“A one stop website that not only is well laid out and easy to navigate, it ticks all the boxes to help EYFS practitioners to match activities to ELG's. If searches do not help the user to find the perfect resource, an advanced search function allows for single word or phrases to be used making the search for that resource quick and easy.

The resources themselves follow a standard structure which gave clear and simple instructions to ensure a successful session including, what you need, what you do. The explicit instructions make the suggestions easy to follow, with links to the ‘Areas of Learning’ and ‘Development Matters’ statements, ensuring that practitioners are aware of assessment opportunities and next steps. 

“If you are looking for an affordable (annual subscription fee), well-structured and planned resource, with all activities linked to the curriculum that eases the burden of planning, look no further than Bloomsbury Early Years. It’s the resource you need to give you inspiration to be inspirational.”

Julie-Ann McCulloch, Specialist EAL teacher, EYFS-Year 9

“The online platform provides a fantastic range of practical ideas to enhance learning environments and extend learning in the Early Years. It’s easy to navigate, by learning area or topic, or even by season or type (e.g. role play, construction, and even ’squidgy’!) and to save your favourite activities for later use. Each activity clearly outlines its purpose and specific goals relating to the EYFS and Characteristics of Effective Learning, which is hugely helpful when you are trying to support students with specific skills. For example if you were to do a Strengths and Gaps Analysis as suggested by Alistair Bryce-Clegg, you could quickly find a range of activities to support and extend children’s learning in relation to your identified areas.”

"The platform has contributions from a range of highly respected early years professionals and each suggestion draws upon their knowledge and expertise, so you can be assured that these ideas are tried, tested and well-informed. If you are looking for high-quality ideas that can save you time, broaden your repertoire of activities and enrich the learning in your classroom I would highly recommend this online platform."

Jenna Clare Watson, Reception and Nursery, University of Cambridge Primary School

"From ideas for bringing writing outdoors, sensory activities for babies, practical maths games for both small and large groups, imaginative ways to engage children in their phonics learning, to new twists on old favourite topics such as Ourselves to Monsters and Giants, Bloomsbury Early Years website offers endless ways to reinvigorate your planning with new ideas breathing new life into your provision. The website is quick and easy to access and can be searched by EYFS area, by topic or by keyword. Searches can be further refined in several ways for example: outdoors activities, construction, cooking or role play. I particularly liked being able to search for ideas to support those Early Learning Goals that sometimes you doubt that you have enough evidence for. For example, finding activities to practice doubling and halving. The One Potato, Two Potato activity provides a great practical way to explore this concept.

The ideas throughout are impressive as they do not involve expensive resources and can generally be put together using things that are either free or readily available in an early years setting. They are not worksheet based and do not involve making resources that need printing, cutting out and laminating like a lot of other websites offer.

In summary there is just so much on this website that can support all practitioners with their planning so that they can provide exciting and motivating activities for children across the Foundation Stage age range without spending hours searching for ideas or making resources."

Karen Mann – Early Years Teacher, Essex

"Have you ever wondered what to do with a preschooler? What kind of activities can you think of to do? Think no more because Bloomsbury Education makes it easy for you as a parent or early childhood educator. If you visit bloomsburyearlyyears.com and log in, you could find many activities that are categorized. They are easy to find and fun to do.

As a preschool teacher myself, I enjoyed the cooking, construction and sensory sections. If you click on ‘Explore’ then ‘Activities by Type’ appears. Other categories include role-play, outdoors, sand, water, squidgy and painting. Included as well is autumn, winter, spring and summer. Under the cooking section, I liked the ‘Jelly Ponds-An Idea for Healthy Eating’. The key skills for this activity are “Mixing, scooping, pouring-and waiting!”
In the construction section, I discovered an activity called “Using Small Bricks” that is wonderful for teaching early maths. In the sensory section, there is a wealth of activities like “Roller Ball: An idea to develop gross motor skills” that involves a ball dipped in paint and rolled on paper. Fun! I recommend Bloomsbury’s Early Years activities online as a good resource for early childhood educators and parents."

Lily Erlic, Early Childhood Educator, St. Vincent De Paul’s Society, Australia