KatieB Kids

This week, Olivia is sharing the sign for 'cat'. For this sign, use your index and middle fingers of each hand to gesture across your cheeks to imitate whiskers.

Find more signs on our website: zurl.co/10dVZ

#inclusivecommunication #inclusiveenvironment #makaton

🌈 Try it at home! Create your own gloop with just cornflour and water! It’s oozy, squishy, and full of sensory fun- perfect for little hands to explore textures, movement, and cause-and-effect.

#tryathome #sensoryplay #activelearning #reggioemilia #reggioinspired

This week, Amelia is demonstrating the sign for 'cold'. For this sign, make your hands into fists and quiver your arms as though you are shivering.

Find more Makaton signs on our website: zurl.co/OGwFa

#inclusiveenvironment #inclusivecommunication #makaton #reggioemilia

This week, Taylor is sharing the sign for 'windy'. For this sign, hold a flat hand parallel to your face and wave it from side to side, creating a draught on your cheek.

Find more signs on our website here: zurl.co/qxFky

#inclusiveenvironment #makaton #inclusivecommunication

In early years, giving a child your full presence is more powerful than any toy or activity. When we truly listen, notice, and respond, children feel valued, understood, and safe to explore the world around them. 🌱

#mindfulness #PSED #eyfs #earlyyears #reggioinspired #reggioapproach

This week, Amber is sharing the sign for 'sunshine'. For this sign, draw a circle in the air with your index finger for 'sun', and then spread your fingers out for 'shine'.

You can find more signs on our website here: zurl.co/hNNP4

#inclusiveenvironment #makaton

🟤✨ “A mouse took a stroll through the deep dark wood...” 🌲👣
Today’s messy play tuff tray brought The Gruffalo to life — complete with footprints, forest textures, and muddy mixtures to squish and explore!

#messyplay #tufftray #playingandexploring #TheGruffalo #reggioemilia #reggioinspired

This week, Katie is demonstrating the sign for 'rain'. For this sign, raise your hands with your fingertips facing each-other and the wiggle your fingers as you move your hands in a downwards motion.

For more signs, visit our website: zurl.co/NAc9o

#makaton

✨🦷Learning about dental hygiene through play helps children build confidence, independence, and healthy habits that last a lifetime. By practising with real tools and models, they discover the why and how of brushing- making dental care fun and meaningful.

🖼️ Observational drawing helps children:
✨ Develop focus and concentration
👀 Strengthen visual perception and attention to detail
🧠 Build problem-solving and critical thinking skills
✋ Improve fine motor control and hand-eye coordination
🌱 Deepen their connection to nature

Through our Mindfulness programmes, we've all learnt the importance of slowing down, being present, and focusing on emotional connection over outcomes.

#mindfulness #mindfulnessinearlyyears #emotionalwellbeing

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!