News blog for Little Cedars Day Nursery, Streatham. Latest posts etc.

Babies, Childcare, Early Years Education, Early Years Foundation Stage, EYFS, Infants, Learning & Development, Nurseries, Nursery, Parenting, Pre-schools, Preschool, Preschoolers, The Blossom Parent App, Toddlers, Under-5s

The Blossom Parent App (Rough Guide)

Staying on top of children’s activities, nappy changes, meals, and developmental milestones can be a challenge for parents when they happen away from home at the child’s childcare nursery. At Little Cedars, however, we use the Blossom app to take care of all of this. The mobile phone app is designed to help make things easier for parents by providing real-time updates on children’s activities and progress, as well as providing a convenient platform for communication between parent and childcare provider. In today’s guide, we’ll take a closer look at the Blossom app, its benefits, and how it can be used to bolster the partnership between childcare providers and parents.

“A window into your child’s time at nursery. Accessible from anywhere. Anytime.”

16 May 2023/by Mark

Bilingualism in Early Childhood – Why it Matters & How to Support it

Young children are naturally wired to learn languages and there’s no reason why they shouldn’t learn more than one, particularly if they receive appropriate support. Bilingualism refers to the ability to speak two or more languages fluently. In today’s globalised world, being bilingual – or multilingual – has become an increasingly valuable asset. For children, bilingualism can offer numerous benefits, including enhanced cognitive development, improved language skills, and greater cultural awareness. However, raising a bilingual child can also present a few challenges, such as language confusion and potentially a slower rate of vocabulary acquisition in each separate language. In today’s article, we explore the benefits and challenges of bilingualism in children, as well as strategies for supporting their bilingual language development. This may better enable parents and caregivers to support the language development of children under their care. Let’s take a look.

28 April 2023/by Mark

Rough Guide to Free Childcare for Children in England (2023 Edition)

Today we provide a rough guide to free childcare schemes available in England. There are many different ways eligible families can obtain at the very least some free childcare, so today we look at the various Government schemes and options available. The good news is that there is even one that’s available to pretty much everyone — and it’s quite generous. We’ll take a look at that childcare funding scheme first.

19 April 2023/by Mark

Spring arrives in the UK on 20th March, according to the meteorological calendar. As well as plants beginning to shoot, daffodils flowering and trees starting to bud, an increased number of wild birds can now be seen too. While a few overwintered here in England, many will have spent winter abroad, where it’s warmer, and only begin to return to the UK once spring begins. So, come springtime, more and more varieties of birds can be spotted — and that’s what today’s post is all about. To encourage children to appreciate, enjoy and learn from nature, we have put together a bird identifier poster that children and parents can download for free, print out to A3 or A4, or view on screen in beautiful high resolution. It highlights 37 species of bird that are popular in England, which children can try to spot as the days and weeks go by. Children can perhaps tick off each type of bird that they spot. With a little help from parents for the youngest children, this activity is a great way to teach them the different bird names and help them to recognise the different types as time goes by. It’s also a great children’s pastime that will encourage them to really appreciate nature. Children will love this activity and feel a real sense of achievement as they learn more about these wonderful, feathered visitors.

31 March 2023/by Mark

Childcare Funding Reforms from the Chancellor's Spring Budget 2023

Babies, Childcare, Childcare Funding, Early Years, Early Years Education, Education, Free Childcare, Free Childcare through Universal Credit, Funding, Nurseries, Nursery, Pre-schools, Preschool, Spring Budget 2023, Streatham, Under-5s

Childcare Funding Reforms — Spring Budget 2023

March 15th 2023 saw the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spring Budget announcement, which included news of extra funding to cover costs for childcare. Crucially, the new funding will support childcare for infants as young as 9 months old for the first time, as well as including other positive changes. Although it’ll be introduced in stages, the free funding should be welcome news for those parents who will be eligible. Let’s take a look today at the proposed childcare changes, including which age groups will benefit, what extra funding is promised to support families and when the new help will become available.

18 March 2023/by Mark

Mathematics is an essential part of everyday life and an understanding of basic maths concepts is crucial for success in virtually all walks of life. However, many children struggle with maths and have negative attitudes towards the topic. To prevent this, it is important to introduce maths concepts and vocabulary to children at a young age. Fortunately toddlers are at a period of development where they can learn and understand a range of maths words and concepts when given the opportunity. And, by introducing mathematical concepts and vocabulary to toddlers in a fun and engaging way, adults can help children develop a strong foundation in maths and foster a positive attitude towards the subject.

In today’s article, we will explore why it is important to introduce maths language and concepts to toddlers, how parents/caregivers can help those toddlers learn and understand them, and which specific maths-related words can be successfully introduced at this young age. We will also suggest some activities that parents can use to help their toddlers develop a good maths vocabulary.

28 February 2023/by Mark

Childcare, Early Years, Early Years Education, Education, Learning & Development, Nurseries, Nursery, Parenting, Pre-schools, Preschool, Speech, Streatham, SW16, Toddlers, Under-5s

Speech Milestones at 30 Months

Milestones are a crucial thing to monitor when you’re bringing up a baby or young child. Speech is an important one and it’s one that parents would be wise to take stock of at regular times in their child’s early years. Today we look at this milestone at around the age of 30 months. So, what should you expect your 30-month-old to be able to say at this age and, if appropriate, how can you encourage them to speak more? Let’s explore speech milestones at 30 months…

15 February 2023/by Mark

Childcare, Childcare Funding, Early Years Education, Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP), Learning & Development, Nurseries, Nursery, Pre-schools, Preschool, Preschoolers, Streatham, SW16, Under-5s

The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) — Explained

Improving Education for Disadvantaged 3- & 4-Year-Olds

If your child is aged 3 or 4 and fits the eligibility requirements, they could benefit from up to £342 per year* in extra support through the Early Years Pupil Premium (‘EYPP’). In essence, the scheme is designed to level the playing field in children’s early years education if they are disadvantaged in one or more specific ways …

30 January 2023/by Mark

Our Blog.

The Blossom Parent App (Rough Guide)

Bilingualism in Early Childhood – Why it Matters & How to Support it

Rough Guide to Free Childcare in England (2023 Edition)

Free Bird-Spotting Activity Poster for Children

Childcare Funding Reforms — Spring Budget 2023

Introducing Maths Language to Toddlers

Speech Milestones at 30 Months

The Early Years Pupil Premium (EYPP) — Explained

Improving Education for Disadvantaged 3- & 4-Year-Olds

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