Learning Through Woodwork

My latest book, Learning Through Woodwork: Introducing Creative Woodwork in the Early Years in now available!

“Every so often a book is written that helps practitioners to develop their work in deep and far reaching ways. This is that sort of book.” Tina Bruce CBE

This essential guide provides clear and comprehensive support for those looking to introduce creative woodwork into early years settings. With theory, practical advice, stunning colour images and case studies, the book will inspire practitioners to embrace woodwork and encourage children’s independent creative learning.

Focusing on the numerous benefits that working with wood offers young children, from boosting their self-esteem and problem-solving skills, to enhancing their communication and social development, the author draws on over 25 years of experience to discuss each and every aspect of establishing woodwork in the early years curriculum. Including practical information on materials and tools, staff training, and health and safety advice, this go-to guide provides a treasure trove of ideas to engage children at various stages of development, drawing the maximum benefit from working with wood and tools.

Both inspiring and informative, Learning Through Woodwork will become an essential tool for early years practitioners and teachers wishing to explore and develop woodwork provision.

Available direct from Routledge and Amazon

You can also purchase this book with  20% discount from www.bookseducation.co.uk email richardmyers.bookseducation@gmail.com quoting ECO/JAN. This discount has been arranged by Jan White at Early Childhood Outdoors https://www.earlychildhoodoutdoors.org/

 

Reggio Emilia Inspired Conference

Reggio Inspired Conference: This one day Reggio inspired summer conference will inspire, motivate and reignite your creative spark and curiosity.

Near Belfast, Northern Ireland

By Early Years – the organisation for young children

Date and time
Wed, 7 Aug 2024 09:30 – 17:00 BST

Location: Flowerfield Arts Centre,
185 Coleraine Road #Studio 2, C/o Portstewart BT55 7PL

For tickets click here

Woodwork CPD in person – London – open to all – 20 June 2024

Introducing woodwork to your setting

We’re delighted to be offering this ever-popular one-day course from Pete Moorhouse, as a face-to-face course taking place in the outstanding Rowland Hill Nursery School in Haringey.

 

Introducing woodwork to your early years provision (20 June 2024, London)

Join Pete Moorhouse for this practical full-day course, focused on woodwork in the early years.

Over the course of the day, delegates will have opportunities to:

learn how to introduce tools and set up a woodworking area
learn about health and safety issues and risk assessments
get information on where you need to go to source the necessary tools and resources
gain an insight into the historical context and current thinking
learn about the learning and development associated with woodwork in relation to the EYFS
get hands on experience to gain confidence working with tools
gain insights into examples of longer term woodworking projects

This course is open to anyone, although will be most relevant to those with an interest in introducing woodwork into their early years or KS1 provision, or for those looking to enhance the woodworking opportunities they currently offer.
For one delegate: £125 for Members; £150 for Non-Members (early bird rate available until 10th May 2024, prices then increase by £25 per place).

Click here to book and more info

Woodwork podcast for Play Scotland

Play Scotland have released a new podcast all about woodwork:

The woodworking podcast is now live on our website – it can be found at

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/31-woodworking–59178283

The Playwell Podcast Ep 31: Woodworking (youtube.com)

Pete Moorhouse is an early years creative consultant, researcher, author and artist educator based in the UK. He is an associate trainer for Early Education delivering training nationally and overseas and is also a Froebel Tutor for the Froebel Trust. His work in school is centred around nurturing children’s creativity inspired by Froebelian principles and the approach in Reggio Emilia. Pete is a leading authority on woodwork in Early Years education and has written several books and journal articles, including ‘Learning Through Woodwork’ (Routledge) as well as books on outdoor learning. He is currently working on his latest book – ‘Creativity in Practice: Nurturing creative and critical thinking in early childhood education’. He was awarded an honorary research fellowship from the University of Bristol and is currently researching creative progression in early education. Pete was also awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake international research into best woodworking practices in education. Pete won the national award (2019) from the Creative Learning Guild for his work promoting creativity in education and is Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Yvonne Young is an Early Years Officer with West Lothian Council. Her ‘Wonderful woodworking’ journey began three years ago whilst completing the Froebel in Childhood Practice course with the University of Edinburgh, sparking her interest in play through a Froebelian lens. Her project has since sparked an initiative linking West Lothian College and West Lothian STEM to offer woodworking opportunities within primary one classes, with 50 teachers embracing this. After completing CPD training with Pete Moorhouse, he awarded her the first-ever Big Bang Woodwork Award last April to celebrate her achievements in embedding woodworking across her previous ElC and School community. She continues to promote the idea that every day can be a wonderful woodworking day!

