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British Science Week – A guest blog by Science Sparks

Laura Hutchinson Posted On Mar 8, 2019 | National Holidays

Emma is a busy mum to three even busier children. She is passionate about the importance of science education and making science fun for kids. You can find Emma’s science-based activities and investigations over on Science Sparks, a website bursting with creative and engaging ideas for children of all ages.

Emma has pulled together some fun science experiments that you can do at home to celebrate British Science Week.

Scienceat Home with Science Sparks

I’ve spoken to many parents over the years who find the prospectof science at home to be a little daunting; they worry it’ll be messy, not workor be hard to explain. There’s no doubt that sometimes it can be a little messyand it doesn’t always work, but part of the fun for me is working together withmy children to find out why something didn’t work or how we can improve it.

As this week is British Science Week there’s no better time tohave a go at some science at home. You’ll probably be surprised at how everydaykitchen items can be used for a fun investigation that’ll have both you and thekids asking questions and wanting to try more!

Ideas for Science at Home:

1. Make your own lava lamp

A lava lampis almost mess free and especially good as it can be used over and over again.

Materials

Tall jar orbottle

Vegetable oil

Water

Foodcolouring

Effervescentvitamin tablet

Instructions

Fill the jar or bottle about one quarter full with water.

Fill to almost the top with vegetable oil.

The oil and water will separate into two layers with water atthe bottom and oil at the top. If you shake the bottle to mix them up, theywill separate out again!

Once the oil and water have separated, use a pipette to drop foodcolouring into the oil. This will drop through into the water, which is greatfun to watch.

Drop half an effervescent vitamin tablet into the lava lamp andwatch the bubbles!

Once the bubblesstop add another half tablet to make the lava lamp fizz again.

Whydoes this work?

Theeffervescent vitamin tablet reacts with the water to produce carbon dioxidegas. The bubblesof carbon dioxide carry the coloured water into the oil giving a lavalamp effect.

2. Why do things float in water?

This activity encourages children to think about why some objectsfloat in water and some sink.

Materials

A selection of different balls – one should sink

Bubble wrap

Tape

A container filled with water

Instructions

Ask the children to sort the balls into those they think will sinkand those they think will float.

Test the balls one at a time.

Take a ball, which sank and wrap in bubble wrap secured with tape.

Test the bubble wrap ball again. It should float! If it doesn’tfloat add more bubble wrap until it does.

Whydoes this work?

Although the bubble wrap makes the ballweigh a little more, it also displaces extra water making the ball more buoyant.The pockets of air in the bubble wrap mean that the ball and bubble wraptogether are less dense than the water, which means the ball floats!

3. Chocolate Challenge

This is agreat activity for thinking about how things change over time and fantastic funas it includes chocolate.

Materials

White, darkand milk chocolate buttons

Timer

Pen and paper

Instructions

Place a whitechocolate button in the centre of the experimenter’s hand and start the timer.

Stop thetimer when all the chocolate has melted and record the time.

Repeat with amilk and dark chocolate button.

Try again,but this time the experimenter should close their hand and then try with the chocolatebuttons resting on top of the hand.

Where do theymelt the fastest? Why do you think that is?

Would a sugar-coatedchocolate like an M and M melt faster or more slowly?

If you likethe sound of the ideas above don’t forget to check out ScienceSparks for moresimple and fun science ideas for kids.

British Science Week – A guest blog by Science Sparks

Emma has pulled together some fun science experiments that you can do at home to celebrate British Science Week.

Scienceat Home with Science Sparks

Ideas for Science at Home:

1. Make your own lava lamp

A lava lampis almost mess free and especially good as it can be used over and over again.

Materials

Tall jar orbottle

Vegetable oil

Water

Foodcolouring

Effervescentvitamin tablet

Instructions

Fill the jar or bottle about one quarter full with water.

Fill to almost the top with vegetable oil.

The oil and water will separate into two layers with water atthe bottom and oil at the top. If you shake the bottle to mix them up, theywill separate out again!

Once the oil and water have separated, use a pipette to drop foodcolouring into the oil. This will drop through into the water, which is greatfun to watch.

