Certificate III in Children’s Services CHC30712 MODULE 5 Learning Through Play

Transcription

CHC30712 Certificate III in Children’s Services
MODULE 5
Learning Through Play
Learning Guide
Incorporating
CHCFC301A
Support the development of children
CHCPR303D
Develop understanding of children’s interests and
developmental needs
CHCPR301C
Provide experiences to support children’s play and
learning
Acknowledgements
This Learning Guide is part of a Set of Materials
produced by the Goodstart Training College
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43 Metroplex Avenue, Murarrie QLD 4172
All rights reserved. Copyright protects this publication.
Except for the purposes permitted by the Copyright Act 1968,
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form or by any means without prior written permission.
Enquiries should be addressed to the College Manager, Goodstart Training College,
43 Metroplex Avenue, MURARRIE QLD 4172
RTO Number 32215
Centrelink Course Approval Ref Number 4P043
Email: [email protected]
Web: www.goodstart.edu.au
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Brisbane Campus
43 Metroplex Avenue
MURARRIE QLD 4172
Postal Address 43 Metroplex Avenue, MURARRIE QLD 4172
Telephone: 07 3220 3232
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This document is uncontrolled when printed.
TITLE: CHC30712_M5 Learning Through Play v2.1
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 6
Play
............................................................................................................................................ 8
Types of Play ................................................................................................................................................. 8
Stages of play ..............................................................................................................................................10
Meaning of Play........................................................................................................................... 14
Benefits of play ............................................................................................................................................14
Leisure .........................................................................................................................................................14
Setting up a Safe and Supportive Learning environment ........................................................ 14
A Safe, Non-Threatening Learning environment .........................................................................................15
Provide a Range of Physical Activities to Provide Children with Choice in their Play Whenever Possible 21
Variety..........................................................................................................................................................23
Children’s Individual Interests and Needs ...................................................................................................24
Provision of learning environments .............................................................................................................27
Play reflects Cultural Diversity, Gender and Abilities of Children ................................................................28
Opportunities for One on One, Small Group and Larger Group Interaction ................................................31
Gross Motor Skills .......................................................................................................................................36
Fine Motor Skills ..........................................................................................................................................38
Learning environments to Support Creative Development .........................................................................40
Cognitive Development and Play ................................................................................................................40
Imagination and Creativity Within Play and Interactions .............................................................................42
Self-Expression ...........................................................................................................................................43
Daily Routines as Opportunities to Acquire and Practice Skills ..................................................................43
Nutrition .......................................................................................................................................................44
Five Senses .................................................................................................................................................45
Introduction ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Physical Development .................................................................................................................................46
Cognitive Development ...............................................................................................................................46
Social and Emotional Development ............................................................................................................46
Language Development ..............................................................................................................................47
Creative Development .................................................................................................................................47
Child’s Lead ................................................................................................................................ 48
Initiate Play ..................................................................................................................................................50
Language ..................................................................................................................................... 54
Encourage Exploration and Problem Solving ........................................................................... 55
Monitor Children’s Reactions .................................................................................................... 56
Encourage Children to Include Other Children in Their Play................................................... 58
Issues of Concern ....................................................................................................................... 60
Indicators for Concern .................................................................................................................................60
Causes of Issues and Concerns..................................................................................................................61
Model Appropriate Communication........................................................................................... 62
Appropriate Communications ......................................................................................................................63
Modelling Communications .........................................................................................................................63
Respect, Respond to and Follow up Communication Initiated by Children ................................................63
Encouragement and Acknowledge Efforts ............................................................................... 65
Rate of Development ...................................................................................................................................65
Foster the Development of Independence ................................................................................ 67
Involve Children in Decision Making ......................................................................................... 68
Safe Choices ...............................................................................................................................................68
Guidance and Limits ....................................................................................................................................69
Choice Within the Learning environment ....................................................................................................69
Providing Opportunity to Make Decisions ...................................................................................................69
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Appropriate Expectations and Behaviour Guidance Strategies .............................................. 70
Stage Appropriate Behaviours.....................................................................................................................70
Supporting Children’s Behaviour .................................................................................................................71
Age and Developmental Appropriateness ................................................................................ 73
Introduction ........................................................................................ Error! Bookmark not defined.
Gather Information...................................................................................................................... 76
Discussions and Conversations ..................................................................................................................76
Observations ............................................................................................................................... 77
Observation Methods ..................................................................................................................................77
Running Records .........................................................................................................................................78
Time Samples ..............................................................................................................................................79
Event Samples ............................................................................................................................................79
Sociograms ..................................................................................................................................................80
Checklists ....................................................................................................................................................80
Rating Scales...............................................................................................................................................81
Play Patterns ...............................................................................................................................................83
Observation Inclusions .............................................................................................................. 83
Writing Observations .................................................................................................................. 83
Guidelines for Observing Children ............................................................................................ 83
Writing What the Child Actually Did .............................................................................................................83
Accuracy ......................................................................................................................................................84
Gaps or holes ..............................................................................................................................................84
Tense ...........................................................................................................................................................84
Content and Language ................................................................................................................................84
Practice Makes Perfect ................................................................................................................................84
Parent Permission .......................................................................................................................................84
Confidentiality ..............................................................................................................................................84
Time, Environment and Method ..................................................................................................................85
Unobtrusive..................................................................................................................................................85
Write What You Can See and Hear ............................................................................................................85
From the list below, circle the words that are factual ................................... Error! Bookmark not defined.
Free from Opinions/Assumptions ................................................................................................................85
Artwork .........................................................................................................................................................86
Photographs ................................................................................................................................................86
Tape Recording ...........................................................................................................................................86
Video Recording ..........................................................................................................................................86
Emergent Curriculum and Documenting Children’s Learning ................................................ 87
Learning Stories ..........................................................................................................................................87
Observe Children in their Normal Pattern of Play and Daily Interactions ...................................................88
Interpreting Observations ............................................................................................................................89
Defining Strengths, Needs and Interests .....................................................................................................90
Reporting Concerns to the Supervisor ..................................................................................... 90
Confidentiality ..............................................................................................................................................91
Using Information to Plan .......................................................................................................... 91
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Getting Started
Introduction
When working as an Early Childhood Education and Care professional it is a requirement that you have
knowledge and skills to provide individualised learning and care for children aged 0 – 12 years of age.
This resource outlines the guidelines in the provision of care and learning for children relevant to Early
Childhood Education and Care, focusing on the following topics:

Play

Development

Documenting Children’s Learning
This cluster module incorporates three units of competency from the CHC30712 Certificate III in Children’s
Services:

CHCFC301A Support the development of children

CHCPR303D Develop understanding of children’s interest and developmental needs

CHCPR301C Provide experiences to support children’s play and learning
Training Package: CHC08 Children’s Services Training Package
Information about this resource
This resource is designed to help you develop your knowledge and skills in two ways.
Firstly, you will be provided with information about the topic. You are encouraged to read all of the information
as this is your opportunity to learn the knowledge deemed necessary for the position working within an early
childhood education and care service.
Secondly, you will be required to reflect on the information you have read, and to complete activities and/or
work-based tasks which demonstrate your ability to apply your new knowledge and skills in your workplace.
If you experience difficulties with this resource or would like to speak to somebody to discuss the content,
please contact your Professional Learning Consultant (PLC).
For academic support you may:

call or email your PLC directly, and / or

call Academic phone support 1800-617-455 (Monday to Friday 9:00am - 5:00pm EST) or

After-Business-Hours call 0427-942-562 (Monday to Friday 5:00pm - 8:00pm EST)
How to use this guide
Readings
Occasional readings have also been included. These readings provide you with further information about the
topic. If you have an electronic copy of the booklet, you will be able to access the reading by clicking on the
link within the training booklet, or by typing in the provided web address into an internet search engine, such
as Google.
Reflections
Reflections provide an opportunity for you to stop and think about a concept and relate it to your experience
Hints
Hints are designed to guide you in the right direction
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Activity
Activities have been included within the content of some topics. These activities are not assessable (marked),
but you are urged to complete them to benefit your own learning process. Many of these activities display
model answers when you submit your responses.
Some activities are interactive and you can follow the link to complete them online. Where possible, a written
version of the activity is available directly beneath the activity
Further Guidance
Further Guidance provides extra information that may further your knowledge of the early childhood education
and care profession
Citations and References
Goodstart Training College uses APA 6 Style Guide. This document is an academic resource and declares
reference to original material (content, images, and diagrams) located within the document. Citations are
displayed within the text and full References located at the back of the guideline.
Resources
Resources such as interactive learning activities, readings and templates can be downloaded from the
Goodstart Institute of Early Learning (Goodstart Training College) website at
www.goodstart.edu.au/resources
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Topic One: Developmental Theories
In June 2011, of the 3.6 million children aged 0-12 years, 1.9 million (52%) attended some type of early
childhood education and care service. Nearly one quarter (864,300) attended formal care and 1.4 million
attended informal care. Both of these figures include the 369,500 children who usually attended both formal
and informal care. Of children aged 4-5 years who did not attend school (321,000), most usually attended a
preschool or a preschool program (85%) (ABS, 2011).
It is essential for educators to ensure the learning environment is enriched with learning opportunities and high
quality care. Children, educators and parents working together will enable the learning environment to be
examined carefully to create the best possible learning place for children to assist and promote their
development.
Children develop across three main areas. These areas are:
1. Growth — describes the physical changes that occur in the body. Growth is usually measurable (we
can measure changes in weight and height). Birth to five years is a period of very rapid growth and rapid
maturation. Adolescence (12 to 18 years) is also a period of rapid growth. A slower growth rate occurs
between five and 12 years. Growth does not proceed evenly through the body; different parts of the
body will undergo growth spurts at different times. This accounts for variations in body proportions at
different ages. There are critical periods of growth during a child's development. This is most obvious
during prenatal (conception to birth) growth. There are wide variations in sizes, shapes and rates of
growth between children. However, all children follow a similar pattern of growth.
2.
Learning — refers to changes that result from experience rather than from a physiological process.
Learning occurs mainly through the child's interaction with his/her learning environment. For example,
a mother talks to her baby, asks a question, and then pauses. The baby soon learns the talk and pause
sequence and mimics the mother. He/she responds to the mother by vocalising (e.g. cooing) and
pausing. The mother responds to the baby by talking during the baby’s pauses, then pausing herself to
allow the baby to respond. This is the start of two-way communication and language.
3.
Maturation — is the natural process of completing growth.
Maturation occurs according to a genetic plan. Each child has inherited a plan as to how quickly or
slowly he/she will grow. Of course, this is also influenced by the child's learning environment (such as
diet, sleep, exercise). Parts of the body reach maturation at different rates (some organs reach maturity
in infancy while others do not mature until much later). For example, the reproductive system has a brief
growth spurt just after birth, and then changes little until just before puberty, whereas the kidneys
function at the adult level by the end of the first year.
This topic will discuss child development and the essential role of play in children’s development.
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The Early Years Learning Framework
“In December 2007, the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agreed that the
Australian and state and territory governments would work in partnership on a
National Quality Agenda for Early Childhood Education and Care. A key element of
the National Quality Agenda is Australia’s first national Early Years Learning
Framework.
The Early Years Learning Framework is a national curriculum framework which will ensure quality and
consistency in the delivery of early childhood education programs across all early childhood settings. It will
cover birth to five years and support transition to formal schooling.
The Framework will be an important tool to help professionals and parents achieve the best learning and
developmental outcomes for children. It will also provide direction in relation to quality early childhood
education for children and will significantly complement universal access to preschool.
The Years Learning Framework describes the principles, practice and outcomes which enhance young
children’s learning from birth to five years of age, as well as their transition to school. It has a strong
emphasis on play-based learning as play is the best vehicle for young children’s learning by
providing the most stimulus for brain development. The Framework also recognises the importance of
communication and language (including early literacy and numeracy) and social and emotional
development. The release of the Early Years Learning Framework is the first phase in the implementation
of the Australian Government’s National Quality Agenda for early childhood education and child care. COAG
has also endorsed the release of a Regulation Impact Statement which contains options for further reforms
to quality. Consultation with families and the sector will be held on these options in July and August 2009.” 1
The Australian Government recognises play as the best vehicle for young children’s learning.
Play
Play is often underestimated and undervalued in regards to its importance. In fact play is children’s ‘work’!
Through play, children make meaning of the world around them. If you want to see a child’s perception of the
world around them, watch them play....
Play-based learning is described in the Early Years Learning Framework as 'a context for learning through
which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they actively engage with people, objects
and representations' (DEEWR, 2009,p.46)
Types of Play
Play comes in all shapes and sizes and energy levels but most play that children engage in falls under the
following categories.

1
Physical play — this type of play allows children to exert energy and practice large motor skills such
as coordination, strength and balance. It also allows for physical health, wellbeing and fitness. Physical
play includes activities that involve large or active movements such as running, jumping, climbing,
kicking, throwing, crawling, rolling, dancing etc. Resources that can be provided to support this type of
play include mats and cushions, balancing planks, trestles, balls, hoops, tunnels and ladders. Activities
could include: dancing, investigating outdoors, large movement activities. The learning environment
should be set up in an appealing way so that children feel a sense of belonging and the environment is
a nice place for all to engage with. Invite children to set up the room and activities and together discuss
possible risks and how these might be minimised. Consider how together, working with children, you
can create opportunities for open space, free from clutter and tripping hazards.
Sourced: Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations (2011) http://www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildhood/Policy_Agenda/Quality/Pages/home.aspx
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
Discovery play — is also known as exploratory play. This type of play allows children to explore,
investigate and experiment within the learning environment, extends children’s curiosity and interest in
learning and allows opportunity to test trial and error and cause and effect. Experiences that can be
classified as discovery play include gardening and exploring the natural learning environment, animals,
magnets, science experiments, pop up toys, textured materials or mirrors — really anything that
encourages children to think and investigate! The learning environment should be set up to promote
discovery and curiosity with items of interest and as well as new and unfamiliar objects that can spark
interest. Children can be allowed to explore the learning environment at their own pace and can be
supported by open-ended and thought-provoking questions by educators.

Creative play — this type of play allows children to express thoughts and feelings through creative
means such as dance, music, role play, storytelling, creative writing, block building, or visual arts such
as drawing, painting, modelling or collage. Almost any resource can be incorporated into creative play
as children will use them to create whatever they desire. Children’s creativity is the only limit! The
learning environment should be presented in an appealing way where children can source and access
the materials independently. There are no rules when it comes to creative play – there is no right or
wrong way to be creative, only encouraging us to think and listen more deeply. Everybody is creative
and it is only when adults begin to add structure to ideas for example: a picture of a flower must look a
certain
way
that
we
begin
to
confine
children’s
ability
for
creativity.
You may be interested in accessing the TED Talk presentation by Sir Ken Robinson (2006) on this
very topic. This video clip is well worth the investment in time and he is a very entertaining speaker.
http://www.ted.com/talks/ken_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.htmlhttp://www.ted.com/talks/k
en_robinson_says_schools_kill_creativity.html

Manipulative play — this type of play involves the use of hands and fingers. It allows children to gain
control over their fine motor skills (small muscles) and extend dexterity and hand/eye coordination.
Experiences that incorporate manipulative play include: drawing and writing; small construction such as
making a kite or some other item involving different mediums; threading, cutting, bead frames, small
rattles; modelling materials such as clay, play dough; and sensory experiences such as sand and
gardening. Manipulative play tends to require a little more concentration that other types of play (due to
the hand eye coordination involved), so the learning environment should allow for focus and attention
on the task at hand.

Imaginative play — is also known as dramatic play or role play. This type of play allows children to
experience fantasy or pretend play. It encourages children to experience ‘life’ from another person’s
perspective by engaging in role play. Children can imitate others’ actions or thoughts and it encourages
children to explore concepts of empathy and differing opinions. Resources that support imaginative play
include dress up clothes, home corner furniture with pretend food and cutlery and crockery, dolls, stuffed
toys, old computers or phones or anything of interest to the child. The learning environment, which may
be set up in home corner, on the outdoor fort or even in the sandpit, should be presented in an enticing
way that encourages participation. Children should have the choice of materials and can be consulted
as to what materials are made available to them.

Social play – is also known as interactive play. This includes any type of play where two or more children
engage in play together. It encourages children to develop pro social skills such as sharing, turn taking,
empathy, conversational skills and listening. Resources and experiences that support social play are
endless but some examples include sand play dramatic play, ball games, construction and group visual
arts. The learning environments in social play are also endless but it is imperative that adequate
resources and space are provided to limit conflicts between children.
In addition to the above types of play, play also falls into two other categories — noisy play and quiet play.
As these categories suggest, noisy play is play that supports children who wish to engage more actively into
the experience such as construction, physical games or dancing; while quiet play is play that supports children
who wish to engage in more passive play such as puzzles, books, drawing or relaxation areas.
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When coordinating the learning environment within an early childhood education and care service, it is
important to consider the size and shape of the room, the number of children and the resources available.
Ideally, typically noisy activities should be positioned away from quieter play experiences to allow for focus
and concentration. Different areas in the room can be created by using furniture, shelving, room dividers or
curtains or material.
Whilst children engage in learning through play, they need to feel confident and safe, and that they
belong in their learning environment. They need supportive, positive and secure interactions and
learning environments for optimum growth, development, behaviour, interactions, independence
and self-concept.
Stages of play
Extensive research has gone into determining how and when children learn specific skills, which has provided
us with theories of child development. There are many theorists who have contributed to these studies. Three
theorists that specifically relate their theories to the development of play are:

Jean Piaget,

Mildred Parten

Lev Vygotsky.
Jean Piaget – Stages of Cognitive Play
Jean Piaget devised the social-cognitive theory which is based around research that shows children’s play
evolves when their cognitive function increases. What this means that children learn by observing and
interacting with the world around them. Children construct an understanding of their world, experiencing
differences between what they know and what they discover in their learning environment.
What this could look like in practice…
Jennifer sees an orange, it is round and looks like a ball. Jennifer has experience in playing with a ball however
Jennifer has not experienced an orange. Jennifer picks up the orange and throws it, saying ‘ball’.
An educator picks up the orange, cuts it up and begins to eat it, saying ‘it’s an orange and we can eat it. Yum’,
handing Jennifer a slice to taste.
Think about how you learn a new skill, for example learning to sail. Do you prefer to learn through simply
reading a book or do you gain more understanding through watching someone demonstrate a task or doing
the task yourself, or would you prefer to have a go at the task and learn through your mistakes?
Watch the children you work with play and interact throughout the day. Many children will watch another child
perform a task and then imitate it. Children make sense of their world by watching others and through
interacting with the world around them.
The following table provides a summary of the social-cognitive play stages children progress through.
Play category
Definition
Functional
Simple, repetitive movements with
or without objects
Constructive
Creating or constructing something
Dramatic
Games with rules
Acting out every day and imaginary
roles
Understanding and conforming to
rules in play activities
Age
(years)
Examples
Kicking, running around a room, kneading
dough with no attempt to construct with it,
pop up toys
Making a house out of blocks, painting a
picture, threading
0–2
2–4
Playing house, school, doctor, dress ups
3–7
Board games, baseball, hopscotch
6 – 11
Mildred Parten – Stages of Social Play
Mildred Parten is a social development theorist who believed that social skills and level of interactions are
developed in stages. She explained that as children got older they progressed through different interaction
styles. The following is a brief outline of these stages.
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
Unoccupied play — typically occurring between the ages of birth to two, the child may watch anything
of immediate interest but does not engage in play.

Solitary play — typically occurring between the ages of birth to two, the child is engrossed in their own
play and makes no attempt to interact with others nearby.

Onlooker play — typically occurring between the ages of birth to two, the child will watch others play
but not join in.

Parallel play — typically occurring around the age of two, the child plays side by side with another
although no interaction takes place.

Associative play — typically occurring around the age of three, the child plays in the same area as
another, and simple communication may take place but there is no direct or coordinated play.

Cooperative play — typically occurring around the ages of four to five, involves the sharing of ideas
and play materials, and the children work together for the same purpose.
Lev Vygotsky and Social Play Theory
An alternative perspective on play has been offered by Lev Vygotsky. He believed that social interaction leads
not only to increased levels of knowledge, but that it actually changes a child’s thoughts and behaviours.
Vygotsty suggested that there are three ways in which learning is passed along to an individual. First, the child
learns through imitation (copying another), then by instructional learning (scaffolding), followed by collaborative
learning.
What this may look like in practice…
Johab sits at the table set up with clay. Johab has never seen clay before, so he sits and observes the other
children using the material. Kiahn, sitting next to Johab is rolling his clay using the palms of his hands making
the clay into a ‘sausage shape’. Kiahn then proceeds to push his fingers into the clay making holes in the
flattened shape. Kiahn picks up his clay, holds it out to Johab, and says with a smile “look”. Johab reaches out
and first touches the clay in front of him. Johab then reaches out and pushes his finger in the clay, making a
hole. Johab looks at his clay, laughs and looks at Kiahn.
Vygotsky and the ‘Zone of Proximal Development” (ZPD)
Vygotsky’s research focused on play. He believed that play during the early years was the leading source of
development (Frost; Wortham & Reifel; 2012). Vygotsky proposes that play creates a zone of proximal
development (ZPD). ZPD is a range of tasks between those the child can handle independently and those at
the highest level the child can master through play or with help from an adult or more competent peer. In play,
the child is able to engage in activity above his normal behaviour (Vygotsky, 1978). Additionally, social
interactions can create opportunities that challenge and or provoke children to think or act beyond their
independent level. Educators can scaffold children’s learning when children are in the ZPD range by providing
tools, resources and or support to assist the child achieve the learning and/or development.
Quite simply, the zone of proximal development is the difference between what a child can do without help and
what they can achieve with help. The zone of proximal development does not solely focus on what a child is
able to do independently; it focuses on what a child can do with the assistance of others.
Zone of Proximal Development
Tasks a child
can complete
independently
Tasks a child
can complete
with assistance
Example: Two children are standing by a ladder attempting to walk across the billy goat’s bridge. The
children are counting to rungs on the ladder. The child counts 1,2,3,7,9. An adult over hearing the
children stops and suggests they recount. The educator points to the ladder rungs and encourages the
child to have another go at counting. The educator points to the rung and the child states: 1,the educator
points to the next rung and the child states 2 the educators points to the next rung and the child states
3. This continues until the child gets to 6 rungs (length of ladder).
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Vygotsky and Scaffolding Theory
The concept of ‘Scaffolding theory’ was initially introduced by Jerome Bruner, in the late 1950s.
The term scaffolding first appeared in the literature when Wood, Bruner and Ross described how tutors'
interacted with pre-schooler to help them solve a block reconstruction problem.* Vygotsky continued to
investigate the concept of scaffolding through his research of social play.
*McLeod, S. A. (2008) ‘Bruner-Learning Theory in Education - Simply Psychology’
http://www.simplypsychology.org/bruner.html
As part of Vygotsky’s social play theory, he explored a method of supporting play called ‘scaffolding’. The word
denotes a build-up of skills, similar to supporting a building until it is complete. Just as a ‘scaffold’ supports a
building until it can stand independently, a more experienced person acts as a ‘scaffold’ until the child can
complete a task independently. In relation to children’s play, scaffolding is a skill that educators need to be
aware of because, while it sometimes happens naturally, it is an essential skill that supports young children’s
play.
As children play, educators positively reinforce the play and build on the child’s skills. They identify the child’s
emerging skills and carefully ‘scaffold’ new play experiences within the current play learning environment not
only to enhance and develop the children’s play skills but to increase their confidence and self-esteem.
Example 1: Sebastian, aged 1.3 years is learning to walk. Sebastian can walk with assistance, such as
holding on to furniture or an adult’s hand. The prop (furniture) or adult acts as a scaffold, supporting
Sebastian to walk with assistance.
Quality Area 1 of the National Quality Standard focuses on Education program and practice that engages,
stimulates and enhances children’s learning and development. Quality Area 1 requires that the educational
program and practice responds to children’s interests and scaffolds their learning.
Quality Area 1.2.2 requires Educators to respond to children’s ideas and play and use intentional teaching
to scaffold and extend each child’s learning.
What this may look like in the early learning environment….

