Recent posts
Top five tips for creative writing at Christmas
From storytelling games to alternative Christmas stories, encourage your child’s creative writing during with our top tips for creative writing at Christmas. Read more
Half-term and Halloween activities for kids this Autumn
Looking for fun things to do with the kids this half-term? We’ve created a list of easy crafts, Halloween games and more. Read more
BBC 500 Words Report 2023
Inspire your child's imagination with the BBC 500 Words competition 2023 – a creative writing competition for 5 to 11 year olds, run in association with Oxford University Press. Read more
Book of the Month: Mirabelle and the Midnight Feast
Win a free copy of Mirabelle and the Midnight Feast, a magical tale about friendship, siblings and owning up to your own mistakes. Suitable for 5+ (February 2024) Read more
World Book Day Costume Ideas
Make this year's celebration of books and reading extra special with our no-sew World Book Day costume ideas, including Winnie the Witch and Isadora Moon. Read more
Book of the Month: Science Words for Little People
Win a free copy of Science Words for Little People: Weather. This entertaining book introduces children to words and phrases that help them explore science confidently. Suitable for 3+ (January 2024) Read more
Oxford Children’s Word of the Year 2023: Climate Change
Climate change is the Oxford Children’s Word of the Year 2023. Find out about children’s evolving use of language and analysis from Oxford University Press. Read more
Building a strong vocabulary: How to help at home
Headteacher Tracey Smith shares her ideas for fun and easy games you can play to build your toddler’s vocabulary and boost their confidence with words. Read more
Christmas activities for 5–7 year olds
Whatever the weather this Christmas, you’ll find an activity here to suit your child. Wrap up warm and go out for a winter scavenger hunt, or stay inside and play party games with our range of festive activity ideas. Read more
The Oxford Language Report 2023: Building Children’s Vocabulary
In the 2023 Oxford Language Report, we share perspectives from parents and teachers about how they approach vocabulary building, as well as the challenges they face. Read more
Christmas activities for 4–5 year olds
Practise early maths and letter recognition skills with some Christmas colouring in and get lots of car game ideas to keep everyone occupied on long journeys this Christmas. Read more
Fun Christmas activities for 0–4 year olds
From hand-print Christmas wreaths to games to develop shape recognition skills, discover lots of toddler-friendly crafts and activity ideas to try with your little ones this Christmas! Read more
How to choose a book for ages 3–7
Children's librarian Greta Paterson shares her 5 top tips for choosing books for 3–7 year olds. Read more
Preparing for parents’ evening
Parents’ evenings are a very important part of the relationship you develop with your child’s school and teacher. Find out how to get the most out of them. Read more
Book of the Month: The Wild
Win a free copy of The Wild, a lyrical modern fable with a hopeful message about how our environment needs us just as much as we need it. Suitable for 3+ (November 2023) Read more
Spelling Spotlight: when to use ‘ize’ and ‘ise’
It might seem strange to spell the same word differently. Is it -ise or -ize at the end? Which is right? Is it American or English? Find out here! Read more
Book of the Month: Thunderboots
Win a free copy of Thunderboots, a fun story about a little girl who realises that what makes her different is also what makes her unique! Suitable for 3+ (October 2023) Read more
Book of the Month: Amazing Animal Tales, Little Monkey and Tiny Tadpole
Win copies of Amazing Animal Tales: Little Monkey and Tiny Tadpole, for little animal lovers. Suitable for children aged 2+ (September 2023) Read more
4 tips to inspire children’s creative writing
Coming up with a great story idea can be tricky, so we've gathered together four fun activities to inspire your child's creative writing as we celebrate creativity and imagination this September. Read more
Summer reading 2023: Read anywhere and everywhere you can this summer!