Drop half an effervescent vitamin tablet into the lava lamp andwatch the bubbles!

Once the bubblesstop add another half tablet to make the lava lamp fizz again.

Whydoes this work?

Theeffervescent vitamin tablet reacts with the water to produce carbon dioxidegas. The bubblesof carbon dioxide carry the coloured water into the oil giving a lavalamp effect.

2. Why do things float in water?

This activity encourages children to think about why some objectsfloat in water and some sink.

Materials

A selection of different balls – one should sink

Bubble wrap

Tape

A container filled with water

Instructions

Ask the children to sort the balls into those they think will sinkand those they think will float.

Test the balls one at a time.

Take a ball, which sank and wrap in bubble wrap secured with tape.

Test the bubble wrap ball again. It should float! If it doesn’tfloat add more bubble wrap until it does.

Whydoes this work?

3. Chocolate Challenge

This is agreat activity for thinking about how things change over time and fantastic funas it includes chocolate.

Materials

White, darkand milk chocolate buttons

Timer

Pen and paper

Instructions

Place a whitechocolate button in the centre of the experimenter’s hand and start the timer.

Stop thetimer when all the chocolate has melted and record the time.

Repeat with amilk and dark chocolate button.

Try again,but this time the experimenter should close their hand and then try with the chocolatebuttons resting on top of the hand.

Where do theymelt the fastest? Why do you think that is?

Would a sugar-coatedchocolate like an M and M melt faster or more slowly?

If you likethe sound of the ideas above don’t forget to check out ScienceSparks for moresimple and fun science ideas for kids.

The Perfect Gifts for Christmas: A guest post by Granny Smith

Granny Smith Posted On Nov 30, 2018 | Seasonal Fun

Having become a grandmother for the first time Granny Smith started blogging almost exactly a year ago, not long after Daisy’s first birthday. Now, 50 blogs later, she has followers all over the world who appreciate her informed observations, down to earth style and grandparent- oriented view on watching grandchildren ‘grow, play & learn’. A retired lecturer in child development Granny Smith lives in Norfolk with her husband who works in the toy industry.

I was delighted when Learning Resources asked me to write a ‘guest blog’ for them recommending which of their products would make perfect Christmas Gifts for children of Daisy’s age. While these selections are from their wide range, they did give a free hand to choose what I thought appropriate.

I’ll start with fine motor skills development because right now Daisy cannot get enough time moving, fiddling and adjusting things. Last weekend we saw her posting felt tips into her wellies while she was wearing them. So, I know Daisy would welcome Spike, the Fine Motor Hedgehog as a special gift. The endless placing and re-placing of his coloured spines would make her very happy. The Bright Basics Peg Garden would also interest Daisy and perhaps challenge her skill and stimulate her imagination as well.Sticking with motor control a game that would be a big hit with the family and one that Daisy could play is The Sneaky Snacky Squirrel Game. Squirrels are always a hit with toddlers and it is so common to see them now in our urban environment. Great for learning to cooperate and take turns Sneaky will also help Daisy learn her colours as well. Look out for other games in this ‘tweezer’ series.Sometimes Daisy needs to express her development of gross motor skills and when she’s in that mood she would benefit from having the New Sprouts Fix It Set with its pretend tools! There are many great items in the New Sprouts range from tools to food items and cooking sets, and when Daisy feels like making more noise, she could turn to the Learning Drums.I don’t think Daisy is too young to enjoy Crocodile Hop, the early maths activity set. This is a fun active ‘cross the river’ type of game with plenty of whole-body movement for all the family.

Daisy has always loved small world animals so an apt Christmas set would be Jumbo Forest Animals. These chunky and rather seasonal animals are just the right size for toddler’s hands and stimulate pretend play that you can link to young children's’ favourite books. Speaking of books, Daisy has been looking at them since she was a baby and is now reciting simple stories and words. Now would be a good time to give her some Letter Blocks to manipulate, use as dough cutters and watch as I form simple words for her. There are Number Blocks too to help with simple counting.

