I love back-to-school Septembers. Even though I’m getting ready to have a holiday August and am really looking forward to a to-do list free month, I’m still happy to have autumn on the horizon. Perhaps it’s from growing up in a family of teachers and all those years of my own schooling, but September seems much like the start of a new year to me than January does.
Whenever you’re getting ready to head back to school, and whether that’s at home or in a classroom, I have lots of resources here on NurtureStore that will help you. My focus is always on creative and playful learning, so if that’s your style too, or if you want to add more of this to your children’s education experience, here’s a collection of the best ideas that will help you head back to a creative, joyful learning year.
Free Creative Kids Learning Guide
My mantra is; more child-led, more play, more arts, more outdoors and more sensory. If this chimes with you or you would like me to help you bring more of this to your child’s education, get your copy of my Creative Kids Learning Guide here. It’s free. It’s useful. It’s totally do-able. I think you’ll love it!
Free weekly Play Planner
If you’re not already a subscriber to my free weekly Play Planner, pop your email address in the box below and I will add you to the mailing list.
I LOVE this play planner! For a busy mom like me just a quick one minute glance gets me ideas for the week and my face out of my phone and with my wonderful girls, thanks!!!! – Kristi C
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Math Resources
ABC and 123s – is the all-in-one-place, super useful resource is you have a child who is learning their early math skills. Full of fun ideas to help them work with numbers, learn to count, to add, and subtract, and work on base-ten understanding and double digit addition – all through multisensory play-based activities.
I also have over 100 Math Activities here on the site, indexed by type of activity. To add more creative and hands-on learning to your math curriculum this year, take a look at the wealth of ideas in Fizz, Pop, Bang! Playful Science and Math, Three to Five Playful Preschool.
And try a mini workshop with me. In The ART of CIRCLES workshop I’ll give you everything you need to deliver a hands-on programme of art and math, all based on circles. It’s so important to work across the curriculum because it allows us to go broader and deeper with our learning, and we get to make meaningful connections. Join me for this mini workshop and give it a try.
Literacy Resources
I have over 100 Literacy and Language Activities on the site, all indexed by topic to help you find what you are looking for.
But if you’d like the easiest way to add lots of playful language learning to your child’s education this year, head straight to ABCs and 123s. This play-based guide will show you how to support your child learning to recognise and write letters, understanding both upper and lower cases, drawing shapes and making marks, working on alphabetic order, learning how to spell their name, sight words, CVC words and other vocabulary, and developing language skills
If you have a child who is beginning to read, I Can Teach My Child To Read is an excellent guide.
If you have preschool aged children, there are lots of ideas in Three to Five Playful Preschool.
And if you have tweens: come and join the NurtureStore Tween Book Club!
Art Resources
I use an arts-based curriculum with my own children in our homeschool and see huge benefits in taking art right across the curriculum. Whether you’d like to include more art projects in your timetable or combine science, math and literacy with art for better whole brain learning, here are some great resources which can help you:
If you’re setting up an art space or starting to use more art across your learning, in Nurture Art I’ll show you how to support your child’s explorations and encourage their confidence.
My archive of 100 Art Projects for children is listed by material and type of project, to help you find what you are looking for.
For a super collection of process art projects, all in one place for easy downloading, you should get your copy of Art Spark.
You can also join me for a month-long Art Spark online workshop. The projects include painting, printing, and sculpture, along with science, sensory and messy play, so there’s something for everyone to enjoy.
The ART of CIRCLES workshop is a mini workshop gives you everything you need to deliver a hands-on programme of art and math, all based on circles. This is a great place to start if you are interested in working across the curriculum.
And Exploring Great Artists is a super guide to lots of art projects inspired by famous works of art.
Science Resources
Here’s my collection of favourite science experiments for children. And if you’d like a resource you can download and keep, take a look at Fizz, Pop, Bang!
Monthly Activity Plans
I put together a monthly activity plan as we go through the year which is a great place to head to if you’re looking for seasonal ideas, with all the main festivals included. See them here.
School Gardening Club Resources
Are you starting a school gardening club this year? Find out how to get free plants for your school here, and get your copy of The Garden Classroom which is packed with ideas for making the most of your outdoor environment.
Here’s to a wonderful start to the new school year, whether that’s at home or in a classroom. Thanks for reading along with NurtureStore.
You can find me on Instagram over the summer, Cathy x
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