Learning outside school articles
The science of everything
Science is all around us, meaning every day is full of learning opportunities for your child. Emily Whyte, co-founder of Mini Professors science classes, suggests great ways to learn and play.
Best apps for new readers
Reading doesn't always have to involve books. We've rounded up the best apps for children who are learning to read, ranging from traditional tales to interactive games that will improve their reading as they play.
Best phonics apps for kids
Turn screen time into learning-to-read time and help your child become a phonics whizz with these brilliant tried-and-tested apps for Apple and Android.
Learning maths in the great outdoors
Getting their hands dirty can help children discover a passion for maths. Here’s how to make the subject work outside the classroom.
The best subscription boxes for children
What child wouldn't love receiving a new box of goodies through the letterbox every month? We tried out some of the best-selling subscription boxes and unpacked some fun, educational offerings.
Best children's books about Victorians
Street urchins, housemaids, pickpockets and foundlings they may be, but the characters in our pick of the best kids' books set in Victorian times are brave, resourceful and inspiring. Their stories bring the nineteenth century to life, from city streets to country houses. By Ashley Booth
Why boredom is good for your child
Does your child struggle to entertain themselves? We explain how they could benefit from being bored.
Museums reviewed by parents: Big Pit National Coal Museum
The sights, sounds and smells experienced by generations of coal miners, some as young as seven years old, are evoked by a visit to the Big Pit National Coal Museum in Blaenafon, Wales. Our family testers reported back on a fascinating, thought-provoking day out.
Lauren Child’s 7 tips for raising a creative child
Best-selling author, illustrator and Children’s Laureate Lauren Child shares her strategies for nurturing creativity.
11 ways to handle the academic differences between your children
Making comparisons between our children can affect their self-esteem, so how can we break out of the habit?
Be your child’s own 11+ tutor: parents’ tips
Could your child pass the 11+ without a tutor? We asked parents for their top preparation tips and advice on DIY 11+ tutoring.
The 6 Best touch typing tutors for kids
Touch typing is an essential skill for today's tech-savvy kids, offering them a huge advantage with secondary-school homework and for the whole of their working life, but your child is unlikely to be taught it in school. Using typing tools can hasten your child's progress while also learning techniques that can increase speed and accuracy.
We review 6 of the top typing tutor programmes to help you find the best at-home learning solution for your family
We review 6 of the top typing tutor programmes to help you find the best at-home learning solution for your family
DIY 11+ tutoring: the parents' guide
Are you cut out to be your child's 11+ tutor? Mark Chatterton, author of The 11+ A Practical Guide For Parents, explains what you need to make DIY 11+ tutoring a success for both you and your child.
Be your child's own 11+ tutor: your step-by-step guide
Could you be your child's 11+ tutor? If DIY tutoring might work for your family, Mark Chatterton, author of The 11+ A Practical Guide For Parents, offers a step-by-step guide to help you get organised and offer your child effective 11+ preparation.
6 ways to introduce your child to classical music
Open up a world of amazing music for your child by introducing them to classical music composers and performances. With loads of resources available for free online, there's no better time to dive in and start listening.
Best history books for children
Travel back in time to visit a Roman bath-house, explore the Persian empire, find your way through an Elizabethan maze and witness the fall of the Berlin Wall – the whole of human history is brought to life for children in our pick of the best kids' books about world and British history.
Great poetry collections for children
Explore worlds of words with award-winning poet Rachel Rooney's pick of her favourite poetry collections for children.
13 reasons to join the Summer Reading Challenge
Want to keep your child reading over the summer? We take a look at how the popular library Summer Reading Challenge can help.
14 things to do in the library (apart from borrowing books)
There's so much more to do in your local library than you might think, and children are particularly well catered for. Time to get lost in the stacks...
How to future-proof your child's learning
Is your primary-school child getting the education they'll need to thrive in the 21st century? Jill Hodges, CEO and Founder of Fire Tech technology classes and camps for kids, describes the five skills young people will need, at work and in life, to make the most of our technological society's opportunities.