From island adventures to stories about twin detectives, here’s our list of favourite children’s books to read this summer. Read more
Book of the Month: Isadora Moon, The Summer Fun Activity Book
Win copies of Isadora Moon: The Summer Fun Activity Book, perfect for fans of Harriet Muncaster's characters. Suitable for children aged 5-8 (June 2023) Read more
Boosting early maths skills with number facts
Louise Pennington shows us her top five maths games, including 'Bunny rabbit ears' and 'What's in the bag?', to help your child practise their number facts. Read more
Book of the Month: The Earth’s Immense Oceans
Win copies of The Earth's Immense Oceans, packed full of clear and entertaining explanations. Suitable for children aged 9+ (May 2023) Read more
Countdown to the KS2 SATs: week two
Advice for parents on how your child can best prepare for KS2 SATs, including lots of revision tips and ideas. Read more
Countdown to the KS2 SATs: week one
Advice about how you can help your child to do their very best in the KS2 national tests, and how the assessments can be approached so that they’re a positive experience for everyone involved. Read more
Inspiring Middle Grade Books: titles to celebrate Women’s History Month
As March marks both Women’s History month and International Women’s Day, we’ve put together a list of our favourite reads which feature strong and inspirational female lead characters. Read more
Book of the Month: Emerald and the Ocean Parade
Win copies of Emerald and the Ocean Parade, about a mermaid princess who doesn't feel like one at all. Suitable for children aged 5-8 (March 2023) Read more
Book of the Month: Ways to Say I Love You
Win copies of Ways to Say I Love You, a warm picture book that explores how we express love. Suitable for children aged 2+ (February 2023) Read more
How to help your child with mental arithmetic
Building confidence in maths early on will pay back many times over. Get tips for developing your child's mental arithmetic skills. Read more
Book of the Month: The Worry Jar
Win copies of The Worry Jar, a heart-warming and confidence-building story. Suitable for children aged 2+ (January 2023) Read more
Book of the Month: Cosy Christmas Book Bundle
Win copies of our cosy Christmas book bundle in our festive give away (December 2022) Read more
Book of the Month: The Friendship Bench
Win copies of The Friendship Bench, the perfect returning to school read. Suitable for children aged 2+ (September 2022) Read more
Fun books with maths
Lots of fun book ideas that introduce key maths concepts for children to read at home. Read more
Book of the Month: Martha Maps it Out
Win copies of Martha Maps it Out, and explore the world around you through maps. Perfect for children aged 2+ (August 2022) Read more
Animal Themed Picture Book Ideas
Lots of animal themed picture book ideas for you and your child to enjoy this summer, with our top recommendations for ages 2+. Read more
Summer reading for kids: recommended books
From island adventures to stories about twin detectives, here’s our list of favourite children’s books to read this summer. Read more
Easter Holiday Reads
Springtime reads for you and your child to enjoy this Easter holiday, with a selection of titles suitable for age 2-7! Read more
Five easy Easter activities to do at home
Whether you want to create a traditional Easter egg hunt or enjoy some family reading time, we’ve got an egg-citing host of activities for you to choose from. Read more
Book of the Month: The Smile
Win copies of The Smile, exploring how much difference a smile can make with children aged 2+ (March 2022) Read more
Ideas to sneak learning into everyday activities
Here are education expert James Clements' favourite ways to teach your child on the sly, supporting their learning while having fun! Read more
Book of the Month: Marv
Win a copy of Marv and the Dino Attack and Marv and the Mega Robot, for a superhero story like no other for children aged 5+ (February 2022) Read more
Book of the Month: Big Words for Little People – Celebrate and Our World
Win copies of Big Words for Little People: Celebrate and Our World, for great ways to introduce new vocabulary to children aged 3+ (January 2022) Read more
Talking about Climate Change at home
Advice and guidance on how to start talking to your child or children about climate change at home, with practical ideas and suggestions. Read more
Book of the Month: The 12 Books of Christmas
Win copies of 12 books this Christmas in our festive give away (December 2021) Read more
How to escape Christmas fatigue
Avoid the Christmas holiday slump with our top tips for keeping you and your family active over the festive season. Read more
Book of the Month: Mickey and the Missing Spy
Win a copy of Mickey and the Missing Spy, for an interactive book ideal for budding spies aged 7+ (November 2021) Read more
Choosing a primary school
Education expert James Clements gives his advice on how to choose the right school for your child. Read more
What are reading schemes and why do they matter?
