May 2022 Parenta magazine

Issue 90
MAY 2022
FREE
Industry
Experts
Have fun, move and build
their confidence
Supporting parents to
support their child - from
the beginning
Egg-cellent advice -
danger and grip
+ lots more
Write for us for a
chance to win
£50
Jump to page 8
“The significant role of fathers
in the early years”
Intentional engagement with fathers is a must. It brings improved well-being, can help with self-esteem and resilience;
and potentially, better language development and higher educational attainment.
WATER SAVING WEEK • MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS WEEK • FOOD ALLERGY AWARENESS WEEK

Danger and
grip
Using simple items such
as plastic bottles to enable
children to handle things
we wouldn’t want them to
directly.
hello
welcome to our family
Hello and welcome to the May edition of the Parenta magazine!
With the evenings, and now also the mornings, much lighter, we are getting ever closer to the longest day of the
year which occurs next month. This new found freedom of having extra light hours in the day can have a huge
positive impact on people’s mental health, encouraging them to venture out - and even meet up with people
that they’ve not seen a while.
We tend to cover the topics of mental health and well-being regularly in the Parenta magazine, since they have a
profound effect on how we live our lives. We feel that it’s important to raise awareness (in ourselves and others)
of mental health issues and the theme of this year’s Mental Health Awareness Week looks at a topic which is a growing problem and
often not talked about: loneliness. Turn to page 28 for help on understanding and recognising the different types of loneliness and how
you can help yourself and others.
On the subject of well-being, we welcome Pamela McFarlane, new guest author and industry expert to the Parenta family. Her insightful
article, “How well is your being?” gives some wonderful examples of real-life scenarios in early years settings and her many years of
experience guides us through some self-coaching techniques.
Also in this month’s issue…Mona Sakr and June O’Sullivan discuss their eagerly awaited jointly-written book “Social Leadership in Early
Childhood Education: an Introduction”. Turn to page 6 to find out how you can win a copy!
Joanna Grace discusses ‘danger and grip’ as she continues her ‘egg-cellent’ advice series; Helen Garnett explores the significant role
fathers have in early childhood; “laughter facilitator” Katie White and music and movement expert Gina Bale show us how to connect
through rhythm and repetition and have fun, move and build children’s confidence. Kathryn Peckham gives some fantastic advice on how
to support parents to support their child from the very beginning and early years safeguarding expert Yvonne Sinclair guides us through
some new legislation on safety and safeguarding.
As always, everything you read in the magazine is all written to help you with the efficient running of your setting and to promote the
health, happiness and well-being of the children in your care.
Please feel free to share the magazine with friends, parents and colleagues – they can sign up to receive their own copy here!
Allan
Connecting
through rhythm
and repetition
Repetition is crucial to
learning and retaining
information. How can you
bring these tools into your
interactions with children?
10
20
Supporting parents to
support their child - from
the beginning
24
From the beginning, there are many things
that can be introduced to support a child’s
ongoing development.
MAY 2022 ISSUE 90
IN THIS EDITION
Regulars
8 Write for us for the chance to win £50!
34 Painting bug rocks
35 Blueberry muffins
News
4 Short stories
39 Congratulations to our Parenta
learners!
Advice
18 Fundraising for your setting
22 Water Saving Week
26 Food Allergy Awareness Week
28 Mental Health Awareness Week
32 How to make the most of your outdoor
space
36 Have fun, move and build their
confidence
Industry Experts
6 Social leadership in early childhood
care: an introduction
10 Egg-cellent advice: danger and grip
12 How well is your being?
16 The significant role of fathers in the
early years
20 Connecting through rhythm and
repetition
24 Supporting parents to support their
child from the beginning
30 Safety and safeguarding new legislation
Fundraising for your setting 18
Food Allergy Awareness Week 26
Mental Health Awareness Week 28
How to make the most of your outdoor space 32

A round up of some news
stories that have caught
our eye over the month
Story source and image credits to:
Day Nurseries, Nursery World, The Guardian and Gov.uk
Thousands of families can receive
help with Easter childcare costs
Working parents could get up to £2,000
a year to pay for regulated childcare,
including out-of-school activities in the
Easter holidays.
Childcare costs have spiralled
for two-thirds of UK families
according to survey
Parents have reported high levels of
anxiety as ‘unaffordable’ fees exacerbate
cost of living crisis.
Labour pledges action on early
years
Shadow education secretary reiterated
Labour’s commitment to ‘drive up’ the
quality, affordability and availability of
childcare.
Children ‘cannot wait to come into
the nursery’ rated outstanding by
Ofsted
Rosemary Lane Nursery School has
been rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted, with
inspectors calling it a ‘delightful place for
children to come and learn’.
Tea & Talk sessions create mental
health ‘safe space’ for nursery
staff
Fennies Day Nurseries in London, Kent
and Surrey began hosting the sessions in
the hope it would lead to ‘a harmonious
working environment’.
Kids Planet ‘accelerating growth’
with 110th nursery purchase
The childcare provider has recently
purchased two more nurseries based in
Birmingham, bringing their total number
of settings to 110.
Investigations underway into
‘higher than normal’ cases of
childhood hepatitis
Councils urged to create more
inclusive and accessible play
areas
Baby’s life saved from deadly
allergic reaction by quickthinking
nursery
Click here to send in
your stories to
hello@parenta.com
Parents are being advised to look out for
symptoms of hepatitis after a spike in the
number of cases among children under
the age of 10.
Children’s charities and industry bodies
are calling on UK councils to create more
facilities for children with disabilities.
A one-year-old’s life has been saved by
his nursery after he suffered an allergic
reaction to medicine prescribed by a
doctor.
4 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 5

Social leadership in early
childhood education and care:
an introduction
The work we do in Early Childhood
Education and Care (ECEC) is driven by a
social purpose – by the desire to make a
genuine difference. We want to make the
world a better place by giving children
the best possible start in life. That means
we need a model of leadership that puts
social purpose at the heart of leading.
This is what the social leadership model
is all about. In this article we’re going to
explain why we developed the model, how
it emerged through global research and
conversations, what the model involves
and how it looks and feels on the ground.
Why do we need the
social leadership model?
While we can all agree that ECEC is first
and foremost about achieving a social
purpose, we also all know that there has
been lots of under-investment in the sector
in most parts of the world. This has made
it hard, if not impossible, to come up with a
clear and unified vision for ECEC and what
it means to lead an ECEC organisation.
The pressure to make ECEC into a viable
business proposition means that many
leaders are having to juggle pedagogical
leadership, community leadership,
organisational leadership and financial
leadership. Leadership starts to look
like quite a thankless task of making
everything balance: balancing the
demands of pedagogical quality with the
financial demands, balancing staff wellbeing
against the realities of struggling
to pay a living wage. What gets lost in
this balancing act is the focus on social
purpose.
We’ve developed the social leadership
model as a way to respond to this
conundrum. We’ve based the model on
the practices of global leaders in ECEC who
are managing to have a significant social
impact. This is not about us inventing a
brand new way of leading, but instead,
we have aimed to capture and document
some of the amazing leadership that is out
there at the moment. By finding it, naming
it and understanding it, we can strengthen
social leadership across the sector.
How did we develop the
social leadership model?
The social leadership model came about
in two halves. First, we looked within
the London Early Years Foundation
(LEYF), where June is CEO, to see how
leadership is discussed and practiced
in this renowned ECEC social enterprise.
Second, we interviewed 14 global leaders
in ECEC renowned for their contributions
to the sector and their emphasis on social
purpose. We wanted to find out what
these leaders do in order to prioritise the
social impact of ECEC. Through these
conversations, we came up with the sixelement
model of what social leaders do
in order to fulfil their social purpose day to
day.
What does the social
leadership model look
like?
Sowing the
seeds of
sustainability
Facilitating
powerful
conversations
Leading with a
social purpose
Investing
in others’
leadership
The model is made up of six elements,
shown below. By applying pressure to
these ‘levers’, social leaders have the
maximum social impact. Let us look at
each one of these in turn.
Leading with social
purpose
This is where social leadership starts and
ends. Social leaders must have a clear
understanding of how ECEC and their
organisation contributes to a better society.
Not everyone has to have the same social
purpose articulated in the same language,
but social leaders do need to know how
and what they do every day makes the
world a fairer place.
Implementing a social
pedagogy
In ECEC, social purpose can only be
realised if the social pedagogy is aligned.
A social pedagogy is a vision of how
learning happens in the ECEC organisation
to support the fulfilment of the social
Implementing
a social
pedagogy
Creating a
culture of
collaborative
innovation
purpose. For example, in LEYF, the social
purpose centres on increasing the social
capital of children and families so that they
are well connected socially, feel belonging
and know how to access social services
and opportunities. The social pedagogy at
LEYF is deeply aligned with this purpose.
On a practical level, there is a clear focus
on children getting out and about in their
local community through regular outings,
whether to the market or the dentist or
a trip into the centre of London on public
transport. If social purpose is the heart of
social leadership, a social pedagogy is the
heartbeat.
Creating a culture of
collaborative innovation
Social leaders know that if you really want
to make a difference within the resource
constraints of ECEC, then working with
others is absolutely essential. Social
leaders prioritise partnerships and
connections that break down traditional
barriers. For example, Jacqueline Lamb,
CEO of Indigo Childcare Group in Glasgow,
has pioneered the integration of speech
and language therapy in ECEC settings
as a way to radically improve the early
support and intervention offered to the
families most in need. She recognised
that within current working models, where
health and ECEC are held apart from one
another, it is pretty much impossible for
children to get the early support they
need. Innovating together, whether within
the setting, with other settings or other
services, is the only way that we can truly
get support to all children and families.
Investing in others’
leadership
We have a copy of June and Mona’s book to give away!
Simply email marketing@parenta.com with the subject line: ‘Social Leadership in Early
Childhood Education and Care’,and ask to be entered into this prize draw. The prize
draw closes on 26th May and we will notify the winner on that day. Or get 20% off
the paperback and both eBook editions of the book when ordered on Bloomsbury.
com between now and 31/07/2022 at midnight BST using code ‘PARENTA20’.
Social leaders love to give others the
opportunity to lead, recognising that
this is the best way to improve day to
day practice and create a much-needed
leadership pipeline within the sector. Social
leaders overturn cultures of permissionseeking
by prompting everyone in the
organisation, whether an apprentice, room
leader or manager, to engage in problemsolving
and continuous improvement. In
the Learning Enrichment Foundation in
Toronto for example, supervisors avoid
giving direct advice and guidance and
are instead trained to coach and mentor
staff to build problem-solving skills among
more junior staff, using the question: ‘What
do you think we could do?’.
Facilitating powerful
conversations
Powerful conversations need to happen
at all levels of an ECEC leader’s activity.
There are pedagogical conversations with
staff and parents, coaching conversations
to improve practice in the organisation
and also advocacy conversations that
need to happen right across the sector.
Social leaders know how to take a typical
conversation and turn it into a powerful
one, changing hearts and minds and
prompting positive action.
Sowing the seeds of
sustainability
ECEC has to be part of the solution to
the huge global issues we face: poverty,
lack of education, climate change,
environmental degradation and so on.
Social leaders commit to integrating
sustainability into every element of their
leadership – from articulating the social
purpose to living the social pedagogy
and organisational culture. In our model,
we use the UN Sustainable Development
Goals as a way that social leaders can get
a handle on sustainability.
Mona Sakr
Dr Mona Sakr is a Senior Lecturer in
Education and Early Childhood. As a
researcher in Early Years (EY) provision,
she has published extensively on
creative, digital and playful pedagogies
including the books “Digital Play in
Early Childhood: What’s the Problem?”
(Sage) and “Creativity and Making in
Early Childhood: Challenging Practitioner
Perspectives” (Bloomsbury).
Email: m.sakr@mdx.ac.uk
Twitter: @DrMonaSakr
June O’Sullivan
June O’Sullivan MBE is Chief Executive
of the London Early Years Foundation
(LEYF), one of the UK’s largest charitable
childcare social enterprises which
currently runs 39 nurseries across twelve
London boroughs.
An inspiring speaker, author and regular
media commentator on Early Years,
Social Business and Child Poverty, June
has been instrumental in achieving a
major strategic, pedagogical and cultural
shift for the award-winning London
Early Years Foundation, resulting in
increased profile, new childcare model
and stronger social impact over the past
ten years.
Twitter: @juneosullivan
6 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 7

