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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 ... Read more
Learning at home: lockdown tips for parents
With UK schools closed again, we’ve pulled together some of our most popular blog posts from the first lockdown to help you support ... 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
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
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 ... 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 ... 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 ... Read more
Christmas activities for 7–9 year olds
Looking for homemade gifts to make with your child? Try making your own Christmas cards or a swirling, glittery snow globe with our ... 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 ... Read more
Fun Christmas activities for 9–11 year olds
For older children, why not encourage them to use the events of the festive as inspiration for some Christmas creative writing? Or ... Read more
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 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 Read more
WIN a Christmas book bundle!
It’s the season of giving, so we’re celebrating with not just one book of the month, but a whole bundle of festive treats! Read more
Preparing for the phonics screening check
The phonics screening check is an informal way for schools to assess your child's progress in reading. Sarah Loader shares tips for ... 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 ... 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! ... Read more
How to help your child bridge the word gap between primary and secondary school
Students with a limited vocabulary – or word gap – struggle to understand what is being taught at school. Find out how you can help ... Read more
Reading for pleasure: Ten ideas to inspire your child to read more
Reading for pleasure is so important in developing vocabulary. Use these ideas to inspire your child to keep on reading as they get older. 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
Book of the Month: Roald Dahl Words of Magical Mischief
Celebrate Roald Dahl Story Day with Roald Dahl Words of Magical Mischief, a brand-new, wickedly mischievous guide to the magical words! 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 ... Read more
Book of the Month: The Island That Didn’t Exist
Set out on an island adventure where you’ll meet wild children, uncover scientific secrets, and join a battle to protect the future of ... 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 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 ... Read more
Establishing a reading habit for the summer holidays and beyond
There are so many reasons to read with your children, this summer holiday and beyond. Read Mary Hamley's tips on how to encourage a ... 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
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
Moving on up (to secondary school)!
This year, the uncertainty around schools reopening could make moving up to big school even more daunting than usual. Here are our top ... 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 ... 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 Read more
Learning at home during lockdown: Almost over the finish line
If, like us, finding the enthusiasm to keep going with home learning is tricky, here are a few ideas for making it over the finish line. Read more
Inspire the author in your child with the new 500 Words: Black Lives Matter Competition!
Oxford University Press is proud to be partnering with the 500Words: Black Lives Matter story-writing competition. Our language experts Read more
Teaching number bonds (without any screens)
Lots of schoolwork is being set online at the moment. Here is one example from education expert James Clements of teaching maths skills Read more
2020 Oxford Children’s Word of the Year: Coronavirus
Coronavirus is the 2020 Oxford Children’s Word of the Year. Find out about children’s evolving use of language from analysis of stories Read more
Book of the Month: Progress with Oxford: Age 8–10 Activity Books
From cracking comprehension to tackling times tables, Progress with Oxford has been created to help your child practise essential ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... Read more
Learning at home: Reading to learn
Education expert James Clements talks about how children who are already confident readers can get the most out of their reading. 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
Ordering and counting with Numicon
Early Years teacher and mother Sheila O'Reilly shows us how to use Numicon shapes to help your child learn to count and order numbers. Read more
Learning at home: The tricky business of screen time
Keeping your child's screen time manageable can be tricky, especially at the moment. Education expert James Clements gives us his top tips. Read more
Writing a thank you letter
Practise handwriting by writing a thank you letter to someone who has helped you during lockdown – like a teacher, a family member, or ... 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 Read more
Five ways to improve maths home-learning
Maths expert Andrew Jeffrey shares five easy-to-implement strategies that can make a positive difference to our children’s maths ... 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 ... Read more
Teaching maths at home
Mathemagician Andrew Jeffrey suggests ways you can support your child's maths development at home without needing to be an expert. 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 ... 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 ... Read more
Learning at home: What can we learn from teachers?
Education expert James Clements talks about the lessons we can learn from teachers about helping your child to learn at home. Read more
Learning at home: Learning to read
Education expert James Clements runs through everything you need to keep your child's reading skills developing during the school lockdown. Read more
Author videos: Storytelling, draw-alongs, and challenges
Over the coming weeks, we are bringing you exciting new challenges, drawalongs and storytimes direct from the very best authors and ... Read more
Learning at home: Buying yourself some time
Education expert James Clements shares his ideas for keeping the children busy – in a constructive way – when you need to be getting on Read more
Learning at home: How to prioritise sharing a book
Education expert and writer James Clements talks about the importance of reading to your child to boost their educational success in ... 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
Learning at home: What would they be learning at school?
