positive attitudes towards nutritious foods.  Fruit salad learning aims Resources you will need for this activity Fruit salad activity outline How to extend this activity Create a ‘fruit chart’ where children can… Continue reading Early years activity: Fruit Salad 

Early years activity: Number rhyme time

Developing confident mathematicians with a positive attitude and interest in maths starts in a child’s earliest years.   Before children can understand and count purposefully, they need to develop a sense of number (what numbers are, what they mean, what different numbers look like as a physical concept and what they can do with them) and singing number rhymes will support… Continue reading Early years activity: Number rhyme time

Early years activity: Little scientist explore…Magnets  

Magnets feel magical to young children. Exploring what ‘sticks’ and what doesn’t encourages curiosity, prediction and early scientific thinking while supporting language and problem-solving skills.   Little scientist explore…Magnets learning aims Resources you will need for this activity Little scientist explore…Magnets activity outline Ask the children is they have had any experience of magnets before and find out what they already know. Then show the… Continue reading Early years activity: Little scientist explore…Magnets  

Early years activity: How do I feel

By noticing and naming feelings, children start to understand their emotions and those of others. This playful ‘faces and feelings’ activity helps to build empathy, confidence and extends children’s emotional vocabulary.  How do I feel learning aims Resources you will need for this activity How do I feel activity outline How to extend this activity After identifying feelings shown on picture cards, sort… Continue reading Early years activity: How do I feel

Early years activity: Little Gardeners – Cress Caterpillars 

Bring a little nature indoors with this fun and simple Cress Caterpillars activity. Children will love creating their own cheerful caterpillar while exploring how plants grow and change. As they care for their cress each day, they’ll observe tiny seeds transform into fresh green shoots, building curiosity, responsibility and a sense of achievement along the way.    Little Gardeners – Cress Caterpillars… Continue reading Early years activity: Little Gardeners – Cress Caterpillars 

Early years activity: World Book Day

World Book Day is an annual celebration that offers a chance to celebrate children’s favourite story books and characters. Our activity encourages children to share books they cherish while discovering the favourites of others too.    World Book Day learning aims Resources you will need for this activity World Book Day activity outline How to extend this activity NDNA products to support you… Continue reading Early years activity: World Book Day

Early years activity: Magic mystery box    

The Magic Mystery Box is a playful activity that encourages young children to communicate, listen and share ideas. The surprise element captures interest, while the predictable routine helps children feel safe to express themselves using words, sounds, gestures or facial expressions.  Magic mystery box learning aims Resources you will need for this activity Magic mystery box activity outline How… Continue reading Early years activity: Magic mystery box    

Early years activity: Mini movers obstacle challenge

Here’s a simple, adaptable, mini movers obstacle challenge activity using your everyday nursery equipment. Children balance, crawl, jump and climb their way around the route, building strength, coordination, practice listening, turn-taking and positional language (under, over, on etc). Quick to set up, easy to adapt and a brilliant way to get your children moving. Mini… Continue reading Early years activity: Mini movers obstacle challenge

Early years activity: Frozen balloon explorers  

Freezing water in balloons is an amazing sensory experience and also a great opportunity for children to discover the science behind freezing and melting.  Frozen balloon explorers activity learning aims Resources you will need for this activity  Frozen balloon explorers activity outline You could make these with the children and discuss what they think will happen at each… Continue reading Early years activity: Frozen balloon explorers  

Early years activity: Pancake creations

Have a flippin’ fantastic time celebrating Pancake Day with this week’s pancake creations activity! Your little chefs will weigh, mix, pour and observe the magic of the process as ingredients evolve into deliciousness. Pancake creations activity learning aims Resources you will need for this activity Ingredients – adjust accordingly. The following makes around 8-10 thin pancakes:  Equipment:  Pancake creations activity outline How to extend this activity Use balance… Continue reading Early years activity: Pancake creations

Early years activity: Non-standard measures 

Children need opportunities to physically experience and compare different types of measures such as length, size and height, so provide lots of opportunity for young children to explore contrasting items to compare their features in terms of measures.  Non-standard measures activity learning aims Resources you will need for this activity Non-standard measures activity outline How to extend this activity NDNA products… Continue reading Early years activity: Non-standard measures 

Early years activity: Fruit faces

This fruit faces activity introduces young children to a variety of fruits in a fun, hands-on way, encouraging them to explore healthy foods through play. By creating ‘fruit faces’ children can develop positive attitudes towards healthy eating, practise fine motor skills and learn the names, colours, weights and textures of different fruits. This activity also supports social interaction and communication as… Continue reading Early years activity: Fruit faces