The World Cup Thread: Play - Explore - Learn - Celebrate the World

Our Balls, Movement and Belonging Curriculum Framework uses the excitement of the World Cup as a meaningful real-life hook for toddler play, without turning early years practice into adult-led football sessions.

This framework supports practitioners to explore movement, teamwork, sound, colour, identity and belonging through child-led, sensory-rich invitations to play. Designed with toddlers in mind, it includes practical provision ideas, key vocabulary, adult role guidance, reflection prompts, inclusion notes and next steps.

Perfect for childminders, nursery practitioners and early years teams who want to respond to the World Cup in a way that still feels calm, purposeful, developmentally appropriate and rooted in early years practice.