Making friends, especially if you are a toddler, is not always easy... some children are keen to have 'best friends', others go around in packs and some are simply not interested at all.  When you ask who they played with a nursery and they say 'no one' it can be heart-breaking.  But, we have to remember that some children are emotionally 'advanced' and understand the concept of having a friend; whereas others are more interested in playing along side another child with no interaction at all.

If your child is nervous of making friends or you want to gently encourage them to make some new friends, here are a few ideas for encouraging and guiding them.  Friendship is an important part of all our lives and the importance placed on making friends in childhood is demonstrated by the fact that 'Forming Relationships' is part of the EYFS and is a focus of Personal, Social and Emotional Development.

Here are some tips on how you can help children make friends:

• Give them plenty of opportunity to make friends: see lots of people and do lots of different activities
• Give them lots of praise when they do something kind to another person
• Don't force them or try to make them form friendships with people they don't like even if you like them!
• Try not to interfere when they are interacting or playing
• Be bold and approach people at playgroup and get to know them yourself
• Lead by example, chat to people and make friends yourself
• Talk about being kind, sharing and being a good friend while you are at home
• Support any efforts to make friends even if they fail
• Look at photos of friends and chat about how much fun they can be

Part of the Government's Early Years Foundation Stage areas of Learning and Development covers 'Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy' and one of the focuses is 'Shape, Space and Measures'; in order to introduce the idea of size and comparison, try this simple activity, especially if you have recently been to a zoo!  This can be done when walking along the street to playgroup or when sitting on a bus.  Make it a chatty conversation, and not a mathematical exercise.  Keep it simple and talk about the possible answers.

Ask your child some size related questions:

• Which is the tallest animal in the world?  A giraffe.
• Which is the heaviest animal in the world?  An elephant.
• Which is the fastest animal in the world?  A cheetah.
• Which is the smallest animal in the world? A tiny bug
• Which is the fluffiest animal in the world? A baby bunny?
• Which is the biggest animal in the sea?  A whale.

Go to the library and find an animal dictionary or encyclopedia and look up the animals to see what they look like.  See what other interesting facts you can find out.  What do they eat?  Where do they live?  Do they live in groups or alone?  You could also go on line and look for images of the animals and search together.

Try comparing the size of other things around the house too.  Which is the biggest cupboard?  Run and find it.  Which is the tallest lamp?  Run and find it.  Which is the smallest door?  Run and find it.

Research has shown that children benefit more from childcare when their parents are involved.

This research has proved that parents who take an active interest in their children's childcare, reap the benefits. And, the children of parents who get involved settle better and progress more quickly.

This is not to say that parents need to go in and help once a week at nursery or donate lots of funds. It simply means trying to do the following:

• trying to understand what activities your child is doing when at nursery or with the childminder
• finding out what topics are being studied and chat about them together at home
• speaking to the childminder and keeping in touch with progress and development
• sharing with the childminder what your child has enjoyed at home or outings they have had at the weekend
• keeping an eye on your child's Daily Diary and sharing it with them
• looking and enjoying the arts and crafts your child come home with... perhaps trying them for yourselves at home

The Childcare Trust suggests arranging a daily diary for your child as it is a great idea to monitor and share activities and events. For a great, easy to use on-line Daily Diary (and a great activities-based learning programme for 0-5s) go to ToucanLearn.com for a free trial!

Shape sorters feature in every nursery and offer a great way for babies to begin to understand the world around them and how they interact with it.  Research over the last few years, however, suggests that babies learn shapes regardless of whether they have access to these sorts of manufactured toys.  Studies of babies born in developing countries, without access to the toys we enjoy in the Western world, confirm that they are just as able to differentiate between different shapes regardless.

This prompts thinking that babies have a disposition to recognise lines that don't change as an object or shape moves in space before they recognise more complex shapes that do.  For example, they can see that straight lines remain straight while an object moves, even though the angles between lines change, making them harder to recognise.

