Reading for pleasure is so important in developing vocabulary. Use these ideas to inspire your child to keep on reading as they get older.
Reading for pleasure: Ten ideas to inspire your child to read more
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Blog posts for: Oxford Owl
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.
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!
Settling in at primary school
Our top tips for helping your child get used to their busy new school routine.
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 the planet!
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.
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.
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.
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 collect and analyze every story received to better understand children’s language and inform learning, so get your pens at the ready!
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 from BBC 500 Words 2020.
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 numeracy and literacy skills at home.
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.
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.
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 a healthcare worker.
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 illustrators. Find out 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.
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…
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 Witch and Isadora Moon.
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.
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 young writers in the UK!
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 BBC 500 Words 2019.
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 expert MC Stevens and illustrated by Steve Brown.
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.
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.
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.
What to do if you’re worried about your child’s mental health
Advice from the NSPCC about how you can support your child to cope with stress and anxiety, and information about children’s mental health.
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 year old.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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.
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.
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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 skills and confidence.
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.
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 language sparkle in their creative writing, from creating striking similes to wielding unusual words.
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.
4 top tips for writing great plots
Top tips for helping children develop great plots in their creative writing.
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 creative writing.
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 activities that you can try at home to build your child’s understanding of division.
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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 reading and writing.
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!
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 their learning at home. Isabel Thomas gives us her tips for creating the right space and schedule in busy households.
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.
Children’s dictionaries – how to find the right dictionary for your child
Find the right dictionary for your child with these four useful tips.
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.
‘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 2017 as ‘trump’.
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.
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.
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.
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 writing.
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 ‘Fractions in School’ booklet.
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 times tables.
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.
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 the process.
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!
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