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Teachearlyyears.com 41 EARLY YEARS ABC Read why there’s nothing wrong with gun play, all children should have green fingers, and games are great for teaching maths… OF THE GEOSAFARI JR TALKING MICROSCOPE Providing young children with a close-up look at the world around them, the Talking Microscope (£45) comes with a built-in tray packed with prepared slides, containing 60 discussion-promoting images of animals, plants and household items. Visit learningresources.co.uk Gussin Paley Vivian Gussin Paley, who died last year ( bit.do/TEYvgp ) , was a preschool teacher in the US who conducted research into early education throughout her career. Her insights into fantasy play and storytelling are considered particularly important – discover more about a technique known as ‘story scribing’, as employed by Anna Ephgrave at Carterhatch Infant School, at bit.do/TEYstsc Gun play How do you react when you see children wielding imaginary weaponry in their play? Instinctively, many seek to discourage this behaviour – no one wants to condone violence, clearly – but it has been argued that ‘gun play’, or more broadly ‘superhero play’, has an important role in development and should be allowed, as long as it doesn’t get out of hand. Read more at bit.do/TEYgp1 and bit.do/TEYgp2 Gardening Wherever you are, however much space you have available, involving your children in planting and growing flowers, herbs, fruit and vegetables is a fantastic way to broaden their horizons and impart valuable lessons about healthy eating and where food comes from. Your garden needn’t be on a grand scale – it might just be a tub or two – but whatever your approach, you’ll find useful tips at bit.do/TEYgrdn Games Young children learn best through play. Often this play will be self-directed, whether they’re exploring your outdoor space or constructing an architectural marvel indoors with toy blocks; but clearly defined games can also excite their interest and help embed new skills and knowledge. If you’re seeking to develop mathematical understanding this approach can be particularly effective, as highlighted at bit.do/TEYdom and bit.do/TEYdic Going green Taking care to reduce their impact on the environment is a responsibility for all businesses, and early years settings are no exception. Many nurseries are making the decision to limit their use of plastic, with some banning glitter outright ( bit.do/TEYtps ) , but if you want to reduce your waste business- wide there’s lots of practical advice at bit.do/TEYwstm