Educational publishing expert Andrea Quincey explains why reading schemes are important, and what the different colours, bands and levels actually mean. Read more
Book of the Month: Pippi Longstocking
Win a copy of Pippi Longstocking (gift edition) for you and a friend, and enjoy this beautifully illustrated story (October 2021) Read more
Book of the Month: Roald Dahl Scrumptious & Delumptious Words
Win copies of a Roald Dahl book bundle, to broaden vocabulary and have fun with language (September 2021) Read more
Diversifying your child’s reading
Diversifying the children’s book industry and what our children are reading is a much talked about topic. Many people want to make a difference, but with so much information available, it can be difficult to know where to start. Read more
Book of the Month: Numicon at Home
Win a Numicon at home First Steps kit, designed to help you get your child’s early Maths learning off to the best possible start. (August 2021) Read more
Book of the Month: I’m the Driver
Win copies of I'm a Digger Driver and I'm a Fire Engine Driver, jumping into the driver's seat and entering a world of imaginative play (July 2021) Read more
Book of the Month: The Pirate Mums
Win a copy of The Pirate Mums, perfect for introducing young children to the idea that families come in lots of shapes and sizes! (June 2021) Read more
Get number confident on National Numeracy Day
Get involved with National Numeracy Day 2021 and help your child's confidence grow, with our top tips and free maths activities. Read more
Looking forward to the summer term: tips to help boost your child’s learning
What can we do to help our children to make progress over the term ahead? James Clements shares his tips to help boost skills and knowledge. Read more
5 top tips to keep reading at home
It's more important than ever to keep your child reading at home this term and over the summer holidays. Camilla Macoun shares her tips. Read more
Book of the Month: Mickey and the Trouble with Moles
Win a copy of Mickey and the Trouble with Moles, a perfect read for budding spies and sure to stretch their problem-solving skills! (May 2021) Read more
Book of the Month: Amber Undercover
Win a copy of Amber Undercover, a novel which sets out to challenge the way that adventure and intrigue are too often reserved for the boys. (April 2021) Read more
Science at home: How to extract DNA from a banana
Try this fun science activity to help children create a mental image of DNA and give them a taste of what being a scientist is like! Read more
Oxford Owl Lockdown Learning Heroes Awards: WINNERS!
Meet the winners of the Oxford Owl Lockdown Learning Hero Awards: inspirational individuals who have made a huge difference to learning during lockdown. Read more
Building kids’ resilience and confidence
How do you help build your child's confidence and resilience? Teacher and child psychologist Jean Gross CBE shares her tips for helping children believe in themselves, and discusses how you can encourage them to be determined and enjoy challenges. Read more
Book of the Month: The Perfect Fit
Win a copy of The Perfect Fit, a book packed full of positive messages about individuality and inclusion for young children. (March 2021) Read more
Top tips from parents on sharing stories at home
Sharing stories with your child is a wonderful way to take them to new worlds, to share the pleasure of reading, and positively impact their educational outcomes. Read more
World Book Day 2021
Join in this World Book Day with video sessions from some of your children’s favourite authors and our library of free downloadable activity sheets! Read more
Book of the Month: Kitty and the Twilight Trouble
To celebrate the publication of the brand-new Kitty book, we have a bundle of books to give away! (February 2020) Read more
8 fun ways to learn about shapes
Shapes are all around us and there are many ways you can start exploring them with your child. Get ideas on how to help familiarise your child with different shapes in all sorts of contexts. Read more
Book of the Month: All Aboard …
To celebrate the publication of the brand-new All Aboard series, we’ve got three pairs of books to give away! (January 2020) Read more
Mindfulness and mental health in children: five top tips for parents
How can you encourage mindfulness at home with your child, to support positive wellbeing and mental health? Liz Lord shares her tips for parents. Read more
Time flies: helping your child learn to tell the time
Learning to tell the time using both analogue and digital clocks is still an important skill, but it’s something that children can find tricky to master. Louise Pennington shares ideas to support your child's growing understanding of time. Read more
Money skills in a digital age
How to develop an understanding of money and healthy money habits in our children when there are fewer opportunities for them to see the real and physical exchange of cash. Read more
Book of the Month: Big Words for Little People
To celebrate the publication of the brand-new Big Words for Little People series, we’ve got three pairs of books to give away! (November 2020) Read more
Settling in at primary school
Our top tips for helping your child get used to their busy new school routine. Read more
How fun with phonics helps develop communication skills
One of the most valuable skills we can give our children is the ability to communicate well. Read top tips on how to develop communication skills. Read more
Using music for social and emotional development: Family activities from Amani Project
We’re working with Amani Project to help you make music and make change this summer! Get involved and complete the weekly activities to earn badges and find out more about Amani Project’s important work combining the power of music for children’s social and emotional development all around the world. Read more
