Welcome to YOUR ‘Preschool Hub’ Page
Welcome to your comprehensive Preschool Hub, expertly designed to support preschool practitioners, managers, and committees across the UK. We understand the vibrant and unique nature of your setting and are dedicated to providing an extensive range of printable resources, innovative ideas, and up-to-date guidance to help you deliver outstanding early years provision.
From navigating EYFS requirements and planning engaging activities to fostering strong parent partnerships and managing your preschool effectively, our hub is packed with free and paid resources to make your day-to-day simpler and more inspiring.
Quick Links to Key Resources
Revised 2025 EYFS Statutory Framework for Group & School-Based Providers | What You Need to Know
EYFS Planning & Assessment Templates: Simplify your paperwork and track progress.
Seasonal Themes & Activities: Instantly download fun for every time of year.
Role-Play Area Kits: Transform your space with immersive play scenarios.
Dual Language Posters: Support communication and cultural diversity in your setting.
Special Dates Calendars for the year | Plus Activity Guides for August & Activity Guides for September: Plan ahead for awareness days and celebrations. Once on our Special Dates Calendar page which acts as an overview of the year, please click on our monthly calendars and individual special dates to find out more. Our awareness dates take you to a dedicated Activity Guide page for each date and all others link through to relevant resource pages where you can also scroll down to find more information about the event.
Preschool Setting Organisational Tools: Organise your setting with self-registration & emotional regulation displays, daily safety checklists, timetable and routine resources, picture communication cards and much more!
EYFS Framework Support Materials: From ‘Teaching and Learning Characteristics’ & ‘Overarching Principles’ materials to ‘Area of Learning Support’ examples & ‘Designated Safeguard Lead’ resources, we’ve got you covered!
‘Areas of Learning Hub’ Page: Browse our resources by ‘Area of Learning’ categories. Narrow your search to suit the needs of your individual children.
Outdoor Area Provision: All-year round inspirational ideas and resources for your setting.
Catering for a wide range of ages with wrap-around care? Explore our Themes & Activities perfect for engaging all ages.
Need an activity fast? Quickly grab a Colouring Activity to build those all important fine motor control skills, develop colour recognition and practice mindfulness.
NEW | From Our Blog: Latest Articles & Practical Guides: Includes Preschool Regulatory Updates. Stay informed on the latest DfE and Ofsted changes.
Highlighted Must-haves for your Pre-school Setting
If you are not a member already, become a ‘Free Access’ member here. This will give you access to resources within the ‘Free Sample Resources’ sections at the top of most topic pages and ‘Special Dates Calendars’. Some whole topics are even free! Find out more about all of our membership options here. If you are already a member… thank-you! x
Planning & Organisation: Your Essential Toolkit for Preschool Practitioners
Keeping your preschool setting running smoothly and compliantly is paramount. Our organisational resources are designed to help you streamline your paperwork, meet statutory requirements, and manage your daily routines with ease.
EYFS Planning & Assessment: Access a comprehensive range of printable templates for daily, weekly, and long-term planning, alongside observation sheets and assessment tools to effectively track children’s progress against the Early Learning Goals.
Daily Routines & Timetables: Utilise our visual schedules and routine cards to help children understand the flow of their day, promoting independence and a calm environment.
Record Keeping Essentials: Find printable paperwork, from child record forms and child absence tracking sheets to age 2 progress check templates and changing EYFS settings handover packs, ensuring your documentation is organised and compliant for inspections.
Download Essential Preschool Forms & Paperwork (More coming soon at this link!)
Engaging Activities & Learning Themes for Early Years
Spark joy and foster development with our diverse range of activity ideas and printable packs. We've got you covered for every season, celebration, and learning focus, ensuring children remain captivated and curious.
Popular Themes & Seasonal Fun
Seasonal Activities: Embrace the changing seasons with themed crafts, outdoor challenges, and learning activities tailored for Spring, Summer, Autumn, and Winter.
Festivals & Celebrations: Discover resources for cultural celebrations like Diwali, Eid, Lunar/Chinese New Year, Christmas, and Easter, fostering inclusivity and global awareness in your setting.
Awareness Days & Special Dates: Utilise our comprehensive calendars and blog ideas to plan engaging activities around key awareness events, promoting understanding and discussion. Once on our Special Dates Calendar page which acts as an overview of the year, please click on our monthly calendars and individual special dates to find out more. Our awareness dates take you to a dedicated Activity Guide page for each date and all others link through to relevant resource pages where you can also scroll down to find more information about the event.