Catch up with Yvonne, Pete and Fiona in this latest episode.

Handbook to Froebel

A new comprehensive account of Froebel’s pedagogy and enduring legacy: The Bloomsbury Handbook to Friedrich Froebel

Friedrich Froebel (1782 – 1852), the inventor of kindergarten, was one of the most influential educational thinkers of the 19th century. This book showcases the cutting-edge work being undertaken around the world inspired by this pioneer of early childhood education and shows the many ways in which Froebel’s work has been applied and extended. It presents a wealth of Froebelian expertise on topics including pedagogy and curriculum, history, architecture, neuroscience, peace and religious education and links Froebel’s theories to other thinkers including John Dewey, Michel Foucault, Paulo Freire, Aili Helenius and Chen Heqin. It highlights what Froebel means today in a variety of settings around the world and includes contributions from academics and practitioners based in North and South America, Europe, Australasia, Africa and Asia.

Front cover image: Ayla by Pete Moorhouse

I was delighted to contribute a chapter:

The Art of Serious Play: Froebel’s Influence on Early Childhood Pedagogy and Beyond to the Creative Work of Artists and Designers, Pete Moorhouse (Early Years Creative Consultant)

Available from Bloomsbury

How Children Learn and Create Using Art, Play and Science

Check out this wonderful new book:

How Children Learn and Create Using Art, Play and Science:

Understanding Through Your Hands

This book shows that creativity is so much more than drawing or painting something beautiful. It is a way of understanding the world through your hands and learning through play, art, and science.

Drawing on the Reggio Emilia approach (among others), this book focuses on the process rather than the result and argues that children should be supported in experimenting with materials and mark-making. The authors go against traditional setups where an adult demonstrates how it should be done, showing instead that an inspiring environment and open-ended resources trigger children’s intrinsic motivation. The book shows countless inexpensive possibilities, which require little preparation, and get children in a creative flow. With its appealing full colour photographs, this fully updated English edition offers inspiration, a sustainable and feasible vision, and tools for facilitating creative processes at school, in childcare centers and at home. Full of practical guidance, it is essential reading for anyone working with children wanting to help them develop into self-aware, creative, and responsible people. To order with discount at Routledge Publisher see the code and link at: https://atelierineenkoffer.nl/publicaties/

Review:

Understanding through the hands makes a valuable contribution to early childhood delving into practices of mark-making and the wider visual arts. It has a balance of theory and practice, brought to life with strong illustrative images. Mark-making and the visual arts provide children with opportunities to express themselves and make meaning. Art is a mode of communication as we express our ideas and feelings, and in doing so we develop theories of how the world works. In this way children discover understanding as they make sense of their experiences.

In the book the authors offer a way of working that places the child at the centre of their learning. In the process they will be exploring their ideas, making new discoveries and generating new ideas and new meanings. Their work draws upon a rich heritage of thinkers within arts education, ideas which they have reworked and developed throughout the book, suggesting new contemporary ways of working.

Understanding through the hands was originally written in Dutch. It is a delight this book has now been translated into English to benefit a wider audience. They introduce thinkers that perhaps the English speaking audience are less unfamiliar with such as Stern and Juul. This adds to the breadth that the book has to offer as well as the inclusion of less familiar quotes form an array of educators.

I think this book will inspire and perhaps allow us to reflect more deeply our own practice, and in turn, result in more children having positive experiences and flourishing along the journey.

