early years development

picture of a child playing imaginatively with a wooden tea set in a beautiful bedroom

Why Play Matters More Than We Think (Especially in the Early Years)

By Sofi Tovey, Founder of Mucky Wolf

Why Is Play So Important in the Early Years?

When I became a parent to my little boy Wolf (yep, the name inspiration for my toy shop), I quickly realised something: play isn’t just something children do to pass the time. It is their work.

In the early years, particularly from birth to five, play is quite literally how children build their...

picture of a child engaging in a sensory activity with sand wooden blocks and toy animals

10 Sensory Games to Play With Your Toddler

What Are the Best Sensory Games for Toddlers at Home?

If you’ve ever watched your toddler happily splash, squish, poke or sniff their way through a mess, you already know that sensory play is serious business. Simple, hands-on games help build your child’s brain, coordination, language skills and emotional development, all while keeping them happily engaged — and quietly supporting children’s...

picture of a selction of brightly coloured wooden childrens toys

Why Parents Should Choose Toys That Teach, Not Just Entertain

Parents often put care into what they bring home for their children. No matter how simple it seems, each item affects how a child grows and learns. Thinking carefully about these choices can help shape positive habits and learning paths.

Toys are not just for fun; they are powerful tools that can significantly support children's learning. As kids spend a large part of their day...

picture of a family having dinner together

Talking to children away from TV or screens is vital to their development

Reading aloud to young children is great for their literacy, but studies show that young children can learn more vocabulary from conversation at the dinner table, according to The Family Dinner Project .

They say, children who eat dinner with their families have better skills for developing literacy than those who don’t eat with their families.

Kate Stephens, Devon County Council's...

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