The 50 Fantastic Ideas series is packed full of fun, original, skills-based activities for Early Years practitioners to use with children aged 0-5. Each activity features step-by-step guidance, a list of resources, and a detailed explanation of the skills children will learn. Creative, simple, and highly effective, this series is a must-have for every Early Years setting. Messy play is at the heart of the early years curriculum, supporting creativity and imagination, and giving children opportunities to experiment with tactile materials. This book offers 50 ideas for using natural resources, simple household items and recycled resources for low cost inspiration. Practitioners and teachers in the early years are always looking for new ideas for messy and 'hands-on' play, and this book will give children many opportunities for exploration and investigation through sensory play.

What are schemas and why do they matter? Again! Again! provides an introduction to understanding and supporting schemas and schema play in young children. Practitioners will find an overview of schemas with guidance on where they fit within the EYFS. There are examples of schemas, with illustrations and descriptions of common behaviour patterns, and these are set within the general context of child development. The intention is to help early years practitioners identify schemas and to understand both how important they are and the vital role they play in the growing child's learning. The aim is to help the reader understand how they can develop, plan and resource activities which support children's learning through experiment and play.

_______________ The 50 Fantastic Ideas series is packed full of fun, original, skills-based activities for Early Years practitioners to use with children aged 0-5. Each activity features step-by-step guidance, a list of resources, and a detailed explanation of the skills children will learn. Creative, simple, and highly effective, this series is a must-have for every Early Years setting. 50 Fantastic Ideas for Sharing and Playing introduces children to the concept of sharing and supports practitioners with lots of ideas for sharing through play. Sharing is an essential skill for children to learn and this simple text has activity ideas for both indoors and outdoors, helping children to share their talk and thoughts as well as their belongings. For young children and those children who are not used to sharing they need to be introduced to the concept in a meaningful way, which is going to make them willing to share, as they are keen to achieve the ultimate reward. The best way to do this is through play. Children are far more likely to able to apply what they have learnt about sharing through a real play experience than they are to apply the morals of a sharing story to their every day life and ultimately shows children that sharing can help them to achieve their goals.

Independent learning and child-initiated activities are at the heart of early learning. With these principles in mind, practitioners are working hard to support independence and a 'can do' attitude and this book aims to support that work. The wealth of ideas will help you to develop an environment where independent learning is celebrated and where children take responsibility for planning and organising their own activities. Hundreds of ways you can support independent learning are outlined, including an ICT strand running throughout to ensure an up-to-date approach to the range of experiences you are offering. Case studies in each chapter highlight how to implement good practice in your setting.

Developing fine motor skills is a key feature in learning to read and write. Many children need additional help to develop these skills in the Early Years Foundation Stage, and The Little Book of Fine Motor Skills gives you lots of ideas for interesting activities focused on hand/eye coordination and refining the movements of arms and hands. Like all the other books in the Little Book series, this book presents appropriate and enjoyable activities in a simple format, which would enable the most inexperienced practitioners to plan and deliver the curriculum against clear objectives.

The 50 Fantastic Ideas series is packed full of fun, original, skills-based activities for Early Years practitioners to use with children aged 0-5. Each activity features step-by-step guidance, a list of resources, and a detailed explanation of the skills children will learn. Creative, simple, and highly effective, this series is a must-have for every Early Years setting. Exploring and investigating familiar objects and places gives children real experiences to think, plan and get involved in both indoors and outside. This book gives a variety of ideas for investigations, some of which will extend far beyond the simple initial starting points. Simple observations can turn into early science, technology and creative thinking. Using familiar and easily found objects, the investigations will involve and encourage children to develop these thoughts.

You can grow something in every setting! This book helps you to offer the magic of plants and flowers even in the most difficult situations. Seeds, pips, stones and cuttings are all explored, and there are suggestions for hanging baskets, window boxes and growing your own food.