KatieB Kids

Mrs Murphy's hidden vegetable ragu- perfect for when your child is going through a 'picky' phase.
If you give it a go at home, we'd love to hear your thoughts- share your verdict in the comments!

#earlyyearsnutrition

This week, Olivia is demonstrating the sign for 'tidy up'. For this sign, mime putting a box on shelf, and bounce your hands twice more, once for each syllable of the phrase.

Find more signs here: zurl.co/5oNqf

#inclusiveenvironment #inclusivecommunication #makaton

Our bubble tube offers a calming, visually stimulating experience that supports emotional regulation, focus, and sensory exploration for all children.
This inclusive resource creates a welcoming space for every child to feel safe, soothed, and engaged. 🌈🫧

In honour of World Friendship Day, this week Taylor is demonstrating the sign for 'friend(s)'. For this sign, simply mime shaking your own hand!

For more signs, visit our website: zurl.co/qD3Lf

#inclusivecommunication #makaton #communicationandlanguage

A huge thank you to everyone who was part of our Summer Picnic. Oaks- we are so proud of all you’ve achieved and can't wait to see the adventures you’ll take on at primary school.

#earlyyearseducation #eyfs #startingschool #reggioemilia #reggioinspired

At KatieB Kids, every mark tells a story and every story matters.
This beautiful swirl wasn’t planned by an adult. It came from the heart of a child, for someone they love. And that’s magic!

#eyfs #earlyyearseducation #expressiveartanddesign #childledlearning #reggioemilia #reggioinspired

🌳Congratulations to all of our Oak children who have officially completed the accredited 'dots' mindfulness programme. We've seen huge progress in their personal development and hope they carry everything they've learnt with them to big school!

#mindfulness #dots #misp #childrensmentalhealth #psed

✨ Why face-to-face handovers matter at KatieB Kids ✨
👂 They're personal
🤝 They build trust: These daily exchanges foster strong partnerships between families and educator
💡 They're better for your child: Verbal handovers mean more attention on your little one—not paperwork.

This week, nursery owner, Katie, is demonstrating the sign for 'nursery'. For this sign, with a flat palm, make a circular motion in front of your nose and mouth, with your palm facing you.

Find more signs here: zurl.co/BqLxE

#inclusivecommunication #makaton #communicationandlanguage

🎨 "Wow!" - that quiet moment when discovery unfolds.
At KatieB Kids, we celebrate the awe and wonder in every brushstroke!

#earlyyearseducation #eyfs #aweandwonder #interestledlearning #childledlearning #reggioemilia #reggioinspired #enablingenvironment

Exploring the wonders of nature in our Forest School garden 🌿🦗 The Oak children were amazed to discover how grasshoppers make their music by rubbing their legs together!
#forestschool #outdoorlearning #learningthroughnature #activelearning #handsonlearning #reggioemilia #reggioapproach

🧠🎨 "Play is the highest form of research" - Albert Einstein. This is why we enable children's imaginations to run wild and allow them time to explore new ideas through play.

#eyfs #earlyyears #learningthroughplay #childledlearning #enablingenvironment #activelearning #reggioemilia #reggioapproach

🦶🎨 Don't limit your creativity to just your hands: mark-making with your feet can stimulate a whole new level of imagination and unlock different parts of the brain.
#markmaking #expressiveartsanddesign #physicaldevelopment #childledlearning #enablingenvironment #reggio #reggioemilia

This week, Juliana is demonstrating the sign for 'happy'. For this sign, cup both your hands and sweep one over the other (palms facing each other) twice, once for each syllable of the word.

You can find more of our signs here: zurl.co/rJzWr

#makaton #inclusiveenvironment #inclusivecommunication

✏️Developing pre-writing skills is crucial for young children's cognitive development. Encouraging activities like tracing in sand on a lightbox helps improve hand-eye coordination and fine motor skills. And it's lots of fun too!

✨ At KatieB Kids, we're not just preparing children for school — we're preparing them for life.

