Creative Stepsの Spring 2026 の目次

As we head into the second half of the spring term, at last the clouds have dispersed and the sun made a very welcome appearance. Snowdrops, daffs and blossom on the trees remind us that spring is truly on its way. The incredibly wet start to the year has surely prevented you from getting outside with your children very often, but as the days are getting longer and warmer, hopefully you can explore outdoor learning opportunities again. This issue includes several fun outdoor activities for you to try over the coming months, including a Broad Bean growing project from the award-winning authors of A Creative Approach to Teaching Science Outdoors, linked to British Science Week in March. See pages 28 - 29 in this issue for more details and links…

STORE CUPBOARD Recycled cardboard tubes Tall glass (or deep tray) Water Wire rack Paper towel Paints & Paintbrushes String/Twine 1 Drop your tube into a tall glass filled with water, or submerge the tubes in a deep tray of water. Warm water works best. 2 Wait about 20-30 seconds and watch as the tube starts to unravel. Carefully remove the tube and lay it flat on a suitable surface, such as a wire rack, to dry. Dab any excess water away with a paper towel. 3 Repeat this process with as many tubes as you want to create a parallelogram for each bunting flag or letter. 4 Whilst still damp, fold the shape in half to create your bunting flags. 5 When dry, decorate the bunting with paints or pens…

STORE CUPBOARD Twigs Googly eyes Pipe cleaner wire Colourful papers Felt or wool scraps Threads Adhesive – glue 1 Collect a few fallen twigs from outside. 2 Twist pipe cleaners around the twigs to make bodies, legs and antennae. 3 Cut out wings or shapes from paper or felt and glue them on. 4 Add googly eyes. 5 Your beautiful bug is ready to play with! HINTS & TIPS ■ Adult supervision is recommended when collecting and cutting twigs and using scissors. HINTS & TIPS ■ Don’t break off twigs from plants, even if they look dead, just collect fallen ones. In spring, the plant may be about to burst into new life again! FUN FACTS! ■ Bugs help plants grow by moving pollen from flower to flower. ■ Most…

British Science Week is a ten-day celebration of science, technology, engineering and maths that will take place between 6-15 March 2026! This project to grow your own broad beans is a fun science activity everyone can participate in. This will help you grow your own beans, either from a packet of seeds or from beans you’ve collected from bean plants. Broad beans are just one type of bean... there are lots of others including runner beans and French beans. What is a bean? A bean is an edible seed from the group of plants known as legumes. What kinds of beans can you think of? Why are beans good for you? Beans contain vitamin B, lots of fibre and protein so can help you poo and help you grow! HOW…

STORE CUPBOARD ■ 20cm polystyrene ring■ Cocktail umbrellas■ Pink paint■ Large paint brush■ Scissors■ Strong glue■ Twine 1 Paint the polystyrene ring pink and leave to dry. 2 Open up the cocktail umbrellas and push them into the base around the ring. 3 Ask an adult to cut the ends of the sticks, so you have 18 short umbrellas. 4 Push them into the inside and outside of the ring to cover the pink ring. 5 Knot a piece of twine and glue to the back of the wreath, ready to be hung. QUICK WREATH Cut the centre out of a paper plate. Use a coloured paper plate if you have one. Ask an adult to cut the ends off an assortment of umbrellas. With strong glue, glue them to…

LEARNING ZONES: Art & Design ★ Recycling STORE CUPBOARD Cardboard tubes (or rolled card) Paper Sticky tape Marker pens Glue Coloured paper 1 Draw a simple Tiki design on A4 paper with a face and patterns. Make the lines and shapes bold and clear. 2 Colour in the design with thick marker pens and highlighters. 3 Wrap the finished design paper around a cardboard tube. 4 Add extra cut outs for feathers or leaves and coloured paper strips to cover any gaps on the tube. There are a number of versions of the legend of Tiki. In the Māori tradition, Tiki is the first man. In mythologies from the West Coast of the South Island of New Zealand, the first human is a woman created by Tāne (god of forests…

This Red Nose Day, it’s time to take things a bit less seriously. To lighten up a little and laugh loudly, proudly and together - at ourselves. Because it’s good to laugh, for everyone. On Friday 20 March, for one big, beautiful day, we’re bringing the nation together to change serious stuff for the better, all through simple acts of silliness. And we’re so happy to have you and your pupils on board. Whether you recreate your headteacher in cake, take on an epically silly challenge, or simply don scarlet socks and sell our brand new, Design-Yer Nose Red Noses, you’ll be helping to support incredible local organisations in the UK and across the world. You’ll help people get the basics that we all need - like food, shelter and…

