Scéalta – The Early Childhood Ireland Blog

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folder DevelopmentLearning

Celebrate Good Times!

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 16 April 2019

Sitting in the function room at The Alex in Dublin city centre last Friday night at the Annual Early Childhood Ireland Awards was an amazing feeling. The words of that song, ‘celebrate good times, come on!‘ kept ringing in my ears as I reflected on the talent, passion, commitment and dedication of the people in the […]
tags AistearAnnual Conference 2019Awards 2019CelebrateEarly Childhood Ireland National AwardsSíolta
192 views
0 comments
folder Well-being

Controlled Breathing: The 90 Second Rule

By Dr Mary O'Kane

Tuesday 09 April 2019

Childhood Anxiety, Controlled Breathing and the ‘Ninety Second Rule’ Child mental health is a growing concern for parents and educators in Ireland. Research shows increasing numbers of our children are experiencing mental health challenges. By the age of thirteen, one in three are experiencing some form of difficulty (Kelleher et al, 2012). To put this […]
tags AistearAnxietyBreathingChild mental healthECCEMental HealthSíoltaStressWell-Being
3141 views
0 comments
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Minding yourself

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 02 April 2019

Working in early learning and care settings is fun, enjoyable, relaxed, happy, entertaining, amusing, and stimulating. That is why we do what we do. We love being with young children, we love their confidence, their huge capacity for fun, laughter, smiles, love, and learning. However, it is also challenging, messy, and can be very stressful. […]
tags AistearAnxietyChallengesChangeDanceLaughMindfulnessMusicScéalta BlogSíoltaStress
836 views
0 comments
folder Well-being

Little Buddies

By Samantha Synnott

Tuesday 26 March 2019

Evidence tells us that good mental health is essential for children to learn and achieve. By providing opportunities for young children, and the adults surrounding them, to develop the strengths and coping skills that underpin resilience early learning and care settings can help their children (and staff) flourish and succeed. ​To be effective, the ethos […]
tags AistearBuddiesBuddy BenchLittle BuddiesMaynooth UniversityMental HealthscéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaWell-Being
1100 views
7 comments
folder Well-being

Mindfulness at Work

By Natasha Bryant

Tuesday 12 March 2019

As a children’s yoga instructor, I often get asked by parents and caregivers for ways in which they can encourage mindful practices with their young ones. Now I could give you lots of different techniques, breathing exercises etc. but my most solid bit of advice would be look after yourself first. How often have you […]
tags AistearBreathingExerciseMantraMindfulnessRelaxationscéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaYoga
621 views
1 comments
folder DevelopmentLearning

Budding Engineers

By Lilian Joyce

Tuesday 05 March 2019

It’s Monday again, and as usual the weekend has flown. As you wait for the children to arrive you do a quick visual check around the room. The table in the home corner is set invitingly for four, complete with tablecloth, a small vase of flowers and empty plates. As you wonder what exotic dishes […]
tags AistearEngineering IrelandEngineers WeekImaginationplayScéalta BlogSíoltaSociodramatic play
423 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearning

Making the world a better place

By Marlene McCormack

Tuesday 19 February 2019

Not a day goes by without sustainability in some form appearing in the news. We clutter the seas with plastic, in Ireland we dispose of half a million coffee cups, and flush away 400 million litres of water every day (Kelleher, 2019). The world that we hold in stewardship for future generations is in danger and […]
tags AistearNational Pyjama DayPlasticRecyclingscéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaSustainabilityUNUN Sustainable Development GoalsUnited Nations
581 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearning

Shapes are Everywhere

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 05 February 2019

Maths was never my thing. I am proof that just because something has been taught, it does not mean it has been learned. I don’t know how many maths classes I sat through up to my Leaving Cert… but I never understood the relevance of trigonometry and theorems. Beyond arithmetic I was lost… and was […]
tags AistearArithmeticMathsPatternsShapesSíoltaTrigonometry
555 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentRelationship Building

“Who would have thought a 2-year-old’s best friend would be a 92-year-old who also loves dinosaurs?”

By Anne Fitzpatrick and Carmel Gallagher

Tuesday 29 January 2019

Inter-generational learning is the oldest form of learning. It typically involves learning that takes place in families and communities as part of daily life.   “The most important theme was the development of relationships between the grannies and the children and not just in school, but also in the community when they met at the […]
tags AistearIGLInspired Practice AwardInter-generationalInter-generational learningscéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaTogether Old and Young ProgrammeTOY Programme
778 views
0 comments
folder LearningResearch

Formalised Curiosity

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 22 January 2019

I recently came across this quote: ‘Research is formalised curiosity. It is poking and prying with a purpose’ (Zora Neale Hurston). As we in Early Childhood Ireland plan our fifth annual National Early Childhood Research Conference, it struck me as very apt. Aistear encourages curiosity. The themes of Identity & Belonging and Exploring & Thinking both […]
tags AistearAlbert EinsteinblogEarly Childhood Ireland’s National Early Childhood Research Conference 2019Exploring and ThinkingIdentity and BelongingPobal sector profileresearchResearch Conference 2019Scéalta BlogSíolta
535 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentPlay

Growing Up Outdoors

By Dr. Suzanne Egan and Dr. Jennifer Pope

Tuesday 15 January 2019

Did you know that nearly one in six Irish parents don’t think it’s safe for their five year old child to play outside at home during the day? Irish and international research indicates that neighbourhood safety has an impact on levels of outdoor play in young children. We recently analysed data from the Growing Up […]
tags AisteardevelopmentGrowing up in IrelandGrowing up Outdoorsoutdoor playplayscéaltaScéalta BlogSíolta
1308 views
1 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

