Strengthening Family Relationships
All families disagree sometimes. You might have problems that are hard to solve, or things going on that cause you stress.
This Section of the Family Information Service website contains information and tools that can help reduce or improve conflict at home.
It includes:
An overview of parental conflict
Research
Common causes of conflict
Practical tools and resources to help
Important: Parental Conflict is NOT Domestic Abuse
Parental conflict is very different to domestic abuse.
When we talk about conflict we are working below the threshold of domestic abuse.
https://fisd.oxfordshire.gov.uk/kb5/oxfordshire/directory/families.page?familieschannel=900
World Bee Day 2024
It's World Bee 🐝 Day on 20th May, so we're buzzed to bring you some fun facts about the humble Bumblebee 🐝… It's no secret that bees 🐝 are hugely important for the eco-system, and in the UK alone we have 270 species of bee 🐝 ranging from the common Honeybee to the rare and elusive Shrill Carder Bee 🐝.
Bees 🐝 pollinate our wild trees and wild flowers, which then support other insects, which then support birds, bats, mammals and everything up the food chain with food and shelter.
The goal for World Bee 🐝 Day is to strengthen measures aimed at protecting bees 🐝 and other pollinators, which would significantly contribute to solving problems related to the global food supply and eliminate hunger in developing countries.
Hatching a plan for quacking learning with new feathery friends!
Here at Cygnets Preschool there has been no plastic or paper in sight... instead we have been thrilled to welcome some very different new arrivals – in the form of 5 fluffy ducklings!.
Our expert childcare team, guided by our student, Miss Yasmin “Mother Duck”, have been expanding their skillset and taking care of the adorable ducklings, which all hatched in our setting at the end of the April.
The children have been utterly enthralled to take part in the whole process and as always have been like sponges, soaking up lots of new information and learning egg-citing facts and this whole uniquely stimulating experience seamlessly links in with the government's Early Years Foundation Stage targets; with the ducklings' physical growth mirroring our children's emotional and intellectual development.
The children's curiosity was originally ignited by the presence of the eggs in the incubator, and they were using their observational skills - looking and listening - and waiting for that all important TAP, TAP, CRACK!
WATCHING & WAITING
The children experienced a sense of patience and anticipation with this activity. Sharing skills and inter-personal relationships have been developed as the children have taken turns to view the eggs, as it would harm the embryos to lift the lid off the incubator. Lots of questions were asked: What's inside the egg? Why do the eggs needs to be kept warm and humid? Why do the eggs need to be turned? How long will they take to hatch? What will the ducklings look like when they come out? Critical thinking galore!
CRACKING FUN
Levels of concentration reached an all-time high as soon as the first tiny cracks appeared! The children were engrossed and they learned about managing emotions... resisting the temptation to speed up the process and “help” the ducklings crack open the shell, as well as controlling feelings of over-excitement to ensure a calm, quiet environment for the hatching babies.
FLUFFY FRIENDS
At 2 days old the ducklings were at last ready for a cuddle! The children had their senses of sight, sound and touch fully engaged – hearing the chirps, practising gentle handling of the bundles of soft fluff, feeling the soft fuzziness compared to the hard beak, and seeing and touching the tiny webbed feet.
The children have expanded their vocabulary and knowledge: “hatch”, “humid”, “incubator”, “webbed feet” “temperature”, and “waddle”. A great science lesson on life cycles!
GROWING UP
Keeping the eggs and ducklings warm, fed and safe and helping them grow reflected the exact experience of the children in our nursery; the children can relate to the baby ducks and feel a sense of security, confidence and belonging in their surroundings. The children also learnt about hygiene – keeping the ducklings' housing clean, and self-care with hand-washing after handling them.
Early Years Alliance
Family Corner: helping our families to develop positive home learning environments
There is a range of exciting FREE sessions for parents and carers coming up, click on the link:
Songs, stories and rhymes - supporting early communication
Wednesday 24 April 1pm - 2pm
In this session we explore the importance of speech and language development and how you can support your children’s early communication. Join us to explore why communication and language development is so important in the early years, and how you can encourage this at home with songs, stories and rhymes packed with lots of information, ideas, and tips!
