Learning Activities – Outside the Box Ideas

Teaching Rugby to Children in Early Childhood Education. This fosters a sense of belonging, pride, and achievement. Rugby is part of NZ’s culture and central

The children were showing interest in aliens, rockets and space. Teacher, James had a water bottle rocket launcher at home, which he brought in. Sadly, this rocket only survived a few launches before the rubber seal broke and could not […]

I am James Lochead-MacMillan and I’m going to share with you our review and evaluation of the woodwork table and children’s use, and what we did to bring about improvement Review and evaluation of woodwork The hammers had seen better […]

What carpentry tools and wood to get and from where. How to set it up. Rules to set for children. What to make. Female teachers can do it too. Benefits for the brain Woodwork supports children to work in their […]

Making signs enriches play and learning. All around us are signs – what ones can you see? Signs can be used to tell us what to do like “stop” and “give way” on the road. They can be used to […]

Every child will learn things in their own time but learning how to ride a bike and using pedals before 5 years of age is a reasonable aspiration for parents and early childhood teachers to have for children.   It […]

The best early childhood chants to introduce to your children. Why chanting is great for children’s language development and for building a sense of fun and community togetherness. Chants For child sitting in a swingClap hands chant for infantsFruit Haka […]

Sun Protection Activities On Being Safe in the Sun (songs, art and craft, science, drama etc). Lots of easy to implement ideas for teaching and learning about sun protection and being safe in the sun are provided in this article.  You’ll […]

Getting a pet lamb for children – how, fostering agreements, what you need, day-to-care care, hygiene, training, and regulations. Some lambs are sadly orphaned at birth or there may be another reason why a farmer may decide the lamb would […]

Heuristic Play. In the modern world where many toys are made of shiny coloured plastic and have buttons to press with flashing lights and noises, it is often easy to forget that simple things can interest and stimulate young children.  […]

Zoo Trip With Children.   Everybody loves a cuddly furry animal, so the zoo is a great destination for a day trip for adults and children. Here are some ideas to make the most of a zoo safari. The zoo […]

Making Pet Rocks. This is a fun activity for ages 2 – 102 – so its highly suitable to involve parents and grandparents in doing too alongside their children. This can be done inside or at an outside table. , […]

Extending play in the sandpit and ways of turning the sandpit into an amazing social hub for learning. Below are practical tips and guidance for teachers and parents on  variations to basic sandpit play equipment and changes you can introduce […]

Taking Children to an Art Gallery. Don’t assume that art galleries are too high-brow for young children. They may not be able to tell you the name of the artist but they will still appreciate the work. Early childhood education […]

Taking children for a trip to the beach can offer opportunities for all kinds of learning – from discovering creatures to practising building skills. Just check first that you have prepared safety plan for the excursion, including sun protection, and […]

Making Volcanoes with Children. Children find volcanoes intriguing.  Here are some key facts and simple information to share with children about volcanoes and geysers, along with a ‘recipe’ for making your very own fun miniature demonstration volcano. Introducing knowledge and […]

Baking and Slow Cooking with Children. As a responsible teacher, carer or parent you role model and pass on good nutritional dietary habits… don’t you?  Well…, in front of the children anyway!  But does this mean leaving a wonderful learning […]

Multi-Cultural Activities. Most early childhood education services include bi-cultural elements in their teaching and learning, but with New Zealand becoming an increasingly multicultural country it can be interesting for children to learn about other cultures as well, particularly if there […]

Farm Visit with Children. While the animals may not be as exotic as the ones you find in a zoo, going to a farm can still be a great day out. It can be especially good for smaller children as […]