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. Top tips for… Continue reading Top tips: Supporting new staff
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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
Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Multi-Factor Authentication
Following our recent announcement about additional security measures, this email provides step-by-step instructions to help you set up multi-factor authentication (MFA) on your NDNA website account. Multi-factor authentication adds an extra layer of protection by requiring a second verification step when signing in. This helps keep your account, personal information and financial details secure. Please… Continue reading Step-by-Step Guide to Setting Up Multi-Factor Authentication
Coram childcare survey: costs fall sharply for families in England as funding expands
Coram’s annual childcare survey shows the expanded funded hours in England are changing what parents pay. But challenges remain on affordability, sufficiency and support for children with SEND needs across the UK. Childcare costs for many working families in England have dropped following the full roll out of the 30-hour funded entitlement for children from… Continue reading Coram childcare survey: costs fall sharply for families in England as funding expands
Top tips: Making Reading Fun at Home
Reading with your child is one of the most valuable things you can do. It strengthens your bond, supports their learning and development, and most importantly – it’s fun! Whether you have five minutes at bedtime or a little longer on a quiet afternoon, those small moments together can make a big difference. The key is to keep reading… Continue reading Top tips: Making Reading Fun at Home
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
Top tips: Encouraging reading at home
Research tells us that one important thing that parents can do to help their child’s education is to share books with them. This can help to develop a lifelong passion for reading and enjoyment of stories in their earliest years. Parents will have a range of experiences of early reading and formal schooling and this may affect their confidence towards reading with their own child. To… Continue reading Top tips: Encouraging reading at home
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
Top tips: Time management and prioritsing tasks
Effective time management helps the team stay calm, responsive and focused on what matters most: the children. As a nursery manager, leading good practice in prioritising tasks supports staff well-being and the effective running of the nursery. Top tips for time management and prioritising tasks NDNA products to help you with this tip Disclaimer: Activities with children must always be… Continue reading Top tips: Time management and prioritsing tasks
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
Maths confidence soars as three early years settings complete NDNA’s Maths Champions programme
National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA) is proud to celebrate three early years settings that have successfully completed the Maths Champions programme this year: Thornhill Community Pre-school, Best Friends Day Nursery Chester and Appletree Corner Daycare and Pre-school. The Maths Champions programme continues to demonstrate its impact in supporting early years practitioners to build confidence, deepen… Continue reading Maths confidence soars as three early years settings complete NDNA’s Maths Champions programme
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
Top tips: Inclusion in action
The reasonable adjustments you make so that all children can access play, learning and routines alongside their peers don’t need to be complicated or costly. It’s often about planning ahead, being flexible and removing barriers from the environment, communication and expectations. These inclusion in action tips offer simple, everyday strategies you can use to support… Continue reading Top tips: Inclusion in action
Financing for Nurseries
Grow with confidence – flexible, reliable funding built for early years providers. Invest in your team, your nursery setting, and your future – so both your children and your business can thrive Understanding the pressures facing early years providers Nurseries today are navigating significant cash flow challenges and ongoing operational pressures. The daily juggle includes;… Continue reading Financing for Nurseries
Top tips: Supporting your team’s well-being
Educating and caring for young children is an incredibly rewarding role, but it can also be demanding and exhausting. Just as we nurture the children in our care, it’s important to look after our staff and support their well-being at work. Explore our top tips for caring for your team. Top tips for supporting your team’s well-being NDNA… Continue reading Top tips: Supporting your team’s well-being
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
STEMinists in the making: Encouraging girls’ confidence in science
Early years settings have a powerful opportunity to shape how girls view themselves as problem-solvers, critical thinkers and future scientists. The curiosity you nurture now can grow into the confidence that makes choosing STEM subjects later at school feel normal and achievable. By encouraging the exploration of ideas, valuing their questions and challenging stereotypes, practitioners can lay the foundation for life-long scientific confidence. Here are some ideas to support… Continue reading STEMinists in the making: Encouraging girls’ confidence in science
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
Purnima Tanuku CBE to leave NDNA following over 20 years’ leading the organisation
National Day Nurseries Association’s (NDNA) Executive Chair, Purnima Tanuku CBE, is due to step down from her role at the end of March. Following more than 20 years at the organisation she is leaving NDNA, while continuing to work within early years and education as a non-executive director elsewhere. Having joined NDNA in 2004 as… Continue reading Purnima Tanuku CBE to leave NDNA following over 20 years’ leading the organisation
Top tips: Using mathematical language everyday with young children
The new Statutory Framework for the EYFS places an emphasis on children developing a love of maths. If maths language can be woven into their children’s everyday experiences, they will develop a secure foundation as they make progress in this area. Top tips for using mathematical language everyday with young children NDNA products to help you with this tip Online Courses in… Continue reading Top tips: Using mathematical language everyday with young children