Exploring Play Series

Bears

by Helen Shelbourne

Published 31 January 2006

Bears takes a look at these ever popular toys through a range of hands-on activities and creativity. Children will:

develop self expression and creativity through familiar bear stories and rhymes
build on mathematical concepts such as counting and size
extend their knowledge and understanding of a range of scientific principles.

This book is part of the Exploring Play series which are exciting topic-based books that present a range of unusual themes, together with new ideas for timeless favourites.

This exciting topic-based series offers early years practitioners collections of activities based on familiar themes. The activities can be easily implemented and readily incorporated into curriculum planning through links made to the Foundation Stage curriculum.

Each book includes:

activities that can be used on their own or as part of a themed program
ideas for enjoying an all round curriculum approach
guidance on expanding existing ideas and resources
linked ideas to be carried out at home.

Ourselves looks at families and society and includes important topics such as friendship and identity.

The Weather

by Lesley Newman and Helen Shelbourne

Published 30 June 2006

This easy-to-use and fun book will be an invaluable resource for all early years practitioners looking for new ideas and ways to enhance learning within their setting. This book provides imaginative activities based around windy days - for instance making and flying kites and pinwheels; icy and snowy days - exploring a big block of ice, making lollies; rainy days - Games such as I hear thunder and Insey wincey spider misty and foggy days - using torches in the fog, looking at cars, exploring through books sunny days - exploring Van Gough's Sunflowers and Monet's poppies, planting sunflower seeds listening to Vivaldi's Four Seasons and generally using the weather as a directly relevant inspiration for fun cross-curricular activities

Woodland Creatures

by Helen Shelbourne

Published 10 October 2005

Each book incudes:

activities that can be used on their own or as part of a themed programideas for enjoying an all round curriculum approachguidance on expanding existing ideas and resourceslinked ideas to be carried out at home.

Woodland Creatures includes rabbits, badgers, owls, mice, foxes: all much loved and written about in stories. It introduces themes of hibernation, co-dependence and predators.