



What could you say to support the play—and when is it time to pause?
Bond & Blossom’s GROW Classroom Companions help early-years adults join children’s play with confidence. These practical, inviting cards put natural language, useful vocabulary and thoughtful guidance within easy reach.
Available for 2-Year-Olds, 3–4-Year-Olds and Reception, each collection follows the same approach:
Get Alongside • Respond • Open Up Thinking • Withdraw & Watch
Keep the cards beside provision or together as a staff reference. Their clear A4 landscape layout helps adults find a useful phrase quickly, then return their attention to the child.
Each 14-page collection includes 12 provision and support cards, plus two staff guidance and reflection cards.
Explore Sand Play, Water Play, Construction, Role Play, Small World, Loose Parts Play, Creative & Making, Maths in Play, Outdoors, Books & Storytelling, Mud Kitchen, and Feelings & Regulation.
Each provision card offers:
- Nine suggested phrases under Notice…, Describe… and Wonder….
- A repeat-and-extend example to support responsive language modelling.
- Vocabulary to weave naturally into play.
- A prominent Pause & Wait reminder to leave room for the child’s response.
- Practical guidance on noticing, joining, adding support and stepping back.
The age-adapted versions offer purposeful progression while recognising that every child communicates and learns differently. These are possibilities to adapt, not scripts to follow.
The Feelings & Regulation cards prioritise calm connection and continued adult support, with reflective prompts for when the child is ready.
Use alongside the Bond & Blossom High-Quality Interactions toolkit, or as a classroom companion in its own right.
A useful phrase. A thoughtful pause. Room for the child to lead.
Something went wrong, please try again later.
This resource hasn't been reviewed yet
To ensure quality for our reviews, only customers who have purchased this resource can review it
Report this resourceto let us know if it violates our terms and conditions.
Our customer service team will review your report and will be in touch.