“We need to… but we just don’t have time right now.” Sound familiar? If you’re a nursery leader or manager, chances are those words have come up recently, especially when it comes to CPD. With staffing gaps, looming inspections, piles of paperwork, and the daily juggle of nursery life, professional development can feel like something […]
As Early Years professionals, our shared commitment is to create environments where every child feels safe, valued, and able to thrive. With the revised Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) framework for safeguarding coming into effect in September 2025, safeguarding practices are evolving to place even greater emphasis on everyday culture, team confidence, and the wellbeing […]
There’s something magical—and a little bit wild—about turning two. It’s the year of “me do it!”, where fierce independence shows up side by side with the need for reassurance. One moment they’re charging ahead; the next, they’re back in your arms. Two is full of contradictions, big emotions, and even bigger developmental leaps. People talk […]
Why is it still such a surprise to see a man working in a nursery setting? Despite the strides we’ve made in promoting gender equality, the early years sector continues to be one of the most gender-skewed professions in the UK. With men making up just a small percentage of the workforce, many children will […]
At Mini Minds Matter, our personal mission is to develop children’s emotional intelligence to promote a healthy relationship to emotions. These skills are impactful alone, but become even more useful during times of transitions and uncertainty. Starting school can feel daunting for children – and they are not alone! It is intimidating to enter new […]
Children experience space and time differently from adults. Their interactions with an environment are shaped by what they see, hear, and feel—but also by what they have learned to notice or ignore. From birth, children are constantly filtering sensory input, making sense of the world around them. When designing learning environments, the most important question […]
Walk into any nursery across the country, and you’ll see them—the boys who burst through the door full of energy, curiosity, and endless questions. The ones who struggle to sit still, who turn everything into a game, who climb before they calculate the risk. And too often, you’ll also hear the words that follow them: […]
Nurseries are busy places, and it’s easy to fall into the trap of just ‘getting through the day’. As Early Years professionals, we rightfully focus on creating a nurturing environment for the children in our setting, but do we also focus on nurturing our staff? Embedding a supportive coaching culture into our nurseries can really […]
Supporting children with SEND is about so much more than ticking boxes and writing plans. The real impact happens in those everyday moments. It’s in the way we respond when a child is overwhelmed, how we adapt an activity on the spot, or the small tweaks we make to help a child feel included. Plans […]
In recent years, there has been a significant shift in understanding the importance of teaching self-regulation skills to children in Early Years settings and it is now widely recognised that equipping children with their own strategies for managing emotions and behaviours is essential for their development. However, we must also acknowledge the expectation placed on […]
Hello 2025! The New Year is here, offering a perfect opportunity to reflect on your journey so far and refocus your plans and strategies for the months ahead. For all Early years settings, January is the ideal time to start with a fresh focus, plan for success, and ensure your team is prepared to tackle […]
Up to 50% of children starting reception are still in nappies or pull-ups. Some parents are being called into school up to five times a day to address their child’s toileting accidents. They have had to either give up work or remove their child altogether. Dispelling the myth of lazy parenting The usual critical voices […]
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