An irresistible invitation to learn

By Caitriona Cooney

Tuesday 11 December 2018

At this time of year, we can get caught up in making and doing and performances. The sentiments in this post apply all year, but this is a timely reminder of the importance of getting silly, the value of laughter and having fun! I recently attended the Cork Autism Conference and listened with wonder and […]
tags AistearAutismLaughterScéalta BlogSíolta
582 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningPlay

The giraffe with the orange belly button that lives in Avril’s house

By Avril Stanley

Tuesday 27 November 2018

If you happen to pass by the door of our pre-school at lunch time, you could be forgiven for thinking that it’s a mad house. Screams of laughter can be heard as the children take turns to add their bit to a story… a story that started in September and will finish sometime in June/July of […]
tags AistearanimalsGiraffeImaginationPenguinsSíoltastoriesStorytellingVivian Gussin Paley
1086 views
2 comments
folder LearningRelationship Building

Shaping community involvement

By Orlagh Doyle

Tuesday 20 November 2018

Sometimes life can throw us happy celebratory times and we know for sure life can throw some difficult and sad times too! In Carraig Briste & Killegney we understand that our connection and support with families through their involvement in our settings develops quality relationships, essential for creating learning and understanding environments for young children. […]
tags AistearcommunityCommunity involvementMotor neuron diseaseparentsscéaltaScéalta BlogSculpturesSíolta
722 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentRelationship Building

Children living with loss

By Phil Lynch

Tuesday 13 November 2018

Most of us working in the early years sector have experienced grief at some point in our lives, whether in childhood or in our adult lives. This holds true for the families and children we work with. As early years educators, we must be aware that children grieve too. While children assume that their family […]
tags AistearBereavementDeathGriefICBNIrish Childhood Bereavement NetworkLossNational Bereaved Children's Awareness WeekscéaltaScéalta BlogSíolta
913 views
0 comments
folder Learning

What’s the story, baby?

By Dr. Suzanne Egan

Tuesday 06 November 2018

Lots of book events take place all across Ireland in October during the annual Children’s Book Festival. These events support literacy, promote a love of books and the joy of reading. But how often is a love of books and reading supported for the youngest members of society in early childhood settings, community settings and […]
tags AistearbooksCognitive developmentGrowing up in IrelandreadingscéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaSocioemotional developmentStory
957 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearning

Halloween – A Trick or a Treat?

By Carol Duffy

Tuesday 30 October 2018

Coming so soon after the settling in period, for many children Halloween is often a mixed bag of tricks and treats. On the one hand it can be a treat, a time of great excitement negotiating the emotions of scary and funny, the concepts of real and pretend, and the delights of being out in […]
tags AistearblogHalloweenScéalta BlogSíoltaTrick or treat
648 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningPlay

Through the looking glass

By Lorraine O'Connor

Tuesday 23 October 2018

Take a moment, look out the window. What do you see? The trees are filled with autumn colours to warm your heart. Bursting with a rainbow of amber, gold, red and green. The rain drops are falling from the sky to glisten the grass with a glossy coat of moisture. The light begins to break, […]
tags AistearchristmasHalloweenScéalta BlogSíoltaThrough the looking glassWindow
1895 views
0 comments
folder Advocacy

We need to talk about trade unions

By Deborah Reynolds

Tuesday 16 October 2018

There is a feeling of crisis in the Irish childcare sector. Early years professionals are experiencing burn-out, low pay, unaffordable housing and precarious contracts. Providers suffer the stresses of high turnover, low levels of funding, unfair commercial rates and frustration due to lack of consultation. Many of these issues have been highlighted in Early Childhood […]
tags AistearBudget 2019ProfessionalisationRising to the ChallengescéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaTrade union
5077 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentRelationship Building

Under 3s – Care-giving Routines

By Kathleen Tuite

Tuesday 18 September 2018

Now that we are moving into the third week of September, we want to focus on care routines for young children. In early childhood care and education settings, care routines form an important part of the young child’s day. These are busy periods for educators, attending to nappy changes, sleep requirements and mealtimes, but also […]
tags AistearCare-giving routinesInteractionsNuturing interactionsRoutinesscéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaunder 3's
3329 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentRelationship Building

Visitors – A Child’s View!

By Lorraine O'Connor

Tuesday 11 September 2018

The early childhood environment is a place in which children feel safe, it is their sanctuary. They need to feel safe and secure, so they can learn and develop in this space. However, throughout the day, many people walk into their room. Children, parents, grandparents, other practitioners, the manager, or the cook. Externally, you may […]
tags AistearcommunicationEnvironmentIdentityscéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaVisitors
1586 views
1 comments
folder Relationship BuildingTransitions

Getting to know you

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 04 September 2018

Now that the initial new year busyness is easing, the ‘new’ children are settling in and parents are a bit less anxious about letting their little ones off to embark on a new journey.  We think about building a community in the preschool and we know that it takes more than a few weeks of […]
tags AistearFamily wallLearning journalsrelationshipsSettling inSíoltatransitionsWendy Lee
2744 views
3 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningPlay

Mixing the Ages: Part 2

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 28 August 2018

In the last Scéalta post, Mixing the ages, Sarah O’Leary described how in her setting, Cheeky Cherubs in Cork, children of mixed ages play and learn together very effectively. I have long been an advocate of children being in mixed age groupings. My initial training was as a Montessori teacher and the Montessori approach views […]
tags AistearERASMUS+Meal timemealsMixed age groupsMontessoriSan MiniascéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaTuscan Approach
1147 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

Mixing the ages!