500 Words: Black Lives Matter – how are British children responding to the emerging themes and issues in their writing?
Almost 6,000 children entered the writing competition in July 2020 and Oxford University Press' analysis shines a light on children’s insight, empathy, and imagination when writing about race. Find out more. Read more
Oxford Levels: How to support your 7–11-year-old’s reading development
Find out how Oxford Levels and levelled readers can support and develop your child's reading skills even after they've learned how to read. Read more
Book of the Month: Oxford Phonics Spelling Dictionary
The Oxford Phonics Spelling Dictionary is packed with words ordered by phonic sound to help young children learn how to spell. Enter our competition to win a free copy. Read more
Top 8 books about starting school
Starting school is a big milestone in a child’s life – not to mention a parent/carer’s too! Here are eight engaging stories and picture books about starting school to share with your child, to gently prepare them for their first day. Read more
Start calculating with Numicon
It can be hard making the jump from counting numbers to calculating. Sheila O'Reilly shares activities to introduce your child to addition and subtraction. Read more
How reading programmes can help junior readers
Once your child has mastered decoding, it can be liberating to choose whatever books they like – but there are still benefits to structured reading schemes. Read more
Developing reading skills as your child gets older
Once your child has mastered phonics and word-reading, where do they go next? Here are our ideas to keep your 7–11-year-old's reading skills developing. Read more
Times tables: Practice makes perfect
Maths teacher and education expert Louise Pennington shares her favourite activities and games to help your child learn their times tables. Read more
How Numicon can help develop maths skills at home
Early Years teacher and mother Sheila O'Reilly shows us how the 1st Steps with Numicon at Home kit can support your child's early maths development. Read more
Not your typical books for boys
An alternative list of recommended books for boys. Perfect for boys who are looking to read about something other than football or jokes about bottoms! Read more
Money, money, money
Money isn’t everything, but being 'good with money' is undoubtedly a useful life skill. Read Fiona Lazenby's top tips for practising using money with your child. Read more
Maths is everywhere!
Maths expert Louise Pennington shares her advice for developing your child's maths skills during school closures by exploring maths in the real world. Read more
Book of the Month: Super Happy Magic Forest and the Humongous Fungus
Five brave heroes, one epic quest… It’s time to head back into the Super Happy Magic Forest! Enter our competition to win your free copy. Read more
Book of the Month: Willow Wildthing and the Swamp Monster
Win this brand new book, perfect for children age 7+ interested in the natural world and the environment. When Willow crosses the boundary to the patch of woodland behind her house, something amazing happens: she enters The Wilderness, where magic and nature collide… Read more
Book of the Month: Read with Oxford comic books
Win two Read with Oxford comics, full of fun characters and engaging storylines – from sneaking past ticklish octopuses to getting cuddly bumbles home for tea. Read more
Learning to read in Reception
Find out what sort of books to expect to come home in your child’s book bag, and get top tips on how best to support your child. Read more
Great books to get boys reading
John Dougherty shares his top picks for books to encourage and inspire your son to read. Read more
How a dictionary and thesaurus can help your child discover the world of words
Find out how using dictionaries and thesauruses can expand your child's vocabulary and help them enjoy learning. Read more
What do the KS2 SATs scores mean?
Education expert James Clements explains what the KS2 SATs are, how scaled scores work, and what you can expect to hear from your child's school. Read more
Four top tips for getting the most out of non-fiction
There are lots of great reasons to share factual books with your child. Here are our top four tips for getting the most out of reading non-fiction. Read more
Overcoming maths anxiety and being #PositiveAboutNumbers
Derry Richardson talks about combating maths anxiety and becoming #PositiveAboutNumbers, with helpful practical tips for parents. Read more
Language unlocks reading – easy ways to support your child’s early language skills
A recent report highlights the link between children's early language skills and their life chances. We look at simple everyday activities to boost your child's communication, language and reading skills. Read more
Brilliant picture books: 22 beautiful books for children under 5
Wendy Cooling MBE has selected her favourite illustrated books to help you introduce your child to the wonders of stories and storytelling. Read more
How gardening can cultivate your child’s maths skills
Science writer Isabel Thomas shares her top five tips for cultivating maths skills in the garden, no matter how big or small your green space and green fingers. Read more
A case for non-fiction:
five reasons to read non-fiction with your child
Education expert James Clements outlines five benefits of reading non-fiction, and gives us his top non-fiction reads for ages 5–11. Read more
Get messy with measuring
Fiona Lazenby tells us her four top tips for learning about volume, area and capacity at home, and having messy fun in the process! Read more
How to edit your 500 Words story
Finished a first draft of your short story and not sure what to do next? Read Christopher Edge's top tips for polishing your story to perfection. Read more
Why does your child need a dictionary?