Granny Smith saysDaisy will be 27 months this Christmas and would be lucky and happy to receive any of the toys I have chosen. Of course, whatever she is given I wonder if removing the wrapping paper and opening boxes might delight her almost as much as the contents; I’ll keep you posted as always at www.grannysmithsdiary.blog

The Perfect Gifts for Christmas: A guest post by Granny Smith Having become a grandmother for the first time Granny Smith started blogging almost exactly a year ago, not long after Daisy’s first birthday. Now, 50 blogs later, she has followers all over the world who appreciate her informed observations, down to earth style and grandparent- oriented view on watching grandchildren ‘grow, play & learn’. A retired lecturer in child development Granny Smith lives in Norfolk with her husband who works in the toy industry.

10 Family Games for the whole family to enjoy

Sophie Hibberd Posted On Nov 16, 2018 | Family Time

10 Family Games for the whole family to enjoy

Science in Play: A Guest Post by Emma from Science Sparks

Laura Hutchinson Posted On Oct 25, 2018 | Learn

Science in Play: A Guest Post by Emma from Science Sparks

2018 Award Winners

Sophie Hibberd Posted On Oct 11, 2018 | Community

At Learning Resources, a lot of time is invested in understanding what children need to learn and how they might learn it. Products are then developed around that need, ensuring that products are appealing, easy to use and of a high quality. Moments are created where learning and play become one, and Learning Resources products are designed to instil a love of learning in both boys and girls, who often do not realise they are learning as they play.Throughout 2018, multiple Judges have put our toys and games to the test! We are delighted to have received several prestigious accolades that have recognised our toys for their quality, durability, educational benefits and fun factor. Discover which toys have award winners this year below.

Botley™ The Coding Robot Activity SetWhat is Botley? Meet Botley! The interactive robot here to teach children aged 5+ the fundamentals of coding, without the need for a screen!Botley, from Learning Resources, is the fun, friendly way for young children to learn coding and, unlike most coding robots aimed at older kids, doesn’t require a tablet or smartphone. Ready to use straight out of the box, Botley is the only robot on the market that comes with a full activity set, allowing children to create obstacle courses for endless hours of coding fun.Awards

Judges’ Comments Primary Teacher Awards – Gold – Score of 95.4%

"An excellent product that introduces children to the concept of coding. The younger ones were happy to program in basic commands while the older children tried the more complex sequence of coding”"We loved Botley! The appeal was instant. Children were able to follow the written instructions and had him working straightaway. Ninety minutes later they were still engrossed. They were able to program him and create obstacles with the shapes provided and not a cross word between them! It is rare to find a toy with instant appeal that requires no input from the adult”"This clearly supports STEM, with children using their imaginations to create what might be possible. It is a great introduction to computer programming to younger children. The colours were equally appealing to both boys and girls. I liked the detailing on him – his tyre treads being computer circuitry. The control panel was a good size for small hands”

Right Start Awards – Top Winner - Gold

"Botley makes abstract concepts concrete and gets children excited about coding. Our four-to-eight year olds enjoyed plotting mazes and (without realising it) using logic to programme Botley out of dire situations”

Good Toy Guide – Recommended

"How can Botley see the things in his way?" - Boy aged 8"Botley introduces children to coding in a fun way – a real favourite with our testers. They loved the concept of a robot and were eager to get programming! They needed some help initially to understand the commands but once they had read or listened to the instructions, they were well on their way. The younger children engaged in simple programmes – one group enjoyed programming Botley to move from one child to another (they were sat in a circle). This teaches cause and effect and logical thinking skills which are ideal as a basis for important STEM learning”"The children showed a high level of engagement and determination when coding the robot – they did not want to give up, demonstrating perseverance. The option to build upon simple codes and functions and two levels of difficulty provides opportunities for children to progress their knowledge and develop their understanding. We also observed some excellent teamwork and enjoyed seeing the children discuss their successes and failures, building on them in their future codes”

