The appearance of the Bright Ideas books may have changed over the years, but their content continues to provide comfort and inspiration.

Festivals and Celebrations, usefully divided into calendar sections, embraces all the major religions plus secular days such as World Environment Day and United Nations Day. A brief but comprehensive description of the festival is followed by “what to do” and “what you need” in the series’ usual practical way. The religious significance of some festivals may be beyond young children, but the opportunity for them to increase their knowledge and respect for other faiths and cultures, no matter how simply, should be welcomed.

The non-specialist will find a wealth of information and ideas in Lynne Burgess’s Art Activities, which concentrates more on processes than results. It is divided into the four elements of line, shape, colour and texture, and gives clear objectives, detailed instructions for materials, preparation, what to do, discussion, evaluation and follow-up. I found it interesting and useful, although some activities may be beyond very young children.

Beginning to Write and Speaking and Listening Activities should be used as companion volumes. Writing should be viewed as an integral part of language development. Speaking and Listening is divided into areas applicable to the early years classroom (for example, carpet times, sand and water, art and craft). Within each area the ideas for activities are clearly and practically laid out. Most of them are simple and eminently suitable for the age range.

Beginning to Write contains more than 90 activities from “getting started” to “writing real books”. I liked those on “playing with words” - poetry, rhyme and nonsense have a major role to play in children’s spoken and written language development. While the book concentrates on developing what children write, it also offers ideas to encourage correct letter formation and fluency.

Gerry Mills is head of West Park infants school, Wolverhampton.