A theme in the Early Years will have many cross-curricular links, encompassing many of the different areas of learning in the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS) Statutory Framework. The focus for this article is on historical elements of Understanding the World; however there will be some cross-over into other areas of learning too.

Young children show curiosity in all sorts of ways, for example, by asking questions and exploring new objects. How historical understanding develops in the Early Years can be facilitated by topics and questions set by the teacher, or often prompted by the children themselves – giving them interest and ownership of their learning. Therefore, if you are wanting to have an upcoming theme on Buses, why not start with a trip on the bus and/or a visit to a local transport museum or bus depot (where possible). The thoughts and ideas of the children from visits and journeys such as these can then feed into your planning...