After writing several articles over the past few years on our ‘cotton wool culture’ and increasing aversion to risk, seeing some Venezuelan children go out hunting on the BBC documentary Human Planet did make me chuckle.

In the episode, entitled Trees, the children, of whom all look no older than ten, go wandering off into the jungle, without adult supervision, in search of tarantulas that they plan to eat for dinner.

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It’s an all too familiar scene, young children sitting with their parents in a coffee shop sipping on an adult sized drink, rather than playing in the park or engaged in an age appropriate activity, so when and why did treating children as adults become normal?

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Looking through nine decades of back-issues of Nursery World magazine in preparation for our 85th anniversary next month is a real eye-opener.

There’s tonnes of fun and quirky material that we’ll be sharing in a special birthday supplement (check it out on 2 December) but there’s also much frustration. Read More »

I really felt for Yellow Dot Nursery after reading the story this week (‘Noisy’ setting facing 10ft wall threat) about the setting facing complaints from neighbours about noise levels. It’s clear the nursery wants to please everyone and maintain a good relationship with the community while allowing children to benefit from outdoor play but are up against a brick wall. Read More »

Opinions about the best way to teach young children and support their learning seem to be increasingly polarised – something that really matters in the context of the current EYFS review.

In one corner, we have Tom Burkard and Oli de Botton, fighting for direct instruction and phonics as the means to raise attainment; in the other, the defenders of playful learning such as Kathryn Hirsh-Pasek and Janet Moyles.

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