STORE CUPBOARD Cardboard tube White card Silvery blue card Brown felt tip pen Black marker pen Pencil Wiggly eyes Brown, White and Pink paints Medium and fine paintbrushes Scissors Strong glue 1 Paint the cardboard tube brown and leave to dry. 2 Draw a face and neck on white card. Go over the lines with a brown felt tip pen. 3 Draw 2 arms, 2 legs and a tail on white card using the template provided. Cut out all the pieces. 4 Paint the head, arms, legs and tail with brown paint and leave to dry. 5 Cut out a fish from silvery blue card. Draw on scales, tail and eye with a black marker pen. 6 Add a dot of pink paint for the otter’s nose and add dots…

STORE CUPBOARD Paper cups or fibre pots Felt pen Glue Scissors Ruler Paper Card 1 Draw 6 marks in pen around the rim of a paper cup as a guide for the petals. Space out the marks evenly then cut the cup into 6 strips. Carefully cut down from each mark at the top, finishing each cut 1-2cm from the base. To make a flower with more than 6 petals, divide the cup into more sections, keeping them evenly spaced. 2 Bend each card strip outwards then cut the ends into curves. 3 Paint the flower and leave it to dry. Make more flowers in the same way, 4 To make a ‘bobbing’ flower, cut a small card strip (2cm x 5cm) then fold it twice into a zigzag ‘Z’.…

STORE CUPBOARD FIMO Soft modelling clay – we used 11 different colours Plastic knife Roller Saucer – approx 14cm diameter Jar lid or cup – 6approx. 8cm diameter Lid or cutter approx. 3cm diameter Pencil Wooden skewer or cocktail stick Cord – approx. 70cm Feathers & beads 1 Knead half a block of each colour of FIMO to soften, and roll into a long sausage shape. Hold all the coloured sausages together, twist them around to make one big strand and then shape into a spiral. Roll the spiral flat until approx. 5mm thick. Place a saucer over the top and cut around it to make a circle. 2 Carefully cut around a jar lid to make a hole in the rolled FIMO. Remove this piece and cut a small…

Win Hedgewitch Magical Adventure Books! Step into the magical world of Hedgewitch, where the land of Faerie lies just beyond our own... Stonewitch, the fourth book in the enchanting series by Skye McKenna, sees Cassie Morgan inventing a brand-new spell to complete the next step in her witch's training. However, she is struggling for inspiration so she jumps at the chance to attend the Covenmoot, a gathering of all the UK’s covens - but she and her coven must work together to prove themselves, while long-hidden secrets come to light and the wicked Erl King's power grows. Published by Welbeck Children's Books, an imprint of Hachette Children's Group. Perfect for children aged 9+. hachette.co.uk We have 2 sets of all four Hedgewitch titles for you to win For your chance…

STORE CUPBOARD Slices of white bread Cookie cutters in a variety of shapes Plastic drinking straw PVA glue & white paint Acrylic paints in various bright colours Paintbrushes Wire rack String or wool 1 Give each child a slice of bread and let them choose which shaped cutter they would like to use. They will need to press the cutter down firmly into the slice of bread to make the shape. Remove the shapes from the bread slice. 2 Take the drinking straw and press one end through each shape twice (top and bottom), to make holes for hanging. 3 Carefully lift the shapes onto wire racks and leave them to dry out completely. This is best done overnight. 4 When the shapes are hard and dry, they need to…

STORE CUPBOARD Small glasses or cups Food colours Drinking straws Water Empty packaging or Cereal box (for a splash station) Water colour paper / cartridge paper /plain (non-printed) cereal box panels Small spoons / Stir sticks/ lolly sticks (for mixing colours) 1 Prepare the Colours: Fill each cup a little more than halfway with water. Add a few drops of food colour and mix well using a spoon or stirrer. 2 Set up the Splash Station: Use an open carton or cereal box as your colour splash station. Place your paper inside (watercolour or cartridge paper, or plain cardboard). 3 Pick a Colour: Dip a straw into the coloured water. Cover the top end with your thumb to trap the liquid inside. 4 Splash & Create: Hold the straw over…