This research helps us begin to form an understanding of how babies really begin to understand the world around them which in turn will allow us to develop aids that may help and accelerate children in their learning.

Of course, shape sorters aren't just about learning particular shapes - they also help develop fine motor skills as babies practice picking up objects, rotating them in their hands and guiding them through holes on another object.  The ability to post objects through holes offers the first steps towards being able to pick up and control objects in the wider world.

Early skills form an essential part of the Early Years Foundation Stage - make sure that your babies are interacting with objects in a nursery setting and you are already following several Areas of Learning!

How many times do you come back from a walk to school or a stroll to the park and find your child holding leaves, twigs, and muddy grasses?  ...or how often do you find rock and pebbles in trouser pockets (or in the bottom of the washing machine!)?  Nature is wonderful; it's ever changing and it's all around us - children can enjoy nature in so many ways no matter where you live.

Here are some activities to encourage an appreciation of nature... and help with some other areas of development too!

1. Nature Bowl: Whenever your child hands you an acorn or a pine cone to look after, ask instead for it to be put in the special "nature bowl".  Have any old bowl or basket and keep it in an accessible place so precious treasures can be stored and appreciated. Encourage counting by each time more things are added (or taken away!) count the bowlful together.  Encourage sorting by sorting the items into sizes, or shapes or colours. Encourage naming by finding out the name of each item and what it is/does?

2. Practice finding and looking:  Collect some nature items (pine cones, acorns, twigs) and hide them in a sand pit.  See how many the children can find again in one minute.  Use a stop watch to time and count the items together.  Ask the little ones to hide the items next time and see if you can find any more quickly.  Encourage Problem Solving.

3. Birds: put out a bird bath (shallow bowl of water!) and see if any birds come to have a dip!  Go out and choose a bird feeder.  You can get some very reasonable ones at shops.  Make sure the children choose it.  Get them to help put it up and fill it and encourage them to keep an eye on it so it can be refilled.  Try to make it their responsibility.  Encourage problem solving, and self confidence.

4. Tent-making: give the children some blankets, branches, old boxes and see whether they can build a den in the garden or park.  Leave them to it and see how they get on.  If they need help, guide rather than take over.  Just show them how to balance things and give some tips.  Encourage creative thinking, physical movement and problem solving.

5. Mud pies: make some mud pies together with wet mud and allow it to dry.  Roll the mud into shapes and place on an old try in the sun to harden.  Use twigs to stick into the pies and leaves to decorate. Encourage creativity and problem solving.

6. Name all the insects you can: bee, spider, ladybird, butterfly, caterpillar etc. and as you call out each one, try to move like they do.  Wriggle like a worm, glide like a moth, dart like a wasp.  Encourage understanding of the world problem solving and physical movement.

How can you encourage a healthy and enthusiastic learner and good personal, social and emotional development? There is so much that can be done in the home and in the childcare setting to encourage effective PSED.  Here are just a few ideas that can be incorporated into your typical day.

• Play games; take turns and play by the rules.
• Share things; share out snacks or toys or bricks and encourage little ones to do so as well.
• Go to local places of interest, history museums or galleries.
• Look at programmes from theatre or festivals visits.  Or pick up leaflets from places of interest and local history museums.  Look through the information/booklets together when you get home.
• Take photos when out and about and look back a the photos together.  Recall the day, where you were, who was with you what happened etc.
• Listen to what your child wants to talk about, especially if they are anxious or worried about something.  It may seem tiny to us, but a little problem can escalate.
• Encourage lots of questions and exploring when out and about.

Personal, Social and Emotional Development lies at the very heart of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and in essence every single activity a child does, whether climbing a tree, writing their first letter or counting all the way to 11, influences their own sense of worth and self confidence.

As each hurdle is mastered; each skill practiced and learned, so their emotional well being and self esteem are built up and strengthened thus creating a more confident and happy child.

The best way to encourage personal, social and emotional development is through play.

Why?

