Category Archives: Play

Life in the Sandpit

Posted on January 17, 2018 by suecowley

If you spend any length of time working in the early years sector, you start to get the feeling that you are not seen to be quite as intellectual or rational as those working in other phases. This doesn’t come … Continue reading →

Posted in Baseline, Bold Beginnings, Children, EYFS, Play | 10 Comments

Educating the Babies

Posted on June 9, 2016 by suecowley

It’s a funny thing, the Early Years Foundation Stage, because it runs from birth to five years old. It is the longest key stage of all. These are the halcyon days before the State insists that you must educate your … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Early Years, EYFS, Parents, Play | 3 Comments

Don’t Forget to Have Fun!

Posted on May 5, 2016 by suecowley

I’ve spent the last two days at the stunning St George’s Park, doing some sessions on creativity for the FA. It feels a bit weird to be saying that, but hey, go me! (#10%Braver @WomenEd) I was there to do some … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Creativity, Learning, Play | 2 Comments

Game On

Posted on December 20, 2015 by suecowley

We play a lot of games in our family, especially when we’re in Portugal. We do something called Games Day, where we commit to playing a series of games as a family. Outside there is swingball, table tennis, archery and … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Games, Learning, Play | 1 Comment

The Secret Forest Club

Posted on November 27, 2015 by suecowley

In what I feel is a beautiful synchronicity, I get to see the preschool children every week from my study window. All that work we have put into making Forest Club happen has come to fruition. The funding and the … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Early Years, Forest Club, Language, Learning, Play | 3 Comments

Knowledge: The First Five Years

Posted on February 17, 2015 by suecowley

When I was born I didn’t know much I knew how to scream And I knew how to touch. I didn’t know who All the big people were My eyes didn’t focus My world was a blur. But now five … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Knowledge, Learning, Play, Schools | 4 Comments

Sh – ee – p

Posted on October 16, 2014 by suecowley

J: Ssh … ssh … [he holds his finger to his lips] N: Why do we have to be quiet? Sue: Because we don’t want to wake the monster that lives under the ground. That’s our game. We’re playing together. … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Early Years, Play | 5 Comments

How (NOT) to Learn through Play

Posted on October 16, 2014 by suecowley

“Play: to engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose” According to Ofsted, this is what learning through play looks like. In the first video, the teacher presents the children with ready made police hats, … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Early Years, Play | 6 Comments

Early Years Play is …

Posted on August 9, 2014 by suecowley

It would be hard to overstate the importance of brilliant early years practitioners when using play to support children’s learning and development. Early years play is … * carefully structured to ensure conceptual development in all areas of the curriculum; … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Pedagogy, Play, Preschools, Teaching and learning | 5 Comments

Play is …

Posted on August 6, 2014 by suecowley

It would be hard to overstate the importance of play in children’s learning and development. Play is … * the way that children interact with and consequently learn about their world; * vital for developing language and acquiring new vocabulary; … Continue reading →

Posted in Children, Creativity, Early Years, Learning, Play, Preschools | 18 Comments