This page uses UK terms (nursery, Reception, EYFS). In the US? See preschool lesson plans →
Play-based ideas for babies, toddlers, nursery and Reception – for nurseries, childminders, schools and parents at home (in the US: infant care, preschool and kindergarten).
This department is planned and ready to build – it needs funding
We have planned what the Early Years Department will teach and how it will work. Building it takes funding, so for now you can read our plan below and use the Classfern pages for early years that are already live.
Practice tests you can use today
Mr Froebel's garden is not planted yet, but our youngest learners can already try a few gentle, free activities. Reception maths reads every question aloud, and the phonics practice helps children get ready for the Year 1 check. There is no log-in, nothing personal is collected about any child, and the activities have no adverts. The early years lessons, when funded, will link to each one.
Growing, not hurrying
Froebel pictured young children as plants and the adults around them as gardeners: there to give light, space and care, not to pull the shoots up early. That idea still guides good early years practice, and it guides our plan for the Early Years Department, which covers babies, toddlers, nursery and Reception – the years US families call infant care, preschool and kindergarten.
Play with a purpose
Most of what we plan is for adults to use with children rather than for children to use alone. Activity cards will suggest play ideas for each EYFS area of learning – communication and language; physical development; personal, social and emotional development; literacy; mathematics; understanding the world; and expressive arts and design – with what to say, what to notice and how to extend it. Screen time stays short and shared.
Small, gentle screen activities
Where a screen does help, we plan tiny activities with big buttons, spoken instructions and no timers: matching sounds to letters, counting objects, spotting patterns and listening games. Answers will be Marked by Classfern but shown to the child only as smiles and stars, while the adult sees the detail. Nothing is collected from the child, ever.
Observations that stay with you
Practitioners and parents spend a great deal of time noticing. We plan a simple observation note that links a moment – “built a tower of eight blocks and counted them” – to the area of learning it shows. These notes are Evidence kept at home or in the setting, and they sit naturally alongside the EYFS planning template and the Reception early learning goals pages already on Classfern.
Ready for home, ready for the setting
Many children move between places in a single day – a childminder in the morning, home in the afternoon – so the activity cards will print on one sheet that can travel with the child. Every idea is meant to work as well on a living-room floor as in a nursery.
Mr Froebel's gifts
Froebel designed a set of wooden blocks, balls and shapes he called “gifts”, to help children discover form and number through play. Our Mr Froebel is warm and unhurried, always has a soft ball in his pocket, and believes singing is a perfectly good way to start the day.
Music, our flagship, already sings along
Early years and music go hand in hand. Our flagship Music Department is live now, with recorder starter tunes from Hot Cross Buns upwards, colour notes and a singing play-along that helps find a key to suit a young voice. Little ones can join in there today.
Planted, waiting to grow
The Early Years Department is planned and ready to build once funding is in place. Nursery staff, childminders, Reception teachers and parents with ideas: please tell us what would help most.
Already on Classfern for early years
Support the Classfern appeal
Every Classfern department is ready on paper, but each one needs funding before we can build it. A gift of any amount helps build Classfern – including new departments like this one – and keeps the free tools free for teachers, families and learners.
Support the Classfern appeal →
Classfern is a small business, not a charity. The support page explains how gifts are used.
Can you help? Teachers and subject experts – tell us
If you teach early years or know it well, we would love your ideas, examples and corrections for this department.
All Classfern departments · Visit the Music Department, our flagship