Activity focused problem-solving group and individual tasks. Problem-solving and individual tasks have an important part to play in enabling us to build a growth mindset in children. We unpick what it is, and finally, we have a handy translation table to help adapt dialogue with children. What is really meant by a fixed or growth
Continue reading »Tag Archives: "Childhood"
Play and the pale blue dot
The late American astronomer and astrophysicist, Carl Sagan, described our planet as the ‘pale blue dot’, described as such after seeing an image of earth taken in 1990 from the Voyager 1 space probe, from a distance of about 6 billion kilometres. His book, “Pale Blue Dot”, explores claims that earth and its inhabitants are
Continue reading »The Importance of Den Building
Making dens is a serious business in my household: barely a day passes without sofa cushions and blankets being rearranged into a den! We live in a flat with no outside space to call our own. Despite park trips and sports clubs, there remains plenty of energy, so in the absence of a garden our inside
Continue reading »Nurturing Natures
“Nurturing Natures; Attachment and Children’s Emotional, Sociocultural and Brain Development” by Graham Music. Review by Mel Newton, mother of 1, Sussex Star rating ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Rich in the most current scientific research, yet engaging and accessible; A deeply informative and inspiring read for anyone involved with the care and wellbeing of children and young people. Graham Music Graham
Continue reading »Inspiring loose parts play
Kitcamp: a new inspiration for loose parts play You may not have heard the term ‘loose parts’ before, but you’ll recognise the type of play. Imagine a child tinkering with a collection of seemingly unrelated objects, e.g. sticks, pine cones, cardboard tubes, shells and buttons. They’ll use these bits and bobs to build a tower,
Continue reading »The Genius of Natural Childhood
“The Genius of Natural Childhood” by Sally Goddard Blythe. Review by Kate Parker (mother of 3, Hampshire). “I give this book a 5 star rating.” “Really good informative, easy to use book about how important nursery rhymes, fairy tales and music to the development of children.I would highly recommend this book for all parents and
Continue reading »The Gift of Failure
“The Gift of Failure: how to step back and let your child succeed” by Jessica Lahey. Reviewed by Isabelle Regent-Ngwata, mother of 2, Hampshire. Star rating (4 out of 5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ “The setbacks, mistakes, miscalculations and failures we have shoved out of our children’s way are the very experiences that teach them how to be resourceful,
Continue reading »The benefits of play on mental health
We know play is important. It is a child’s work. But is there more to it? With current media awareness around mental health, we reflect on how play can make a difference for a child’s long-term mental wellbeing. Mentalhealth.org tells us that 1 in 10 children and young people are affected by mental health issues.
Continue reading »Kids insatiable drive to learn
We have all experienced kids insatiable drive to learn. How can we prove it though? What do you think it takes to create a learning opportunity? And how far is the human mind designed to learn against the odds, in almost any condition? We try to create ideal working and playing conditions for our children. But
Continue reading »Children need to play
The fact that children need to play is truly universal and goes to the heart of society’s success and failure. The Telegraph published an article in 2013, Children as young as five suffering from depression. In the same article the National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) said that 8,000 children below the age of 10
Continue reading »