Welcome to Silkysteps!
Latest Posts from our Forum...
Help if Poss NVQ 4 CCLD
Preschool Activities Survey Websites :- Business and Personal
Breaking the cycle of child poverty Early Years News
Removing barriers to benefits take-up Early Years News
Rights of children a priority for Wales Early Years News
Future of Foundation Phase secured by Education Minister Early Years News
Children's learning styles article. Early Learning
October 12: belligerent The Lounge
K3P182 NVQ 3 CCLD
new... need help (technical certificate assignment 005) NVQ 3 CCLD
Labelled with ICRA
Welcome to Silkysteps

Preschool, Teachers, Parents and Childcarers

On Silkysteps you will find activities and play resources

for the Under Fives, Foundation Stage & Early Years

Please see all our Characters for a selection of their free resources and play ideas ..

Spindle Spider is waiting to show you around his collection of Colouring pictures ...Colouring Mischief Mouse loves craft activities ~ follow his tail & discover lots of fun : Craft projects and Outline templatesPreschool Crafts  This is the latest outline added to Mischief's Template page ..  Craft Templates Silky is our website cat and she has Clip art & Wallpapers under her paws !!Clipart
Omni Orangutan has a large collection of Activity pack titles to choose from .. Activity packs Inky Bear has a great selection of activity sheets ~ Cut N Paste and more ..Activity Sheets  Magical Mammoth - mixing up recipes and Playdough fun ... Playdough activities
  Hope has Early Years articles for you to read and adapt ...  Early years articles  and more Free !!
 
Autumn time ..
Visit our Download Store for some great new resources.
Developed in-house they are designed for craft activities, Early Learning projects and to help promote your interactive display areas.
Mini Topics  Craft Books  Craft kits
Downloadable resources for Craft and EY planning - eBooks have a choice of UK or USA spellings.
Autumn time ..
Silkysteps map - find you way around ..Plugboard advertising - promote and visit Preschool Craft and Business websites ..
Silkysteps Image Map - Navigate with a little more ease ..
 Plug Boad advertising for Preschool Crafts and WAH Business websites.

FRONT PAGE INDEX
Early Years Forums  Newsletter Sign up  Latest Resource News From the Store Competitions  Preschool Book Review
Take Part: regulation & policy  
Seasonal Activities Special Features  Additional Activities Topic Keywords Our Text Links

Silkysteps Product Highlight - fit downloadable resources into your planning and play ..

Early learning resources available from our Early Years Download store
*NEW mini topic resource for Autumn
Pumpkin Kittens
Pumpkin Kittens Mini Topic for Preschool, Nursery - Early Years and home
Purchase and Download Autumn resources from our eStore 

Christmas thoughts, a moment away .. preparing fun for lots of play
Thinking of Christmas yet ?
 See our Winter page for lots of ideas to build your activity planning ..
Fundraise - Stick and Glue, Make a notice board area that helps visitors smile ...

Pop into our Online community for ideas, suggestions and friendly chat ...

Join other Early years professionals looking for learning play activities Our Early Years Forums focus on network support and information ~ Completely free, they give all Early Years Professionals ~ Parents, Childminders, Teachers, PreSchool, Nursery and Toddler groups the chance to question & answer .. discover & plan !!
So if you have an interest in Child care, Pop in and say 'Hi' you'll be made very welcome !!
Once Registered we also have a free Games Arcade for members to enjoy.
Live Chatroom facility coming soon ...
Click for the past ... 3 Days | 4 Days | 5 Days or the Past Weeks posts !

Early Years Newsletter Subscription - Free monthly emails delivered straight to your inbox ..

Click & enter your email address . Silkysteps Free Monthly eNewsletter ~ is designed to keep ahead of everything happening on Silkysteps - new activities, forum updates and Early years news all delivered straight to your inbox !
Newsletter focus will be on activities suitable for Library craft and reading sessions, Hospital and outdoor Playwork, Charity and voluntary campaign work and fundraising - all ideas and news come straight from Early Years !!
For a Sample of our previous Newsletters ~ Please take a look HERE
NB: Registration for our newsletter is separate to your forum membership and your Store account !

Autumn time ..
Our most recently added activity resources

Pumpkin Spice Jar  
this page contains links to Pumpkin resources across Silkysteps
xx
Pumpkin Spice Jar .. country storage

Resources, play and display activities ..