Educators utilising teachable moments to extend children’s learning

Educators responding to children’s displays of learning by commenting on them an providing
encouragement and additional ideas

Educators further extending critical thinking skills through provocations

Educators joining in children’s play and co-constructing the play resources

Children being curious and enthusiastic participants in their learning

Children using their own ideas to develop their play

Children using their own ideas to develop their play
(ACECQA, 2011, p.42)
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
ACTIVTY
Observe the children in the learning environment where you work.
Where can you see more experienced children assisting other children?
Where have you, as an educator, assisted a child to complete a task?
In the text box below, write three (3) examples of where you have observed this process:
Verbal Scaffolding Strategies
Strategy
Explanation
Example
Direct Guidance
Explaining what is to be done
Explanation
Helping children interpret information and
actions
Cues and Questions
Encouraging reflection on thoughts and
actions with the aim of clarifying thinking
Demonstration
modelling
Highlighting appropriate strategies
“I wonder what happens if we put the big one
on the floor? Will the little one fit? Here, you try
it”
The adult tried to explain to Harriet that Emma
did not like being squeezed and suggested
other ways in which Emma might be involved
as ‘the sister’
“Oh, that’s strange, I almost called you Sharon
instead of Shellie! Your names are almost the
same”
“Look, Em, here’s a big one and here’s a little
one. I wonder what happens if we put the big
one on the floor?”
“How could you remember it?” asks Mrs K.
When there is no response, she adds “Could
writing it down help?”
“Let’s see what we need. What is it you want
to write?” asks Mrs Brown. “I want to say ‘ dear
Sharon, come to my party’”
“Where’s the meeting?” “I think in the city”
“How do we get there?”
As they looked at the photograph, the adult
asked Scott about what he was doing in the
photo
Goal and
identification
and
problem
Working out what is required and how it
might be achieved
Planning
Determining the order of actions, may
involve breaking the task into smaller steps
Mindfulness
Keeping on track or on task
Evaluating actions
Reviewing the meeting
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Meaning of Play
Before providing developmentally appropriate areas, resources and materials to facilitate play, educators must
first be able to understand what play means. For some, play may mean fun; for others, play may mean
relaxation and participating in activities which relieves stress and worry. Research has proven that play is an
essential and integral part of childhood and learning.
A child has a right to play!
In November 1989, the United Nations General Assembly adopted the Convention of the Rights of the Child.
Australia ratified the Convention of the Rights of the Child in December 1990. This means that Australia has
a duty to ensure that all children in Australia enjoy the rights set out in the treaty.
Article 31 (Leisure, play and culture): Children have the right to relax and play, and to join in a wide range
of cultural, artistic and other recreational activities.
http://www.unicef.org/crc/files/Rights_overview.pdf
Benefits of play
Play allows children to:

explore and experiment in the world around them

create and discover and extend curiosity

express their thoughts and feelings

learn about themselves and others

practice emerging skills

enjoy themselves.
During play, children are offered the opportunity to feel safe, secure and supported, and start to develop
confident identities. Play is the foundation of Belonging, Being, Becoming: The Early Years Learning
Framework for Australia and every outcome of our national learning framework is able to be combined within
a play learning environment.
Leisure
Leisure describes pursuits and activities which are freely chosen. It is the way that we enjoy ourselves and
relax. For children, leisure is play. When children are relaxed and enjoy their play, a higher level of learning
and development will occur.
Some people like to read, listen to music, dance or create through art and crafts. Others like to play active
sports, converse with friends or just sit and ‘be’. Due to this fact, we must create a learning environment within
our early learning environment which accommodates for a variety of play and leisure experiences.
Setting up a Safe and Supportive Learning environment
The National Quality Standard requires an early learning environment to promote play.
Quality Area 3 of the National Quality Standard focuses on the physical environment and ensuring that it is
safe, suitable and provides a rich and diverse range of experiences that promote children’s learning and
development.
Quality Area 3.2 The environment is inclusive, promotes competence, independent exploration and learning
through play.
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What this may look like in an early learning environment…










Environments that stimulate children’s curiosity
Environments that provide many sensory experiences
Environments that are flexible and can be rearranged or adjusted to provide additional interest,
variety and challenge
Environments that invite children to explore, discover and experiment
Children engaging in both outdoor and indoor activities and experiences
Children initiating their own experiences using equipment and resources that they can access
independently
Children being encouraged to use their senses to explore the natural and build environments
Educators enhancing child-initiated experiences by providing additional resources and, where
appropriate, participating in and extending their play
Educators introducing appropriate tools, technologies and media to enhance children’s learning
Educators being creative in their use of equipment and materials to stimulate children’s interest and
curiosity
(ACECQA, 2011 p, 102)
Educators have an important role in play and leisure for children because they are the creators of the learning
environment. Educators can also support and expand children’s participation and interest in play and leisure.
As an educator, it is your responsibility to ensure the learning environment is physically safe as well as
psychologically safe. Educators need to consider the balance between allowing risk taking of children but
ensuring children remain safe.
Safety is important
Fact 1: In 2005-2006, 22 865 children aged birth to 4 years of age were admitted to hospital for injury,
across Australia.
Fact 2: Unintentional child injuries are a major public health issue in Australia. Most can be prevented.
Fact 3: There is a strong association between age of a child, developmental stage, how the child interacts
with their learning environment, the type of activities the child undertakes, social-economic status, gender,
and the type of injury the child sustains (WHO & UNICEF, 2008)
Kidsafe SA Inc. (2010) ‘Twelve facts about child injury in Australia’
http://www.gtp.com.au/kidsafesa/inewsfiles/4986%2012%20facts%20about%20child%20injury%20FS%20V
2proof.pdf
A safe, non-threatening learning environment
Providing a safe learning environment means ensuring that the children are physically safe and psychologically
safe. Educators have a responsibility to identify risks and hazards in the learning environment and to prevent
or remove them. Consistent monitoring of the service, experiences, spaces and supervision will ensure the
learning environment is safe both physically and psychologically.
Assessing risk within the early childhood environment.
When you assess the learning environment for risks, ask yourself the following questions:
1. Is the equipment safe, with no sharp edges or small pieces for a child to choke on?
2. Is the equipment it in good working order?
3. Is the equipment set up in appropriate areas? For example, is large climbing equipment on stable and
appropriate ground covering?
4. Are electrical cords and power points inaccessible to children?
5. Are educators supervising all the children? Are they spreading themselves out to ensure all areas are
visible?
6. Are wet floor areas cleaned up immediately and is the necessary signage placed up?
7. Are potentially dangerous materials or chemicals out of reach of children?
8. Are water trolleys emptied immediately after use to reduce the risk of children drowning?
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9.
Is the equipment or resource age appropriate?
By asking yourself questions such as these, you will begin to reflect on the learning environment, staff practices
and ways to manage risks which may jeopardise the safety of children physically or psychologically.
Psychological Safety
For children to participate fully in the learning environment, they must feel confident and psychologically safe.
Children may begin to feel psychologically unsafe or threatened if they continually experience failure or are in
an intimidating learning environment. It affects their self-confidence, which in turn reduces the chance of them
confidently exploring their learning environment.
Safe activities are activities that children know they will be successful in. They are experiences that are familiar
to the child and that the child can participate in confidently, knowing they will not fail. Educators can provide
newer challenges to children in a psychologically safe learning environment by including additional resources
to children’s ‘safe’ activities.
For example:

offer thick and thin paint brushes for children to use at the easel

offer a five-piece wooden puzzle to the table with the familiar three-piece wooden puzzle.
Let’s reflect….
Consider the child who prefers to only play in the block area. The child becomes quite anxious when
encouraged to venture into other areas and will often become physical if he is asked to play in other areas.
His Aunty is concerned that he is only playing in this one area and that it may affect his opportunity to learn
other skills. To abate her concerns and to provide opportunities for him to extend his play, while at the same
time listen to his desire and possible need to play in this area, you as an educator decide to bring other
mediums and tools to him for him to consider using and constructing in this region. You can extend the activity
and encourage the child to engage with other mediums by suggesting to:

add animals to the blocks,

cars and trucks located close by;

add small coloured blocks with the large wooden blocks;

add dolls and dress up clothes using the educator as a resource to extend on children’s safe play activities

tracing the blocks with chalk on the concrete
 tracing the blocks on paper using pencils.
It is important to provide activities of interest and preference for while still exposing them to other opportunities
in a non-threatening, safe manner.
Prepare and provide suitable materials for experiences
As every child is developing and reaching milestones, educators must ensure experiences are offering
challenge and creativity. The age and abilities of the child will greatly determine the suitability of experiences
selected.
As babies and toddlers explore the learning environment, preschool age children are looking for that extra
challenge, thus making each learning environment and selected experiences very different for each age group.
Babies
When providing creative and challenging experiences for babies, ensure:

toys with different textures colours and size are selected and available

toys are large and have no sharp edges, and are easily washed or cleaned

different types of experiences are used.
The selection of toys is crucial to the safety and welfare of babies. While children must always be supervised
during play, educators must instil appropriate practices to protect children from risk of injury or death due to
inappropriate resources or equipment.
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The following pictures give examples of suitable toys for babies. As you can see, they have no sharp edges or
small pieces and are easily washed or cleaned. The toys also offer different texture, colour, shape and size.
Suitable toys for babies:
As babies explore their learning environment they often pick up items up and place them into their mouth
because this is where young children use the senses in their mouth to gain significant information about their
world. Educators need to be aware of this and ensure that closer engagement occurs with children when
using small objects. For example if you were using the toys below in the nursery, you would ensure close
supervision and interaction was occurring with the child or small group of children.
*Please note: A high level of educator engagement is required should
these resources be utlised by younger children.
It is important to provide activities of interest and preference for children while still exposing them to other
opportunities in a non-threatening, safe manner.
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
ACTIVTY
In the text box below, list or draw five (5) toys that would be appropriate for babies to use in an early childhood
education and care service and why you believe the item is suitable.
Toddlers
Toddlers are able to walk and move themselves around the world enabling them to touch, see and test their
abilities and construct theories and test these about their world. Toddlers require stimulation and opportunity;
most often they are happy to assist in the meaningful day-to-day tasks we may perform such as going to the
mail box, taking the laundry in or even washing up.
When providing creative and challenging experiences for toddlers, you need to ensure experiences reflect a
toddler's:

interest in the world around them, and the desire to explore it, feel it, see it and touch it

growing mastery of their own body.
Experiences can include indoor and outdoor experiences.
When providing suitable materials for activities for toddlers, consider the following:

The materials must be safe and will not cause harm to a child.

The child may place materials in their mouth.

Supervision may be required to encourage toddlers to use materials appropriately.

Materials may need to be larger for toddlers’ hands to easily handle them.

Materials are prepared in advance, as optimum supervision is required for this age group.
It is important to ensure toddlers have opportunity for both indoor and outdoor play as they master new skills
of their own body.
Toddlers especially enjoy the great outdoors. Experiences can include:

walking around the garden

kicking a ball with you

reading a story under the shade of a tree

finding stones and grouping them into size or colour

watering the plants
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
running, jumping and sliding

looking at different letter boxes or houses.
Three to five years
Creative and challenging experiences for children aged three to five years may involve:

cooking, sewing, carpentry and washing

experiences that are more varied and complicated, which reflects a child’s developing cognitive and
physical abilities

children’s choice not to participate is respected, and an alternative learning experience is negotiated.
As children progress through age ranges, the types and complexity of experiences you can offer changes
dramatically. Often, children of this age will suggest activities they would like to take part in, most of which take
longer and are more complex than that of children in younger age groups.
Experiences for children aged three to five years can be much more varied and complicated, which reflects a
child’s developing cognitive and physical abilities. Children of this age will love experiences such as cooking,
sewing, carpentry and washing.
When providing suitable materials for activities for pre-schoolers, consider the following:

Materials used should be appropriate to each child’s development and interests.

Children are exploring and creating at this age group and will need variety and change.

Children are learning all the skills they will require for school, so materials and experiences can become
more structured and complex.
Providing children with these experiences can assist them to develop their skills in all areas of development
as they measure, classify, engage in team work and discussions, and use fine motor skills. These all provide
fantastic opportunities for children to develop new skills, but remember that kitchens and many other places
where such experiences may occur are dangerous, so children must be supervised.
The provision of quality resources supports the value of the learning experience. Imagine how frustrating it
would be to draw with pencils where the lead continued to snap off…. Or how frustrating it would be trying
to cut with scissors that do not work…
A stimulating learning environment
The set-up of the learning environment is one of the most important aspects which will entice children to use
the area for play or leisure and feel a sense of belonging ‘I and my family belong in this early learning education
and care service, I am welcome, I am honoured and I belong’.
“For the first time, Australia has a National Quality Standard that is linked to a national learning framework
which recognises that children learn from birth. The National Quality Standard supports the implementation
of the Early Years Learning Framework and frameworks supporting the care of school age children by
ensuring that necessary learning environments, facilities, staffing arrangements, resources and management
structures are in place.” The National Quality Standard comprises of 7 quality areas:
1. Educational program and practice
2. Children’s health and safety Physical learning environment
3. Staffing arrangements
4. Relationships with children
5. Collaborative partnerships with families and communities Leadership and service management
Being, Belonging and Becoming’ in a National Quality Standard (NQS) approved Early Years Learning
Framework for Australia. The Framework forms the foundation for ensuring that children in all early childhood
education and care settings experience quality teaching and learning. It has a specific emphasis on play-based
learning and recognises the importance of communication and language (including early literacy and
numeracy) and social and emotional development. The Framework has been designed for use by early
childhood early childhood professionals working in partnership with families, children’s first and most influential
early childhood professionals.
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Outcome 4 of ‘Being, Belonging and Becoming’ makes reference to children
developing a range of skills and processes such as problem solving,
inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and investigating.
Outcome 4 relates specifically to the provision of a stimulating learning
environment as does National Quality Standards in Area 1 and Area 3.
Standard 1.1: The Early Years Learning Framework (or other approved learning
framework) informs the development of a program for each child that enhances
their learning and development.
Standard 1.2: The program for each child takes into account their strengths,
capabilities, culture, interests and experiences.
Standard 3.2: The learning environment is inclusive, promotes competence,
independent exploration and learning through play
When visiting early childhood education and care services you may see learning environments set up for
children that lack stimulation. They may have minimal resources, or resources that are set up in cluttered or
unorganised way. The children at play may throw the toys on the floor, display undesirable behaviours or
ignore the play area all together. This is because the learning environment has not enticed them to engage in
play, in a positive or constructive way.
Play materials within the learning environment, as well as the learning environment itself, should be set up to
stimulate children’s development, stimulate their curiosity and enhance their play. The learning environment
should incorporate the following factors to make it stimulating. It should:

provide children with positive experiences and fun play and leisure activities

meet the developmental needs of children by both developing existing skill sets and facilitating the
development of new and emerging skill sets

be consistent while further stimulating through the provision of new and exciting play areas, materials
and equipment

respond to children’s differing levels of needs and abilities

recognise children’s interests and strengths

foster and stimulate curiosity

allow for whole body investigation

encourage all aspects of a child’s development — social, emotional, cognitive, physical, language and
creative.
Setting up a stimulating learning environment involves:

the provision of a variety of materials which stimulate the senses

a variety of play spaces and play areas which allow children to engage in all aspects of the differing
types of play, e.g., constructive, dramatic

ensuring that the room has order and structure

ensuring the learning environment is relaxed, happy and harmonious — e.g., playing background music,
opening windows and blinds for ventilation and light and ensuring that the children and educators remain
relaxed

ensuring that there is sufficient amount of equipment for all children

setting up experiences, removing equipment from containers and presenting them to children to entice
their participation

providing children with a variety of experiences to allow choice and providing enough resources for
children to share

changing the equipment and resources to ensure that children stay stimulated

providing props to make experiences interesting and different

providing experiences that are based on children’s developmental needs and interests

including children in setting up their learning environment.
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A challenging learning environment
People outside of the early childhood profession may question the benefits of early childhood programs in
which they see children as simply playing. Many people perceive the need for adults to 'teach' children how to
do things and consider that the earlier a child learns to sit at a desk in rows, hold a pencil, write, read and so
on, the better.
A young child will learn more through his or her own discovery in play than from an educator directing his or
her learning. A child must be provided with a learning environment conducive to stimulating interest,
excitement, challenge and learning.
Children should be offered a learning environment where they can:

discover and learn

experiment and research

practice their skills

try without pressure or judgement.
All of these factors contribute to ensuring that the learning environment is suitably challenging for young
children.
When implementing a challenging learning environment, it is necessary to monitor the children’s reactions. If
children display signs of frustration, the learning environment may be too challenging and difficult. If the
learning environment is not challenging enough, the children may display signs of boredom or disruptive
behaviours. Both frustration and boredom will result in children using the learning environment inappropriately
and not experiencing success.
Provide a range of physical activities to provide children with choice in their play
whenever possible
Article 12 of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child establishes the right of children to be
involved in decisions that affect them, both as individuals and as a group. This right of active engagement
has been broadly conceptualised as ‘participation’.
Participation can be defined as an ongoing process of children’s expression and active involvement in
decision-making at different levels in matters that concern them. It requires information-sharing and dialogue
between children and adults based on mutual respect, and requires that full consideration of their views be
given, taking into account the child’s age and maturity.
Children can form and express views from the earliest age, but the nature of their participation, and the
range of decisions in which they are involved, will necessarily increase in accordance with their age and
evolving capacities.
Opportunities for children’s choice must be considered when planning experiences, activities and the set-up
of all learning environments. The routine in the early childhood service and within each room should remain
flexible to allow for children’s needs and different feelings. While the routine and program provides some
structure to the learning environment, it should also allow for times when children can choose what they would
like to engage in. Blocks of uninterrupted time for children to play is important for children allowing flexibility
for children to select their own play experiences, construct theories and test ideas.
Allowing children choice within their play and leisure benefits them because they:

feel empowered and in control of their play and leisure

begin to learn the concept of responsibility and taking responsibility for their actions and decisions

learn about consequences — for every choice, there is always a consequence, positive or negative

develop decision-making skills

develop independence and autonomy
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
provides a sense of ownership of the environment.
The learning environment can provide choice to children by:

using open shelving for children to self-select items. — shelving should also be at a level which allows
children access to the variety of materials on display

providing duplicates as well as a variety of toys and equipment that are age appropriate

ensuring there is variation in the materials provided, for instance you may have large blocks, small
blocks as well as shaped blocks

providing opportunities for a choice of individual, small and large group experiences

asking the children what equipment or resources they would like to use and providing this to them.
Physical activity
Physically active play areas should promote a child’s fundamental movement skill milestones.
“Fundamental movement skills are the building blocks for successful participation in games and sports.
Examples of these skills can often be seen in the different games our students play in the playground as well
as the organised games as part of PE and sport.
The 12 fundamental movement skills are:
1. balancing
2. running
3. jumping
4. catching
5. hopping
6. throwing
7. galloping
8. skipping
9. leaping
10. kicking
11. striking
12. dodging.
Research suggests that fundamental movement skills are the key to addressing issues of participation levels
in physical activity, and also in addressing the increasing obesity levels amongst the general population. If
students are proficient in fundamental movement skills, they are more likely to participate in games and sports
and establish lifelong commitment to health and physical activity.”
*information sourced: http://www.cmsport.co.nz/programmes/youth-development/earlychildhood/fundamental-movement-skills/
The Australian Government’s Department of Health and Ageing has devised recommendations for parents to
encourage children’s fitness and physical health through active play. The following reading is extract from the
Physical Activity Guidelines.
Physical Activity Recommendations for Children 0–5 years
Being physically active every day is important for the healthy growth and development of babies, toddlers and
pre-schoolers.
For babies (birth to one year) physical activity – particularly supervised floor-based play in safe learning
environments – should be encouraged from birth.
Before babies begin to crawl, encourage them to be physically active by reaching and grasping, pulling and
pushing, moving their head, body and limbs during daily routines, and during supervised floor play, including
tummy time. Once babies are mobile, encourage them to be as active as possible in a safe, supervised and
nurturing play learning environment.
Toddlers (1 to 3 years) & Pre-schoolers (3 to 5 years) should be physically active every day for at least three
hours, spread throughout the day.
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Young children don’t need to do their three hours of physical activity all at once. It can be accumulated
throughout the day and can include light activity like standing up, moving around and playing as well as more
vigorous activity like running and jumping. Active play is the best way for young children to be physically active.
Children younger than 2 years of age should not spend any time watching television or using other electronic
media (DVDs, computer and other electronic games) and for children 2 to 5 years of age these activities should
be limited to less than one hour per day.
Television, DVDs and playing computer games usually involve sitting for long periods – time which could be
spent playing active games or interacting with others.
Babies, toddlers and pre-schoolers should not be sedentary, restrained, or kept inactive, for more than one
hour at a time, with the exception of sleeping.
All children need some ‘down time’ but they are not naturally inactive for long periods of time. Sitting in strollers,
highchairs and car seats (restrained) for long periods isn’t good for children’s health and development. Try to
take regular breaks on long car trips and walk or pedal for short trips when you can.
Physical Activity Recommendations for 5-12 year olds
A combination of moderate and vigorous activities for at least 60 minutes a day is recommended. Examples
of moderate activities are a brisk walk, a bike ride or any sort of active play. More vigorous activities will make
kids “huff and puff” and include organised sports such as football and netball, as well as activities such as
ballet, running and swimming laps. Children typically accumulate activity in intermittent bursts ranging from a
few seconds to several minutes, so any sort of active play will usually include some vigorous activity.
Most importantly, kids need the opportunity to participate in a variety of activities that are fun and suit their
interests, skills and abilities. Variety will also offer your child a range of health benefits, experiences and
challenges. Children shouldn't spend more than two hours a day using electronic media for entertainment (For
example: computer games, TV, internet), particularly during daylight hours.
Variety
It is important to ensure that educators encourage children to participate in play and leisure by offering a variety
of different resources and equipment. By regularly providing a variety of experiences, we provide opportunities
for children to transfer and adapt what they have learned from one context to another. This process ensures
that we:
 meet their developmental needs
 stimulate their play
 focus on their interests
 follow up and build on new and existing skills
 encourage exploration and use of the senses
 facilitate learning and development.
Changing resources can be as minor as adding crayons to the drawing area or rearranging the furniture within
the room. Other examples of changes in resources can include:
 music being added or changed
 carpet mats being added or changed
 room dividers being added or moved
 curtains and nets being added or moved
 indoor equipment taken outdoors and vice versa
 alternating blocks and constructive materials.
It is important to identify when and why the resources should be changed. Educators should collaborate with
each other and the children when planning for changes in resources. Times when it may be necessary for
changes in resources include when:
 children display frustration or boredom
 areas of the room are not being utilised
 children’s skills and abilities increase.
Some factors to consider when making changes to the learning environment include:
 making changes gradually to ensure children still have some familiar experiences or areas
 allowing time for children to get used to the changes and then evaluating the effectiveness of the
change — consider why you had made changes in the first place and if the changes met these
expectations.
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Whilst making small changes can motivate and interest children, too many changes can have an adverse
effect, creating confusion and insecurity with some children. It would not be recommended to significantly
change the learning environment on a daily basis, as most children need consistency and familiarity within
their learning environment. A familiar learning environment provides an opportunity for children to practice
skills and build on to their knowledge base.
Children’s individual interests and needs
Planning for safe and stimulating play activities and materials which meet the needs and interests of children
is an important aspect of an educator’s role. It requires enthusiasm, knowledge and an understanding of how
to enhance children's development. The provision of experiences which meet the needs and interests of
children involves:

observing children

assessing and documenting children's learning and development progress

planning to support children's future learning and development

setting up play learning environments and experiences

evaluating learning environments and experiences.
The activities and materials provided significantly influence children's behaviour and development. To promote
appropriate behaviours and enhance child development, educators must first acquire a further understanding
of the individual children, including each child's abilities, interests and needs. This knowledge can be used to
ensure that play activities and materials are appropriate and will encourage all children to participate, explore
and engage in learning.
Interests of children
Each child will have different interests and their interests may change from one moment to another. Children’s
interests may be formed through their experiences, the learning environment that they live in, friends and family
they are associated with and education that they have. Common interests in children aged birth to five include:

toys with bright colours and noise

dinosaurs

dancing

drawing and writing

nature

animals and pets

friends and family.
It is important that the early childhood service meets the interests of all children in their care. The program, the
routine and the learning environment should be presented to ensure that each child’s interests are met to:

keep children entertained and interested

provide children with a learning environment that they want to attend

encourage learning and discovery

encourage participation.
Extending play
With children reaching milestones at different times and routines ever changing as children grow, educators
need to be aware of such differences when organising opportunities for the facilitation of play. Children must
be provided with suitable activities, resources and materials as well as supportive relationships and interactions
which extend their play.
Babies (birth to two years)
Adults can manage time to ensure daily tasks are completed around life’s routines such as work, travel and
household chores. The times in which each routine task is complete will vary from day-to-day depending on
work schedule or personal commitments. The same applies for the facilitation of play for babies. Each
individual child will have their own routine based on their physical needs such as sleeping and eating.
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Opportunities for play must be flexibly accommodated in and around the child’s routine requirements to
ensure that development is supported and play is extended.
When facilitating play and leisure for babies, educators must remember some very important points:

Safety — setting up the learning environment involves thought and consideration. Educators need to
ensure plenty of space for the children to move around freely and explore. The provision of materials
must also be developmentally appropriate. As a general rule of thumb, items smaller than a film
canister should not be a provision of play for babies.

Variety —babies require a variety of toys, equipment and play opportunities. These may be
purchased or homemade resources. Most importantly, children of this age need a variety of sensory
experiences which can help facilitate and extend on their play and learning.

