Welcome to The October PLAYlist
Click Here For Your Guide To October's PLAYlist! đđ
Hello, and welcome to the October PLAYlist!
Autumn is my favourite time of year. The weather shifts, the nights draw in, and⌠it is my birthday in October, so whatâs not to like?
Itâs also the time of year when weâve all found our rhythm again after the start of term. Children are becoming more confident in routines, relationships are settling, and we as adults are beginning to really notice the subtle ways in which play, learning and interaction are emerging in our provision.
This monthâs PLAYlist brings you some brilliant articles, resources and interviews that I know will get you thinking, reflecting, and hopefully smiling too.
FREE This Month
Guest Article: Interpreting Childrenâs Drawings - CLICK HERE
We are starting the month with a real treat. Dame Cathy Nutbrown and Dr Jo Deguara have written an article for us all about how we interpret childrenâs drawings.
Drawings can be so much more than just âpictures.â They are a window into how children see themselves, their relationships, their ideas, and even their identities. Cathy and Jo explore how childrenâs marks and images carry meaning, and how as practitioners we can respond with curiosity, sensitivity and respect.
ABC Does Article: The PEARLS of Practice - CLICK HERE
Also free this month is my article on PEARLS of Practice â my way of thinking about what quality interactions really look like in Early Years.
This is not about adding another framework or checklist. Itâs about giving ourselves a way of noticing and naming the brilliant, complex, everyday skill of tuning into children and supporting their learning without taking over their play.
[NEW] - Listen as Well as Read
From this month, some articles on The PLAYlist are now available to listen to as well as read.
So if you havenât got time to sit down with your laptop or phone, you can pop an article on while youâre making a cup of tea, walking the dog, or driving to work!
PAID This Month
If you are one of our paid subscribers, or thinking about becoming one, hereâs what extra youâll be getting in October.
Online Training â Role Play in Depth - CLICK HERE
This monthâs online training is a big meaty one. Weâre taking a proper deep dive into Role Play.
Weâll look at:
why children role play and what it offers them
how it links to emotional, social, and cognitive development
how to create spaces that invite role play without over theming or shutting children down
what adult involvement can look like - from standing back to stepping in
how to observe and interpret role play through the lens of Common Play Behaviours
If youâve ever wondered why some children spend so much time in role, or felt stuck about how to support it without directing it, this training is for you.
10 Activities â Focus on Pre-Phonics - CLICK HERE
Our set of ten activities this month are all about Pre-Phonics.
Before phonics comes so many vital skills: tuning into sounds, hearing rhythm, enjoying rhyme, and noticing patterns. These activities are designed to be playful, open, and easy to drop into your continuous provision. Theyâre not worksheets or prescriptive âdo this, then thisâ tasks, but invitations that encourage children to explore sound and language in a way that feels fun and meaningful.
Common Play Behaviours â Role Play - CLICK HERE
Our focus for Common Play Behaviours this month is Role Play.
Role play is so often seen as an âarea of provisionâ â a home corner or shop â but in reality itâs a behaviour that pops up in lots of different places and in many different ways. This new CPB document will help you notice, record and plan for these behaviours in a way that supports development, celebrates individuality, and links to curriculum goals without becoming narrow or adult-led.
Cathy Nutbrown and Jo Deguara Interview (COMING SOON)
Alongside their article, Cathy and Jo also joined me for an interview where we dug deeper into the ideas in their book Children Making Meaning: Exploring Drawings, Narratives, and Identities.
It was a real privilege to hear them talk about the years of research and experience that sit behind their work, and I think youâll find the interview both inspiring and hugely practical.
BOOK GIVEAWAY
We have copies of Children Making Meaning: Exploring Drawings, Narratives, and Identities by Josephine Deguara and Cathy Nutbrown to give away.
Itâs a fascinating read that builds on decades of work around childrenâs mark-making, identity and expression. Perfect for anyone who wants to go deeper into understanding how children communicate through drawing.
Weâre also lining up a TTS Giveaway, so keep an eye out for details coming soon.
Why Upgrade?
If youâre currently on our free tier, you already know how much value there is in the articles, guest features and resources. But the paid subscription unlocks so much more: practical activities you can use straight away, training sessions that dig into the big issues of practice, exclusive interviews, and all of our Common Play Behaviour documents.
For £6 a month (£60 annual subscription), you get a growing library of CPD, online training, access to expert voices and more⌠that you can dip into anytime, anywhere.
October is a month of colour, change and reflection. I hope the resources and ideas weâve lined up will inspire you to notice the little details in childrenâs play and interactions, to ask better questions of yourself and your team, and to celebrate the amazing work youâre already doing every single day.
Hereâs to a month of drawings, role play and joyâŚ(and birthday cake for me)!
Alistair
