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 ..

Colouring Preschool Crafts   Craft Templates Clipart
Activity packs Activity Sheets   Playdough activities
   Early years articles  and more Free !!
 

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



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

Early learning resources available from our Early Years Download store
*NEW mini topic resource for Autumn
Pumpkin Kittens

Purchase and Download Autumn resources from our eStore 

Thinking of Christmas yet ?
 See our Winter page for lots of ideas to build your activity planning ..

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 !

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 !

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

See all our other BEST SELLER Downloadable
Craft eBook Titles

Lily Pad Frogs Mini eTopic to use with Playdough Frog activity idea

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
 

Please see all Listed Early Years Competitions on this page 
  



Early Years 'Dates for your Diary' planning campaigns This months Preschool Book review Through My Window by Tony Bradman

Back to the top

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 for current news articles  
 Basic tips for approaching your own Preschool Operational Plan 
 Early Learning Goals and UN Convention

Back to the top

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


  Ribbons and bows treasure basket activity

Back to the top

This Inclusion poster is a great resource to help promote diversity in all types of settings.
You can Order it for ﾣ5.00 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.

Have 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.
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.
Activities 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 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
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!

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 

Back to Top

Head Lice in your setting ?

For 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.

Back to the top

Bear Flashcards - numbers 1 - 10
This set was made some time ago and can be downloaded at the bottom of the linked page:

 Colouring and Collage Bear - helping hand activities ..

Compliment the Cards with seasonal  number lines from Calculator Caterpillar's page
  

Where's Nurse - a caring craft looking at plasters and first aid !

 Hospital play - Preschool theme and experience
 Hospital radio - play and printable ideas 
 Nurse and poorly knee colouring

Dinosaur Romps

Back to the top


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.

 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

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 ?

Hospital Playwork information and invitation ..
Libraries - Craft Ideas and play activities linked to some children's Book titles
Museums & Galleries Month is May - but join in and make your local an all year round event
Waiting Room areas ~ Doctor & Dental Surgeries
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
The Nature of children's Play: dated research from ERIC

Back to the top

 Health and Saftey tips from the HSE ... 

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