Category: Early Learning

Articles on early childhood education

Learning at home – Fine and gross motor skills & problem solving

Looking for ideas that support children’s development of motor skills and problem-solving in your home environment? You don’t need fancy equipment or resources to do this, you will be surprised to learn that most of these ideas can be offered with minimal preparation. Ideas for gross motor skill development Throwing and or kicking balls in a bucket, hula hoop or...

/ March 30, 2020

Encouraging a Sense of Wonder while Keeping our Distance: This is the Time to Connect to Nature

During this global pandemic crisis, staying connected is a challenge. With so many of us being asked to socially isolate – to keep our distance, we look to new technologies to maintain relationships. In these uncertain times, it is more important than ever to stay connected. I recently wrote a blog post, Early Childhood Education: Making Sense of our Life’s Course,...

/ March 24, 2020

Coronavirus – Strategies and Resources for Educators

Times of stress are difficult for children, parents, educators and business owners/operators. It’s important that we stay connected and care for each other as best we can during this time, especially supporting those isolated by COVID19. The strength of relationships and community will be a big influence in supporting people’s mental and physical health in the weeks/months ahead and ensure...

/ March 17, 2020

You do not fit the child into the theory

The word theory has its roots in ancient Greek, basically meaning a view, a notion or contemplation.  In the domain of early childhood education, theories are the overarching ideas that influence our pedagogical practices, and each theory or theorist has a perspective that has generally evolved over long periods of time.  Iterative in nature, theories are often contributed to and...

/ September 12, 2019

Leading Children in Practicing Citizenship

A teacher’s governing role serves as the foundation of their student’s experimental learning in the room. Styles can range from traditional authority, which is about obeying and not questioning rules. It can be adult-driven rather than child-centred. Democratic leadership involves participation, respects its students’ opinions, increases cooperation and gives instruction only after consulting with the group. You may find that...

/ August 2, 2019
child using camera

Documentation and the image of the child through a Reggio lens

When the term documentation is discussed amongst early childhood educators there is often a feeling of fear…a pause in time where professionals stop and hold their breath, the angst of the topic written clearly all over their face. What feeds this feeling in professionals and can we find some grounding through exploring the Reggio way of documentation? Looking abroad The...

/ February 14, 2019

Discussions with Dr Edward Melhuish

We are extremely fortunate at Storypark to have the support and guidance of some of the worlds leading experts on child development and early childhood education. One of our advisors is Dr Edward Melhuish. Professor of Human Development at the University of Oxford, Dr Melhuish has been involved in studies that have contributed to the formulation of social policy in the...

/ February 13, 2019

The assumptions, theories and practicalities of room leadership in ECE

Many early learning services operate with various leadership structures that are purposefully designed to help meet certain expectations and benchmarks set forth in quality area seven of the national quality standard. Whilst the process of a leadership structure supports educators to participate as members of a professional team, the realistic practices that are involved in the role of being a...

/ January 29, 2019
child laying in blanket

Self soothing

When you have a child who doesn’t sleep – the words “self-soothe” can make you break into a cold sweat. As the months went on and on and on and my youngest child continued to not sleep, and not sleep – and I went quite mad – I felt like all I ever heard was those two irritating words. He...

/ January 15, 2019

You can hear him in his dancing

I remember the first time someone said: “what’s wrong with your son”. I think my face, turning white, then splotchy red with anger, told him that what he’d said was not the right thing to say. “I just mean…” he said, ignoring my body language, shoulders already carrying me away from him. “Why does he make that noise? How old...

/ December 6, 2018