Helping Children Build Emotional Regulation: A Key Step in School Readiness
Starting school is a big and exciting step, but for many children, it can also feel like an emotional rollercoaster. With new people, unfamiliar routines, and unexpected changes, it’s no surprise that some little ones feel overwhelmed. That’s why helping
Learning Starts From Day One: Building Strong Foundations from Birth
The first two years of a child’s life may seem like a world away from starting school, but these early years are some of the most important for laying the foundations of learning. From babbling and crawling to stacking blocks and
Building Numeracy Skills: Helping Your Child Start School with Confidence
Starting school is an exciting time for your child, and having some early experience with numbers, shapes, and simple problem-solving can help make the transition smoother. Numeracy isn’t just about counting; it’s about understanding how numbers work in everyday life,
Why Lowering the Voting Age to 16 Must Come with Support and Education
The news that the UK is lowering the voting age to 16 is both a milestone and a mirror. It reflects how far we’ve come in recognising young people’s voices, but also how much more we must do to support
Ready to Learn: Why Are Organised Activities and Classes So Helpful for School Readiness?
Preparing for School: The Benefits of Activity Classes Starting school is a big step for any child – and for their parents, too. It marks the beginning of a new chapter filled with learning, independence, and social growth. But how can
Building Social Skills: Helping Your Child Start School with Confidence
Starting school is an exciting milestone, and one of the most important areas that helps children feel settled and confident is their ability to get along with others. Social skills, like sharing, turn-taking, and working together, lay the foundation for
Building Communication & Language Skills: A Foundation for School Success
Starting school is a big step, and one of the most important areas of development that helps make the transition smoother is communication and language. Being able to understand others, express needs, and join in conversations lays the foundation for
Building Curiosity and Confidence: Helping Your Child Embrace New Experiences
Starting school is a big step, full of new people, routines, and environments. For children to thrive, they need more than academic skills; they need the confidence to explore and the curiosity to try new things. These traits help children
What the Research Says About School Readiness
Starting school is a big milestone – but what does it really mean to be ready? At Dr Gummer’s Good Play Guide, we believe school readiness goes far beyond knowing letters and numbers. We conducted a literature review to explore the evidence
The Importance of Unstructured Play to Child Development
Children don’t just play for fun – it’s how they learn, grow, and make sense of the world. That’s the big takeaway from the newly published Raising the Nation Commission Report (June 2025), a year-long independent look at how play