early years

Books really are a fantastic resource, aren't they?! We love how they can be used in many ways to promote learning and development in a child-friendly way. With educators thinking ahead to the start of the new school year, it's a good time to focus on the power of books in helping children to navigate the transition as they start...

A Mud Kitchen is a must in an early years setting. Children love to create their own dishes with natural treasures, such as mud, flowers, herbs, stones and sticks. Add recipe cards and create an area where children can be engaged and involved in their play for a long period of time. With an array of mud kitchens to choose...

We know that reading helps pupils to develop culturally, emotionally, intellectually and socially. We also know that phonics is a key element in helping children to become successful readers. Phonics is a method that helps children decode words using phonemes. Before we get to the fun part, let’s cover some basic terminology. Phonics outdoors Phonics - Phonics teaches children to listen...

What are they and why are they important? Pre-writing patterns bridge mark-making and letter formation. They take children from more free movement in their mark-making to more controlled movements and movements which mimic the strokes required for writing letters later on down the line. When should they be introduced? Ideally when a child is beginning to show some control over...

Sand and water play are vital sensory experiences for early years and beyond. They lend themselves well to the hands on learning style which appeals to most children. The learning potential is huge but these areas of provision can sometimes needs a little inspiration. We hope that the ideas in this blog will inspire you with your sand and water...

Small world play is a valuable element of an enabling environment in the Early Years and beyond. This type of play is exactly as described – play on a small scale which represents particular scenarios or environments. These play experiences can be set up in tuff spots, on cable reels, under a tree, on a table, in a suitcase…the limits...

Create a natural classroom both inside and out with these ideas for creating a natural classroom - from resources to furniture. From Hessian fabric for display, through to loose parts, natural construction, cosy wicker reading or den pods and furniture - let us inspire you. Cosy and Natural is what we do best Your natural classrooms A wicker Arch...

Autumn is a lovely time to read to children and talk about nature. There is so much to learn about the seasons and the very visible changes that occur all around us. We know that so many of you use books in your setups and we get tagged in so many wonderful ideas that we felt it would be great...

If you go down to the woods today, you’re in for a big surprise! This week at Cosy we are thinking all things forest school - and not just about the joy of getting muddy. We think learning is at its best when incorporated into a variety of fun and exciting activities. We’re here today to chat about our favourite...

Autumn is a special time of year and with lots to discover, play with and learn about. Seasons, falling leaves, conkers and lots of natural loose part treasures to collect on your autumn walks. Crates make great locations for setting up areas for children to discover. Crates can be packed up and taken outdoors too. We have gathered some of...