Write for us!
NEW
We’re always on the lookout
for new authors to contribute
insightful articles for our
monthly magazine.
If you’ve got a topic you’d like to write about,
why not send an article to us and be in with a
chance of winning? Each month, we’ll be giving
away Amazon vouchers to our “Guest Author of
the Month”. You can find all the details here:
https://www.parenta.com/sponsored-content/
By June O’Sullivan and Mona Sakr
Find out more at Bloomsbury.com
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discussed how movement and music are key areas
for children’s learning. Well done Gina!
A massive thank you to all of our guest authors for
writing for us. You can find all of the past articles
from our guest authors on our website:
www.parenta.com/parentablog/guest-authors
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8 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 9

Egg-cellent advice:
danger and grip
I do not know how he came to acquire the nickname Egg but ever since he came along that’s what my youngest son has been called.
I run The Sensory Projects www.TheSensoryProjects.co.uk (which should now really be called The Sensory Projects and Sons!) My work
focuses on people with profound disabilities and sensory differences, but my son’s advice will apply to your work too.
In this series of articles we are going to share his insights with you, if you are keen for more there is an ever growing collection on my
Facebook profile: come and make friends. www.Facebook.com/JoannaGraceTSP
Joanna Grace
This is article 7 out of a series of 10! To view the others click here.
I keep a stash of small plastic bottles at
home, I’ve been known (in pre-pandemic
times) to swipe left over ones discarded by
their owners from café tables. I use them
to enable Egg to get a closer look at things
I wouldn’t want him handling directly. He
has a finely attuned sense of danger: if it is
dangerous, he wants it! Consequently our
toy boxes are well stocked with items like
this that I’ve swiftly made him. We have
one with the pencil sharpener in, that he
wanted to bite. Ones with my hair grips in,
poking them in his eyes didn’t seem the
way to go. Ones with his brother’s marbles
and dice in. It is something we have
always done.
It is limited of course, he can see the items,
inspect them up close, and shake them to
make a noise, but he cannot smell them,
taste them or touch them - so much is
missing, but it is a good botch and fuels
curiosity.
When he was small, gripping the bottles
was tricky for him. I attached round
wooden curtain rings to some, with
Sellotape, the curtain rings were easier to
grab for him than the larger smooth bottle.
Pipe cleaners work well – as Egg explains.
Some of our bottles just have some
knotted string or fabric around the neck,
something to grab onto.
I wouldn’t normally be allowed to touch
these things, but they are very interesting
and I want to.
They rattle, move and make noise.
Their brightness attracts my vision.
Mummy put them into a bottle for me.
I want to hold them. I make several
attempts to grab them.
Mummy added a pipe cleaner handle for
me.
I do not get my grip right at first but I
persist.
Mummy looped the pipe cleaner around
my wrist and then the bottle stopped
suddenly vanishing and I was able to get a
closer look at these little things.
Of course I want to see what they taste
like.
(These words first appeared on Jo’s
Facebook profile you are welcome to
send her a friend request to watch out
for more insight www.Facebook.com/
JoannaGraceTSP)
Joanna provides online and in person
training relating to sensory engagement
and sensory differences, look up www.
TheSensoryProjects.co.uk/online-college
for more information.
To view a list of her books visit www.
TheSensoryProjects.co.uk/books.
Follow Jo on social media to pick up
new sensory insights, you’ll find her
at: Twitter , www.Facebook.com/
JoannaGraceTSP and www.Linkedin/In/
JoannaGraceTheSensoryProjects
Joanna Grace is an international
Sensory Engagement and Inclusion
Specialist, trainer, author, TEDx speaker
and founder of The Sensory Projects.
Consistently rated as “outstanding” by
Ofsted, Joanna has taught in
mainstream and special school settings,
connecting with pupils of all ages and
abilities. To inform her work, Joanna
draws on her own experience from her
private and professional life as well as
taking in all the information she can
from the research archives. Joanna’s
private life includes family members
with disabilities and neurodiverse
conditions and time spent as a
registered foster carer for children with
profound disabilities.
Joanna has published four practitioner
books: “Multiple Multisensory Rooms:
Myth Busting the Magic”, “Sensory
Stories for Children and Teens”,
“Sensory-Being for Sensory Beings”
and “Sharing Sensory Stories and
Conversations with People with
Dementia”. and two inclusive sensory
story children’s books: “Voyage to
Arghan” and “Ernest and I”. There is
new book coming out soon called
”The Subtle Spectrum” and her
son has recently become the UK’s
youngest published author with his
book, “My Mummy is Autistic” which
was foreworded by Chris Packham.
Joanna followed with her own book
“The Subtle Spectrum” which explores
the landscape of post diagnosis adult
identified autism.
Joanna is a big fan of social media and
is always happy to connect with people
via Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
10 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 11

