Play/Active Learning

More documents

Recommendations

Info

Active educational play supports children’s learning across all Areasof Learning. This approach has great developmental value for youngchildren as their learning is not developed in separate compartments.Children need opportunities to interact with their peers, thepractitioners that support them and their environment.It is important that children are not introduced to formal methods oflearning too soon as this can have a detrimental effect on their futurelearning and development.8 Play/Active Learning
This case studyexplains how agroup of childrenat a playgroupwere involved inchanging a smallenclosed courtyardinto an outdoorlearning area.Developing an outdoor areaWe have a small enclosed courtyard area with a protective softsurface. We wanted to develop this area into an outdoor learningarea (i.e. a classroom outdoors). It was decided that we woulduse the children’s ideas as the main focus for developing this area.To ensure this project is successful it was understood that it wouldbe long term and that the children’s input was essential.Our first activity was to look with the children at the outdoorfacilities we already had. The children took photographs of thegarden, flowers, gazebo, the stone path, slide and trampolineto remind them of how the courtyard looked at the start of theproject.We then asked the children what they would like to see and doin the courtyard. Their suggestions included birds, an aeroplane,a play house, raspberries and lots of flowers. The children’s ideaswere recorded in a book and included quotes and photographs(taken by the children) to remind us, and them, of their ideas.The children were taken outside a number of times in bothdry and wet weather to encourage them to think aboutactivities and how they might work. After much discussion andexcitement it was decided that we would divide the courtyardinto different learning areas and that we would develop onearea at a time.Our first area to be developed was the shed, which waschanged from storage to a role-play area (for example, a café,house, etc.). The small outdoor equipment previously stored inthe shed (for example, beanbags, balls, quoits, etc.) are nowstored in large, black bins that are labelled accordingly. Thechildren can now access and return the equipment themselvesby reading the picture/word label.The children wanted to take books outside to look at/read, buthad nowhere to sit so we have created a quiet outdoor readingarea by erecting some trellis decorated with plants and puttingin a bench and some tree trunk seats. This has proved verypopular with the children.The development of the outdoor learning area is ongoing and,in time, other areas will be developed.Play/Active Learning9
Page 1 and 2: Play/Active LearningOverview for 3
Page 3 and 4: ContentsBackground 3Introduction 5T
Page 5 and 6: BackgroundThe proposals in the Wels
Page 7 and 8: IntroductionPlay is anessentialingr
Page 9: The value of play/active learningwi
Page 13 and 14: The children all took turns to pull
Page 15 and 16: Developmental stages in playChildre
Page 17 and 18: SpectatorHow to recognise if childr
Page 19 and 20: ParallelHow to recognise if childre
Page 21 and 22: Cooperative/groupHow to recognise i
Page 23 and 24: Play/Active Learning21
Page 25 and 26: Very quickly, Aleysha ran out of co
Page 27 and 28: Examples of imaginative play areas
Page 29 and 30: Small worldChildren willoften take
Page 31 and 32: ConstructionChildren shouldbe given
Page 33 and 34: Play with natural materialsInitiall
Page 35 and 36: I asked Charlie how we could find o
Page 37 and 38: This case studydescribes howexplori
Page 39 and 40: Physical skills are also linked wit
Page 41 and 42: Role of the practitioner in childre
Page 43 and 44: To support children’s development
Page 45 and 46: Planning play in the Foundation Pha
Page 47 and 48: The children had so much fun playin
Page 49 and 50: Area of Learning: Physical Developm
Page 51 and 52: Play/Active Learning49
Page 53 and 54: Spontaneous Play in Early Childhood
Page 55 and 56: Communication/language developmentL
Page 57 and 58: Some children learn best if they ha
Page 59 and 60: Self-esteemThis refers to the way c

Play/Active Learning

Create successful ePaper yourself

Delete template?

Save as template?