Flexibility — the routine needs to be flexible enough to allow for the individual child to return to play.
In this age group, time for play can be limited due to the other physical needs babies have. Play
materials and resources should allow for a child to come back to exploring a play thing either after
lunch or after a sleep; this is essential to extending play for this age group.
Toddlers (two to three years)
Toddlers require routines to be created and followed and it is important they have structure in their day. This
structure often provides them with a sense of security as they are aware of what comes next or when
something will occur. This may include physical care routines such as eating, sleeping or play and leisure
times.
Within the provision of materials, resources and activities which extend play, toddlers require:

blocks of sufficient time to be available for exploring, experimenting and playing

new and different experiences are on offer as well as familiar and mastered experiences

extension of play through the introduction of materials and resources, as well as educator suggestion
as to alternative ways materials and resources can be used in play

educator’s role model of play and use of equipment.
Toddlers are very active, exploratory, inventive, and creative and so enjoy testing out new resources or
materials. Their language is dramatically increasing from single words to sentences therefore making it
possible for them to communicate their play needs to educators.
Educators must ensure the toddler’s learning environment:

is safe

provides a variety and flexibility in both the planned experiences and the routine

accommodates a variety of play types such as solitary, parallel, dramatic

provides opportunities for the children to extend play by ensuring materials or experiences are
available to them at their level

has provisions for a choice of play.
Toddlers may like to stay longer at experiences, revisit old experiences and leave equipment or projects set
up to return to later. Ensuring open communication between educator and child fosters the child’s ability to
voice these individual play choices or preferences. Enabling this communication and understanding
between educators and children allows transitions from and between experiences to be smooth for both
parties.
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Preschool (three to five years)
Preschool children require stimulating learning environments. They are becoming independent, active and
consistently looking for that extra challenge. Being, Belonging and Becoming Outcome 4 links to children
developing their learning skills via problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and
investigating. Both the learning environment and you, as the educator, play integral roles in ensuring that
individuals and groups of children are provided with stimulating and respectful learning environments which
extend their play.
Just as with the other age groups, preschool children need play learning environments which:

are safe

provide for variety and flexibility in both planned experience and the routine

accommodate a variety of play types such as associative, cooperative, dramatic

provide opportunities for the children to extend play by ensuring materials or experiences are
available to them at their level

provide and facilitate choice.
Three to five year olds require that:

caregivers' interactions provide a positive role model for children

a learning environment is maintained that respects individual and group needs

limits are in place and are consistently applied

feelings are acknowledged and respected by caregivers and other children

variety and choice within play are available

ownership of the learning environment is encouraged by educators allowing children to move and
change the learning environment based on their play.
Preschool children are learning how to respect individuals, the surrounding learning environment and
resources. As a role model and educator, it is important you demonstrate how to use resources appropriately
and work with the children to set guidelines and limitations that can be applied consistently. Preschool
children may need to be reminded from time to time of these limitations and guidelines. As we make children
aware of these limits, we must always acknowledge and respect their feelings.
Needs
Children may have differing needs in an early childhood education and care environment depending on their:

age

ability

culture

family background

health

welfare.
It is important to ensure that children “feel safe, secure and supported” – Outcome 1, Being, Belonging,
Becoming.
Some needs of children that you come across in an early childhood environment include:
 a food allergy or intolerance
 a health condition
 being fed breakfast as soon as they arrive, or their dinner that has been brought in by their parent
 medication required.
We, as educators, ensure that children are kept healthy and well developed with their welfare looked after, by
assisting in meeting their needs.
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In some cases, an educator may be the first person to identify the child’s need. This can be done through
formal and informal observations, interactions with the child, assessments, or by the child expressing their
need to the educator. In this event, staff should discuss the child’s need with their Team Leader as soon as
possible. From this discussion, strategies made with the parents and the staff can be implemented to assist
the child’s needs.
Points to consider:

Implement experiences that can be modified for children with additional needs.

Ensure that the routine caters for each child.

Provide a variety of experiences and consider how the experience can be adapted to the child with the
need.

Discuss the need with the family and find out how they support the child at home. From this information,
develop consistent practices in consultation with the child’s parents.

Encourage the parent to bring in resources or equipment that are effective at home.

Source community organisations that are available to assist with the inclusion of a child with a particular
need, including providing staff with training to assist the child.
Provision of learning environments
Early childhood educators must consider the individual needs of the children when deciding on the type of
opportunities they are planning. There are a number of ways in which an educator can support the child’s
development:
1.
Provide a stable and predictable learning environment for children where they will feel secure in making
choices and taking risks. Outcome 4 of Being, Belonging, Becoming makes reference to children
developing dispositions for curiosity, persistence and reflexivity.
A learning environment in which a child is not afraid of making mistakes is essential to cognitive
development. If a child is not familiar with the learning environment provided and does not know what
to expect, or cannot anticipate events, then cognitive development will not be encouraged.
It is essential that educators:
2.

develop and maintain a routine

make children aware of any changes to the expected routine

provide a balance of familiar and new activities or toys.
Provide a learning environment that is caring, and is full of supportive interactions with children.
An adult can only foster a child's thinking and reasoning skills if he/she has some idea about how the
child already thinks, and what thought processes are developing. Playing with the child, observing the
child and asking open-ended questions will enable the educator to focus on the developmental skills of
the child.
Educators must be:
3.

responsive to the child's interests and needs

alert to the child's thinking skills

positive and encouraging.
The learning environment should allow children to be involved as an active participant in the learning
process.
A child’s thinking and reasoning skills can only be enhanced if they are given opportunities to practice
things for themselves. While children can learn through observation, concepts will not be fully developed
unless they are actively involved.
4.
Provide a learning environment that enables a child to explore.
Restraints should be minimised so that a child will not be stopped midway through his/her exploration
because the object wasn't meant to be touched. As discussed previously, children learn through each
of their five senses. Children need to be given opportunities to do so.
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5.
The learning environment should include formally organised activities, and intentional teaching activities
which are planned for the day.
These activities usually take the form of group time, transitions, and activities that are planned to link
with small groups or individuals after being observed by an educator. Intentional teaching opportunities
and planned experiences are important so that the educators can communicate to the children and
explain what will happen next.
Play reflects cultural diversity, gender and abilities of children
All children are unique individuals and have their own qualities and preferences. They have the right to be
involved in play experiences. Appropriate play experiences will vary for individual children and their individual
needs. Points to consider may be:

Cultural background — this may include families from other countries, families with English as a
second language, families with differing religious beliefs, family structures or child-rearing practices.

Gender — male or female.

Ability — this can also include any additional needs the child has which may affect their ability. It is
important to remember that children who have exceptional skills (‘gifted’ children) also fall into this area.
Regardless of differences or similarities, children need to feel included in the learning environment and in the
play and leisure experiences offered to them. This can be done by incorporating experiences based on
individual children’s needs and interests.
Racial and cultural identity
Racial identity is generally characterised as a person's acceptance of their physical appearance, whereas
cultural identity is not about appearance but about the way people live, their lifestyle choices, practices and
customs. A family’s culture can include factors such as family structure, religion, beliefs and child rearing
practices. Both racial and cultural identity, however, are closely linked.
Belonging, Being and Becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (pp 26-27)
Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world when children respond to diversity
with respect
What this looks like with children:
 Children becoming aware of connections, similarities and differences between people
 Children noticing and reacting in positive ways to similarities and differences among people
Educators support this process when they…
 Plan experiences and provide resources that broaden children’s perspectives and encourage
appreciation of diversity
 Demonstrate positive responses to diversity in their own behaviour and in conversations with
children
 Engage in interactions with children that promote respect for diversity and value distinctiveness
 Explore with children their ideas about diversity
Many people find talking about diversity in race or culture, or difference in appearance such as skin colour,
hair texture or eye shape embarrassing, uncomfortable or controversial. Children, families and educators need
to realise that individuality comes in all shapes, colours and sizes and this needs to be recognised, respected
and embraced through the service learning environment.
Children notice differences in others' appearance at an early age. The way that adults respond will dramatically
affect the way the child views differences and, ultimately, form their own self-image. The best way to respond
to a child who recognises or questions differences in appearance is to be direct, honest and positive and never
ignore the questions.
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REFLECTION:
Consider the response of the educator in the following scenario:
Felicity and Liara, both three, are drawing with the crayons. Liara draws with a brown crayon and says, "This
is almost the same colour as me."
Sally, the educator, also sitting at the table says, "Yes, it is almost the same as your beautiful brown skin."
Meanwhile, Felicity, looking at Liara's skin, says, "Is she dirty?"
Sally replies, "Liara has brown skin just like her family has brown skin, just like you have blue eyes like your
family, and I have curly hair like my family." Sally then goes on to notice similarities between Felicity, Liara and
herself. “We are all girls and we all like drawing.”
This response is appropriate as the educator responds positively to both children. She acknowledges Liara's
skin colour, which is important in boosting her self-concept, while tactfully answering Felicity's questions and
pointing out that everyone is unique in a subtle, respectful way. Given the same situation, another educator
may have responded with, "We are all special, it doesn't matter what we look like." Although the educator may
think they are saying the right thing, this response is inappropriate as it does not actively acknowledge what
the child has said and does not genuinely respect diversity.
Play experiences which explore and facilitate cultural and racial identity
Cultural recognition involves more than putting a multicultural poster on a wall! There are many ways in
which an early childhood service can recognise, respect and incorporate diverse races and cultures into the
learning environment. These include:

books and posters that reflect diverse races

multiracial dolls with diverse physical features

costumes, dress ups and traditional cooking equipment in home corner

cooking experiences

songs, music and instruments

keywords and phrases, counting, greetings and songs in other languages

celebrations and special cultural or significant events

visitors or guests who represent diverse races and cultures

parents bringing in photos of the children and their families

encouraging interactions between all children.
Cultural attitudes towards play
Educators understand the importance of play to children’s learning and development; however, not all families
may have the same beliefs. Some may place more emphasis on education over play. It is vital to understand
each family’s perspectives and expectations in regards to children’s development.
Quality Area 1 of the National Quality Standard focuses on Education program
and practice that engages, stimulates and enhances children’s learning and
development.
Standard 1.2 – The program for each child takes into account their
strengths, capabilities, culture, interests and experiences
Each child’s current knowledge, ideas, culture and interests provide the foundation for the program.
Every child is supported to participate in the program.
Each child’s learning and development is assessed as part of an ongoing cycle of planning, documenting
and evaluating children’s learning.
Critical reflection and evaluation of children’s learning and development, both as individuals and
effectiveness of the program and teaching strategies.
What this standard is about....
Educators develop the program based on their sound knowledge of each child so that the experiences,
interactions and routines each child engages in are relevant to them, respectful of their background and
recognise and build on their current interests and abilities. 2
2
Sourced: http://www.deewr.gov.au/Earlychildhood/Policy_Agenda/Documents/GuideNationalQualityStandard.pdf
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Gender differences
In order for the children to develop positive gender identities, it is important for educators, parents and children
to recognise and promote equality between the genders.
How many times have you heard the sayings:

"Blue is for boys and pink is for girls" or

"Boys play with trucks and girls play with dolls"?
In dramatic play corner you will sometimes hear comments such as “boys don’t cook”. As an educator it is
important for you to promote equity and diversity.

ACTIVTY
Locate the relevant equity and diversity policy from your organisation. In the text box below, list your
responsibilities as an educator in facilitating and supporting equity and diversity with children enrolled in the
service where you work.
A child's gender identity can be affected in several ways.

Acceptance of behaviour — a child's personality may be affected by adults expecting them to behave
in a certain way. For example, a boisterous, outgoing girl may be repeatedly told that girls should not
behave that way. Alternatively, a quiet-natured boy may be told to “toughen up” and engage in rough
and tumble type play. This is also true for children expressing emotions. Stereotypically, people may
have the belief that boys shouldn't cry.

Acceptance of interests — children may be reluctant to express interest or engage in play when they
have been repeatedly exposed to stereotyping, for example, if boys are told that dress ups are for girls.

Interactions — adults and parents may tend to interact differently with their children of different genders.

Expectations — some families and cultures have higher expectations of boys or of girls. For example,
girls must do chores around the house while boys play, or a boy’s education is considered more
important than a girl’s education.

Openness or honesty of adults – it is normal behaviour for children to explore and experiment with
their own bodies. For example, when children have their nappy changed or start to toilet train they will
discover their genitals. They may show interest in this and curiosity in other children's body parts. The
educator’s attitude to this will affect how the child sees their body, either as positive and special or as
something to be ashamed of and hide.

Language used — there are times when adults may say something unintentionally that makes
understanding genders more difficult for children.
Saying "Good boy/ good girl", when a child achieves something is labelling the child. A good boy/girl statement
does not actually acknowledge the action that was particularly 'good' or achieved. A more appropriate response
would be "Thank you, Sarah, for putting your shoes away. Well done." When praising and encouraging a child,
you need to be specific in your feedback.
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Play experiences which explore and facilitate gender identity
There are many ways in which an educator can support children in developing a positive gender identity. These
include:

providing experiences that are not gender specific

encouraging all children to engage in all types of play

encouraging interaction between all children

books and posters that depict males and females in non-stereotypical roles

dress up clothes from both genders and non-stereotypical home corner themes

speaking about genders positively, honestly and tactfully (confidently answer questions directly and
referring to genitals by the correct name; this also supports protective behaviours principles — consult
parents to determine their expectations)

excursions or visitors to the centre that promote gender equity such as a female doctor, a male dancer
or male chef.
Abilities
Children’s abilities may differ depending on a variety of factors. These include:

age

an additional need such as developmental delay, hearing or sight impairment or a gifted child

culture expectations and child-rearing practices

the child’s learning environment and past opportunities

the child’s health status

the child’s fitness and nutritional intake

encouragement provided by adults and educators.
Educators must be sensitive to each child’s individual level of ability and can do this in a variety of ways,
including:

providing a range of experiences to allow children the choice to participate

being aware of children’s abilities and adapting experiences and interactions accordingly

providing experiences based on children’s interests — if the child is more interested in a certain area,
they will be more willing to participate in play

arranging the learning environment to cater for differing abilities, such as wheel chair access between
tables

providing time, patience and support to all children.
Opportunities for one-on-one, small group and whole group interaction
One-on-one, small and large group interactions are situations which will assist children develop their social
skills. Such opportunities can help children who have difficulties with social skills develop friendships and peer
interactions. They can guide children in understanding pro social behaviours as well as enhance other areas
of development such as language and listening skills. Outcome 1 of Being, Belonging, Becoming refers to
children learning to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect.
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Quality Area 5 of the National Quality Standard, relationships with children, focuses on relationships with
children being responsive and respectful and promoting children’s sense of security and belonging.
Relationships of this kind, free children to explore the environment and engage in play and learning.
Children benefit from positive peer relationships, additionally relationships with supportive care givers
promotes positive child development.
What this may look like in the early learning environment….








Educators participating in children’s play using children’s cues to guide their level and type of
involvement
Educators responding positively and respectfully to children’s comments, questions and requests
for assistance
Educators collaborating with children about routines and experiences
Children engaging in spontaneous, two-way conversations wand interactions
Children asking educators for assistance as they try new experiences
Children participating in play experiences and developing friendships
Children engaging in enjoyable interactions
Children contributing to shared play experiences
(ACECQA, 2011, p.136)
One-on-One interactions
One-on-one interactions between educators and children are extremely important times and opportunities
should be provided regularly. These interactions demonstrate to the child that they are unique and special.
They also allow the educators to form a closer relationship with the child and assist with understanding their
needs and abilities.
One-on-one interactions throughout the day can be initiated during:

arrival and departure of the child

routines such as bathing, changing, toileting, setting up lunch and feeding

having a cuddle when children wake after sleep time

during planned and spontaneous play.
Small Group Interactions
Small group interactions enable educators to facilitate play between groups of two to five children. Such
interactions help children communicate with each other, share ideas and solve problems together.
12 – 24 months
Within this age bracket, children may have difficulty initiating and maintaining interactions with other children
and so the educator will be a vital part of this type of small group. Often you will play the role of initiator,
mediator and participant.
24 – 36 months
When you are at an early childhood education and care service, observe a small group of toddlers interacting
together. You will notice disagreements and squabbles over toys and equipment to be a common
occurrence. At this age, although toddlers can share in certain situations, they have difficulty in seeing things
from another person’s point of view other than their own. Providing duplicates of toys and equipment, as
well as enough space for the children to separate themselves in the room, are methods of facilitating small
group interactions within this age group. Educators may still need to be mediators for this age group;
however, as children become more adept at initiating interactions, the frequency of playing this role will
decrease.
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36 months and older
Preschool and school-age children will usually form friendships with a select few children. While these
relationships can be ‘stormy’, with conflicts usually resulting in frequent falling out and making up, preschool
children are usually able to play together in small groups. They will often initiate and maintain these
interactions with little or no interventions from the educator. Their play can be described as associate —
that is, sharing, taking turns, lending and demonstrating a common interest will take place.
Large Group Interactions
Older children often enjoy engaging in large group interactions particularly as they become more competent
at turn taking, sharing, cooperation, understanding rules and supporting their peers during group experiences.
Toddlers and babies should not be expected to participate in large group experiences as they often do not
have the necessary social skills to cope in this situation.
Read the following scenario and take note of how the educator has provided a learning environment that
supports social development.
Jill is Lead Educator of a 4-5 year age group and takes a lot of care when setting up her room.
In the book corner, Jill provides a small table with two chairs and two sets of headphones. Jill puts clay on a
slightly larger table with four chairs.
In the art and craft area, Jill provides two easels for painting and a large table with paper and pencils for free
drawing. At group time, Jill takes the children on a ‘bear hunt’ around the playground while the Assisting
Educator, Kelly, prepares lunch.
The children are having a picnic today, so Kelly puts two large blankets under the shade of a tree and puts
half the lunch boxes on one mat and half on the other.
During the afternoon session, Jill sets up an obstacle course and puts the stereo on the veranda with a basket
of scarves for dancing.
Jill also notes how pleasant it was under the trees at lunch time, so decides to take a clean picnic rug, four
cushions and a basket of books outside for quiet reading.
Later in the afternoon, Jill suggests a game of ‘What’s the time, Mr Wolf?’
As you can see in the above scenario, the Lead Educator has set up a number of activities in different
learning environments and has created plenty of opportunities for the children to socialise throughout their
play. Jill has created opportunities for one-on-one, small group and large group experiences.
Provide Opportunities for Both Group and Individual Play Activities and Experiences Indoors and
Outdoors
When implementing play opportunities for children, educators must ensure that they include experiences which
engage them in both group and individual play within the indoor and outdoor learning environments.
Typical individual experiences include:

puzzles

drawing

threading

computers

visual arts

books.
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Typical group experiences include:

construction

sand play

dramatic play

ball games

music and movement

board games.
When facilitating individual and group play, indoor and outdoor learning environments should be should be
considered with equal importance. We often tend to place more importance on the inside, as this is the area
in which children tend to spend the majority of their time.
Educators should remember that the outside area can provide a multitude of individual and group learning
experiences which help in the development of the whole child.
Children enjoy and need the freedom of the outdoors and therefore it is our responsibility to set up the outside
learning environment as we would the inside. In doing so, we will ultimately provide a variety of environments
for children to experience and enhance their learning.
Individual Experiences
The provision of activities which allow children to individually play within both the indoor and outdoor learning
environment allows for:

practice and time to reflect

exploration of the learning environment

the child gaining a better understanding of themselves and their ability within the learning environment

an opportunity to observe the interactions and play of others

the development of self-esteem and self-concept — Outcome 1 Being, Belonging, Becoming supports
this point by suggesting that children develop their emerging skills of autonomy, inter-dependence
and resilience.
In early learning environments it is quite common to hear the phrases “OK preschool, time to pack away”,
or “Let’s go toddlers, we’re going outside”. While it is important for children to feel as part of a group, it is
essential that children are also recognised as individuals and treated as such. The manner in which we
provide experiences and play to children can assist them in developing individually and in a manner which
allows time for the child to better understand themself and enjoy their own company. It also allows for their
efforts to be individually recognised.
When setting up environments for children to participate in individually both indoors and outdoors, the
following concepts should apply:

Ensure you organise space for the provision of individual activities well out of the way of noisy, group
activities. This will ensure that the child is not distracted or interrupted in their play. The provision of
such space may be in the corner of the room, under a tree or in a cubby house.

Ensure such activities are set up in a manner that enables the child to access your support and help.
As the child will be engaging in play by themselves, there will not be other children around to assist
the child if they are having a hard time accessing or manipulating the learning resources or materials.
Ensure you are in a position where help is on hand for the child should it be needed.

Set up the play materials in a way that makes clear the learning experience is a one-person learning
experience only. For example, if easel painting, ensure that there are materials for one person only
— one easel, one set of paint brushes and pots, one art smock.

Implementing individual experiences within a group setting can cause frustration as children will be
required to wait their turn. If this is the case, ensure you have strategies you can implement to make
the waiting manageable. This may mean using an egg timer, a list or a roster system.

Use dividers to visually set the boundaries of the play space. Along with the materials on offer, the
use of borders and room dividers can assist children in identifying that the experience is for one
person only. Materials such as fabric, curtains, streamers and ribbon can all be used as a room divider
if used in a creative manner.
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Group Experiences
When setting up the indoor and outdoor learning environment for group play, the same rules should apply
for both learning environments. Children are learning valuable social skills which enable them to participate
in group play. Setting up a learning environment which facilitates group play can assist in the development
of these skills in a positive manner. Outcome 1 of Being, Belonging, Becoming: the Early Years Learning
Framework states that children may learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect.
The provision of activities which allow children to participate in group play both within the indoor and outdoor
learning environment allows for the development of:

independence

social skills

turn taking skills

communication skills

problem-solving skills.
When setting up the learning environment to facilitate group play, be sure to adhere to the following points:

Provide duplicates of toys and resources, particularly to toddlers, as this will help to avoid frustrations
between children who are still learning how to share.

Create large areas for activities such as block play and dramatic play as this enables the children to
expand with their games and have space to expand their theories and ideas.

Allow children own and lead initiatives and make suggestions on changes or additions to their
learning environment for their group play experience.

Teach and support children in their play, encouraging problem solving and turn taking.

Explain guidelines clearly to children for games with rules or work with children to construct new
rules.
Educators should encourage children to take ownership of their experience and dictate their play. Through
such action, children will be encouraged to take initiative, become creative, take on leadership roles or learn
to work together.
Provide interesting and varied natural outdoor space to encourage active play
The outdoor learning environment provides unique opportunities to develop and extend children’s learning and
skills. Outdoor play can encourage the development of physical skills, social development, cognitive
development, emotional development and creative development.
The Early Years Learning Framework acknowledges that the outdoor learning environment
can also provide children with the opportunity to “become socially responsible and show
respect for the learning environment” as per Outcome 1 from the Being, Belonging,
Becoming: Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.
(DEEWR, 2009)
Outdoor learning environments can provide areas of sand, dirt or mud to use creatively and imaginatively.
Children can experience the aspects of nature by experiencing weather and seasons. They can be provided
with opportunities to garden, or experience the excitement of discovering and learning about insects and other
creatures that share their learning environment. The outdoor play space presents varied and vast experiences
to children who may not be available to them in their home or even the indoor play learning environment.
A quality outdoor area can provide opportunities for children to explore and develop a relationship with the
natural learning environment; gain a sense of freedom and self-exploration, space to imagine and think, and
to learn the skills required to self-manage risk. Providing quality outdoor play experiences for children involves
more than a safe and well equipped outdoor play space and being allowed to experience fresh air and exercise
(DEECD, 2009).
Natural play spaces
Natural play spaces can be rich opportunities for children to explore new ideas and to develop their interests
and understanding (DEECD, 2009).
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Natural areas in the outdoor play space include:

gardens where children can grow their own plants

digging patches

a range of planting to encourage play, such as tree climbing, as well as play with gum nuts, branches
and bark

small pits of pebbles, gravel, coarse sand and smooth river rocks

natural learning environments that encourage birds, butterflies and other insects

worm farms and compost areas.
When setting up natural play spaces, use strategies to ensure that your outdoor learning environment has a
natural feel, for example:

plant trees and flowers

plant a herb garden

allow trees to grow high for natural shading

provide children with tree stumps as outdoor chairs

place a bird bath in the garden to encourage birds to feed and drink

allow grass to grow

put wind catchers, chimes and rain catches in the learning environment

have a compost bin with worms

instead of setting up a sand pit, work with and alongside children to construct a mud pit, stone pit or
pebble pit, or perhaps children can come up with another idea.
Active play
Play which involves running, skipping, jumping from heights, climbing, rolling and dodging are all forms of
active play.
“Opportunities to engage in active and agile gross motor activities are essential for children to develop
coordination, strength, balance and confidence in their own physical abilities, and awareness of their bodies
in space. Active play can take place individually, in small groups or in larger groups.” (DEECD, 2009). (DEECD,
2009).
Active areas in an outdoor play space could include:

open areas for running, jumping, chasing, ball games and sporting activities

areas for climbing and balancing

areas for wheeled toys.
The provisions for active play within the outdoor learning environment are only limited by your imagination.
Gross motor skills
Gross motor skills are those actions that use large muscle groups and whole body movement. A child’s gross
motor skills and abilities are usually acquired during infancy and early childhood as part of the child’s motor
development. By the time a child reaches two years of age, most are able to stand up, walk, run, walk up stairs
etc. These skills are then built upon, improved and better controlled throughout early childhood.
Gross motor skills can be further categorised into the following areas
Locomotion
Balance
The ability to move or the act of moving from place to place
Example: walking, running, jumping, crawling, swimming
To be in equilibrium
Example: to balance on one foot
Strength
To demonstrate the ability to lift or push another object or own body weight
Agility
Ability to start, stop, and move the body quickly in different directions
Projective skills
Bilateral coordination
The ability to project objects from the body
Example: throwing or kicking a ball
The ability to use both hands for the completion of separate tasks
Example: picking up an object with one hand whilst putting down an object with the other
hand
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Unilateral coordination
Coordination
Crossing the midline
Stamina
Spatial awareness
Body awareness
The ability to use both hands for the completion of the same task
The skilful and effective interaction of movements
Example: picking up a ball, dropping it and kicking it mid air
The ability to complete tasks or reach for objects which may be on the opposite side of the
body
Example: reaching left for a cup with the right hand
To demonstrate the energy and strength to continue to do something over a long period of
time
To have an understanding of the body in relation to the space around it
Example: climbing through tunnel, reaching for an object
To have an understanding of the body and what it can do
Example: twist, bend, balance
Fundamental movement skills
Gross motor skills are known as fundamental movement skills.
“Fundamental movement skills are the building blocks for successful participation in games, dance and sports.
Examples of these skills can often be seen in the different games our children play in the playground as well
as the organised games as part of school and sport. The twelve skills are balancing, running, jumping, catching,
hopping, throwing, galloping, skipping, leaping, kicking, striking and dodging.
Research suggests that fundamental movement skills are the key to addressing issues of participation levels
in physical activity and also in addressing the increasing obesity levels amongst the general population. If
children are proficient in fundamental movement skills they are more likely to participate in games and sports
and establish long-life commitment to health and physical activity.”
Fundamental skill sets should be encouraged through the implementation of physical activities which
encourage children to use such skills.
Opportunity to develop gross motor skills and fundamental movement skills
Once a child is ready to develop particular motor skills, they must be given the opportunity to learn and practice
such skills. Outcome 3 of Being, Belonging, Becoming: Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (2009)
refers to children taking increasing responsibility for their own health and physical wellbeing.
Examples of activities which would develop gross motor skills and fundamental movement skills include:

bikes and scooters

running races

obstacle course

making cubby houses from tables, sheets or blankets

running and chasing games

skipping with or without a rope or elastics

dancing

group games like ‘follow the leader’, ‘going on a bear hunt’

soccer

swings and ladders

trampolines

throwing and catching balls and bean bags

balancing along ropes, narrow planks or stilts.
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The following scenario is an example of a child demonstrating gross motor skills:
Sally (aged 3.6) ran over to the tree, squatted down to pick up a paddle bat and tennis ball. She then swung
her right hand, which was grasping the bat and hit the ball, held in her left hand. The ball landed approximately
2m away. Sally skipped (using alternate feet) over to where the ball landed, threw the bat down beside the ball
and proceeded to walk over to the obstacle course. At the obstacle course she stepped up onto the plank and
walked along its length with her arms outstretched either side of her.
The gross motor skills could be observed in the above scenario when Sally:

ran and skipped (showing control of movement and coordination)

bent down (showing flexibility and balance)

picked up the ball and hit it (showing hand-eye coordination and bilateral coordination)

threw the bat (showing muscular strength and projectile skills)

walked unaided along a balance beam (showing balance).
As you can see from just one observation, the child has demonstrated a variety of gross motor skills
Fine motor skills
Fine motor skills can be defined as the coordination of the small muscle movement which occurs in the hands
and the fingers, usually in coordination with the eyes.
Fine motor skills can be further categorised into the following areas.
Grasp
The grip used to hold an object
Hand/eye coordination
Eye/foot coordination
Release
The ability to use the hand and the eye in coordination to complete a task
Example: catching a ball
The ability to use the foot and the eye in coordination to complete a task
Example: kicking a ball
To let go of the grasp of an object voluntarily
Manipulative skills
Perceptual motor skills
Hand preference
The use of objects with the hand or foot
Example: to use scissors to cut, a knife to slice, a spade to dig
Refers to the brain process in relation to physical motor skills
Visual perception: Is the child’s ability to make sense of what is seen and
then physically respond to it accordingly
Auditory perception: Is the child’s ability to make sense of what is heard such
as telling the difference between rhythm, pitch, volume and beat and then
physically respond to it accordingly
The use of objects using the right or left hand.
Fine motor movement of the hands in the first four months of life are due to reflex. By the age of five months,
the baby can visually direct reaching and grasping movements of the hands and fingers and begin developing
in other areas of fine motor skill.
Dexterity
The term dexterity is commonly used in the application of fine motor skills and involves smooth movement in
the hands and fingers. The skills of grasp and release are both related to dexterity.
In order for children to develop dexterity skills, they must progress through various developmental sequences.
Grasps
Primitive squeeze grasp (4 to 5 months)
Object is trapped between curled fingers and palm of the hand.
Palmar grasp (5 to 6 months)
Fingers clasp object against palm.
Hand grasp (radial-palmar grasp) (6 to 7 months)
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Object held against palm by curled finger. Thumb is in slight opposition (i.e. thumb is pressing in opposite
direction to fingers).
Superior palm grasp (7 months)
Thumb is in direct opposition to index finger. Fingers press object against thumb and palm.
Forefinger grasp (8 months)
Object still held more in palm of hand than fingers, however, the palm and fingers now work independently
of each other.
Inferior pincer grasp (9 months)
Object held between thumb and third or fourth fingers.
Pincer grasp (12 months)
Object can be picked up between thumb and one or two fingers.
Within one year of birth, a child has developed the basic motor skill of grasping using a pincer grip. This skill
continues to be refined until adolescence or adulthood.
Release
Releasing is the ability to let an object go. A baby cannot voluntarily let go of an object until about nine months
of age. Taking an object from a seven month old baby, for instance, is not necessarily an easy task. They have
developed a strong grasp by this stage, but are unable to release at will.
Letting Go Behaviour (5 to 7 months)
A baby will transfer an object from hand to hand by pulling it out of the grasping hand.
Voluntary Dropping (8 months)
A baby must press the palm of the hand against a hard surface in order to be able to release an object.
Voluntary Throwing (9 months)
The baby can release an object voluntarily. There is little precision as to how and where the object will land.
Placing (15 to 18 months)
The baby can now release an object with some accuracy (such as ‘posting shapes’ into the correct holes,
building tower).
Tyler, aged 30 months, walked to the drawing table, pulled out the chair and sat down. Using his right hand,
he reached for a pencil. He took hold of the pencil using his right hand tripod grip and brought it to the piece
of paper in front of him. Using the pencil, he drew circular shapes all over it.
The fine motor in the above scenario could be observed when Tyler:

reached for a pencil (showing hand-eye coordination)

held the pencil in a tripod grip (showing grasp)

drew on the paper (showing hand-eye coordination and dexterity)

use of right hand (showing a right hand preference).
As you can see from the above observation, the child demonstrated a variety of motor skills within one
simple experience.
Opportunity to develop fine motor skills and dexterity
Examples of activities which will assist in developing fine motor skills and dexterity include:

cutting

manipulating clay, play dough

placing pegs onto a clothes line

tearing newspaper or magazine into strips

spray painting onto large sheets

carpentry — hammering and manipulating screwdrivers

painting with eye droppers, cotton tips
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
finger puppets

threading

lacing and tracing activities

building with small blocks.
Learning environments to support creative development
Creative development can be classified within the cognitive area of development and relates not only to
creativity in the arts but also in maths, language, science and social studies.
Creative development draws on the cognitive capabilities of symbols used in various forms of expression. This
expression can come through in the form of body movements such as dancing, sculpture and art. It involves
the use of memory for retrieval of how items are represented.
Have you ever looked at a famous piece of artwork, or even a child’s drawing, and labelled the artist as
‘creative’? Have you watched a dancer move gracefully to music and thought to yourself how creative they
are? Do you consider yourself creative?
Many people believe they cannot draw or paint or dance; they do not think that they are creative. Everyone is
creative in one way or another and everyone expresses their creativity differently: some through singing, others
through the clothes they wear; some through cooking and others through storytelling. The provision of the
learning environment and the interactions with those in it will support and enhance creative ability. With this
thought in mind, reflect upon your own interactions with children and the way you set out your room — do the
children in your early learning environments have the opportunity to express their creative flair?
Cognitive development and play
Through play, children make sense of their world. In order to make sense of something, one needs to be able
to think, reflect, hypothesize, wonder, test, explore and compare. Cognitive development is about development
of the brain, involving thinking, learning, awareness, judgment and processing information.
Brain development
The main period for brain growth is during the last six months of pregnancy and the first six months of life. The
speed with which the brain grows during infancy and early childhood surprises most people.

At birth the brain is 25% of its adult weight.

At 6 months the brain is 50% of its adult weight.

At 1 year the brain is 60% of its adult weight.

At 2.5 years the brain is 75% of its adult weight.

At 5 years the brain is 90% of its adult weight.
“A number of factors influence early brain development. These important factors include genetics, food and
nutrition, responsiveness of parents and educators, experiences, physical activity and the meeting of the child’s
emotional needs such as the need for affection and for bonding.
In the past, some scientists thought the brain's development was determined genetically and brain growth
followed a predetermined path. It has not been proven however that early experiences impact the
development of the brain and influence the specific way in which the circuits (or pathways) of the brain
become "wired." A baby's brain is a work in progress. The outside world shapes its development through
experiences that a child's senses, for example: the scent of the mother's skin (smell); the father's voice
(hearing); seeing a face or brightly coloured toy (vision); the feel of a hand gently caressing (touch) and
drinking milk (taste) (Brotherson, 2009).
Experiences that stimulate the five senses help build the connections that guide brain development. Early
experiences have a critical impact on the actual development of the brain, shaping the learning ability of the
child for their future ahead.
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Learning environments and experiences to support cognitive development
Cognitive development is about the function of the brain and thinking. While this appears to be a simple
concept, it is a lot more complex than educators often understand. There are many concepts and skills that
contribute to overall cognitive development.
Perception
Attention span
Selective attention
The taking in of information, observing, or understanding by means of the
senses
The length of time that one can pay attention to, or concentrate on, one topic
without becoming distracted
The cognitive process of selectively concentrating on one aspect of the
learning environment while ignoring other things
Example: listening carefully to what someone is saying while ignoring other
conversations in a room
Mental representation
The form of an idea or image
Recognition memory
Recalling/labelling concepts based on knowledge and prior experiences
Recall: short/long term
Recalling memory, events, representations of objects or items
Symbolic functioning
The imaginative use of objects for activities other than they are for
Example: using a bucket and spade to ‘make a cake’
Scripts
The ability to retell routine or ‘what comes next’
Reasoning
The ability to make decisions based on fact and knowledge
Problem solving
A series of decisions to resolve a situation
Predicting
The skill of explaining new events based on observations or information
Comparing
To give an account of similarities and differences between two (or more) items
Matching
To identify two or more items as being the same
Imagining
To believe in something created by one's own mind
Creating
To make, to manufacture, to put into existence
Counting (rote)
Experimentation
Numerical value.
To count in rote is to count in the correct order without missing numbers
Cause and effect: to perform an action and then see the consequence of that
action
Trial and error: to perform an action and continue to do so until the desired
outcome is reached or skill is gained
Imitation
To copy or mimic the actions, appearance, mannerisms, or speech of others
Object permanence
A key part of cognitive development when a child understands that an object
still exists even though it is not necessarily in sight.
In order to understand cognitive development, we must first have an understanding of how the brain develops
and works. Once we have a grasp of how this occurs, educators can then develop meaningful experiences
which promote this area of development.
Provision of experiences
There are a variety of experiences which educators can implement in order to further develop a child’s cognitive
development and ability, for example:

books

posters

music, songs, finger staking rings

puzzles

pop-up and push-down toys

activity boards

posting and sorting boxes
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
show and tell

puppet play

collage, construction and printing

word games (crosswords etc.)

nature experiments

science experiments

activities and experiences which include languages other than English

picture cards

memory games.
It is vital that when planning cognitive experiences they reflect the developmental abilities and capabilities of
the child. For example, puzzles were listed above as a cognitive experience, however, offering a one year old
child a five-piece puzzle will only set them up for failure. Experiences and materials should be at a level at
which the child will be able to participate successfully in.
Imagination and creativity within play and interactions
Play is a way of providing children with opportunities to practice and develop tasks. Children who are provided
with uninterrupted blocks of time to play will often engage in creative experiences. Too much interference or
direction from the educator can ultimately stifle the development of creativity in the child. Educators who are
too helpful are not allowing the child autonomy over their development in this domain. Rather than telling
children what to do, encourage the child to think about what they want to construct. Perhaps look at books or
on the internet to gain an image of what they are wanting to construct. Encourage the child to think about the
item from different perspective.
Creative expression and imaginative growth is a very individual process and relates very closely to the way
we view the world. Educators can provide the opportunities for children to explore and develop, but it is most
beneficial if the children are left to explore these experiences independently.
As educators, we should be guiding children and following children’s leads rather than taking the lead in play
experiences. This ensures that children develop their own imagination and creativity. Strategies educators
may use include:

setting up the learning environment to provide children with choices

ensuring that there is sufficient amounts of equipment

allowing children to add, build on or extend experiences

flexible routine

allowing children to move or join activities

encouraging children to be independent and lead play

avoiding interfering and leading the experience

encouraging children to participate and including all children

encouraging children to put forward their ideas.
Placing limits and expectations on children and their play can have detrimental effects on their development.
Insisting children create in a particular way, or that they follow strict rules and instructions on creative projects,
stifles children’s self-expression, creativity and imagination. For example, by having children colour in all the
same items does not encourage them to develop their own thoughts, creativity and skills in a manner they wish
to.
Providing materials which are not used to make an end product is necessary for the development of creativity.
Providing materials such as:

blank sheets of paper of all sizes, thicknesses and qualities

blocks

a variety of paints

play dough, clay, wire, sculpting materials

sand.
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Children should have flexibility to use resources where they believe best suit. For example, a child may decide
to make cakes in a shop using play dough and sticks.
Self-expression
Educators encourage children to use their imagination and express their creativity in many ways. The following
list provides just a few of the experiences educators can provide to children to explore their self-expression:

Construction — teamed with animals, cars, figurines or simply on their own, construction materials
provide an excellent medium for children to develop their imagination, self-expression and creativity.
Children can experiment with different shapes and sizes of building materials and arrange them in a
multitude of ways. The only limitation is their imagination. Within the realm of construction, there are
also countless forms of materials available for the children to experiment with. Examples of construction
materials include wooden blocks, connecting straws, magnetic blocks, Mobilo and Lego.

Art and creative arts — people associate ‘creativity’ with art experiences, however this is by no means
the only medium that can be used to develop this area. Art and craft techniques include (but are not
limited to) painting, pasting, drawing, collage, ceramics, clay, and box construction.

Music and movement — this is a popular form of self-expression for children. Many children hold little
or no inhibitions and delight in moving their little bodies to the beat of the music. Educators should
experiment with different forms of music ranging from popular children’s music (like The Wiggles)
through to classical music and music from different countries. Adding musical instruments often
enhances the experience and allows children to use their imagination and express themselves through
yet another medium. Many services form partnerships with families or community members who have
musical skills, providing additional opportunity for adults to play and construct music and sound with
children.

Water and sand — provide excellent opportunities for self-expression. Sand play can allow children to
express and release pent up emotions appropriately by pounding and thrashing the sand. Water play
allows children to express their emotions in a relaxing and calm manner.

Dramatic play — perhaps the most commonly used form of dramatic play in the service is home corner.
Children are provided with materials that simulate the home learning environment and the children
engage in role play. Educators can simulate any learning environment with the only limitations being the
materials you can find and your imagination. Examples of dramatic play opportunities educators can
facilitate include role play of the home learning environment, doctor surgeries, restaurants, dress ups,
hairdressing salon or a construction site.
Daily routines as opportunities to acquire and practice skills
Daily room and care routines are a vital part of the operation of a quality program in early childhood services.
Such routines establish a sense of security and stability for families, educators and children using the service.
Well-organised routines will provide structure, a sense of order, trust and predictability allowing for the
connection and continuity of care between the early childhood learning environment and the home. They will
also provide children with valuable opportunities to develop their physical skills and other areas of
development. Routines also have the ability to help children feel “safe, secure and supported” Being,
Belonging, Becoming Outcome 1.
Opportunities for promoting physical development through care and room routines can occur spontaneously
throughout the day, or may be planned on a regular basis by the Lead Educator. Physical development can
be encouraged through the implementation of the following routines:

Group time routine — prior to moving onto another routine such as mealtime, a group time can gather
all the children together to settle them down to get them prepared for the change. Depending on what
is organised for the group time, physical skills may include dancing, exercises, finger plays or body
awareness activities.

Transition routine — once group time is completed, some educators elect to support the movement of
children in individual or in small groups to provide additional intention teaching opportunities to children
and to ensure orderly and safe movement to the next learning experience. Depending on where the
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transition is leading to, the physical skills learnt may include hopping, skipping or jumping onto the next
learning experience, turning on taps, opening lunch boxes etc.

Wash hands routine — ensure all children wash their hands before meals, after toileting and blowing
of noses. This enhances the child’s independence as well as physical health, hand-eye coordination
and hand strength.

Mealtimes — promote the development of fine motor skills and hand-eye coordination when feeding
self either by spoon, fork or fingers. Mealtimes also support the child’s physical health needs.

Rest routine — help develop physical skills by encouraging children to set out and make their beds and
assist in the general routine requirements. It can also support self-dressing and undressing skills.

Toileting — encourages children to dress and undress and to coordinate their movements to manipulate
zippers, socks, shoes and buttons. This also encourages hand washing and hygiene procedures.
Other daily care routines in which physical skills can be encouraged include:

blowing a child’s nose

dental hygiene

personal routines

arrival and departure routines

packing away personal belongs.
Ways in which educators can encourage children to participate in daily routines will depend on the children’s
age and stage of development. Opportunities and strategies include:

positive guidance

providing consistent routines

allowing sufficient time

ensuring resources are available

offering assistance where necessary.
Nutrition
A nutritonally balanced diet is essential in supporting the development of children. When a nutritionally
balanced diet is not being offered or consumed, malnutrition can occur. Malnutrition can cause:

serious impairment to growth

impairment of brain development which can in turn affect IQ and cognitive processes

detrimental effects on speech development

frequent illness.
With the availability of fast foods and highly refined foods such as sweets and sugar loaded juices, a child can
be taking in sufficient food to maintain energy (carbohydrates), but inappropriate foods to maintain growth
(protein, minerals). Thus, an overweight child can easily be, in fact, an undernourished child.
Balanced Diet
Children should be eating a balanced diet with foods from each of the five food groups.
The five groups are:

fruit and vegetables

meat, fish, poultry, legumes and nuts

cereals, bread, pasta and rice

milk and milk products

fats and oil.
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Face and jaw development
Introducing solids to a child’s diet is also vital to the physical development of children. As well as meeting
nutritional needs, solid foods in a child’s diet will assist in the development of their speech and jaw. By
introducing foods of thicker consistency, children are encouraged to chew and develop the muscles of the jaw
and face. The development of these muscles will assist in the development of speech and communication.
Babies should be introduced to solids at approximately six months of age. Signs children will show that
indicate they are ready for solids are:

they can sit upright

they can hold head upright

they start to chew

they show an interest when adults are eating

they are not satisfied after a bottle.
Our five senses
Educators can enhance children’s development by encouraging them to use all five senses to fully explore the
world around them. The five senses humans have are:

sight

taste

hearing

touch

smell.
The following case study demonstrates how an educator can enhance a child’s sensory perception through a
planned experience.
Kelly is the Assisting Educator in the Toddler’s room. She notices the autumn leaves falling from the trees.
She decides to take the children outside on the veranda to collect the leaves. She encourages the children to
touch and smell the fresh green leaves and then compare this to the brown leaves. The children scrunch the
brown dry crunchy leaves and giggle at the sounds the dry leaves make.
This experience allows the children to use their senses to further explore an otherwise familiar medium and
often enhances discussions about how the children see their world.
Experiences you can provide children to develop their five senses include:

blind fold activities

taste-testing at meal times

water play

texture and ‘touch and feel’ books

different textured cushions in the book corner

smell experience

feely boxes and toys


pathways in services with different walking pathways
light boxes, torches, dark corners
When planning experiences which develop children’s senses, safety must be considered — especially when
planning experiences for the younger age groups who are likely to put items into their mouth. It is important
that an educator consider their role in experiences that allow children to explore with their senses. Educators
can ask open ended questions and pose hypotheticals as ways of supporting children’s thinking and reflection.
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Topic Two: Development and Learning
Children do not just grow in size. They develop, evolve, and mature, mastering every more complex
understanding of the people, objects and challenges in their learning environment. There is a general pattern
or sequence for development that is true of most children, however the rate of development varies from child
to child. Development can be divided into various areas, although these areas often overlap.
The key areas of development are:

physical development

cognitive development

social and emotional development

language development

creative development.
Children learn through play — through the experiences and learning environments offered, through trial and
error, through practice and exploration. Through play, children will develop across all areas of development,
however it is the educator’s responsibility to assist in the facilitation of these skills and abilities. Educators
support the development of children in differing ways based on children’s individual preferences, needs and
play styles, and what the educator feels is the best method as well as what they know. This knowledge can
come from formal training, past experiences, influence of family members, advice and guidance from other
industry professionals and own upbringing or trials and errors.
The play and leisure activities educators set out for children not only provide children with a sense of fun and
relaxation but also foster all aspects of their development. Having an understanding of how plays does this will
enable you to provide experiences and activities which foster a child’s development, skill and learning.
Physical development
Play can enhance the development of a child’s gross motor, fine motor and fundamental movement stills.
Encouraging play that uses large muscles (like running, jumping and climbing) as well as fine motor
development (such as painting, modelling dough and threading) will develop the child’s overall physical
development. The implementation of activities and games which incorporate skipping, dodging and hopping
can also foster the child’s fundamental movement skills. Play can also foster a child’s physical wellbeing and
fitness. Developing good physical fitness habits is a lifelong investment as it promotes a healthy lifestyle.
Cognitive development
Cognitive refers to the mind and thought processes. Using problem-solving skills, using the senses, developing
concepts and using imagination and creativity are all aspects of cognitive development. Cognitive development
within play can be developed by combining hands-on experiences, game playing, art and craft making, puzzles
and imaginative play through the dramatic play area.
Social and emotional development
Social development is when children learn to socialise and interact with people around them. It involves
learning how to share, take turns, communicate, and displaying pro-social behaviours such as using
appropriate strategies to gain resources during play and leisure.
Emotional development is connected with the social development of a child. It is the way a child is able to
manage their own personal feelings, an awareness of others' feelings and how to interact positively and
appropriately with others.
Children’s social and emotional development is a result of: the opportunities the child has had for social
interaction (with adults and/or children); cultural background; the degree of security the child feels; any
disability the child may have; influences on the child; and the child’s inborn temperament.
Ways we can promote emotional development for children is to:

ensure we respond to children by role modelling the correct use of positive language

encourage children to use their words and body language when communicating with others
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
discuss facial expressions, feelings and solutions to social issues they face

teach children about feelings: provide them with mirrors to look at themselves, make faces and name
body parts

give the child choice within play and leisure activities

share with the child and encourage them to share back

discuss with the child, their feelings, your feelings and the feelings of others

provide the child with problem-solving opportunities

promote self-esteem and self-concept.
Language development
Language is the use and understanding of words, grammar and sentences. It is also about the use of listening
skills, as well as the use of body language and gestures. Language development and the ability to
communicate with others is a very important step in the development of children as these skills will factor into
all aspects of development.
Language development occurs rapidly over the first 12 years of a child’s life. Children will develop the ability
to follow directions, offer ideas or suggestions and apply language to social functions. Children begin to speak
by making particular sounds, and their word vocabulary will increase at varying ages. All children are
individuals and therefore they will develop at their own rate. Language development within children can be
promoted in the service through:

reading aloud

story telling

rhymes, poems and finger plays

songs and musical games

puppetry

conversations and interactions with children.
Creative development
The way in which children use imagination, resources, materials and tools around them in order to express
themselves is often considered its own area of development. Children will develop through stages in terms of
their ability to draw and to use their mind to recall and represent aspects of their life through creativity. Imitating
their mother in the dramatic play area, drawing their siblings in artwork and developing representations of the
world around them through art and dance are all aspects of the development of creativity.
The provision of art, craft, music, as well as resources which can be used in imaginative and dramatic play,
are important within the realm of creative development. The early childhood learning environment should be
set up in a manner which facilitates and encourages children to express themselves creatively within their play.
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
ACTIVTY
Complete the table below by suggesting an appropriate learning experience for a baby, 2 year old and 4 year
old that will support each area of development.
Area of Development
Learning experience
Baby:
Physical development
Two year old:
Four year old:
Baby:
Cognitive development
Two year old:
Four year old:
Baby:
Social and emotional development
Two year old:
Four year old:
Baby:
Language development
Two year old:
Four year old:
Baby:
Creative development
Two year old:
Four year old:
Child’s lead
‘Child initiated’ or ‘child directed’ play is when play is based on children’s leads and their interests. Educators
must ensure that children remain in control of their own play rather than the educator taking control. This is
known as following the child’s lead.
Educators must ensure that when children are participating in play, they follow the children’s lead and only
participate when invited or when it is important to enter play e.g. to extend play or challenge children’s ideas.
Educators are the guests in the world of children’s play. The children make the rules and set the theme of play.
It is also important to allow “children to develop a sense of belonging to groups and communities” Outcome 1
Being, Belonging, Becoming.
The educator’s role in play
The role of the educator in play and physical activity is to guide and support rather than direct. Educators can
extend on play ideas or offer open-ended suggestions when the children seem to be stuck for ideas. They can
also provide extra resources on the children’s requests.
It is difficult to be a good educator and supporter of a child's play and physical activity. It can take time,
experience and practice to become a good educator. Some adults feel more comfortable when directing a
child’s play and physical activity.
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
ACTIVTY
Compare the responses from the educators below. While reading through the responses, reflect on the impact
they have on the children’s play and whether the educators are guiding, supporting and following the child’s
lead or whether they are taking control of the play. Write your own suggestions to follow the child’s lead for the
last response.
Educator #1
Educator #2
Why don’t you hang the hessian cloth over the I found some hessian and thought it might be useful to you.
trestle and you can pretend it’s a dark cave?
I wonder what this hessian could be used for.
Why don’t you play shopping? Jenny can be
I can see you are playing shops. What other props do you
the shop keeper, Sam can be the dad and
need?
Fiona can be the baby?
From the below scenario provided, in the space below, write an alternative response you would use.
Your response:
Why don’t you put that piece of Lego there,
that way you can make a house? Here, let me
do it. Why don’t you put that piece of Lego
there, that way you can make a house? Here,
let me do it.
An educator who follows the child’s lead in play and physical activity will:

let the children initiate the play

build on children's ideas rather than presenting their own ideas

provide appropriate equipment/ resources that the children may choose to use in their play

play with the children as an equal partner

provide activities that will challenge and stimulate the children

be aware of the children's developmental levels, and cater for this in the provision of equipment and
resources

model desired behaviour, particularly in social play

model play, such as playing a role in dramatic play

ask open-ended questions to stimulate and challenge the children and help children to clarify what is
happening in their play

facilitate conflict resolution by helping children resolve their conflicts and problems

redirect a child who may appear bored, restless or uncertain

ensure that children have a safe learning environment with plenty of space to play

adapt space or equipment to enrich and extend a game children may be playing

allow the children plenty of time to play, and give children an indication when play must finish.
Roles
Educators may take on many roles in the play situation, depending on the type of play and age and stage of
development of the children. Some roles may include:

stage manager

mediator

player.
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In each role, educators can support and encourage children’s self-directed play, even though the roles differ.
It is important to be aware of the differing roles educators may take in a child’s play in order to determine the
best style for the children within the play situation.
1.
Educator as the stage manager — the educator’s contribution to play always begins in the physical
learning environment with stage setting (setting the scene). Developmentally, physical knowledge
comes first. As a stage manager, ensure that you set the learning environment up in a manner which
facilitates children’s play. Be sure to provide enough materials, space, time and resources for children
to initiate and develop their play to its fullest potential. If children require additional resources, offer it to
them; it is often the resources they ask for and not the ones you set out for them, which are most needed
in their play.
2.
Educator as a mediator — to protect children and, in the process, to teach them conflict resolution
skills they can use with each other, taking on the role of a mediator is essential. In the role of mediator,
the educator asks genuine questions that enable the children to use their words in order to solve their
conflict. As mediator, the educator does not offer solutions or solve the problem, but facilitates and
guides a calm discussion in order for the children to discover solutions. Educators encourage the
children to solve their social issues themselves but with support. Educators ask children open-ended
questions about how they feel and what they would like to see happen. This is giving the children the
power and the tools to solve their own problems, not only within the early childhood environment but in
their future lives.
3.
Educator as a player — deciding whether or not to participate in children’s play requires thought about
children’s need for challenge, their skills in sustaining play and your own preferred teaching style. Some
educators feel that an adult’s place is outside the play and will look for opportunities to add materials or
ideas. Other educators join in play frequently with children. They like to play and they feel their
participation builds relationships with children and enriches the content of the play.
The risk involved with the ‘educator as a player’ role, is that the educator may take the lead and direct
the play so it becomes their play, rather than the children’s. This is most likely to occur at the beginning
of play when children are still gathering their ideas about the direction their play will take. It is necessary
for educators to reflect on the play and ask themselves whether the play is their idea or the children’s
idea.
Initiate play
Initiating play with children means that educators may start a new play experience, or renew interest in a play
experience. Upon initiation, educators encourage children to participate within the experience but then fade
away into a less directive role once children commence play. Initiating play and inviting children to participate
in play will be the only time within the realm of play where an educator will assume a lead role.
Initiating Play
Educators may need to initiate play with children for several reasons, such as:

children may not be confident in social situations and so will lack the skills or the ability to initiate play
with others

the group dynamics and the personalities within the room can make play hard for some children to
initiate — for example, if you have a room of children who are boisterous and loud, a new, quiet child
may not know how to engage in play with such children.

the set-up of the learning environment may make it hard for children to initiate play with others

children may not know how to engage in play with materials and resources within the room and so
initiation of play with such materials and resources may not occur.
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Educators can initiate play in many ways. Here are just a few:

Identify children who are having difficulty initiating play and ask them if they would like a play partner. It
is important that educators remain sensitive to such children. It is not appropriate to alert the child to the
fact that the educator is concerned with their ability to make friends. The educator should be a friend to
the child and inform them that they would like to play with them while ensuring that the play is based on
what the child wants to do.