18 reasons your child should learn touch-typing
Just 20 minutes of practice a day could be enough to make your child a fluent touch-typist in as little as 10 weeks. We explain why confident, fast typing skills are an essential skill for all primary school children.
Touch-typing is one of those skills that, along with shorthand, seemed to go out of fashion as women began to embrace careers beyond the secretarial. But while you might have a mental image of rows of well-groomed young ladies sitting behind their manual typewriters, touch-typing is far from an outdated practice. In fact, typing could be one of the most valuable skills your primary school child will ever learn.
Touch-typing is one of those skills that, along with shorthand, seemed to go out of fashion as women began to embrace careers beyond the secretarial. But while you might have a mental image of rows of well-groomed young ladies sitting behind their manual typewriters, touch-typing is far from an outdated practice. In fact, typing could be one of the most valuable skills your primary school child will ever learn.
Keeping up at school during a long-term absence
Falling behind at school can be an extra thing to worry about if your child is on extended sick leave, but there are ways to help them stay up to date.
16 ways to help a struggling reader in Key Stage 2
Is reading yet to click for your child? These ideas, from hi-low readers to establishing a reading buddy pet, will help set them on the right track.
What is a learning log?
Learning logs are growing in popularity in primary schools, giving children more control over their learning. We take a look at what's involved.
9 screen time activities you don’t need to feel guilty about
Not all screen time is bad for your child. We’ve rounded up nine great activities that’ll help them make the most of their laptop, tablet or phone.
Bikeability explained
Bike riding is an important skill for children to master. We explain how schools play their part in teaching them safe cycling.
11 ways to teach your child water confidence
Swimming is part of the National Curriculum, but 45 per cent of children leave primary school unable to swim the required 25 metres. Here's how you can help outside school.
8 great reasons for your child to keep a diary
Writing a diary is more than just a way for your child to record their daily life: it can have impressive educational benefits, too.
5 reasons kids hate maths – and what you can do about it
Does your child dread their maths lessons and end up in tears over homework? We take a look at what’s going wrong, and how you can help.
Taking your child on a learning adventure
Ever been tempted to take your child out of school and go travelling with them? We take a look at how to make it work.
'I'm home educating my children to save on school fees'
For families living overseas, home education can be an alternative to formal schooling. One family explains why they decided to teach their children at home.
Home educating children of different ages
Many families home educate more than one child. If you're thinking of doing the same for your family, we have parents' tips on how to make it work.
The best museum memberships for children and families
Looking for a gift idea that will give pleasure all year round? We've picked out the best of the UK's museum membership deals for children and families.
Home education around the world
What's it like to home educate a child around the world? We take a snapshot of home education in seven different countries.
Best science fiction books for children
It's science fiction, but not as we know it... Introduce your child to quantum physics, open their eyes to the vastness of the universe, help them experiment with the elements of the periodic table and give them the confidence to explore their own scientific ideas with our pick of the best kids' fiction about science and our world.
'My son's learning is tailor-made for him'
Mum-of-four Kate Brett, from the Isle of Wight, explains why she decided to home educate her visually impaired son, Jacob.
'Our motor home doubles as our classroom'
When Max and Katie Evans decided to go travelling, they also embarked on home educating their children. They explain what it's like to travel and teach at the same time.
How to improve your child's memory
Want to help your child remember dates, formulae, tricky vocabulary and more? Memory champion Chester Santos has a few tips to share to help boost their confidence (and amaze their parents and teachers!).
6 great things your child learns in the kitchen
Cooking with kids is about more than just licking the bowl. GBBO winner and cookbook author Nadiya Hussain shares some great reasons to involve your child in the kitchen.
Best science books for children
Bring science concepts from evolution to magnetism and atomic energy to life for primary-school children with our pick of the best non-fiction science titles for kids. Fact-packed and fun-packed, these books will engage and entertain kids (and parents!) as well as explaining the building blocks of physics, chemistry, biology and engineering.