My favourite things (September 2012)

American early years teacher and blogger Tom Hobson caught my eye with his Teacher Tom blog . He writes in a really lively way. The blog is very child-centred and his posts are thought-provoking. He shares my views on the importance of risks and giving children freedom to play. He is strongly committed to the idea of giving children the chance to learn in their own way.

Tim Gill, author and play consultant

I like Learning Theories in Childhood by Colette Gray and Sean MacBlain, (published by Sage, £21.99, ISBN 9780857021465). There are lots of books about learning theories, but this one is particularly good because it compares and contrasts them. It gives you a nice insight into both sides of the story. It's an excellent start for foundation degree students, giving them a way of critiquing theories, looking at the fors and againsts.

Kathy Brodie, early years trainer

In my training I use a lot of props during story and singing time to teach the art of proper storytelling. We love using the Aliens and Robots Story Chest  - it's great to see a child's eyes light up with excitement and intrigue as to what's inside. It's a wonderful open-ended resource and lets children's interests shape the next steps.

Mary Barlow, early years consultant, The Totem Pole

We love using Babbling Babies and Toddler Talk resources by I CAN , the children's communication charity. There are 30 activities to develop a baby and toddler's communication skills. These involve looking at the babies, playing games, using short simple sentences and repetition. And they learn to listen through nursery rhymes and traditional songs.

Rosemary Collard, owner of Snapdragons Nursery.