Learning outside school articles
Best art books for children
Help your child discover the world's great works of art with our pick of the best introductions to painting, sculpture, art installations and more. Will they step into a painting in an art story book, create their own 3D art masterpiece or fall in love with an artistic style or artist?
What is a home education group?
Looking for support with home education? With hundreds of home ed groups around the country, there’s no need to feel like you’re on your own
Best maths books for kids
Crack codes, learn maths tricks, unlock the secrets of nature (hint: they're mathematical!), marvel at number facts and learn to build a spaceship – just a few of the maths-master skills imparted by these books, our pick of the best maths titles for kids.
Could speech rhythm training help your child learn to read?
You’ve heard about phonics, but what is speech rhythm training and how could it give your child’s reading a head start?
What is forest school?
Taking children out of the classroom and into the great outdoors, forest school is growing in popularity – but what does it actually involve?
6 ways to make science fun for kids
Science may be one of the most hands-on subjects at school, but making it accessible isn’t always easy. We asked the experts how to channel your child's natural curiosity into a life-long interest in the world around us and how it works.
Expanding your child’s reading tastes
Is your child stuck in a reading rut? Lucy Dimbylow takes a look at how to encourage them to test the water with different styles and genres of fiction and non-fiction.
Best learning songs
Could songs and music help your child learn and remember English, maths and science facts? We pick our favourite learning songs, covering everything from adverbs and angles to onomatopoeia and photosynthesis.
How to get the best from tutoring
If you’re investing in a tutor for your child, you’ll want to get your money’s worth. We explain how to make the most of tutoring.
Butlin’s Astonishing Family Science Weekend reviewed by parents
Butlin’s new Astonishing Family Science Weekends are designed to give children aged six to 14 a taste of how science works in everyday life. Lucy Dimbylow visited the Bognor Regis resort with her children Tom, 10, and Katie, 5.
Best reference books for children
Reference books and dictionaries offer us information that's accurate, well researched and beautifully presented and are invaluable when you're working on a homework project. From atlases to dictionaries and encyclopedias, we recommend some of the best English, maths, science, history and geography reference books for primary-school children.
The UK’s best museum sleepovers for kids
What could be better than spending a day with your child at one of the UK’s best family museums? Well, how about spending the night there...
What is flexi-schooling?
Tempted by the idea of home educating but not sure you could do it full-time? Flexi-schooling could be the perfect compromise, writes Elisabeth Attwood.
The laws on home education in Wales
As home education surges in popularity in Wales, we explain the facts you need to know if you're considering home-educating your child.
Home education laws in Scotland
Are you a parent in Scotland considering home-educating your child? We explain the legal process you'll need to follow.
Home education and the law in Northern Ireland
In recent years there has been controversy around the right to home educate in Northern Ireland. We explain what the law says.
Home education in England: the facts
What does the English law say about your right to home educate your child? We explain the legalities and practicalities of getting started with home education in England.
Positive screen time for children
Despairing of how much time your child spends glued to their laptop, tablet or phone? Here's how to help them get the most out of their screen time
What is the BBC micro:bit?
We explain what the BBC micro:bit computer coding device is all about – and put it to the test.
Learning through LEGO
Is your child obsessed with LEGO? Here’s how it could give their learning a boost.
Learning through Minecraft
You may think it’s just another video game – albeit a particularly addictive one – but Minecraft could have educational benefits too…
Museums reviewed by parents: KidZania
What does your child want to be when they grow up? London's new family attraction, KidZania, lets them try out prospective careers in a child-centred world.
Concentration exercises for primary school children
Getting your child to concentrate can be a tricky task, so try these fun tasks to help improve their attention and focus.
Best science sets for children
Looking for ways to encourage your child's interest in the world around them? These learning-through-play sets are perfect for budding scientists, allowing them to get hands-on and experiment with simple physics, meteorology, geology, anatomy, mechanics and more.
Best tablet toys for children
Every child we know loves playing with a tablet computer – and now connected toys take learning to a new level by combining hands-on play with digital animations to teach the basics of story-telling, maths, spelling, reading and physics. Tablet toys are definitely not just for kids!
