Shamima's Educational Blog

When children can't say how they feel - how art helps express big emotions in early years

Tue, 21 Apr 2026 20:02:51 GMT

When children can't say how they feel

Using Art to Help Children Express Big Emotions in Early Years

By Shamima Fowzee | Early Years Trainer & Creative Art Practitioner

There’s a quiet kind of struggle that often goes unnoticed—the child who can’t explain what’s going on inside them. Not because they don’t want to, but because they simply don’t have the words.

As adults, we rely heavily on language to express emotions: “ I feel overwhelmed ,” “ I’m anxious ,” “ I’m frustrated .” But for many children, especially in the early years—feelings don’t come out in words. They come out in behaviour.

In early childhood, emotions are often bigger than words. A child may cry, throw objects, withdraw, or become unusually quiet—not because they are “misbehaving,” but because they do not yet have the language to explain what they feel. What we see on the outside is often just a small glimpse of what is happening within.

As practitioners and parents, we naturally ask:

“What’s wrong?”
“Can you tell me how you feel?”

But what happens when they can’t?

What happens when the feeling is there, but the words are not? This is where our understanding must shift. Instead of expecting children to explain, we begin to observe, listen, and interpret differently. We recognise that behaviour is not something to correct immediately, but something to understand.

And this is where art becomes a powerful voice. Because when children cannot say how they feel,

they can show us—through colour, movement, marks, and creation.

Art becomes their language.

On this page:

Why Children Struggle to Express Emotions?
Art as a Language of Emotion
5 powerful ways to support emotional express
Final Thoughts

Reflective Prompt

Whether at home or in a setting, think about a child who struggles to express emotions.
What might they be feeling—but unable to say?

This is something many practitioners struggle with, and it’s something I’ll be exploring in more depth in an upcoming CPD session.

Why Children Struggle to Express Emotions

According to the Early Years Foundation Stage (EYFS), supporting children’s Personal, Social and Emotional Development (PSED) is a prime area of learning. However, emotional expression is not always verbal. Children may express feelings through b ehaviour, b ody language, p lay and cr eative exploration.

In the early years, emotional expression is not as simple as “ telling how you feel. ” It is a complex developmental process that is still forming. Children are not being difficult when they cannot express emotions, they are still learning how to understand, process, and communicate what is happening inside them. Children aren’t born with emotional vocabulary, it develops over time. Several factors can make it harder:

1. Limited Emotional Language:

Young children simply don’t have the words yet. “Mad,” “sad,” or “happy” may be all they know.

2. Overwhelming Feelings:

Big emotions can flood the brain. When this happens, thinking and speaking become difficult.

3. Lack of Safe Expression:

If a child feels judged, ignored, or misunderstood, they may stop trying to communicate altogether.

4. Neurodiversity or Additional Needs:

Some children (e.g., those with autism or sensory processing differences) may experience and express emotions in less typical ways.

Reflective Prompt

W hen we take a moment to reflect, many of us can think of a child who struggled to express how they felt.

A child we tried to support… but weren’t quite sure how.
A moment where we responded—but later wondered if there was a better way.

Perhaps the question isn’t whether we care enough— but whether we’ve been shown how to respond in a way that truly supports the child.

This is something many practitioners experience, and it’s exactly what I’ll be focusing on in my CPD session . I’ll be sharing practical ways to use approaches like art more intentionally—so we can better understand what children are communicating and respond with more confidence.

Art as a Language of Emotion

When words are not yet available, children do not stop communicating, they simply change the way they express themselves. Art becomes one of the most powerful forms of this expression. For young children, drawing, painting, and mark-making are not just creative activities. They are a natural language, a way of thinking, feeling, and making sense of the world.

Why Art Works as Emotional Expression:

Art allows children to:

Express feelings without needing vocabulary
Release emotions in a safe, non-verbal way
Represent experiences they may not fully understand
Process events at their own pace

Unlike conversation, art does not require i mmediate answers, c orrect words or d irect explanations. This makes it especially valuable for children who feel o verwhelmed, a nxious, f rustrated and c onfused.