August & September Special Date Inspirational Activity Ideas for Preschools: Read our new Educational & Informative Event Blog Posts. Browse awareness dates below using the arrows and click through to our dedicated blog post pages to read more.
Woof woof! International Dog Day, celebrated annually on August 26th, is a heartwarming global day dedicated to celebrating dogs of all breeds, pure and mixed. It aims to raise awareness about…
Swoop into action! International Bat Night is an annual event that takes place at the end of August across more than 30 countries to raise awareness about bats and their conservation…
Swing into action! International Orangutan Day, observed annually on August 19th, is a crucial global day dedicated to raising awareness about the critical threat facing orangutans and the…
World Elephant Day, celebrated annually on August 12th, is a significant global event dedicated to raising awareness about the urgent plight of elephants worldwide. It was launched in 2012 by the…
Get ready to look up! The Annual Perseid Meteor Shower, often considered one of the best meteor showers of the year, takes place every August, typically peaking around August 12th or…
Roar! World Lion Day, celebrated annually on August 10th, is a powerful global initiative dedicated to celebrating the majestic lion and highlighting the urgent need for its conservation. It…
Meow! International Cat Day, celebrated annually on August 8th, is a purr-fect opportunity to celebrate our feline friends and learn all about them! It's a day dedicated to raising awareness about…
International Owl Awareness Day, observed annually on August 4th, is a captivating opportunity to introduce young children to the fascinating world of owls! It's a day dedicated to highlighting…
Ahoy, mateys! International Pirate Month, celebrated throughout August, is a fantastic, swashbuckling opportunity to inject adventure, imaginative play, and a whole heap of learning into…
Let's open a book and dive into amazing stories and adventures! 📖✨ International Children’s Book Day (ICBD) is celebrated every year on April 2nd. This special day is chosen because it's the…
Time to get cosy with a book! 📚📖 National Read a Book Day is an unofficial observance, primarily celebrated in the United States, annually on September 6th. Its simple yet powerful…
Let's recycle! ♻️ Recycle Week is an annual event in the UK that typically takes place in 2025 between 22nd and 28th September. Organised by WRAP (Waste & Resources Action…
Bonjour, hola, ciao! European Day of Languages is celebrated annually on September 26th. This initiative, organised by the Council of Europe with the European Union, aims to celebrate the rich…
See clearly, learn happily! National Eye Health Week is a fantastic annual campaign in the UK, taking place from September 22nd to 28th in 2025. Promoted by Eye Health UK, its aim is to raise…
Let's make peace! 🕊️ The U.N. International Day of Peace, often simply called Peace Day, is observed globally every year on September 21st. Established by the United Nations, this day is…
Let's clean up our beaches! The Great British Beach Clean is an annual event organised by the Marine Conservation Society (MCS), in 2025 it is being held between 19th and 28th…
Ahoy, mateys! International Talk Like a Pirate Day is a fantastically fun, unofficial holiday celebrated worldwide every year on September 19th. This day was founded in 1995 by John Baur…
Get up and get active! National Fitness Day is the UK's biggest annual celebration of physical activity. Organised by ukactive, it takes place on September 24th, 2025. The day aims to highlight…
Think happy thoughts! Positive Thinking Day, observed informally on September 13th, is a wonderful opportunity to focus on the power of optimism, resilience, and a 'can-do' attitude. While…
Hugs for Teddies! Teddy Bear Day is a charming and informal celebration that takes place on September 9th. It's a day to celebrate the beloved teddy bear, a timeless companion for children…
Time to get puzzling! International Sudoku Day is a fantastic occasion observed annually on September 9th. This date was chosen because Sudoku is famously played on a 9x9 grid! While…
Read all about it! International Literacy Day is celebrated every year on September 8th. Established by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in…
Reduce, reuse, recycle! Zero Waste Week is an annual, international campaign that takes place during the first full week of September. It encourages individuals, businesses, and communities to…
Hooray for friends! Friendship Month is a wonderful, informal initiative often celebrated during September (though sometimes observed in August or February) to shine a spotlight on the…
Crunch, munch! Snack-tember is a fantastic, informal awareness initiative that encourages a focus on healthy snacking throughout the month of September, particularly as children return to school…
Evergreen Themes & Activity Ideas: Key topics and inspirational resources for your setting whatever the season.