Best children's books about coding
How confident do you feel about supporting your child's interest in coding at home? Whatever your child's (or your!) level of knowledge, these books will take you through the basics with screenshots, step-by-step illustrations and plain English explanations about Scratch, Python and the basics of computational thinking and programming. You're just a few pages away from coding your first game...
9 strategies for learning primary school spellings
If learning spellings always ends in tears and tantrums, trying another technique could help make it a less stressful process. We've rounded up the best methods to try.
Creativity in primary science: to infinity and beyond
Is your child fascinated by the world around them, from the earth to the stars? Do they blast off from the kitchen table and explore Mars in a den made from sofa cushions? Bryony Turford, primary teacher and director of STEAM Education for the Astro Science Challenge, shares her tips for making science come alive and encouraging children to explore science-based subjects away from the classroom.
Five fun maths activities to try at home
From board games to baking, we’ve rounded up the best ways to get your child practising their maths skills without even realising.
Museums reviewed by parents: Old Operating Theatre, London
Found – the perfect London museum for older kids looking for something beyond the much-loved but well-worn round of Science and Natural History Museums. A dip into the history of all things surgical, the Old Operating Theatre Museum is a hidden scientific gem in a historic corner of the capital which will keep inquisitive minds entertained for hours.
Essential first aid skills for your primary school child
Learning a few basic skills could help your child make a real difference in an emergency. St John Ambulance offers some advice on the first aid techniques that could turn them into a lifesaver.
Museums reviewed by parents: Dover Castle
Travel back in time to meet medieval monarchs, wander through winding, eerie 13th century underground defences and explore the Secret Wartime Tunnels deep within Dover’s White Cliffs. A trip to Dover Castle offers an action-packed day out for the whole family and our parents-and-children testers loved every minute.
Museums reviewed by parents: Arundel Castle
Pretend to be a knight for the day at one of Britain’s most historic castles. Arundel Castle boasts fairytale towers and rooms full of suits of armour, all set in acres of beautiful grounds and gardens with sweeping views over the stunning South Downs. Perfect for keeping curious kids busy exploring all day!
Museums reviewed by parents: National Maritime Museum
The world's largest maritime museum is packed to the gunwales with intriguing objects, fascinating galleries and hands-on exploration opportunities for children and families. Head to Royal Greenwich to find out more about seas, ships and sailing.
Museums reviewed by parents: Cutty Sark
Climb aboard the world's sole-surviving tea clipper for a voyage across the seas of time, experiencing the life of the 19th century crew. Our family testers loved all the hands-on experiences on offer on board, from interactive apps for your phone to swabbing the decks with miniature mops.
Museums reviewed by parents: Thackray Medical Museum
Explore past (and future!) medical treatments and procedures, get a glimpse of life in Victorian England, get hands-on with oversized body parts and find out how humans work, all at the Thackray Medical Museum in Leeds. Our family testers share the highlights for parents and children.
Museums reviewed by parents: Warwick Castle
Take a trip back through the last eleven centuries to Warwick Castle, the site of a Saxon fortification, a wooden motte and bailey constructed in 1068 and a medieval stone castle. Restored and managed by the Merlin Entertainments group, the Castle uses multimedia experiences and costumed guides to bring history to life for visitors of all ages.
Museums reviewed by parents: Titanic Belfast
Titanic Belfast uses special effects, rides, reconstructions and interactive features to explore the Titanic story. We find out what the world's largest Titanic visitor attraction has to offer children and families.
Museums reviewed by parents: W5, Belfast
Planning a family day out? Our favourite museums make learning effortless and fun (for adults as well as children). For hands-on science for all ages head to the action-packed W5 in Belfast, one of the top family attractions in Northern Ireland where you are invited to touch, feel, smell and press everything in sight!
Choosing an 11+ tutor
Every parent wants their child to have the best chance of 11+ success, and choosing the right tutor could be the key. We explain how to find the best person for your child.