Sarah Kingham – Early Years Advocate, Educator & Consultant
Hello, I’m Sarah. I’ve spent more than four decades in education, with 20+ years as an Early Years Adviser in the UK, working hands-on with teachers, practitioners, and families to nurture the learning and wellbeing of our youngest children.
In 2014, I founded Readit2, an attachment-based early literacy programme designed to help adults inspire a lifelong love of reading and learning in children.
During lockdown, I extended that passion online—creating a YouTube channel for story-sharing with under 5s and developing ‘Discovery Packs’ to encourage play-based learning at home.
Inspiring Joyful interactions with laughter, love and kindness
I spent too much time ‘being busy’ and failed to appreciate the beauty of each moment. I strive to remind myself to find joy in the small things. I practice gratitude and, despite being human and occasionally feeling less than great, I remember that each experience is a lesson. I can choose to learn from it or not, and this helps to soothe my ADHD mind.
My Mission
I want to be a voice for babies and toddlers—the ones who can’t yet speak up for themselves.
I want to equip adults with the knowledge, tools, and confidence to reconnect with the wonder of early childhood.
And I want us all—parents, professionals, policymakers—to rethink how we live, work, and care in the digital age.
All children need is your presence, your voice, your love.
So, for a few minutes, let’s put our phones away.
Because children want to play.
- My personal experiences have shown me the significance of being consciously present to discover genuine joy in life.
Why I Do This Work
Over the years, I began noticing a shift: more and more children were entering school with significant developmental delays. I listened to teachers and watched the trends unfold.
And again and again, I found one common thread: screen overexposure—often beginning in infancy, often accompanied by what we now call technoference—when devices disrupt the critical human connection babies need to thrive.
As a member of three UK Government All-Party Parliamentary Groups focused on the under 4s, I saw how urgent this issue had become.
Babies’ emotional needs haven’t changed—but our environments have.
They still need loving, responsive, face-to-face interaction.
And they simply don’t have time for screens.
The Stories That Stay With Me
Like the 4-year-old who tried to escape school after becoming immersed in the virtual world of Fortnite.
Or the child who could only speak in cartoon phrases.
Or the toddler who, in place of play, mimicked scenes of violence from a game he watched far too often.
These aren’t rare cases—they’re becoming far too common.
In my work with families and schools, I support children showing signs of delay—often the result of reduced play, limited language exposure, and missed opportunities for interaction due to screens.