What Children Communicate Through Art:

Children often communicate emotions through:

Colour choices (e.g. dark, bright, mixed)
Movement and marks (fast, heavy, repetitive, controlled)
Use of space (small drawings, large strokes, empty areas)
Themes and symbols (family, isolation, storms, shapes)

Important:

These are not fixed meanings. The role of the practitioner is not to interpret immediately, but to observe patterns and remain curious.

The Process Matters More Than the Product:

In emotional expression, the value of art lies in the doing, not the outcome.

A scribble is not “just a scribble.” It may be:

A release of frustration

A moment of calm

An attempt to organise thoughts

The Role of the Adult: Witness, Not Director:

When a child is expressing emotion through art, the adult’s role is to:

Be present
Observe without interrupting
Use gentle, descriptive language
Offer emotional safety

For example:

“I can see you’re using lots of strong lines.”

“You’ve chosen many colours today.”

This approach:

Validates the child’s experience
Keeps the space safe
Encourages deeper expression

Ready to take the next step?

If you’ve ever felt unsure how to support children who struggle to express their emotions, this session is designed for you. Many practitioners tell me:

“We know art helps… but we’re not sure how to use it intentionally to support emotions.”

If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. That’s exactly why I created a live CPD session designed specifically for early years practitioners and parents to move beyond theory and into real, practical strategies you can use immediately in your setting. If you want to confidently use art as a tool for emotional wellbeing in your setting, I invite you to join my live CPD session.

�� Live CPD Session

"When Children Can’t Say How They Feel: Practical Strategies for Early Years."

Delivered by: Shamima’s Workshop

I n this session, you will learn:

What children’s behaviour is really communicating
What to say (and what not to say) in emotional moments
Simple, effective strategies to support regulation
How to use art as a tool for emotional expression and understanding

This is not just theory—it is practical, reflective, and immediately applicable in your setting. Join the live CPD session and start making a real difference in your practice.

Final Thoughts 

When children cannot say how they feel, they won’t say, “ I’m struggling .”they will show you—in their play, their behaviour, and their art. As practitioners, our role is not to correct or control, but to observe, understand, and respond with empathy.

Because sometimes…

A scribble is not just a scribble. It is a feeling, waiting to be understood.

GRAB YOUR DOWNLOADS!

To support your daily practice, I’ve created a practical resource for you:

“ 5 Powerful Ways to Support Emotional Expression ”. This guide will help you:

Five powerful ways to support children's emotional expression
Ask the right reflective questions
Respond to children’s artwork meaningfully
Build confidence in using art for emotional wellbeing

FREE GUIDE

Grab your download!

Art as Therapy in the Early Years

Sun, 14 Dec 2025 09:48:26 GMT

Using Art as a Therapeutic Approach in Early Years

Supporting emotional well-being , expression, and development through creative play

By Shamima Fowzee | Early Years Trainer & Creative Art Therapist

From the moment children can hold a crayo n or explore textures with their fingers, art becomes their natural language. Before they can speak, they draw, build, smear, and explore, expressing emotions and thoughts that words cannot yet capture.

Art therapy uses this natural creativity to support children’s emotional, social, and cognitive development. For children aged birth to five years, it offers a nurturing space to express feelings, build confidence, and strengthen the bond between child and caregiver.

On this page:

What is Art Therapy?

Art Therapy is a form of psychotherapy that uses creative expression as a pathway for emotional understanding and healing. Through drawing, painting, sculpting, and imaginative play, children can process experiences, express complex emotions, and build resilience in a non-verbal and playful way.

It’s not about creating a perfect picture — it’s about the process of creating, and the stories and emotions that unfold through it.

What is Art Therapy in the Early Years?

Art Therapy in the early years is a gentle, creative approach that helps young children express emotions, explore their inner world, and make sense of their experiences through play and imagination. Long before children have the words to describe how they feel, art becomes their natural language — a bridge between feelings and understanding. Through drawing, painting, movement, and sensory exploration, children aged birth to five can safely communicate joy, fear, curiosity, or sadness. In early childhood settings, Art Therapy not only nurtures emotional wellbeing but also enhances social, cognitive, and physical development, supporting the whole child in a holistic, compassionate way.

