Outdoors: Stem – floating and sinking
Add ‘depth’ to summertime water play with STEM-focused buoyancy activities. By Julie Mountain and...
Add ‘depth’ to summertime water play with STEM-focused buoyancy activities. By Julie Mountain and...
Air is not only essential for life but is also a fantastic STEM resource in its own right, and Julie...
Forces are all around us – this month we’re going to explore the forces that relate to motion on...
Unleash children’s curiosity about the night sky, with a host of activity and clever resources...
Science and technology can work just as well outdoors as in – if not better. In the first of a new...
Conifers make up 40 per cent of Earth’s plant cover and provide often-fragrant cones. By Julie...
What is ‘slow pedagogy’ and what does it look like for children and practitioners when taken...
Best known for their conkers, Julie Mountain explains how to make the most of horse chestnuts
Oak can support more than 2,000 species, is great for climbing – and has acorns. By Julie Mountain
In the final part of her series on former Nursery World Award winners, Julie Mountain explores what...
How do settings with the best outdoor spaces embed high-quality teaching and learning? Julie...
August is the traditional blackberry month – so get a-foraging, says Julie Mountain
Beach School sessions allow for the same ‘awe and wonder’ for children and exploration experience as...
Let grass grow, says Julie Mountain, and discover a world of sensory, STEM and environmental...
Julie Mountain visits past Nursery World award winners to discover how to resource and lead a high...
The drive to net zero includes educating children on climate change and sustainability. Dr Diane...
A visit to a pond inspired the children at one setting in West Yorkshire to learn about tadpoles and...
After reading a story about a green-fingered young gardener, nursery school children were inspired...
Dog rose works incredibly hard all year round and there is a distinct lifecycle you can share with...
How can outdoors be an enabling learning environment for all children? Julie Mountain reports on how...
Not only is elder versatile all year round, with edible spring flowers and autumn berries, it also...
What do settings with good outdoor spaces have in common? In this series, Julie Mountain visits past...
Many settings are embracing going outdoors in all weather – so how do you protect children's skin...
Dandelions are versatile ‘weeds’ – they are edible, make great loose parts and provide a host of...
Whether or not to use bikes at early years settings is the subject of some debate, finds Caroline...
Nettles are wonderful, says Julie Mountain, who is going to try and convince you to love them as...
Our plant of the month is hazel, a tree whose catkins, nuts and coppicing opportunities make it an...
Finding an oak tree on a visit to a local country park acted as a catalyst for a year-long creative...
Amid the cost-of-living crisis, one award-winning setting is encouraging children to eat healthily...
Enhancements are a good tool for learning about the natural world and our place in it, finds Amy...
Plants are local to everyone and fertile ground for activity ideas. This year, outdoors specialist...
One nursery has grown into a farm and allotment with a bit of help from a local college. Annette...
Hay bales, live reindeer, foraged gifts and eco-friendly decorations – some nurseries are rejecting...
It's magical midwinter – wrap children up warmly and make the most of this special time of year....
Having a clear vision, and knowing how to get there, is the final piece of the puzzle of outstanding...
David Sobel's seven principles of natural play are a great checklist for planning quality outdoor...
Children need to push their boundaries in all directions, so finding the balance between safety and...
Embrace the shorter days, the cooler air and the fluttering, crunchy leaves of November, says Julie...
Mysterious pawprints and explorations with a wildlife camera became the launchpad for a much deeper...
The days are getting shorter and you can literally smell the seasons changing – but autumn is a...
How can leaders ensure that staff are supporting the setting’s outdoors provision to the best of...
What does effective planning look like for the outdoors? Professor Jan White explains the benefits...
Leap into the new school year with a commitment to creating an annual maintenance and improvement...
It might be a little quieter in your setting this month, with children and staff away on summer...
While babies should be kept out of direct sunlight, older children can slip on a hat, spray on...
Early summer is so very full of promise – get active outdoors to make the most of warm days and...
Continuing her series on harnessing the potential of the outdoors environment, Professor Jan White...
From plants to wildlife, the children at one setting paid attention to seasonal shifts in their...
In the latest part of her series on unlocking the potential of the outdoors, Professor Jan White...
Spring has sprung! The natural world is overflowing with joy, so make the most of the bounty on your...