About Kathy Brodie

Introduction Have you ever watched a child turn a cardboard box into a spaceship? Or seen a group of children create an entire world using just sticks and leaves? That’s the magic of loose parts play. Loose parts play is a simple yet powerful approach to early years education that can spark creativity, encourage problem-solving,…

In the world of early years education, Sustained Shared Thinking (SST) has emerged as a powerful tool for fostering children’s learning and development. But what exactly is SST, and how can it be effectively implemented in nursery settings? SST is an educational technique that involves adults and children working together to explore ideas, solve problems,…

I’m delighted to share with you this post on Must-Have Toys this Christmas from Amanda Gummer and the team at the Good Play Guide. Christmas is just around the corner and the shops are already full of Christmas toys and treats! With just over one month to go until the main event, you are likely…

The first months and years of a child’s life are critical for healthy development, which is why I was so excited to speak with two experts on the neuroscience of early childhood. Deborah McNelis and Nathan Wallace shared fascinating research on how baby brains grow and practical tips to provide the responsive care little ones…

Speech and language development in young children is crucial for their overall cognitive and social development, and what better way to develop it than through natural materials in our settings? Natural materials, such as wooden blocks, shells, leaves, sticks and pebbles, provide a wealth of opportunities for children to explore and engage with the world…

Guest blog post by Des Forrest Looking after our bodies and oral hygiene has always been a priority within our nursery and we have worked hard to bring it to the forefront of our parent’s minds, by sending home newsletters, posters and NHS information as well as having face to face discussions and encouraging dental…

Guest post by Helen BattelleyWe only need to stop and observe young children to see how movement is embedded within the very core of all early childhood development. Physical activity broadens our capacity to grow and is essential to a child’s optimal development.However, living in a global pandemic has changed the way children access movement…

Guest post by Marina Robb, The Outdoor TeacherThe more that time goes on, the more I value nature as a third teacher!There is this dynamic when we work outdoors with someone else, that is influenced by the context of nature – the three aspects being: the adult practitioners, the client or ‘young person/s’ and the…

“I would have a workshop attached to every school, and one hour a day given up to the teaching of simple decorative arts. It would be a golden hour to the children”. Oscar Wilde (first spoken on May 11, 1882 probably*) Almost 140 years ago, Oscar Wilde understood that art and the appreciation of practical…

When I was just starting out as an Early Years consultant, I knew that I needed to let nurseries know what training I could offer and how I could help them. Bearing in mind that was well over a decade ago, when social media was in its infancy, this was trickier than it sounds now.…

A guest post by Verity Downing (MEd Open) – Master of Education Qualified Early Years Practitioner and Independent Academic   Within this reflective opinion piece, I refer to ‘female students’ and ‘girls’ and ‘male students’ and ‘boys’ as a matter of reflecting the phrases used in the government data, although, I respectfully acknowledge that gender…

Growing up, we lived in the countryside – right out in the countryside. For us, part of normal school life was getting the bus into school, right from Reception age to school leaving age. This was the case for more or less every child from every surrounding village. The bus would weave from place to…

I used to think that there was nothing better than a children’s book with great illustrations and a compelling story. Last week I discovered that a book with great illustrations, a delightful story, set in nature, including facts for discussion AND links to schematic play, is even better! The book is called Swirl by Swirl:…

Quality Story Books for the Foundation Stage reflecting positive images for all By Fiona Greenwood I was delighted to be contacted by Fiona to tell me that she’d been inspired by Kala Williams’s Early Years TV interview. Here’s what happened: After watching Kala Williams on Early Years TV I became painfully aware of how few…

Five Fantastic Faeces Facts. (5 minute read, just for laughs) by Jungle Jo Yes that’s right, I’m going to talk about poop. Some of you may find it a bit disgusting and others like me chuckle about it. I’m surrounded by it every day with my animals and children so to do my job I…

I had the enormous pleasure of interviewing TEDx speaker and author Dr Brynn Welch on the last Early Years Summit. Dr Welch’s particular research interest is diversity in young children’s literature and having books where children can ‘see themselves’. It’s something she cares passionately about – so much so that she wrote her own book…

Penny Tassoni MBE is very well-known for her textbooks for Early Years practitioners and educators because she knows how to explain difficult concepts in a very approachable and accessible way. She has now applied this same skill to an informative and useful set of picture books for children, covering sharing, making friends, tidy up time…