Playfoam® Pals™ Wild Friends 2-PackMeet the Pals! Playfoam® Pals™ feature 12 collectible pods that open to reveal a unique animal character encased in Playfoam®! The super-squishy, sculpting material is child friendly, won’t dry out and doesn’t stick to clothes or carpet! Children love opening the Playfoam Pals pods to reveal their surprise collectible. Heads and bodies can be mixed and matched for endless character combinations; look out for the ultra-rare golden pal!Playfoam makes the perfect material to sculpt props such as nests and beds for animal friends and a handy collection sheet illustrates the home countries of each animal, helping children to keep on track of what Playfoam Pals they need to complete their set!Awards

Judges’ Comments Good Toy Guide – Approved

"This foam is really cool, especially how it sticks together" - Girl aged 9"The crocodile is so cute, I love it" - Girl aged 6"The Playfoam pals are both cute and creative and definitely appealed to our testers. They were keen to see which pals they had got and there was much excitement when one of them contained a golden pal. They loved the fact the foam could be used to make things for their new pals: homes, food, beds… It provides many opportunities for creative play, which develops imagination and storytelling skills”"The unique sculpt-able quality of the playfoam also encourages sensory play. This exploration of different tactile elements, textures, sounds and smells is not only great for developing fine motor control but can also enhance memory, problem solving and language skills. Sensory play also provides opportunities for calming and managing emotions. Due to their size, these toys are great for taking out and about as they are self-contained”

Right Start Awards – Silver

"Playfoam will keep children busy for ages: they’ll enjoy moulding it into weird and wonderful creations and the animal surprise makes it a must-have. Good value for money”

Primary Teacher Awards – Bronze – Score of 78.1%

"The children were eager to open this and were excited to see what Playfoam pals were inside.”Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog™

Say Hello to Spike!Ideal for toddlers, this beautifully designed hedgehog-themed learning toy will develop a variety of key early learning skills. Children insert and remove Spike’s quills as they build fine motor skills - Quills feature four common colours: red, orange, green and purple.Awards Practical Pre-School Awards – Gold – Score of 91.5%

"The spikes are well-made and they are easy to store within the hedgehog itself. We liked the fact it is so colourful and easy to use. Good for learning colours, counting and sorting. It also supported fine motor skills and memory. We discovered that it can be taken anywhere!”

Right Start Awards

"The design is cute and appealing, and the pieces are tactile for small hands. Our two-year-old enjoyed the hedgehog theme. A fun toy for small children.’Beaker Creatures™ Liquid Reactor Super Lab

What are Beaker Creatures? Beaker Creatures are the exciting new range of science-themed collectibles that uniquely combine the thrill of collecting with real science!After travelling through space in their Reactor Pods from their tiny distant planets, Beaker Creatures uniquely combine the thrill of collecting with hands-on science experiments, building skills and sparking curiosity!By dissolving the Reactor Pods, children as young as five can discover, classify, and explore 35 collectible characters from five different families and they might also discover the rare 24-carat creature! Kids can then take on the role of scientist, identifying their creatures with classification cards, and exploring their worlds through fun science facts and amazing experiments.Beaker Creatures sets double as working lab sets, complete with included science experiments that encourage hands-on learning.Award

Design and Drill® My First WorkbenchWhat is it? An innovative creative construction set that powers up the imagination of junior builders from as young as 3, as they hammer and drill directly into a play bench to create colourful designs. Great for building STEM skills.AwardJudges’ Comments Practical Pre-School Awards – Gold

"This had immediate appeal for children. Excellent for developing fine motor skills, by pushing, pulling and twisting. Using the tools also helps with hand-eye co-ordination. We liked the design ideas and feel they provide good extension activities for older or more able children.”"The drill was easy to use. Great for developing fine motor skills and plenty of scope for creativity. It also offered opportunities for mathematical skills and problem solving. Overall, a fun toy that is appealing and engaged the children immediately.”

2018 Award Winners At Learning Resources, a lot of time is invested in understanding what children need to learn and how they might learn it. Products are then developed around that need, ensuring that products are appealing, easy to use and of a high quality. Moments are created where learning and play become one, and Learning Resources products are designed to instil a love of learning in both boys and girls, who often do not realise they are learning as they play.Throughout 2018, multiple Judges have put our toys and games to the test! We are delighted to have received several prestigious accolades that have recognised our toys for their quality, durability, educational benefits and fun factor. Discover which toys have award winners this year below.