How well is your being?
Everyone is talking about well-being. It’s
a lovely, floaty word that hovers around
settings, wafts its way through earnest
leadership meetings and flutters its
fairy wings on the cheeks of dishevelled
childcare workers who are mired kneedeep
in sensory play, whilst swimming
upstream through the fog of expectations.
What does well-being even mean? Does
it come down to mixed metaphors and
tick-boxes?
Tchiki Davis, a well-being expert, says,
“Well-being is the experience of health,
happiness, and prosperity. It includes
having good mental health, high life
satisfaction, a sense of meaning or
purpose, and ability to manage stress.”
This article is not going to be a deep
discourse on well-being. There are plenty
of articles one can Google that explain all
about well-being. Nope. We are going to
get real. Two scenarios are painted below
and you will most likely identify with one
of them.
Sally - Manager
The alarm wakes Sally up; before she
can even focus she picks up her phone to
check who is notifying her of their absence
today. Either they have tested positive
for COVID, or feel it may be COVID and
are giving it a few days to make sure or
they simply have COVID-itis, a condition
whereby the sufferer is simply exhausted
by all aspects of the pandemic and feels
the need to lie down in a dark room for a
day.
Whilst simultaneously cleaning her teeth
and making coffee, Sally calls cover
practitioners to fill the staffing gap. As
usual, only Jenny can come but she has to
leave to pick her children up from school at
3:00pm. That’s okay, Sally thinks, through
bubbles of Colgate MaxWhite, I can cover
lunches during my own lunch hour which
will help. She lists today’s tasks in her
head:
• Answer backlog of emails - be polite
• Check seventy-five reports - if one
more person spells ‘independently’
wrong there will be consequences
• Plan staff meeting
• Have a professional discussion with
Helen, who sidles into work late every
day, Starbucks coffee cup in hand
and fails to read the room – her peers
are oozing resentment; they are not
happy
• Speak to Ben; explain once more that
to make and record an observation,
one actually has to observe and not
chat to fellow educators about his
vaccine theories
• Sit with a teary parent, who is unable
to manage little Louis’ behaviour and
chat until they feel confident enough
to face pick-up time with a smidgen of
hope that home life will improve
• Do a walk around, encourage staff,
have magical conversations with
children while navigating through a
very muddy mud kitchen
• Do a gentle hour-long induction for a
new apprentice – this is their first job
ever and their abject fear is noticeable
And so the day goes on. Sally waves
goodbye to staff at the end of the day and
retires to her Lazy-Boy to drink a large
glass of wine. Oh, if only. Sally rushes
home to peel the vegetables for tonight’s
meal at the same time as answering her
own child’s homework queries, throwing
in a load of washing and hearing all about
the rough day her partner had working
from home with a slow internet speed. If
someone were to ask Sally how her wellbeing
was, she’d probably burst into tears.
Emma - Practitioner
Emma has an early start as she has to
perform a risk assessment of the premises
before others arrive. She skips breakfast
and runs for the bus. A new key child
arrives for a settle so she plays dinosaurs
with Reggie while chatting to his parents.
Emma takes a mental note of all their
concerns, including Reggie’s distaste
for pumpkin and his possible allergy to
cheese. Emma clocks the fact that Reggie
has ‘a strong will’ and ducks when he
throws the wooden bricks in the direction
of her head.
Nappy changing is next; she has to
change five children within the next ten
minutes, an impossible task but she gives
it her best shot. She makes the experience
a happy one for each child even though
her back aches. She ponders on the
thought processes of parents who delight
in feeding their children beetroot and
sweetcorn. The changing room resembles
a CSI crime site and she spends a good
deal of time cleaning up, ensuring the
area is hygienic once more.
Group time next, so Emma assembles her
children into a squircle as a circle is simply
not sustainable. She combines exciting
learning with impressive behaviour
management skills. Lunch time follows;
she helps children use cutlery safely, looks
out for choking hazards and chats about
the need for healthy food. She invariably
has to pick pasta out of her hair at some
point.
During her lunch break, Emma relaxes on
the fluffy cushions the setting brought to
address staff well-being needs and makes
notes for the children’s observation records
she has to write next week.
I think the picture is clear. The astonishing
thing is that with all that happens during
a nursery day, educators pour themselves
into the well-being of their children, extend
their learning and create a culture of
curiosity every single day.
How then, do we start to address staff
well-being? Yes, a comfy space for
lunches and breaks is lovely; one can
cuddle or cry into a soft cushion and
feel better. Good coffee and a pack of
Hobnobs tend to cheer a tired soul up.
Whiteboard affirmations are warming and
encouraging.
None of these, however, equip educators
and teach them strategies that will
consistently improve their well-being. It’s
like mopping up the paint spill in the art
area that happens every day because the
table is unsteady. So, just how do we fix
this wobbly table of well-being woe?
Self-coaching principles can help. A technique that works well is
the ‘I can’ principle.
Ask yourself, what CAN I do to make a difference today?
Choose three achievable ‘I can’ actions, for example;
• I can take a walk during my break
• I can read a few chapters in my book before I sleep
• I can make a date to catch up with a friend
It’s a start. Knowing that you have accomplished these three things at the end of the day will
give you a sense of control and achievement. Cultivate an ‘I can’ attitude. Who knows, you
may even have time for breakfast tomorrow.
Pamela McFarlane
Born in Zimbabwe and raised in South
Africa, Pam settled in England in 2002.
As an educator of 40 years’ experience,
she has the privilege of teaching children
from 2-18 years old. For the past 14
years, she has successfully managed
early years settings within Brighton &
Hove. Noting and understanding the
unmet well-being needs of educators
within the context of enormous
challenges, she founded her EnRich
Coaching for Educators business to offer
a solution to the industry.
Her passion is coaching, and training
early years educators wherever needed
in the world, from The Philippines to
Ethiopia.
She is a lover of beauty. Exploring new
places thrills her soul, from strolling
through quintessential British meadows
to walking on the Great Wall of China –
she sees splendour and intrigue around
every corner.
Although she is not inclined to enormous
outbursts of energy, she has nonetheless
climbed Mt Snowdon and completed
a very challenging hiking marathon on
the South Downs. She has also indulged
in Mongolian wrestling in Ulan Bator
but that is another story entirely! Her
memoirs have been published and
available on Amazon here.
www.enrich4educators.com
12 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 13

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0800 002 9242 hello@parenta.com

The significant role of
fathers in the early years
Historically, fathers have been side-lined in
bringing up children, with mothers seen as
the ‘gatekeeper’. Indeed, back in the mid-
1970s, a father’s involvement was typically
around 15 minutes a day. Thankfully,
this outdated mindset has changed
significantly, and dads and father figures
are becoming more involved than ever.
Unexpectedly, COVID has facilitated father/
child relationships. During lockdown in
2020, 78% of dads were spending more
time with their children, 68% spent more
time than usual on home schooling/
homework, and more than half felt better
equipped to support their children’s
learning and education. 1
And yet 44% of fathers in a recent report 2
confessed to lying or bending the truth
to their employer about leave for familyrelated
responsibilities.
This is shocking! Even in the 21st century,
there are barriers to fathers sharing
childcare. Children with involved fathers
are more likely to have better well-being,
higher self-esteem, be more resilient, have
better language development and higher
educational attainment! 3 Dads, then, are
key. Our role as early years practitioners
is to reverse negative societal views
regarding fathers’ involvement. Where do
we start?
Science and facts of
fatherhood
Science demonstrates that fathers are
designed to be equal partners in parenting
from the beginning. Expectant fathers
influence child development. Here’s how:
• Fathers’ mental health during the
pregnancy is linked with their child’s
well-being later in life
• During pregnancy, there are changes
to areas of fathers’ brains linked
with nurturing, attachment and
responsiveness. The brain literally
‘bulks up’ for these skills ready for the
birth of the child. One key change is a
testosterone level dip 4 just before and
after the birth of the child. As a result,
dads have more of a natural urge to
care for their new-born baby
• Fathers pass on 50% of their genetic
material to their child’s development.
However, they pass on epigenetic
contributions too. This is where their
environment and behaviours can
cause changes to be made in the way
their genes work and this modifies
the genes they pass on. Such
epigenetic modifications will not just
affect the next generation but can be
transmitted across future generations
Should fathers get all the
fun?
Dads are often labelled as the ‘fun’ parent
and yet this ‘fun’ is crucial for both child
and father. When dads and children
engage in boisterous, happy play, their
brains release higher levels of oxytocin.
Oxytocin, the ‘love hormone’, triggers
loving, protective feelings and positive
emotional responses. Play stimulates
the production of this hormone, whilst
caretaking for dads generally releases
less. Consequently, dads will enjoy the
more physical aspect of play, the rough
and tumble. Good news all round!
Adverse Childhood
Experiences Score (ACES)
When men experience any ACES (traumatic
or stressful experiences before the age
of 18) it may have an impact on future
relationships, including how they view
their own children. The higher the ACES
score, the greater the negative impact.
For instance, their perception of a child’s
‘behaviour’ at 6 and 12 months may
become more negative due to stress they
experienced as a child. 5 This negative
perception may continue as the child gets
older. Robust and effective support for all
fathers, regardless of very young children,
is key.
Are we being intentional
about including and
engaging fathers?
Early years settings are keen to involve
dads. But we must go much further than
this! We must ensure that all fathers feel
and remain fully engaged. To do this, we
need to be aware of any barriers that may
prevent dads from becoming involved.
What are these barriers?
1. How much does the ‘female’
atmosphere of pre-school put
fathers off? A group of early years
practitioners in Milton Keynes picked
out a different park each month to
set up a ‘toddler friendly trail.’ Out of
roughly 50 adult participants, a third
were men. Men were not targeted but
clearly felt more comfortable being in
the park, rather than the femaleness
of the early years setting. What might
put fathers off from coming into your
setting? How comfortable do dads
feel around the female atmosphere or
environment in general?
2. What are the attitudes towards dads?
Is there an assumption that mums
will come to nursery events more than
dads?
3. Fathers’ work and geographical
proximity impacts their involvement.
Does your setting know where dads
live and work?
4. Research demonstrates that fathers
appreciate humour, non-judgement
and fun. Does your nursery reflect
this?
ACTIONS FOR DADS’
ENGAGEMENT
Connect with all fathers:
• Ask how fathers are and keep asking
• Invite them by name into the
setting
• Make sure events are
geared for dads as well
as mums
• Reflect dads’ interests in
newsletters and other literature
• Find out dads’ interests – sports,
maths, cooking?
• Find out what dads enjoyed/didn’t like
about school
• Invite fathers in to play football or
other physical activities
• Offer ‘Dad and kid’ activities, e.g.,
running clubs
• Have a named person, a ‘Dad’s
Champion’, who leads the staff team
on father engagement in the setting
• Train practitioners in engaging with
fathers 6
Conclusion
Intentional engagement with fathers is
a must. After all, research confirms a
positive, strong and direct link between the
active involvement of father figures and
children’s cognitive skills development,
their ability to deal with stress and being
better prepared for school.
Successful father involvement takes place
where the whole team understand how
the engagement of fathers is everyone’s
responsibility, where staff do not by default
always engage with mothers.
Start today by ensuring that the
involvement of father figures becomes
entrenched in your settings’ values. Dads
and father figures come in all shapes and
sizes, from stepdads and grandfathers
to uncles and family friends. We need
them all. They are, indeed, crucial to every
child’s development. Bring them into the
setting and ensure they feel welcomed
and needed.
What are we waiting for? Get the invites
out today!
Helen Garnett
Helen Garnett is a mother of 4, and a
committed and experienced early years
consultant. She has a wealth of experience
in teaching, both in the primary and early
years sectors. She co-founded a preschool
in 2005 where she developed a
keen interest in early intervention, leading
her into international work for the early
years sector. Helen cares passionately
about young children and connection.
As a result, she wrote her first book,
“Developing Empathy in the Early Years:
a guide for practitioners” for which she
won the Professional Books category
at the 2018 Nursery World Awards, and
“Building a Resilient Workforce in the Early
Years”, published by Early Years Alliance
in June 2019. She also writes articles for
early years magazines, such as Nursery
World, Early Years Teacher Organisation,
QA Education, Teach Early Years, and Early
Years Educator.
Helen is the co-founder and Education
Director at Arc Pathway, an early years
platform for teachers and parents.
Helen can be contacted via LinkedIn.
16 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 17

