Enabling Environments: Let's explore ... elephants

Children are fascinated by elephants, and any exploration of them should, ideally, include a visit to a zoo or wildlife park to observe them in real life.

Settings can then supplement or, if necessary, substitute actual observations by introducing a wealth of website, video, poster and book images and providing model, puppet and soft-toy elephants to explore.

Following the individual child's direction of interest, try to provide interesting facts about elephants, such as why they flap their ears, why they love mud and whether they can swim. If children ask questions, help them to discover answers using a range of resources. Encourage comparisons with the lifestyles and features of children's other favourite wild animals.

Promote awareness of differences between real and imaginary elephants by sharing fiction and non-fiction books, and motivate children to discover how it might feel to be an elephant through role-play, small-world play, music, dance and construction opportunities.

Include references to the cultural importance of elephants in different parts of the world, for example, by searching for web images of Thailand's National Elephant Day.

SMALL-WORLD PLAY
Encourage children to create a miniature world for tiny elephants by
providing:
- elephant stories and non-fiction books (See Book Box, p22)
- a builder's tray or Tuff spot (www.tts-group.co.uk stocks a range of
Tuff spots)
- natural materials such as leaves, dry grass, sand and twigs
- plastic mirrors
- strips of green tissue or thick string
- small-world African elephants and other jungle animals
Learning opportunities
Building relationships
Story-making and using imaginative language
Finding out about living things and the natural world
Creating imaginary worlds

ADULT ROLE
- Share elephant stories and non-fiction books and then discuss
different African habitats, for example, forest, savannah grassland,
desert and jungle. Explain that elephants drink a lot of water and eat
bark, fruit, grass and leaves.
- Introduce the Tuff spot and suggest they make a suitable environment
for elephants. Discuss how they can create different environments using
the resources available. Encourage them to suggest additional items if
they wish. Ask questions, for example, about other wildlife they might
include and how they will create a water supply.
Consider adding:
- tiny vegetation, such as spider plants, cut-down yoghurt pots,
compost, spoons, small watering cans or jugs which can be used for:
Discovering living things
Developing small movement skills
- a digital or video camera, or a CD player, which can be used for:
Making up stories
Learning to use technology
Exploring sound and music (See Resource Box, p19)
- shallow containers, water and plant spray bottles which can be used
for:
Encouraging interest, excitement and motivation
Developing imaginary play (linked to knowledge of elephants' playing and
bathing)

CONSTRUCTION PLAY
Encourage the children to build their own elephants using:
- posters, web images and non-fiction books about elephants
- cardboard boxes and tubes
- old grey socks or cut-down tights
- scrap materials such as newspaper, paper, plastic lids, card, grey
fabric
- black and white paint, sponge pieces and decorator's brushes
- grey wool and thick string
- joining materials such as PVA glue, tape, paper clips and string

Learning opportunities
Working together, sharing and taking turns
Using language for thinking
Solving problems, measuring, estimating
Building and constructing
Developing motor skills
Working creatively together

ADULT ROLE
- Enhance the children's interest by showing elephant images in books
and on posters and computer screens, and discuss their distinguishing
features.
- Explore the resources and suggest that children construct their own
elephants. Ask appropriate questions, for example, about colour, shape,
form and texture to stimulate thinking and planning.
Consider adding:
- Elephant Dance (see Book Box, p22), images of elephants decorated to
take part in ceremonies, fabrics, sequins and foil which can be used
for:
Exploring pattern
Using imaginations to develop creative ideas

CREATIVE WORKSHOP
Provide a variety of media to enable creative exploration of elephants
using:
- close-up images of an elephant's skin (Use Google to find an excellent
range), non-fiction books and small-world elephants
- black and white paint
- sponge dishwashing squares and sponge scraps
- card
- made-up paste
- wooden and card combs
- sand, seeds and small grains
- grey fabric in varying textures
- newspaper, string, wool and buttons.

Learning opportunities
Exploring pattern
Investigating how materials behave
Exploring colour and texture
Handling objects with increasing control

ADULT ROLE
Encourage children to handle the model elephants and observe the web and
book images closely. Do they think an elephant's skin is smooth or
rough? Show children the resources and leave them to explore ways of
creating a bumpy rough surface resembling an elephant's skin. Encourage
them to use the materials in different ways.
Consider providing:
- Stories about Elmer (see Book Box, opposite), squares of coloured
fabric, brightly coloured paint which can be used for:
Creating patterns and exploring shape
Exploring colour and design
- A table alongside with grey clay and items to create textures, such as
clay tools or forks, which can be used for:
Handling tools and materials safely and with increasing control
Exploring malleable materials using all of the senses

OUTDOORS
Create opportunities to explore elephants on a large scale using:
- chalk, leaves, twigs, branches, tape measures, metre sticks
- safari resources such as backpacks, binoculars, cameras, vehicles,
camouflage clothes, dressing-up clothes (see Resource Box, p19)

Learning opportunities
Using language to communicate
Measuring and making size and shape comparisons, counting
Using equipment and materials
Using their imagination in art and design and role play

ADULT ROLE
Draw a chalk rectangle 6m by 3m on the ground and explain that a
fully-grown elephant would just fit inside this space. See how many
children can stand in the space. Leave them to draw their own elephants,
incorporating the natural resources as features, such as trunks. Observe
and listen to support children's direction of play.
Consider adding:
- elephant-shaped footprints cut from grey vinyl flooring, along with a
selection of other wild-animal footprints, which can be used for:
Sorting and matching, counting and making shape comparisons.
Creating simple tracks to follow and giving directions
Moving in different ways
Enhancing role-play

