Home learning for Nursery - Ducklings 4

I am sure that I am not the only one that as a parent has felt a huge amount of guilt at times as I strive to juggle all those balls that come with parenting. However none of us are perfect and like me, sometimes you do what is required to get to the end of the day. This is normal.

I hope that by sharing the Early Years Framework with you over a few weeks that you will recognise how well you are doing as parents and enjoy your time with your child/children.

This week I am going to introduce you to the prime areas of learning. These are fundamental to every child’s development and are key to developing children that are healthy, confident, happy and ready to learn. The specific areas of learning are not built upon until a good grounding in the prime areas has been achieved.


Mrs Pontefract & Mrs Draper

Prime Area of Learning - Personal, Social and Emotional Development

Making relationships/Self-confidence and self-awareness/Managing feelings and behaviour

What can you do?

  • Talk about and label emotions

  • Play games where you have to take turns

  • Read stories which reflect on different behaviours

  • Model being considerate and responsive in interactions

  • Value your child’s successes

  • Give your child achievable challenges and support them through them if needed

  • Encourage them to look after their things carefully

  • Listen and talk

  • Create boundaries and rules with your child and stick to them

Prime Area of Learning - Physical Development

Moving and handling/Health and self-care

What can you do?

  • Encourage your child to do things independently

  • Give children time and props to explore moving in different ways

  • Talk about how they are moving and challenge them to move in a different way

  • Use different tools, scissors, cutters, knifes, paint brushes, pencils, hammers etc.

  • Play with playdough, threading, construction and jigsaws

  • Allow children to take a risk or try new skills but talk about the need for safety.

  • Involve children in preparing food and talk about healthy choices

  • Talk about the changes in their body after a physical activity


Prime Area of Learning - Communication and Language

Listening and attention/Understanding/Speaking

What can you do?

  • Share stories and rhymes together

  • Play listening games

  • See what sounds you can hear outside and around the house

  • Experiment with words and sounds

  • Encourage narratives into play

  • Model how to use language for different situations and negotiating

  • Give your child instructions

  • Listen and value your child’s opinions

  • Talk, talk, talk