Published by Alix Marschani on 21st October 2019 at 2:46 pm | No Comments
Riverside Rascals invited me to visit their outdoor daycare setting which they neatly described as ‘one of a kind’. It is located in a nature reserve close to the Ivel Springs in Baldock. The setting caters for about nine children up to three years old. When I arrived the children were just having an afternoon […]
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Published by Alix Marschani on 21st October 2019 at 9:09 am | No Comments
Following our litter-pick and nature walk we collected a few natural items to recreate our own nature thoughts onto a dream catcher. Using coloured wools to weave a web, adding bits such as acorns, leaves, bark and ribbon, we retraced our journeys from outdoors. They all looked different as there was no ‘right’ or […]
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Published by Alix Marschani on 21st October 2019 at 8:31 am | No Comments
Since September a small forgotten about space has been turning into the EYFS edible garden. Planters were moved from the playground to this space, weeded, and seeds sprinkled. BEFORE […]
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Published by Alix Marschani on 21st October 2019 at 7:37 am | No Comments
Zeivots, S. (2019). Escaping to nature to learn: emotional highs in adult learners. Journal of Outdoor and Environmental Education. 1-18. The message of this research study is in the title – ‘escaping’. I quote from the abstract: ‘Nature was seen by participants as a learning environment where temporary escape from one’s customary life is possible. […]
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Published by Alix Marschani on 20th October 2019 at 4:37 pm | 2 Comments
“Time in nature is not leisure time; it’s an essential investment in our chidlren’s health (and also, by the way, in our own).” Richard Louv (2006), Last Child in the Woods: Saving our Children from Nature-Defecit Disorder. A group of interested practitioners met Tanya in the local common for two hours of woodland activity and […]
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Published by Alix Marschani on 14th October 2019 at 11:27 am | No Comments
The Journal Early Years has just published a research article on guided play and learning in the Early Years. It describes an approach to guided-play that involves both adult and child participation. Whilst the study was carried out in South Africa and Canada respectively, it contains useful insights for practice in the UK. To set […]
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Published by Alix Marschani on 14th October 2019 at 8:33 am | No Comments
“Stand aside for a while and leave room for learning, observe carefully what children do, and then, if you have understood well, perhaps teaching will be different from before.” Loris Malaguzzi inspired our exploration outdoors last week. Nine and ten year olds were not particularly interested when I provided a small hand mirror and told […]
Read MoreTeacher of young children enchanted by the natural world, inspiring educators to bring nature into the curriculum.
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