Manifesto
“A manifesto is a written declaration of the intentions, motives, or views of the issuer, be it an individual, group, political party, or government.”
Our Manifesto has been created with all our 50 Things to Do Commissioning Partners and sets out what underpins the delivery of a 50 Things to Do Before You’re Five offer for all children and families, no matter where it is delivered.
Click on the Manifesto, or click here to view and download it.
Be Playful
Play1 is central to children’s lives, supporting the development of knowledge, skills and abilities that enhance their physical, social and emotional wellbeing. Put simply, play is the best way to learn. We retain information better when the learning process is joyful and engaging. The child’s right to play is enshrined within Article 31 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of a Child (UNCRC).
Ensure that the activities you promote encourage a sense of wonder and curiosity, allowing children, and their families, to freely explore and enjoy themselves.
Ensure everyone accessing your setting/venue is welcomed
Create a culture in your setting/venue/service that ensures all children and families are equally supported and welcomed. Successful engagement requires an understanding of families' values, beliefs, and culture and a recognition that these are valued. In particular, a major focus of the initiative, for schools and Early Years settings, is on building respectful and trusting relationships between home and setting.
Ensure that interactions with families are warm, friendly, inclusive and positive. Make time or space to explain the concept of 50 Things to Do Before You’re Five that suits the needs of your families.
However, we believe everyone should have a choice, therefore engaging with 50 Things to Do Before You’re Five should be an option not an obligation for the children and their families.
Remember the diverse nature of families
The diverse nature of families should be celebrated. Some families may face challenges when engaging with initiatives such as 50 Things to Do Before You’re Five, including economic, language and cultural barriers. Children and families with disabilities may face these alongside many more, including physical and attitudinal.
Consider what the families who access your provision need, and how you can be supportive of the challenges they may face. Reflect this diversity in your language, activities and resources. Give consideration to the best way to encourage engagement, for example is it via printed or digital resources, is it providing engagement events or ensuring there are opportunities for 1:1 discussions?
Promote low or no cost activities
Household budgets can be tight, but there are lots of great activities for families which enable them to enjoy quality time together, without a hefty price tag. That’s what 50 Things to Do Before You’re Five is all about!
Ensure that the activities you promote are, wherever possible, free to access using no or low cost resources. Where a cost is required this should not exceed £20 per family of 4.
Promote engagement with the local community
Children grow up in a locality and are part of a community. 50 Things to Do is designed to enable children to gain greater connections to the community around them.
Encourage families to build on their children’s interests and experiences by promoting and/or organising activities that enable them to explore their own local landscapes, communities and cultural venues alongside the local history that defines the places they live. Promote and/or organise activities that encourage families and children to come together.
1Play is used to mean freely chosen play, recreation and free time activities.