Set up the room to allow for small group play. Areas which promote play between two to three children
is a great start in assisting children to initiate play. Some children do not feel confident initiating play
with a large group of children. Small steps need to be taken.

Set up experiences so that they are ready for children to engage. Provide a variety of resources on
shelves for children to gather and construct an experience and be able to initiate their own play.

Point out to children all the experiences on offer and what activities they can engage in, and explain to
children how to complete each experience.
Inviting children to play
Initiating play and inviting children to play may sound the same but are in fact two different things. When we
initiate play, we start a new game of play and invite children to join. When we invite children to play, in most
cases, we are already inside a session of play which has been established by children. Inviting children to play
is then a matter of including children into the already established play.
Educators may need to invite children into play for the same reasons for which they may need to initiate. In
most cases, it is a matter of some children not feeling confident to invite themselves into the play circle. You
will observe the child standing close by, watching intently and offering suggestions, however not taking an
active part in the play. Gauging the body language and manner of interactions in children will alert you to the
fact that the child may need an invitation to join the play. Additionally, children engaged in play may have
deliberately or unintentionally created barriers for allowing other children to join in play for example: boys aren’t
allowed to play in home corner! The educator’s role in this situation would be to challenge this false notion and
then support the child to safely engage into the play.
Children can at times be so enthralled in their play that they often miss the signals peers give them in regards
to seeking an invitation into the play. If you can see a child wishing to participate in established play, instigate
the invitation.
Ways educators can invite children to play include:

asking the child if they would like to join the play — a simple, “would you like to join us?” is all it takes to
invite a child to play

encouraging children to invite others into their play — for example, “Sally, I noticed that your pet shop
is getting very busy and I am having a hard time keeping the birds fed. Henry is close by, how about if
we ask him to help us out?”

supplying additional resources to small or large group activities — for example, placing an additional
puzzle on the mat and asking the child, “Would you like to come and sit and complete a puzzle with us?”
When inviting children to play, educators must be sensitive to the group dynamics of the already established
play. There will be times when children may not welcome the newly invited child to play. “No, we don’t want
any more kids here” or “we already have enough mums” may be things children will say when the invitation is
not welcomed. It may be necessary, in these cases, for the educator to turn an invitation into an initiation. The
educator can then establish a new game with the newly invited child. The educator can thank the children for
allowing them to be part of their play and commence initiation of play with the new child. This ensures that
each child’s wishes are respected but in a manner which boosts self-esteem and positive attitudes towards
others.
Respect for children’s choice not to participate
There are times when children may prefer to participate in every single learning experience which is available,
and other times when children may choose to just watch and observe. If children elect this latter option, their
choice should be respected and they should not be forced to become involved. Children often need time to
observe the situation to see if they want to participate, how they may participate and what the rules of
participation are. A child who has time to watch and observe will enter into the learning experience or
interaction feeling more confident and with a willing attitude of wanting to participate. The child who approaches
with confidence and a willing attitude will benefit more from the experience.
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When children are forced to participate, they may feel unsure about their role and their own ability to participate.
Feelings of resentment or anger may develop. This will hinder any possible positive elements that could have
resulted from participation in the first place.
Interact with enthusiasm, playfulness and enjoyment
Educators should ensure that when they interact with children they do so with enthusiasm, playfulness and
enjoyment. Educators can assist to set the tone or feeling in play through the quality of the interaction.
Educators can express happiness, fun, eagerness, pleasure and genuine enjoyment through play. Children
can sense when adults are simply interacting for the sake of interacting. Educators cannot motivate and
encourage play when they lack enthusiasm.

Enthusiasm — means an eagerness, interest or keenness. It means educators need to show children
they are interested in them and their play and eager to participate and join in their activities.

Playfulness — means light heartedness or good humour and imagination. It means educators need to
laugh and pretend with children.

Enjoyment — means pleasure and delight. It means educators need to take pleasure and delight in
what children are doing and achieving.
Educators can show enthusiasm, playfulness and enjoyment with children in the following ways:

Think about how a child feels when they are spoken too. When children and adults are engaging in a
conversation on interaction, educators should get down to a child’s level when speaking and interacting.

Think about the language used. Educators need to ensure that communication and language used is
appropriate to the age and development of the child.

Think about facial expressions and body language. Educators should be open and welcoming to the
child, expressing affection and other emotions.

Educators should always ensure that when interacting with children they give them complete attention.

Educators should reciprocate emotions. When a child expresses excitement, so too should educators.

Educators should ensure that when children accomplish set tasks they are encouraged and praised for
their efforts throughout and also for accomplishing their end task.
Remember to show enthusiasm, playfulness and enjoyment when you are:

getting down to a child’s level

facilitating their play

providing praise and encouragement

acknowledging children’s efforts

involving yourself in fun experiences with children, showing interest

appropriately communicating both verbally and non-verbally.
Individual attention
Children need close one on one attention in order to feel valued and acknowledged. They need to know that
they are seen as significant in the eyes of others. Such recognition is vital to the successful development of a
child’s emotional and psychological wellbeing. Educators play a pivotal role in the development of these areas.
Individual attention can be given:

when observing the child engaging in solitary play

during routines such as nappy changes, toileting or meal times

when asking a child for assistance during routine times, for example, assistance with setting out lunch
boxes

during arrival times to assist children in settling in for the day

by consciously deciding to interact at different times with different children.
Honour the children you are working with and provide them the respect and dignity they deserve. Using
children’s first names unless otherwise indicated by the family, is one strategy to demonstrate value to the
child. Calling children by collective names or giving them ‘cute’ names such as possum, darling, sweet
pea….is not a respectful act and may make children feel as though they were not important enough to have
had their name known or remembered.
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Sufficient time
Children need time to play. It takes time for children to develop their ideas and theories fully in play and
opportunity to test ideas and to think these through. Children also need time to re-visit these experiences, to
continue and to have time to fully explore concepts. It can be during these times that children develop “a range
of skills and processes such as problem solving, inquiry, experimentation, hypothesising, researching and
investigating” – Being, Belonging, Becoming – Outcome 4 of the Early Years Learning Framework.
The children should determine how long they should play. Children’s interests, attention spans and needs must
be considered when developing the routine within the room. Mealtimes and rest times must be planned around
children’s play times accordingly. Do children determine the routine of the day or do the adults control what
children do? For example: how do you feel when somebody controls you and tells you when you must eat,
sleep, sit, work? Participation Rights declared by the United Nations Convention of the Rights of the Child state
that children have a right to a say of things that affect them, and this includes, when they eat, sleep and play.
It is important to allow flexibility in the routine and not to cut short a child's game or play unless some effort
has been made to negotiate how the game can be finished. Warnings must be given before a change of routine
or transition. "It is almost time for lunch so we will need to start packing up in five minutes." This allows children
to be ready to finish their game and be transitioned to the next learning experience or routine time.
Even though most young children may not know what a minute means, they will learn that ‘five minutes’ is a
small amount of time in which they can finish off what they were doing. Children should not be made to stop
their play straight away.
If time is constrained by routine interruptions such as lunch or rest times, then it is important that the children
have the opportunity to resume where they left off. The physical learning environment should make provisions
for children to be able to come back to their play if they are required to leave it. For example, does the room
arrangement allow a science experiment to remain set up during lunch and rest times, so that children can still
explore it in the afternoon or next day? Children attending an early childhood education and care service may
attend a number of days and for long hours. Their life continues over this time and their interest in certain
experiences may also develop over a series of days and weeks. Educators working in early childhood
education and care services need to re-think ideas of packing up each day and experiences finishing each
session or day to allow children more opportunity to engage in these experiences through a period of time they
choose.
Considerations
To ensure children are provided with sufficient time to play, develop and complete experiences in play,
consider the following:

Ensure the routine is flexible and adapt the routine around children’s choices and decisions. Be aware
of what the children are doing, where they are up to in their play experience and consider whether what
comes next in the routine can be held off until the child completes the play experience they are engaged
in.

Free flow morning teas and lunches provide children with sufficient time for play. These are where the
children are able to stop to eat lunch during a period of time then are able to continue playing at a time
that suits them.

Ensure that the program is flexible. Consider programming experiences that you think children have not
finished this week, for the following week. Consider the children when programming — some
experiences that children enjoy, or you know may take a little longer, will need to be planned for every
day in that week.

Encourage children to put forward their ideas and suggestions for the program. Identify experiences that
children enjoy and pass these ideas onto the Team Leader.

Grant children’s requests. Allow children to request certain experiences and when these experiences
are implemented.
Most importantly, avoid rushing children. Allow children to take their time and experience the wonders of
play and leisure.
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Language
Language is more than books and conversations! Forms of language present themselves throughout the day
in various methods. By exposing children to a range of language forms, educators can open their minds to the
various ways they can use language to communicate with others.
Language can be expressed in a variety of forms:

Written forms — posters, signs, print, books, pamphlets, flyers and fact sheets and on a computer
screen, as well as the use of Braille for the vision-impaired.

Verbal forms — speaking in home languages as well as other languages from around the world. The
use of audio tapes and CD’s are also forms of verbal communication.

Body language — expression through gestures, face or body, as well as the use of sign language for
the hearing-impaired.
Children can understand more language than they can share because they often have the cognitive ability to
comprehend but not the physical speech skills to say the words.
Children can be provided with a range of language forms within the early childhood environment. The following
forms of communication can be used to communicate with children:

Hang signs in the room that encourage children to wash their hands.

Use large, coloured chalk on pavements and verandas.

Hang street signs in the playground (Stop, Go, Give way).

Place charts and pictures with words at children’s level — include those with languages other than
English.

Label items around the room.

Use music from around the world.

Write letters and words in finger paint or in the sandpit.

Have paper, pens and tape available for children to make signs for the room and their play.

Include books, magazines, shopping lists and receipts in the home corner.

Include fiction and nonfiction books and taped stories in the book corner.

Use oral story telling as well as reading books to the children.

Encourage children to ‘read’ stories to each other.

Incorporate poetry into music and movement experiences.

Use musical instruments to produce sound effects during story time.

Use words and pictures on large recipe cards for cooking experiences.

Invite family members and special guests to sing, dance and talk to the children in their home language.
Encourage children to express themselves verbally
Educators can convey a message through the use of spoken words, body language (gestures, facial
expressions), sign language and the written word. Language can be as simple as a grunt to let someone know
how you feel, to more intricate written or spoken sentences.
Language is often linked to cognitive development, as a person’s ability to process information will affect the
way they are able to communicate it to others. Apart from this, it is important for educators to gain an
understanding of a child’s language development in order to identify experiences and methods to use to
support a child’s ability to share information with those around them. Offering the children language
development opportunities can help them “learn to interact in relation to others with care, empathy and respect”
Being, Belonging, Becoming – Outcome 1.
Encouraging language
Educators must find opportunities for encouraging a child’s language development in every part of the day
they spend with the children. From three months of age the child starts to produce conscious vocalisation.
From this point on, educators can and must encourage and foster language development.
The following list provides some suggestions for encouraging the development of language with children from
three months to five years:
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
Praise baby for his or her effort to vocalise – model conversation for example: baby talks and you look
and listen, baby stops and you talk.

Model appropriate language with clear pronunciation.

Talk to the children whenever possible.

Encourage baby to use a word to indicate his or her needs rather than pointing — for example, if a baby
wants a drink and points to the fridge, the educator might ask, “Would you like a drink John?

Include props such as telephones in home corner.

Ensure books are available for children to look and read. Cardboard books are suitable for a young baby
who may not have developed fine motor control and teach babies how to care for books and begin
introducing non cardboard books with pictures and simple text.

Encourage children to use descriptive words for objects and textures around them such as sand, water,
clay and play dough.

Invite children to talk about what they are making or doing.

Have stuffed animals, dolls, figurines and puppets available for dramatisation of stories.

Encourage children to ‘use their words’ in times of conflict.

Praise children who engage in conversation with other children to problem solve.

Encourage older children to remember events, and take turns being the story teller.

Model appropriate conversation techniques — taking turns to speak, eye contact, listening sounds.
Encourage exploration and problem solving
When implementing cognitive experiences, it is important to note that educators are limited to using materials
and resources to foster this area of development and play. Educators themselves are, in fact, a vital resource
which can be used to enhance children’s cognitive abilities.
Albert Bandura, theorised that children learnt through observing, imitating and modelling those around them.
His Social Learning Theory, reinforces the importance of educators initiating interactions, modelling and giving
encouragement.
You may wish to copy the following link and watch a 3 minute advertisement that was developed by
NAPCAM on the effects of children exposed to violence. The footage is quite confronting and really
demonstrates how children ‘copy’ of adults and the influence we have, positive or negative on children. I am
sure if you have worked with children, you will have your own stories.
Web address: http://www.safeshare.tv/w/xbhuWtvZKS
Modelling
With consistent educator role models, children learn thinking and reasoning skills based on their observations
of the strategies employed by those around them. For example; children can learn effective problem solving
skills through discussion and trial and error with the educator.
Demonstrating
Educators can provide hands-on demonstrations, which incorporate follow-up discussions and explanations
about various cognitive aspects which occur in daily life.
Providing information about a problem or task
By advising children of alternative strategies for problem solving, educators are encouraging divergent thinking
skills. Encouraging children to think differently or see things from another person’s perspective helps them to
develop empathy as well as abstract problem-solving skills.
Questioning
Educators who intervene in children’s explorations and discoveries should do so with the aim of responding to
a ‘teachable moment’, in which open-ended questioning is used to enhance the child’s learning of a concept
or process skills. Open-ended questioning is a technique educators can use to ascertain the child’s level of
understanding within a particular concept. It prompts thinking and language skills and encourages further
enquiry.
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Any questions which allow for the child to answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’ are close-ended questions.
For example, “Would you like to do this puzzle, Ben?”
As you can see, this question will only allow Ben to answer with a ‘yes’ or a ‘no’. Instead, the
question could be presented to the child in different way in order to encourage thought and
discussion. For example, “Ben, where do you think this piece of the puzzle belongs?” Now Ben
will be encouraged to tell you his thoughts and the manner in which he plans to solve this problem.
The following list gives ideas of open-ended comments and questions you can use to spark children’s thinking,
conversation and curiosity:

Let’s see if...

What do you think will happen when...?

I wonder if we try...

How did you do that?

How long will that take to change?

Where does that come from?

How can I find out?
Questions or statements beginning with WHAT, WHERE, HOW, WHO, WHY are open-ended questions.
Questions beginning with DO, DID, CAN, IS are closed questions.
Monitor children’s reactions
Children need to be presented with play options which are challenging, promote curiosity and interest and
develop problem-solving skills while still remaining achievable. The play options available to children within
the learning environment must prevent children from developing frustration.
Reasons a Child will Display Frustration
Children can become frustrated by any one of the following factors:

Frustration due to adults — adults can easily frustrate a child’s sense of independence, ability,
direction of thought and degree of wants within play. As soon as the child feels hurried, pressured or
directed to move in a different direction within their play, frustration sets in. Children need to feel in
control of their play. When they do not, they feel a sense of losing control over the situation. For a child
who has spent a lot of time and effort within the play, this can be extremely upsetting and frustrating as
they feel that their efforts have been lost. This can be evident when educators stop children’s play in
order to move to another routine such as mealtimes, or when educators impose their own instructions
on children’s play.

Frustration due to other children — children are often deeply interested in other children, which is
one reason why play with others is so actively enjoyed. But even the best of friends can be hurtful to
each other during play. This is due to the fact that children cannot yet see other people’s perspectives
or understand each other's feelings. If one wants to do something different within the direction of play,
conflict will often erupt. If two children wish to play with the same item, again conflict will ensue. Children
are still developing the social skills needed to interact with others. Language development and the
inability to communicate appropriately with others can also lead to frustration between children.

Frustration due to materials and equipment — children can at times feel that the materials and
equipment they are trying to use in their play refuses to behave as it should. Children find that
rectangular square blocks will not fit into the round holes of a hammer-peg toy, and that dry sand will
not stay in a uniformed shape as it needs to when moulded by the child. It takes time for children to
understand the concept of properties and grasp the use of objects. If materials and equipment are
broken, damaged or not age appropriate, this too will result in frustration.

Frustration because of their own ability — when a child understands what objects are supposed to
do, and understand how to make them do it, but cannot manage to make them do it because they do
not yet have the ability to do so, frustration can develop. A child’s level of ability can be affected by
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varying factors and very rarely are two children at the same level of ability. Each child is different. A
group of children may be of the same age, but the things they can do, know or understand will differ
quite considerably. Learning environments and play experiences should be developed and implemented
in a method which suits each child’s level of ability.
Boredom is not only linked to lack of interest, boredom can also be the result of frustration. When children lack
challenge, they become frustrated due to a lack of stimulation. Ensure that learning environments and play
activities and experiences are varied and are regularly changed to ensure that boredom does not set in.
Signs a child may show if they are frustrated
Children will express frustration in different ways depending on their age, abilities and the situation. Common
signs of frustration include:

temper tantrums

crying

yelling

stamping feet

squealing

clenching their fists

pushing or throwing things out of their way

breaking or tearing things up

arguing with their friends and/ or educators

snatching or refusal to share

biting their peers

pulling their own hair or other children’s hair

destroying set up experiences or other children’s work.
On the other hand, some children may become more submissive when frustrated. Children may:

remove themselves from the situation

go into a corner and cry alone

try and hide behind furniture

want to go outside alone

refuse to speak, eat or play
Preventing frustration
Strategies educators can implement to prevent frustration in children include the following:

Provide duplicates of toys and resources, particularly for children within the younger age groups, as this
will help to avoid arguments.

Set up noisy activities away from quiet activities so children can enjoy the quiet spaces for talking or
reading books without distraction.

Select and providing age appropriate toys and games which cater for a wide skill range, as this will
ensure that the more advanced child is being challenged and younger children won’t become frustrated.

Observe children regularly so that you are aware of their differing levels of ability. This will ensure that
the provisions made for children are within their means and will avoid frustration.

Rearrange the resources often, as this will also prevent boredom and frustration.

Encourage the children to contribute with ideas for resources they would like.

Limit the number of children who can play in certain areas. This helps to reduce overcrowding and
provides a safer, more varied room as children will need to move to other activities rather than always
play in the one area.

Encourage children to participate in tidying up the room by clearly labelling shelves and boxes. This will
ensure that children are able to find resources within the room for their play and will be able to source
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items they need. It will also ensure that play materials are stored in a full set and not lost. (It is very
frustrating to complete a puzzle to find out that a piece is missing!)

Create large areas for activities such as block play and dramatic play as this enables the children to
expand with their games and reduces frustration due to limited space.

Be aware of the signs of frustrations children display. If children display such signs, act on it. Frustration
can easily lead to the development of more challenging behaviours.
Encourage Children to Include Other Children in Their Play
The more inclusive and open children are to inviting others into their play, the more they will benefit from the
experience. There are a variety of reasons as to why children do not include other children into their play.
Educators need to consider the reasons and work with children in encouraging them to include others in their
play. Educators need to encourage children to see the benefits of team work, acceptance, tolerance and a
group approach to issues. Outcome 2 of Being, Belonging, Becoming, suggests that children respond to
diversity and respect. There are a number of reasons why children may be excluded from play:

They prefer to spend their time alone and prefer to participate as an onlooker or in solitary play.

They are developing an awareness of their place within the environment and so may not invite children
to their play until they are comfortable in their place.

Children at times can be so focused on their play that they do not take notice of those around them
wishing to join in.

The learning environment may not be set up in a manner which allows for additional players within a
game or session of play.

They have limited language or social skills and so cannot invite or initiate an invitation into play with
others.

They may be frightened of or threatened by other children due to challenging or rough behaviours, and
so will not include themselves in play with them.

They may be seen as ‘different’ if they are from another culture or have differing abilities to the majority
of the group of children.
Strategies for Inclusion
When children need help socially to be included in other children’s play and interactions, the following points
can be implemented:

Act as the communicator between children. For example, educators may need to explain to an older
child what a baby wants, or toddlers may need us to do some talking on their behalf when other children
may not understand what they are saying.

Verbally support children in their inclusions for play. For example, “Greg can run really fast. How about
if he joins in your game?”

Set up the learning environment to include play experiences for individual, small group as well as large
group interactions.

Be involved in children’s play — help children with developing social skills to interact with their peers
using positive language, role modelling and enthusiasm.

Help children to enter play through role modelling. For example, sit at the play dough table with the
children and ask another child for some play dough. This models appropriate verbal interaction and may
help a child enter play.

For older children, provide activities and experiences that require team work to achieve a goal. For
example, building a cubby house may need several children to collaborate on the design, the jobs that
need to be done, the materials required etc.

Give children the words to use in order to invite their peers into their play. Tell the children what they
could say to their peers when inviting them in play.

Intervene when children are not being fair to one another and assist children to discuss fairness through
a variety of experiences and group discussions.

Promote equity, acceptance and tolerance by interacting with ALL children. Use these interactions to
discuss children’s individuality and unique qualities, similarities and differences.

Provide resources that support and promote inclusion — resources that reflect different cultures,
different genders, different abilities and different family types.
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Monitor Interactions
It is essential to monitor interactions between children to ensure that they remain safe and are interacting in
an appropriate manner. The best manner in which educators can monitor these factors is through the use of
effective supervision as well as the use of positive behaviour guidance.
Unsafe play or inappropriate interactions may be observed when children:

have conflict within their play and the altercation turns physical

are using equipment in an unsafe manner

are bullying or intimidating other children

display inappropriate use of language or communication towards others

display unfair play

are using equipment incorrectly, which causes injuries

are not sharing and are snatching equipment from other children

are raising their voice to dictate play

are refusing to allow other children to engage in experiences

are destroying other children’s creations and play experiences.
When working with children, the children’s wellbeing is paramount. When caught up in an experience, children
can forget about their personal safety as well as the safety of others. Educators may be required to remind
them of this in order to ensure their safety and wellbeing.
When maintaining safe and appropriate play and interactions with children, educators must remember the
following:

Identify experiences that require high supervision and assign an educator to that experience. Activities
which involve lots of mess or the use of dangerous resources are considered high risk activities.
Activities which include the use of water, sand and using scissors are such experiences.