Supporting the Whole Child

In early childhood, emotional growth is deeply connected to physical, cognitive, and social development. Art Therapy nurtures the whole child by integrating mind, body, and emotion in one experience. It encourages creativity, enhances concentration, improves fine-motor skills, and supports healthy attachment. Whether a child is adjusting to new environments, experiencing transitions, or simply exploring their imagination, art offers a gentle way to build resilience and self-understanding.

A Holistic Approach to Early Years Practice

For early years practitioners, parents, and educators, incorporating Art Therapy techniques into daily routines transforms learning into a deeply meaningful and mindful experience. It allows children to feel seen, heard, and valued, while giving adults insight into their inner world. Through creative expression, we don’t just teach, we connect, listen, and help children grow emotionally strong, confident, and compassionate.

Benefits of Art Therapy in the Early Years

Art therapy can be deeply supportive for very young children (birth to five years), because at this age children are still developing language skills and often express themselves more naturally through play, movement, and imagery rather than words. Lets see how can art therapy be helpful for early yeras children (birth to five years old children).

Emotional Expression

Young children often feel emotions they cannot name. Toddlers and preschoolers can’t always put feelings into words. Art gives them a safe outlet to express joy, sadness, anger, or fear. Making art helps children explore feelings safely. For example, finger painting can help release frustration, while drawing with bright colors can express happiness. Scribbling or choosing colours can reflect what they’re feeling inside. Creative activities like clay work or finger painting can calm children and reduce stress. These sensory experiences help regulate emotions and improve focus and attention. Completing an artwork, no matter how simple, gives a sense of achievement and pride, builds self-esteem.

Supports Communication Development

When children draw or paint, they begin to tell visual stories. This nurtures language development, as they start to describe their creations, sequence ideas, and communicate through symbols. Even if a child can’t talk much, pointing to colors, faces, or shapes opens pathways for dialogue.

Boosts Self-Confidence

Completing an artwork gives children a sense of pride and ownership. Displaying their work at home or in class reinforces their confidence and celebrates individuality. As a group activity, children working together provides them the opportunity to give each other feedback, which aids in learning how to receive crticism and praise from others.

Enhances Cognitive Development

Creative artistic engagement encourages lasting changes in neural networks, strengthening brain adaptability—a crucial aspect of early learning. Through art, children learn problem-solving, cause-and-effect, and spatial awareness. Activities such as mixing colours or building structures improve fine-motor coordination and cognitive flexibility. Creating with colors, textures, and shapes strengthens neural connections related to problem-solving, memory, and symbolic thinking that support children's brain development.

Encourages Bonding & Attachment

Parent-child art therapy (drawing together, making joint collages) strengthens trust and attachment, especially if a child has experienced separation, trauma, or stress at home.

Encourages Social Connection

Group art sessions teach sharing, turn-taking, and empathy. Children observe and respect each other’s artwork, developing early social and emotional intelligence.

Processing Trauma or Stress

Young children may not “talk out” difficult experiences (such as medical procedures, family conflict, or loss). Art offers a safe symbolic outlet to process scary or confusing events. Children facing medical treatments, such as cancer, benefit emotionally from art therapy through improved expression and quality of life, reduce distress during illeness or hospitalization.

Supports Holistic Growth

Art therapy nurtures the whole child , emotionally, physically, socially, and intellectually — laying the foundation for lifelong wellbeing and creativity.

Ready to take the next step?

If you’ve ever felt unsure how to support children who struggle to express their emotions, this session is designed for you. Many practitioners tell me:

“We know art helps… but we’re not sure how to use it intentionally to support emotions.”

�� Live CPD Session

"When children can't say how they feel: Practical strategies for Early Years."

