The best photo of the week will win 30 worth of children'sbooks
IN STOCK
Story of maths
A new resource to help teach mathematics in pre-school has been producedby maths specialists BEAM (Be A Mathematician). Maths in Stories is ahandbook developed for the Early Years Foundation Stage that includesstorybook activities like sorting toys, creating numbered birthday cardsand conducting a treasure hunt. For more information or to order thehandbook visit www.beam.co.uk.
Go there for care
Whereforcare.co.uk, an online resource for people looking for carefacilities in the UK, has launched a childcare section. The site seesitself as a central resource for parents, filtering all facilities inthe user's area. It also features reviews of nurseries written byparents, grandparents and childcare professionals. Other sectionsinclude news, an information centre and a discussion forum.
PEOPLE AND PLACES
A feel for fish
Staff and children at the Blackheath Day Nursery in Lewisham, London(pictured) came face to face with some fresh fish when they went totheir local market for a sensory session. They bought snapper, prawns,sprats and tilapia fish and explored their scales, the colour of theirskin, their mouths, fins, teeth and even inside their stomachs.
Learning outdoors
A Birmingham nursery officially opened its new outdoor classroom lastmonth. My First Friends Day Nursery and Pre-School created the area,complete with a new secret space, with a 25,000 grant from localgovernment. Four years ago, parent Caroline Lyle stepped in at the lastmoment to save the former Jigsaw setting when that nursery chain soldup. Since then, it has gone from strength to strength, picking up anoutstanding Ofsted report and a Gold Quality Framework award.
OPEN FOR BUSINESS
Ministerial touch
Children's minister Beverley Hughes officially opened Alderwood PrimarySchool Children's Centre in Greenwich, London, last week. The centreprovides a day nursery, a creche, and a speech and language therapy. Thecentre will be open 48 weeks of the year.
COMPETITIONS
Sponsor a tiger
Children are in with a chance of winning a year's sponsorship of a tigeror crocodile in the Mini Me Card Company competition. The online companywants children of all ages to design their own cards, which could enablethem to sponsor a wild animal through wildlife charity WWF for one year.Each child who enters the competition will receive a freesunflower-growing kit and one copy of their designed card as a memento.For more information visit www.minimecardco.com.
Photo of the week: A child pauses for a reflective moment while playingin the new 'Twiglets' outdoor area at Knightlow Children's Partnership,a nursery in Stretton-on-Dunsmore, Warwickshire. Twiglets is designedfor children under three and features a bog garden, a herb garden and adigging area, all located in raised beds. The nursery also has a smallwildlife garden, a sensory walk and two organic vegetable plots.
