‘Community Crates Fun’ is a selection of theme-based activities which you can copy at home, using items you may already have around the home whilst adding a little bit of imagination.

The project has been funded by our Local Councilor’s Community Funds and has been successfully used within many of our partner early years groups out within the community.  However, due to the impact COVID-19 restrictions, we thought we would bring the Community Crates Fun into your home.

Why is early learning so important?

Evidence shows that the first 1000 days for children are the most important, by engaging in some form of regular early years activity can help your child to go on and achieve more once they start school. ‘Community Crates Fun’ is an easy way to support early learning within your home. Children love to explore and learn so much when simply playing, we can help you to provide your child with stimulating play using simple things that we all have lying around the house.

How can I get involved?

Each of our Community Crates has a YouTube video you can watch which shows what resources are included within each crate, how they can be used and what your child will gain out of playing with them.  We have also put together some information sheets to help you put together the activity, make it different and understand what your child will be learning.

You will find below an Information Sheet and YouTube Video for each of our Community Crates, please click on the Information Sheet and watch the YouTube Video to recreate these in your own home.

1. Threading, posting and sorting community creates fun
1. Information sheet
2. YouTube video
2. Nature, bugs and insects community crates fun
1. Information sheet
2. YouTube video
3. Splish, splash, splosh community crates fun
1. Information sheet
2. YouTube video
4. Textures community crates fun
1. Information sheet
2. YouTube video
5. Stories community crates fun
1. Information sheet
2. YouTube video
6. Black and white community crates fun
1. Information sheet
2. YouTube video
7. Arctic adventure community crates fun
1. Information sheet
2. YouTube video
8. Under the sea community crates fun
   1. Information Sheet
   2. YouTube video
9. Looking after our teeth community crates fun
   1. Information Sheet
   2. Youtube video
10. Lets get talking community crates fun
    1. Information Sheet
    2. Let's Get Talking

Top Tips

• Remember children like to repeat activities over and over again - so don’t tidy away to quickly, they may pop back for another play!
• Think about making the area comfortable for your child - a cosy blanket, a snug area in the room and limit other distractions.
• Don’t overload activities - your child simply just will not know what to play with first!
• Most important is to join in - if you can show your child how to play or explore something they will copy you and this builds their confidence.
• Don’t spend hours setting up an activity - try a few things at a time and build up your own ‘crate’.
• Remember to make sure all things you give your child are safe for them to handle - not to small or sharp for example, and always supervise play.

Some Useful Links

To help you with more ideas on how you can play with your child we have included some links below, just click on the blue highlighted wording to be taken to the webpage:

• Hungry Little Minds - Simple, fun activities for children from new-born to five
• BBC - CBeebies - Links to all the CBeebies favorites, plus parenthood tip and trick
• BBC Tiny Happy People - Activities for babies, toddlers and children
• What To Expect When - A fantastic guide to help you understand your child’s learning and development in the early years foundation stage and hints on tips on what you can do as a parent to support this
• Booktrust - Getting Children Reading, information on books, reading and why they are so important
• Childs Brain - A YouTube Video created by AFWI to show how your child's brain is built
• Family Maths Toolkit - Support for families on how you can develop your child's numeracy skills
• Body Story: A Brave New World- Video giving a great insight into the developing brain of a baby
• Looking after your baby's teeth- Information and short video on looking after your babies teeth, and how to find a local dentist. 
• Children's teeth- Toothbrushing tips for looking after children's teeth
• Baby teething symptoms- Find out how to spot when your baby is teething and what order your baby's teeth are likely to appear in.
• Parents & Carers Stoke Speaks Out- lots of useful information on supporting your child's language development and where to access help if needed. 
• Look, Say, Sing, Play - Brain-building tips fun and easy tips to help you bring even more Look, Say, Sing and Play into your daily routine with your baby.
• National Literacy Trust- Words for Life- Learn and play, lots of age appropriate activities to support your child.
• Parent's essentials PACEY- A range of factsheets, videos, activities and guides to help you extend your child's learning environment
• Big Little Moments- 15 quick ideas on how you can make a big impact on the little moments to support your child's development.
• I Can- Gives parents/carers the information they need to help children develop their speech, language and communication skills.
• Bilingualism Matters- Covering the most frequent questions from parents about raising bilingual children and available in eight languages.

Where Else Can I Go For Help Or More Ideas?

We have a range of other resources that you can access as part of the Family Hub or Staffordshire's Children's Centres, these are: -

• Family Hubs - We have created a local Family Hub for each of the 8 districts within Staffordshire, this is a virtual space where you can access information, advice and guidance.
• Family Hub Craft - We have created a YouTube Channel with fun videos that give you ideas on a variety of craft activities to do with your children at home
• Family Hub Cooking - We have produced some very simple recipes that are low cost to make for a family.  You can download the recipes and watch YouTube videos on how to create the meals.  We have also created some weekly Free School Meal Planners and shopping lists to help with some new and fresh ideas.
• Staffordshire Children's Centres - Information on how to access your local Children’s Centre and what’s on offer.
• School Ready Leaflet - Staffordshire Children's Centres and their key partners have created some information, advice and guidance on how you can support your child to become School Ready.