Pete Moorhouse FRSA, CF – Early Childhood Creative Consultant, Bristol, UK

Book: Exploring the 3-D World – Developing Spatial and Math Skills in Young Children

 

 

Check out this wonderful work from Rosanne Regan Hansel, Exploring the 3-D World.

New brain research and child development studies are filling professional journals with mounting evidence that early childhood educators need to start paying greater attention to developing children’s spatial skills, which includes navigating that three-dimensional world and interacting with three-dimensional materials.

Having good spatial skills strongly predicts children’s future achievement in STEM subjects. Spatial reasoning is also integral to everyday life, in social studies, the arts, and geography as well as new careers like computer animation.

Working in 3-dimensions doesn’t happen as often in the early childhood classroom. Many teachers focus on 2-dimensional mediums for children to express their learning. This book will help teachers feel confident in implementing more mathematical concepts into their rooms.

Also check out her website: https://www.3dchildhood.com/

In-person Woodwork CPD 20 March 2024

Location

Cosy Direct Training Centre

Fauld Industrial Estate Unit 316-318 Tutbury, Burton-on-Trent DE13 9HS


Date and time

Wed, 20 Mar 2024 09:30 – 15:30 GMT
 
 

 

Booking: £95 +vat

Booking via eventbrite:

https://bit.ly/3Rhq5do

or complete the booking form to be invoiced Booking form


About this event

Introducing Woodwork –

Day overview:

An introduction to the day. The historical and current context. Equal opportunities.

Theory: Where woodwork meet curriculum: Associated learning and development

Introduction to tools, wood, resources and workbenches

How to set up a woodwork area and manage the provision

Health and safety and risk assessment. Parents.

Longer term and collaborative projects, primary progression, makerspaces

Practical sessions: 2 practical sessions offering hands-on experience

– ————————————————————-

There is something really special about woodwork. The smell and feel of wood, using real tools, working with a natural material, the sounds of hammering and sawing, hands and minds working together to express imagination and solve problems, the use of strength and coordination: all go to combine captivating young children’s interest. It provides a truly unique experience. Woodwork is hugely popular with children, providing a rich source of enjoyment as well as learning. It is truly cross-curricular embracing so many areas of learning as well as building on children’s dispositions for learning. The impact is profound and long term.

This practical workshop will look at ways in which woodworking can be safely introduced in your school. We will look at the theory and the associated learning and development relating to the EYFS and KS1. There will be explanations of the most suitable wood and tools for children and instruction on how best to use them. We will look at the stages of children’s progression in woodwork. Information on potential suppliers of wood/ tools will be provided. Explanations on how to set up and manage a woodworking area. I emphasise open-ended exploration and also provide examples of possible longer term projects. There will be practical sessions for teachers to explore the tools, gain confidence and share the experience of making creations in wood.

From this course you will:

Understand the value and theory of woodwork especially in relation to EYFS/KS1

Learn about the current and historical context of woodwork

Understand the potential of woodwork for creativity and critical thinking

Learn how to introduce woodwork safely, implementing an effective risk assessment

Understand the most suitable tools for young children and how to use them

Be confident to develop a woodworking area

Know where to buy the most appropriate tools and materials

T he venue is COSY DIRECT TRAINING CENTRE

Fauld Industrial Estate, Unit 316-318, Tutbury, Burton-on-Trent DE13 9HS

Drinks provided, please bring a packed lunch.

Arrive at 9.15 for prompt 9.30 start

If you plan to arrive by train we can arrange collection from the nearby train station Tutbury/Hatton. There is ample parking if coming by car.

