Eyfs articles
Hands-on science fun
Transform one substance into another and watch colours and textures change right in front of your eyes with our at-home, hands-on science activity suggestions from Dr Michelle Dickinson, prize-winning nanotechnologist, researcher and founder of Nanogirl's Lab.
Interviewing to write a biography
Writing an in-depth profile of a grandparent or family friend will help your child develop interview skills, learn to write up notes and introduce them to family heritage, stories and legends that they might never have heard! Use our suggested questions to help set up a conversation to remember.
Become a board game family on a budget
Board game designer Ellie Dix, author of The Board Game Family: Reclaim your children from the screen, has tips to help you establish family game time on a budget.
50 of the best virtual trips and educational experiences for families
In this day and age, we may be spending more time indoors but thanks to our laptops and devices we can let the world come to us instead – take a trip round Frida Kahlo’s kitchen, share some chocolate cake with Michael Rosen and journey to the International Space Station with our pick of 50 of the best virtual trips and educational experiences. By Hetty Walton
11 top tips for combining home education with working from home
Whether you're juggling your job and your child's learning during ongoing school disruptions or have chosen to home educate alongside working, read our advice and parents’ tips for combining homeworking and looking after your child.
20 of the best live streams for kids
Help your primary-age child stay educated and entertained with our round-up of the best live streams for kids.
6 key areas for supporting your Reception child's learning
Primary teacher and parent Jennifer Smith shares six key areas and skills to work on at home with your Reception child, supporting what they're learning at school.
How to structure your day during homeschooling
Teacher Jennifer Smith shares her advice on how to help your child learn and structure your day when your child is temporarily out of school and learning from home.
Supporting summer-born children at school
Your child’s birthdate could make a big difference to how they manage at primary school. We asked the experts about the potential impact, and how you can help your child thrive.
The International Primary Curriculum (IPC) explained
What do children learn through the International Primary Curriculum (IPC), the curriculum used in many international schools around the world (and some primary schools in the UK)?
What is a school nursery?
Nursery classes are a stepping stone between pre-school and Reception. We take a look at what happens in school nurseries, and the pros and cons of applying for a place.
The primary school International Baccalaureate (IB) explained
We take a look at what children learn if they follow the IB Primary Years Programme at school.
The safety rules every child must know
Help your child stay safe at home and out and about by teaching them these important water safety, fire safety, road safety, home safety, animal safety and stranger danger basics.
What is oracy?
Speaking and listening may not be formally assessed in primary schools, but they’re vital skills for every child. Here’s why – and how to encourage oracy.
The Curriculum for Wales 2022: what parents need to know
Children in Wales will be studying a new curriculum from September 2022. Here’s what we know so far.
What is a full stop?
Children start learning about punctuation in Reception and Year 1 when they are introduced to full stops and their use. Understand how and when your child learns to use full stops correctly with our parents' punctuation guide.
Best geography games for children
There's no need to pack – travel the length and breadth of our world with these brilliant geography board games and card games, great for explorers and geographers of all ages.
What to expect from speech and language therapy
Speech, language and communication difficulties can hold your child back at school. We explain what to expect if your child needs intervention.
13 things that’ll happen in your child’s Reception year
Prepare yourself for what to expect in your child’s first year at school: from phonics to school dinners, parents' evening and headlice, our parents' guide to Reception explains what you need to know.
Managing toileting problems in primary schools
With continence issues on the rise amongst children, how can you expect your child's school to deal with wetting or soiling accidents?
Best activity books for children
Whether you're on the move or at home, a great activity book offers hours of screen-free learning and fun. Crosswords, maths challenges, mystery solving and code writing are all covered in our best activity books for kids picks. We can't guarantee you won't want to help out with the puzzling, though!
Moving house for school places: what the law says
Considering moving house or renting a property to secure a place at your first choice of school? We have the facts you need to know.
6 fab recipes for homemade slime
Get hands-on with slippery, slimy science with these recipes for making slime safely at home.
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.
5 building blocks for early reading
How young is too young to start encouraging your budding reader? Emily Guille-Marrett, co-founder of Reading Fairy classes for babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers, shares how to go about it.
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.
Museums reviewed by parents: Museum of Science and Industry Manchester
Be awed by past and future science and technology in Manchester with a trip to one of the UK's most atmospheric museums, on the site of the oldest surviving passenger railway station and in the heart of the world’s first industrial city. We highlight what the Museum of Science and Industry has to offer parents, children and families.
Best books to read with five year olds
Reading time is time to laugh, share and explore stories with your child. Choose books that have a strong rhythm to them and are full of humour, rhyme and attractive illustrations. We've picked ten of our favourites to read with five year olds.
101 fantastic activities for the Christmas 2023 school holidays
Appear on a game show with Charles Dickens, cook dinner in a Tudor kitchen or go carol singing with a choir of polar bears. You're sure to have a fantastically festive adventure this winter with these 101 amazing and educational activities for you and the kids to enjoy together!
Museums reviewed by parents: Glasgow Science Centre
Find out about forces, get confused by optical illusions, blow up a balloon (literally!) and have fun discovering the world around you at the Glasgow Science Centre – and bring the whole family!
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 picture books for five year olds
Picture books are a fantastic way to develop children’s speaking and listening skills. They also provide a brilliant starting point for children to hypothesise and draw inferences about characters’ thoughts, feelings and actions. Allow time for your child to pore over the illustrations in these beautiful books, make predictions and discuss the story with you.
Primary school appeals template: Reception and KS1
If your child has missed out on a place at your preferred school, use this template as a basis for your appeal.
Best books for children for Christmas 2017
Invest in a stack of books to pile up under the tree to guarantee a peaceful, adventure-filled festive break for the whole family. Whatever your child's interests or reading ability, our pick of the best new reads on offer this Christmas includes best-sellers, traditional tales for our times, wonderful world-building quests and laugh-out-loud funny reads. Enjoy!
How maths teaching has changed since we were at school
Bus stops, the grid method, number bonds… Maths in today’s classroom can seem undecipherable. We look at how things have changed since we were kids.
53 fantastic activities for the October 2023 half term holidays
Get set for an awfully big spooky adventure this half term with our top selection of 53 educational activities for you and your family to enjoy together – watch a flying vampire acrobatic display, crack codes like a World War Two spy, or even go hunting for spirits on the streets of Tokyo!
What is Circle Time?
Circle Time is used in many primary schools, but what actually happens in these sessions? We've got the parents' guide.
How to prepare a child with communication difficulties for starting school
Maxine Burns, speech and language advisor at children's communication charity I CAN, shares her tips for helping your child settle in at school.
Sign language and Makaton in primary schools
Signing can give children an educational boost, regardless of whether they have special needs. We take a look at its growth in schools.
How English teaching has changed since we were at school
Feeling out of touch with your child's literacy learning? We look at how times have changed in the classroom since you were at school yourself.