DOWNLOADABLE eGoods - ready to buy & use today - Click for our Terms of Sale. See all our other BEST SELLER Downloadable
Craft eBook Titles

 

Lily Pad Frogs Mini eTopic to use with Playdough Frog activity idea
Mini eTopic - LilyPad frogs - DOWNLOAD - print and use immediately !!
Jungle Crafts eBook and Ocean Mermaids ...
Lifecycles Craft eBooks ~ Butterfly & Plant and Chicken & Frog Chinese New Year
Winter Craft activities Christmas Around The World Christmas 
Harvest Time  Ourselves
Crafts Bk 1 Crafts Bk 2 Clothes


Back to the top
Competitions for Early years Preschool and home ..  

Please see all Listed Early Years Competitions on this page 
  


Dates for your Diary - Full Calendar of resource planning links and ideas
Book review  ..
Early Years 'Dates for your Diary' planning campaigns This months Preschool Book review Through My Window by Tony Bradman


Back to the top
Consultations and feedback opportunities ..

These links are to help Silkysteps readers visit and put forward thoughts, views and opinions:
See how policy influences working practice and how you can contribute:


 

Better Regulation: from BERR - see how you can help improve regulation that unneccessarily resticts or has yet to encompass ..
DCSF Consultations - how does the Department for Children, Schools and Families want your help ... 
Ofsted Consultations - Get involved, find out what's new and pass on your thoughts ..
 



 Click to open a News search for EYFS Links and tips on how to approach an Operational plan
 Click for current news articles  
 Basic tips for approaching your own Preschool Operational Plan 
 Early Learning Goals and UN Convention


Back to the top

Activities for the Season ..

Autumn is here :-) 
Play activities and craft ideas for the season ..
Sand Pit Socks and other fun activities with Navigator Narwhal's Navigator has Outdoor play ideas and Printable game files available .. 
Outdoor play ideas !

 

Conkers - play and explore
Scarecrows rhyme and dressing up ideas
Blackberry Bramble activities
 
Hanging Autumn
Autumn Forum
 Whipped Snow or Clean mud play ..

Clean mud or Whipped snow recipe ..
Stitch Squirrel has a range of sewing projects ..  Ribbons and bows treasure basket activity

 

Back to the top

Special features - articles that reflect our interests ..

Children In The Picture

Children in the picture with Richard Johnson This Inclusion poster is a great resource to help promote diversity in all types of settings.
You can Order it for οΎ£5.00 inc P&P by emailing inthepicture@scope.org.uk
Inclusion & Wellbeing information from Sure Start
More about Richard Johnson and his wonderful Illustrations
For activity ideas please see our range of Themes and Topics forums.

Hospital Radio Activity Ideas

Hospital Broadcasting AssociationHave you thought of ways to help support the local volunteers working in your hospital radio stations?
You can find contact details of your local station on the HBA ~ Hospital Broadcasting Association's website.
Set of activity sheets for taking radio requests !! Our Early Learning Planning ideas can help your Children discover what Hospital Radio is all about .. from Radio station role play corners to Mixing console cookery !!
Activity Sheets ~ Radio Listener ~ Request Sheets Print, write, tear off & enjoy !!

Birds in Preschool, Nursery or Foundation ...

These activities and play ideas for Children and adults help explore how to protect, care and enjoy for the range of birds we see regularly and not so ..
Watch our native and international migratory friends is great fun and important for noticing changes to their habitats and routines!
Wherever possible involve the Children and interested adults in the lives of birds and help secure a corner of your outdoor and inddor play for them.
http://www.silkysteps.com/family.cfm/auid/256/Magical-Mammoth/Playdough-Activities/Playdough-Bird-NestsActivities for hands on learning ...
Playdough Bird Nests ~ great activity from Magical Mammoth's page!
Sakalava Rail ~ a collage craft from Mischief Mouse.

Videoing or watching birds nesting digitally can be easily set up in your Preschool or Get ready for Spring by installing your own wildlife camera kit over the winter...Foundation unit with the CCTV Bird Box kits from Handykam.
Full instruction on ow to build and assemble your own observatory are part of the Nest box Video kit - please see HandyCam CCTV Website for more information.
This link is in association with our Affiliate account.


