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  1. 9 ideas for exploring light with babies

    9 ideas for exploring light with babies

    1. Shadow Play: Use a torch or a lamp to create different shapes and shadows on a wall or ceiling. Encourage babies to reach out and touch the shadows, fostering their visual tracking skills. 2. Light Box Exploration: Place various translucent objects, such as coloured blocks or plastic animals, on a light table or a clear plastic container with a...
  2. Light as a loose part

    Light as a loose part

    Loose parts play has gained significant recognition for its ability to foster creativity, problem-solving skills, and imagination. While loose parts traditionally include objects like blocks, sticks, and shells, one often overlooked yet incredibly versatile loose part is light. Incorporating light as a loose part in early years settings can unlock a world of possibilities for children's exploration.  Light, as a...
  3. The Benefits of Light Play

    The Benefits of Light Play

    Whether it's exploring shadows, experimenting with colours, or engaging in sensory experiences, light play offers a multitude of benefits that foster cognitive, emotional, and physical development. In this blog post, we will delve into the captivating world of light play and shed light on its numerous advantages for children in the early years. 1. Stimulating Sensory Development It provides an...
  4. 10 Maths Challenges that Uses Cones- Juliet Robertson

    10 Maths Challenges that Uses Cones- Juliet Robertson

    By Creative STAR Cones are a wonderful resource yet are often overshadowed by the sleekness of sticks and the smoothness of stones. So this post is written in honour of the cone and its mathematical versatility and diversity. I am grateful for the gifts of intrigue and interest provided by these remarkable seed keepers. Cones can be collected sustainably from woods...
  5. 7 Conker Games and Advice

    7 Conker Games and Advice

    By CreativeSTAR Around my home town, there are some horse chestnut trees which always have a good supply of conkers. They are a much sought after fruit with children looking for and commenting on the availability of the conkers. I now plot some of my walks to pass these trees at this time of year. Conkers hide themselves remarkably well...
  6. Back to School – 10 Things You Need to Find Out

    Back to School – 10 Things You Need to Find Out

    Written by Creative STAR Going back to school after the holidays is always exciting. If you are getting a new class, then often the first few days are spent on introductory activities which help everyone get to know a bit more about each other. One activity I often used to do was, “Twenty Things You Need To Find Out.” The...
  7. From Reflections into Symmetry Outdoors

    From Reflections into Symmetry Outdoors

    Written by Creative STAR Investigating reflections is one way into symmetry and can be linked to scientific and artistic explorations. Back in the outdoor space, more specific experiences can be provided for young children based upon their own discoveries in play. Various reflective surfaces can be created or found. If an outdoor space is being developed think about making symmetrical...
  8. Open- Ended Play

    Open- Ended Play

    It can be really difficult to step away from over planning for children’s experiences, but open-ended resources are the key to reducing workload whilst enhancing learning. Here are 10 reasons why you need to start embracing open-ended play.  Open-ended play encourages creativity, it allows children to use their imagination and come up with their own ideas and solutions. For example...
  9. 10+ Useful Little Bits and Pieces to Support Loose Parts Play

    10+ Useful Little Bits and Pieces to Support Loose Parts Play

    written by Creative STAR Many years ago years ago, I started blogging about accessories that make a difference to facilitating learning and play outdoors. I was participating in a twilight workshop and one of the participants made a sage comment along the lines of being perfectly comfortable knowing her literacy and maths outside but lacking the practical know-how about outdoor...
  10. Schema Baskets

    Schema Baskets

    A really simple idea to encourage or extend schema play is to provide schema baskets. Creating these baskets is effective because they take up little space in your environment, can be easily changed and reignites children’s curiosity as resources are displayed and arranged in new ways. Shop Our Wicker Baskets Schema baskets are similar to treasure baskets in that you...

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