By Sarah O'Leary

Tuesday 14 August 2018

With the introduction of the second free preschool year, we in Cheeky Cherubs began questioning how we could best integrate children of varying ages into the same space. We operated as a traditional preschool up to 2014, where children were cared for in separate rooms according to age, only having the opportunity to mix with […]
tags AistearcommunicationcurriculumEmpathyMixed age groupsscéaltaScéalta BlogSíolta
3764 views
2 comments
folder DevelopmentLearning

Cillian and Adam

By David King

Tuesday 24 July 2018

At Creative Kids & Co., we build our curriculum around the children.  We base it on their interests and on what emerges from our observations within the group.  Sometimes this leads to learning about dance, sometimes dinosaurs or buildings. Sometimes the children’s interests can take us on a journey that lasts weeks, or on occasion […]
tags AistearAutismBlocksblogLearning StoriesLearning Stories AwardLight tableScéalta BlogSíolta
2261 views
4 comments
folder LearningResearch

Preparing Professionals

By Dr. Mary Moloney

Tuesday 17 July 2018

Is classroom-based learning enough to prepare early childhood teachers for their professional responsibilities?   Early childhood is a time of great opportunity and tremendous vulnerability for young children. Decisions made and actions taken during early childhood, affect children’s attitudes towards, and engagement with, learning for life. Yet, there is no consensus nationally or internationally about […]
tags AistearCollegeECEClearningNational Forum for the Enhancement of Teaching and Learning in Higher EducationScéalta BlogSíoltaUniversity
3348 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearning

San Miniato: Quality Early Years Education – A Tuscan Perspective

By Susan Quirke-Crowley

Tuesday 10 July 2018

On Sunday June 10th 2018, I had the privilege of travelling to San Miniato, Italy, with a group of 15 like-minded individuals on the Early Childhood Ireland Erasmus+ Léargas Study Trip in pursuit of international perspectives on quality within the Early Years Education Sector. Our host, Barbara, at La Bogetta Di Gepetto afforded us the […]
tags AistearblogCPDcurriculumERASMUS+FamilyLeargasSan MiniatoScéalta BlogSíoltaVertical grouping
1100 views
0 comments
folder Relationship BuildingTransitions

Prexit (the preschool exit)

By Aisling Hearne

Tuesday 26 June 2018

We all know the feeling of closing one chapter in life and opening a new one. Some people sail through this transition seamlessly and for others it is an unsettling period. I belong in the latter of the two.  I seek a sense of closure, a moment of reflection and a chance to recap on […]
tags AistearExit interviewGratitudeImpactPrexitscéaltaScéalta BlogSíoltaThank youtransitions
2479 views
3 comments
folder DevelopmentPlayTransitions

A Hop, Skip and a Jump to School!

By Dr. Suzanne Egan and Dr. Jennifer Pope

Tuesday 19 June 2018

As we come towards the end of the preschool year, parents may now be focused on the summer holidays and making the transition to primary school. Parents may be asking you what they should be doing over the summer to prepare their children for school. Based on our research, our advice is to encourage them […]
tags AistearblogGamesHealthoutdoor playplayPrimary SchoolRunningScéalta BlogSíoltaSporttransitions
2378 views
0 comments
folder Learning

Who’s for a Photo?

By Kathleen Tuite

Tuesday 12 June 2018

Have you as an Early Years Educator ever been in the situation in your setting, where you want to take a photograph of an individual child or a group of children and suddenly realise that one or other of the children’s parents have not given consent for the child’s photo to be taken? What do […]
tags AistearblogConsentGDPRGeneral Data Protection RegulationPhotographsScéalta BlogSíolta
1895 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearning

Síolta – Our Journey

By Sharon Skehill

Tuesday 29 May 2018

While our sector is inundated with paperwork, inspections and training opportunities in recent years, one might question why one would take on more work with the Síolta Quality Assurance Programme. Our full day care facility has just celebrated ten years of service and while we began the Síolta QAP process confident of our practice, our […]
tags AistearScéalta BlogSíoltaSíolta QAPSíolta Quality Assurance programme
2362 views
0 comments
folder Play

Making it Count

By Michelle Quinlan and Therese Roche

Tuesday 15 May 2018

At Totally Kids we like to play outside. Actually, we love to play outside. In fact, we are almost always found playing outside! But it has not always been this way. We are an ECCE service based in St. Joseph’s School in Tipperary town. Our story began eight years ago, and back then our routine […]
tags AistearMud kitchensoutdoor playplaySíoltaWeather
2047 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

‘I feel complete now’

By Breda Joyce

Wednesday 09 May 2018

In May 2008 my husband and I adopted a 6-month old baby girl from Vietnam. She has brought us nothing but joy and happiness since then. Kayla has always had a keen interest in her birth country, and we have marked her cultural celebrations such as Tet (Vietnamese New Year) every year. Her birthday is […]
tags AdoptionAistearBelongingIdentitySíoltaVietnam
1109 views
1 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningResearch

Children doing it for themselves!

