Learning through play

Good Toy Guide Language and Play Programme Language through play Solutions through Fun Quick tips: Playing with your baby

• The National Association of Toy and Leisure Libraries produces the Good Toy Guide, which reviews toys and educational products for parents, childcare workers and teachers. All toys have been tested by children in homes, playgroups, out-of-school clubs and toy libraries. The magazine also contains articles on the importance of play for children. The guide is now free. Visit www.natll.org.uk
  
  
• The Language and Play Programme, published by the Basic Skills Agency in January 2005, is for parents of children aged 0-3 years. It contains ideas for parents, grandparents and carers to use to talk with their children in everyday situations. It comes in two parts - a Group Leader's Guide (order code A1751) and a Home Time pack (order code A1750), based around six taught sessions including the importance of talk, everyday routines, out and about, sharing books and enjoying rhymes.
  The Group Leader's Guide contains support for running a session with parents, detailed breakdowns of each session and examples of children's early writing. It is designed to be flexible so it can be used in either one to one or group settings. The Home Time pack includes separate sheets with tips, nursery rhymes, songs and ideas for activities for parent and child. The loose-leaf sheets come shrink-wrapped and ready punched so that they may be handed to parents, and kept in folders as a record of achievement. Both the Group Leader's guide and Home Time sheets are available separately or can be purchased together at a special price (order code A1776).
  They are available in downloadable format from the Publications section of the Basic Skills Agency website at www.basic-skills.co.uk. For more information call 020 7405 4017 or email enquiries@basic-skills.co.uk
  
  Update: In 2006 the Language and Play Programme was extended with the publication of Storytelling Ideas, and a supporting CD called Songs and Rhymes to Share Together. The pack gives ideas about how to make storytime interesting and involve babies, toddlers and older children.
  
  
• Language through play - a series of booklets looking at how play activities combined with the right adult input can support required learning outcomes in specific areas. This one focuses on the development of language skills through activities for pre-school children. Cost £2.75.
  Contact: Pre-school Learning Alliance, The Fitzpatrick Building, 188 York Way, London N7 9AD. Tel: 020 7697 2500. Website: www.pre-school.org.uk. You can order these booklets online from their website.
  
  
• Solutions through Fun is a booklet from the British Toy and Hobby Association produced as part of its ongoing campaign to promote the value of play. The booklet has been designed to be used as a tool to improve time spent with children without preaching to parents - whether it is at playgroup or at home with parents, grandparents or carers. All of the tips and suggestions in the booklet have come from children, not adults. It can be downloaded at www.btha.co.uk/value_of_play/solutions.php
  
  Or see the Learning through play section of the NLT bookshop
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