RESOURCE BOX

Invite staff, parents and children to donate or loan items, such as carved wooden elephants, elephant puzzles, biscuit cutters, toys and fabrics with elephant designs. In addition, to support children's interest have at the ready:

- small-world elephants, both African and Asian. www.elc.co.uk has sturdy models, and other wild animals for comparison

- elephant puppets (www.stagecoachshop.co.uk has a long-sleeved puppet)

- grey fabric, tabards, sweatshirts, tights and trousers for dressing up as elephants

- a collection of elephant rhymes such as 'An elephant goes like this and that', 'One elephant came out to play', 'One grey elephant balancing' (in This Little Puffin, compiled by Elizabeth Matterson)

- fiction and non-fiction books (see Book Box, p22)

- pictures and posters (www.wildlife-pictures-online.com has a wide selection of photographs to view and an online shop)

- suitable 'elephant' music, such as the elephant theme from 'Carnival of the Animals' by Saint-Saens, and large drums

- elephant sound effects and videos (www.partnersinrhyme.com has elephant sounds, as well as elephants eating, to listen to online; www.zsl.org/zsl-whipsnade-zoo and www.save-the-elephants.org have charming video footage of elephants)

EXPLORING CHILDREN'S INTERESTS

Tuning in

Making time to talk to parents and carers is an important way of finding out about children's current interests and about what matters to them. Such information helps practitioners to provide a curriculum that is both relevant and meaningful.

Having an existing interest in a particular theme means that children approach it with enthusiasm and expertise, giving them confidence and increased motivation to engage in the activities provided. Children can use this expertise best in carefully planned, open-ended learning opportunities without prescribed, uniform outcomes.

Enhancing provision
Any significant interest that a child or children may have should be
explored by enhancing a setting's continuous provision - that is, by
adding theme-based resources to the areas of provision that are
available daily to children. These should comprise:
- role play
- small-world play
- construction play
- sand and water
- malleable materials
- creative workshop area
- graphics area
- book area.
By taking this approach, children can choose to engage with the theme,
or pursue their own interests and learning independently. Adults need to
recognise that children require a suitable length of time to explore any
interests in depth and to develop their own ideas.

ADULT ROLE

If children's interests are to be used to create the best possible learning opportunities, the adult role is crucial.

Adults need to be able to:

- enhance continuous provision to reflect the interests of children.

- use enhancements to plan meaningful learning opportunities across all areas of the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS).

- know when to intervene in children's play - and when to stand back.

- recognise that children need a suitable length of time to explore areas of provision to develop their own ideas.

- model skills, language and behaviours.

- recognise how observation, assessment and reflection on children's play can enhance adults' understanding of what young children know, and realise how these should inform their future planning.

AREAS OF LEARNING
Personal, social and emotional development
Communication, language and literacy
Problem-solving, reasoning and numeracy
Knowledge and understanding of the world
Physical development
Creative development

BOOK BOX

Supplement your collection with wildlife magazines featuring elephants, holiday brochures about safari trips, and zoo and wildpark leaflets.

Elephants: A book for children by Steve Bloom (Thames & Hudson) - a beautiful book enhanced by 80 stunning photographs by Steve Bloom. Children and adults will find the answers to all of their elephant questions within the pages of this fascinating book.

Elephant (DK Eyewitness: Dorling Kindersley) The photographs are excellent, making this book an ideal reference book, with appropriate adult explanations.

Elephant Dance: A journey to India by Theresa Heine and Sheila Moxley (Barefoot Books) This is an excellent book to introduce children to Indian culture and the significance of elephants within it, whether working to move trees in forests or taking part in important festivals.

The Elephant and the Bad Baby by Elfrida Vipont (Puffin Picture Books) - This classic title is always a favourite. One day an elephant offers a bad baby a 'rumpeta rumpeta' ride through town. As the journey continues the pair are chased by an increasing number of people. The elephant offers the baby lots of exciting treats along the way, but as he never once says 'Thank you', the chase ends abruptly with everyone landing in a big heap - BUMP!

Elephant Wellyphant by Nick Sharratt (Alison Green Books) This highly amusing book, with delightful illustrations, will encourage children to play with sound, alliteration and rhyme as they discover the Fruit Jellyphant, Caramelephant, Smelliphant and many more.

Elmer the Patchwork Elephant by David McKee (Red Fox) This is just one of the many Elmer titles, and children will want to hear them all. Elmer is different because he is so brightly coloured, but everyone loves him for himself. As they enjoy Elmer stories, children will discover much about respecting differences and the importance of being themselves.

The Large family series by Jill Murphy (Walker Books) Children will empathise with the young elephants in the stories about this adorable elephant family. Four of the titles are now included in one book. They are: Five Minutes' Peace, All in One Piece, A Quiet Night In and A Piece of Cake.

The Trouble with Elephants by Chris Riddell (Walker Books) This amusing book tells of all the irritating things that elephants do such as stealing bedcovers, snoring and tickling, but despite all this we cannot help loving them!

Love Like This by Peter Kavanagh and Jane Chapman (Little Tiger Press) - an endearing story about the relationship between a mother elephant and her baby.

The Story of Babar by Jean de Brunhoff (Egmont Books Ltd) No 'elephant' booklist would be complete without mention of Babar the Elephant, who first appeared in 1933 in his traditional suit, tie, hat and spats and has been enjoyed by generations of children since.