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 01 May 2018

One day, a few months ago, I was walking along a beach. Two little boys ran past me. They were maybe 6 and 4 years old. They came to some rocks and the older boy held out his hand to his little brother or friend. The older one wanted to help the other negotiate the […]
tags AistearCapableCompetentConfidentFeedingIndependenceSíolta
1904 views
0 comments
folder LearningResearch

Inspiring Practice in Pen Green

By Valerie Gaynor

Tuesday 24 April 2018

The staff of Creative Kids and Co. from Dublin, were very lucky to spend the February mid term break on a visit to the Pen Green Centre for Under 5’s and their families. The visit was planned to inspire practice, and to get new ideas for our spaces. Pen Green is located in Corby which […]
tags AisteareducationInspirationaloutdoor spacePen greenplayQualityScéalta BlogSíolta
1825 views
1 comments
folder ArtDevelopmentLearning

Same Thing, in a Different Way

By Lorraine O'Connor

Tuesday 17 April 2018

‘Let’s make playdough’ is a popular sentence with many children. The simplicity of the flour, oil, water and colouring continues to amaze children each time it is made. Each time I engage in making playdough with a child or a group of children, the process appears wonderous, this is evident through their curiosity as they […]
tags AistearblogPlaydoughScéalta BlogSíolta
560 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearning

‘Tuning in’ with Learning Stories

By Catherine Quinn

Tuesday 10 April 2018

As the final countdown commences to Early Childhood Ireland’s Awards night, the amazing stories from our sector continue to blow us away day by day. The hard work and dedication of the educators, who wholeheartedly devote their energies into providing the best care and education for the children in their setting, is oozing from each […]
tags AistearblogdocumentationLearning StoriesLearning Stories AwardNational Awards 2018Scéalta BlogSíolta
1882 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

Inspired to Document

By Orlagh Doyle

Tuesday 27 March 2018

Modern day practice in early years education brings with it necessary documentation and our learning stories are simply an extension of this, however taking part in the learning story awards brings the added benefit of making our experiences meaningful and insightful for families and the wider community. We take great pride in the opportunities we […]
tags AistearAwards 2018communityEducator of the Year AwardInspired Practice AwardLearning Story AwardsSíoltaWell-Being
1267 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningPlay

Singing your praises

By Carol Duffy

Tuesday 20 March 2018

In my corner of the office it’s not unusual to hear me yelp with excitement, laugh out loud, or have tears streaming down my face (sometimes all at once). Often, I am stunned into silent reflection, affected and humbled by the capacity and humanity of you, the early years professionals, who share your stories of […]
tags AistearAwards 2018InspirationalInspired Practice Awardoutdoor playScéalta BlogSíolta
1020 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

National Holiday!

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 13 March 2018

It’s March and so our thoughts turn to celebrating our National Holiday…St Patrick’s Day. Harps and Shamrocks abound and everything appears though a greenish haze. Leprechauns and shillelaghs are produced and we all feel proud to be Irish. Indeed, the whole world seems to claim Irishness, with rivers dyed green and buildings bathed in green […]
tags AistearCelebrationsCultureIrishLeprechaunsNational HolidaySíoltaSnakesSt. Patrick's Day
1699 views
1 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

Childcare – A Bad Job?

By Deborah Reynolds

Tuesday 06 March 2018

The phrase ‘I love my job’ is one you’ll often hear from Childcare Practitioners. It’s a feeling I share, I find my job very rewarding. It’s a privilege to be trusted with the care and education of Children under 5. I take my job seriously, I’m a professional, I’ve earned an education and my years […]
tags AistearChildcareChildcare Barometer 2018ProfessionalisationSíoltaTrade Unions
28438 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

Spotlight on Biting

By Milica Atanackovic

Tuesday 27 February 2018

From an adult perspective, biting is an anti-social behaviour. It is grossly inappropriate to negotiate a situation or express your frustrations, sensory overload or teethache woes by biting your peers. With a child who has only a few years of life experience, the behaviour of biting shouldn’t be seen through an adult lens. As adults […]
tags AistearBehaviourBitingECCEemotionsFrustrationsScéalta BlogSíolta
2815 views
3 comments
folder ArtDevelopmentLearning

Sustainable Gumboots!

By Ricka Walser and Josephine Thompson

Tuesday 20 February 2018

Trying to be sustainable is like being on an adventure of discovery…. you never know what treasures or ideas you’re going to come up with or uncover, while also discovering your own inner creative spirit.  When we started on this adventure back in 2016 we wanted to develop our new preschool around the ethos of […]
tags AistearAwards 2018CreativityRecyclingSíoltaSustainabilitySustainableUpcycling
2054 views
0 comments
folder ArtDevelopmentLearningPlayRelationship Building

Feel the Love

By Evelyn Egan Rainy

Tuesday 06 February 2018

As we emerge from the dark dreary days of January, Valentine’s Day heralds the coming of Spring and love is definitely in the air. No sooner did we ‘ring out the old, ring in the new’, than shop windows were adorned with red and pink love hearts, helium balloons, imitation roses, designer chocolates and Hallmark […]
tags AistearCITCork Institute of TechnologyFabricLoveScéalta BlogSíoltaValentine's Day
4568 views
0 comments
folder LearningPlayResearch

Finding Out & Sharing

By Kathleen Tuite

Tuesday 30 January 2018

Each year Early Childhood Ireland offers an opportunity for researchers, academics and students to present the findings from their research at our Irish Early Years Research Seminar. This year is no different so we are calling all researchers who have an interest in the Early Years to be part of the conversation. Click here to […]
tags AistearIrish Early Years Research & Practice Seminar 2018playresearchResearch Seminarrisky playSíolta
1419 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningPlay

Montessori Musings

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 16 January 2018

Back when I left school, I knew I wanted to work with young children, very young children. Yes, there was Primary Teaching, but those children were too old! I heard something from someone about Montessori, an approach to working with children under six and I was sold! I bought a book by EM Standing called […]
tags AistearblogECCEEM StandingHome CornerlearningMaria MontessoriMontessoriplayScéalta BlogSíolta
2533 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