Develop a supervision plan and ensure that all educators are aware of their designated positions within
the plan. Display the plan so that other educators are reminded.

Educators should get down to the child’s level and engage in experiences to ensure that they are actively
interacting with others around them.

Whilst engagement with children is critical, you need to also maintain an awareness of the learning
environment. Continually scan the room to see what all children are doing. This includes the
identification of hazards. If unsafe play areas are identified, act immediately.

Ensure that there are no areas children can go to be out of direct contact. Educators must be in direct
contact at all times — within physical reach, sight or hearing.

Ensure children use equipment safely and sensibly within their play. Reinforce safe and appropriate play
methods and use of resources with children.

Encourage children to take turns on the equipment and with play materials. This develops positive
interaction techniques between children, and also ensures their safety.

Encourage children to respect the needs of others and to play fairly and include others

Develop age and developmentally appropriate limits with children and reinforce these consistently.
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
ACTIVTY
Locate and read through the supervision policy and procedure where you work. In the text box below, outline
the purpose of the policy. In addition, list the responsibilities from the policy that are relevant to your role
Issues of Concern
Mental Health and wellbeing, is a state of being well in one’s mind. All people, including children can suffer
from mental health or wellbeing issues. Educators need to be aware of the warning signs that alert adults to
the fact that children may need additional support to assist good wellbeing. Furthermore educators need to be
aware of the behaviours of children and adults that may be harmful to other children’s wellbeing. For example:
children’s play may seem like it is all very happy and engaging, however upon closer attention and listening to
the children in the sandpit, the educator becomes aware that a child is being excluded by a small group of
children playing trucks in the sandpit and excluding the other child because of his skin colour. If this behaviour
is ignored by the educator, this is a factor that could lead to a long-term wellbeing concerns such as depression
for the young child excluded. Additionally, for the children in the sand pit, they have missed the opportunity for
the educator to teach them about difference and acceptance.
Indicators for concern
Indicators of concern for psychological and emotional difficulties children are facing may include but are not
limited to the following.
Inappropriate interactions with others
The interactions children have with other children will be an indicator of the level of their emotional and
psychological development. Children who are exposed to inappropriate relationships with other children and
adults develop habits, values and morals that are taken with them into their childhood and adult life.
Withdrawal from social interactions
A child withdrawing from social interactions can indicate potential confidence and self-esteem issues.
Withdrawn behaviour, however, must not be confused with solitary play. Children between the ages of birth to
three years of age will prefer to play by themselves over others — this is a normal stage of development
children go through. ‘Withdrawn’ behaviour refers to a child’s unwillingness to participate in group activities
and social interactions even though they have the developmental capacity to do so. Having a child constantly
rejecting group play with other children or an unwillingness to interact with others, including educators, are all
indicators of withdrawn behaviour.
Proactive and reactive aggressive behaviour
Reactive aggression is predominantly fear-based and impulsive in nature. For example: children may act out
aggressively in situations where their play is challenged, if they have another child act out on them, through
frustrations with an experience (poor resources, not enough resources etc.). Proactive aggression tends to be
more calculated and predatory in nature, which may see a child engaging in aggressive behaviours to selfsatisfy or impose their will.
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Children who demonstrate aggressive behaviour tend to do so due to:
 an inability to discuss or label their feelings,
 an inability to self-settle/calm (regulate feelings),
 learnt behaviour (a specific behaviour acquired through experience).
Children may yell, shout, kick, spit, bite or hit. These behaviours will require intervention by the educator.
Depression
Although it is not considered an illness which affects children, recent studies have shown that it is possible for
children to display signs of depression. Such studies have found that:

4 in 100 preschoolers (4%) have some symptoms of depression

10 in 100 (10%) children between the ages of six and 12 have persistent feelings of sadness which can
last for a few weeks or months. 2 in 100 (2%) children become seriously depressed
the rate goes up with age, so that about 5 in 100 (5%) young people (over 12 years) suffer a major
depressive illness which lasts for a few weeks or months at some time (CYH, 2009)
As in many cases of depression, children will not understand how they are feeling and may find it hard to
verbalise and tell educators why they are acting the way that they are. Indicators to look out for, however, may
include (CYH, 2009):

a sad, unhappy mood most of the time that lasts for weeks or more

lack of interest or pleasure in activities they have previously enjoyed

avoiding friends

irritability

disturbed sleep over some weeks

changes in appetite, weight gain or loss

daytime wetting or soiling in a toilet-trained child

poor concentration

feeling hopeless or worthless

self blame for troubles of family or friends

being tired most of the time

talking or playing a lot about death

mentioning suicide

risk taking and not seeming to care if hurt or in pain

harming other children or animals

being angry or resentful a lot of the time.
Sudden and/ or extreme changes to behaviour or emotional states
Children acting out impulsively and demonstrating extreme or sudden changes in their emotional states can
be an indicator of concern. For example, you may have a child who has always been generally happy and
outgoing but all of a sudden has become withdrawn and emotional. It is vital that educators monitor and identify
why children may have sudden or extreme changes in behaviour in order to assist the child with coping with
their emotions.
Disinterest in activities or experiences
A child who is disinterested in activities or experiences may have emotional or psychological concerns due to
the fact that they may be experiencing feelings of sadness, withdrawal or isolation. Children who are not
participating in a variety of experiences will not be gaining the stimulation their development needs to grow
and be enhanced.
Causes of issues and concerns
Knowledge and understanding of potential causes which may be behind a child developing emotional and
psychological issues is essential in developing a plan for intervention and support for the child. The following
areas have the potential to affect the emotional and psychological development of children and influence their
behaviour within this domain of development.
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 Lack of Play
Play allows for the expression of emotions and thoughts. Children who are not offered the opportunity for play
will become stressed. Stress has the ability to affect children in numerous ways — many of which are
unpleasant. Opportunity to play also allows children to develop within all areas of their development, including
emotionally and psychologically. It can give them opportunities to express emotions, socialise and learn about
others and, more importantly, themselves.
 Lack of Materials and Resources
Children need materials and resources to facilitate their play. If resources are limited, the potential for conflict
and aggression amongst children is a very real possibility. Likewise, if resources and materials are at levels
which are too hard or too easy for the child, the challenge will not be there. Children will become bored or
frustrated, which will then eventually lead into challenging behaviours.
 Trauma
Events which signify potential trauma in children can include:

life threatening accidents

bushfires

flood

sudden or prolonged illness

death in the family

changes in the family structure such as divorce or long parental absence

crime

abuse

violence

moving house, state or country.
 Interactions
Interactions and reactions to children impact on a child’s emotional and psychological wellbeing. If educators
have expectations that are too high or too lenient on children’s behaviour, children will respond accordingly.
For example, if an educator does not negotiate limits, children will be more likely to demonstrate aggression
and negative behaviours towards other children. On the other hand, if educators are too strict, children have
the potential to become withdrawn and fearful of trying new experiences or initiating interactions with the
educator. The above factors will impact on all areas of a child’s development, not just their emotional and
psychological development.
Model Appropriate Communication
An interaction is a connection involving communication. A child’s age, developmental stage, needs, abilities
and personality will affect how you can interact with the child. Recognising that children may respond in
noisy/quiet, rough/gentle and verbal/physical ways to interactions and communications will allow a better
chance of facilitating their social development.
Communication and language use varies in two ways:
1.
Style, depending of the child’s:
a. age
b. stage of development
c. needs
d. culture
e. family
f.
community
2.
Methods such as:
a. eye contact across a room
b. a smile to another person
c. a hand shake
d. singing a song together
e. a teacher reading a book to a group of children
f.
a conversation between two or more people.
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When using language to communicate with children, educators are aware that children understand more
language than they can actually use. Children of a very young age learn that the use of language is a two way
process when people communicate.
Appropriate Communications
When communicating with children, the following factors should be considered in interactions:

Tone of voice — it is important when speaking to children that educators are mindful of their tone of
voice. Voice affects children’s behaviour as it is not so much what is said but how it is said. If loud voices
are constantly used to gain the attention of children and to talk to them over others, children will pick up
on these traits and begin to demonstrate them in their own interactions.

Eye contact — shows that the educator is interested in the child and is interested in what they have to
say. Eye contact also assists in monitoring the child’s face and body language, which further enhances
the communication and listening process.

Active listening — reinforces that the educator is listening and understanding what the child is saying.
This often involves paraphrasing what the child is communicating and assisting a child to verbalise what
they are saying. Other elements of active listening include clarifying, questioning, open body language
and eye contact.
If children are developing social skills and pro social behaviours through observing other people’s behaviour,
we must examine our own interactions in order to ensure we are being an appropriate role model to children.
If we are using appropriate and positive language, appropriate tone of voice, and manners, children will be
more likely to do the same.
Modelling Communications
There are many ways educators can model appropriate social behaviours to children via natural interactions.
Some examples include:

asking the children to help, rather than telling them to do so

using manners when interacting with children – don’t forget to say ‘please’ and ‘thank you’

not interrupting children when they are speaking

not calling children names such as ‘slow coach’ or ‘silly’

being aware of the use of sarcasm — children are too young to understand this and it can be seen as
insulting and rude

considering how educators talk to each other — polite, respectful communication is important as children
listen when adults speak to other adults

showing warmth and attentiveness – children are more likely to copy the actions of an adult who is warm
and attentive, rather than cold and distant.
Respect, respond to and follow up communication initiated by children
Listening and responding to a child's cues in a genuine, unhurried and gentle manner is vital when enhancing
the development of play in children. The way and educators approach a child often reflects the way they are
feeling. For example, if the educator begins to talk to and smile at the child, the child will sense that they are
happy and will respond accordingly.
Responding promptly and sensitively to children establishes a trusting relationship and strengthens the bond
between the child and adult. The relationships that children experience will affect the way they feel and relate
to others. Responses to children should always enhance the child’s:

self-esteem

self-identity

individuality

acceptance of others

language and communication development.
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Prompt and positive responses also demonstrate respect for the child’s race, culture, gender, religion and
abilities.
Age appropriate responses and follow ups
Birth to two year olds
Babies and toddlers have limited or no vocabulary to express how they are feeling, what they want or what
they need. Instead, babies and toddlers use other communication tools that require an attentive and
engaged educator to listen to and interpret. Educators working with babies and toddlers must really listen
to children – listening to their verbal language – coos, babble and of course different cries. Listening through
watching children’s eye movement, the way they position their head and what they reach for and of course
their facial and body expression. Think about how a baby responds when mum walks into the room, often a
big smile, the head turns towards mum’s direction and the legs may start kicking. Babies communicate
through body language such as facial expressions, tense and rigid bodies and limbs, arching backs and arm
movements.
Appropriate responses to children in each age group are to:

make eye contact and hold your face close to the baby’s, allow the child to focus on your features, be
expressive

respond to the cues the baby is displaying, for example, speak in a happy tone and bright expression
if the baby is smiling and laughing — if the baby is crying, speak with gentle tones and hold the baby
securely and rock them gently

return the baby’s expressions and smiles

speak with the baby and use varied tones in your voice, speak as if you were talking to another child
or adult: adults do not need to mimic baby talk.

let the child see you when you are not interacting with them, for example when you are completing
another task, ensure baby can still see you.

play peek-a-boo games

sing songs with the child as you bounce them on your lap.
Two to three year olds
Providing toddlers with opportunities to express themselves is vital to their growth and development. A child
within this age group will have a greater understanding of their wants and needs, however they will still be
developing the language required to express these. The following strategies outline how to respond to
toddlers:

Typically, toddlers will have tantrums. This is their way to express frustration, anger or sadness
without the use of verbal language. Trying to speak to and reason with a toddler at this time is very
difficult and will only result in more stress on the child and more stress on you. The most effective
way to deal with a toddler having a tantrum is to provide a quiet, safe space for them, let them finish
their tantrum and, once calmed, talk gently to them about how they are feeling. “Henry, I can see you
are feeling very upset right now. Did you get upset because you wanted a turn on the bike? Alana
was on the bike, wasn’t she? Sometimes you need to wait to have your turn. Let’s go and see if we
can find something else that you would like to play with.”

Be sure you are at the child’s level, giving them eye contact and have their full attention when
communicating with them.

Role model appropriate communications. This will assist toddlers in understanding appropriate ways
to express their communications.
Three years and older
Responding to and following up communications with children of this age is vital in supporting the child's
development. Role modelling and being at the child’s level are still appropriate ways to respond in
interactions. Within this age group, however, educators can extend language and interactions to use more
complex communication techniques such as active listening.
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Encouragement and Acknowledge Efforts
Providing children with encouragement will develop their self-esteem, independence, trust, competence and
increase confidence, which will then have a follow on effect on the rest of their development. It is essential for
educators to adjust their level and methods of encouragement according to the children’s needs and
personality and the task the child is performing.
Rate of Development
Each child will progress through the stages of development at their own rate. Many factors contribute to the
rate in which children develop and no two individuals follow the same time frame within the development of
skills, growth and attributes. Factors that contribute to the overall development of a child include:

health

personality

behaviour

opportunity and encouragement of development

relationships with peers and family

the learning environment

socio-economic background

nutrition.
Negative Factors
It is important to note that there are a variety of negative factors which impact on the development of children,
including:

poor relationships with parents and/or carers

family conflict and violence

neglect and abuse

physical and mental health issues

poor quality learning opportunities

lack of a stimulating learning environment.
These negative factors may have a negative impact on the development of a child. Regardless of the child’s
ability, each achievement and triumph, not matter how small, must be recognised and acknowledged by
educators.
The Early Years Learning Framework emphasises the importance of children having a positive self-esteem,
positive dispositions for learning and a positive view of their learning capabilities. The educator plays a huge
role in supporting this through encouragement and opportunities for children to recognise their own
achievements.
Acknowledgment of somebody’s effort usually results in somebody feeling good about themselves. For
example: “thank you Ishbel for the great effort you did working with the children to design the new vegetable
patch, you really captured their ideas and suggestions and provided an opportunity for them to research leaf
design. Often, being acknowledged may boosts self-esteem and a feeling of self-worth. Children experience
the same feelings when they are acknowledged. When facilitating opportunities for children to learn through
play and leisure, encouraging and acknowledging children’s efforts is essential in building their confidence and
skill. In saying this, it is also important at times to get children to evaluate their own work performances so that
they can gain a feeling of their own self-worth and not rely on others. For example: “So tell me what you learnt
from researching leaves Rebecca (age 5)? Rebecca stated “I learnt that they are green and some leaves are
different to stop the sun taking too much water”. Educator “How do you feel learning about that information?”
Rebecca “I learnt lots, my mummy didn’t know the answer but I did!”
Methods on acknowledging efforts
The way educators respond to children’s efforts may vary according to the following.
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1.
The child’s personality and temperament
Some children are outgoing and thrive on being the centre of attention. They appreciate when they are
noticed. Other children may be shy and feel uncomfortable when they are put under the spotlight. Both
types of personalities must be acknowledged and have their efforts appreciated; however, the method
of doing so must align with the child’s personality. Making a big deal of the efforts of a child who does
not like being the centre of attention may encourage them to achieve tasks at a lower level so as to
avoid the public acknowledgement. Alternatively, quietly acknowledging a child who likes to be publicly
praised for their efforts can result in the child vying for the attention of the educator. This attention may
be sought using positive means, but may turn into a negative manner through the use of challenging
behaviour. Becoming familiar with the personalities of the children will assist in identifying which
response is appropriate for which child.
2.
The task being achieved and the child’s efforts
These two factors go together when responding to a child’s achievements. For example, the response
you give to a child who has been trying for three months every day to tie their shoelaces and is finally
successful will be different to the response you give a child who put his hat on correctly every day. Each
of these completed tasks deserve acknowledgement, but in a different way.
Response 1: For the child who has finally achieved the task of tying his shoes, you may get excited
with him, take a photo of his achievement, make a point to explain his achievement with him to his
parents and make an observation for the child’s developmental profile. The use of language such as
“Fantastic Jamie, you have been trying to tie your shoes for so long and now you can do it. I am so
proud of you, well done. Can I take a photo to show mum and dad what you did?” would be appropriate
in such a situation, dependent on the child. You might also give him a high five or a hug depending on
what the child preferred.
Response 2: For the child who put their hat on, you would verbally acknowledge them and perhaps
leave it at that. “Thank you Ben for putting your hat on. Great listening,”
Responses to a child’s efforts must be genuine. Children will know if you are exaggerating your excitement,
feigning interest or being patronising. Honest and genuine responses are always important.
Acknowledgement and praise – There is a difference!

Acknowledgement is recognising and pointing out a specific action or behaviour of a child. For
example, “Thank you for putting your shoes in your bag.”

Praise is generally a generic response to a child’s actions or behaviours. For example, “Good work”, or
“Well done”.
The following table (Kearns 2007, p. 233) outlines the differences between the two.
Acknowledgement /Encouragement
Praise
Gives children specific information and feedback about
their efforts when they attempt to do something.
Helps children build a realistic image of ‘their ideal self’.
Does not contain specific information about what the
child did well.
Some children will set unrealistic standards for
themselves in a bid to gain praise.
Praise can develop a competitive situation where
children want to be ‘the best’ to win adult approval.
Praise is the reward given for the work that meets adults’
standards.
Carers can acknowledge or appreciate individual effort in
a quiet, personal way.
Comments on a child’s work without implying a
judgement about the child’s efforts based on adult
values.
Children use specific information to evaluate their own
efforts during the process of doing something.
Acknowledgement is a unique response.
Children internalise specific information and become
motivated by the self-satisfaction of knowing that they
are competent and capable as a result of having their
efforts acknowledged.
3
3
Usually directed to an end product.
Empty praise or overused phrases have little effect.
Children are not ‘fooled’ by routine praise phrases.
Children can come to rely on praise as an external
motivator.
Sourced: Kearns, K. 2007 “Frameworks for Learning and Development” Pearson Education Australia, Sydney.
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Foster the Development of Independence
The most practical and most valuable times to provide opportunities for developing a child’s independence are
during routine times. There are several opportunities for children to practice self-help skills and gain
independence during these routine times.
Arrival and departure:

putting their bag away in a designated area/ locker

separating from parents

selecting an learning experience to engage in

collecting all belongings on departure.
Mealtimes:

washing hands

setting the table

sitting in designated seat/ highchair

recognising own belongings — drink, lunch box, placemat

feeding self — finger foods, spoon and/ or fork

holding their own bottle

opening food packages

placing rubbish/ scraps in designated spot

cleaning hands and face afterwards.
Toileting:

recognising the need to use the toilet

pulling pants down and up

wiping bottom

flushing toilet

washing hands.
Nappy changing:

lifting legs up and down

assisting with pulling pants down and up

washing hands.
Rest time:

recognising own sheets/ bedding

making the bed

removing shoes and jumpers or jackets

settling oneself on the bed

packing away bedding

redressing — shoes, jumpers.
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Remember that each child is developing at his or her own pace. Never force a child to become independent
before they are ready. If a child needs assistance, then be ready to help. Take for example the following
scenario:
Tika, 2.5 years, is learning how to dress herself. She puts her skirt on (back to front but that’s ok) and now she
is attempting her jumper. Alice, the staff member is kneeling on the mat next to Tika. “That’s right, the teddy
bear picture goes at the front.” Tika turns the jumper around and puts it over her head. As Tika pulls the jumper
down, her head goes towards the sleeve. She pulls it harder and harder although the jumper doesn’t move;
her head is going into the sleeve. “Can I help you Tika?” Alice asks. “No, just me,” Tika replies. Alice stays
close by. Another minute passes and Tika is still pulling at her jumper. “Try to move your jumper to the side so
your head goes through the middle hole.” Alice suggests. Tika turns her head, looks at the head hole from the
inside of the jumper and pulls it across so that her head comes through. Tika smiles and says “I did it.” “Yes
you did, well done for putting your jumper on all by yourself” says Alice.
Involve children in decision making
The ability to make decisions is a skill that, once acquired, will carry through to adulthood. In the attempt to
develop decision-making skills, children must first master the skill of being able to make an appropriate choice.
Children should be provided with the opportunity to make safe choices at appropriate times to assist in the
development of decision-making skills.
Safe choices
While it is important for children to challenge themselves, it is the educator’s role to maintain the safety and
wellbeing of all children. A safe choice is a choice available to children that presents no risk to them regardless
of the outcome they choose.
National Quality Standard (NQS)
Standard 4.2 Educators, and staff have the skills and knowledge to support
children’s learning, health, safety and wellbeing.
Knowledge of individual children, including knowledge of each child’s strengths
and capabilities, guides the educators in ensuring that each child is provided
with the opportunity to engage in a variety of experiences that optimise their
learning.
Some examples of safe choices that can be provided to the children include:

the choice between yoghurt and fruit for morning tea

the choice between the green or yellow jumper to wear while playing outdoors

the choice between play dough, drawing or blocks

the choice to move the books from the veranda to underneath the tree.
An unsafe choice is a choice that does, or can potentially pose, a risk to children. With the educator’s ultimate
goal of maintaining the children’s safety and wellbeing, unsafe choices are not suitable to be provided to
children.
Examples of unsafe choices include:

the choice to wear or not wear a hat during outdoor play

the choice to move the mats from underneath the climbing equipment or to keep them there

the choice to wash or not wash hands before mealtime

the choice to cross the road with or without holding onto the hand of an adult.
In allowing children to make responsible choices, an educator needs to provide options and boundaries.
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Belonging, Being and Becoming. The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia (page 32)
Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing – Children take increasing responsibility for their own
health and physical wellbeing.
What this may look like with children…..
 Children showing increasing independence and competence in personal hygiene, care and safety
for themselves and others
 Children showing enthusiasm for participating in physical play and negotiating play spaces to ensure
the safety and wellbeing of themselves and others
Educators support this by….
 Promoting continuity of children’s personal health and hygiene by sharing ownership of routines and
schedules with children, families and the community
 Providing a range of active and restful experiences throughout the day and support children to make
appropriate decisions regarding participation
Guidance and limits
Children need guidance and limits in order to make simple decisions. Asking children “What would you like to
eat?” or “what would you like to wear?” will most likely end in a choice that is not acceptable to the adult. For
example, if you ask a child what they would like to eat, you are open to the possible answer of “ice-cream and
a chocolate bar”. The child has not answered your question incorrectly — in fact, quite the opposite, they have
communicated honestly with you.
Offering children completely open-ended choices sets children up for failure as the educator, in most cases,
will need to override the child’s decision. Such options can inhibit the child’s ability and willingness to make
future decisions if asked. To assist in allowing children to have reasonable choices, the educator should begin
with providing children with guidance and a limited choice. For example, when asking a child what they would
like to eat, using guidance and limited choice, the educator could offer two appropriate suggestions. This
provides boundaries to a child and encourages them to choose from two options. As the child gets older, more
options can be introduced.
Choice within the learning environment
Opportunities for children to make decisions must be considered when setting up the learning environment.
The routine within the service and within each room should remain flexible to allow for children’s needs and
different feelings. While the routine and learning environment provides some structure to the learning, it should
also allow for times when children can choose what they would like to engage in. Children of all ages feel
empowered and in control of their own play when they are able to make their own choices.
Providing opportunity to make decisions
Providing opportunities throughout the day for children to make their own decisions can only occur when and
where it is safe to do so. Examples of this can be to:

let the children decide where and when they eat their lunch

children to choose and lead activities and experiences

encourage the children to design the obstacle course (there would need to be close adult supervision
with this to ensure all safety measures were accounted for before children utilised the apparatus).

