Most children don’t learn to listen by sitting still. They need to be actively engaged, moving, and engrossed in something interesting. All these factors will increase their listening abilities by an exponential amount. Ever think that children have selective hearing? Or that they never hear if they’re not interested? Guess what – that’s exactly right. …
Of all the skills to learn in life, one of the most important is learning to listen. This underpins all areas of the curriculum. However, it is easier said than done. We have all seen children that roll around on the floor whenever it is time to listen to an adult. So how do we …
You might have heard about rhythm sticks, and possibly rhythm sticks activities, but you’re not really sure what they are. Is so, then you’ve come to the right place. Rhythm sticks are one of the ultimate resources for children from the ages of 2 upwards, and can teach many skills. But what are they? Rhythm …
‘Tricky’ words are not tricky because they are hard! That’s the most important thing to understand. Many children have put them off because they think they are difficult, as well as there are some parents who don’t want to practice them with their children because they sound intimidating. ‘Tricky’ words are called that because you …
If you’re concerned that a child is writing their name backwards or mirror writing, please be reassured that in the majority of cases this is a common, even arguably normal occurrence. Also, it is something a large number of children do, and rarely a sign of any underlying issues. What should you do if a …
Partners games are exactly what they sound – a game that a child plays with a partner. Just two children can play them, or they can be played by a whole class split up into partners. Partners games can be really beneficial. They are so simple to do and break up any structured learning time …
Learning to write is a huge process that takes many years. There are distinct stages that children go through, and there are many strategies to help them on the way. One of the best of these in the early days are pre-writing patterns. These cover the whole stage of progress in between beginning to mark-make …
Learning syllables is something that can be happening from quite a young age. Many three and four year olds will be able to start the process of learning about syllables in fun games, and this process continues for several years, as children deepen their understanding. How do you teach syllables? Begin teaching syllables with chants …
You will find numbers stories in many different forms – you can teach them, you can read them in books, and you can experience them in life! They are a fantastic way of teaching number skills because they make learning real. They also link numbers to the world around us. But what are number stories? …
When a child has learned to write their name this can seem like a huge milestone. It is also very useful practically, particularly in school or nursery, so they can sign their own work and not get it mixed up with someone else’s by mistake. But the process of name writing can be quite a …