Menu planning in nursery settings helps ensure children receive healthy, balanced meals that support their growth and development. A well-planned menu provides a variety of nutritious foods, allowing children to experience different flavours, textures and food groups while developing positive eating habits from an early age. Explore our top tips for successful menu planning.
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Bring movement, music and imagination together with this fun outdoors dance time activity. Children are encouraged to explore creative expression as they move like elements of the natural world - from swaying trees to fluttering butterflies. This activity supports physical development and gives children the freedom to express themselves in fun and imaginative ways.
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After more than two decades leading NDNA, we waved goodbye to Purnima Tanuku CBE at the end of March 2026. In that time she has guided NDNA through many challenges, including funded childcare policies, debates about ratios and the Covid pandemic.
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On average, early years settings have over 100 policies in place that set out the setting’s practice. Polices are underpinned by legislation and should reflect a setting’s daily practice. Read our top tips on how you can ensure all staff know and understand your policies.
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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 children’s to do this.
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On average, early years settings have over 100 policies in place that set out the setting’s practice. Polices are underpinned by legislation and should reflect a setting’s daily practice. Read our top tips on how you can ensure all staff know and understand your policies.
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This loose parts art activity encourages children to create faces using a variety of open-ended materials. They are then able to describe their faces and perhaps their emotions that they have included in their art.
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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.
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A supportive start for new staff can help them feel confident and valued and know your expectations from day one. Consistent guidance helps practitioners settle faster, follow routines more accurately and build stronger relationships. This early support, boosts quality of practice, improves teamwork and can help to reduce stress and staff turnover. Here are some tips to support you.
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Give every child the best possible start through movement, nutrition and joyful everyday learning.
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