Introduction - toxic childhood in context, Richard House; 23 articles in four parts: part 1; Policy Making and the Erosion of Childhood: the Case of the Early Years Foundation Stage, incl. Penelope Leach, The EYFS and the Real Foundations of Children's Early Years: Part II; The Foundations of Child Development and Early Learning: Perspectives, Principles and Practices incuding Physical Foundations for Learning, Sally Goddard Blythe; Can we Play, David Elkind: Part III; Advocacy, Research and Policy making for Children's Early Years Learning: Part IV; Ways Ahead to Achievable Futures
How to nurture young children's well-being and learning to reverse the erosion of childhood? Children's lives have been speeded up by commercialisation, 'adultification', and the government's 'nappy curriculum' which 'schoolifies' them and pushes quasi-formal learning too soon. Now, in twenty-three hard-hitting chapters, leading educators, researchers, policy makers and parents advocate alternative ways ahead for slowing childhood, better policy-making and, above all, the 'right learning at the right time' in children's growth learning when they are developmentally ready.Following an extensive introduction by Richard House, looking at 'toxic childhood' in context, the book is divided into four parts: Policy Making and the Erosion of Childhood: the Case of the Early Years Foundation Stage The Foundations of Child Development and Early Learning: Perspectives, Principles and Practices Advocacy, Research and Policy Making for Children's Early Years Learning Ways Ahead to Achievable Futures