Eyfs articles

Get ready for the new school year with our selection of the best back-to-school buys that won't break the bank. From uniform to lunchboxes, tick off that back-to-school checklist and avoid any last-minute stress before September.

Supporting children to develop their STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) skills is becoming increasingly important. It’s a necessary element in children’s education but can be intimidating for many parents who may not know where to begin or how to help with their child’s STEM learning.

In the first half-term of their Reception year, children take part in classroom-based assessment. We take a look at what’s involved.

Children have naturally enquiring minds, and the science-based activities they do in the Early Years will help develop that sense of curiosity.

From learning new vocabulary to mastering the correct pencil grip, here are the literacy skills your child will start to develop in Nursery.

The time has come to open that all-important envelope, but what can you expect the report inside to say?

Looking for some quick and easy learning activities to do with your child? In our extract from Five Minute Mum: Time For School, parent and best-selling author Daisy Upton (AKA Five Minute Mum) introduces you to simple, fun five-minute games to support Reception and Key Stage 1 children through their first years at school.

Does your child love to draw, doodle, paint and sketch? Help them learn new techniques and perfect their own versions of their favourite characters with a host of free draw-along videos from children's book illustrators and animation artists.

At-home science doesn't have to involve expensive special equipment! Primary school teacher and author of the 15-Minute STEM series, Emily Hunt, suggests some brilliant STEM uses for everyday items you'll find in your recycling bin, along with three quick, creative STEM activities your family can try with each of them. Will you make a water xylophone, a ping pong ball run or a hurricane house?

Feeling the pinch? These brilliant ideas will banish boredom without testing your bank balance.

Every year, more and more of us buy toys online rather than in person. When you can't examine packaging or speak to retail staff, it's vital to know how to spot dangerous toys, so follow the Child Accident Prevention Trust's advice to help you make a safe choice for your child.

Find out why making learning a laugh can help your child succeed at school and how humour helps children learn and grow through jokes, riddles, funny books and comics.

From buying the right kit to stopping it getting lost (perhaps!), we asked parents on social media for their advice on choosing, organising and labelling school uniform.

Once you’ve encouraged your child's love of stories and boosted their confidence in their reading skills, it’s time to develop those strategies which really make your child ‘a reader’.

Paper can be a snowflake, a paper chain, a fortune teller, a windmill, a piece of modern art, a magic trick, a sculpture, a hat or any one of a hundred other things. Find out just how much fun a humble sheet of paper can be with this extract from Paper Play: Roll it. Rip it. Fold it. Snip it! by Lydia Crook. All you need is scissors and glue – and paper, of course!

Do you love poetry, or wish you had more time to explore it? Introduce your family to the delights of the spoken word with this selection of wonderful free poetry resources. Classic poems for children, performance poetry videos, interactive poetry games and kids' poetry podcasts: everything you need to encourage a love of verse is available at the click of a button.

Boost your child's confidence with all aspects of maths with our pick of the best home education numeracy resources: games, hands-on activities, video explanations, online lessons and downloadable workbooks, all available to access for free.

Whether your child is just learning to read and print letters or looking for ways to put their creative writing skills to the test, we've rounded up some fantastic resources to help them practise phonics, grammar, story-writing and comic-creating at home. Plus there are loads of different ways to connect with authors and listen to stories.

You don't need a Bunsen burner, a chemistry set or a science degree to share these STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths) activities with your child at home. Whether you want to try a hands-on experiment, ask an expert some questions via video chat or play some interactive games, you'll find lots of science home education options in this round-up of resources.