Dictionaries are great for developing your child's vocabulary, but not just any will do. Publisher Sam Armstrong explains how Oxford Children's Dictionaries can support your child. Read more
The wonder of words: How learning new words can help your child
A rich vocabulary allows a child to enjoy their reading, to express themselves and to learn about the world. James Clements offers tips on how to help your child's vocabulary develop. Read more
Cerrie Burnell’s top tips for reading bedtime stories
Sharing a book at bedtime helps develop your child's vocabulary, gets them used to the idea of regular reading, and gives you both a great opportunity to bond. Children's author Cerrie Burnell gives us her top tips for getting the most out of bedtime reading. Read more
Story sparks: find inspiration for your short story
When you look down at a blank piece of paper, inspiration can seem a long way away. Here are Christopher Edge's top tips for coming up with story ideas. Read more
Stories from the road less travelled – children’s books that celebrate diversity
Every child deserves to see lives like their own represented in powerful stories. Cerrie Burnell shares her favourite children's books that celebrate diversity. Read more
Harriet Muncaster’s creative writing challenge
Harriet Muncaster gives her top tips on how to write a story, from developing the characters to designing the plot. Read more
10 top tips to help your toddler go to sleep
Discover how to help your child get a good night's sleep with these tips inspired by our new book for toddlers, Goodnight, Sleep Tight. Read more
Spooky reads for 9+ year olds
Embrace Halloween with our recommended spooky reads for 9–11 year olds, including Flood and Fang, The Dark is Rising and Uncle Montague's Tales of Terror. Read more
2018 Oxford Children’s Word of the Year: Plastic
Plastic has been revealed as the Children’s Word of the Year by Oxford University Press for the BBC 500 Words Competition. British children have once again shown themselves to be fabulously inventive, funny and socially astute. Read more
Books to inspire young scientists
Science and engineering provide fantastic career opportunities, but science is not just for scientists – it’s a huge part of everyday life. A good grounding in science will help every child to navigate their world and make good decisions. Isabel Thomas recommends books for ages 3–11 to inspire your young scientist. Read more
The word gap: How to build your child’s vocabulary at home
Oxford University Press surveyed over 1,300 teachers who reported that the word gap is not only affecting children’s achievement at school but also that it can have a damaging impact on self-esteem and children’s ability to make friends. Find out what you can do to encourage language development at home. Read more
Picture books for older readers
Who says we have to leave picture books behind in KS1? These wonderful books use spellbinding illustrations to introduce children to big ideas. Includes FArTHER and The Man Who Walked Between Towers. Read more
How to write your best story ever!
Christopher Edge, author of 'How to Write your Best Story Ever!', shares his top 10 tips to help your child write amazing stories. Read more
Matty Long’s top 10 fantasy books for under 5s
Matty Long, author of Super Magic Happy Forest, chooses his favourite fantasy picture books for children under five years old. Read more
4 fun ways to develop characters for a short story
Every story needs a star! These four fun activities will help any aspiring author dream up some page-turning protagonists. Read more
Cooking with kids – developing early maths skills
Cooking with your child makes for a fun opportunity to talk about maths together. Author Isabel Thomas shares her tips for using maths while cooking. Read more
Ideas to develop problem-solving skills
Isabel Thomas shares her fun, simple ways to explore maths and problem-solving while you're out and about with the family. Read more
Building reading dens
Isabel Thomas explains how making reading dens with your child can turn reading a book into a special shared adventure with these simple ideas. Read more
Back to school BINGO
Frustrated by single-word answers from your child about the first few weeks at school? Get the conversation started with our Back to school BINGO card. Read more
Children’s dictionaries – how to find the right dictionary for your child
Find the right dictionary for your child with these four useful tips. Read more
Car journey games
Isabel Thomas suggests simple games to keep your child occupied on long car journeys – and to squeeze in a bit of learning on the way! Read more
How to build a girl – books to inspire, encourage, or just reassure your daughter
Books to inspire, encourage, or just reassure your daughter, selected by the award-winning children's author Joanna Nadin. Read more
Your local library – a forgotten treasure trove
Guest blogger and primary school librarian Clare Turner gives her top five reasons why you should visit the library with your child. Read more
Developing empathy through reading
Children's author Anne Booth, creator of the Lucy series, discusses how reading builds up emotional literacy, empathy, and relationship skills. Read more
How can I support my child with phonics?
There are so many easy things you can do to help support your child’s phonics learning. Here are a few ideas from phonics expert Laura Sharp. Read more
What is phonics?
Education expert Laura Sharp breaks down what phonics is, how phonics is taught in schools, and why phonics is important and useful. Read more
Supernatural tales for 7–9 year olds
Watch your children's imaginations spirit them away with our selection of supernatural tales for ages 7–9. Unputdownable books about extraordinary children! Read more
Using storytelling to develop reading and writing skills
Early reading specialist Emily Guille-Marrett talks about how oral storytelling can lay the foundations for literacy skills – as well as being great fun. Read more