• It is essential for learning.  It brings children's world alive and inspires their imagination.
• Little ones have fun when playing, and enjoy themselves.
• They are active and it promotes healthy living.
• Young children learn a little about themselves and how to communicate ideas and games to others both fellow children and the carers too.
• They experiment in a free environment and try things out without fear of getting it "wrong".
• They are free to explore in their own way whether this be ideas and games or materials and equipment.
• They learn about interaction, negotiation with other children and rules of games etc.

The EYFS has just gone through review by Dame Care Tickell.  Amongst her recommendations is that the EYFS is slimmed down and it is likely that the areas of learning will be reduced from six core areas to three.  So important is Personal, Social and Emotional Development that it is one of the areas that will be preserved.  Dame Clare Tickell's report suggests:-

A new focus on three prime areas which are the foundations for children’s ability to learn and develop healthily: personal, social and emotional development; communication and language; and physical development.

A childminder is required to record observations as part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) and yet, how do you actually 'make' and record observations in a setting while trying to do other things and look after the children?

The easiest was is to use ToucanLearn's unique Daily Diary.  By logging what you see, what the children say, any milestones etc on the Daily Diary you get a great personal record for yourself to monitor and to share with parents too... and you don't impact on the care you are giving by having to scratch around for paper and note books.  Sign up at our website and start using ToucanLearn for free!

Use a digital camera or mobile phone to record what happens.  Take pictures of special crafts, achievements or just everyday shots of the little ones going about their playing.

Take video of the children mastering tasks and having fun.  Try to encourage them not to act up in front of the camera but to just be as 'normal' as they can... may be hard!

Have a note book somewhere central at all times and jot down observations.  You can then stick them on a poster or add them to the ToucanLearn.

Maintain a weekly observation chart and add an entry each week in order to monitor overall progress.

A review has stated that nursery and childminding targets should be scaled back to allow teachers and carers more time actually teaching the children. Carers are spending so much time on paperwork that they are not spending enough time with the children, inspiring, guiding and helping them.

Dame Clare Tickell, co-author of the report, said that the Early Years Foundation Stage has helped boost standards, but it has also become too focused with meeting targets. The review calls for the EYFS to be radically changed thus reducing the number of goals for under fives from 69 to just 17.

It was said that the current scheme is "cumbersome, repetitive and unnecessarily bureaucratic." Christine Blower, general secretary of the National Union of Teachers (NUT), said the changes would be "a victory for common sense".

It points out that:

• children develop at different rates
• play is vital
• literacy and numeracy can often be taught in too formal a way which may not be productive

Instead, general checks should take place including:

• seeing if a child can negotiate space and objects around them
• communicate their needs (food, drink)
• learn new words and use them

These along with the health visitor checks at age 2 would indicate any educational needs. The report also states that everyone working with under fives should have, at least, A levels, thus ensuring a high quality workforce.

We'll have to wait and see the repercussions!

If your baby or toddler attends a playgroup or nursery, they will be assigned a key worker who takes on the responsibility of liaising between your child and you, the parents.  The key worker assumes the role of primary carer for your little one, ensuring that they settle into the nursery setting, integrate with the other children, and generally ensure your baby's welfare whilst they are in their care.

The key worker is also responsible for reporting on the six areas of learning and development within the Early Years Foundation Stage and to this end, they will make regular observations and report back to the parents.  They will also raise any concerns about development should they notice anything.

The key worker does not shadow your child the whole time or play solely with their key wards.  A key worker will take responsibility for several children simultaneously and may only make observational notes on an occasional basis rather than every day.

You should always be made aware who your child's key worker is, this information is usually displayed on a notice board within the setting, and the preschool may hold 'parent's evenings' where you can interface directly with the key worker to be told of progress and any concerns.  Over time your key worker may change, and you should be informed at the time.  If you ever have concerns about how your child is setting into their day setting, then do not hesitate to raise them with your key worker.