encourage the children to assist with devising the class ‘rules’ or room limits

involve the children in devising the consequences for challenging behaviours in their room (this is limited
to the preschool and school-age groups)

provide materials for the children to explore without giving strict rules on how they are used — for
example, provide a range of paint, glue, collage materials and other art and craft supplies and let the
children use the materials in any manner they wish (avoid experiences that restrict the child’s
imagination)
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
ask the children what songs they would like to sing or music they would like to dance to — for older
children (over three years), you can teach them how to operate the CD player so they can play the music
at their own leisure.
Appropriate expectations and behaviour guidance strategies
Young children will often communicate their needs and emotions non-verbally rather than verbally. For
example:

a frustrated two year old may bite another child

a happy 12 month old child may laugh and clap their hands

a six month old may tense their body and clench their fists

a four year old might run away and hide under the fort.
In order to appropriately support the development of children through play, educators must first understand
behaviour which may be displayed by children at differing ages. Knowing such differences will help to set age
appropriate behavioural expectations. It is unrealistic to expect children to display skills and behaviour that
they simply are not capable of displaying.
The terms ‘inappropriate play’ or ‘inappropriate behaviours’ refer to play or behaviours which are socially
unacceptable. It can include play which:

causes physical harm and/ or puts the safety of the child and others around them at risk

has the potential to negatively impact the development of the child or the development of those around
them

will inhibit an educator’s ability to supervise the child/ren

can cause damage to the learning environment, materials and property within it.
Stage appropriate behaviours
All adults have different ideas of what is appropriate and inappropriate behaviour. These ideas are influences
by their own upbringing, values, beliefs, religion, culture, experiences and child development knowledge. The
following are examples of behaviours that may be considered by adults to be inappropriate, but are typical for
the stage of the child who is displaying it.
Birth to Two Years:

will often cry when they require something

require adult assistance to have their needs and wants met

are very curious and will touch, taste, smell and look at virtually everything that they come into contact
with

will primarily use their fingers when they eat.
Two to Three Year Olds

learn and use ‘no’ as one of their first words

actively explore the learning environment through the use of their senses

are not aware of potential dangers or consequences to their actions

often become dirty during play as they enjoy messy play

are possessive with toys and belongings — even if another child is playing with the toy first

cry and possibly tantrum when they do not get what they want

are yet to understand the concepts of sharing and turn taking

enjoy doing things for themselves and will decline assistance or insist they need to complete the task
on their own

enjoy taking charge or being in control of situations.
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Three Years and Older

are curious about the world they live in

have vivid imaginations and will often tell lots of stories

need to know “what” “why” “how” “when” “where” “who” all the time

enjoy being leaders and telling people what to do.
Knowledge of such behaviours will allow educators to support the development of children through appropriate
interactions, set up of the learning environment and provision of activities and materials. For example, for
younger children who are developing the ability to play cooperatively with others, it is important when setting
up a learning environment that you ensure there are multiples of resources. This allows more than one child
to engage in a learning experience — seven spades in the sandpit, or five dolls in dramatic play. This minimises
the risk of children becoming distressed because they feel they are missing out when there are not enough
resources for all.
Supporting Children’s Behaviour
Supporting children’s social competence involves implementing tools and strategies to encourage appropriate
behaviour and practice choices by children. Social competence tools should reflect knowledge of the abilities
of the child and have understanding of what is typical around the child’s stage of development. If strategies
negatively influence a child’s self-esteem and confidence, or inflict humiliation, children will become timid,
withdrawn or rebellious. Social competence strategies should provide children with the ability to make
appropriate decisions for themselves and others and support their development and play.
The following tables outline behaviours and strategies to be mindful of when working with children.
For birth to year olds
Adult’s behaviours
Say ‘no’
Remove the child from problem/trouble
Distract to another learning experience
Strategies for working with babies
The use of negative commands, such as ‘no’ in circumstances where
dangerous behaviour is exhibited and requires urgent intervention.
Researchers have found that babies who hear, "No," and, "Don't," all the
time seem to be less intelligent than other babies. Babies and children
need to explore and experiment to learn.
Babies may need to be relocated from a problem/trouble if their safety is at
risk.
Although crying is not an inappropriate behaviour, we can often help a baby
stop crying by simply redirecting them to another learning experience.
For two to three years olds
Patiently respond and provide a
consistent message
Acknowledge feelings
Provide appropriate activities to release
feelings
Reason for limit is explained in simple
terms to child.
Strategies for working with two to three year olds
Consistency in your approach is vital in managing children’s behaviour.
Consistency allows the child to develop a sense of trust and security.
Inconsistency in handling inappropriate behaviour will increase the
likelihood of the behaviour occurring again.
Reflective listening to acknowledge a child’s feelings is important. This will
enable you to assist the child about why they are upset.
Providing unstructured toys and materials for sensory exploration and safe
motor skill practice will allow toddlers to release positive feelings through a
variety of mediums.
When setting limits or rules, it is important to ensure that they are
presented in a positive way rather than negative.
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For three to five year olds
Strategies for working with three to five year olds
Communicate the guidelines of the service
clearly
It is important that a child knows what behaviours are expected of
him/her in the early childhood service.
Explanations of these expectations should be simple and clear,
and the adult must ensure the child understands these
expectations. Again, in this age group it is important to be
consistent in communicating expectations.
To be able to acknowledge feelings it is important to allow
children to identify and express their feelings honestly.
Appropriate activities should reflect children’s needs and interests.
Three to five year olds may enjoy playing shops. To cater
appropriately for this, educators will need an area set up where
children can dramatise their play. This area should have
resources such as empty boxes, bottles and pretend money. This
will enable children to be engaged in play. If children are not
engaged in play and learning they generally become bored, which
leads to inappropriate behaviour.
Provide consistent messages
Acknowledge feelings
Provide appropriate activities
Children respond more positively a supportive educator who can redirect them away from negative situations.
Open and honest discussion allows children to understand why certain behaviours carry positive or negative
consequences. Ages and stages of development should be a key to how we guide children’s behaviours.
Strategies used to modify behaviour to support the development of a child should be appropriate for the child’s
level of understanding. The following strategies may assist in this task:

Divert the child’s attention — distract the child in order to avoid conflict.

Redirect the child to another play experience, area of the room or focus on more pro social behaviours

Acknowledge children for appropriate behaviour to encourage the child to repeat the desired behaviour.

Role model appropriate behaviour with children. Spending time with the children during play shows
each child how to play appropriately and also ensures that they do not make erratic choices just to seek
for your attention.
Time Out is an old fashioned strategy that was once used by educators. The strategy is disrespectful and
controlling and is no longer an appropriate strategy to be used within early learning services given our
understanding of Children’s Rights. Time out can be detrimental to children as it:

humiliates the child in front of their peers

isolates the child

does not educate children on how to positively behave

gives children a feeling of worthlessness focuses on the inappropriate behaviour rather than providing
support and strategies support the pro social behaviours of a child

brings the inappropriate behaviour to the attention of other children.
Violence against children or abusive behaviour is not acceptable and includes:

use physical force on a child — smacking, hitting, pushing, pulling, shaking, dragging, restraining

yell at or humiliate a child in any way
 forcefully handle a child in any way.
In many early learning services actions of the above may lead to instant dismissal and / or reporting to Child
Protection Authorities.
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
ACTIVTY
Referring to the organisational policies of your service, in the text box below, identify your responsibility as an
educator in responding to children with challenging or aggressive behaviour.
Age and Developmental Appropriateness
Before limits and behaviour guidance techniques can be implemented, it is important to understand each child
and their developmental stage in order to ensure that expectations of their behaviour are realistic and
achievable.
Birth to 12 months
Appropriate expectations
Developmental characteristics of children from birth
to 12 months includes:
Educators should:


expect baby to gain attention by crying
using non-verbal forms of communication


express their needs physically
communicating needs and wishes through
crying, pulling away, tensing bodies, throwing
things, squealing

calm baby by comforting, soothing, rocking,
singing

inability to express emotions and becoming
overwhelmed by them

respond to needs immediately to prevent
more distress

developing attachments and experiencing
fear or anger during separation from them

not expect baby to be able to cope with own
feelings and feelings of others

having no sense of time and needing a
response immediately

not being able to separate other's feelings
from their own and responding to the distress
of another baby's cries
12 months to two years
Developmental characteristics of children aged 12
months to two years include:

developing self-concept and
autonomy and independence

limited language and still communicating nonverbally and with outbursts

being egocentric and having difficulty
understanding that others have wants and
needs

being impulsive and very
becoming overtired quickly
desire
active
Educators should:

expect toddlers to assert autonomy and
discover their own abilities and limitations

expect emotional outbursts and offer support
in coping with emotions

provide opportunities where toddlers can
experience autonomy, make choices,
succeed and be challenged

expect toddlers to say 'NO' and have difficulty
following directions
for
and
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Birth to 12 months

exploring and experimenting with pushing
limits

Two to three years
Developmental characteristics of children aged two
to three years include:
Educators should:

expect toddlers to show an awareness of
social rules although not always follow them

allow toddlers to make choices but should
assist and guide them through problem
solving and conflict resolution

encourage toddlers to wait for short periods
and to display awareness of reason as to why
they should wait
being unable to control intense feelings and
having emotional outbursts

not expect toddlers to share and take turns
without guidance
increased language skills but will resort to
non-verbal or physical communication in
times of stress


expect toddlers to imitate others behaviour

developing an understanding of themselves
within a group

beginning to learn right from wrong but not
always understanding the difference between
accidental and intentional behaviour

still displaying egocentric behaviours,
possessiveness and refusal to share



engaging in parallel and associative play and
beginning pretend play
Developmental characteristics of children aged three
to five years include:
increased language skills which assist with
social skills, pretend play and expression of
thoughts and feelings

displaying more self-control and ability to
empathise with others and seeing other
people's perspectives

being familiar with rules but not always
understanding logic
give toddlers the opportunity to express their
feelings and energy
Three to five years

not expect toddlers to wait, be still for periods
of time or share with others
Educators should:

expect children to follow simple rules and
understand consequences

encourage
solving

expect children to display more self-control
and reasoning in social situations
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Topic Three: Documenting children’s learning
In this section of this module students will:

identify ways to gather information about and with children

identify and explain different observation methods

explain advantages and disadvantages of different observation methods

list factors to consider when recording written observations

write clear, accurate and objective observations

interpret observations

use observations to identify strengths, needs and interests

use observations to identify concerns in behaviour or development

plan experiences for children based on information gathered in observations.
Every child is a unique individual with their own interests, experiences and abilities. Every child will travel
through the same stages and milestones, although their journey and the pace at which they achieve this will
be different. For example, most children walk after they crawl but not all children walk at the same age some
do at seven months some much later. In order to assist children with their learning and development, an
understanding of child development milestones is important. Recent evidence shows that the early years of
life are important for laying the foundation for good health, development and positive learning dispositions
throughout life.
This theory is further explained through Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning
Framework for Australia (2009), the national curriculum for early childhood education and care. Among
many other principles, this document explains:
 the importance of allowing children to learn, discover and develop at an individual rate
 the necessity for children to be empowered to control their own learning journey
 how educators, along with parents, can monitor, document and support children’s development
through ‘intentional teaching’, ‘assessment for learning’ and through supportive and nurturing learning
environments.
Educators must be familiar with terms of child development and how to support and facilitate a child’s learning.
One reason for this is to complete the documenting process. Documenting children’s learning is essential in
early childhood services for many reasons. These include:

to identify each child’s level of development

to identify each child’s strengths, needs and interests

to identify behaviours that may be out of character for the child

to learn more about theories of child development

to provide parents with information about their child’s development

to assist with planning experiences for each child and group of children

to evaluate appropriateness of teaching and support strategies

being a requirement from National Quality Standards and National Law and Regulations.
Gathering information about children’s learning can come from many sources. The first and primary source of
gathering information is through observation. Observation, as the name suggests, involves educators
observing, monitoring and watching children and documenting aspects of their development, abilities, interests
and behaviours. Observation can be done formally and informally — formally, by following a set written format,
and informally, by simply interacting with children and noticing aspects of their behaviour and development.
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National Quality Standard
Quality Area 1: Educational program and practice
1.2 The program for each child takes into account their strengths, capabilities, cultures, interests
and experiences.
1.2.1 Each child’s current knowledge, ideas, culture and interests provide the foundation for the program
1.2.2 Every child is supported to participate in the program
1.2.3 Each child’s learning and development is assessed as part of an ongoing cycle of planning,
documenting and evaluating children’s learning
1.2.4 Critical reflection and evaluation of children’s learning and development, both as individuals and in
groups, is used as a primary source of information for planning and to improve the effectiveness of the
program and teaching strategies
Gather information
To ensure our early childhood education and care environments are places for children and adults to form rich
relationships with and to learn and develop, it is essential to get to know the people who are welcomed into
the community and who belong. To understand and know people, to form strong relationships with children,
time is needed and the opportunity to really listen to children. By listening to children, we gain knowledge about
the child, their interests, their ideas and their notions about the world. By listening we can then work in
partnership with families and community to establish quality educational programs with children. Listening to
children is extremely important, so how do we do this?
Traditionally, educators have relied on a number of observational tools that educator’s use observing children
and attempting to record the information about the child is an objective way. These observation techniques
include anecdotal records, running records, checklists, time samples, event samples and socio-grams. Other
tools or sources that may be useful for educators to gain information about the child (known as secondary
sources) include:

speaking with families — educators must follow workplace policies and job roles in regards to this; it is
a Lead Educator’s role to discuss learning and development with parents and families, however an
Assisting Educator can hold informal conversations with the family about the child’s interests

reading enrolment forms and other written documentation from families — interest sheets, profiles,
communication books etc.,

speaking with previous educators if the child has progressed from another room within the service

speaking with a child.
Discussions and conversations
Every day, educators engage in conversations and discussions with fellow workers, management, individual
children and groups of children, parents, families and even other educators.
Such discussions and conversations can take on many forms. They may be formal, for example, a meeting
between an early childhood educator and a parent to discuss goals for the child; or they can be more informal,
such as during arrival and departure times of the children or on the telephone.
Consulting parents, family members and community representatives
Parents and family members know their children better than anyone else. In most cases, they have known and
lived with the child since birth and have expectations for their learning, development and care. While the
educator may be familiar with the child within the context of the early childhood learning environment, the
parents and families know the child in the home learning environment. Therefore, parents and family members
can provide valuable information about their children regarding:

likes, dislikes, preferences and interests — for example, regarding activities, play, learning styles, foods

past experiences and background — for example, if the child has attended an early childhood service
previously

general health, past medical conditions, vaccinations — for example, hospital stays, allergies,
developmental concerns
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
behaviour, temperament and personality — for example, if the child is outgoing or shy

current care giving practices — for example, if the child is learning to feed himself, or toilet train

lifestyle, parenting style and expectations — for example, what the parents hope for their child and how
they wish their child to be cared for by educators

cultural norms and requirements, customs, traditions — for example, whether the child and family follow
specific cultural practices that may affect development, or what the family wishes to be continued in the
early childhood service. For example, some Balinese families may follow the traditional custom of
carrying the baby in a sling and not allowing him or her to touch the ground until the age of 212 days.
Gathering Information
Valuable information can be collected about individual children and groups of children during discussions and
conversations.
Such information collected can include:

child’s particular interests

child’s likes and dislikes

developmental stage of the child

special achievements

family celebrations or weekend events

appointments with paediatricians and other health-related activities

leisure activities

fears

pacifiers or comforters the child uses

abilities

a family’s goals for their child.
Observations
Observations are descriptive written records of children's actions, emotions and behaviours. Conducting and
documenting observations is primarily the Lead Educator’s responsibility in an early childhood service,
although Assisting Educators will all contribute to weekly observations. Family day care educators are also
responsible for documenting children’s learning. It is essential that all educators, regardless of position,
develop a clear understanding of each observation method and purpose. Each observation method will be
described in detail further on in this topic. Just as a photograph clearly documents an event, so too should a
written observation. It should document an exact event or action of a child. An observation should be a 'written
photograph’ or ‘snap-shot' describing of a moment in time (in writing). Remember that a photograph does not
show someone happy, scared or frightened, it shows the specific actions such as smiling, frowning, crying etc.
Observation methods
There are various ways to carry out written observations within an early childhood service. Each method has
its advantages and disadvantages, depending on the situation which is being observed. Each method is a
valuable tool in gaining important information about the child's development, skills, interests and perspectives.
By choosing the most suitable method, educators will get the most out of the observation time thus plan for
the child more effectively.
Anecdotal records
Possibly the most commonly used method of observation in an early childhood service is an anecdotal record.
Anecdotal observation records are narrative accounts describing an incident of a child's action or behaviour
that is important to the observer. Anecdotes describe what happened in a factual, objective manner, telling
how it happened, when and where it happened, and what was said and done. This form of observation is
written after the incident has occurred, by someone who witnessed it informally. In other words, the observer
watches the child and then writes up the observation later in past tense. Anecdotal records are cumulative. A
series of them over a period of time can be extremely useful in providing rich details about the specific child
being observed. They can begin to show patterns in behaviour and development. Anecdotal records are always
written in the past tense, for example, "Sally walked to the door", and “Enrique sat on the balance beam."
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Advantages and Disadvantages
Some of the key advantages of using an anecdotal observation method are that:

the observation is open-ended — the recorder writes anything and everything he or she witnesses and
is not restricted to one kind of behaviour

the observer can catch an unexpected incident no matter when it occurs as it is recorded afterwards

the observer can look for and record the significant behaviour and can ignore the rest

the observer can act naturally and interact with the children while observing them — it is non-obtrusive.
As with all observational methods, there are disadvantages too. Some of the disadvantages of the anecdotal
record method are that:

it may not give a complete picture because it records only incidents of interest to the observer

it relies heavily on the memory of the observer, because it is recorded after the event — finer details
may be forgotten

incidents may be taken out of context and thus interpreted incorrectly or used in a biased manner.
Have you ever had someone ask you how your weekend was?
You probably responded by giving a brief story of what you did, where you went and who you spent time with.
You may not realise it, but you verbalised an anecdotal record!
As mentioned above, anecdotal records are stories, told in past tense, regarding an event which has already
happened. When taking our anecdotal observations, think of it as writing a story which will inform others of
what the child has done and been involved in.
Running records
Running records are the most detailed narratives. They are written as an event or an interaction is occurring
and include rich detail. The observer should record exactly what the child does and says as it happens in front
of their eyes. Therefore, it is written in present tense. Running records are traditionally focused on one child
but can also document the play of a group of children. Running records are written in the present tense, for
example:
"Noah walks to the book case",
Louis sits in the sandpit and holds the cup in his right hand."
So why is it called a 'running record'? Possibly it is because the observer needs to wear running shoes to do
it! Well, in a sense they do. Once pen touches the paper, they need to continue writing at the speed of light,
recording every possible detail (every word, every action, every gesture, and every response). It may be useful
to use abbreviations and initials and to keep the sentences short to keep up with the pace of the child during
the observation. Just be sure that the abbreviations are easily understood by others who may read them.
Running records provide a great deal of information, however they can be very time-consuming and can often
make it difficult for the educator to interact with the children while conducting the observation. Information can
be lost in the time it takes for the observer to jot down everything they can see or hear.
As with all factual recordings, the observer must be careful not to use descriptive words or phrases that are
judgemental. Running records must remain objective at all times, explaining only what is said and heard by
the observer. Personal feelings or inferences are not acceptable in running records.
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Advantages and Disadvantages of Running Records
Running record observations have a few advantages for documenting a child’s development, including:

being a rich, complete and comprehensive record not limited to particular incidents

being open-ended, allowing the observer to record everything he or she sees, and not restricting the
observations to a particular kind of behaviour.
There are also several disadvantages to using this method, once again depending on the purpose for gathering
the information. These may include:

being very time-consuming, which may make it difficult for the observer to find periods of uninterrupted
time

being difficult to record everything for any length of time without missing important details

being best when observing an individual, but being inefficient and difficult when observing a group

observers keeping themselves apart from the children and remaining unobtrusive, which is sometimes
difficult

children changing their behaviour when they know they are being watched.
Time samples
Time sample observations can be useful for mapping a child’s or a group’s actions or behaviours for a specified
part of the day or even for an entire day. A time sample observation can record the frequency of particular
behaviours and the times that they are evident. In this way, behaviours, actions, relationships or other specific
events can be monitored. Time sampling observations are divided up to focus on short periods of time and
tallies or symbols are recorded if certain behaviours are observed during those time periods.
The target behaviours — the particular actions or events that you are planning to monitor — are most often
inappropriate or anti-social behaviours, or they may be specific skills you plan to observe the frequency of.
Advantages and disadvantages of time sampling
As with all styles of written observations, time sampling has its advantages and disadvantages. The
advantages include:

time samples being used to identify frequency of behaviour

being easy to complete as they simply require a tick or tally mark to be recorded when the target
behaviour is present

the capacity for more than one person to contribute to the one time sample.
Disadvantages include:

no opportunity for the behaviour to be explained or put into context

the child’s behaviours needing to be monitored over a longer time period than other methods.
Event samples
An event sample identifies why the behaviour may occur. The observer monitors the child for the particular
behaviour and then, when the behaviour is evident, the observer records what happened immediately before,
during and after the event.
Event sampling is used to study the conditions and context under which particular behaviours occur. It is
important to learn what triggers a particular kind of behaviour and the consequences of the behaviour to
determine the best ways to respond and deal with it.
Advantages and disadvantages of event sampling
As with all styles of written observations, event sampling has its advantages and disadvantages.
The advantages include:

keeping the event or behaviour intact and in context, making analysis easier

being more objective than some methods, because the behaviour has been defined ahead of time
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
being especially helpful in examining triggers of certain behaviours, reactions of others and reactions of
the child.
There are several disadvantages as well, depending on the purpose for the observation, including:

being a closed method that looks only for specified behaviour and may ignore other important behaviour

missing the richness of detail that anecdotal records or running records provide.
It is impossible to see exactly what is going on inside the head of anyone else. However, by observing the
triggers, analysing behaviours, listening to and monitoring the child’s response we can gather more of an
understanding as to why the child has reacted in a particular way.
Sociograms
Observing children during social interactions can be done by using sociograms
observation method. A sociogram, as the name suggests, is a social diagram
that is used to record and monitor stages of social play and patterns of social
interactions of a specific child or between particular groups of children.
Sociograms are usually in the form of charts or diagrams designed to give a
graphic picture of group relationships. They can be used to record types of
interactions the child engages in, who the child interacts with, the frequency of
interactions, positive or negative social interactions and whether the child
responds to others.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Sociograms
As with all styles of written observations, sociograms have advantages and disadvantages. These include:

being easy to complete and identify children’s social development

being quicker observations to conduct

allowing for the observer to interact with the child while conducting observations

being easier to interpret by looking at a diagram.
There are several disadvantages of using sociograms as an observation method. These include:

not providing much opportunity to explain the context, environment or other goings-on around the child

only recording social development and no other important aspects of development

being best used to observe children over the age of three as, according to child development, children
under three predominantly engage in solitary, non-social play.
Checklists
Checklist observations consist of a list of specific skills, traits or milestones that are specific to a particular age
range and arranged in a logical order. Checklists can be geared towards focusing on one developmental
domain or the overall development of the child. The observer uses one checklist for each child. As the observer
supervises the child at play they must look out for the child displaying particular skills or milestones that are
listed on the observation format. The skills or milestones that are observed are ticked off as occurring and
dated, and those that are not observed are marked as not observed. At the end of the observation period the
observer can then determine if the skills that are marked off as not yet occurring are skills that the child has
not yet developed, or skills that the child was not able to demonstrate for various reasons. For example, Jane
was conducting a checklist observation on Miles. She had marked the skill ‘walking up stairs alternating feet’
as not yet occurring. After Jane had completed the observation she was able to make notes that Miles was not
observed walking up stairs alternating feet as there are no stairs within that particular early childhood service
learning environment, therefore Miles could possibly have already developed this skill without being able to
demonstrate it.
Checklists can be used in a number of ways, depending on the purpose of the observation. For instance, a
different checklist can be used for each observation, or a single checklist can serve in a cumulative manner
for the same child all year if dates are recorded for each item. A single checklist can be used by one observer
or by several observers who will add to the cumulative data over a period of time.
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Checklist observations can be useful for focusing on the development of several skills within the one
developmental domain, or for providing a summary of a child’s overall development. Checklist observations
are usually conducted less frequently. Within an early childhood learning environment they may be conducted
monthly, quarterly or half-yearly. Checklists are useful for gaining an insight into the overall development and
abilities of new children to your service to enable planning based on their interests and abilities.
Planning your checklists
When completing checklists, you can support any ticks or dates you mark off with evidence or any unachieved
points with a short comment. A short anecdotal comment in the right hand column will help to substantiate or
provide evidence.
Be aware of ticking off items that have been observed only once. For example, you may observe a child
complete a five-piece puzzle. However, this may be the first time they have done this and they may not be
able to repeat the task. A task should be checked off when the child is competent at it and can consistently
demonstrate the skill.
Whether you plan to make your own checklist or use a prepared list, make sure the items listed are specified
very clearly in objective, non-judgemental, positive terms. The user should be able to understand the items
easily. Some suggestions for developing checklist items include:

keeping items short, descriptive, and understandable

being parallel in construction (i.e. same word order and verb tense for each)

being objective and non-judgemental (e.g. not ‘jumps high’ but ‘jumps over a one-foot high object’)

being positive in nature

not being repeated elsewhere in the checklist

being presented in a logical order by grouping together developmental areas.
Advantages and disadvantages of using checklists
Checklists, as with any other styles of written observations, have advantages and disadvantages.
Advantages:

They are easy, quick and efficient to use.

The non-specialist observer can use them with ease.

They can be used in the presence of the child or later from remembered behaviours or recorded narrative
observation.

Several observers can gather the same information to check for reliability or several observers may
contribute to the one checklist.

They help to focus observation on many behaviours at one time.
Disadvantages:

They are closed in nature, looking at particular behaviours and not everything that occurs; thus they
may miss behaviours of importance.

They are limited to presence or absence of behaviour rather than quality or performance.

