This week’s activity brings The Very Hungry Caterpillar story to life through a fun and interactive fruit kebab making session. As children create their own fruit kebabs, they’ll reinforce the story’s themes of healthy eating and develop their fine motor skills. It’s a great way for children to connect with the story and enjoy a… Continue reading Early years activity: Fruit kebabs (The Very Hungry Caterpillar)
Blog Tag: MyNDNA
Top tips – Safe bites: food safety essentials
Ensuring food safety is a key factor in safeguarding children’s health and well-being. Here are some practical, easy to follow tips designed to help you effectively manage food safety and create a secure, hygienic environment for everyone. Top tips for food safety NDNA products to support you with this tip Food Safety and Hygiene –… Continue reading Top tips – Safe bites: food safety essentials
Early years activity: Smoothie sensation
Explore healthy eating with this hands-on smoothie making activity. Children mix and match ingredients to create a sensational smoothie, supporting confidence in trying new tastes and an appreciation of healthy, nutritious food. Smoothie sensation activity learning aims This early years activity will help children to: Resources you will need Smoothie sensation activity outline How to… Continue reading Early years activity: Smoothie sensation
Top tips: parental involvement in early years activities at home
There is an abundance of research that demonstrates the importance of parents and carers in a child’s life, and the significant impact that parental involvement in children’s education has on their learning, with positive effects that last into adulthood. Read our top tips to ensure you create supportive strategies for home learning opportunities to all… Continue reading Top tips: parental involvement in early years activities at home
Let’s get growing: Early years gardening activity
The focus for National Gardening Week (24 May – 1 June) is on new and beginner gardeners. Develop children’s curiosity and wonder for planting and gardening with our early years gardening activity. Early years gardening activity learning aims This early years activity will help children to: • Develop fine motor skills• Practice mathematical language, comparisons,… Continue reading Let’s get growing: Early years gardening activity
Top tips: Developing gross motor skills outside
Supporting young children’s gross motor development is a vital part of early years practice, and the outdoor environment offers the perfect space for movement, exploration, and physical challenge. These tips are designed to help you lead, inspire and equip your teams to confidently provide opportunities for children to develop these skills. Top tips for developing… Continue reading Top tips: Developing gross motor skills outside
Early years activity: Big brush outdoor art
This activity invites children to explore painting in a playful and physical way. Using a variety of tools and coloured paints, children can experiment with different movements and techniques, as they dip, swipe, stamp, and splatter, to build coordination, strengthen muscles and express themselves creatively. Learning aims Resources Big brush outdoor art activity guide Set… Continue reading Early years activity: Big brush outdoor art
What makes me laugh? – Fun early years activity
Laughter helps children bond, express emotions, and build confidence. This fun activity encourages giggles through silly faces and playful games. So, have fun and discover what makes the children (and you) laugh! Learning aims Resource you’ll need What makes me laugh? – Activity guide Have fun with the children and enjoy the sound of their… Continue reading What makes me laugh? – Fun early years activity
Supporting staff well-being in early years settings
Educating and caring for young children is one of the most rewarding jobs there is. However, it can also be challenging and tiring for practitioners in the sector. In the same way we show care and kindness to the children in our setting, we can take care of our staff and support their overall well-being… Continue reading Supporting staff well-being in early years settings
Dancing around the world: Cultural dance activities for early years
International Dance Day is a global celebration of dance. People everywhere use dance to express themselves, tell stories and to simply have fun. This cultural dance activity will take you on a magical dance journey to explore and celebrate how people move and dance in different parts of the world. Learning aims Resources you will… Continue reading Dancing around the world: Cultural dance activities for early years
Top tips: Building resilience
Resilience is a person’s ability to adapt, recover and thrive in the face of challenges and setbacks. Investing in children’s resilience will support their confidence, health, and well-being now and in the future. Take a look at our top tips for building resilience in young children. Top tips for building resilience NDNA products to support… Continue reading Top tips: Building resilience
Early years activity: Naming emotions
The ability to identify and name emotions supports children to develop their self-regulation skills and build strong social relationships and a positive sense of themselves. Learning aims Resources you will need Naming emotions activity guide How you can extend this naming emotions activity Read ‘The Colour Monster’ story book to the children and talk about… Continue reading Early years activity: Naming emotions
Early years activity: Easter bunny obstacle course
Easter is a time for fun, movement, and imagination. This exciting Easter bunny obstacle course is a great way for young children to celebrate while developing their gross motor skills, coordination, and teamwork. Through hopping, crawling, and balancing, children will take on the role of the Easter bunny, collecting eggs along the way. Learning aims… Continue reading Early years activity: Easter bunny obstacle course
Top tips: Promoting healthy eating with parents
Nurseries play a vital role in shaping children’s eating habits and encouraging a positive approach to food. By working in partnership with parents, you can help create a consistent message about healthy eating both in the setting and at home. Top tips for promoting healthy eating with parents NDNA products to support you with this… Continue reading Top tips: Promoting healthy eating with parents
Top tips: Easy outdoor activities for families this spring
Spring is a wonderous time to get outside and appreciate the magnificent world around us. Encouraging parents to embrace the outdoors at this time of year can have many benefits, including: What can we do outdoors? NDNA products related to these tips PANCo – https://ndna.org.uk/panco/ Disclaimer: Activities with children must always be risk assessed, including… Continue reading Top tips: Easy outdoor activities for families this spring
Early years activity: Easter maths
This Easter/spring themed sensory tray will be perfect for encouraging the children to engage in a hands on, sensory play experience. It will also help to hone their mathematical thinking and understanding. Learning aims Resources you will need Easter maths activity guide How can you extend this Easter maths activity? Make an Easter/spring themed treasure… Continue reading Early years activity: Easter maths
Top tips: Bring the outside in
Bringing nature into your nursery provides children with rich, hands-on experiences that enhance curiosity, exploration and overall development. Incorporating nature into children’s daily activities, cultivates a deeper connection to the world around them and potentially, a life-long engagement with the environment and an accompanying sense of responsibility towards it. Here are 10 tips to help… Continue reading Top tips: Bring the outside in
Early years activity: Spring sense
Spring has sprung so let’s get outside and explore this busy season with all our senses. Start with a walk to observe, touch, smell and feel the environment and then create a sensory bin with all the treasures you’ve found along the way. Learning aims Resources you’ll need Spring sense activity guide How can you… Continue reading Early years activity: Spring sense
Top Tips: Poetry in the early years
Getting into the habit of describing the world around us is a wonderful way to build a rich vocabulary and lays the foundation for creating and appreciating poetry. To celebrate World Poetry Day, why not share these top tips with parents to encourage them to create poems at home? Tips to encourage parents to create… Continue reading Top Tips: Poetry in the early years
Early years poetry activity: Whispers of Spring
In this sensory poetry activity, children will use their senses to explore the signs of spring, to be inspired, and spark discussion, leading to the creation of a collaborative poem that captures the essence of spring. Learning aims The learning aims of this activity are to promote sensory engagement by letting children experience nature and… Continue reading Early years poetry activity: Whispers of Spring