Judges’ Comments Primary Teacher Awards – Gold – Score of 95.4%

"An excellent product that introduces children to the concept of coding. The younger ones were happy to program in basic commands while the older children tried the more complex sequence of coding”"We loved Botley! The appeal was instant. Children were able to follow the written instructions and had him working straightaway. Ninety minutes later they were still engrossed. They were able to program him and create obstacles with the shapes provided and not a cross word between them! It is rare to find a toy with instant appeal that requires no input from the adult”"This clearly supports STEM, with children using their imaginations to create what might be possible. It is a great introduction to computer programming to younger children. The colours were equally appealing to both boys and girls. I liked the detailing on him – his tyre treads being computer circuitry. The control panel was a good size for small hands”

Right Start Awards – Top Winner - Gold

"Botley makes abstract concepts concrete and gets children excited about coding. Our four-to-eight year olds enjoyed plotting mazes and (without realising it) using logic to programme Botley out of dire situations”

Good Toy Guide – Recommended

"How can Botley see the things in his way?" - Boy aged 8"Botley introduces children to coding in a fun way – a real favourite with our testers. They loved the concept of a robot and were eager to get programming! They needed some help initially to understand the commands but once they had read or listened to the instructions, they were well on their way. The younger children engaged in simple programmes – one group enjoyed programming Botley to move from one child to another (they were sat in a circle). This teaches cause and effect and logical thinking skills which are ideal as a basis for important STEM learning”"The children showed a high level of engagement and determination when coding the robot – they did not want to give up, demonstrating perseverance. The option to build upon simple codes and functions and two levels of difficulty provides opportunities for children to progress their knowledge and develop their understanding. We also observed some excellent teamwork and enjoyed seeing the children discuss their successes and failures, building on them in their future codes”

Judges’ Comments Good Toy Guide – Approved

"This foam is really cool, especially how it sticks together" - Girl aged 9"The crocodile is so cute, I love it" - Girl aged 6"The Playfoam pals are both cute and creative and definitely appealed to our testers. They were keen to see which pals they had got and there was much excitement when one of them contained a golden pal. They loved the fact the foam could be used to make things for their new pals: homes, food, beds… It provides many opportunities for creative play, which develops imagination and storytelling skills”"The unique sculpt-able quality of the playfoam also encourages sensory play. This exploration of different tactile elements, textures, sounds and smells is not only great for developing fine motor control but can also enhance memory, problem solving and language skills. Sensory play also provides opportunities for calming and managing emotions. Due to their size, these toys are great for taking out and about as they are self-contained”

Right Start Awards – Silver

"Playfoam will keep children busy for ages: they’ll enjoy moulding it into weird and wonderful creations and the animal surprise makes it a must-have. Good value for money”

Primary Teacher Awards – Bronze – Score of 78.1%

"The children were eager to open this and were excited to see what Playfoam pals were inside.”Spike the Fine Motor Hedgehog™

"The spikes are well-made and they are easy to store within the hedgehog itself. We liked the fact it is so colourful and easy to use. Good for learning colours, counting and sorting. It also supported fine motor skills and memory. We discovered that it can be taken anywhere!”

Right Start Awards

"The design is cute and appealing, and the pieces are tactile for small hands. Our two-year-old enjoyed the hedgehog theme. A fun toy for small children.’Beaker Creatures™ Liquid Reactor Super Lab

"This had immediate appeal for children. Excellent for developing fine motor skills, by pushing, pulling and twisting. Using the tools also helps with hand-eye co-ordination. We liked the design ideas and feel they provide good extension activities for older or more able children.”"The drill was easy to use. Great for developing fine motor skills and plenty of scope for creativity. It also offered opportunities for mathematical skills and problem solving. Overall, a fun toy that is appealing and engaged the children immediately.”