In the weeks, months and sometimes years after an Early Years Summit, I meet enthusiastic people who say “after watching the Summit, we implemented….” or I’ll get emails with pictures showing the changes as discussed in the Summit and how the children have benefitted. I love these interactions because there is always a judgement call…

When Jo Wilson from AquaSensory first contacted me, I was a little bemused as to how swimming lessons could be relevant to an Early Years setting. However, once I got talking to Jo, I realised there are lots of things we can transfer from the way AquaSensory is taught and the way we use resources…

I had the great pleasure of interviewing Chanie Wilschanski again last week. This time we were discussing the sorts of things that headteachers, managers and administrators need to think about before the start of a new school year. One of the many things that I love about talking with Chanie is that she has actually…

It is becoming more and more important to understand children’s mental health. It is too easy to assume that children have no worries because they don’t need to pay bills, go to work or care for others. The statistics are alarming. For example, one in eighteen (5.5%) preschool children have been identified with at least…

Babies are fascinating. They learn so much, so quickly and absorb their surrounding environment with all their senses. As parents, practitioners or educators, one of our responsibilities is to ensure the environment is suitable, stimulating and accessible for children. However, this can mean very different things to different people. For example, a stimulating environment may…

I really love the idea of family grouping or mixed age groups in a setting. It happens naturally in settings where there is limited space for segregation, such as in a community centre or in a church hall. I have been lucky enough to see this in several settings and seen some great advantages. For…

I first interviewed Kim Hunter for the Summit on Leading Practitioners. At her inspirational setting, children spend their time outdoors in mixed-age groups, enjoying a beautiful natural setting. In this interview for Early Years TV, I wanted to explore some concepts that Kim has been researching since the Summit, namely the ‘Fear and Love Spectrum’.…

One of the things that young children need to learn as they grow up is the concept of ‘Theory of Mind’. This is understanding that other people or children will have different opinions, thoughts, experiences, beliefs, imagination and perceptions than our own. Robert Seyfarth explains a classic ‘Theory of Mind’ experiment in this Youtube video…

What do you think of when someone mentions ‘risky play’? Maybe it’s “We used to go out to play by ourselves and had to be back by tea-time”. Or maybe you think about the rope swing in the big tree or the time you went so fast down the slope on your bike that you…

In this blog post, I asked Sharon Skade what had motivated her to set up ‘Early Years Physical Development Champions’ and what the benefits for children are. You can find out more on Sharon’s FB group: @EarlyYearsPhysicalDevelopmentChampions and you’ll find lots of interesting posts, articles, links and advice on her Twitter feed here: twitter.com/GMUnder5s You can…

The past few weeks seem to be dominated by food thoughts. First of all, I had interviewed Deb Blakley, Australian Accredited Practising Dietitian, Nutritionist and mum – who created Kids Dig Food in 2012. We discussed food, children’s body image and the type of eating experiences that children have in our settings. It’s so important…

Pebbles Childcare was the first winner of the brand new category ‘Childminding Business of The Year’ at the Nursery World Awards 2018. Bridgit Brown has built up this childminding business, based in Worthing, West Sussex, over the last 3 years, drawing on her 20 years of childcare experience in a huge range of settings. I…

I’m very excited to announce that the Early Years Summit has had a bit of a make-over. The Early Years Summits are free, regular, online conferences. Twice yearly a group of experts and specialists share their knowledge, research, expertise, and enthusiasm with the world. These have had themes such as  Quality Interactions; Personal, Social and…

Being outdoors with the children has a huge range of benefits, but sometimes thinking of a new activity or how to improve that small, disused corner can be a challenge. Luckily, there is now a book that meets that challenge! 50 Fantastic ideas for nursery gardens is a full-colour book, with ideas that are presented…

I’m really pleased to be able to announce my exciting new venture: Early Years TV. Over the last few months we’ve been beavering away behind the scenes to create what I hope will be a wonderful resource for professional development for all Early Years practitioners and educators. It’s a weekly “TV show” where I interview…

An enabling environment is one that provides children with appropriate challenges, allows them to explore freely and has plenty of sensory stimulation. Getting the environment right for children will support their holistic development – their all-around, integrated learning and development. In this article, which was published in Teach Early Years, I’ve given you tips in…