Keeping the Magic Alive

By Kathleen Tuite

Thursday 04 January 2018

Christmas comes but once a year and despite a long lead up, for many young children the experience of Christmas is only felt once Christmas Day arrives. Early years settings have been busy for months with preparations for Christmas, decorating the rooms, singing songs, making decorations, supporting children to pick out gifts from Santa and […]
tags AistearchristmascurriculumMagicScéalta BlogSíolta
1352 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

Celebrations – New Traditions and Shared Stories

By Elaine Hynes

Tuesday 19 December 2017

Early childhood settings bring children, families and educators from different cultures and backgrounds together and with each child and family comes a unique story. The wonderful thing is that we all get to benefit from these stories and to draw on aspects of them all, to create new shared stories. This brings incredible richness and […]
tags AistearCelebrationschristmasLearning StoryrelationshipsSíoltaTraditions
1674 views
0 comments
folder ArtDevelopmentLearningPlay

Performing… For Who?

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 12 December 2017

This time of year is full of celebrations, creativity, concerts and plays. But, I wonder, is there a stage where we need to reflect on who this is all for? Surely it is for the children, so that they can experience the joy and wonder of this magical time of the year? I spoke to […]
tags AistearArtCelebrationschristmasGraduationPerformingScéalta BlogSíolta
3695 views
3 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningPlayResearch

Play – No Overload!

By Amy McArdle

Tuesday 28 November 2017

A few weeks ago, I wrote the first of two blog posts called ‘Admin Overload?’, which documented my learning from a day shadowing Valerie Gaynor, member of ECI’s Policy and Implementation Panel and Manager of Creative Kids in Dublin. Since I have no personal experience in operating, managing or working in an early years service, […]
tags AistearblogFundingInvestmentPolicy and Implementation PanelScéalta BlogSíolta
2769 views
0 comments
folder ArtDevelopmentLearningPlay

Playschool: Not what it used to be!

By Deborah Reynolds

Tuesday 21 November 2017

Over the past decade, there has been a seismic shift in how Early Years Services operate. Parents who have used Early Years Services over this time, will definitely have observed these changes. Every year there seems to be new requirements for settings. It can be difficult for us professionals to keep up with new policy […]
tags AcademicsAistearArtEmergent CurriculumparentsplayPlayschoolPolicyScéalta BlogSíolta
6335 views
6 comments
folder DevelopmentPlayResearch

Young Children: The Human Face of the Refugee Crisis

By Dr. Mary Moloney

Tuesday 24 October 2017

I have spent my life believing that every child has a basic fundamental right to survival, to a standard of living that meets their physical and mental needs; to education, to rest, recreation and play as outlined in the UNCRC. Yet, in spite of this legally binding international agreement, the rights of millions of children, […]
tags AfghanistanAistearEritreaIraqrefugeesScéalta BlogSíoltaSyriaUNCRC
3218 views
2 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningPlay

Stories from the Heart

By Maxine Ryan

Tuesday 17 October 2017

When I set out on my journey writing learning stories I felt very anxious. Would I know what to write? Would I know what to look for? Did I have the right words to explain the story? I soon discovered the more I did it, the more comfortable I became with the process. I realised […]
tags AistearblogLearning StoriesMount EverestScéalta BlogSíolta
2280 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

Why ‘Time Out’ is ‘Out’!

By Lorraine O'Connor

Tuesday 26 September 2017

If you were asked to wear a jumper today that you had 10 years ago, would you? Probably not; it might be outdated, not in fashion, it doesn’t suit your figure or perhaps it doesn’t fit! A similar question – would you use time out to support a child’s behaviour today? We can say the […]
tags AistearBehaviourSelf-regulationSíoltaSupernannyTime OutWell-Being
4479 views
2 comments
folder Play

Stick to play

By Dr. Carmel Brennan

Tuesday 15 August 2017

This week it was really encouraging to hear about a package of sensory play equipment that will be made available free to settings, from the DCYA.  Could this herald another step on our Aistear journey, another step in our national thinking. A shift from talking about literacy and numeracy and giving children an early start […]
tags AistearDCYAplay
3073 views
0 comments
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Making Children Visible

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 01 August 2017

I was lucky enough to spend a month visiting my son in Australia recently. It was an amazing experience. One of the things that struck me was how visible children are in the community. Síolta (Standard: 16 Community Involvement) and Aistear (Theme: Identity and Belonging) talk about community involvement and how important it is for […]
tags AistearcommunitySíolta
2058 views
2 comments
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Valuing Professionals

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 11 July 2017

On a sunny Saturday in June I delivered a 5-hour training session on Aistear Síolta in Action to a group of early childhood educators. It was a lovely day.  We explored what our image of the child is. We discussed and shared lots of ideas on play, open-ended materials, minimising transitions and enabling children to […]
tags AistearProfessionalisationSíolta
3294 views
2 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningResearch

Studying enquiring minds – the challenges of early childhood practice research

By Maja Haals Brosnan

Tuesday 27 June 2017

If we put the researching child at the centre of our own research we do not have to spend weeks or months thinking up the best research question, the kinds of questions we should be asking, what to observe, what to note down, what to analyse. Take any given day in the baby, wobbler or preschool rooms and there is a plethora of questions and lines of enquiry right there!
tags AistearChildren's Research Networkoutdoor playplayresearchSíolta
2345 views
0 comments
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Early Years Educators ‘Your Well-being Matters’ too!