International Talk Like A Pirate Day – A guest blog by Ian Goldsworthy

Laura Hutchinson Posted On Sep 14, 2018 | Seasonal Fun

Ian Goldsworthy is here to help Learning Resources celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Ian is a Year 2 teacher at Manor Lodge School in Shenley, Hertfordshire and he also does teacher training in Science for Essex Teacher Training.

If you’re anything like me (late 30’s, balding, social life not as full as it once was) you’ll have had the 19^th September circled in your diary for a long time – International Talk Like a Pirate Day!Yes, it’s time to batten down the hatches, hoist the main sail, and fly the Jolly Roger once again as otherwise sane people pepper their vocabulary with a boat load of ahoy, aha and avast.The salty seadogs at Learning Resources asked me to don my captain’s hat and take a look at three of their fantastic products to make sure they were ship shape ahead of this year’s talk like a pirate day and to think of a few ideas for how each product could be used to aid learning.

Jolly Roger's Pirate PiecesThis is a great game for 2-4 players to begin to recognise fractions, specifically halves, quarters and thirds. The pirate loot is gathered in the centre of the board and players take it in turns to use the spinner to determine which piece of treasure they will be able to take from the centre pile: ½ a gem stone, a 1/3 of a gold medallion, a ¼ of a treasure map or a whole golden chalice?The winner is the first person to fill up their treasure chest, helpfully indicated by empty shapes split into halves, thirds and quarters. But, crucially, there is not enough treasure for all four players; there will need to be some skulduggery in order for any pirate to complete their haul. Once all the treasure has been collected from the middle you can then steal treasure from the other buccaneers, robbing them of their whole fractions whilst adding to your own.Opportunities for learning

The strong, clear visuals of the game really help reinforce the differences in the fractions and how many parts make a respective whole. If a player has ¼ of their treasure map, ask them what fraction they have still left to find (3/4).
Collect more parts than can fit on your whole to demonstrate improper fractions i.e if you collect four parts of a medallion this would be 4/3
For more advanced players you could use decimal or percentage equivalents, encouraging children to recognise that ½ = 50% = 0.5

National Curriculum linksYear 1

recognise, find and name a half as one of two equal parts of an object, shape or quantity
recognise, find and name a quarter as one of four equal parts of an object, shape or quantity

Year 2

recognise, find, name and write fractions 1/3, ¼, 2/4 and 3/4 of a length, shape, set of objects or quantity.

Year 4

recognise and write decimal equivalents to ¼, ½ and ¾

Play MoneyNo pirate plunder is complete without some sterling, and this set of UK coins and notes has everything you would need to introduce working with money. The coins are exact replicas of all current UK coins from 1p up to £2 – they’re even a little bit chunkier than the real thing to make handling a little more straightforward. Also included are a set of notes from £5-£50. Everything you might need to set up a role play area or to start working with money more in depth.Opportunities for learning

Thanks to the fantastic accuracy of the coins and notes, this set makes a fantastic introduction to recognising the different shapes, sizes and values of the coins and notes.
Asking children to find all the different ways they could make a certain amount with the money they have is a great investigation and really gets them to start to see that there is more than one way to reach an answer.
Understanding the relationship between the notes and the coins can sometimes be tricky so working out how many of the different coins would be needed to make a £10 note can help children understand both money and place value (10 x £1.00 = £10, 100 x £0.10 = £10 etc)

National Curriculum linksYear 1

recognise and know the value of different denominations of coins and notes

Year 2

recognise and use symbols for pounds (£) and pence (p); combine amounts to make a particular value
find different combinations of coins that equal the same amounts of money

Year 4

use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally

Playbrix Pirate AdventureA pirate is not really a pirate unless they have a tall ship upon which to sail the seven seas and this fantastic resource allows them to build just that. The set comprises of a number of different cardboard bricks: some shaped in squares and rectangles; some in triangles and pyramids. This range of building materials allows any budding Blackbeards to create a ship, a fort or anything they want as part of their pirate universe. Thanks to some clever reinforcement in the construction of the bricks they are all impressively durable as well.Opportunities for learning

This set is a natural fit for any Early Years roleplay area and, though it comes with a number of decorations to help give it that pirate look, the bricks themselves could be reused for any number of different scenarios.
The variety in the types of bricks also makes this a great opportunity to introduce the properties of 3D shapes to the children by introducing them to cuboids, prisms and pyramids.
Don’t miss an opportunity to use this set with older children. The set comes flat packed with the shapes having to be assembled from nets. Whilst the assembly would be too tricky for younger children, children in Years 5 or 6 should find a great challenge in predicting what shape will be made from each net before justifying their reasoning.