The age from birth to three is an explosion of development and learning for young children. From being totally dependent on parents and carers for their every need to becoming independent children, with unique personalities, complex language skills and physical abilities, children learn it all in an incredibly short time. This does not happen in a…

Here in the UK, it is now turning cold and the first snows are falling. It’s tantalisingly close to our house – I’ve seen cars going by with snow on the roof – but so far we’ve only had frost. I love the snow for the way that it transforms the whole landscape, deadening noise…

It is now well and truly autumn in the UK. The nights are drawing in and there is a definite chill to the air. Over the weekend I started to ‘put the garden to bed’ – clearing up the leaves, cutting back the raspberry canes and picking the last of the dahlia. By the time…

Superhero play is ever present in most settings, but it can be difficult to accommodate or ensure that learning is taking place. However, this new book from Nicky Simmons and Ginny Morris, can really help to identify learning. Usefully linked to the EYFS, ‘Enhancing Provision Through Superheroes’ is arranged into the areas of provision, from…

The Autumn Summit 2017 is now over but that is no reason to stop your professional development! So, I’d like to share some of the great content that our Autumn 2017 Summit speakers have created, from viral blogs to fascinating and fun videos, they are all here, for free, so you can continue your professional…

One of the workshops that I attended at the Men in The Early Years (MITEY) Conference in Bradford was run by Jeremy Davies from the Fatherhood Institute and centred around recruiting men into the early years’ sector. Early on in the workshop, Jeremy asked a very interesting question, which set the pace for the workshop…

I was delighted to be able to catch up with Mine Conkbayir at the Childcare Expo in Manchester. It was the first time we had met in person, although I had previously interviewed Mine for the Spring 2017 Summit. On the Summit, Mine had explained to me how neuroscience can support children’s personal, social and…

I had the great pleasure of attending the second Men in The Early Years (MiTEY) Conference in Bradford this week. There were so many great people – the first two people I met when I arrived were the amazing dynamo who is Nathan Archer and the man who started the Men in The Early Years…

Today is ‘National Simultaneous Storytime 2017’ in Australia, where all over the country children will be reading The Cow Tripped Over the Moon, written by Tony Wilson and illustrated by Laura Wood. Linked with the fact that May is National Share a Story month which has the theme of ‘Picture a Story’ all about the…

The month of May is National Share a Story month. For 2017 the theme is ‘Picture a Story’, encouraging children to look at illustrations and pictures in books. This is part of the Federation of Children’s Book Groups (FCBG) aim of bringing children and stories together. It reminded me of a visit that I had…

In today’s guest post, Mrs M. explores the world of sensory processing. For many of us, we assume that others experience the world in the same way that we do – lavender is a calming smell, it is pleasant to have soft music playing in the background and the smell of bacon frying makes your…

Dr John Siraj-Blatchford is a well-known name in Early Childhood research and a staunch advocate for improving the outcomes for young children. I have read a lot of his writing, but one article caught my eye when preparing the Early Years Summit – Wellbeing and Sustainable Development. Co-authored with Lynette Brock – a passionate supporter…

Eamon is an award winning, international early years educator. Although only in his early twenties, he has worked in America and Germany, as well as having significant experience in his home town, Dublin. His international experience and highly diverse experiences in Ireland make for an interesting narrative. Enjoy! Eamon’s Twitter:@Eamond44 You can find out more…

It seems particularly apt to have a post from Mrs M. about the different faces of anxiety in January, as this month is often linked with the Janus, the Roman God of war and peace or the beginning and end of conflict. In this guest blog, Mrs M. describes how we can recognise the signs…

Artist and qualified teacher, David Veron invented a creative construction toy for his wife’s daycare nursery in 2015. Realising its potential he offered it to nurseries and schools near his hometown of Otley in Yorkshire. By the start of the second year began exporting across Europe and as far away as The Falkland Islands. The…

I am super excited to tell you that Mrs M. has written a special Festive blog for us, full of her usual great practical advice and top tips. I love Mrs M’s writing because I can really relate to it (I get a wiggly tummy sometimes too!) and it always makes me smile, but most…

I love reading about the different perspectives and pedagogical approaches to young children’s play, learning and development. It is fascinating to me that different people can view the same scene of children playing, but be able to analyse this in many, many different ways. The more you reflect on different types of pedagogy, the greater…