Fundraising for your
Let’s face it, who doesn’t need some extra
money for their setting? Fundraising is an
option that many nurseries use, and there
are tried and tested ways to do this. We’ve
put together a list of some old favourites
as well as some new ideas to help you
expand your fundraising options.
Fundraising favourites
1. Cake and bake sales – a great way to
raise a few pounds for small projects
since a lot of people like baking and
are usually willing to invest some time
and pennies to bake some delicious
treats.
2. Seasonal fetes and fayres – these
usually attract a lot of people and
it gives you a chance to run some
simple stalls, competitions and fun
events that everyone can get involved
with. Make the activities affordable
so that people can enter a number
of events. Some settings run a ticket
system, where for a suggested
donation of say £5, each child gets
10 raffle tickets to spend on activities.
Some of the stalls you could run
include:
a. Guess the weight of a cake/
object
b. Guess the number of sweets/
counters/water in a jar
c. ‘Bash a rat’ – obviously this
doesn’t involve harming a real
rat(!), but it’s a game where you
drop a stuffed sock or similar
through a tube and the person
playing has to hit or catch the ‘rat’
at the bottom.
d. ‘Spin the wheel’ – create a
spinning arrow and land of a
prize to win
e. Competitions to see who can
do things for the longest, e.g.
hold their breath, stand on one
leg, hold a heavy object at arms
stretch. You can offer age
setting
categories to make it fairer
f. Find the treasure – each person
buys a square on a grid and
there is a predetermined winning
square which is revealed at the
end
g. Tombola or lucky dip – for
example, tickets ending in 0 or 5
win a small prize
h. Hoopla or a coconut shy
3. Coffee mornings or afternoon teas –
you can make these a way to engage
more with parents too, such as
running a short educational session
on behavioural issues, helping
children read, or ways to encourage
mark-making.
4. Bring and buy/nearly new/jumble
sales – these usually work well for
all involved as people don’t mind
donating things if they feel they can
come along and get a bargain.
5. Sponsored events – these are useful
ways as long as you don’t ask too
often. It’s better to be selective and
choose one event such as a sing-along,
dance-a-thon, walk, run, swim,
litter pick etc.
6. Mufti days or dress-up days – good
ways to encourage dressing up for
events such as World Book Day and
raise some money at the same time.
7. Raffles – running a seasonal or event
raffle can raise extra cash – ask for
donations and create some hampers
to increase the value of prizes on offer.
Check with any regulations you may
need to follow depending on the legal
status of your setting.
Ways to maximise your
fundraising
• Whatever events you run, think
about other ways to maximise your
fundraising. In business, they call it
‘upselling’ and it’s akin to ordering a
burger in a restaurant and have the
waitress say: “would you like fries with
that?” Simple ways to upsell things
are:
• Ask your staff to offer additional items
– e.g. if they order a cup of tea, ask
them if they’d like a cake too
• Offer 2-for-1 or 3-for-2 deals or other
multibuy offers
• Have donation tins on the stalls/entry/
exit points
• Set up an online fundraising page
such as gofundme.com where you
can set up a fundraising account for
yourself, someone else or a charity
And some new ideas ...
1. Get creative and sell things that your
children have made. You could get
all the children to draw a picture of
themselves and have them printed
on a setting tea towel or apron, or
individually on a mug, coasters or
cushions. A lot of online printers now
let you upload individual designs
to raise money. You could sell
individually framed photos or pieces
of artwork which also make good
presents.
2. Put on a show – these take a
lot of work but can be very
rewarding and you
can increase your
audience by
selling tickets
to people’s
wider
families
and the
local
community too.
3. Sell a recipe book/Christmas cards
– collect some favourite recipes to
publish and sell – ensure you have
the copyright first though.
4. Work in partnership with others
– joining together with another
organisation and splitting the profits
is another good way to widen your
audience. Consider local schools,
retirement homes or sports clubs. You
might consider taking on a part-time
freelance fundraiser to apply for
grants. This may be more feasible if
you are a charity or a larger setting as
it will involve a cost, but may be worth
looking into.
5. Consider setting up a crowdfunding
site for specific projects –
crowdfunding may be a way to
raise money for special projects
such as running a holiday scheme
or community project. See https://
www.crowdfunder.co.uk/ for more
information.
6. Lotteries – to run a lottery for
cash prizes, you need
to obtain a licence
and there
are strict
rules to
follow. However, they can be worth
it as long as you stay within the
law. They are usually banned for
commercial purposes but may be
allowed for community groups and
charities. You can find out more on the
gambling commission website.
Some pitfalls to avoid
No one likes to be tapped constantly for
extra money, so be discerning with your
fundraising events, and don’t run too
many for the same people, otherwise you
will risk losing your audience.
Make sure you keep very clear records
of all the money you take in and any
expenses you incur running your event.
This is good financial practice to avoid
loses and maximise income, but it is also a
legal requirement for charities as keeping
good financial records is a statutory duty.
A word about fundraising for charities
If your setting is set up as a charity, then
it will need to follow certain fundraising
conditions set out by the charities
fundraising regulator or the Scottish
charities regulator. Charities receive tax
advantages from the government when
it comes to their income, so every penny
needs to be accounted for in order to stay
within the law.
And finally, make sure you are claiming all
the allowances your setting is entitled to –
see early years funding at Gov.uk here.
Useful sites and
information
• https://www.earlyyearscareers.com/
eyc/latest-news/top-10-ways-tofundraise-in-the-early-years/
• https://www.teachwire.net/news/
make-the-most-of-your-schoolsfundraising
18 April 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 19

Connecting through
rhythm and repetition
Keep it simple
I suggest you start small. Copy movement
and noises, throw or roll a ball to one
another, tap a rhythm on your body and
have them copy you or play follow the
leader. Then see where that takes you,
be open to the possibilities. Just like the
tapping of a pillow, the ‘little game’ doesn’t
need to be complicated, just take the
child’s invitation to play and roll with it!
Look foolish
Immersing yourself fully in the nonsensical
nature of play, requires an element
of foolishness. Welcome failure and
embarrassment! Give yourself permission
to look silly! Allow yourself to delight in the
simplest of things. Laugh at yourself!
Stay present
Playing with little ones requires oodles
of patience and attention, but this is no
bad thing. Place your phone to one side,
temporarily forget your to-do list and
bring your full awareness to the moment.
A great way to do this is by using your
‘beginners mind’; look at what’s in front
of you as if it’s the first time you’ve ever
seen it. Delight in the textures, colours and
sounds around you, this will connect you to
the simplicity of the child’s experience and
have you full of wonder and joy!
Katie White
Katie Rose White is a Laughter Facilitator
and founder of The Best Medicine.
She works predominantly with carers,
teachers and healthcare professionals -
teaching playful strategies for boosting
mood, strengthening resilience and
improving well-being. She provides
practical workshops, interactive talks
and training days - fusing therapeutic
laughter techniques, playful games
and activities, and mindfulness-based
practices.
The techniques are not only designed
to equip participants with tools for
managing their stress, but can also be
used and adapted to the needs of the
people that they are supporting.
Tap tap, he hits the cushion with the palm
of his hand, tap tap, I copy his rhythm
hitting a cushion near me. His eyes light
up and a grin widens on his face. We
go on tapping the cushions, laughing
and grinning at each other, and then as
toddlers do, his attention moves on to
something else.
These moments come in abundance when
caring for children. I like to see them as
little games; games with very few rules,
which if played well, can end in fits of
laughter or amusement. Along with the
many developmental benefits of play.
These types of non-verbal conversations
help a child feel heard and understood
and build on their ability to socialise and
connect with others.
Yet often these types of games can feel so
tiresome for us! A game of peek a boo or
chase can go on for hours and the novelty
for us can quickly wear off. Yet when we
are able to accept these invitations to play,
the benefits for both us and the child we’re
supporting are invaluable.
The majority of my work with The Best
Medicine involves teaching adults how to
be more playful. What’s fascinating is I find
that games with repetition, mirroring and
sound (like the cushion tapping game) can
be just as fascinating and enjoyable when
played by two adults. In a game where
I instruct pairs of adults to communicate
using pots and pans, I often witness the
same joy and connection as I see from
little ones. There is a satisfaction in the
simplicity of the task, the cause and effect,
the rhythm and pace, the imaginative
ways we can respond to each other, just
using sound.
Rhythm and repetition work for a reason.
The first sound we hear in the womb is the
steady rhythm of our mother’s heartbeat.
We find comfort in rhythm as it holds
reassurance and predictability.
If you work with children, you’ll be very
familiar with using rhythm and repetition.
Whether it is through clapping games,
nursery rhymes, warm ups or physical
movement. Repetition is crucial to learning
and retaining information and works so
well. Yet how can you bring these tools
into your interactions with the children?
And more importantly, how can you allow
yourself to play in these moments?
thebestmedicine@outlook.com
www.twitter.com/bestmedicine1
http://www.facebook.com/
thebestmedicinecornwall
20 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 21

