Hands-On Education's Blog

The countdown to Christmas has officially started! The holiday season has now begun in full and like many other children, my boys are eagerly awaiting Christmas day. Earlier in the year we explored different ways of measuring time and I thought we could revisit this concept and put what we learnt into action once again, this time by making an advent candle. While my boys, Teddy and Harry will certainly still want an advent calendar, I thought this could be a fun daily learning activity...[Go to blog post]

As the days get a little darker it is the perfect time to make a lantern and experiment with light and colour. For this creative activity you will need a glass jar and some coloured tissue paper. Invite your child to tear pieces of coloured tissue paper and glue them onto the jar, covering the whole surface. Place a small tea light inside the jar and watch it glow. Notice that the different coloured tissue paper creates different effects as the light shines through lighter colours more than the darker colours.[Go to blog post]

My two boys and I are beginning our nature study this year by choosing one deciduous tree to observe throughout the seasons. We have chosen a hazel tree which we walk past daily so we can easily notice any changes which occur. We identified the tree by looking at the shape of its leaves. A hazel leaf is rounded with jagged edges and a distinguishable pointed tip. In our first observation we noticed that young saplings have begun to grow directly below the mature adult.[Go to blog post]

Here at Hands-On Education we love to take a practical and kinesthetic approach to learning. This style of learning is a pedagogical approach that encourages children to actively participate in experiential tasks, nurturing a deeper connection to the subject matter. I do not believe this method should be restricted to science and art as it is often connected to. It can be used to inspire children across a wide range of subjects. A wide range of our hands-on activities involve investigating problems, conducting experiments, designing with art materials and exploring outside.[Go to blog post]

Between 43CE and 410CE the Roman Empire occupied Britain. Roman solider’s could be found throughout the land. But they were not always fighting off the barbaric Brits! Archaeologists have found evidence of games played by Roman legionaries and Roman families in Britain during this time period.[Go to blog post]

This summer Hands-On Education are excited to launch our first nature journal! This is a fantastic way to support children in developing a closer relationship with the natural environment around them. I began designing this journal when Teddy and Harry were younger. After taking the boys out on our nature walks with our sketchbook and pencils in hand, I quickly realised a blank sketchbook was not right for us.[Go to blog post]

My children both enjoy playing and watching sports so exploring the Olympics in preparation of the games taking place in Paris this summer has been a lot of fun! Not only have we discovered an array of different sports, we explored the history of the Ancient Olympic games, the increasing participation of female athletes and the symbolism behind the colours of the Olympic rings.[Go to blog post]

Earth Day is an annual celebration of our planet, reminding us all of how important the environment is and our shared responsibility in taking care of it. This day provides an opportunity to learn more about different environmental concerns such as climate change, pollution and the use of fossil fuels... [Go to blog post]

STEM is the acronym for Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths. These subjects were grouped together in the early 2000’s after it became evident that young people entering the job market were lacking in these skills and a push to educate children in these areas was promoted. These subjects are interrelated and can be incorporated into everyday life... [Go to blog post]

This month I’m excited to share Hands-On Education’s book challenge with you. I love books and understand the joy of becoming immersed in a story. This is why I have created these book challenges to support parents and teachers in guiding children to explore and discover the wonderful world of books... [Go to blog post]

With the weather changing every 5 minutes across the UK, not only is it the topic of many conversations but it’s also a fantastic opportunity for hands-on activities! Yesterday we woke up to a scattering on snow on the ground. The rain washed this away by mid-afternoon and the sun peeped its head out just before it went dark. It felt like a weather roller coaster... [Go to blog post]