Kim Benham is an incredibly reflective practitioner, as evidenced by her Twitter feed and attendances at events. I can also personally attest to this as we have corresponded often on prevailing Early Years issues or thoughts arising from a blog post. During one of these exchanges, Kim mentioned her past as a paediatric nurse -…

I’ve been doing research this week on mathematical development in the Early Years, which has produced three very interesting revelations for me and how I’ve always perceived mathematical development. First of all, let me say that I was a little sad when the EYFS moved away from ‘Problem Solving, reasoning and numeracy (PSRN)’ back to…

Guest Post By Ursula Krystek-Walton Regional Early Years Manager At Bertram Nursery Group, we have always known how important it is to promote physical development as a way of supporting children’s healthy growth; both physically and mentally, and the need for regular movement as an obvious means to keep fit, support children’s wellbeing, build their…

It’s been a busy weekend. On Saturday morning, I had the great pleasure of attending the North West ‘Ofsted Big Conversation’ (or obc), along with 499 other people. This is an opportunity for Ofsted to present their latest priorities and also for Ofsted to listen to the concerns and priorities of the Early Years sector.…

Kris Nimbley is studying for his BA (Hons) in Childhood Studies in Scotland and we started corresponding when he downloaded his free copy of the observation guidelines. We then ‘bumped into’ each other on Twitter – and the conversations haven’t stopped since! Kris has a very clear vision of how he would like to see…

I was introduced to Mine Conkbayir when she contacted me about neuroscience informing early years practice, which I think is such an exciting, and growing, area of study. So I was very enthusiastic when she offered to do a guest post on this subject. Here she discusses how neuroscience can add another dimension to our understanding of child…

Greg Lane has worked at several different settings, working his way up to manager at Colville Nursery Centre, Notting Hill, a LEYF nursery. In this podcast he discusses the next stage in his career – an MA in Applied Theatre, which sounds amazing! During the podcast we touch on the current recruitment crisis in Early…

The Stockport Early Years Network had the great pleasure of visiting the ‘Wacky Woods’ near Bollington in Cheshire last week, with Alex. This is part the Schola Foris curriculum – ‘a fun, challenging but safe outdoor environment where creative play and learning can take place naturally’. We went ostensibly to find out about the way that…

Mrs M continues her blog series with advice on working in a classroom with a child who has autism. She has enormous personal experience, which you will see shining through in the post, as well as very practical advice. Please do share any top tips that you have as well! – Kathy Mrs M. writes: Before…

I was reminded last week just how clever, adaptive and creative children actually are. Let me start at the beginning. In schools all over England, young children (and some VERY young children) are being given words to remember, spell and write. They are then tested on these and measured against a set of standards. Now,…

Nige Graven is an Outstanding Childminder, based in Knutsford, Cheshire with his wife Sarah Neville. In this podcast Nige explains how he came into childminding and some of his experiences whilst looking after children. We discuss the increasing lack of support for childminders and Nige tells one of his trade-mark jokes! Find the Knutsford Childminding…

For some reason in the last few weeks I have either been doing lots of work with, or talking to, practitioners working in ‘packaway’ settings. These are settings that have to be packed into boxes and cupboards at the end of each day or each session, usually so the room or space can be used…

I was very excited to hear that Michael Jones (well-known for his prowess in the speech and language world, via his blog Talk4Meaning) had a new book out about mark making and early writing – called On Your Marks! This is a very different book to his other writing, as it is an activity filled,…

I’m delighted to announce that Mrs M (author of A Slice of Autism: What’s normal anyway?) is starting a new series of blogs for me here. The first one focuses on behaviour, particularly with respect to school and parent partnership. You’ll find plenty of sensible, reliable advice, written in Mrs M’s very enjoyable style. *******************…

Jose Cortinas has worked for a number of childcare settings and this experience means he has lots of good advice for those of you who are thinking of joining the Early Years sector. Hear about Jose’s college experience, some of his challenges and the benefits of working for a large organisation such as London Early…

Spring is certainly in the air now. My poor daffodils have coped with snow, gales and hailstones – but have come out the other side bright and sunny. It is a time of year for marvelling at nature and giving thanks in many ways, so Mrs M.’s blog this month is suitably Spring-like. You’ll she…