Water Saving
Week
Earth – not the ‘final frontier’ but seen
from space, we call it the ‘blue planet’ as
seventy-one percent of the earth’s surface
is covered by water. The oceans hold
about 96.5% of all the water on the planet
but this is salt water and humans cannot
drink it. We need fresh water to survive,
but just 3.5% of the water on the earth is
fresh water, and about two-thirds of that is
currently trapped in the glaciers and polar
ice caps. Most of the rest of the fresh water
is in the ground known as ground water,
which leaves less than 1% of the world’s
fresh water in our streams, rivers and
lakes, accessible to humans.
Even with all this water around us, fresh
water that we can drink and use, is in
scarce supply in some parts of the world
and there are still people living in the 21st
century who do not have access to fresh
water supplies as a matter of course.
Fortunately, the UK is a place in the
world where fresh tap water is currently
available, literally ‘on tap’ and few of us
have any issues with finding fresh water
to drink. We probably even take if for
granted. But it has not always been this
way. Centuries ago, we had to draw water
from a well, collecting the water each
day for our daily washing, cooking and
drinking needs. Perhaps we had more
understanding then of the precious nature
of this live-giving fluid.
According to one website, three billion
litres of perfectly good drinking water is
wasted in the UK every day – “enough to
make 15 billion cups of tea or hydrate the
entire population of Africa”.
To be fair, a lot of it is wasted in the pipes
before it gets to our houses as some of
the pipes delivering water to urban areas
are leaky and it is not always cost effective
to repair them. Even more reason to be
careful with the water we do get as it only
takes a few weeks of reduced rainfall, and
the reservoirs start to dry up, the water
companies issue hosepipe bans, and we
all start thinking about saving water again.
But why not save water as a matter of
course? It can reduce our water bills and
make a positive environmental difference.
In a speech known as the ‘jaws of death
speech’, Sir James Bevan laid out the
situation regarding water in the UK saying:
“With population growth, changing
weather patterns including hotter
summers and drier winters, water is
becoming increasingly vulnerable to
scarcity, even in the UK. By 2040, we
expect more than half of our summers
to exceed 2003 temperatures. That will
mean more water shortages: by 2050,
the amount of water available could be
reduced by 10-15%, with some rivers
seeing 50%-80% less water during the
summer months. It will mean higher
drought risk, caused by the hotter drier
summers and less predictable rainfall. On
the present projections, many parts of our
country will face significant water deficits
by 2050, particularly in the southeast
where much of the UK population lives. ”
Sir James Bevan, CEO of the Environment
Agency.
Water Saving Week
Each year in May, waterwise.org.uk
organise Water Saving Week, aimed
at raising awareness of the issues
surrounding modern water use, and
finding solutions to problems of supply to
help keep our water supply efficient and
sustainable. Everyone can become more
aware of the water they use and how
to save it, and if we start teaching our
children young enough, maybe we’ll still
have time to make a difference before it’s
too late.
Water Saving Week is happening this year
from 16 - 23rd May and there are lots of
websites with lots of activities for younger
and older children alike that you can join
in with. We’ve listed some of our favourite
ones from around the web below. These
include factsheets, word searches, ways to
make a water-powered rocket and home
made water filters:
How to be a leak detective
Wordsearch
The Diary of a Water Superhero
(English) and (Welsh)
Super Splash Heroes resources online
Water Superhero Challenge
Eco Schools
Flow Zone
How to reduce your water
usage in your setting
Bathrooms: we use about 68% of our
water usage in the bathroom, but there
are ways in which you can make your
water usage more efficient. These include
having showers instead of baths, using
aerated shower heads or low flow shower
heads and making sure you have efficient,
dual flush toilet systems which can save
approximately 50 – 75% water compared
to older cisterns. If you can’t change your
toilet, you can get cistern displacement
devices (CDDs) which can save around 1
litre of water per flush and are available
free from most water companies.
Leaky taps: most leaky taps can be fixed
simply by replacing a washer so get all
taps fixed if they have a leak.
Cleaning teeth: turn the tap off when
cleaning teeth and rinse your toothbrush in
a cup of water instead or only turn the tap
on when you need it.
Dishes: using a dishwasher on eco setting
can save water compared to washing and
rinsing dishes by hand. Make sure you
only run your dishwasher when it is full.
You can add aerating taps to dishwashers
too.
Laundry: use water efficient programs
on washing machines and run them
fully loaded to make them more efficient.
Running on cooler temperatures will also
help you to use less electricity too.
Gardens: invest in some water butts to
collect rainwater to water your plants.
There are some decorative ones available,
or you could get the children to decorate
them as well. Think about planting plants
that are drought tolerant and use a
watering can instead of a hose pipe. The
RHS have some great watering advice
here.
Lawns: the advice here is not to water
lawns but to let them go brown in drier
spells, as they will recover when it does
rain. Water companies also advise against
artificial grass as it takes a lot of water to
make, so do your research before buying
artificial grass thinking it is a water-saving
option.
Recycle water: if you really want to make
some changes to your setting, there are
ways that you can recycle water more
such as using ‘grey water’ for use in toilets.
Companies such as https://www.aquaco.
co.uk/ can help with rainwater harvesting
and water recycling too.
More information and
references
https://www.waterwise.org.uk/event/
water-saving-week/
https://www.waterwise.org.uk/kids-pack/
https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/water/en/
https://maintaindrains.co.uk/the-uk-iswasting-billions-of-litres-of-clean-drinkingwater-every-day
22 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 23

Supporting parents to
support their child -
from the beginning
From the beginning, there are many things
that can be introduced to support a child’s
ongoing development. But parenting is a
complex business, with so much to think
about and be concerned over. Some may
be meaningless worry, doing little more
than keeping social media pages busy
– and you up at night! So how do you
support parents to do the simple things
that really will make a huge difference
to their developing child as they prepare
them for life?
As you consider the phrase, “preparing a
child for life,” many different things may
come to mind.
You may think about personal qualities
and life skills that you would wish to
bestow upon them, reminiscent of good
fairies over the crib of Sleeping Beauty.
You may consider professional skills such
as financial independence, while being
able to set and achieve their goals and
remain motivated and engaged with
all the world has to offer. You may think
leading a happy and healthy life should
be the “gifts” that appear top of your
wish list, maintaining a positive attitude
and bouncing back when life throws
adversity their way. Or the strength of
their relationships, alongside their ability
to engage well in social situations, while
taking care of themselves as they actively
make healthy choices.
In some instances, the differences we can
make to our children take root very early
on. What may seem only a slight or barely
considered change in our behaviours can
have a staggering impact when you view
them over the long-term. But are your
parents aware of just how far back you
must go to see the impact of the choices
made? And just how early positive choices
will start to have a positive effect?
• For example, how well a child can
manage to sit at a school desk
without fidgeting and with enough
comfort to concentrate on the lesson
began with the “tummy time” they
received as a baby
• Their vocabulary on starting school
will depend heavily on how well they
are communicated with from birth.
Hearing tens of millions more words
in a communication rich home than
one where this is not a feature
• And the ease with which they take
to reading and spelling will depend
on the moments of quietness in their
early years when they were given the
opportunity to hear subtle differences
in sound?
So, let’s look at some of the small yet
significant differences you can introduce,
both to your own routines and practices
and those of your families. So that from
day one you can make significant longterm
impacts on the children in your care.
Impacts that will continue to take effect for
generations to come!
Supporting a child’s language
Firstly - talk to children - a lot. From day
one. Surrounding children with language
makes a huge difference to the number of
words hear, that they begin to recognise
– and in time – use. By the time they start
school, this difference will impact their
social skills, their vocabulary, and their
ability to communicate. Meaning they will
not only be better able to understand the
lesson, but they can also get involved in it,
contributing ideas and asking for the help
they need.
Supporting a child’s
communication
To support children’s communication,
you also need to actively hear them. So,
listen as they discover their thoughts and
feelings, and show them that they are
worthy of being heard. Even when all they
are communicating with is babble. You
can teach your children some Baby Sign
Language, even a few
words will offer them
a different way to communicate from a
very young age, with benefits being seen
in many areas of brain development. And
please help your parents to understand
how important it is to avoid using screens
until their child is at least two years old.
Sensory stimulation is hugely important to
a developing child, but this needs to be a
two-way exchange in ways that screens
cannot offer - but do detract away from.
Supporting a child’s physical
development
It is so important that children are not
secured in a chair for any longer than
necessary. Give them opportunities to
feel what their growing bodies can do as
they strengthen their muscles and bones.
As they explore their environment, they
are even developing muscles deep within
their eyes, in ways that sat looking at one
distance cannot do. So, offer them “tummy
time” from the first months of life as they
develop their core systems in ways that
are essential for sitting comfortably when
they are older. And offer them lots of
experiences to investigate, to touch and
manipulate.
Supporting a child socially and
emotionally
Offer children opportunities to develop
their social and emotional skills, with
frequent opportunities to interact and play
with others as they see others engaging
and sharing. Children at any age are
very good at letting us know when an
experience has become too much and
their emotions are becoming triggered –
so talk to your parents about the subtle
signs as their baby turns their cheek, or
their mobile child moves away, avoiding
more tricky encounters.
And most of all, give them
time to just be…
Children need opportunities to experience
stillness, connectedness and moments
of centred well-being. Social media
would have many parents believe that
they should be filling every moment of
their young child’s lives. So, take this
pressure off and allow time for magic and
imagination, spending time in nature,
singing nursery rhymes and playing silly
games. Encourage them to read to their
child from the time they are born. Picture
books with bright images will keep a baby
entranced while books that their toddler
can touch and manipulate will keep them
enthralled.
As children grow, they are perfecting their
abilities, learning how to think, to process
information and behave appropriately.
This takes their whole childhood, so
avoid rushing this vital development,
or accelerating to the next stage. Help
parents to marvel in these early years as
they lay the foundations that will have
such great impact through all the years to
come.
Support your parents with their own suite
of talks at Nurturing Childhoods; written
to complement the reflective practice you
can embed as you gain the Nurturing
Childhoods Accreditation. Underpinned by
the DfE professional standards, this action
research accreditation will help you realise
positive change, tailored to the needs of
your setting from day one. So, join me
as we surround our children with adults
who understand the importance of early
childhood. As together, we realise the
potential of every child.
Kathryn Peckham
As Founder of Nurturing Childhoods,
Dr Kathryn Peckham is a passionate
advocate for children’s access to rich and
meaningful experiences throughout their
foundational early years. Delivering online
courses, training and seminars she
works with families and settings to identify
and celebrate the impact of effective
childhood experiences as preparation for
all of life’s learning. An active campaigner
for children she consults on projects,
conducts research for government bodies
and contributes to papers launched in
parliament. Through her consultancy
and research she guides local councils,
practitioners, teachers and parents all
over the world in enhancing children’s
experiences through the experiences
they offer. A highly acclaimed author and
member of parliamentary groups, Kathryn
also teaches a Masters at the Centre for
Research in Early Years.
For more information and practical
guidance on developing the features of
lifelong learning, Kathryn has published
a book: “Developing School Readiness,
Creating Lifelong Learners”.
Get in contact at www.kathrynpeckham.
co.uk or email info@kathrynpeckham.
co.uk.
24 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 25