📖 Read the full blog: zurl.co/h3EVl

#schoolreadiness #earlyyears #childledlearning #reggioemilia #reggioapproach

Happy Father's Day to all the amazing fathers and father-figures of our nursery children! 🎉 Thank you for all that you do to support and nurture your little ones.

🔊Turn your sound on to hear what some of our preschoolers had to say about why they love their daddies.

#fathersday

🌟 Teaching young children the importance of accepting things they can't change is a valuable life lesson. It helps them build resilience and cope with challenges in a positive way.

#mindfulness #eyfs #earlyyearseducation #reggioemilia #reggioapproach #emotionalliteracy

🎈✨ Try our 'hot air balloon' experiment at home to explore air resistance and gravity.
Simply thread a balloon through a hole in the bottom of a paper cup, inflate it and then let it go!

🍕👐 The pressure and tapping of a 'pizza massage' provides sensory stimulation and relaxation, as well as supporting emotional regulation.

Take a look at Tina's demonstration, and try it out at home!

#eyfs #sensoryinput #pizzamassage #emotionalregulation #earlyyears #reggioemilia #reggioinspired

🌱🍎 Teaching young children about where their food comes from is key to fostering a healthy relationship with food. Our 16-week menu of freshly prepared meals and snacks inspires conversation about how food gets from the farm to our plates. You can find our menu here: zurl.co/hq2bS

🌟 Playdough gym is a fun and engaging way to boost fine motor skills in young children! 💪🏼They get the opportunity to squish, squeeze, and mold their way to stronger hand muscles and improved coordination.

#eyfs #playdoughgym #finemotorskills #reggioemilia #reggioapproach #enablingenvironment

🧘 Teaching children mindfulness is crucial for their mental well-being and emotional development. By practicing mindfulness, they learn to manage stress, improve focus, and cultivate self-awareness.


You can read more about our participation in the pioneering 'dots' programme here: zurl.co/5f9Fy

Unintended Consequences: How New Childcare Funding Reforms Threaten Quality, Access, and Parental Choice — KatieB Kids - Nursery Dartford - Childcare The Department for Education extended Early Years Funding to help more families return to work. However, restricting the flexibility in how these funded hours are delivered may reduce options for working parents and risk becoming a barrier to employment. Early years providers want to give children the best start whilst supporting families, and a staff force. This blog explains why we ask for a review of current early years policy.

📢 As early years providers face funding shortfalls, many are being forced to reduce quality or close altogether. We’re committed to staying true to our values but the pressure is growing.
Read about what’s happening, why it matters, and what families need to know here
zurl.co/fw5zN

'Nursery Knitting Nana' strikes again! This time she's kindly made some bunting for the planters in our gardens, adding some colour and inspiration to our outdoor environment.

#eyfs #earlyyearseducation #reggioapproach #outdoorlearning #outdoorenvironment #enablingenvironment

This week, Sophie is demonstrating the Makaton sign for 'milk'.

For more of our signs, have a look at our Makaton website page: zurl.co/MXtL3

#inclusiveenivronment #inclusivecommunication #communicationandinteraction

This week, Amber is demonstrating the Makaton sign for 'drink'. For this sign, use your dominant hand to mime bringing a cup to your lips.

For more of our signs, visit our website: zurl.co/HVoym

#Makaton #inclusiveenvironment #communicationandlanguage #reggio #reggioemilia #earlyyears

Today our children have enjoyed ribbon dancing in the beautiful sunshine to recognise May Day, welcoming in the summer!

#eyfs #earlyyearseducation #understandingtheworld #outdoorlearning #outdoorclassroom #activelearning #reggioemilia #reggioapproach #mayday

At KatieB Kids, we believe that gardening fosters a sense of responsibility and connection to nature, as well as developing motor skills and improving self-esteem.
#eyfs #earlyyearseducation #outdoorlearning #outdoorclassroom

We think 'junk modelling' is a complete misnomer because, when it comes to creating, nothing is really junk!

#junkmodelling #expressiveartanddesign #processart #childledlearning #openendedplay #reggioemilia #reggioinspired