They lack information about quality, duration or consistency of behaviour and a description.
Rating scales
Rating scales are tools that indicate the degree to which a child possesses a certain skill, trait or behaviour.
Each behaviour is rated on a scale from the lowest to the highest level (or vice versa). The observer must
make a judgement about where on the scale the child's behaviour lies.
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For example:
Behaviour: Shares Toys
Always
Often
Sometimes
Seldom
Not observed
____________________________________________________________________________
As an observational tool, rating scales work best where particular degrees of behaviour are well defined or
well understood by the observer, and where there is a distinct difference between each level of the behaviour.
These tools are useful for analysing a range of behaviours all at the same time as the scales can be listed on
a page. The observer watches the child and checks off or circles a point on the scale to indicate the child's
current scale in regard to behaviours or abilities. Such scales are simple to make: simply state the behaviour,
draw a line then mark off a number of points or intervals along the line. Five intervals are often used so that
there is a middle, (neutral position), and two intervals on either side of it.
Rating scale observer errors
This observation tool calls for the observer to make an on-the-spot judgment rather than an objective
description. It can be extremely difficult for observers to be totally unbiased and objective when conducting
these observations. They can sometimes be influenced by other things they already know about the child or
the child's family, or by outside influences completely unrelated to the situation they are observing. For
example, the observer who has a closer relationship with one child may rate them higher than a child who is
new to the service.
To guard against these tendencies, the observer should rate all of the different children being observed on the
same skill, behaviour or trait before going on to the next one on the list. To check objectivity, a second observer
can also observe the same child and then the two observers can compare results. When rating the children’s
skills, it is important to rate against developmental milestones rather than against each child.
Rating scales may be used on their own, implemented with other observation methods as a part of the
procedure, or filled in later using the information gathered from other observation methods.
Advantages and disadvantages of a rating scale
As with the other observation methods, rating scales have the advantage that they:

are easy to design and less time-consuming to use

provide a convenient method to observe a large number of traits at one time, or more than one child at
a time

make it possible to measure difficult-to-quantify traits such as shyness

are easier to score and quantify that most other methods.
The disadvantages also need to be considered before the observer decides to use a rating scale, for example:

rating scales utilise a closed method — they examine specified traits and may overlook other important
behaviour

they feature the negative as well as the positive side of each trait

clearly differentiating between each point on the scale is sometimes difficult, both for the designer and
the observer

it is difficult to eliminate observer bias when judgements must be made quickly on so many different
traits

The observer must be familiar with age and stage appropriate milestones in order to make an educated
judgement.
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Play Patterns
A play pattern observation is a chart or diagram style of observation used to identify the child’s interests and
attention span. It is devised of a list of experiences and/ or play spaces or a diagram of the room layout
highlighting the experiences and/ or play spaces available to the children. The observer monitors the child and
the time spent engaged in each of the different experiences or play spaces, usually over a half-hour period or
longer.
As with all methods of observations, play patterns come with advantages and disadvantages. The advantages
are:

they are used to monitor the child’s interest and attention span

they are easy to complete and does not require specialist training.
The disadvantages include:

they do not provide information about the context

they can be time consuming to monitor one child for that amount of time.
Observation Inclusions
Each observation must record the following information in order for the reader to be able to fully appreciate the
situation:

Child's name

Child's age — including both years and months, for example, 5.2 = five years + two months of age

Date — this is of the date the observation is recorded

Time — the time of day the observation was taken

Environment — where the observation was taken, for example, at the lunch table, in the sandpit at
morning play, in block corner or at group time

Observer — who made the observation.
Writing Observations
As written observations are the main method of gathering developmental information about children, it is vital
that early childhood educators understand how to observe children. The different observation methods and
formats and their advantages and disadvantages have been discussed. The following explains what to write
in observations and how to record information accurately.
Written observations are legal documents that can be used in a court of law as evidence. It is vital that written
observations are factual (objective) rather than based on assumptions of what the observer thinks they are
seeing (subjective). “The child was crying” is factual. “The child was sad” is an assumption. Some children cry
because they are angry!
Guidelines for Observing Children
There are many important issues that need to be taken into account when writing observations. There may
seem like there are a lot of things to remember but, with time and practice, writing accurate observations will
become second nature.
Writing what the child actually did
It is important when writing the observation to write what the child actually did rather than what the child didn't
do. For example:

rather than writing "B couldn't put the puzzle piece in", you would write "B placed the puzzle piece in the
incorrect position"

rather than writing "J attempted to thread the bead", you would write "J held the bead with pincer grip in
his right hand and held the string an inch from the end in his left hand. He poked the string at the bead
but missed the hole".
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Accuracy
Other people are going to read these observations, so they should be as accurate as possible without any
room for misinterpretation. Upon reading the observation, the reader should get a clear image in their mind
about how the situation played out. How long is “a piece of string”? How long is “a little while”? How big is “a
big tower of blocks”? These terms are inaccurate and can be interpreted in different ways. Be clear, specific
and measurable. For example, “L sat for 4 minutes” or “H stacked 7 blocks on top of each other lengthways.”
Gaps or holes
Make sure your observation flows from start to finish without any gaps or holes, and try to refrain from jumping
from the child doing one thing to the child then doing something else without an explanation of how they got
there. For example, “Bob propels the bikes forward using the pedals, he laughs as he passes by W. Bob says
‘Hey Will, let's go to the sandpit’. They both sit in the sandpit filling up the same bucket with handfuls of sand.”
How did Bob get from the bike to the sandpit?
Tense
Remember that anecdotal records are written in past tense and running records are written in present tense.
Ensure the correct tense is used consistently throughout your observations.
Content and language
Observations must include specific detail about the child’s actions and behaviours. While detail is necessary,
the wording must be clear and concise. Observations that are wordy may be of little value, as a lengthy or
irrelevant description may totally miss the main point due to the unimportant issues being described.
For example, consider the ease of reading and deciphering the following written observation;
“Sally is walking from the large sandpit towards the big, yellow fort that has a 6-rung ladder attached
and a blue mat with a box of dress up clothes under the oak tree. Sally is holding a medium-sized red
shovel and she is wearing a blue dress with pink buttons and no shoes.”
So far, nothing relevant about Sally’s development, skills or behaviours are evident as the observation is too
long winded.
Practice makes perfect
The more educators practice writing observations, the quicker and easier they will become. This is good news
considering the number of children to observe. Once educators have developed the skills for conducting and
documenting accurate observations they will see that the observations become more informative and useful
to the planning process.
Parent permission
Before commencing observations of children, parent’s written permission must be sought. Most services have
a disclaimer on the enrolment form that, once signed by the parents, grants their permission for observations
to be recorded on their child. The Director or Manager of the service should explain to parents about how and
why observations are recorded and who has access to them.
When observing school-aged children, permission must be gained from the child first.
Confidentiality
It is essential that confidentiality is maintained at all times and that information is stored safely. Consider the
following important confidentiality requirements:

Educators must be familiar with and follow all service policies and procedures in regards to
confidentiality, privacy and recording information.

Keep observations in a secure location that is inaccessible to others, such as a locked filing cabinet or
office. Keeping them in a folder on the shelf in the store room is not a secure location. Anyone could
have access to those confidential records.
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
Focus children should only be known by their first name. No surnames should be recorded. When
identifying other children in observations they should be recognised only by their unique code or first
initial.

When speaking with other educators about written records or children’s observations make sure it is
done in a secure location away from people passing by or overhearing the conversation. Never discuss
children’s behaviour or development in front of the children, or the focus child themselves.

Any information and interpretations of a child’s development should only be shared with family of that
child and educators working with that child. Permission from the family should always be obtained if this
information needs to be shared with resource workers, students on placement for practical experiences
or when using the child in observations for the purpose of assignments when completing study.
Time, environment and method
Observations and information gathering should be done using a variety of techniques, in a variety of
environments and at various times. This will ensure an overall picture of the child’s behaviour, abilities and
interests is gained. Each observation method is designed to capture information on particular developmental
areas. However, there are a number of common principles:

Decide on the appropriate method of recording to suit the purpose of the observation.

Gather information and observations on children over a period of time to gain an accurate picture of the
child’s strengths, needs and interests, behaviours and emotions. The child’s typical behaviour and
abilities would not be evident in the information from one observation.

Gather information and observations on children in a variety of environments and at different times of
the day. This allows for a more holistic identification of skills, abilities, behaviours and interactions. It
allows the observer to identify any patterns in behaviour or behaviours that may be out of character for
the child.
Unobtrusive
It is necessary for the observer to remain unobtrusive when conducting observations on children. While it is
virtually impossible to be invisible, try not to be obvious by following the child around constantly, or by carrying
a big folder and marking off everything the child does. If the child feels they are being watched constantly, this
will affect the child’s behaviour and therefore alter the validity of the observation. Children will want to interact
with the observer and will often ask “what or why you are writing?” A short and simple explanation will be
sufficient to satisfy their curiosity such as “I am just writing about what you are playing with”.
Write what you can see and hear
Be objective, be factual. Educators must only write what they can see or hear. It is not possible to know exactly
what a child is thinking or feeling, so the child’s physical and verbal responses must be recorded. It is not
possible to see or hear happy, thought, tried, ignored, sad, angry, frustrated, excited or friend. But it is possible
to see or hear smiled, jumped, laughed, poked, pulled, ran, cried, squealed or frowned, just to name a few.

ACTIVTY
From the list below, circle the words that are factual
Happy
Smiling
Scared
Yawning
Tired
Frowning
Free from Opinions/Assumptions
Observations should not include opinions or assumptions. For example; rather than: “Bob was happy because
he was digging in the sandpit”, you would write, “Bob held the shovel using a whole hand grasp with his right
hand. He dug it into the sand, he was smiling”.
An observer is writing subjective interpretations of the situation when they write observations that include
descriptions such as:
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
John was sad because his sand castle was broken.

Max jumped enthusiastically. He was excited and happy that it was his turn to ride on the new bike.

April was frustrated with the puzzle piece that would not fit.
These statements are coloured by the observer’s interpretations, thoughts or feelings of the child’s emotions.
While it may be apparent that the child is feeling the emotions described, it is more appropriate to write them
in an objective manner. Remember, the observer doesn’t know what is going on inside the child’s mind. They
can only see what is happening on the outside. Being objective means the observer writes down the facts of
what they can actually see and hear. If we re-write the above statements objectively, they may read:

“John frowned and his bottom lip quivered. He looked at the broken sand castle in front of him.” While it
may be apparent that John is upset, the description includes what symptoms we can see, rather than
making the subjective statement that he is sad.

“Max jumped up and down on the spot several times with a broad smile. ‘It’s my turn, it’s my turn,’ he
said as he looked at the bike being wheeled towards him.”

“April frowned and made a grunting noise. She looked at the puzzle piece. She pounded on it with her
fist. She picked up the puzzle piece and threw it across the table. She stood up quickly, knocking over
her chair, and stomped away.”
We must also refrain from assuming reasons as to why behaviour or actions occur. For example, rather than
writing “Bonnie walked to the fridge to get her drink bottle”, you would write “Bonnie walked to the fridge,
opened the door and picked up her drink bottle”. It may be obvious to the observer why she went to the fridge
but it cannot be assumed.
Artwork
Samples of children’s work can be analysed and reflected upon to review a child’s creativity, attention span
and stages of drawing.
The advantages of this method include:

work samples being always accessible as children are regularly completing artwork

being a quick and easy method of gathering information

the observation method being non intrusive.
The disadvantages include:

the inability to save some artwork, such as play dough creations

some artwork being difficult to store.
Photographs
As the saying goes ‘a picture tells a thousand words’. Photos are a valuable source of developmental
information as well as a priceless memento for parents and families. Snapshots of children’s behaviours, skills
or creations can be taken and then reviewed for information.
Advantages of this method include that some things are easier to explain in a photo than in writing such as
grip on a pencil, a sand creation or block structure. Disadvantages include that it does not provide information
about the context or setting of the action of behaviour.
Tape Recording
Tape recordings can record children’s language skills more accurately than can written observations. This is
the main advantage of using this method. Disadvantages include that it can be intrusive, you cannot see the
non-verbal communication that is used and it requires technology and equipment in order to be carried out.
Video Recording
Video recordings can record interactions between children, creations, behaviours and language accurately.
The disadvantages of this method are that it can be obtrusive and that it requires the technology and equipment
to carry it out.
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Parental permission must be sought prior to recording children either by tape recording or video recording. If
permission is not granted, care must be taken to ensure children without permission are not recorded in the
background of tape or video recordings.
Emergent Curriculum and Documenting Children’s Learning
While the Early Years Learning Framework does not exclusively note the ‘Emergent Curriculum’ as the
preferred programming approach, the Early Years Learning Framework and the Emergent Curriculum share
many principles and beliefs. Both focus on the flexibility of the daily or weekly program and its ability to be
adapted to cater for children’s immediate and ongoing interests. Both support the approach of basing
experiences on the children’s interests and being child directed and play based rather than overly structured
and adult directed. Both employ traditional methods of observing and documenting children’s learning, as
explained previously, although the introduction of learning stories give another platform to record children’s
learning.
Learning Stories
Along with written observations and conversations with children and families, learning stories may also be
used to document children’s abilities, interests and learning experiences. A learning story still documents
events and actions of the child or group of children as traditional methods of observations. The learning story
is written in a more natural, creative way and can be seen as more ‘user-friendly’ for educators learning how
to record observations and to share important information with parents.
Learning stories can be lengthy narrations or a series of shorter jottings. When combined, they give the reader
an idea about the child’s interests, abilities, needs, preferences and even personality. They are often
accompanied by photos which provide more evidence of the child’s learning. This also makes for a nice
memento to be given to the parents.
Traditionally, observations such as running records and anecdotal records must be written in a very accurate,
clinical kind of way, explaining exactly what the observer sees and hears without any subjective terms or
interpretations included in the observation. Learning stories are almost the complete opposite, where an
interesting story is written about the child’s actions.
Let’s look at an example and compare the two.
Running record
Learning Story
Amber sits on the floor in front of mirror. She holds a foam
block in her right hand and bangs it on the mirror. She
holds the block against the mirror and places her left hand
on the mirror. She leans forward and places her face close
to the mirror so her nose almost touches. She smiles and
makes gurgling sounds. She opens her mouth and places
her tongue on to the mirror. She sits back and continues
to look at the mirror. She touches her left cheek with her
left index finger and puts her left hand back on the mirror.
She drops the block from her right hand and turns her body
to the left. She lifts her right leg over her left and sits in a
kneeling position with both hands on the floor. She rocks
back and forth twice.
It was interesting watching Amber today as she discovered
her reflection in the mirror. She had a great time watching
her body movements and trying to work out why they were
moving in the mirror at the same time she was moving
them. She kept moving the blocks in her hand closer to the
mirror and then thought to put her tongue on the mirror to
see if it had the same effect. It did! She spent a few minutes
experimenting with different movements.
Later in the day, after afternoon tea, she was back at the
mirror again. This time she was more intent on talking to
the reflection in the mirror. She laughed and babbled away
to herself. I wonder if she was having a good conversation.
Assisting Educator says “Amber, are you trying to crawl?”
A looks at Assisting Educator and gurgles and smiles. She
puts hands in the air. Assisting Educator picks her up, A
squeals, smiles and kicks her legs.
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Both of these records provide valuable information that can be interpreted and used as a basis for planning.
One is clear and accurate and the other is more relaxed and natural. A combination of both can be used within
the service in order to meet children’s developmental needs and interests as well as the National Quality
Standards and Early Years Learning Framework.
Observe Children in their Normal Pattern of Play and Daily Interactions
In order to retrieve the most relevant and valuable information about children’s learning, it is essential to
understand how to accurately record written observations. Recording clear and accurate observations will give
educators a truer picture of the child’s overall development, including their strengths, needs and interests.
Anytime throughout the day is the perfect time to record the child’s actions and behaviours, hence their learning
and development. Possible times throughout the day in which to record observations could include:

arrival and departure times

indoor or outdoor planned or ‘free play’ times

mealtimes

transitions

group times

general interactions.
Delving more deeply into these observation opportunities, let’s identify exactly what can be recorded at these
times.
Observation Opportunity
Arrival and departure times
Indoor/ outdoor play
Mealtimes
Transitions
Group times
General daily interaction (with other child/ren,
parents, educators)
Examples of what can be recorded

relationship with family members

ability to separate from family

confidence

ability to initiate play

familiarity with routine

recognition of own belongings

self-help skills

milestones in all areas of development

interaction skills

preferred play options and styles

interests

self-help skills

recognition of own belongings

pro social skills

awareness of health and hygiene principles

familiarity with routine

ability to cope with change

confidence in the learning environment

listening and language skills

listening and language skills

ability to form/ join in a group

concentration

pro social skills

social skills and stage of play

language skills

conflict resolution

relationships and interaction styles
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The learning environment and the above opportunities should not be changed or altered in any way to
accommodate your observations. The children should be observed in their natural environment and during
their normal pattern of play. If children are forced to perform, they will not display their natural abilities or
behaviours. Generally, when children feel pressured, they will react differently to how they would normally
respond.
Imagine sitting down at the computer to do some study and someone approaches you and asks you to move
away from the computer and show them how you tie your shoelaces. First of all, you would be a little suspicious
of their motives. Second, you might feel frustrated as you were planning on completing the assignment you
were working on and third, you would just rush through tying your shoelaces to please the person and get back
to what you were doing. Now relate this to a child. If educators changed the child’s normal pattern of play in
order to test a child’s skills, the child would probably feel the same suspicions and frustrations and not perform
the task as they usually would during their normal pattern of play.
Interpreting Observations
The purpose of recording accurate and detailed observations is to gather valuable information about the child’s
abilities and interests. This is where interpretations come into it. Interpreting the observations allows the
observer, and subsequent readers of the observation, to pin point developmentally relevant information from
the child’s actions and behaviours recorded in the observation. This information is then used as the basis for
program development as well as planning and extending experiences and learning opportunities.
To interpret a written observation, it is necessary to identify the developmental skills that the child is achieving
or attempting, or interests they are displaying. Each sentence of the observation must be analysed for
developmental information. Once the information is analysed, the interpretations should be written concisely
and positively and point out specific skills that are evident in the observation. For example:
Observation
Interpretation
Koby, aged 1.10 yrs. picks up a paintbrush in his
right hand. He holds it with palmer grasp, half way
down the brush handle. With large circular motions,
he moves paint onto the paper. He looks at a child
nearby as he paints.

right hand dominance

makes random marks on the paper
(Note how the relevant information has been underlined to assist in the interpretation process and that the
interpretations are written positively and objectively.)
In order to gain relevant information and use the information to plan suitable experiences for each child, the
observer must be familiar with age and stage appropriate milestones for the child they are observing.
The easiest way to become familiar with expected skills and milestones for each age, refer to developmental
checklists for the age of the child you are observing. The points on the checklist are the skills and abilities that
are typical for the particular age. For example:

When interpreting an observation on a four and a half year old it is not important to interpret the child's
ability to walk from one area to another as the child would have mastered this skill three years ago. It
would, however, be relevant to note the skill of walking from one area to another if the child was 12
months old or if the child had a physical disability.

When interpreting an observation taken on a 14 month old, where the child engaged in solitary play,
it would not be appropriate to note that the child does not have good social skills — it would be
appropriate to note that the child displayed age appropriate social skills.

When writing interpretations, it is important to write what the child can do or what the child is attempting
rather than what the child cannot do. For example, When interpreting an observation on a two and a
half year old who is trying to put their shoes on but cannot, it is more appropriate to write 'attempts to
put shoes on' in your interpretation rather than 'cannot put shoes on'.
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Interpretations are written alongside the observation and are used as a quick reference to the child's skills
without having to read and decipher the entire observation. When first learning how to interpret observations
completely, it may be helpful to include a decoding column on the formats. The decoding column allows the
observer to break the written information down into developmental areas. It may also be helpful to underline
(as in the example above) or highlight the relevant parts of the observation. From this, the interpretation then
breaks down the developmental areas into specific skills.
Defining Strengths, Needs and Interests
The primary reason for conducting and recording observations and gathering information on children is to
identify the child’s strengths and needs in relation to their development as well as identifying their interests.
A ‘strength’ is a skill that children display competence in; an achieved developmental milestone or a milestone
aimed at an age above the child’s current age. Alternatively, a strength may be a keen interest in a particular
experience or a trait that may not be typical for the child’s age; for example, the child's persistence to achieve
a task they are not yet competent in. A ‘need’ is a skill that a child may require extra assistance or support
with. Alternatively, a need may not be obviously evident; a child may be competent in all age appropriate
milestones, and so the need would be to further extend a child's ability in a particular area. An ‘interest’ is
identified when a child is observed with an interest in a particular area. In summary:
Strength:
Need:
 Something a child can do well (or
with ease)
 Something a child is attempting
 Something a child is capable of
achieving
Interest:
Children have basic needs such as
food, shelter, physical and emotional
safety. In addition, children have
developmental needs beyond the
basic needs. Children need support
in developing and learning. A need
can include:

An area where a child requires
assistance to continue
developing

Further encouragement or
exposure to something
 A particular interest or attention
in something, usually evident
over time (over several
observations)
Reporting Concerns to the Supervisor
There may be times when an Assisting Educator has concerns regarding a child’s development through
observations and interactions or informal reporting methods. The next step is to approach the Lead Educator
or Centre Director with your concerns. Passing such information on is vital in ensuring the child will be able to
obtain the help they need. It will also ensure that help can be offered in line with the relevant policies,
procedures and legislations which affect the centre and the early childhood profession.
When approaching the Lead Educator or Centre Director, be sure the documentation to support the concerns
is present. Detailed observations of things the child has said or done will provide the other parties with an idea
of which issues may be affecting the child. From the details in such observations, the Assisting Educator, Lead
Educator and Centre Director can pinpoint:

the indicators of emotional or psychological concern

learning environmental factors which may be contributing to the behaviour or action, such as the space
of the room, limited materials, supervision

the developmental ability of the child

the child’s needs, likes, dislikes, interests and strengths.
These points of information can then assist in developing the next step to take regarding to the provision of
materials, experiences or additional support to assist the child through their challenges. It is essential in this
circumstance for the Lead Educator and/ or Director to arrange a time to discuss findings with the child’s
parents. From this meeting, views can be shared, strategies can be developed, planned experiences can be
implemented and support can be given to assist the child.
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Concerns in development, behaviour or psychological welfare may be evident through formal written
observations, daily recordings such as a sleep chart, ‘what we did today’ sheet, memos and communication
books between educators. Remember to work within your roles and responsibilities. Never ever diagnose an
illness or need of a child.
Confidentiality
It is essential when discussing the findings of any observation or written record that it is done so in a confidential
manner. Only the educators directly involved in caring for the child along with the Director and, of course, the
child’s parents can be privy to the information. The only time confidentiality may be breached is when dealing
with abuse. If you have reasonable doubt that the child is displaying emotional and psychological behaviours
which are linked to abuse, you are by law obliged to report your concern to the relevant department. In such
cases, your Director should be informed of this immediately so that she/he too can respond accordingly.
Using Information to Plan
Future or further planning involves using all of the information and input gathered and documented and using
it to develop experiences, activities and teaching strategies in order to extend the child's learning and
development, which can then be transferred to the program, ready for implementation.
When planning for children it is important to ensure that educators collaborate with the child, their family, other
educators and any trained educators who are supporting the child.
When planning experiences to enhance children’s learning you should:

provide a variety of experiences and consider how the experience can be adapted to the individual
child’s abilities and interests

ensure experiences support and challenge the child’s strengths and needs by incorporating the child’s
interests

plan experiences across all areas of play, physical activity and fundamental movement skills

implement experiences that can be modified for children with additional needs

ensure that the routine and program caters for each child

encourage the parents to participate in experiences within the early childhood service

ensure experiences planned are inclusive and reflect children’s social and cultural contexts

ensure experiences planned suit the child’s level of social interaction and preferred interaction style.
Children learn best when they are interested, actively involved in choosing which play experiences to engage
in and are able to control or direct their own learning. Therefore, by identifying children's interests and needs,
you are able to support the whole child.
If a learning environment does not offer experiences that support children's interests and needs the child is
not likely to thrive socially, emotionally and physically. This can result in a child who may be withdrawn, unwell
and genuinely unhappy, which affects their developmental progress.
Each child will have differing interests and their interests may change from one moment to another. Children’s
interests may be formed through their experiences, the learning environment that they live in, their friends and
family and the education that they have.
Children’s interests can be momentary or can be long term. Parents will complete an enrolment form and on
this enrolment form there should be a section that identifies a child’s interests — what they enjoy doing, toys,
experiences or hobbies the child enjoys. It is a good idea to have an interview with the parent and staff of the
child’s room prior to the child commencing to discuss the child’s interests and how the child’s interests can be
supported in the service. Formal and informal observations, discussions with children and parents, surveys
and feedback forms are other means of children and parents expressing their interests throughout the year.
By focusing on children’s interests, educators encourage curiosity, self-exploration and discovery and a love
of learning in children. Children with a positive disposition for learning will go on to be successful learners
during school years and beyond.
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References
ACECQA. (2011). Guide to the National Quality Standards. Retrieved from
http://files.acecqa.gov.au/files/National-Quality-Framework-Resources-Kit/NQF03-Guide-to-NQS130902.pdf
Australian Bureau of Statistics: Early Childhood Education. (2011). Retrieved from
http://www.abs.gov.au/websitedbs/c311215.nsf/web/education+and+training+statistics+national+cen
tre+-+Early+Childhood+Education+&+Care
Brotherson, S. (2009) Bright Beginnings #4 – Understanding Brain Development in Young Children.
Retrieved from http:// www.ag.ndsu.edu/pubs/yf/famsci/fs609.pdf
CYH. Parenting and Child Health - Health Topics - Depression in children.(2009). Retrieved from
http://www.cyh.com/HealthTopics/HealthTopicDetails.aspx?p=114&np=141&id=1920.
Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. (2009). Learning through Play - Outdoor Play
Guide - Department of Education and Early Childhood Development. Retrieved from
http://www.education.vic.gov.au/Pages/default.aspx
DEEWR. (2009). Belonging, Being & Becoming: The Early Years Learning Framework for Australia.
Canberra, ACT: Australian Government Department of Education, Employment and Workplace Relations.
Frost, J; Worthjam, S and Reifel, S. (2012). Play and child development (4 th ed). Upper Saddle River:
Pearson.
Landsdown, G. (2011). Every Child’s Right to be Heard. London: Save the Children
The Consultative Group on Early Childhood Care and Development (CGECCD). Retrieved from
http://www.ecdgroup.com/what_is_ECCD.asp
WHO and Unicef. (2008). World Report on child injury is a wake up call. Retrieved from
http://www.fiafoundation.org/news/archive/2008/Pages/WHOUnicefWorldReportonchildinjuryisawake
upcall.aspx
Vygotsky, L.S. (1996). Play and its role in the mental development of the child. Soviet Psychology, 12(6), 6276.
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Certificate III in Children’s Services CHC30712 MODULE 5 Learning Through Play

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