Dressing Table Organiser STORE CUPBOARD Cardboard tub (empty gravy container) Floral patterned card Buttons – in pink, yellow & green Green lace trim Double-sided sticky tape Scissors Glue 1 Take a clean, empty cardboard tub. Cover the tub with floral patterned card. Use scissors to trim off any overhanging card to neaten. 2 Cut a length of green lace trim, long enough to wrap around the top of the pot. Apply double-sided sticky tape to the back of the lace trim. Peel off the backing paper on the tape then attach the trim around the top of the pot. 3 Glue the coloured buttons onto the trim in evenly spaced intervals. Make sure the glue is completely dry before moving the pot. The finished project will make a pretty dressing…

STORE CUPBOARD Thin coloured paper Ruler Pencil Scissors Paper drinking straws Glue Glue brush Green tissue paper or thin green paper 1 Measure and cut 3 x strips from thin A4 coloured paper. Make each strip 6cm x 30cm. 2 Cut a fringe along each paper strip. Cut each fringe 4cm long and 5mm apart, leaving a 2cm strip along the edge. 3 Carefully curl the paper fringes with the edge of a small ruler or the side of a pair of scissors. Hold the uncut edge between your fingers and thumb one hand then pull the ruler firmly against the cut edge using the other hand. Don’t worry if a few pieces tear, as this won’t show on the finished flower. 4 Brush glue on the top of a…

STORE CUPBOARD Sketchbook or plain papers Pencils 1 Step out on a bright sunny spring day with your sketch book. 2 Sit near plants, flowers, or trees with your book open. 3 Look at the shadows they make on your page and start tracing the lines you see. 4 Try to capture as many shapes as you can and let nature guide your drawing. 5 Head back indoors and admire your masterpieces! HINTS & TIPS ■ Notice how shadows change at different times of the day. ■ If it’s not sunny, bring leaves, twigs, or flowers inside and trace their shapes using a lamp. ■ Try using thick and thin lines to show light and dark areas. FUN FACTS! ■ Spring gives us more sunshine to play and draw outside.…

Put Your Records On Corinne Bailey Rae and Gillian Eilidh O’Mara£8.99 (PB) www.foxandinkbooks.com “Today I'd like to do something I've never done before," Bea tells her great aunt Portia during one of their Sunday visits. And before she knows it, she's being led upstairs to an attic room she didn't know existed – a wonderful haven full of Portia's cherished items, including shelf after shelf of records. "There's a song here for every emotion – for the whole rainbow of feelings," Portia tells Bea. Age 5 years+ We say… A captivating introduction to the power of music to help express our feelings Happy Pal-a Palooza! Mo Willems Workshop£10.99 (PB) www.unionsquareandco.com Best friends Elephant and Piggie host an action-packed activity book as they prepare to celebrate pals at the Pal-a-Palooza party.…

STORE CUPBOARD White card Felt tip pens Black gel liner pen Sticky pads Scissors 1 Draw doodles of chicks, bunnies, eggs and a carrot with a black gel liner pen onto thin white card. 2 Colour in the doodles with felt tip pens. 3 Cut around the doodles with scissors, leaving a white space around the shapes. 4 Attach sticky pads to the back of the stickers. Leave the backing on the sticky pads until you want to use them HINTS & TIPS ■ To make the stickers shiny, you could cover them with clear sticky tape, before cutting around them. ALTERNATIVES ■ Make 7 stickers in the same way. Add sticky pads to the back and stick them to a pale green card for a spring card.…

KEY: HB HARDBACK ★ PB PAPERBACK ★ BB BOARD BOOK Murder at Hotel Marvelo Ruth Lauren and Federica Frenna£7.99 (PB) www.bonnierbooks.co.uk Hotel Marvelo is famous for allowing all magical beings a place to relax, rest and recover in safety. Until, that is, the wizard Henry Gravelaxe, is discovered dead in the spa. But who is the murderer? When his parents are blamed, Finnian Marvelo knows that he must do everything he can to clear their names and hunt for clues to reveal the truth. Age 8 years+ We say… A murder mystery with a magical twist to keep imaginations racing Koalas in Capes Terry Chilvers and David O’Connell£7.99 (PB) www.nosycrow.com Meet Bob and Archie. Two hapless, but enthusiastic, koalas who just want some time off to enjoy Pawtonia's music festival.…

The Creation Station help unleash the wonder within, through fun and educational arts and crafts, classes, parties, events and products. As a multi-award-winning, five-star rated company, they inspire over 14,500 children and families every week with creative arts and crafts experiences across the UK. Creating journeys of discovery, exploration and development to unlock ideas through fun, hands-on activities, here are a few creative ideas, taken from the www.thecreationstation.co.uk website. Make Your Own Beautiful Paper Butterflies! These cheerful butterflies are easy to make and perfect for decorating your bedroom wall, classroom display, or a spring craft board. Every butterfly will turn out a little different, and that’s what makes them special! STORE CUPBOARD Coloured paper (plain and patterned) Pipe cleaners (any colour you like) Small colourful beads Child-safe glue stick or…