We've progressed a long way from the Victorian days when children were best kept our of sight and out of mind, but the sad truth is that modern living often means that your children spend more time with a childminder than they do with you. Are you kept informed of how your children are doing, and do you have a good idea of their progress?

The government's Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requires for child minders, carers and nursery teachers actively to keep records of every child's progress. Make sure that you are getting the level of information you want about your children and how they are developing.  If you aren't hearing enough, then ask for more - if you feel your childminder is being too diligent, then they will be delighted to be asked to reign back a bit and tell you just what you want to hear!

At ToucanLearn, every child receives their own Daily Diary designed especially for childminders to share information with parents.  By sharing the Daily Diary you can stay informed about what your children are doing every day.  This service can be used for free, but premium members can also upload photos to keep a photographic record of everything they do too.

We know from feedback that we receive about our service that many parents are able to view what their children are doing throughout the day - they can see pictures of new artwork once it has been uploaded, and they can read what their little ones are making, doing and eating during the day.  Here at ToucanLearn we're dedicated to helping working parents share as much information about their children as they can.  If you don't feel you are getting the information you want from your childminder, why not ask them to start posting a Daily Diary in ToucanLearn?  Our FREE service means they don't even have to spend a penny to do so!

It has been suggested by Jean Gross, Communications expert and adviser to the EYFS Review, that the equal weighting given to the areas of the EYFS may do better if it were changed.

Currently the six areas of learning and development are given equal weighting throughout the age range it covers.

1. Personal, Social and Emotional Development
2. Communication, Language and Literacy
3. Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy
4. Knowledge and Understanding of the World
5. Physical Development
6. Creative Development

However, there is talk of changing the weighting especially in the younger age ranges.  Perhaps there should be an increased emphasis in the personal, social and emotional development and the communication and language areas.

Ms Gross has in he past spoken about the importance of bonding and attachment between babies and their parents and the value of talking to your baby!  ToucanLearn agrees and as our activities with babies demonstrate, there is so much you can do to start the "conversation" and bonding with your babies by simply chatting to them.  They can't speak back to you, or contribute to a conversation, but they look, watch and listen and learn as you talk to them and involve them in your life!  This can only be a good thing!

More research will follow and decisions will be made as to how, if at all, EYFS will change.

The Institute of Education says that there is huge support for the Early Years Foundation Stage among early years practitioners following a study carried out by the Government to assess the popularity of EYFS among the groups of people working within the framework. It seems the majority of people who work with children are very happy with the framework and the guidance that the EYFS provides. Great changes are not required.

The Areas of Learning and Development were seen as largely appropriate although teachers did note that the focus seemed to be on numeracy, literary and communication rather than social, personal and emotional goals.

Assessing children, especially the younger ones, was also seen as difficult and following development of each child was not always deemed appropriate.

We hope that for all childminders, services such as ToucanLearn help!  If you aren't already signed up to our EYFS activity programme, sign up FREE now!

Many families don't have the luxury of a parent staying at home to raise their children, many families require two incomes to support themselves, and it's a sad truth that your childminder may see more of your young children than you do.  Given the amount of time spent away from your children, how do you know that they are in good hands?  ...that your nanny, childminder or nursery is really great with them?

Part of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) mandates good lines of communication between carers and parents.  It is important for parents to know what their children have been doing, what they are learning and how they are progressing.  ToucanLearn's Daily Diary offers one way in which carers can share their experiences with parents.  Nanny's don't have to follow EYFS but it is still good practice for you to develop a formal or informal way that lets them tell you what has been happening.

If you have doubts about the quality of your child care, you should raise it with the care provider in the first instance.  If matters remain unresolved, you can take complaints to OFSTED.  They will investigate not only people registered as OFSTED carers, but also people providing care services that aren't enrolled on their registers.  You can find out more about how OFSTED respond to complaints in this document.  Child services are, understandably, a hugely important and sensitive area.  OFSTED will take your issues seriously, and will work with both sides to ensure a high standard of care, and the implementation of best practice.

