Mud play – why you don’t need a mud kitchen
Mud is possibly one of the most versatile resources your child can play with – and it’s free! As daunting as the prospect of adding mud to play can feel, it is also fun for grown-ups to get stuck in – even Dolly Parton sang the praises of mud at Glastonbury, getting her fans to chant along with her, “We can’t get enough of the music and the mud!”
Turn-taking, resilience and relationships - child development at the park
Outdoor play can provide many rich learning opportunities for young children. It can include places to explore, new experiences and can help in the development of many skills, including social and emotional development.
Outdoor play and creative development
The great outdoors is one of the best resources for developing creative play in young children. There are many areas outdoors that can be explored with your child, including your very own back garden!
Ten books that can be enjoyed outdoors
Here at My First Five Years, we are book obsessed and we know that you as parents love to read to your children, but sometimes find it difficult to buy books they will love. Therefore, in this blog post we are going to be exploring books that you and your child can enjoy reading outside.
Up and down! Supporting your child’s sensory development on a hill
Going outside with your baby or child gives them the chance to explore the world in a different way, they can move more, notice changes in weather and see, hear and touch things that they won’t find inside. Playing on a hill provides a particular challenge and a unique set of experiences, in this blog we will focus on the opportunities presented for supporting sensory development.
Planting, digging and talking - language development in the garden
Whether you have a big garden, a small garden or no garden at all, doing some planting and digging together can be a great way to support your child’s language development. In this blog, we will explore a little more about how getting outside and gardening can give you opportunities to chat and support your child’s language development.
Leaves, sticks, fingers and toes - developing fine motor skills in the woods
What are our fine motor skills?
How to foster a love of the outdoors in the first year
The benefits of spending time in the great outdoors are not limited to adults or children. They also extend to new parents and babies. Taking a baby on outdoor adventures may sound crazy or overwhelming, but even small amounts of time spent outdoors will be wonderful for you, and your baby’s health, mood, and spirit.
Freedom, movement and space - gross motor development in a field
There is nothing quite like being in the fresh air. There are so many proven benefits to being outdoors, whatever the weather.
"Splish, splash" - learning and exploring by the stream
The great outdoors is a fantastic learning resource for young children, which can help them learn across many areas of their development. Water is a great tool to help with development and discoveries in many aspects of learning, including cognitive development.