Food Allergy Awareness
What is a food allergy?
A food allergy is when “the body’s immune
system reacts unusually to specific foods.”
Usually, it occurs when a person has eaten
the food they are allergic too, but in some
cases, it can occur if the food is merely
touched or smelled. Allergic reactions can
be mild and are quite common in children,
who may grow out of them as they get
older. However, in some cases, allergies
can be very serious and life-threatening
causing a condition called anaphylaxis
which requires an immediate emergency
response.
What’s the difference
between a food allergy
and food intolerance?
Food intolerance occurs when the body
has a chemical (but not immune) reaction
to eating a particular food or drink and is
usually mild or moderate. A food allergy
occurs when the body’s immune system
reacts to a harmless food and can cause
severe reactions such as anaphylaxis.
What are the symptoms?
Symptoms of a food allergy can affect
different areas of the body at the same
Week
time and common symptoms include:
• a tingling or itchy sensation inside the
mouth, throat or ears
• a raised itchy red rash (urticaria, or
hives)
• swelling of the face, around the eyes,
lips, tongue and roof of the mouth
(angioedema), or swelling around
other areas of the body
• wheezing or shortness of breath
• abdominal pain
• diarrhoea
• difficulty swallowing
• feeling sick or vomiting
• hay fever symptoms such as itchy/
runny eyes and sneezing
What causes food
allergies?
The reason that people have food allergies
is not yet completely understood and
more research is needed to establish the
causes. What is known is that allergies are
common in children but can occur in any
age, and that they often run in families,
suggesting a genetic link.
Some of the most common food allergens
are:
• cows’ milk (around 2 – 3% of children
are allergic)
• eggs
• foods that contain gluten, including
wheat, barley and rye
• nuts and peanuts
• seeds
• soya
• fish and shellfish
• cocoa or cocoa products
How many people have
food allergies?
It is difficult to estimate with total accuracy
the number of people in the UK who
have allergies due to their diverse nature
and wide variation in the severity of
symptoms, however, allergic disease
has been described by the World Health
Organisation as a “modern epidemic” and
it is the most common chronic disease in
Europe. Estimates suggest allergies affect
up to 21 million people in the UK, one of
the highest prevalences in the world, but
these are not all food allergies since many
millions of people suffer from seasonal hay
fever and asthma. Approximately 5 – 8%
of children in the UK have a food allergy
and the incidence is rising with a 615%
increase in the rate of hospital admissions
for anaphylaxis in the UK between 1992
and 2012.
What’s the law?
The law regarding allergen labelling
changed last October after a review of
labelling laws following the tragic death of
teenager Natasha Ednan-Laperouse who
died from an allergic reaction caused by
an ingredient in a baguette bought at a
food outlet at Heathrow Airport in 2016.
The new law, known as ‘Natasha’s Law’
requires all pre-packed foods, including
those which are prepared and packed on
the same premises where they are sold,
to have full ingredients listed on the label
with the 14 major allergens emphasised
for easy identification. Following the
law change, many food serveries have
stepped up their allergen awareness by
asking more questions from customers
and displaying more warning notices.
Food Allergy Awareness
Week
This is organised by FARE and FAACT
which are American charities dedicated
to raising awareness of food allergies,
but it is also supported by other charities
such as Allergy UK. This year it occurs from
8 – 14th May 2022 and is a great time
to raise awareness of food allergies and
anaphylaxis with your staff, parents and
children. You can run education sessions,
read and discuss stories about children
with allergies and promote safer ways to
deal with allergies in your setting. All three
sites have lots of information and advice
on how to get involved including resources
for educators and parents.
Ways to mark Food
Allergy Awareness Week
Educate your staff
Knowledge is power so they say, and
it is vital that you and ALL your staff are
aware of ALL the children in your setting
who have food allergies. This information
should be collected on sign-up and before
any trial days, and should be disseminated
to staff so that they are aware and do not
inadvertently offer a child something that
could cause a reaction. Staff sometimes
use food as treats for children, which is
fine, as long as these are not going to
cause reactions. Many settings also ban
common food allergens such as nuts
in packed lunches, and children should
be supervised so that they do not share
inappropriate food with others who may
have allergies.
Learn to recognise and
treat symptoms
Staff should also be trained in how to
recognise an allergic reaction and how
to administer first aid. Seventeen percent
of fatal food-anaphylaxis reactions in
school-age children happen while they
are at school and worryingly, 20% of
anaphylactic reactions in schools are
in children with no prior history of food
allergy.
Some children with severe allergies may
carry emergency medicine (such as an
epi-pen) but staff will need to be well
trained in the procedures and protocols
for administering medicines if required.
All medicines need to be correctly labelled
and have photo identification and contact
information attached, including dates for
regular checking to make sure they are still
in date. If anaphylaxis is suspected, then
you should always call 999.
Join a recognised scheme
Allergy UK offer support and advice
including an Allergy Awareness Scheme
(AAS) for industries which serve food, and
a schools programme (SAAG) and you can
find details of both on their website here.
Other initiatives include the “Stop, look, ask
and go” campaign to help toddlers learn
about food and what is safe/not safe to
eat.
Download and display
information
Download the Allergy UK Early Years
Factsheet here. This factsheet gives lots of
useful advice and information on how to
deal with allergies in your setting and can
be printed out and pinned on the walls to
increase awareness.
More information and
advice
Free allergy place mat templates: https://
www.parenta.com/free-allergy-placemattemplates/
Allergy UK helpline: 01322 619898
Allergy UK schools and early years specific
webpages
https://www.foodallergy.org/resources
NHS – food allergies
NHS food allergies in babies and young
children
Statistics - https://www.allergyuk.org/
about-allergy/statistics-and-figures
26 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 27

Mental Health
Awareness Week
We cover mental health a lot in the Parenta
magazine, since it is something that has
a profound effect on how we live our lives.
Good mental health is needed to maintain
health, hold down a job, make ends meet,
and ultimately, give us a reason for living.
Poor mental health can have the totally
opposite effect, making us question our
sanity, our self-worth and in some severe
cases, whether our life is worth living at all.
In recent years, mental health has moved
from a taboo subject to a mainstream
one, and more and more people are
opening up about their own struggles with
mental health, to help themselves, and
ultimately to try to help others in a similar
position. All manner of people, from sports
stars, celebrities and royalty have been
willing over the last few years to share
their mental health stories to help start
conversations around the subject and find
solutions which work.
Mental Health Awareness Week runs each
year as an annual event aimed at getting
the whole of the UK to focus on achieving
good mental health. It was started by
the Mental Health Foundation (MHF) 21
years ago and is now one of the largest
awareness weeks across the UK and
internationally too. This year it runs from
9 – 15 May and the theme looks at a topic
which is still not often on many people’s
agendas and yet it is a growing problem in
the UK and around the world: loneliness.
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Where do they all come from?
Ah, look at all the lonely people
Where do they all belong?
“Eleanor Rigby” by John Lennon and Paul
McCartney. Written in 1966.
According to the official website:
“Loneliness is affecting more and more of
us in the UK and has had a huge impact
on our physical and mental health during
the pandemic. Our connection to other
people and our community is fundamental
to protecting our mental health and we
need to find better ways of tackling the
epidemic of loneliness.”
The coronavirus pandemic pushed us
all into isolation in one way or another.
People found themselves unable to meet
up with friends and families for months
on end; single people, whether young
or old found it difficult to exist without the
help and support of others; and even
those people isolating in houses with
members of their own family, discovered
that you can still feel lonely even if you are
surrounded by other people.
So this Mental Health Awareness Week,
the Mental Health Foundation is asking
everyone to raise awareness of loneliness
and find ways to tackle it in ourselves and
in our communities. As they say: “Reducing
loneliness is a major step towards a
mentally healthy society.”
As usual, there are plenty of ways to get
involved in your setting, but perhaps the
first thing to do is ask yourself what, if
anything, you know about loneliness? For
many of us, it is something we don’t even
like to consider, let alone admit to feeling.
Loneliness is when we feel that we do
not connect with others or have any
meaningful relationships in our life. It
can affect people of all ages, although
older people may be more vulnerable to
loneliness because they are more likely
to live alone. Statistics show that over 2
million people aged over 75 in England,
live alone, and half a million older people
can go 5 or 6 days a week without
speaking to anyone at all.
According to the website marmaladetrust.
org, whose aim is to raise awareness of
loneliness and identify and help those at
risk, there are several different types of
loneliness, including:

Safety and safeguarding
Introduction
All adults who come into contact with
pupils in their work have a duty to
safeguard and promote their welfare.
The Children Act 2004, places a duty
on organisations to safeguard and
promote the well-being of children and
young people. This includes the need to
ensure that all adults who work with, or
on behalf of children and young people
in these organisations are competent,
confident and safe to do so. In doing this,
organisations must understand which
behaviours constitute safe practice and
which behaviours staff should avoid.
The “Guidance for safer working practice
for those working with children and
young people in education settings” was
updated and published in February 2022.
As per the previous versions (2019 and the
2020 addendum), the document is NOT
statutory guidance, it is for employers to
decide whether to use the document as
the basis for their staff code of conduct
guidelines.
The guidance strives to ensure that the
responsibilities of leaders towards children
and staff, within educational settings,
are discharged by raising awareness of
illegal, unsafe, unprofessional, and unwise
behaviour. Its aim is to help staff to monitor
their own standards and practice and
reduce the risk of allegations being made
against them and supports employers in
giving a clear message that unacceptable
behaviour will not be tolerated and that,
where appropriate, legal, or disciplinary
action is likely to follow.
We recommend that the guidance be
embedded as part of early years settings
Child Protection policy, Staff Code of
Conduct and included in your staff’s
induction and regular safeguarding
training sessions.
new legislation
What is an allegation and
a low-level concern?
Creating a culture in which all concerns
about adults are shared responsibly, with
the right person, recorded and dealt with
appropriately, is critical. This relates to all
concerns, including allegations and those
that do not meet the harms threshold. If
setting arrangements are implemented
correctly, this should encourage an open
and transparent culture; enable settings
to identify concerning, problematic or
inappropriate behaviour early; minimise
the risk of abuse; ensure that adults
working in or on behalf of the setting are
clear about professional boundaries,
act within these boundaries, and in
accordance with the ethos and values of
the organisation.
The term ‘allegation’ means where it is
alleged that a person working with
children has:
» Behaved in a way that has or may
have harmed a child;
» Possibly committed a criminal offence
against a child or related to a child;
» Behaved towards a child or children in
a way that indicates they may pose a
risk of harm to children; or
» Behaved or may have behaved in a
way that indicates they may not be
suitable to work with children
The term ‘low-level concern’ does not
mean that it is insignificant, it means
that an adult’s behaviour towards
a child does not meet the above
threshold.
A low-level concern is any concern – no
matter how small, even if it causes a sense
of unease or a ‘nagging doubt’ – that the
adult may have acted in a way that:
» Is inconsistent with the settings code
of conduct, including inappropriate
conduct outside of work
» Does not meet the allegations
threshold or is otherwise not
considered serious enough to
consider a referral to the LADO
Examples of such behaviour could include:
» Being over friendly with children
» Having favourites
» Taking photographs of children on
their mobile phone
» Engaging with a child on a one-to-one
basis in a secluded area or behind a
closed door
» Using inappropriate sexualised,
intimidating, or offensive language
It is critical that allegations and concerns
are dealt with effectively and should also
protect those working in or on behalf of
the setting from potential false allegations
or misunderstandings.
What does this mean for
early years?
Staff should understand their
responsibilities to safeguard and promote
the welfare of pupils, including being
responsible for their own actions and
behaviour, avoid any conduct which would
lead any reasonable person to question
their motivations and intentions and work
and be seen to work, in an open and
transparent way including self-reporting
if their conduct or behaviour falls short
of the principle guidelines. Staff should
always consider whether their actions
are warranted, proportionate, safe and
applied equitably – failure to do so may be
regarded as professional misconduct.
Settings should have clear reporting
systems in place, ensuring whistleblowing
procedures are understood and promoted
to all staff so they feel confident to report
concerns.
Where staff feel unable to raise an issue
within the setting, or there are genuine
concerns that their concerns are not being
addressed, settings should make staff
aware of other whistleblowing channels
open to them, as detailed in KCSiE.
Managing children’s
inappropriate behaviour
Early years staff should understand the
importance of challenging inappropriate
behaviours between children, including
peer on peer sexual violence and sexual
harassment.
Downplaying certain behaviours, for
example dismissing sexual harassment as
“part of growing up” or “boys being boys”
can lead to a culture of unacceptable
behaviours, an unsafe environment for
children and in worst case scenarios a
culture that normalises abuse leading to
staff and children accepting it as normal.
What does this mean for
early years?
Staff should be clear as to their settings
policy with regards child on child
inappropriate behaviour. Where pupils
display difficult or challenging behaviour,
staff should understand and follow their
setting’s behaviour policy using strategies
appropriate to the circumstance and
situation.
Standards of behaviour
KCSiE states that settings should make
clear their expectation that staff should
disclose any relationship or association (in
the real world or online) that may impact
on the setting’s ability to safeguard pupils
– this includes informing their manager/
proprietor of any name changes that they
have not previously declared.
Settings should have clear nappy or pad
changing and intimate/personal care
policies which ensure that a child’s dignity
and privacy are respected, arrangements
should be open and transparent, carried
out by staff known to the child, undertaken
by one member of staff, unless the pupils
intimate care plan specifies otherwise and
ensuring another appropriate adult is in
the vicinity and are visible and/or audible.
Arrangements should be accompanied by
robust recording systems.
What does this for early
years?
Early years settings should ensure they
reflect the above expectations in their staff
code of conduct and relevant safeguarding
policies.
Full details of these and all the other 2022
updates can be found in Guidance for
safer working practice for those working
with children and young people in
education settings 2022
Statutory framework for the early years
foundation stage 2021
Keeping children safe in education 2021
Yvonne Sinclair
Yvonne Sinclair is an award-winning
Independent Safeguarding Consultant,
Trainer and Presenter specialising in the
education and early years sectors and the
founder of Safeguarding Support Limited.
Yvonne has a wealth of safeguarding
and child protection experience,
having developed the role of National
Safeguarding Officer for a national
children’s charity. In that role she was
responsible for leading on and developing
safeguarding compliance, policy, and
training.
2015 saw Yvonne moving to an become
independent, supporting educational
providers and early years settings
with all aspects of their safeguarding
requirements to ensure organisational
confidence of safeguarding compliance.
Yvonne is AET qualified, trained in child
protection by the NSPCC, an accredited
trainer to deliver Safer Recruitment by the
Safer Recruitment Consortium, a member
of the Association of Child Protection
Professionals (formerly BASPCAN),
Child Protection in Education (CAPE) and
National Association of Designated
Safeguard Leads (NADSL).
As all early years safeguarding leads
are more than aware, there are constant
changes of safeguarding statutory
legislation and best practice and
sometimes the understanding and clarity
of those changes and our roles within
them may become a little confused - none
more so than within all the recent updates
in EYFS, safer recruitment, early years
online safety…. just to name a few.
Yvonne’s aim is to ensure that
‘safeguarding is simplified’. Find out
more about Yvonne, her team and the
support services they offer at www.
safeguardingsupport.com.
30 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 31

How to make the most of
your outdoor space
Spring is here and it’s time to shake off
the winter woollies and explore the great
outdoors! Not everyone has some outside
space in their setting, but if you are lucky
enough to have even the smallest space,
make sure you are making the most of it
and inviting the children to use it to have
fun and advance their learning. Here are
some ideas on how you can create some
meaningful areas, even in a small space.
Outdoor play areas
Many nurseries have a traditional play
area which may have some swings,
climbing equipment and slides in it which
are great for developing children’s gross
motor skills such a running, jumping,
climbing etc. However, if you can’t afford or
don’t have the space for these items, think
about other things you can create such as
hopscotch pads, snaking number lines or
basketball hoops. Getting the children to
play catch will also help with fine motor
skills and hand-eye coordination too
and you can use ball, bats/racquets and
bean bags (homemade!) to add to the
excitement. A tray with some sand on and
a hosepipe to make muddy puddles are
also great fun.
Obstacle courses and
games
You can make a homemade obstacle
course with virtually anything and they are
a great way to reuse and recycle items
from your setting. For example, you can
use old cycle or car tyres (clean them first)
for children to run in and out of, wooden
stepping stones, or plastic tub and buckets
turned upside down with an old broom
on make great improvised horse jumps/
hurdles. You could create a large snakes
and ladders board by painting or marking
out a square board. Make it different
each time by using lengths of rope and
wooden poles or sticks as the ‘snakes’ and
the ‘ladders’. You could also make some
outdoor counters using old pan lids or jam
jar lids.
Sensory space
Outdoor areas can be used to create
some wonderful sensory spaces with
different textures, smells and sounds, and
most of these can be created simply and
cheaply in a small area. Remember to use
vertical height to maximise space. You can
buy vertical planters and put in different
smelling/texture plants, filling some of the
pockets with other items such as feathers
or stones.
You can create different sounds in the
garden by using home made drums, and
windchimes using bottle tops, old metal
cutlery or tin cans. Half filling some old
soda bottles with small stones, water,
sand or other objects will allow children to
shake them to make different sounds too.
Grow your own
Over the last year, we have run quite a
few articles of the benefits of allowing
children to grow their own plants as it
taps into a lot of the Understanding the
World parts of the EYFS. You can use lots
of different objects to grow things in, from
inexpensive seed trays to old buckets, cut
down plastic bottles and yoghurt pots.
Most plants need water to drain freely so
make sure the water can escape from the
bottom of the container to aid drainage.
After that, there are a whole host of things
that children can grow, from quick growing
plants like cress and mustard, to larger,
slower growing things like bulbs, flowers,
tomatoes and pumpkins. Vertical planters
are useful here too if you have limited
space and you can create your own living
wall.
Creative play
Being outside sparks lots of creativity in
children so make sure you have an area
where your children can create things.
How about encouraging some wild art
by using sticks, leaves, stones, feathers,
moss or anything else you can find to
create some interesting pictures? You can
paint stones with colourful pictures too.
Clay soils are good for creating mud pies
and sculptures and flower petals can be
used to create some interesting perfumes
or why not create a fairy house/garden?
Remember to get children to wash their
hands thoroughly and make sure they are
well supervised too. All children love to
create dens so make sure you have some
long sticks and old blankets available too.
You can also create an area for making
music by setting up some homemade
drums and beaters,or by using different
objects which make different noises when
struck. Using jam jars and filling them with
different amounts of water will change the
pitch of the note they make.
Graffiti corner
If you have a boring wall or fence, why
not change it into a graffiti corner and
let the children experiment with their
imaginations. If you don’t want to paint or
mark the fence or building, then you could
pin up some cardboard boxes, or wooden
panels and let the children draw on those.
Have different media available for the
children to use such as chalk, paints and
washable pens so that they can markmake
and create whatever they want. Also
think about giving them different things
to use as well as paintbrushes, as grass,
feathers and leaves can create interesting
prints and effects.
Wildlife
Any outdoor space however small, will
also be home to lots of creatures even if
you can’t see them, so make sure you are
sharing your space well with your local
wildlife. Think about how you can help
encourage wildlife into your outdoor space
by setting up some bird feeders and bird
houses, and remember that birds and
animals needs a watering station too.
It could be as simple as placing an old
tray or frying pan in a corner and filling it
with water as a bird bath. You can build
a minibeast or bug hotel using old sticks,
twigs, bamboo, straw, fallen leaves and
rotting bark and there are plenty of sites of
the internet to give you ideas of how to do
this. Wormeries are relatively easy to make
and will teach the children a lot about
the world around them and the creatures
living underneath their feet.
Ponds are exciting but you need to be
very careful with children around water,
although there’s lots to be learned from
pond dipping. You can make a simple
small pond using an old washing up
bowl which can attract things like small
tadpoles, water boatmen and pond
skaters. You can even make simple nets
using old wire coat hangers and some old
tights!
Whatever you do with your outdoor space,
respect it and enjoy it.
Useful sites and
inspiration
15 ideas for children’s outdoor spaces
Wildlife watch activities
How to pond dip – Woodland Trust
Sensory gardens for schools
20 sensory activities for toddlers
32 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 33