There's no doubt that the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) requirements place a huge burden on childminders and teachers, but linking your activities to the EYFS and planning topics in advance need not be as difficult as you might imagine.  Every activity you choose to undertake with babies and toddlers will have some learning benefits, and it's usually pretty easy to stretch activities to cover almost any of the areas of learning and devlopment.

Let's look at three basic activities, and see how we can adjust them to cover all six of the areas of learning and development.

(1) Finger Painting

Sit your little one down with a large sheet of paper and some poster paints, and ask them to create a 'picture' dipping their fingers in the paint and drawing on their canvas.  You can easily cover each of the areas of learning and development:-

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Have your little one include members of their family and friends that they see often in their picture
• Communication, Language and Literacy: Ask your little one to talk about the different parts of their picture and to describe what is going on
• Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy: Have your little artist add shapes to the picture, shapes, circles and triangles
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World: Include their house in the drawing along with one or two other landmarks that they know, such as where the shops, park or their nursery are
• Physical Development: Paint trees with big sweeping lines, and flowers with fine little lines; discuss how the paint feels on their fingers
• Creative Development: Dip each finger in a different colour and learn what happens as they drag their hand down the page, what happens if they wiggle their fingers at the same time?

(2) A Walk in the Park

Take a stroll out to your nearest park and observe what's happening around you, at the same time, covering all the areas of learning and development:-

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development: At the end of your trip, discuss what aspects of the walk your little one enjoyed; if you visited a play park, how did they feel on the swings, on the climbing frames and on other equipment they played on?
• Communication, Language and Literacy: Play eye-spy as you walk to the park, see if your little one can give accurate clues describing what it is that they can 'spy'
• Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy: Look out for and count things on your way: birds, letter boxes, trees etc.
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World: Talk about why you must hold hands when walking by the road, and why you look for cars before crossing the road; when you arrive at the park, ask your little one to recount your journey, the landmarks that you passed and the route you took
• Physical Development: Let them run around and play on swings, climbing frames and the other outdoor toys; if there aren't any, make up a simple chasing game
• Creative Development: Have them play make-believe in the park, perhaps they can be an ice-cream vendor doling out ice-creams to the children, or perhaps they can be a fire-fighter rescuing people from the climbing frame?!

(3) Make-Believe Restaurant

Set up a restaurant with your little one(s), pretend you have a nice restaurant, beautiful tables, and lots of customers.  Pretend to make and serve food, and let's see how we can fit it to those areas of learninf and development once more:-

• Personal, Social and Emotional Development: Have your little one greet the restaurant customers and show them to their tables; show how they can act politely to their guests
• Communication, Language and Literacy: Have your little one recite the menu to each customer and ask what they would like to eat - see how many orders they can make up and remember!
  
• Problem Solving, Reasoning and Numeracy: Count how many meals need to be prepared; ask how they might entertain the customers while their dinner is being cooked?!
• Knowledge and Understanding of the World: Describe how different foods originate from different countries; have your chef name their favourite foods and describe where those foods come from.  You may be surprised at how many international influences they have been exposed to already!
• Physical Development: Give your little one a large hardback book to use as a tray.  Have them hold it on top of their hand and balance some toy food or other small items on it.  Have them walk around the room keeping the items balanced; add more and more items to the tray
• Creative Development: Have your little one go to their make-believe kitchen and make up the food orders.  Tell them what they must do and have them act it out: wash the vegetables, cut the onions, peel the potatoes, place the ingredients in a big pan on the stove and stir; dish the food onto plates and serve the customers!

All of the activities we present in ToucanLearn are tagged with the key areas of learning and development they support, we flag the specific focus areas within each area that they compliment.  However, with just a little bit of imagination, you can expand any activity to cover almost any of the areas of learning and development.

Why don't you decide on a theme to pursue each week?  It might be counting, shapes, colours, animals, countries or anything else. Choose a theme, and adjust each activity you undertake to fit in with the theme.  It's easier than you might think, and you'll have a lot of fun together at the same time!