We have had the longest day of 2019, but plenty of downpours too! It just goes to show that, even in the summertime, having some outside areas under cover is important.

We have added some great new activities to the site for the summer, including some ideas from Judith Harries to make the most of the season, whatever weather it brings. In July there’s a great opportunity to tackle space travel and exploration to tie in with the 50 year anniversary of the first moon landing. Where will your children go with this theme? Let us know on our Facebook page.

July 29th is Global Tiger Day. Animals are always a lovely focus for the Early Years and stories provide a useful way in to early maths skills. Numbers: The tiger who came to tea from Neil Griffiths (using Judith Kerr’s classic book as a starting point) is a lovely way to develop sharing, one-to-one matching and sequencing skills.

July 30th is the International Day of Friendship and the Hindu festival of Raksha Bandhan is August 15th. These two events give a perfect opportunity to think about friendship and making relationships (PSED). Have a look at Class Selfie Time by Dawn Roper and The Friendship Box by Lynn Clere.

When the summer is in full flow you may want to search by keyword to find activities linked to ‘summer’, ‘holidays’ or perhaps the ‘seaside’. Sally Featherstone’s activity Coloured Sand Jars is one to look out for – simple and straightforward, and looks great.