Children's Books

We’ve explored… hats

Activities | Let’s Explore | Children’s Books

A delivery of hats at one setting in Scotland gave children the chance to try them on and discuss their different styles and functions, as well as set up a role-play hat shop. By Annette Rawstrone

We've explored… tadpoles

Activities | Let’s Explore | Children’s Books | Outdoors | Understanding the World | Practice

A visit to a pond inspired the children at one setting in West Yorkshire to learn about tadpoles and frogs and recreate their environment in their play. By Annette Rawstrone

EYFS Activities: An A to Z of enhancements - B is for books

Activities | Children’s Books | Sharing books | Literacy | Learning & Development | Early Years Curriculum | An A to Z of enhancements

Amy Jackson continues her tour of the alphabet of enhancements to continuous provision, looking at inventive ways to use books to deepen learning

EYFS Activities - We’ve explored… growth and change

Activities | Let’s Explore | Practice | Children’s Books | Outdoors

From plants to wildlife, the children at one setting paid attention to seasonal shifts in their garden, such as emerging daffodils and transforming frogspawn. By Annette Rawstrone

Picturebooks, part 6 - Mirrors and windows

Activities | Practice | Equipment & Resources | The Learning Environment | Children’s Books | Early Years Curriculum | Literacy | Inclusion | Equality & Diversity | Picturebooks

We are all beautifully different – so it is important for children to see themselves and others portrayed positively on the pages of picturebooks. By Andy McCormack

EYFS Activities: Sharing books… Kings of the Castle

Practice | Activities | Children’s Books | The Learning Environment | Early Years Curriculum | Literacy | Sharing books

As part of her series exploring books for babies and children, Penny Tassoni has ideas for sharing Kings of the Castle, by Victoria Turnbull (Templar Publishing 2016).

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EYFS Activities: Sharing books… Hairy Maclary’s Rumpus at the Vet

Learning & Development | Activities | Children’s Books | Literacy | Communication and Language | Early Years Curriculum | Areas of Learning | Sharing books

Hairy Maclary is the star of a series of rhyming books about a shaggy Scottish terrier. In this book, he is at the vet’s surgery, where the busy waiting room is full of different animals – dogs, kittens, mice and a cockatoo called Cassie.

EYFS Activities: Sharing books… One Ted Falls out of Bed

Activities | Practice | Children’s Books | Sharing books

Ideas from Penny Tassoni for activities based on the story of a teddy bear who falls out of bed one night

EYFS Activities: Sharing books… The Greedy Goat

Activities | Resources | Children’s Books | Practice | Early Years Curriculum | Areas of Learning | Literacy | Sharing books

This simple story is about a goat who goes on an eating rampage around the farm.

EYFS Activities: Sharing books… The Cow Who Climbed A Tree

Activities | Practice | Children’s Books | Early Years Curriculum | Areas of Learning | Literacy | Sharing books

Tina is a cow that lives with her three sisters, and while she is curious and adventurous, her sisters are more conventional. They enjoy eating grass in the meadow, while Tina dreams of flying to the moon.

EYFS Activities: Sharing books… Elmer

Activities | Children’s Books | Practice | Early Years Curriculum | Areas of Learning | Literacy | Sharing books

By David McKee (Andersen Press, 1989)

EYFS Activities: Sharing books… The Girl and the Dinosaur

Activities | Practice | Children’s Books | Sharing books

It can be hard to find books with a girl as the lead character, but this new title is about a girl named Marianne. It is written almost like a poem, with rhymes and, in some places, verses.

Guides & Resources

EYFS Activities: Sharing books… We’re Going on an Egg Hunt

Literacy | Activities | Practice | Enabling Environments | Children’s Books | Sharing books

Penny Tassoni has ideas for sharing We're Going on an Egg Hunt that will work all year round

EYFS Activities: Sharing books… Monkey Puzzle

Activities | Early Years Curriculum | Practice | Literacy | Enabling Environments | Children’s Books | Sharing books

While Julia Donaldson is best known for The Gruffalo, she has written many other children’s books that are worth sharing with children, says Penny Tassoni