My little girl is 3 and a half this week, she proudly tells me (and anyone else she meets) that on her next birthday she will be 4! It’s true what they say, time really does fly …. Gulp.

We don’t generally celebrate half birthdays, but we do like to keep track of her height as it’s a visual record she can understand and enjoy. Plus, I’m worried she’s looking a little uncomfortable in her car seat and at over 100cm tall, it’s time for the next step. We make the journey to our ‘go to’ shop for all important baby/child related items, and after far too much advice (confusing) and lots of deliberation we make our decision and place an order for a ‘big girl’ car seat.

It arrives! We open the box together with much excitement and talk about what a big girl she is and how this will be much better than her old chair. All is going well. She plays along with me for a short while before sidling off with what she really wanted from this new arrival - the box.

Before I know it the box is on its side and is now a magical oven for baking birthday cakes for all her family.
Shortly after the box is transformed into a special den for teddies to play in. Next an enormous and important
bridge for animals to cross the road.

The game continues and a full afternoon is spent creating new uses and games from the box - and this is before we even decorate it!

I marvelled at her imagination, not just for the number of games she came up with but with how she described them. Words like magical, special, amazing, important: her mind was brimming with all-consuming ideas and the delight was clear to see. It got me to thinking – a child’s mind never seems to stop or slow for very long, there is always something happening. It might not be obvious to us adults, possibly because it’s not always what we consider as ‘real’ - but I think it could be us who is missing out here.

Children often see the world very differently to us.

I saw a large box for the recycling bin, my daughter saw endless possibilities and I’m so glad I was able to join her for some of them.

I’ve no idea on how quickly young minds develop, but I am certain that these pre-school years can offer some of the most surprising, enriching and ever-changing experiences – and we should consider finding the very best way to record these moments.

“My personal favourite …. Photos!”

Keeping a record of our children’s Early Years with photos of precious, joyful and surprising moments can give us just a little insight to their world and, of course, act as a reminder to us that there is fun to be had as well as something to learn from almost any situation. Nursery can form a considerable part of pre-school years, and what better way to report on a moment, during a day than with fantastic photos.