Today I had the pleasure of sharing our Play, Policy and Power research at a conference in Telford. It reminded us to challenge systems that sideline play and practitioner voice, and to keep children’s joy, curiosity and rights at the heart. Together, we have the power.

🌱 Tomorrow I’ll be speaking at #NurseryWorldConference about rethinking school readiness. It’s not about checklists, it’s about who children are. Play, relationships & belonging are the real foundations of readiness. #StartingStrong #PlayMatters #ChildInTheNOW #EarlyYears

Join our WhatsApp Channel: Early Years Reviews Are you passionate about early years education? Want to stay on top of the latest news, reviews, commentary and professional insight, all delivered directly to your phone? ✅ Click here to join: whatsapp.com/channel/0029...

🎉 It’s Sale Time! 🎉 With our second edition of Early Childhood Theories Today out now, which you can get a copy here amzn.eu/d/d8KbvJo, the first edition is only £5! 🙌 Don’t miss your chance to grab a copy that’s inspired thousands across the early years sector.

Join our WhatsApp Channel: Early Years Reviews Are you passionate about early years education? Want to stay on top of the latest news, reviews, commentary and professional insight, all delivered directly to your phone? ✅ Click here to join: whatsapp.com/channel/0029...

If school readiness is really about children, we need to stop pretending context doesn’t matter. www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...

Out in November: the comprehensively revised and updated 2nd edition of Putting the EYFS Curriculum into Practice uk.sagepub.com/en-gb/eur/pu...

New publication now live 📢 Written by the Early Childhood Maths Group, this resource explores how to nurture early mathematical thinking through play and developmentally-appropriate practice. 📄 Download: www.early-years-reviews.com/_files/ugd/c... Please share. #EYFS #PlayMatters #EarlyMaths

"Guidance is often authored by individuals embedded in social and professional contexts where time, stability, literacy capital and institutional trust are assumed. The child is assessed against a developmental story they were never resourced to live." AMEN! www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...

If school readiness is really about children, we need to stop pretending context doesn’t matter. www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/news...

Who else has an emotional attachment to their robot vacuum? Mine is called Ronnie. Mine works harder than I do on a Sunday and never complains, just quietly judging the state of my carpets while it does laps of the living room. 🧹🤖✨

I really enjoyed this conversation with @aaronearlyyears.bsky.social Play matters! open.spotify.com/episode/4fBS...

New #PlayTalkRadio episode 🎙 Ruth Swailes on Play in the EYFS, honest, informed and rooted in practice. Listen now: open.spotify.com/episode/4fBS... #PlayMatters #EYFS

A double whammy this Friday 🎉 Heading to Hounslow to speak about School Readiness the Child-Centred Way and then onto Westminster to explore Play and School Readiness as part of Reforming the EYFS. Two events, one message, play and relationships matter 🌈 #StartingStrong #PlayMatters #EYFS

🎓 Funded PhD opportunity! Reimagining Practices of Play – working with Nottingham communities to explore how curiosity-driven play supports children’s social & educational development. UK only 👉 Apply now: www.findaphd.com/phds/project... #PhD #Education #Play #ChildhoodStudies

Day 2! Starting Strong through a Day of Play, Manchester! 🎈 So excited to join the Bright Futures NW Early Years Stronger Practice Hub for two amazing days of fun, pedagogy, joy, learning, connection & PLAY! Play truly matters: Giving Every Child the Best Start in Life.

🎙️ New on #PlayTalkRadio! We’re joined by the brilliant Tamsin Grimmer to explore Play, Love & Nurture ❤️ A powerful conversation on why relationships + play are at the heart of early childhood. 👉 Listen here: open.spotify.com/episode/285X... #PlayMatters #EarlyYears #EYFS

New on #PlayTalkRadio! We talk with Tamsin Grimmer about Play, Love & Nurture 💜🌱🎨 Why love belongs in pedagogy, how play builds resilience, and ways to nurture children every day. 🔊 Listen now 👉 open.spotify.com/episode/285X... #PlayMatters #EarlyYears #TamsinGrimmer

New on #PlayTalkRadio! We talk with Tamsin Grimmer about Play, Love & Nurture 💜🌱🎨 Why love belongs in pedagogy, how play builds resilience, and ways to nurture children every day. 🔊 Listen now 👉 open.spotify.com/episode/285X... #PlayMatters #EarlyYears #TamsinGrimmer

It’s been an honour to be a judge again this year for the Nursery World Awards 2025 ✨ Sorry I can’t be there tonight, but sending my congratulations to all the finalists and winners. 👏 Wishing you all an amazing evening celebrating the very best of the early years sector.

