Kate

Play is often seen as something children do before real learning begins. In Early Years, play is encouraged, protected, and celebrated.But as children move into Year 1 and beyond, learning becomes more formal — lessons are more structured, outcomes are more defined, and play quietly slips down the priority list. Yet play doesn’t stop being […]

Why Movement Can Help with After-School Meltdowns After school can be one of the hardest parts of the day. Children arrive home tired, overstimulated, and emotionally full — and it often shows in big feelings, shutdowns, or meltdowns. This is where movement as regulation can make a real difference. Movement isn’t just exercise For many

This week has been all about settling back in. After the Christmas break — and a slightly disrupted December with missed sessions and changes of space — it felt important not to rush straight into new learning. Instead, I leaned into repetition. Why repetition matters Repetition gives children something familiar to hold onto.It helps them

January can feel like a natural pause point. After the busyness of Christmas, many parents start to notice a familiar feeling creeping in:“We really need to get back into a routine.” For young children, routine isn’t about strict timetables or packed schedules.It’s about familiarity, predictability and having something to anchor the week around. Why this

As the year comes to a close, I’ve been reflecting on what this year has really been about for Roarsome Sport. Not just what’s grown — but how it’s grown. Over the past twelve months, our Sunday sessions have expanded, with more children joining us each week and a genuinely special atmosphere building in the

As parents, it’s easy to feel pressure to make Christmas magical.The events.The outings.The experiences.The things we think we should be doing. But recently, I’ve been reminded that the moments children remember most are often the simplest ones. This weekend, we took a short break away. We stayed in a budget hotel — nothing fancy —

Last week I did something that isn’t really “me” at all.I tried forest bathing — lying down outdoors, noticing the sounds around me, and letting my brain slow down for a moment. I wasn’t sure what to expect.Would I feel silly?Would my mind run through my to-do list like it always does? What surprised me

December always seems to arrive with a to-do list of its own. School shows. Santa visits. Christmas fairs. Matching pyjamas. Crafts. Class parties. Family gatherings. Extra activities squeezed into already-full weeks. And somewhere between all of that, we’re meant to make everything magical. But here’s the thing I keep reminding myself — and maybe you

When people hear that I run a children’s sports club, they often assume I grew up playing every sport under the sun. The truth is the opposite. I enjoyed PE at school, but I never joined the teams. I didn’t have sporty friends and I never felt like the clubs were for me. I think

Play is often talked about as something extra — something children do when the “real learning” is finished. But the truth is, play is real learning. And children need more of it, not less. Over the last few years, we’ve seen a growing push towards earlier formal learning. Younger and younger children are being expected