By Dr. Jennifer Pope

Tuesday 13 June 2017

As summer approaches, consider the advice they give on the plane before take-off…’In an emergency, put your own life-jacket and mask on first before you attend to your children’. In our day to day work we are usually told to start with the child and be child-centred but when it comes to our health and […]
tags Aistearblogearly childhood educatorrelationshipsScéalta Blog
5887 views
0 comments
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Playing with Roles

By Lorraine O'Connor

Tuesday 30 May 2017

The complexity of children’s play continues to leave me with many questions. Recently, I was visiting my friend, and her curious 2-year-old who has begun to show an interest in doctors and patients. On this day, she ran excitedly across the sitting room, and suddenly, progressed into a slow walk with both hands on her […]
tags Aistearplayrole playing
1218 views
0 comments
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Children’s Rights in Small Places

By Sheila Long

Tuesday 23 May 2017

Valuing the ECEC professional – Children’s Rights in Small Places Many ECEC practitioners working in early childhood settings in Ireland will have some awareness of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, ratified by the Government of Ireland in 1992.   If you were to hold a full copy of the UNCRC in […]
tags AistearChildren's RightsECCEplay
5796 views
1 comments
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Wings to the Imagination

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 16 May 2017

Plato is said to have believed ‘Music gives a soul to the universe, wings to the mind, flight to the imagination and life to everything.’ I love this quote and I believe that music is a powerful, enjoyable and fun way for children to experience movement, listening, playing and sounds. But, probably like many of […]
tags AistearMusic
2194 views
1 comments
folder Learning

Reflections on Degree Level Training

By Dr. Mary Moloney

Tuesday 25 April 2017

People often ask why somebody would need a degree to work with young children. The assumption being, that little training is needed to ‘mind’ a child. Thankfully, there has been a shift with regards to the importance of early childhood education and care worldwide, and the complexity of working with young children is increasingly in […]
tags AistearlearningplayScéalta BlogSíoltaTraining
12846 views
2 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship BuildingTransitions

What’s in a name?

By Lorraine O'Connor

Tuesday 04 April 2017

Every day we use children’s names without realising. Mark Twain (1835-1910) reminds us names are not always what they seem. The Welsh name Bzjxxllwcp is pronounced Jackson. However, what is in a name? Does it matter if we say a child’s name wrong, shorten it or don’t use it at all? Irelands population is growing, […]
tags AistearblogCultureMark TwainNamesNorwayScéalta BlogSíolta
3870 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningTransitions

The power of transition: supporting children to predict and cope with change

By Dr Mary O'Kane

Tuesday 21 March 2017

“To be responsible for your children at the start of a journey is a daunting prospect. To be in a position to influence the route they take and how they view themselves as they travel is even more of a responsibility.” Drummond (1999, cited in Abbott, 2000) Children in Ireland experience a broad range of educational […]
tags AistearAistear Siolta Practice GuideAnnual Conference 2017Dr Mary O'KaneECCEMasterclassScéalta BlogSíoltatransitions
4478 views
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folder DevelopmentLearningResearch

Making a Difference: AIMing for the Stars in the Age of Inclusion

By Dr Emer Ring

Monday 13 March 2017

I have been asked to present a Masterclass at the Early Childhood Ireland Conference on April 1, on the topic of Implementing the Access and Inclusion Model (AIM). In preparing for that session I got to reflecting more on this subject. There are numerous books written about inclusion in the early years and beyond, what […]
tags Access and Inclusion ModelAIMAistearAnnual Conference 2017Dr. Emer RingInclusionMasterclassresearchSíoltaSpecial Needs Assistants
5500 views
0 comments
folder ArtDevelopmentLearningPlay

X Marks the Spot: Following Children’s Interests

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 28 February 2017

I was in a sessional preschool setting the other day. There was lots of talk about our senses. Children and educators shared ideas about seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting and touching. There were 3 small group activities for children to choose from, one of which involved Skittles and water, so children could discuss what they saw, […]
tags AistearBook ClubInterestsMapSíoltaSweetsTreasureTreasure Chest
3507 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

Capturing the Wonder of Childhood

By Catherine Quinn

Tuesday 21 February 2017

A day in the life of an early year’s educator can be fun, interesting and full of playfulness. It is commonly heard from educators that they love working with children because no two days are ever the same. Children are spontaneous, unpredictable and full of curiosity. We, as adults, need to find our place in […]
tags AistearblogChildhoodcuriositylearningLearning StoriesSíoltaWonder
4707 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningPlayRelationship Building

Valentine’s Day – Sowing The Seeds of Love

By Kathleen Tuite

Tuesday 07 February 2017

The 14th of February, a day when it is traditional to send a card, often anonymously, to a person one is romantically involved with or attracted to. A day which generates millions in sales of cards, flowers, chocolates, and gifts. A day that has a long history dating back to the Romans, with little sight […]
tags AistearCreativityFlowersGardeningKilkennyPlantsScéalta BlogSíoltaValentine's Day
3433 views
0 comments
folder ArtDevelopmentLearningPlay

Celebrate the spiders: Encourage Creativity

By Elaine Hynes

Tuesday 31 January 2017

When reading an article recently about creativity, I was reminded of an experience some time ago in an early years setting. The children were colouring in template worksheets with numbers, letters and corresponding objects. I watched as one little boy coloured his sheet quickly. He then proceeded to turn over the sheet of paper, selected […]
tags AistearArtCommunicatingCreativityDrawingExploringIdentity and BelongingSíoltaSpidersThinkingWell-Being
4142 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentRelationship Building

