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Read and Count With Me By the Sea
We planned something exciting during the Essex Year of Numbers! In Summer 2024, we worked in partnership with Essex Libraries, Active Essex, Essex Child and Family Wellbeing Service and Home-Start Harwich to bring you ‘Read and Count With Me By the Sea’ borrow bags. The bags included sea themed story books and a beach themed…
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Childcare Funding
Childcare funding and support available in Essex Funded Early Education Entitlement (FEEE) FEEE is for eligible working families from the term after a child turns 9-months-old until statutory school age. The number of FEEE hours that working families are eligible for depends on the age of their child and their circumstances. Currently, eligible working parents/carers…
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Dummies
Everything you need to know! Whether you call them dummies, soothers or pacifiers, there is lots of information available about how they can negatively impact a child’s development. We want to share some of this information to help you make an informed decision about how your child uses a dummy, and how to avoid later…
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Art in the Outside Environment
Out and about art! Nature has the very best materials for creating art! There are so many benefits to getting out in the fresh air with your child and searching for things to make an outdoor picture with. Your masterpiece can be big or small, an individual creation or a group activity. You can find all…
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Puzzle Play
Piece by piece! There’s lots of ways you can use this classic toy – in particular an inset puzzle – to build your child’ speech, language and communication skills! Puzzles also help to develop: Top tips:
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Bubble Play
The magic of bubbles! You don’t need to understand the science behind it to have fun marvelling at the sizes, colours and movement together! Top tips:
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Interaction and Communication
Making the most of playtime! Children have fun, explore their world and learn all through play. Playing together provides so many opportunities for developing communication skills too! Top tips:
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Using Gestures
Handy talk! Gestures and visual supports help to reinforce information that is given verbally during play or instructions. They can help your to child understand, make choices, know what to expect in a given situation, and learn new words. Top tips:
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Supporting Your Child’s Speech and Language Development
Your very own talking toolkit! It makes a huge difference when family members support their child’s speech, language and communication at home. In this recorded webinar we share how speech, language and communication develops, and how adults can support this development during everyday experiences. We share our Talk, Listen, Cuddle Top Ten Talking Tips – these…
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Language Focused Play
Working together with words! Language focused play is a part of the day when your child has your full attention, and gives them an opportunity to control their play without direction from an adult. By building this into your daily routine, you are able to fully focus on your child’s play and allow them to…
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Loose Parts Play
Building with bits and bobs! The idea of ‘loose parts’ has influenced child play experts and has allowed us to explore different ways children learn. Loose parts are materials that can be moved, carried, lined up, taken apart and put back together in multiple ways! Loose parts in the environment will empower the creativity and…
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Water Play
The wonders of water! Water is fascinating to children and is appropriate to all ages. Many children like playing with water whether it’s jumping in puddles, splashing in the sink when washing their hands, playing at bath time or having fun in a paddling pool! Water play can be a sociable occasion and exciting, or…
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Makaton
Say it, sign it! Makaton is a language programme made up of symbols and signs that accompany speech, and is shared with young children to support early speech and language development. Research shows us that using gestures and signs when we are talking and singing helps children with their understanding and to learn new words.…
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Rhyme Time Sacks
Research shows that children who know 8 nursery rhymes by heart at age 4, are likely to be more confident at spelling and reading by age 8! Singing nursery rhymes is a is a lovely activity to help bond with your baby, and later on, a great way of building your child’s vocabulary. A ‘rhyme…
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Interactive Books
Little readers, big adventures! Exploring books with your child at the earliest point helps develop their communication and language skills, for example – taking turns in a conversation, eye contact, listening and attention skills, and building vocabulary. Interactive books are books with flaps, tabs, feely materials, or sound panels. They are great for babies and…