Painting Rock
Blueberry muffins
Bugs
What do you need?
• Rocks
• Acrylic paint
Instructions
1. Wash your rocks
with water and let
them dry.
2. Think about what
bugs/insects you
would like to paint
e.g. ladybird, bee,
snail etc.
• Paint brushes
• Googly eyes
3. When the rocks
are dry, start
painting your
bugs.
4. Let the paint dry.
5. You can now
place your bugs
in the garden or
on a windowsill.
The full
instructions for
this craft can
be found on
the ‘Children’s
Gardening Week’
website here
You will need:
• 100g unsalted butter softened +
1 tbsp for greasing
• 140g golden caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 140g natural yogurt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 tbsp milk
• 250g plain flour
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
• 125g blueberries
Instructions:
1. Preheat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/
gas 6.
2. Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper
cases.
3. Beat the butter and caster sugar
together until pale and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs and beat in for 1 min
then mix in the yogurt, vanilla extract
and milk.
5. Combine the flour, baking powder and
bicarbonate of soda in a bowl with ¼
tsp fine salt, then tip this into the wet
ingredients and stir in.
6. Fold in the blueberries and divide the
mixture between the muffin cases.
7. Bake for 5 mins, then reduce oven
to 180°C/160°C fan/gas 4 and bake
for 15-18 mins more until risen and
golden, and a cocktail stick inserted
into the centre comes out clean.
8. Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then
carefully lift out onto a wire rack to
finish cooling.
This recipe can be found on
the ‘BBC Food’ website here
parenta.com | April 2022 35

Have fun, move and
build their confidence
NUMBER 2: ACTIVE PROBLEM
SOLVING
Utilise their enthusiasm for a story or an
activity by planning a problem-solving
adventure.
Source a selection of classical music that
you think will help your children express
their feelings. The music will allow you to
talk about how the music makes everyone
feel and it allows you to talk about
emotions in a gentle way.
Having fun whilst moving is the best way
to develop your little one’s self-confidence.
The cornerstone of building self-confidence
is to make activities fun. Remember
the pleasure of being able to achieve
something you really enjoyed for the first
time and then again and again? This
enjoyment will give them the confidence
to try something new and believe in their
own abilities.
“From the earliest days, a child will grow in
confidence and self-esteem by mastering
new abilities through play.” Dr Richard
Woolfson
There is so much evidence about the
developmental benefits of movement for
children and their long-term health. This
is such a wonderful thing but, only when
they are engaged and joining the fun. The
difficulty can be engaging them.
We know active physical and social play
helps everyone, including adults, build
confidence.
“Active kids are healthy kids, inside and
out.” Professor Charlie Foster
The key to reaching these goals is to find
a way to engage them in the activity and
movement. As you build their confidence
it will make it easier each time for them
to join in. This newly found confidence of
theirs makes it easier for them to find new
friends, build resilience and try new things.
THE KEY TO SUCCESS IS
PLEASURE
The more children play, the more pleasure
they have. More play equals more
pleasure. More pleasure builds their
confidence and belief in what they can do.
Pleasure enables children to conquer more
challenging activities and successful play
boosts confidence.
Think back to your own childhood. What
activities did you enjoy and keep going
back to and why?
THE WHY?
It is so important to encourage and create
opportunities for your little ones to move in
their surroundings and play together.
Movement is vital for children as it
significantly improves their brain plasticity
and cognitive function. Alongside the
benefits of physical activity, they are
improving their communication skills.
A child who can’t convey their feelings
or ideas can become withdrawn and
isolated.
“Researchers observed thicker and denser
white matter among those children
exhibiting greater degrees of physical
fitness in turn linked with significantly
superior attention span, memory,
and cognitive facilities.” The Effect of
Movement on Cognitive Performance
2018
THE HOW IN 3
NUMBER 1: GROUP ACTIVITIES
The wake-up and goodbye to the day
Create a morning wake-up and goodbye
for the end of the day as part of the daily
routine, for the children and team. Build
the activity over several weeks.
MORNING WAKE-UP
To make this fun, work together creating
the warm-up with the children. This will
give them ownership of the activity and
make it exciting as you are letting them
take ownership.
Your warm-up sequence should be very
simple, only consisting of jumps, runs
on the spot and claps. Once they have
mastered the sequence you can develop
it further and extend the warm-up time
as they progress. Don’t forget this is also
good for adults!
GOODBYE TO THE DAY
Put on some relaxing music and reach
for the sky, your toes, and a few sideway
stretches. You can introduce some yoga
moves: The butterfly, downward dog or
the cobra followed by a well-deserved nap
listening to some calming music.
As part of your day read “We’re going on
a bear hunt”. Take the children on their
very own ‘bear hunt’ around the setting,
garden, or park. This is a great opportunity
to work on their positional language in the
search for bears under, inside, or next to
the trees?
Why not follow this up by making their very
own bear or build a den for the bears to
play in or have a teddy bears picnic?
Throughout the fun, their confidence will
build as they interact and work together.
I have a perfect example from the
wonderfully creative Munchkinos
childminding setting in Swansea. Claire
and Toni extended the children’s learning
about water when they went on a trip to
the “North Pole” with their Littlemagictrain
who got stuck in the ice!
The children had to problem solve by
discovering the best way of melting the ice
so they could all get back home safely.
Take a peek and watch their adventure
here.
https://www.facebook.
com/551994074864497/
posts/3897186980345173/
This fabulous activity, created by Claire
and Toni, helped the children discover that
they can overcome challenges. This will
build their confidence in their own abilities.
NUMBER 3: EMOTION AND
MOVEMENT
Allow everyone to express feelings through
the movements. For example, revisit your
‘bear hunt’ and meet and become grumpy
bears stomping around the room, garden
park etc., and join in. Movement and
music are truly the universal languages of
emotion.
MUSIC FOR YOUR KEY
EMOTIONS
Sad: Gymnopédie No. 1 (Erik Satie)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-
Xm7s9eGxU
Happy: The Nutcracker, Op. 71:1. Overture
(Allegro giusto) (Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky)
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=2tJvfUrLXBE
Angry: Le Sacre du Printemps: Ritual of the
Rival Tribes (Igor Stravinsky)
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=05lNhHVdsBM
Tired/Exhausted: Enigma Variations:
Nimrod (Sir Edward Elgar)
https://www.youtube.com/
watch?v=sUgoBb8m1eE
Talking about, feeling, and moving to
the emotions in the music, helps your
little ones develop self-regulation and
confidence.
Well-being and confidence are
the most important things
you can give your little ones.
Gina Bale
Gina’s background was originally
ballet, but she has spent the last 27
years teaching movement and dance
in mainstream, early years and SEND
settings as well as dance schools.
Whilst teaching, Gina found the time to
create the ‘Hi-5’ dance programme to
run alongside the Australian Children’s
TV series and the Angelina Ballerina
Dance Academy for Hit Entertainment.
Her proudest achievement to date is her
baby Littlemagictrain. She created this
specifically to help children learn through
make-believe, music and movement.
One of the highlights has been seeing
Littlemagictrain delivered by Butlin’s
famous Redcoats with the gorgeous
‘Bonnie Bear’ on the Skyline stage.
Gina has qualifications of teaching
movement and dance from the Royal
Ballet School, Trinity College and Royal
Academy of Dance.
Use the code ‘PARENTA’ for a 20%
discount on Littlemagictrain downloads
from ‘Special Editions’, ‘Speech and
Language Activities’, ‘Games’ and
‘Certificates’.
36 April 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | April 2022 37

Testimonials
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She has always emailed, text and phoned me back immediately, uploads work when
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She has gone above & beyond to get me through my studies which thanks to her, I
am now almost finished.
I thought it would be nice for you to hear the positive feedback about the excellent
level of care she is giving to her students!”
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supportive at all times when we needed any help.
We had to close sadly due to government infrastructure and Parenta kept our
website accessible so we can work on it ready should we re open.
Congratulations
to all our Parenta learners!
Congratulations to all our Parenta learners who completed their apprenticeship
and have now gained their qualifications.
These range from Childcare Level 2, Childcare Level 3 and Team Leading
to Level 3 and Level 5 Management – that’s a huge achievement in the
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All that hard work has paid off – well done from all of us here at Parenta Training!
Did you know?... Parenta has trained over 20,000 apprentices within the early years sector!
Our Level 3 success rate overall is almost 10% higher than the national average.
That’s down to great work from you, our lovely Parenta learners!
If you have a learner with us who has recently completed their apprenticeship, please send in
a picture to hello@parenta.com to be included in the magazine.
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House Day Nursery Bristol
38 May 2022 | parenta.com
parenta.com | May 2022 39

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