National Curriculum linksYear 1

recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes

Year 2

identify and describe the properties of 3-D shapes, including the number of edges, vertices and faces

Year 6

recognise, describe and build simple 3-D shapes, including making nets

International Talk Like A Pirate Day – A guest blog by Ian Goldsworthy Ian Goldsworthy is here to help Learning Resources celebrate International Talk Like a Pirate Day! Ian is a Year 2 teacher at Manor Lodge School in Shenley, Hertfordshire and he also does teacher training in Science for Essex Teacher Training.

The strong, clear visuals of the game really help reinforce the differences in the fractions and how many parts make a respective whole. If a player has ¼ of their treasure map, ask them what fraction they have still left to find (3/4).
Collect more parts than can fit on your whole to demonstrate improper fractions i.e if you collect four parts of a medallion this would be 4/3
For more advanced players you could use decimal or percentage equivalents, encouraging children to recognise that ½ = 50% = 0.5

National Curriculum linksYear 1

recognise, find and name a half as one of two equal parts of an object, shape or quantity
recognise, find and name a quarter as one of four equal parts of an object, shape or quantity

Year 2

recognise, find, name and write fractions 1/3, ¼, 2/4 and 3/4 of a length, shape, set of objects or quantity.

Year 4

recognise and write decimal equivalents to ¼, ½ and ¾

Thanks to the fantastic accuracy of the coins and notes, this set makes a fantastic introduction to recognising the different shapes, sizes and values of the coins and notes.
Asking children to find all the different ways they could make a certain amount with the money they have is a great investigation and really gets them to start to see that there is more than one way to reach an answer.
Understanding the relationship between the notes and the coins can sometimes be tricky so working out how many of the different coins would be needed to make a £10 note can help children understand both money and place value (10 x £1.00 = £10, 100 x £0.10 = £10 etc)

National Curriculum linksYear 1

recognise and know the value of different denominations of coins and notes

Year 2

recognise and use symbols for pounds (£) and pence (p); combine amounts to make a particular value
find different combinations of coins that equal the same amounts of money

Year 4

use place value, known and derived facts to multiply and divide mentally

This set is a natural fit for any Early Years roleplay area and, though it comes with a number of decorations to help give it that pirate look, the bricks themselves could be reused for any number of different scenarios.
The variety in the types of bricks also makes this a great opportunity to introduce the properties of 3D shapes to the children by introducing them to cuboids, prisms and pyramids.
Don’t miss an opportunity to use this set with older children. The set comes flat packed with the shapes having to be assembled from nets. Whilst the assembly would be too tricky for younger children, children in Years 5 or 6 should find a great challenge in predicting what shape will be made from each net before justifying their reasoning.

National Curriculum linksYear 1

recognise and name common 2-D and 3-D shapes

Year 2

identify and describe the properties of 3-D shapes, including the number of edges, vertices and faces

Year 6

recognise, describe and build simple 3-D shapes, including making nets

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Community

British Science Week – A guest blog by Science Sparks

Scienceat Home with Science Sparks

Ideas for Science at Home:

1. Make your own lava lamp

2. Why do things float in water?

3. Chocolate Challenge

Scienceat Home with Science Sparks

Ideas for Science at Home:

1. Make your own lava lamp

2. Why do things float in water?

3. Chocolate Challenge

The Perfect Gifts for Christmas: A guest post by Granny Smith

10 Family Games for the whole family to enjoy

Science in Play: A Guest Post by Emma from Science Sparks

2018 Award Winners

International Talk Like A Pirate Day – A guest blog by Ian Goldsworthy

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