Playing Favourites: From Favouritism to Fairness

By Milica Atanackovic

Tuesday 24 January 2017

I received feedback from a family early into my ECCE career and it was a bitter pill to swallow. The parents felt their child was not happy and thriving. One reason they gave was that their child was quieter in nature, but a more contentious issue was that they felt educators (myself primarily) were not […]
tags AistearBelongingFavouritismIdentityrespectSíolta
6620 views
0 comments
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Nothing Without Joy: The Children’s Book Club

By Dr. Carmel Brennan

Tuesday 10 January 2017

‘Nothing without joy’ Loris Mallaguzzi, Reggio Emilia Have you seen our new Book Club? The aim of the book club is to allow children share their stories with other children. The way it works is that a group of children create a story – a story from their play or a story they enact, draw […]
tags AistearBook ClubbooksMagnavacchiMalaguzziOur Little SeedreadingReggioSíoltaThe Jelly KingToby Bears Camping TripWilenski
2486 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningRelationship Building

Traffic Lights – a child’s perspective

By Milica Atanackovic

Wednesday 04 January 2017

‘I feel a bit sad today,’ said my five-year-old daughter when I collected her. ‘Did anything happen to make you feel sad?’ I asked. She had just started primary school and it was a few weeks into the term. She described a behaviour management strategy in place in her classroom, ‘It’s the traffic lights, when […]
tags AistearBehaviourExclusionlearningplaySelf-EsteemSíoltaTraffic Lights
3462 views
1 comments
folder DevelopmentRelationship Building

Christmas: The way we always do it…

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 20 December 2016

Christmas is the only time these words are acceptable! As early years professionals we reflect, review and keep our practice fresh all year round. However, at this time of year, tradition is key! In any group of people, at Christmas parties, lunches and various gatherings you’ll hear “what do you do for Christmas” many times […]
tags AistearBelongingchristmasIdentitySíoltaTraditions
2981 views
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folder ArtDevelopmentLearningPlay

Christmas Creativity: Doing it their way

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 06 December 2016

This time of year is magical! Yes, it’s chaotic, noisy, messy, fun, exhilarating…and really, we wouldn’t want it any other way! Between Santa, Christmas Crackers, holly, ivy, snowpeople…there is so much scope for children’s imaginations to have free rein…so much for them to talk about, think about, explore and discover. But, when I see a […]
tags AistearArtchristmasChristmas CreativityCreativeCreativityGlitterSantaSíolta
4122 views
2 comments
folder DevelopmentLearningPlayRelationship Building

Sharing Play Stories

By Dr. Carmel Brennan

Tuesday 22 November 2016

‘The tigers can’t be near the giraffes ‘cos they might hurt them’ I’m intrigued by the stories that children tell in their play. They are stories that one player suggests and another player continues, contributing another idea or initiative. So the stories are emergent because the players have to respond to one another’s ideas and […]
tags Aistearplayplay storiesSíoltastories
3206 views
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folder ArtLearningPlayResearch

Early Years Educators supporting scientific enquiry with young children

By Kathleen Tuite

Tuesday 15 November 2016

– Kathleen Tuite and Máire Corbett   Aistear’s Exploring and Thinking theme is all about supporting children to learn about and make sense of the world around them. Curiosity is one of the learning dispositions central to Aistear. Children are naturally curious and fascinated by plants, animals, nature, cause and effect and how things work. […]
tags Aistearbabiescuriositysciencescience weekSíoltatoddlers
2796 views
0 comments
folder DevelopmentRelationship BuildingTransitions

My personal journey of being involved in my children’s playschool

By Debbie Mullen

Tuesday 25 October 2016

As the mum of Eoghan and Elliot, now 5, being involved in their preschool year was a wonderful experience. The experience affected my life in so many ways – I got to know my two boys as they became part of a group and developed an identity as pre-schoolers, while seeing their individual interests and […]
tags AistearcommunityexperiencejourneymemoriesparentspreschoolrelationshipsSíolta
1960 views
2 comments
folder LearningPlay

Playfully becoming the Mathematicians of tomorrow

By Catherine Quinn

Tuesday 18 October 2016

It’s that time of the year again… Maths Week has arrived. Last year, Maths Week Ireland engaged well over a quarter of a million people. What an accomplishment! Children from all corners of Ireland celebrated their passion for learning maths. As early year educators we all know that it is not a time to sit […]
tags AistearMathematiciansMathsMaths WeekMaths Week IrelandplaySíolta
2985 views
0 comments
folder LearningPlay

Educating Feisty Children

By Dr. Carmel Brennan

Tuesday 11 October 2016

    Margy Whalley is coming to Dublin. She will present a keynote, along with Aldo Fortunati, at the Early Childhood Ireland conference on Working with Children from birth to 3 years in Marino Institute of Education, Dublin on the 27th October. It’s an occasion not to be missed. Margy has been a long-time friend […]
tags AistearAldo FortunatieducatingfeistylearningMargy WhalleyplaySíolta
1582 views
0 comments
folder LearningRelationship BuildingRisk Assessment

Extraordinary curiosity, full of desire and delight

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 04 October 2016

I’m really looking forward to the last week of October this year. This is the week that Aldo Fortunati, from San Miniato comes back to Ireland. He is speaking in Cork on October 25th and in Dublin (with Margy Whalley from Pen Green) on October 27th. Since I last heard Aldo Fortunati speak in Dublin, […]
tags AistearAldo Fortunatilearningrelationshipsriskrisky playSíoltatrust
2266 views
0 comments
folder Relationship Building