Education expert and writer James Clements explains what your child would be learning at school, and how we can use (or not use) the ... Read more
Learning at home: Things to get ready for next week
Education expert and writer James Clements suggests 6 practical things you get get ready over the weekend for next week's learning at home. Read more
Learning at home: Organising the day
Education expert and writer James Clements offers up 4 different approaches to structuring your child's day learning at home. Read more
Learning at home: Making a start
Educational expert and writer James Clements gives his 3 top tips of how to get started with teaching your child at home. 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 ... 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, inlcluding Winnie the ... 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 ... Read more
Inspire the author in your child with the BBC 500 Words Competition 2020!
Oxford Dictionaries for Children has teamed up with BBC Radio 2's 500 Words – the nationwide competition to find the most talented ... 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
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
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 child’s vocabulary and boost their ... Read more
Fractions, decimals and percentages
Flummoxed by fractions? Dismayed by decimals? Perplexed by percentages? Get tips for exploring these tricky concepts at home. 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
11+ and entrance exams explained
11+ tutor and writer Michellejoy Hughes explains what the exam involves, how marking works, and what you can do to help your child prepare. Read more
Carry on reading aloud: the benefits of sharing books with older children
Few things are more important than reading aloud to our children. James Clements gives his advice on how to keep your child reading ... 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 ... Read more
Developing your child’s confidence with martial arts
Mary Stevens discusses how martial arts can help children develop their confidence, their resilience and their self-control, and tells ... Read more
2019 Oxford Children’s Word of the Year: Brexit
Brexit is the 2019 Oxford Children’s Word of the Year. Find out about children’s evolving use of language from analysis of stories from Read more
Book of the Month: Warrior Monkeys and the Volcano Adventure
If your child is mad about martial arts, they’re going to love the first book in this dramatic new series, written by martial arts ... 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 ... 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 ... 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 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 ... Read more
How to write your 500 Words story
So you’ve got your idea, and you’ve planned the plot. Now comes the hardest (but most rewarding) part – actually writing your story. ... 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 ... 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 Read more
How to plan your 500 Words story
Author Christopher Edge shares his top tips on for planning a top-tier tale for the BBC 500 Words short story competition. 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 ... 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 ... 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 ... Read more
How to choose a book for ages 7–11
Literacy adviser and ex-librarian Beverley Humphrey offers her expert advice on how you can help choose the right book for your 7–11 ... 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
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
Choosing a primary school
Education expert James Clements gives his advice on how to choose the right school for your child. 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 ... Read more
Non-verbal reasoning
Parents with children in Year 6 will probably hear about non-verbal reasoning a lot. But what exactly is non-verbal reasoning? Read more
How to support your child during GCSEs – what to do and when
As your child starts studying for their GCSEs, Aaron Wilkes gives his advice on navigating the new exams and encouraging good study skills. Read more
The new GCSEs explained – what’s changed and how the new grades work
Teacher and writer Aaron Wilkes explains what the new 1–9 GCSE grades mean, how they will be used, and how they map onto the old A*–U ... Read more
Coding for children: problem-solving, precision, and going unplugged
Guest blogger Claire Lotriet discusses the benefits of encouraging children to code, and explains the place of computing in the curriculum. 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 ... 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 ... Read more
Countdown to the KS2 SATs: week four
James Clements offers some last-minute advice for the KS2 SATs, as well as tips on how you can best support your child during exam week Read more
Countdown to the KS2 SATs: week three
James Clements takes us through how you can help make your child's KS2 SATs revision fun (yes, really). Read more > Read more
Countdown to the KS2 SATs: week two
Advice from James Clements on how your child can best prepare for KS2 SATs, including lots of revision tips and ideas. Read more > 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 ... 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 ... Read more
Everyday activities to practise subtraction
Subtraction is a key concept in the primary maths curriculum. Here are some easy activities you can try at home to build your child’s ... 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
Harriet Muncaster’s top 10 magical books
Harriet Muncaster, creator of Isadora Moon, picks her top 10 favourite magical children's books, from old classics to graphic novels. Read more
Tom McLaughlin’s top 10 hilarious books
Children's author Tom McLaughlin picks his 10 favourite funny books for children and teenagers, from classic stories to non-fiction to ... Read more
