[vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”40\” bottom_padding=\”40\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]

Early Years Resources

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]We are seeking to provide resources that will enrich both the Early Years practitioner and their work.

We are beginning to gather together materials that reflect best practice in the UK and beyond. To support our work with training and inspiring Christians in Early Years, please consider joining us as a partner. For more info drop us an email.

To submit material that you would like us to consider adding to our resources please email to info@loveearlyyears.com[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=\”No Line\” custom_height=\”20\”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”in_container\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]

Firm Foundations: Rooting a Child\’s Early Years in Love and Faith

Discover the impact of Christian spirituality on the youngest hearts and minds in Firm Foundations.

\”A must read for faith based early years practitioners. It\’s a really helpful and easy read, full of gold nuggets… it will encourage, inspire and refresh your perspective on your early years ministry.\” Steph Openshaw, children\’s author

This insightful guide explores how early years are a fertile ground for spiritual growth, offering practical advice for parents, grandparents, and caregivers. Through engaging stories, thoughtful reflections, and hands-on activities, this book illuminates the natural spirituality of children and provides tools to foster their spiritual development.

Perfect for parents, teachers, and spiritual leaders alike.

\”Love it – I’m going to recommmed it to our church kids leaders and parents and also a must read for new wine leaders I work with too!\” Samantha Smith, author of Seeing your Child God\’s Way[/vc_column_text][divider line_type=\”No Line\” custom_height=\”20\”][nectar_btn size=\”small\” open_new_tab=\”true\” button_style=\”regular\” button_color_2=\”Accent-Color\” icon_family=\”none\” url=\”https://amzn.eu/d/bBcb2ip\” text=\”Buy Now on Amazon\”][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]

Useful Websites:

• Truth Be Told – An intergenerational storytelling charity, equipping you with everything you need to tell partable-style stories, making it easy for all ages, cultures and abilities to belong together.
• 1277 – 1277 exists to support parent and toddler groups run by churches, as they seek to provide a supportive, safe and fun environment that is welcoming to all, and which demonstrates God\’s love at the heart of their communities.
• Easter Resources – Nearly Time: An Easter Rhyme and accompanying resources.
• Salvationist Resources for Early Years – Get OWT!; Jump in!; Dance Fit Tots; Faith at Home.

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Downloadable Resources:

• Baby Chatter Song Book – Singing and enjoying music together is valuable, as babies enjoy hearing a range of songs and rhythms. Get some inspiration for singing together in this song book.

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Equality and Diversity Resources:

• Nursery World \”Actually it does Matter\” Laura Henry – Allain
• Award winning black dolls
• Children\’s jigsaw puzzles featuring diverse characters 
• Mixed race and black dolls
• iTunes & Apple Podcast: Early Years Conversations exploring race, ethnicity and cultural diversity
• Podbean: Black, Bold & Unapologetic
• The Faith & Belief Forum – The Crossroads Where my Blackness and Christianity Meet
• 15 Gratitude Activities for children 

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Outdoor Play Ideas:

• Sweet as Honey
• Den Building
• Let there be Fire
• Grow Your Own Veg
• Spring Bingo
• Weaving a Rainbow
• Making Music
• Bug Hunting
• Transient Art

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Early Days Magazine Articles

Themes:

General:

• • Learning and Development
  • Answering God\’s call for Early Years

Creativity:

• • Created to be Creative
  • Nurturing Creativity Book Reviews
  • Creativity and Intellect

Storying:

• • A Suitcase for Stories
  • Story Scribing
  • Tell me the old, old story
  • Little Red Riding Hood and The Big Bad Ofsted Wolf
  • Resource Review
  • Story time with a childminder
  • Playing with Parables

Supporting Two-year-olds:

• • Getting the environment right for two-year-olds
  • Two year olds and involvement
  • Jesus and two-year-olds
  • Treasuring our two-year-olds

Professional Love:

• • Professional Love or Divine Love?
  • Love that knows no end

The Importance of the Environment:

• • The Kiwi Classroom
  • A Floating Classroom
  • Book Review – Environments
  • More than Tables and Chairs
  • Planting a garden

Music Matters:

• • Sing and Make Music

Taking a Risk:

• • Tales of Adventure, Risk and Stormy Seas

Coping with Assessment:

• • Assessment or Acceptance
  • Assessment in Early Years
  • Monitoring well-being and involvement
  • Book Review  – Assessment

Connecting with Parents:

• • Becoming a Parent
  • The Part Parents Play

Our Values:

• • Whose Values?

Number and Shape:

• • Who holds the power in Early Years maths?

Let\’s Play:

• • Imagination and Outside Play
  • Play Therapy with Refugee Children
  • The Part Parents Play
  • Spirituality and Play
  • Book reviews – Play and Learning

Faith:

• • Train up a Child
  • The Joy of the Lord
  • Hide and Seek spirituality
  • Play and Spirituality

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]

Early Days Magazine

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]Members of Love Early Years can access the Early Days Magazine online by clicking here.[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]

Audit & Quality Improvement Tools

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]Aims, Values and Principles:

• What drives your setting forward?
• Do you have a shared vision and values?
• Gather information and find out where the gaps are.
• Create your own action plan to support improvements.

Book Area Audit

Sustained Shared Thinking and Emotional well-being audit (SSTEW) – an introduction[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]

Advice

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]We hope the following advice documents will be useful for you.

Celebrating Diversity – Community Playthings

Birth to 5 Matters – an interview with Tamsin Grimmer[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]

Ideas Bank

[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row][vc_row type=\”full_width_background\” full_screen_row_position=\”middle\” scene_position=\”center\” text_color=\”dark\” text_align=\”left\” top_padding=\”20\” bottom_padding=\”20\” overlay_strength=\”0.3\” shape_divider_position=\”bottom\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column column_padding=\”no-extra-padding\” column_padding_position=\”all\” background_color_opacity=\”1\” background_hover_color_opacity=\”1\” column_link_target=\”_self\” column_shadow=\”none\” column_border_radius=\”none\” width=\”1/1\” tablet_width_inherit=\”default\” tablet_text_alignment=\”default\” phone_text_alignment=\”default\” column_border_width=\”none\” column_border_style=\”solid\” bg_image_animation=\”none\”][vc_column_text]Ideas for activities and opportunities:

• GodVenture Prayer Activities

Other help:

• Making a Meeting more Effective
• Listening to the Voice of the Child
• Treasure Boxes – Community Playthings

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Coronavirus Resources

• Following the roadmap
• Supporting children post lockdown using the six principles of nurture
• What does school readiness mean during a pandemic?
• How to support children with bereavement and loss
• Child Bereavement
• Covid-19 resources to support children
• How to demonstrate our love to young children during the coronavirus pandemic
• Home-learning again!
• COVID-19 – a chance to reconnect with nature and the outdoors?
• The Power of Play – helping children cope, from Great Ormond Street
• Childcare at the Intersection of Prejudice and COVID-19
• The Little Iceberg tells a story of hope and loss, revealing the healing power of friendship and belonging
• Picture books about loss

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See Also:

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• • Training
  • Events
  • Bookstore
  • Links

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