Dr. Aaron Bradbury

🎙️ New Podcast Episode

I recently joined Dr Karen Boardman to talk about Play Matters, why play must remain central to early childhood education and why protecting play is about protecting childhood.

🎧 Listen here:
open.spotify.com/show/5Pq6MR2...

#PlayMatters #EarlyYears

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📣 New FREE resource for parents & carers
Our Play Matters: Parents & Carers Guide explains how play supports learning, development, wellbeing and connection.

Simple ideas. Real moments. Everyday play.

Download here 👇
www.early-years-reviews.com/play-matters...

#PlayMatters #EarlyYears

Ofsted experiences: performing inspection and suicidal ideations In this paper, we examine people’s experiences of Ofsted, the state school inspectorate in England. From thematic analysis of the 233 written submissions published by the Education Committee Parlia...

A powerful new paper examining educators’ experiences of Ofsted inspection has just been published.

Drawing on 233 written submissions, it explores how inspection cultures shape professional practice, wellbeing and the realities of accountability.
www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

If We Really Believed in Article 31, We’d Be Doing Things Very Differently By Dr. Aaron BradburyUnited Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, Article 31Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child states that every child has the right to res...

If We Really Believed in Article 31, We’d Be Doing Things Very Differently

www.early-years-reviews.com/post/if-we-r...

Hope it goes well Sue

✨ Something new is coming…

Play Matters introduces The Play Creatures 🌟

Spark. Root. Wobble.
Three stories about curiosity, belonging and bravery, written for children, rooted in play.

📚 Coming Soon

#PlayMatters #ThePlayCreatures #ChildrensBooks #ProtectPlay

It’s a free download PDF

📣 Out this week!

The Play Matters: Parent and Carers Guide to Play 💛

Co-created with parents and carers, this short guide explains, in clear, simple language, why play matters and how everyday moments support children’s learning.

Ruth Swailes and I have been quietly developing:

Joyous Journeys 🌿

A play-rich, relationship-centred curriculum with high expectations.

✨ Birth–2
✨ 2–4
✨ 5–7

Protecting childhood. Building strong foundations.

Phase One pre-order soon.

#JoyousJourneys #EarlyYears

Early years theory is still evolving. This second edition explores contemporary thinkers alongside Maslow, Bowlby, Piaget and Vygotsky, and shows how theory connects to everyday practice.

Get your copy here: amzn.eu/d/0cPW5G9D

#EarlyYears #PlayMatters

The Journal of Play & Pedagogy is live in May

A space for research, reflection, and real-world practice for children 0–8. Open access & Practitioner voice welcomed.

www.early-years-reviews.com/journal-of-p...

#PlayMatters #EarlyYears #Education #Childhood

Watch Westminster Hall debate: e-petition 729440 relating to play in the key stage 1 curriculum recorded today here:

parliamentlive.tv/Event/Index/...

Aaron Bradbury: The problem isn’t play – it’s the system - Nursery World ‘Play matters’ has become one of the most repeated phrases in early childhood, but the problem is the system does not allow play to happen in the way young children need, says Dr Aaron Bradbury.

An article I have written for Nursery World

The problem isn’t play – it’s the system

www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/opin...

Publication of the year ! Wow !

If we want more people to join the Early Years workforce, we need to bring back the JOY.

Not the paperwork.
Not the pressure.
Not the constant proving.

The joy of being with children.
Play. Development. Connection.

Pay matters. But so do conditions.
We can change this.

#EarlyYears #PlayMatters

At the APPG on Play today, myself and my colleague Karen shared how Play Matters is being used by practitioners to strengthen play-based pedagogy. With rising needs in the sector, play is more vital than ever for wellbeing, language, relationships and development.

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 15

“Following the child’s lead isn’t about losing control”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 14

“Mess usually means thinking”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 13

“That tea went cold. Again”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 12

“You answered ‘why’ more times than you can count”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 11

“A quiet room usually means trouble”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

Our FREE Guide to Mathematical Play (Birth–5) explores how children develop mathematical thinking through everyday play, routines & relationships.

Practical. Research-informed. Play-led.

👉 Download here:
www.early-years-reviews.com/guidetomathe...

#PlayMatters #EarlyYears #MathematicalPlay #EYFS

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 10

“Children remember how you made them feel.”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 9

“Play didn’t get in the way of learning. It made it possible.”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 8

“Big feelings come in small bodies.”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 7

“The best learning moments were never on the plan.”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

When an Early Years Approach Starts to Replace Thinking By Dr. Aaron BradburyEarly years is rich with approaches. Let me be clear from the outset: there is nothing wrong with choosing an approach. Approaches can give teams shared language, confidence, cohe...

When an Early Years Approach Starts to Replace Thinking”
In this piece, I explore the risk when pedagogical approaches become so rigid they replace professional judgement, shifting focus from children to compliance.
Read 👉 www.early-years-reviews.com/post/when-an...

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 6

“The most important resource in the room is you.”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals

Things Only Early Years Educators Will Understand

Day 5

“That wasn’t challenging behaviour. It was communication.”

#EarlyYears
#EarlyYearsEducation
#PlayMatters
#EarlyYearsProfessionals