✨ Today only! ✨ 📚 Starting Strong Ebook by Dr Aaron Bradbury is just £6! A child-centred take on school readiness 🌟 👉 Grab your copy now: www.lulu.com/shop/aaron-b... #EarlyYears #SchoolReadiness #ChildCentred

Had a lovely time putting together a new webinar series for and EY organisation today. The first one is all about The Beauty of Play, celebrating joy, wonder & connection in early childhood. Excited for the conversations this will spark! 💭✨ #EarlyYears #PlayMatters

✨ Special Offer ✨📚 Early Childhood Theories Today our first edition by Aaron Bradbury & Ruth Swailes – is just £5 on Amazon! 🎉 Bringing theory to life in a practical way for early years practitioners, students & educators. 👉 amzn.eu/d/93StCPL

This Friday 26th Sept! Starting Strong: Nurturing School Readiness the Child Centred Way eBook is just £6 🌱✨ A must-read for anyone passionate about child-centred practice & play. 👉 Don’t miss out! www.lulu.com/shop/aaron-b... #StartingStrong #EarlyYears #PlayMatters

House of Commons nursery provider criticised for article praising Reform conference www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2025...

📚 2026 is the year my full Starting Strong mini series will be out! The 2nd book in the series, Moments of Meaning: Reflective Practice in Early Years Education, arrives in February 2026. Excited to share more soon! 🌱✨ #StartingStrongSeries #EarlyYears #ReflectivePractice

Excited to share my book: Starting Strong: Nurturing School Readiness the Child Centred Way ✨ A call to reframe “school readiness” as a nurturing, play-based, and relationship-led journey. Available now 👉 www.early-years-reviews.com/copy-of-publ... #EarlyYears #SchoolReadiness #PlayMatters

🚀 37,000 downloads! 🚀 Play Matters is spreading far and wide — proving that play really is at the heart of childhood. 💛 Thank you to everyone championing play. Together we’re making a difference. 🙌 Download your copy here www.early-years-reviews.com/play-matters #PlayMatters #EarlyYears

🚨 You heard it here first! Something new is coming… Early Childhood England (ECE). ✨ Change begins when we come together. 👉 Want to know more? You’ll only find out in our WhatsApp group: whatsapp.com/channel/0029... #EarlyChildhood #Policy #ChildrenAndFamilies #Collaboration

New report out: Play, Policy and Power (Bradbury & Hare, 2025) It shows how play in early childhood has been sidelined by policy, accountability & “school readiness” agendas – and why reclaiming play is both ethical & political. 👉 Download here: www.early-years-reviews.com/copy-of-publ...

🌟 Excited to be delivering a @kinderly webinar: The Child in the Now 🌟 📅 Wed 10 Sept, 8pm (UK) 🌱 Exploring relational pedagogy & supporting children in their present moment. 💻 Join for just £5 👉 kinderly.co.uk/event/dr-aar... #EarlyYears #Childhood

🚨 Launching Friday 5th Sept! Play, Policy & Power: A Systematic Literature Review of Early Childhood Education in England (2025) by @AaronEarlyYears & Meredith Hare. 📖 Free download via Early Years Reviews. #PlayMatters #EarlyYears #Policy

I’m old enough to remember the DFE’s first foray, ‘desirable outcomes.’ Advisory& non-statutory, they seemed reasonable. Now, 30 years later we have turned milestones into monolithic inspected targets. As @ruthswailes.bsky.social & @aaronearlyyears.bsky.social point out here, this is dysfunctional.

As the focus on GLD increases, @aaronearlyyears.bsky.social and I share some thoughts on the potential pitfalls of setting national targets for very young children. www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat...