Tuesday 7 May 6.30pm - 7.30pm
This session will share tips and ideas that will support you and your child in preparing for school. We will discuss some fun learning activities that can be easily replicated at home to support your child’s learning and development, as well as discuss some top tips in helping your child’s transition to school to run smoothly.
Supporting children's emotional wellbeing
Monday 3 June 1pm - 2pm
Parents provide the main support to children’s emotional development. We will discover how you can help your children as they become people in their own right; learning to walk, talk and master other routines of daily life and how to help you manage children’s moods. Join us to understand what children need emotionally, and how best to encourage healthy emotional development.
And if none of these are for you, take a look at some of our regular offerings:
Family Fun at Hill End
FEBRUARY HALF TERM FAMILY FOREST DAYS
A wonderful day out exploring the 67 acre Oxfordshire site with family and friends.
The theme this half term is ‘bird nesting’ – Make your own nesting box, feeder or bird watching binoculars. Create your own giant nest in our den building area, follow a trail for interesting bird facts, visit our bird hide, play and enjoy our space, woodlands and wetlands.
The tickets are £9.50 per adult and £9.50 per child, which includes a jacket potato or soup and a hot drink and run on Wednesday 14 February, 10am – 2pm and Thursday 15 February, 10am – 2pm
Book here: https://hill-end.org/activities/upcoming-events/
FAMILY BUSHCRAFT SATURDAYS
Learn how to survive and thrive at Hill End! These fun monthly sessions change with the seasons.
Learn how to select and use natural materials to live sustainably in the woods. Activities might include: Foraging - Camp cooking of breads - Stews, grills etc (including stone-age ‘no pot’ methods) - Fire lighting methods and fire management - Woodwork; making tools such as butter knives, mallets, and pot hangers - Tracking and trapping - Shelter building - Knots, basketry, and cordage.
Sessions cost £12 adults / £8 children and run from 10am – 12pm on the following dates: 16 March 20 April 18 May 15 June Book here: https://hill-end.org/activities/upcoming-events/
Supporting parents to 'make the most of every moment'
As the Governments new 'Little Moments Together' campaign launches, free help and support for Parents across England is now available at local family hubs in the 75 local authorities involved.
The Start for Life campaign aims to 'provide free resources and advice to help parents make the most of every moment - even waiting for a bus or shopping together - to further their child’s development.'
With around £300 million being invested in the family hubs and new campaign, parents will be able to access services such as, advice and support, early language and communication support, and mental health and wellbeing support from fully trained staff. The aim is to enhance support and Start for Life services for families with children aged 0-19 years, and 0-25 years for children with SEND, across the country.
New findings from an online survey which took place in November 2023 have revealed that 83% of parents are unaware that their child’s brain is 90% grown by the age of five, shedding light on a critical gap in parents’ understanding of the impact they can have in these crucial early years. It is hugely important that this is therefore being recognised by the government with support and investment.
Early learning and development - Start for Life - NHS - NHS (www.nhs.uk), sets out the importance of early brain development and shares lots of ideas, easy tips and activities you can do together with your child.
Helping to support your children's communication and language?
The Early Years Alliance will be running their free online family festival, Home is where the start is, for the second year running!
During this fun family event, which will take place via Zoom, they will share information and advice about how parents and carers of under-fives can support children’s learning and development at home through lots of exciting sessions for them and their children.
This year's event will focus on how parents and carers can support their children's communication and language development, and will include sessions on bilingualism, Makaton and music, movement, rhythm and rhyme ... and and much, much more.
The three-day online festival will run from Thursday 22 February to Saturday 24 February 2024, and parents and carers can book to attend as many or as few free sessions as they like.
Families can sign up for their free sessions at bit.ly/FamilyFestivalEYA2024
