There are four formally identified types of play: Exploritary Play (Hutt) is a precursor to problem solving skills; Practice Play(Piaget) highlights that constant repetition of actions help in mastering them; Sociodramatic Play (Garvey; Similanskey) is where social interactions have at their core the creation and sharing of rules in imaginatively created situations; Symbolic Play(Piaget; Vygotsky; Bruner et […]
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Learning can be defined as the process leading to “relatively permanent change in behaviour that results from practice.” (Atkinson et al, 2000) In other words, as we learn, we alter the way we perceive our environment and therefore, the way we interact, or behave. When we learn, we organise, shape and strengthen our brains. From […]
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Do you have a little one who started school this September? How do you feel the first half of term went? Are you or your little one feeling overwhelmed with things at school? If you answered ‘yes’ to any of those questions, then we very much hope that by reading on in this blog, you […]
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Reward star charts are a good strategy for short term behaviours/ action/ work that you want to see your between change. They offer a reward when your between has consistently been doing the desired behaviours (and you can have mini rewards along the way to maintain interest). 💭 Discuss the WHY! Why is it important […]
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So you’ve tucked your little one into bed, you’re ready to FINALLY relax only to look around and realise there are still toys everywhere! 😱🤯 Sound familiar? Involving your children in the tidy-up process is not only beneficial for you but it is actually building resilience, patience and self-esteem – skills they’ll need for the […]
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Consent for ‘between’ is going to be evolving and adapting as they grow older. It will take on different roles from you being their confidante to them not wanting you to know their thoughts and innermost feelings ⚖️ Teaching consent at the between age is key to developing strong, open and honest relationships. Here are […]
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With everything going on globally we thought we would discuss what consent for a toddler might look like… At this age, toddlers are very explorative and inquisitive and, whilst we want to encourage this, we can teach and introduce boundaries in the following ways: To continue viewing… Get FREE, unlimited access to all content You […]
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So what is a wake window and why is it important? A wake window is the amount of time that your baby can cope with being awake. This time gradually increases as the baby gets older. The wake window for a newborn baby is 45 minutes. This means that baby is awake, has a full […]
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That’s right, I said it. Your baby will never sleep straight through the night. And neither will you, for that matter. We all wake up multiple times during the night. This isn’t due to stress, caffeine, lack of exercise, or any other factors that can contribute to a bad night’s sleep. It’s a normal, natural […]
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It’s Halloween season and if you’re like us, you’re ready to give ’em pumpkin to talk about – see what we did there? So we’ve compiled our favourite easy tips for a successful and sustainable Halloween season, filled with DIY costumes and decorations, spooky recipes and harmless pranks that are sure to amuse the kids. […]
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Is my child memorising the words or using the pictures? Hopefully a bit of both! When speaking to parents about early reading and how best to support the process, I always remind them about the importance of illustrations. Before learning to read, it is so important to make sure children handle books and tell stories […]
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Sensory play has many benefits to aid the development of your child. Be prepared to get messy (an apron and a wipe-able mat on the floor is always a good idea!). I also swear by the Tuff Trays, or some sort of area with a lip just to try and contain the mess a little […]
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Reading or telling stories to your children is a fantastic (and inexpensive) way to spend quality time together that doesn’t include technology. We can all remember our favourite stories being read to us at bedtime, or we recall making up stories with our friends in the playground. And, without necessarily realising it, storytelling plays a […]
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This video details some of the amazing physical benefits your child can gain from playing at the beach. To continue viewing… Get FREE, unlimited access to all content You must sign up to view more content and gain full access to bloss! Sign up for FREE! Already have an account? Login Sign up FREE today […]
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It’s well known that children learn at different speeds. Some will pick things up really quickly, while others will take a little longer to grasp something. This is ok – children aren’t the same. However, if you feel your child is falling behind at school or if they need some extra support, one-to-one tuition can […]
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Development is an ongoing process from conception until maturity. The sequence in all children with few exceptions is approximately the same. Still, it’s important to realise that every child is different and development varies from one child to another. Let’s find out what developmental milestones are and when approximately children should be hitting them. What […]
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As therapists, one of the things that we hear so often from parents is ‘I know I shouldn’t have done all this for them, but now he/she just won’t do it’. Sadly, often they’re quite right. If children have been dressed by their parent/carer until they are aged 6, 7 or even 8 and have […]
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Handwriting skills develop long before your child picks up a pencil to scribble in pre- school . As a baby, tummy time is very important in the development of the muscles, amongst others the neck, back and shoulders as well as through the arms. The baby slowly comes up leaning through their forearms until they […]
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Toys are educational and help children to improve imagination, creativity and focus. They help to develop large and small movements, such as dexterity, eye hand co-ordinations and precision. As our parents have often told us, there was a time when children had only one or two toys and just a few favourite games and that […]
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Children from a very early age enjoy play, even without toys. There are a few basic things to think about before buying children’s toys. Is your child actually going to play with the toy, how are they going to play with it and can it help to develop their skills? Below are a few ideas […]
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