An interesting and sensible report was issued this week by Save the Children, entitled ‘Lighting up Young Brains’. In this report the authors state one clear and unequivocal priority for Government: For every nursery in England to be led by an early years teacher by 2020. This is based on previous research (EPPE) and on newly…

This week the House of commons will be debating Autism Diagnosis Waiting Time (for details see here), so it seemed very fitting that Mrs M. should share with us her journey as a mum, waiting for a diagnosis. I thinks she shares some very good advice here and, as ever, gives a moving and valuable insight into…

I’ve followed Michael Jones’s blogs ‘Talk4Meaning’ for a number of years, for three very simple reasons: They always have sound advice, based on Michael’s vast knowledge They make me stop and think about the ‘obvious’ They are fun, filled with music videos, reminiscences and stories. So, when Michael mentioned to me that he had a book…

This is the next in the series of blog posts from Mrs M, about her life as a mum of a son with autism. She has been sharing some of the roller coaster of emotions that happen behind the closed doors of family life. This month Mrs M shares her feelings about her playground experiences.…

It was my great pleasure to attend the Cheshire East Early Years Teacher Network meeting this week. We were welcomed into the New Life Nursery in Congleton to find out all about their Story Café. Now, I’ve read about story cafés. They are an excellent parent partnership idea, where parents can come along with their…

Keeping up to date with changes in legislation, practice and pedagogy can be a real headache, especially when there is so much information on the internet. I find that subscribing to some key sites (for free) helps to keep me in the know and ensures my practice is current. Here I’ve listed some of my…

Paul Clarke is both an experienced nursery practitioner and babysitter. In this podcast, he explains his particular interest in promoting sport with the young children in his care, especially football. It is something he is keen to expand on in his local area which is useful as the setting he works at, Woodhouse Day Nursery in…

Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) is fundamental for young children’s learning and development. It is for this reason that the 2016 EYP/T Development Day has the focus of ‘Healthy Child, Happy Child’.However, it would appear that this message is not clear to everyone. I was recently talking to a friend about her child’s experiences…

Schematic play is fascinating to watch and can be a very informative way of analysing children’s thinking. I have written previously about the mixed feelings some practitioners have about schemas – find the blog post here – but schematic play is now identified in the EYFS and can be a powerful learning process for young children. For…

I am very proud and pleased to present the third in the series of guest blog posts, written by Mrs M, who writes ‘A Slice of Autism’. I am publishing these once a month. This month Mrs M gives us some very practical ideas for how to support children with autism in the classroom. These do not need…

How many senses do we have? Five, right? – touch, taste, sight, hearing and smell. However, if you talk to an occupational therapist, you’ll find at least an extra two – vestibular and proprioception – which are vital that you know about. The vestibular sense is so named because it is sensed in the ‘vestibulum’…

I am very proud and pleased to present the second in the series of guest blog posts, written by Mrs M, who writes ‘A Slice of Autism’. These will be published once a month. The first blog ‘The Delayed Effect’ had a massive response, with many readers saying how they could relate to the blog. This month…

The 21st of October 2015 is a significant date for many of us who watched Sci-fi films in the late 1980s. It is the date of the future in the film ‘Back to the Future 2’ that Marty McFly (played by Michael J. Fox) goes forward to, and is amazed by, the way the world…

I’m beginning to wonder if the government has forgotten the original purpose of schools. First schools were able (expected?) to offer care and education for two year olds onwards to tackle the childcare ‘crisis’ (one news report here) so parents could leave toddlers during the ‘working day’. Now comes the latest news from Nicky Morgan,…

You will probably know the name ‘Marmot’ from the Marmot Review (see Review Roundup here) published in 2010 and from a previous blog post of mine entitled ‘Leading scientist affirms importance of Early Years’. Sir Michael Marmot has been publishing again, and this is an incredibly powerful book with a deceptively simple message, summed up…

I am very proud and pleased to present the first of a series of guest blog posts, written by Mrs M, who writes ‘A Slice of Autism’. This will be a series of articles about being the mum of a child with autism. They are ‘warts and all’ accounts, often very personal and always very…

I often get asked about children’s behaviour. It is a massive topic, with many facets. However, I would always start from the perspective that all behaviour, good or unacceptable, is a form of communication. It is how we, as practitioners and adults, respond to that communication that makes all the difference. The Webster Stratton method…