TheSnailTrail.co.uk

Giant African Land Snails - GALS
Make room for a Giant African Land Snail in your room .. Join the snail trail and discover what GALS can do for your Childrens' learning horizons.
Giant African Land Snails are a great addition to any learniing environment ~ home or classroom ..
Lesson and activity plans for introducing GALS to your Preschool and Early Years children.
Contact The Snail Trail ~ feel free to drop TheSnailTrail a line if you have any specific questions regarding GALS.
Download and print their free Breeding Awareness Poster, display it on your notice boards and help spread the word of responsible ownership with them!


SillyBooks.net

Silly Books ~Where Pen is put to Paper and wonderful Illustrations come to life.
Sillybooks is a stunning website run by some pretty amazing people - Full of original interactive stories, games, music, puzzles and many more - and it's updated frequently so be sure to pop back and see what's been newly published!

Count Balloons - Courtesy of Sillybooks 
Count balloons with Sillybooks ..


Back to Top

Head Lice in your setting ?

Head lice and nit informationFor information, Colouring pictures and activity play ideas that can be printed out and enjoyed please feel free to download our activity pack.
Distribute the booklets or individual pages to your parents and display on notice boards for everyones information...
Our Bug busting day forum has lots of ideas on how to break the cycle of infestation and play ideas to openly discuss any problems ..
Heads craft activity from our 'All about us' Forum.


The NCB's - National Children's Bureau recycling campaign.

If you have a new Mobile and would like to help NCB raise funds with your unused one please click through the link and see how to apply for freepost bags to send it over !
Funds raised help support their work with Children.
For Career information see the link on their front page
www.NCB.org.uk

Back to the top


Early craft activities published with permission ...
Bear Flashcards - numbers 1 - 10
This set was made some time ago and can be downloaded at the bottom of the linked page:
Bear counting cards - match and play ...
 Colouring and Collage Bear - helping hand activities ..
..

Compliment the Cards with seasonal Seasonal and themed Numberline resources to brighten walls and engage passers by ... number lines from Calculator Caterpillar's page
  

Where's Nurse - a caring craft looking at plasters and first aid !
Where's nurse - a hug to say everythings alright ..
 Hospital play - Preschool theme and experience
 
Hospital radio - play and printable ideas 
 
Nurse and poorly knee colouring

Peek a Boo - an early hibernation craft idea ..
Peek a boo - tip toe craft idea ..

 Conkers - play and explore
 
Autumn treasure hunt ..
 Expressions activity sheet
 Our Hope Hedgehog article page

Dinosaur Romps

Dinosaur resources for outdoor and indoor play ...   Dinosaur hand puppet - outdoor and indoor stomping role play !!
Dinosaur colouring pictures and Paint activity bases
Our Dinosaurs activity ideas Forum
We're Going on a bear hunt - adapt this well loved rhyme to a Dinosaur theme ..
Mixed with a Minibeast Theme and you have a great outdoor play adventure ..

Back to the top

Keyword topic planning ~ helping you collect activities
These keywords are linked to various resources around Silkysteps.
The activity and play suggestions can be used to help build on new or exisiting Pre school and Craft session Planning.

Errol Eagle - Role play and Expressive play  Little Red Riding Hood role play printable
 
Winter Time play ideas
Frozen Paints  Fir cone Collage
Fruit and vegetables for snack and play  Apple activities Smoothies
Nursery Rhymes Lavenders blue dilly dilly The Wise old owl rhyme  Incy Wincy Spider 
 Treasures from the Seasons

Back to the top

Support Silkysteps with these links
These links help us to increase visitor numbers.
Click through to register your vote of support for Silkysteps & to discover
many more websites !!
TeAchnology Topsites Sites for Teachers Sites for Parents Mumszone

If you are involved with these work sectors, could you use some printable
resources to help introduce you work to Children ?

Green Autumn Leaf Hospital Playwork information and invitation ..
Orange Autumn Leaf Libraries - Craft Ideas and play activities linked to some children's Book titles
Red Autumn Leaf Museums & Galleries Month is May - but join in and make your local an all year round event
Yellow Autumn LeafWaiting Room areas ~ Doctor & Dental Surgeries
Brown Autumn Leaf Activities for National Bed Month ~ March 2008 - Role play and craft projects for any group

Cath Smith's Deafsign website
you can read her Signing with Young Children Article here
Green Autumn LeafThe Nature of children's Play: dated research from ERIC

Back to the top

Building links
 Health and Saftey tips
from the HSE ...
 

HSE: Which myth is explained this month ....

Myth of the month from the HSE - Health and Safety Executive

Building links