Delivered by: Shamima’s Workshop

In this session, you will learn:

What children’s behaviour is really communicating
What to say (and what not to say) in emotional moments
Simple, effective strategies to support regulation
How to use art as a tool for emotional expression and understanding

This is not just theory—it is practical, reflective, and immediately applicable in your setting. Join the live CPD session and start making a real difference in your practice.

Final Thoughts 

The incorporation of the arts early in early childhood has many benefits, and children's involvement in arts-infused programs and activities will develop their cognitive, creative, social, and emotional skills and play a larger part in their optimal development. Art therapy gives children a way to speak from the heart without words. For early years practitioners and parents, it offers powerful insight into a child’s inner world and supports emotional well-being from the very start.

By introducing art as a tool for healing and learning, we nurture children who are more confident, creative, and emotionally aware, ready to flourish in all areas of life.

Observation, Assessment, and Planning in the Early Years

Tue, 06 May 2025 10:38:30 GMT

Observation, Assessment & Planning

in Early Years

By Shamima Fowzee | NCFE CACHE assessor, Early Years CPD Trainer & Creative Art therapy Practitioner

Understanding the observation, assessment, and planning is a core part of an early years practitioner's role. The process is a crucial factor in identifying children's individual needs, interests, and abilities. For learning and development to flow effectively, following the three-step cycle will ensure every child makes good progress and that they all meet the appropriate targets.

The Observation, Assessment and Planning (OAP) cycle is a fundamental process in early years practice that supports practitioners in understanding children’s learning and development. It ensures that teaching is purposeful, responsive, and tailored to individual needs. The cycle aligns with frameworks such as Development Matters and the EYFS, promoting consistent and high-quality practice across early years settings.

Importance of OAP Cycle

Supports Understanding of the Child as an Individual

Observation enables practitioners to gain a clear understanding of each child as an individual. By carefully observing children during play and daily activities, practitioners can identify their interests, strengths, learning styles, and abilities. This helps ensure that practice is child-centred rather than based on assumptions or general expectations. Every child develops at their own pace, and observation allows practitioners to respond appropriately to their unique needs.

Enables Accurate Assessment of Development

Assessment allows practitioners to analyse observations and determine a child’s current stage of development. By linking observations to recognised frameworks such as Development Matters, practitioners can make informed judgments about whether a child is working within expected ranges. This process also helps identify any gaps or delays in development at an early stage, enabling timely support and intervention.

Ensures Meaningful and Targeted Planning

Planning is most effective when it is based on accurate observation and assessment. Through the OAP cycle, practitioners can plan activities that build on children’s interests and extend their learning. This ensures that next steps are meaningful, relevant, and appropriately challenging. Without this process, planning may become generic or disconnected from the child’s actual developmental needs.

Creates a Continuous Learning Cycle

The OAP cycle follows a continuous process of observe, assess, plan, and review. This ongoing cycle ensures that learning is constantly monitored and adapted according to the child’s progress. Practitioners can reflect on what works well and make necessary adjustments, ensuring that teaching remains responsive and effective over time.

Promotes High-Quality Teaching and Learning

Using the OAP cycle supports practitioners in delivering high-quality teaching and learning experiences. It allows for intentional teaching, where activities are planned with clear purpose and outcomes. This improves the overall quality of provision and ensures that children are engaged in meaningful learning experiences rather than unstructured or unplanned activities.

Supports Holistic Development

The OAP cycle ensures that all areas of a child’s development are considered, including physical, communication and language, and personal, social and emotional development. By observing and assessing children holistically, practitioners can provide balanced support that promotes overall growth and well-being rather than focusing on isolated skills.

Strengthens Communication with Parents and Professionals

Observation and assessment provide valuable information that can be shared with parents and other professionals. This supports effective communication about a child’s progress, strengths, and areas for development. It also promotes partnership working, ensuring that everyone involved in the child’s care is informed and working towards common goals.

Helps Identify Additional Needs Early

Through consistent observation and assessment, practitioners can identify any concerns or delays in a child’s development at an early stage. This allows for early intervention and the implementation of appropriate support strategies. Early identification is crucial in ensuring that children receive the help they need to achieve positive outcomes.

