Understanding the World

Training

The government is providing a package of workforce training, support and guidance for the early years sector to aid staff and settings.

You can access free online training from the DfE on the Help for Early Years Providers pages. There's a section on understanding the world with videos and ideas to support play and development.

Comprehensive Museum of London materials to support learning using museums and galleries
Persona doll training - resources and information from this international organisation that promotes equality and inclusion and challenges discrimination in child-friendly ways
Amaze is a Brighton & Hove and Sussex-based organisation offering advice and support to families of children with special needs and disabilities
Science Sparks hosts a wealth of great hands-on activities to develop children’s awareness of the world around them
Mud kitchen….mud lab? be inspired by the Muddy Faces Facebook page
The free Making a Mud Kitchen book is available from Muddy Faces

Support children’s awareness of others through these excellent books recommended by Ethnic Minority Achievement Service (EMAS), great for Refugee Week: Welcome, Lost and Found and for older children My Name is Not Refugee

Irresistible egg themed playdough idea from the Imagination Tree, see this way of combining dough with small world or small collections
Done frozen dinosaurs – and frozen trolls? Try this frozen cars activity from Little Bins for Little Hands
Work your way through this great ABC of playdough ideas, from the Imagination Tree
Create a wormery with your children, from BBC Gardening
A free booklet is downloadable from Teachernet, ‘Outstanding learning in the outdoors’
The Visit My Farm website is a great resource when thinking of a farm visit
An example of an audit format to consider for your outdoor provision
An interesting blog about developing a water area outside, from Creative Star Learning
Tried and trusted water play ideas from the First Discoverers website
Log your nature observations using a DIY garden chalkboard from Sun Hats and Welly Boots, or make a nature treasure hunt wheel, from Mothernatured

The Busy Things resource and website comes highly recommended by local colleagues
Designing and making challenges: try these seasonal ideas with older children, which could easily be adapted for other celebrations, from Science Sparks
Enjoy some seasonal scientific problem-solving from Science Sparks – can you make the perfect sandcastle?