Any questions: please email: studio@petemoorhouse.co.uk

Tutor:

Pete Moorhouse is an early years creative consultant, researcher , author and artist educator based in the UK. He is an associate trainer for Early Education and deliverers training nationally and overseas and is also an endorsed Froebel Tutor. His work in schools is centred around nurturing children’s creativity and his practice is inspired by Froebelian principles and practice in Reggio Emilia. Pete is the UKs leading authority on woodwork in Early Years education and has written several books and journal articles, including ‘Learning Through Woodwork’ (Routledge) and books on outdoor learning. He is currently working his latest book – ‘Creativity in Practice: Nurturing creative and critical thinking in early childhood education’. He was awarded an honorary research fellowship from the University of Bristol and is currently researching the value of woodwork in early education. Pete was also awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake international research into best woodworking practices in education. Pete won the national award (2019) from the Creative Learning Guild for his work promoting creativity in education and is Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

Introducing woodwork in early childhood CPD (EYFS/KS1) – Newcastle

Monday June 12th 2023

9.30- 3.30

HEADS TRAINING CENTRE
Bertram Crescent, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 6PY

Booking:

either via Eventbrite: https://bit.ly/3AuMxbk

or email Pete: studio@petemoorhouse.co.uk and I will invoice

 

Day overview:

An introduction to the day. The historical and current context. Equal opportunities.

Theory: Where woodwork meet curriculum: Associated learning and development

Introduction to tools, wood, resources and workbenches

How to set up a woodwork area and manage the provision

Health and safety and risk assessment. Parents.

Longer term and collaborative projects, primary progression, makerspaces

Practical sessions: 2 practical sessions offering hands-on experience

————————————————————–

There is something really special about woodwork. The smell and feel of wood, using real tools, working with a natural material, the sounds of hammering and sawing, hands and minds working together to express imagination and solve problems, the use of strength and coordination: all go to combine captivating young children’s interest. It provides a truly unique experience. Woodwork is hugely popular with children, providing a rich source of enjoyment as well as learning. It is truly cross-curricular embracing so many areas of learning as well as building on children’s dispositions for learning. The impact is profound and long term.

This practical workshop will look at ways in which woodworking can be safely introduced in your school. We will look at the theory and the associated learning and development relating to the EYFS and KS1. There will be explanations of the most suitable wood and tools for children and instruction on how best to use them. We will look at the stages of children’s progression in woodwork. Information on potential suppliers of wood/ tools will be provided. Explanations on how to set up and manage a woodworking area. I emphasise open-ended exploration and also provide examples of possible longer term projects. There will be practical sessions for teachers to explore the tools, gain confidence and share the experience of making creations in wood.

From this course you will:

Understand the value and theory of woodwork especially in relation to EYFS/KS1

Learn about the current and historical context of woodwork

Understand the potential of woodwork for creativity and critical thinking

Learn how to introduce woodwork safely, implementing an effective risk assessment

Understand the most suitable tools for young children and how to use them

Be confident to develop a woodworking area

Know where to buy the most appropriate tools and materials

The venue is HEADS TRAINING CENTRE

Bertram Crescent, Newcastle upon Tyne, NE15 6PY

Drinks provided, bring a packed lunch.

Arrive at 9.15 for prompt 9.30 start

Tutor:

Pete Moorhouse is an early years creative consultant, researcher , author and artist educator based in the UK. He is an associate trainer for Early Education and deliverers training nationally and overseas and is also an endorsed Froebel Tutor. His work in schools is centred around nurturing children’s creativity and his practice is inspired by Froebelian principles and practice in Reggio Emilia. Pete is the UKs leading authority on woodwork in Early Years education and has written several books and journal articles, including ‘Learning Through Woodwork’ (Routledge) and books on outdoor learning. He is currently working his latest book – ‘Creativity in Practice: Nurturing creative and critical thinking in early childhood education’. He was awarded an honorary research fellowship from the University of Bristol and is currently researching the value of woodwork in early education. Pete was also awarded a Churchill Fellowship to undertake international research into best woodworking practices in education. Pete won the national award (2019) from the Creative Learning Guild for his work promoting creativity in education and is Fellow of the Royal Society of Arts.

50 fantastic ideas to encourage diversity and inclusion

Check out this accessible book packed full of great ideas to develop awareness and ensure your practice is more inclusive and respects diversity. Written by June O’Sullivan and Nausheen Khan. The book covers many important subjects such as gender, race, and ethnicity, suggesting ideas to develop an inclusive environment for all children.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I have a copy to give away so get in touch if you’d like one for your setting!