Learning & Development: National Strategies series - part 7 - Play and Exploration

We meet Sophie playing in the outdoor area of her setting. In recent weeks she has gradually built up the sequence of movements required to achieve her goal. Her increasing confidence means that she can chat to friends while hanging upside down!

Is Sophie 'playing' or 'working'? Is she 'occupied' or 'learning'? However it is described, Sophie has clearly invested high levels of concentration, energy and commitment.

Far from regarding her activity as 'just playing', her key person observes and understands that there is a great deal more going on in terms of Sophie's well-being, learning and development. Sophie's inborn drive to explore, to investigate and to achieve can only be fully nurtured if the adults around her are tuned in to her interests and are seeking to provide appropriate support, challenge and opportunities. Practitioners are most effective if they perceive babies and children as 'eager explorers with an intense desire and will to make sense of their world.' (Kolbe).

The Early Years Foundation Stage framework emphasises that play and exploration form the basis upon which children develop intellectually, creatively, physically, emotionally and socially. Play and exploration are referred to throughout the EYFS materials and, in particular, within the Learning and Development theme.

In their play, children learn at their highest level. Play with peers is important for children's development (EYFS Card 4.1.).

Card 4.1 considers play and exploration under three headings:

- Learning through experience

- Adult involvement

- Contexts for learning.

How can the development and well-being of 'eager explorers', like Sophie, be promoted by tapping their natural enthusiasm for play and exploration?

Learning through Experience

Children learn best through physical and mental challenges. Active learning involves other people, objects, ideas and events that engage and involve children for sustained periods (EYFS Card 4.2).

Babies and young children have a basic need to play and explore. Every child's fundamental entitlement to play is embedded in the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child.

Play comes naturally to most children, although some may require adult support. Children need quality play experiences where they are safe and secure and where adults trust and encourage them to explore and experiment. This involves practitioners, and particularly the key person, getting to know the child and parents and involving them in the planning of their child's play so that experiences beyond the setting are valued and built upon.

Providing well-planned experiences based on spontaneous play, indoors and outdoors, is an important way in which practitioners support young children to learn with enjoyment and challenge (EYFS Practice Guidance page 7).

Sophie is engrossed at the painting table. She has uninterrupted time to experiment with paint, practise her skills, try out new ideas and build on them in an environment where she is allowed to 'have a go' and take risks.

Sophie's key person is not focused on the finished product (ie, the painting). She capitalises on opportunities to interact with Sophie during the process, observing her actions while listening and responding to her utterances as she splashes in the paint pot and places colours on the paper. Effective practitioners strive to provide children with experiences that are 'real' both in terms of resources (eg, favouring authentic household items rather than plastic alternatives) and activities (eg, acting on a child's current interest in gardening or shoes rather than imposing an adult-led focus on a particular theme).

When children have opportunities to play with ideas in different situations and with a variety of resources, they discover connections and come to new and better understandings and ways of doing things. Adult support in this process enhances their ability to think critically and ask questions (EYFS Card 4.3).

Adult involvement

'Effective practitioners ... are able to tune in to, rather than talk at, children, taking their lead and direction from what the children say or do' (EYFS Card 2.3).

Sensitive practitioners know when to stand back and when to engage so that children develop skills, confidence and autonomy. The ability to take risks and solve problems is most likely to flourish when children know that they are trusted to make their own choices and decisions within a caring and collaborative environment.

Much successful practice in the early years consists of following ideas and play generated by the children, building on their trains of thought, and allowing their narratives to flower (Pahl).

The EYFS reminds us that knowledgeable, responsive adults are the most valuable resource in any setting. Children's development is intrinsically linked to the quality of interactions with their carers, both at home and in the setting. It is right to regard children as 'eager explorers',but remember that they are explorers who thrive when they have adults alongside who will nurture and challenge them, knowing when to provide reassurance and when best to introduce new challenges.

Sophie welcomes the opportunity to hold a guinea pig. Her response to this experience is one of excitement mixed with some degree of uncertainty. She looks to a familiar adult for reassurance and to share her delight. Her ability to learn from this experience is enhanced by the reactions of the listening and watchful practitioner and the interactions that they share. 'Effective practitioners ... observe children sensitively and respond appropriately to encourage and extend curiosity and learning' (EYFS Card 2.3).

Contexts for learning

A rich and varied environment gives children the confidence to explore and learn in secure and safe, yet challenging, indoor and outdoor spaces. (EYFS Card 3.3) Practitioners should ensure children experience welcoming, stimulating, well-planned and accessible provision where they feel accepted and valued.

During her day, Sophie chooses to play on her own with water resources. These have been thoughtfully set up by practitioners so that Sophie has control over her learning. She can access the water independently and is able to experiment with ideas and concepts. Equipment and resources need a child-height 'home' such as boxes, trolleys or shelves labelled with words and pictures. In such a well organised environment, Sophie can easily find appropriate resources such as a watering can, a clip board for mark-making, or an information book about water.

Defined areas, inside and out, are a fundamental part of the learning environment and should be regularly checked and refreshed by practitioners adding surprise and stimulus and taking into account individual children's interests. While there may be some areas with a specific focus, such as a mark- making area or ICT area, it is important that these opportunities are threaded throughout the environment. Displays, such as children's creations and those celebrating diversity, enhance the environment and give parents insights into their children's learning.

Children will more easily make connections between things they've learned if the environment encourages them to do so. For example, they need to be able to fetch materials easily and be able to move them from one place to another (EYFS Card 4.3)

Questions to consider:

How do we ensure:

- high-quality play experiences for all children?

- time for children to explore interests with sensitive support and challenge?

- appropriate, adaptable resources that are freely available?

- skilled observations of children's play that inform their next steps of learning?

Babies and children thrive on a diet of play-based learning experiences that provide appropriate support and challenge, tailored to their needs and interests. This will provide endless opportunities for adults and children to work together as eager explorers who enjoy investigating and playing with their ideas and surroundings.

REFERENCES

- Kolbe, U (2001) Rapunzel's Supermarket; all about young children and their art, page 7. Peppinot Press l Pahl, K (1999) Transformations: Children's Meaning Making in a Nursery. Stoke-on-Trent: Trentham Books

National Strategies Resources

- Statutory Framework for the Early Years Foundation Stage. DCSF, May 2008 (Ref 00267-2008BKT-EN)

- Practice Guidance for the Early Years Foundation Stage. DCSF, May 2008 (Ref 00266-2008BKT-EN)

- Early Years Foundation Stage: setting the standard for learning, development and care for children from birth to five. DCSF, May 2008 (Ref 00261-2008PCK-EN)

- Social and Emotional Aspects of Development. DCSF, 2008 (Ref 00707-2008BKT-EN)

The materials are available online at: www.standards.dcsf.gov.uk/nationalstrategies by searching using the reference numbers. Order by telephone on 0845 60 222 60 or at www.teachernet.gov.uk/publications by quoting the reference numbers.

For further information contact:

Jane Parrack at the National Strategies on 0118 918 2617 or email jane.parrack@nationalstrategies.co.uk

Sophie engrossed at the painting table, holding the guinea pig and playing with the water resources.