Communication-friendly classrooms are those which accept that children communicate in a variety of ways which are very often visual but not always verbal. Read more

Graham 'Picasso' Griffiths is one of Britain’s top caricaturists. Graham teaches animation at the University of South Wales, sharing his experience and knowledge with students and preparing them for their future art careers. Read more

Any child will enjoy having a go at this simple craft, but especially lovers of magical fiction such as Harry Potter! Pretend you are in Olivander's workshop and imagine taking the wands back to Hogwarts to try out spells such as 'Expelliarmus' and 'Wingardium Leviosa'. This is a perfect school holiday activity, perhaps for a rainy day; make your own beautiful bespoke wands, then cast a spell for sunshine! Read more

Starting nursery is a big event in both the life of the child and of the parents. Those of us in nurseries recognise how important our role is in making this transition as stress-free as possible for everyone involved. Read more

In May and June, we ran a competition to find the best and most inspirational classroom wall display. The winner received a whole set of classroom furniture! To share all these wonderful ideas, we thought that we'd showcase some of them in this blog post. Which is your favourite? Read more

I’m often asked for product recommendations and have tried and tested many resources both at home and in the classroom over the years. There are things like magnets, tweezers and filter papers that we use almost weekly and more expensive items like K’NEX, LEGO, circuit materials and microscopes that we use slightly less often but wouldn’t be without. Read more

Imagine you are five years old, you are playing outside and there, slightly obscured by grass and moss is a curious, tiny door. It is magical looking and nestled into a gnarled old tree trunk. A magical doorway...How excited would you be? Read more

Childcare Expo Manchester is a popular show for all those working in the early years sector, from nursery to primary and everything in between. You will not want to miss it! Come and visit the TTS stand for a free goody bag and exclusive show only offers! Read more

Around 3 years ago we installed double doors from our preschool room directly to our outdoor area, this provided many benefits for both the children and practitioners who were able to freely access both the indoor and outdoor environment as they pleased. One of the biggest benefits was the extra space we suddenly had. Many practitioners see the outdoor space as separate to their indoor space, however, we see it as a continuation which means we can provide many more open-ended opportunities for the children to explore and discover. Read more

Treasure baskets can be filled with everyday objects which then become a treasure trove to ignite and spark imaginations and learning. Becky includes a rich diversity of items in her baskets to evoke different responses. Here she tells us about their appeal, both for herself and her children. Read more

Batik is an ancient technique used for making designs onto fabric. The word comes from the Javanese amba (to write) and tik (dot), but it is practised in many forms all over the world including India, China, Japan, Thailand, Nigeria, Sierra Leone and Tanzania. There are many different ways of doing batik, including painting the wax on with a sponge and using mud or dipping the whole piece of fabric in natural dyes. Indonesia is famous for printing with wax using a tjap (brass stamp). Read more

As Headteacher of Fullbrook Nursery School, I began researching bilingualism in order to improve outcomes for this group of children within my own school. As a system leader and as part of our school to school support, I felt that it would be really beneficial to share the knowledge we had gained in order to improve outcomes for bilingual children across Walsall. Read more

Used in settings for over a decade, Active World Tuff Spot Trays offer a flexible contained space for open-ended play. The large size (1m in diameter) and 8 sides encourage group play - there's room for up to 6 children to play comfortably together. The octagonal shaped tray has raised sides that are perfect for containing sensory materials, messy play and small world scenes in one place. Used with babies, toddlers or with children in Key Stage 1, you'll keep thinking of new ways to deliver quality learning opportunities with this versatile resource. Here are some favourites: Read more

Caring for a school garden has shown to improve a child’s social skills and behaviour. The process of planting and tending a crop will help children develop skills, such as respect and patience. Gardening also encourages teamwork skills as they take part in group work activities and encourages children to take responsibility, by caring for their own crops. Read more

To celebrate National Stationery Week, we are giving away this fabulous stationery bundle! Read more

Emma from the wonderfully inspiring Science Sparks talks us through her favourite items and how she uses them. Read more