STORE CUPBOARD A4 white card Tissue paper – pink, yellow, green, blue Pink, yellow ribbon Small pom-poms Yellow foam scrap Green corrugated card Scissors Glue Easter Card 1 Cut the card in half to create an A5 piece of card. Fold it in half to form an A6 size card. 2 Cut out a rectangle of pink tissue paper to cover the front of the card and glue it in place. 3 Using the templates provided, cut out an egg shape (from Yellow) tissue and a couple of butterfly shapes from different coloured tissue. 4 Glue the egg shape in place and add the two butterfly shapes, gluing just the body sections, allowing the wings to flap. 5 Cut a length of pink ribbon and glue it in place, across…

STORE CUPBOARD Makes approx 8 cakes 50g (2oz) self-raising flour 50g (2oz) soft margarine 50g (2oz) caster sugar 1 medium egg Sweets for decoration including jelly diamonds Bun tray & paper cases For the lemon buttercream 40g (11/2oz) softened butter 75g (3oz) icing sugar 1 tspn of lemon juice Drop of yellow food colouring Cakes should be stored in a sealed container and eaten within three days. 1 In a mixing bowl, beat together the caster sugar and the margarine until light and fluffy. 2 Beat the egg in a cup and then add to the mixture in the bowl. Then sift in the flour. Mix all together until well combined. 3 Put the paper cases into the bun tray and using a teaspoon, divide the cake mixture evenly between…

Fairy Shopping Sally Gardner£7.99 (PB) www.headofzeus.com In Silverbell Street the shops are always open, if you believe in fairies. You can buy a cloak of invisibility or magic lamp, an umbrella that will transport you to the stars, eat flying fairy cakes at the Foxglove Restaurant, or join the fairies as they try on sparkly new dancing shoes and ball gowns and much much more. Age 4 years + We say… A beautifully illustrated shopping trip to ignite your magical imagination A Tree for Everyone Kathy Urban and Rossie Butcher£8.99 (PB) www.littlestepspublishing.co.uk Set around an old oak tree, two groups of children find themselves at odds with each other. As angry words halt their play, can the children find a way forward to share their special place and turn strangers…

STORE CUPBOARD Baking soda – 4 tbsp Vinegar – 2 tbsp Cornstarch – 2 tbsp Corn Syrup or Honey – ½ tsp Natural colours: beetroot, carrot, spinach extracts, turmeric powder, etc. (or food colouring) Transparent bowl for mixing Used tealight aluminium cases / silicone or plastic ice trays Steel spoon for measuring and mixing Wooden lolly sticks for mixing the colours 1 Make the Base: Combine baking soda and vinegar in a container. Let it fizz, then mix in the corn syrup (or honey) and cornstarch until mixed thoroughly. 2 Add Colour: Pour the mixture into containers (used tealight cases / ice tray / muffin tin). Add food colouring or natural extracts – use concentrate for intense colours or dilute for lighter shades. 3 Setting Time: Let the paints settle and dry for…

About Passover Passover (Pesach in Hebrew), is one of the most important dates in the Jewish calendar. It is a spring festival which typically lasts 7-8 days, depending on where you live. Passover begins on the 15th day of the month of Nisan in the Jewish calendar. In the UK it takes place 1st to 9th April 2026. Passover commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which Jewish people escaped slavery in ancient Egypt. During the festival, Jewish families get together to celebrate and remember this story. At Passover, families and friends share a meal and special service called a Sedar. On the table there is a Sedar plate which has symbolic foods on it. There are also four small glasses of wine (or grape juice) which represent the promises of…

STORE CUPBOARD A4 card cut in half Red card Patterned paper Green stripey bendy straw Peach and black foam Wiggly eye Black, brown and pink marker pens Black fine liner pen Strong glue Scissors 1 Make a green card from a half A4 folded in half. 2 Cut out an umbrella and boots from red card. 3 Cut out a face and hand from peach foam. 4 Cut out a dress and arm from patterned paper. 5 Bend a straw and cut it into a handle. 6 Draw on a face, umbrella spokes and laces to the boots. 7 Draw on brown hair around the face. 8 Glue all the pieces to the card. Finish with a wiggly eye. 9 Cut out a tip for the umbrella and glue into…