In most settings, the home corner is a popular and firmly entrenched establishment. This spring take your cooking outdoors again, where natural materials, dirt and water are the perfect ingredients for hours of creative play and scientific discovery. And then escape the hustle and bustle to relax, read, or role play in a welcoming, protected den.

Watch our new Outlast mud kitchens and Arbour in action at Annan The Froebel School in East Sussex. Everything comes with our standard 10-year-warranty and free 2-week delivery.

"In the history of human development, oral language – conversation, poetry, story-telling, and song – arose long before written language. In children we see the same pattern of language development," writes Joan Almon. "Children first learn to listen, to speak, to sing, to enjoy rhymes, stories, and books before they can read or write."

Rich provision of oral language prepares children for success in literacy, science, maths and other academic skills. Joan discusses phonemic awareness, early language and fairytales – read this.

“Our task, regarding creativity, is to help children climb their own mountains, as high as possible. No one can do more.” – Loris Malaguzzi

Art and creativity play an important role in childhood, building perseverance, confidence, understanding and imagination. Your art/creative area can naturally fulfil many of the EYFS learning and development requirements. Here's how.

For many young children, hands-on, sensory experiences with three-dimensional objects have been replaced by two-dimensional screens and worksheets. This is detrimental to their learning.

With all the evidence linking good spatial skills with future achievement in all STEM areas, we must find a way to bring back the blocks. “I am more convinced than ever that blocks are one of the most essential materials for the early childhood classroom,” writes Rosanne Regan Hansel. Read more.

Norland College is renowned worldwide for its excellence in educating early years practitioners. Training at Norland is focused on the founding principles of Froebel, the German educationalist best known as the originator of the first kindergarten, and is adapted to be relevant to the needs of young children and their families. In 2017 the college fitted out their new nursery training area with Community Playthings furniture and toys. Watch this to find out why.