Ben Davis’ top 10 funny books
Children's author Ben Davis chooses his top 10 favourite funny books for children and teenagers, from old classics to brand new series. 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
6 top tips for finishing your 500 Words story
It’s easy to start a story, and it’s hard to finish one. Francesca Simon, author of the Horrid Henry series, shares her top tips for ... Read more
How to find the perfect words for your story
Every writer wants to find the perfect words to tell their story. These activities will guide your child through four ways to make ... 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
4 top tips for writing great plots
Top tips for helping children develop great plots in their creative writing. Read more
4 tips to inspire children’s creative writing
Coming up with a great story idea can be tricky, which is why we've gathered together four fun activities to inspire your child's ... Read more
4 easy ways to practise division at home
In primary school, children learn that division is about sharing things or grouping things. Here, we have put together some easy ... 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 ... Read more
The gender gap: how to encourage boys to learn
An important factor in boys' success at school is what they learn at home. Here are 6 simple ways you can help your child do well in ... Read more
Writing non-fiction for fun
As writing for pleasure becomes less popular with children, Isabel Thomas emphasises the importance of writing non-fiction for fun. 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
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 ... Read more
Magical tales for 5–7 year olds
Halloween doesn't have to be scary. Treat younger children to these magical tales of fairies, witches and some rather pesky cats! Read more
Discovery walks – fun outdoor learning ideas
Isabel Thomas shares her ideas for fun and educational activities to do outside, from collecting leaves to spotting patterns in nature. 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 ... Read more
Choosing a secondary school
Author and teacher Jill Carter runs through what to consider when choosing a secondary school. Read more
How to make time for homework and home learning – tips for creating the right space and schedule in busy households
There are lots of simple things you can do to make doing homework a positive and rewarding experience for your child and to support ... 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 ... 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
7 ways to practise multiplication skills at home
Bring maths to life with these seven easy activities you can try at home to build and improve your child’s understanding of multiplication. 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
‘Trump’ revealed as Children’s Word of the Year 2017
The team at Oxford Children’s Dictionaries have been poring through all 131,798 entries to identify the Children’s Word of the Year ... Read more
How to support your child as they start secondary school
Teacher and writer Jill Carter takes us through her tips for helping your child cope with the transition from primary to secondary school. 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
Science for fun – six super science activities to try at home
Six super science activities to try at home from Isabel Thomas. Bake a solar system, design a marble run, and sculpt with sugar! 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
SATs skills: Preparing your child for KS2 SATs
Everything you need to know to prepare your child for the key stage 2 SATs, including expert advice and example questions. Read more
Early numeracy skills: 6 fun ways to encourage counting
It’s never too early to explore numbers and counting with your child. Encourage early numeracy skills with these 6 great activities. Read more
Early years: Getting ready to write
Here are 5 fun and easy activities you can try at home to build up your child's co-ordination, strength, and control before they start ... Read more
Why is animal fiction important?
Tom Moorhouse talks about the importance of animal fiction: in building empathy, introducing children to difficult topics, and much more. Read more
Supporting spelling at home
Mark Twain once observed, ‘anyone who can only think of one way to spell a word lacks imagination’. The government disagrees, so here ... Read more
World Book Day – Read the world!
Children's author Ali Sparkes gives her top 8 suggestions on how to encourage reluctant or struggling readers this World Book Day. Read more
Five easy ways to explore fractions with your child
Here are five easy ways you can relate fractions to everyday life, including ideas for using food, fun activities, and a free ... Read more
Supporting your child to develop their reading comprehension skills
Some tips to support your child as they begin to understand the concept of a story and start improving their reading comprehension. Read more
Times tables tips
Our times tables top tips will provide some useful advice, ideas, and free activities to help you support your child in learning their ... Read more
How to pick books for struggling readers
If your child is a struggling reader, here are 11 practical things to look out for in books that will encourage your child to start reading. Read more
Five creative ways to help with spelling homework
Looking for some fun spelling ideas? Look no further. These games will help your child to learn those spelling words and enjoy it in ... Read more
How to help your child do well at school
Being involved with your child’s education can make a huge difference to their success. Here are some helpful ideas for you to support ... 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
Developing empathy through reading
Children's author Anne Booth, creator of the Lucy series, discusses how reading builds up emotional literacy, empathy, and relationship 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 ... 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 ... Read more
