Experiential Play

02/09/2026

💡 ASSESSOR ADVICE

We asked our assessor Leanne what advice she would give to someone starting their qualification… 🎓

Here are her top 3 tips! 👇

📅 1. Get organised from day one

Plan some time into your week to look at your work and try your best to stick to it.

Little and often works! Leaving everything until the last minute can quickly become overwhelming and before you know it… the device is getting closed again! 😂

💬 2. Communication is key

Call, message, voice note whatever works best for you!

Your assessor is there to support you, but they can only know you need help if you reach out and tell them. Never be afraid to ask questions or let your assessor know when you’re struggling. 💛

👧 3. Build relationships & learn from those around you

Take time to really get to know the children in your setting. Get down to their level, communicate with them and learn about their individual needs and interests. By communicating with the children you will build a relationship where the children will want to communicate and be around you.

And don’t forget about the experienced practitioners around you! 👀

Observe qualified staff, ask questions and learn from their knowledge and good practice from how they follow procedures to how they manage different situations.

✨ You don’t need to know everything when you start your qualification be willing to get involved, communicate and learn along the way!

Thanks for the great advice, Leanne! 👏

💬 What advice would you give someone just starting their Early Years qualification?

26/08/2026

Graduation Guest List!

It's a last push for anyone who would like to attend, all email invitations have been sent, however some of you have said the invite went into Junk or Spam folders in their email, so if you are looking to attend, but do not have the email, get in touch by emailing Michelle ASAP, we are looking to get responses in TODAY!

We are excited to see you all!

How Exciting?! We have now begun inviting our wonderful students to our upcoming Graduation.

Check your inboxes, not forgetting your spam/junk. However, if you are expecting an email but have not received this yet, please get in touch with Michelle, our Administrator as soon as possible!

18/08/2026

📚 EARLY YEARS WORD OF THE WEEK

This week’s word is… CO-REGULATION 🧠💛

It might sound complicated, but it’s something Early Years practitioners do every single day!

Co-regulation is when an adult helps a child to understand and manage their emotions by offering calm, consistent and responsive support.

When a child is overwhelmed, they might not yet have the skills to simply “calm themselves down.” That’s where we come in.

💛 Staying calm when they’re struggling
🗣️ Helping them put feelings into words
🤝 Offering comfort and reassurance
⏳ Giving them time to process their emotions
🧠 Modelling ways to cope with big feelings

Over time, these experiences help children develop the skills they need to regulate their own emotions.

So sometimes, instead of asking “How do we stop this behaviour?”, we might ask…

“What is this child trying to communicate, and what do they need from me right now?” 💭

Chances are, you’re already co-regulating every single day without even realising it!

13/08/2026

💡 Assessor Advice 🤩

We asked our assessor Jennifer what advice she would give to anyone starting their qualification and journey in early years… 🎓🧠

Her biggest tips?

💛 Don’t be afraid to get busy and get involved!

📖 Read the story.
🎶 Sing the song.
🙌 Get involved in the children’s play.

The children aren’t going to judge your singing or your reading so don’t worry about feeling silly! Some of the best learning happens when you get stuck in and enjoy the experience alongside them.

And most importantly…

❓ Ask as many questions as you need to.

Your assessor and mentor are there to support you throughout your qualification, so if you’re unsure about something, just ask!

Great advice, Jennifer! 👏

💬 What advice would you give someone just starting out in Early Years?

12/08/2026

📚 EARLY YEARS WORD OF THE WEEK!

This week's word is… SCAFFOLDING 🧱

Sounds complicated, but it really isn't!

Scaffolding is simply giving a child just enough help to achieve something they can't quite manage independently yet.

You might demonstrate the first step, ask a helpful question, give them a little hint, breaking it down, peer support or physically support them, then gradually step back as they become more confident. 🌱

🧠 The theory behind it…

Scaffolding is closely linked to psychologist Lev Vygotsky and his theory of the Zone of Proximal Development (ZPD).

Vygotsky believed children learn best when they are supported to do something that is just beyond what they can currently do independently. With guidance from an adult or someone more knowledgeable, they can develop new skills and as they become more confident, that support can gradually be reduced.

So when you're modelling, prompting, questioning or giving a child a little bit of help before stepping back… you're putting Vygotsky's theory into practice! 🌱

Chances are, you're already doing it every day without even thinking about it!

💬 What Early Years word should we break down next?

10/08/2026

Finished School now what 👀 🤷🏻‍♀️

Schools are heading back, your friends might be talking about college or uni, and maybe you’re still thinking… I actually have no idea what I want to do.

That’s completely OK! 🙌

If sitting in a classroom full time isn’t for you, a Modern Apprenticeship in Early Learning & Childcare could be your next step. 🌈🧸

You can:

✨ Get a job in a nursery
💷 Earn while you learn
📚 Work towards an SVQ qualification
👶 Gain real experience working with children
🚀 Start building your career straight away
🎓 And still have opportunities to progress to further qualifications in the future

You don’t need to have your whole life figured out at 16, 17 or 18 , you just need somewhere to start. 💛

If you’re friendly, enthusiastic and think you’d enjoy working with children, we’d love to hear from you!

📩 Message us to find out more about our Modern Apprenticeship opportunities or head over to indeed to apply.

Tag someone who’s currently wondering “what do I do now?” 👇

05/08/2026

How Exciting?! We have now begun inviting our wonderful students to our upcoming Graduation.

Check your inboxes, not forgetting your spam/junk. However, if you are expecting an email but have not received this yet, please get in touch with Michelle, our Administrator as soon as possible!

04/08/2026

Today, thousands of young people across Scotland received their exam results.

To those celebrating today congratulations! 🎉 You should be incredibly proud of everything you’ve achieved.

But to those who didn’t get the results they were hoping for… please remember this is one moment, not your whole story.

Success isn’t measured by a set of exam grades. Some of the world’s most successful entrepreneurs, actors, inventors and business leaders struggled at school, left education early or simply learned differently.

What matters most is your resilience, your willingness to keep going, and finding the path that’s right for you. There are so many opportunities still ahead, college, apprenticeships, training, employment and alternative routes that can lead to amazing careers.

At Experiential Play, we’ve seen first hand that determination, kindness, curiosity and the right support can take people further than they ever imagined.

Your results may shape your next step, but they do not define your potential.

Be proud of yourself for getting this far. Keep going. Your story is only just beginning. 💜

03/08/2026

Good luck tomorrow for everyone awaiting exam results. We hope you get what you need but remember your results will not define you, there are lots of support out there from high schools and at My World of Work to support and guide you on your next steps whatever the outcome!!

https://www.myworldofwork.co.uk/

31/07/2026

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