Preschool Setting Organisational Tools:
Organise your setting with self-registration & emotional regulation displays, quick notes home templates, timetable and routine resources, picture communication cards and much more! Access all of our Little Owls Resources organisational tools at this link or browse sub-topic buttons below (using the arrows):
Core Learning Areas & Developmental Support
Dive into our resources designed to support development across all EYFS Areas of Learning, ensuring a rich and balanced curriculum:
Communication & Language: Encourage vocabulary, listening skills, and confident expression with our story props, speaking prompts, and language-rich activities.
Physical Development: Develop fine and gross motor skills with our engaging activity cards, playdough mats, and movement games.
Alphabet & Initial Sounds: Introduce letters and their sounds with our colourful posters and interactive activity sheets, perfect for early phonics.
Phase 1 Phonics: Fun activities and games to build foundational phonological awareness.
Counting 0-10/20 & Subitising: Engaging printables to build foundational counting skills and quick recognition of quantities.
Shapes & Problem Solving: Explore 2D and 3D shapes and introduce early problem-solving scenarios through interactive activities.
Outdoor Learning & Creative Play
Make the most of your outdoor space and unleash creativity with our inspiring ideas and printables, designed to encourage exploration, physical activity, and imaginative play.
Outdoor Area Ideas & Printables: Tips and resources to enhance your outdoor learning environment, encouraging discovery and sensory experiences.
Role-Play Area Packs: Our popular themed packs (e.g., vet's surgery, post office, fairy tale theatre, construction site, teddy bears’ picnic) provide everything you need to set up exciting imaginary worlds that promote social development and problem-solving.
Playdough & Loose Part Mats: Spark creativity and fine motor skills with open-ended play invitations using our printable mats.
Nursery Rhymes & Songs: Classic nursery rhyme resources and song props, perfect for singing, actions, and supporting early language and memory skills.
SCHOOL Holiday Topics (Ideal to entertain a wide range of ages)
Open over the school holidays? Perhaps you have children of various ages…both Early Years and Primary?…Here are a few topics we have selected which may help to keep a wide range of ages entertained…
Preschool Insights, Advice & Updates
Stay informed, get expert advice, and find inspiration from our collection of articles and useful external resources, tailored specifically for preschools.
NEW | From Our Blog: Latest Articles & Practical Guides
We regularly publish in-depth articles to support you with current best practices, regulatory changes, and fresh ideas.
With the new 2025 EYFS Statutory Framework for group and school-based providers coming into effect on 1st September 2025, it's essential to understand the updates to ensure your practice remains compliant, effective…
The Education Secretary is calling on parents to lead by example and make reading a daily habit to help reverse the decline in reading for pleasure, to help give kids the best start in life as part of the…
As we head into summer, it’s especially important that children are prepared with these skills. This year, the Royal Life Saving Society UK's Drowning Prevention Week runs from 14 June to 21…
There are several ways that schools can make changes to keep children safe in hot weather, especially as children are more at risk of becoming ill with heat-related issues than adults…
Useful Organisations & External Resources
Find support and further information from leading organisations in the early years sector.
Ofsted: The official body for regulating and inspecting childcare providers in England, including preschools.
Department for Education (DfE): Access official government guidance, policies, and frameworks related to early years and childcare, including the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), which all preschools must follow.
Early Years Alliance: The largest and most representative early years membership organisation in England. They are a significant voice for preschools and offer extensive resources, training, and support specifically tailored to their needs. Many preschools are members of the Early Years Alliance.
Website: https://www.eyalliance.org.uk/
National Day Nurseries Association (NDNA): While "Nursery" is in their name, NDNA also provides valuable support, training, and resources that can benefit many types of early years settings, including larger preschools, particularly those looking for business management and quality improvement support.
Website: https://ndna.org.uk/
NSPCC Learning: Essential resources and training on safeguarding and child protection, with specific guidance and tools applicable to all early years settings, including preschools.
Website: https://learning.nspcc.org.uk/
British Association for Early Childhood Education (Early Education): A national charity promoting high-quality early childhood education. Their focus on pedagogy, child development, and professional learning is highly relevant for preschool practitioners.
Website: https://early-education.org.uk/
PACEY (Professional Association for Childcare and Early Years): Although a key body for childminders, PACEY also provides resources, training, and advice that can be valuable for practitioners in preschools, particularly smaller ones or those with less extensive in-house support.
Website: https://www.pacey.org.uk/
We're constantly adding new resources and articles to support you. Have a suggestion or can't find what you're looking for? [Contact Us!]
Preschool Inspiration Wall
Featured Time Relevant Themes and Engaging Resources for your pre-school setting
Splish, splash! National Beach Day, observed annually on August 30th, is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate our beautiful coastlines, sandy shores, and the vibrant life found in and…