Useful links

Growing independence 

• Check out Parentkind’s online advice hub and magazine for parents ‘Be School Ready’

• Enjoy Family Corner’s 5 tips to help your child get ready for Reception

• Guidance for parents and practitioners - PACEY

• Download the free EasyPeasy mobile app for tips and activities to support everyday parenting moments

Taking care of themselves 

• How can you make separating easier? - Family Corner

• Getting dressed and ready for the day - backward chaining information sheet - NHS

• Getting ready for the Day - BBC

Toilet training

• The Institute of Health Visiting has advice and tips on toilet training

• Simple and supportive toilet training advice - ERIC

• Potty training and bedwetting - NHS

• Pants4School - Down Syndrome UK

Playing, creativity and curiosity 

• 5 steps for brain building through serve and return - Center on the Developing Child at Harvard University

• How to follow a child’s interest in play - National Literacy Trust

• How to role play with your child - Pretend role play - BBC

• How to role play with your child - Playing pretend animals - BBC

• Fire up their imagination with drawing - BBC

• What is mark-making and why is it important for learning? - PACEY

• Sharing story books on World Book Day - BBC

• Nature activities for children - BBC

• Learning and having fun on the bus - BBC

• Play a game of 'What's that sound?' - BBC

Building relationships and communicating

• The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood’s Shaping Us Framework outlines how these skills develop in early childhood

• Top tips for enjoying stories together and book recommendations for starting school - BookTrust

Being with others

• Learn how to support your child to make friends - Family Corner

• Understand your child's social development - Words for Life

• Practice sharing with toys - BBC

Communication and language

• You are your child’s first teacher – help them learn how to write their name - Words for Life

• Explore a range of approaches to language learning and development from NHS Start for Life

• Build your child’s imagination and language by making up stories together - BBC

Listening and engaging

• Follow the walk and talk trail with the National Literacy Trust

• Practice language and listening skills at home with these games - Playing with a cardboard telescope - BBC

• Practice language and listening skills at home with these games - Red Light, Green Light - BBC

Physical development

• Getting moving for 3 hours a day - NHS

• What is core strength and why is it important for children? - Department for Education

• Fun games to get them moving - BBC

Healthy routines

Understand what 'healthy' levels of screen time are, by age

• World Health Organization guidance

• Health Professionals for Safer Screens poster

Get insights on internet safety, how screen use impacts young children and recommended screen time

• Help for early years providers: Internet safety

And for those with younger children, the NCT covers advice for babies and toddlers too:

• Screen time for babies and toddlers - NCT

Help children build a strong relationship with food and make the right choices from the start

• Nutrition guidance - Department for Education

• Healthier families - NHS

• Five tips for helping your kids to eat healthily all year round - BBC

• Eating Well - First Steps Nutrition Trust

• Factsheet for healthy children's diets - Association of UK Dieticians

Brushing teeth

• Toothbrushing SOS with the singing dentist

Sleep guidance

• Sleep and young children - NHS

• Struggling to get children to sleep: How to establish a bedtime routine - BBC