A- Z of Early Years Activities

An A-Z of Early Years Activities By Gabrielle Nash

The minutes and hours can pass slowly when you are entertaining a child under 5. So here is a theme for every day of the alphabet to help you out when you need new activity ideas!

ANIMAL HUNT Go searching for the tiny creepy crawly kind, the chirpy in the tree tops kind and the mor e exciting kind found in zoos and farms!

BAKING Save those overripe bananas and bake some muffins. Or let little hands enjoy rolling out some biscuit dough. Anything with diff erent textures will entice help introduce your little one to unfamiliar foods.

CARDBOARD BOX CREATION Save the next one you get. What can it be? A pirate ship, a car , or a doll’s bed? Colour it in or cut it up – it doesn’t matter! DEN BUILDING Build one indoors with chairs and sheets BB Stanmore HPL ad:Layout 1 14/08/2020 14:21 Page 1 or head to a local wood or park and gather lar ge pieces of wood. It doesn’t have to be a work of art to spark the imagination. Is it just a den, or is it cave for monsters?

ENVELOPE ENDEAVOURS Pop in photos, stickers, a letter or card and send to a friend or family member. Kids always love sticking the stamps and visiting the post bo x. FILM FUN Enjoy a film at home and make a game of it! Make popcorn, print o ff “cinema tickets” (maybe even “charge” entrance!) and settle down with a family favourite. Perfect for a rainy day! GARDEN GROWING It does not have to be big! You can create a garden suitable f or kids very simply; a patch of soil for digging or planting some flowers or veg, a few old bowls and spoons for mud pies and access to a bucket of water!

HIKING Okay, maybe not up Ben Nevis, but get your kids excited about a little “hik e.” Pack a small bag, grab a snack, fill a water bottle. Staying active with your kids is key to healthy living. IMAGINARY PLAY It is so easy, with few props needed and little ones LO VE it when you make up a game. Get them to be a patient at the doctors, the receptionist at the dentist or taking their dog to the vet.

OPEN DAYS Tues 24th November Thurs 26th November Wed 2nd December Friday 4th December (by appointment only) Brand New Nursery opening in Stanmore

JANUARY 2021

For children aged 3 months to 5 years old

 Outstanding facilities, quality educational resources  Dedicated baby rooms  Higher standard of qualified and caring staff  Wholesome freshly prepared vegetarian meals daily  8am to 6pm 51 weeks of the year

REGISTERING FROM SEPTEMBER 2020 Orme Lodge, 2 Gordon Avenue, Stanmore, Middlesex, HA7 3QD

Email stanmore@bluebutterflymontessori.com

JUMBLE SALE JOLLIES Get your little one involved with going though old things that need passing on to charity or selling a t a jumble sale. Help them understand we need to pass things on to other people who need and want them to make way for new clothes and toys. KICKABOUT Never underestimate the benefits of getting out to your local park for a kick about with a ball – plus some running, jumping, sliding and shouting! LEARNING THROUGH PLAY … is the best way! Playing i-spy on a country walk helps to identify letters and sounds. Spotting differ ent coloured cars, teaches younger ones their colours! MUD MESS! And lots of it. Yes, it is messy, but it’s amazing fun for little ones. Get them making mud pies in the gar den or doing some mud mark making on a wet walk. NOISE Bang old pans with infants, pick out a tune or rhythm with bells or drums with older ones. Sing songs loudly; clap hands softly . OUTDOOR PAINTING Collect leaves or stones and paint them! Add some food colouring to bubbles and “paint” windows – it will wash o ff! PUZZLES Jigsaw puzzles are a great way to develop fine motor skills, spatial awar eness and hand-eye coordination, as well as a quiet way of sharing a special few minutes together. QUIET It’s essential for everyone’s peace of mind! Try encouraging your little one to find fun in quieter things, whether it’s small world toys, looking a t books, colouring, or painting. READING When you settle down with a story at the end of the day , make it special. Try different voices to captivate your child’s imagination. Develop that love of books as early as possible. SAFARI SPECIAL Place some toy animals (or pictures of animals) in unusual places around your home and/gar den. Then take a piece of paper and pen and go on safari with your little ones, writing down the animals you see. Try out your best David Attenborough impersonation. They will not get it, but it will make you giggle. TREASURE TIME Make a map and hide some “treasure.” Throw together some pirate accessories or costumes (make a paper hat, or grab a toy sword) and navigate through your home/ garden/park to find the treasure. Don’t forget to battle those pirates along the way! UNDER THE STARS As the nights evenings draw in, there’s a grea t opportunity to get a wow moment from a toddler by looking outside and showing them all the twinkling lights from galaxies far, far away. VIRTUAL FUN There are going to be times when being at home is the only option. But that doesn’t mean you can’t ha ve fun. Go online and try: a virtual roller coaster ride, a journey through the Amazon or even a rocket launch! (Visit our lockdown issues at (insert link to your Issuu stack) for some great virtual fun.) WATER WISE Whether it is the warm bubbly kind in the evening bath or the cold splashy kind fr om a sprinkler, a wise person once said: when a child is grumpy “just add water.” X-RAY Take a roll of paper and draw round your child. S tick it on the floor and, as you draw in some bones, talk to them about bones in their body and what they help you do. YOGA They are never too young to learn how to pause and brea the. There are some great options on Youtube with fun kid friendly themes.

ZZZZ…. For many children, it’s hard to unwind at bedtime. So why not try to make it into mor e of a game, albeit a relaxing one. “Where has the toothbrush gone? It’s tucked up in bed with your pyjamas, let us get them on now.” Or: “What are your toys doing? They’re all sitting down to listen to this bedtime story.” For more from Gaby, follow her on

Instagram @thelondonishmum

We are an Ofsted Registered Independent Montessori Nursery School

St Michael’s Church Annex St Michael’s Church Road Cricklewood NW2 6XG Open: Monday – Friday 8am to 6pm Year Round/Term-Time Ages: 3 months – 6 years

• Excellent Standard of Care & Education • Qualified Montessori Staff • Safe Play Areas • Nutritious meals prepared daily by our on-site chef

0208 830 7331 info@livingspringmontessori.com