In November 2008 I wrote about the purpose, and importance, of EYP Networks (you can find the original post here). Since then we have seen many changes. The Government have changed, over 15,000 people with the Status this time last year (National College for Teaching and Leadership statistics) and the Status has been renamed Early…

This week my subscriber list broke through the one thousand mark, which made me sit back and reflect for a moment. That’s an awful lot of people! When subscribers sign up, I send them an email, just asking for their most pressing issues and finding out a bit about their concerns and achievements. I will…

When my son was only four, almost five, we saw a shrub full of spiders webs. It had been raining the night before and every tiny web glistened with bright drops of rain. He was fascinated with this and we stopped for a long time, amazed at the different shapes and patterns that the webs…

I had the great pleasure of chatting with Sid last week. He started his working life in a very different sector, as well as studying in a different country. Hear how he found his children have developed his practice and the experiences he has had as a male practitioner. Sid has some great advice to…

When Keith Savage and I were initially approached to write a book on Inclusion in the Early Years sector, the first thing we discussed was how to manage such an enormous topic. How could you possibly cover all facets of such a complex and emotive subject? There were two things we agreed on immediately -…

I stumbled across the House of Lords TV feed totally by accident (via Twitter – the power of having social media!). It is a fascinating process to watch and listen to – and very, very encouraging. The first debate I watched was on the 16th June, which was the second reading of the Childcare Bill…

I am incredibly delighted and excited to have as my guest blogger this week Rebecca McIntosh, from Brisbane, Australia. We started comparing notes about childcare in England and Australia some time ago – and found some fascinating differences as well as some similarities. Here Rebecca gives us a history of Australian childcare. It is a…

I love dens. Always have – as a child I would spend hours in the garden with my brother and sister, collecting large branches, reeds, planks of wood – anything to make a den with. I think the joy was being able to create something from nothing. (I also suspect that I had an enclosure…

Exclusive Bonus: Click here to download my Observations Guidelines covering the 12 Key Observation methods for Early Years Practitioners (click to download). Observing children is one of the great joys of being an Early Years practitioner. For example, watching those first steps, hearing how the children are picking up vocabulary (and making up their own…

In previous blogs, I have discussed two very useful techniques to support Sustained Shared Thinking – active listening and positive questioning. Having discussed some of the skills needed to achieve successful Sustained Shared Thinking, I thought it would be beneficial to step back a little to view the whole of the Key Person role, with…

Sustained Shared Thinking is the extended conversations between children and adults, or children and their peers. This will be encouraged by using Active Listening (see the blog here) coupled with Positive Questioning. Sometimes there is a great temptation to quiz children to find out what they know, how they are feeling and what they are thinking. However,…

An essential part of Sustained Shared Thinking is active listening. This important technique can be the difference between a brief conversation and an extremely valuable episode of Sustained Shared Thinking. Active listening with children is more than just hearing their words. It is a skill that needs to be practiced. The majority of the time we have a quiet, internal monologue…

I was out with my husband, having coffee, and when we got to the till, there was a little sign. It said “which do you prefer? Girl or boy?” and an arrow from each pointing to two tip jars. For some reason, this really niggled me. Tips according to your gender? Really? When we sat…

On Wednesday I had the enormous pleasure of visiting a fascinating company nestled in the skirts of Liverpool’s Catholic cathedral. I had met Mark in London before Christmas and he had been telling me about his office, which has a circus theme. Intrigued, I asked more “Well, we have a big top, a giraffe and hold our…

The world of the newborn: An accelerated learning machine  Part 1 of the Development Milestone Series by David Williams and his team at First Discoverers ‘There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream, The earth, and every common sight, To me did seem Apparelled in celestial light, The glory and the freshness of a…

Christopher has a very wide range of interests, from sleep expert to twin expert, with a special interest in the care and development of babies. Unsurprisingly, we talk a lot in the podcast about child development, the fascination of twins and, most importantly for me, the professionalism that is essential for quality care. One thing…

I am delighted to introduce Sharon, who is an energetic and dedicated advocate for children’s physical activity in all forms. She is great fun to be with, as you might guess from the title of her article here. She has some great advice on involving children AND their families, as well as some tried and…