Children are not percentages, GLD should reflect growth, not just numbers. Let’s rethink how we measure early development. www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/feat... #ChildrenNotPercentages #EYFS #GLD

Early Years Children are not checklists. They are individuals, brimming with potential, right here and right now. That’s my post, that’s it #EarlyYears

I'm thrilled to be speaking at Nursery World's 'Best Beginnings: The power of early years to equip children for school' conference on November 4th! I encourage you all to register and join us for a day of inspiration and collaboration. earlyyearstoschool.com/live/en/page...

🚨 Out Today! 🚨 The 2nd Edition of Early Childhood Theories Today 💡 Updated insights 🧠 Fresh perspectives ✨ Practical for every practitioner Enjoy 25% off with code SAGEAUTH25 at sagepub.com, ebooks.com & woodslane.com.au

Passionate about early years? Help shape the future of non-statutory guidance. 📝 Project Lead – Birth to 5 Matters (part-time, fixed-term) 🌱 Lead the national review 📍 Apply now: early-education.org.uk/project-lead... #EarlyYears #BirthTo5Matters #EYFS #EarlyEducation #PlayMatters

More men in early years: Why we need to move beyond the ‘male role model’ narrative www.nurseryworld.co.uk/content/opin...

📚✨ They’ve arrived! The brand new 2nd Edition of Early Childhood Theories Today edited by Ruth Swailes and I is here! Updated, relevant & ready to inspire early childhood practice. 💜 #EarlyYears #EarlyChildhood #Education

🚨 This Sept: Early Years Reviews CONNECT launches, a grassroots coalition led by real professionals, parents & carers. No more closed circles. No more favours. Just real action. ✅ Raise voices ✅ Sign letters ✅ Lobby for change 📢 Free to join. Coming soon. #EYRConnect #PlayMatters

I’m speaking at Best Beginnings on 4 Nov in London! My session: Nurturing School Readiness Through Play, exploring how play supports emotional, social & cognitive growth. Let’s put children, not systems, at the heart of readiness. 💬 Join us 👉 earlyyearstoschool.com

📚 Over 230 copies sold! Starting Strong is making waves, thank you for supporting a truly child-centred approach to school readiness. 💛 Get your copy 👉 www.lulu.com/shop/aaron-b... #EarlyYears #ChildCentred #StartingStrong #PlayMatters

Early Years educators & play champions! Join the Outstanding Early Years Conference by @in2playCIC on 4 Sept in Hastings. 🌱 Outdoor learning 🎒 Child-led practice 🤝 Real CPD for real-world children 🎟️ Book now: www.in2play.org.uk/outstanding-... #EarlyYears #PlayMatters #ChildCentred #CPD #Hastings

Are our systems truly meeting the needs of our youngest children, or are they shaped by policy, convenience & funding? Where is the child in all this? They need love. They need play. They need people who understand children, not data. #WhereIsTheChild #EarlyYears #PlayMatters

🚨 Coming soon… Joyous Journeys 🚨 Ruth Swailes and I are developing a NEW early childhood curriculum — child-centred, nurturing, and ambitious for all children from birth to five. ✨ Watch this space! Website launching soon. #EarlyYears #JoyousJourneys #EYFS #ChildCentred #PlayMatters

📣 One Day Only – Friday 18th July! My book Starting Strong: Nurturing School Readiness the Child-Centred Way will be available for just £5, that’s half price for one day only! This offer ends at midnight on the 18th. www.lulu.com/shop/aaron-b...

✨ Over 200 booked! ✨ I’m now closing registrations for my FREE webinar: “Developing a Child-Centred Approach Through Love, Nurture and Play” Thank you to everyone who signed up – I can’t wait to see you on Tues 9th Sept, 7pm 💛 #EarlyYears #PlayMatters #ChildCentred #EYWebinar

Our Early Years Reviews letter has been sent today, emailed and posted, to Bridget Phillipson MP (Sec of State for Education) and cc’d to Prime Minister Keir Starmer. Thank you to everyone who added their voice, over 900 of you. #EarlyYears #EYR