Relationships – Relax, Relate, Communicate

By Milica Atanackovic

Tuesday 27 September 2016

In this post I continue to explore Magda Gerber’s RIE philosophy, and I look at how relationships can influence practice. In the first post in this series, I spoke about Respect starting at birth and in the second I looked at how trust can influence practice.  All humans need relationships that are secure, respectful, consistent, and trusting. The […]
tags AistearbabiescommunicationeducarerMagda GerberrelationshipsRIE philosphySíolta
2817 views
1 comments
folder Learning

How slowing down builds better curriculum

By Lilian Joyce

Monday 19 September 2016

As an early years educator do you feel you have to be constantly doing something all of the time? Yet we know that just watching and listening to children at play is an important part of the role of an educator. Many educators can immediately tell you what activities interest particular children, “He loves playing […]
tags AistearcurriculumlearningplanningSíolta
1706 views
0 comments
folder Play

Discovering Play with a Grandchild

By Dr. Carmel Brennan

Tuesday 06 September 2016

The Power of Human Nature I became a grandmother to Dónal almost a year ago. I’m obviously a mother (4 times over) and I’m an early childhood specialist with a particular interest in children’s play. I bring all that experience to being a grandmother – and yet what a learning journey grandparenting is all over […]
tags AistearbabiesdevelopmentgrandchildinteractingplayrelationshipsSíolta
1646 views
0 comments
folder Dining

Come Dine with Me: Quality Dining Experiences

By Rita Melia

Tuesday 23 August 2016

When we share a meal or snack together, we are creating memories, memories that weave through the stories of our lives. When we as adults invite friends or colleagues to share a meal, snack or picnic with us, we expect and hope that it will be an enjoyable experience. We create an ambience which conveys […]
tags Aisteardiningdining experienceseatinginteractingmealsSíolta
3377 views
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folder Relationship Building

Respect – It Starts at Birth

By Milica Atanackovic

Tuesday 16 August 2016

We not only respect babies, we demonstrate respect every time we interact with them. Respecting a child means treating even the youngest infant as a unique human being, not as an object. Magda Gerber This quote resonated with me when I first heard it, especially the word ‘object’. Did I do this, I asked myself, […]
tags AistearbabiesrelationshipsrespectSíolta
2708 views
0 comments
folder Transitions

Just Give me 5 Minutes: Toddlers Transitions within the Daily Routine

By Kathleen Tuite

Tuesday 09 August 2016

Have you ever heard a toddler say ‘I’m right in the middle of something, just give me 5 minutes’? In early childhood settings we recognise that toddlers are capable and competent, with interests, emerging interests and needs all of their own. They experience many changes throughout their lives, some small, some big and learning to manage [...]
tags AisteardevelopmentroutineSíoltatoddlerstransitions
3327 views
0 comments
folder Play

Outdoor Play: A Prayer for Mushroom Hill

By Carol Duffy

Tuesday 02 August 2016

“Soon they discovered a very big hill with mushrooms growing all over it, and they very aptly named it “mushroom hill”.  Deansrath Family Centre winner of our Innovation in Outdoor Provision Award  shared with us their story of the children experiencing their local park. One part of their story refers to the hill. Images and […]
tags Aistearmushroomsoutdoor spaceoutdoorsplaySíolta
1529 views
2 comments
folder Learning

Sweet like Chocolate: Encouraging a taste for reading

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 26 July 2016

When I say to a parent, "read to a child", I don't want it to sound like medicine. I want it to sound like chocolate. Mem Fox - As an avid reader I just love these words of wisdom from Mem Fox, a leading Australian author of books for children. There is nothing to beat the [...]
tags AistearbookslearningreadingSíolta
2756 views
2 comments
folder Risk Assessment

Child’s Play – Risky Business

By Carol Duffy

Tuesday 19 July 2016

RISKY ENVIRONMENTS, – do the words conjure up interesting engaging spaces that are exciting to be in, or do they stir up feelings of apprehension within early years educators? Risk of course means different things to different people. In early years terms, we often celebrate risk-taking without maybe realising it. Think about the cheers of […]
tags Aistearplayriskrisk assessmentSíolta
11383 views
3 comments
folder Play

Outdoors – Simply Spectacular

By Carol Duffy

Tuesday 12 July 2016

Do you find yourself watching travel shows and longing for the pleasure of sinking into that azure sea, or practically eating that scrumptious dish with Jamie Oliver as he tantalisingly raves about its taste? You can almost feel the frustration of sensory deprivation. I feel the same frustration when I try to write about the […]
tags Aistearoutdoor spaceoutdoorsplaySíolta
12062 views
0 comments
folder Relationship Building

Consistent relationships with the under threes

By Maire Corbett

Tuesday 05 July 2016

Aistear reminds us that relationships are at the very heart of early learning and development. Through positive early attachments and interactions babies learn to feel secure, to communicate and to enjoy being with people. Some years ago I was in a baby room in a crèche. The room was quiet; many of the babies were […]
tags AisteardevelopmentlearningrelationshipsSíoltaunder 3's
10201 views
4 comments
folder Learning

Developing curriculum for children in mixed age groups

By Kathleen Tuite

Wednesday 29 June 2016

Is your curriculum designed to follow the interests of children? Is it open-ended enough to meet the needs of mixed-age groupings? With the introduction of the second free pre-school year many practitioners are wondering about their curriculum.  How will they cope with children from maybe 2 and a half years old to 5 years plus, all […]
tags AistearcurriculumlearningplaySíolta
17697 views
10 comments
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