Encourages Reflective Practice

The OAP cycle encourages practitioners to reflect on their own practice, considering what has been effective and what could be improved. Reflection helps practitioners to adapt their approaches, improve their teaching strategies, and continuously develop their professional skills. This leads to better outcomes for children.

Ensures Compliance with EYFS Requirements

The EYFS framework requires practitioners to observe children, assess their development, and plan appropriate next steps. The OAP cycle ensures that these statutory requirements are met consistently. It also provides clear evidence of practice, which is essential during inspections and quality assurance processes.

OBSERVATION

Observations are the foundation of understanding a child's needs and interests. Observation is the art of looking at and listening to children to see what they enjoy doing and how they interact with others and the environment around them to closely examine what they can do and how they are developing.

HOW TO CONDUCT OBSERVATION:

We can observe a child in different ways depending on the purpose, and each way/ method provides valuable insight into the child's development. I have discussed a number of different types of observation in one of my blogs and how these can be used to tune in to children. This really helps you to understand children's interests and developmental stages. For example, narrative observation can give a detailed account of a child's actions during play or an activity; event sampling can focus on specific behaviours, often triggered by particular events or interactions; and photographic/video observations can capture moments where the child demonstrates learning or interest. Lets discuss steps to observation:

Aim of your observation: You should decide the aim of the observation, what you are going to observe, such as communication , physical skills, or social interaction.

Prepare resources for observation: You should prepare resources for your observation like observation sheets, Post-it notes, or digital tools, depending on your setting.

Placing yourself appropriately: You should place yourself in such a way that you do not interrupt the child's activity or natural behaviour. More often, partitioners are involved in the play, asking questions, prompting questions, and then notes are made quickly in between sections.

WHAT TO OBSERVE:

Observation can include anything that is noticed by the practitioners. It can include what the child does, what the child says, what the child touches, where the child goes, who they are with, and the interaction with the environment.

Variety of Contexts: Observe the child in different settings and situations to get a comprehensive view, such as during play, interaction with peers, and individual tasks.

Record the information objectively: You should record what you notice. Record what you see and hear without making judgments or interpretations. Stick to objective observation and describe what the child says or does not without making assumptions.

WHEN TO CONDUCT OBSERVATION:

Observation should be conducted regularly in natural, everyday situations. You may miss out on unplanned learning opportunities if you wait for scheduled time. A complete understanding of a child's learning and development can be created by combining planned and unplanned/spontaneous observations. Observation may conduct :

During planned activities, such as story time or craft activities.
After introducing new resources, material, or themes or everyday situations.
When the highlights are strengths or challenges in development, such as trying a new skills.
When a child is playing freely.

WHY CONDUCT OBSERVATION:

Through careful observation, practitioners are able to identify:

Identify individual strengths and achievements; developmental progress in relation to the framework, special needs such as extra support or changes that is required and emerging interests that can guide future planning and engagement.
how closely resources and activities match a child's ability and interests.

ASSESSMENT

Assessment is the process of analysing and evaluating the information gathered through observations that we know about children's development and learning. Practitioners need to ask themself the key question, "What does our observation tell us about the child?" We also need to find out learning needs from the parents and from these we can identify the children's requirements, interest, current development and learning.

HOW TO CONDUCT ASSESSMENT:

We need to ask ourselves, what does our observation and any other evidence of learning we have collected, such as examples of the child's mark-making, information from parents, a photograph we took, or video recordings we have made, tell us about the child's learning and development? What was new, something we had not observed before? So we link to the development framework to ensure expectations are realistic and age-appropriate. Include observations, notes, or learning journeys that track a child’s progress over time. We consider the child as a whole.

Review Observations: Look for patterns, recurring behaviours , and notable skills or challenges.
Compare to Developmental Milestones: Use developmental guidelines to see where the child stands in relation to typical growth trajectories.
Consider Context: Take into account the child’s background, environment, and any external factors influencing their development.
Use Tools: Utilize assessment tools and scales that are age-appropriate and reliable.

WHAT TO ASSESS:

Developmental Progress: Compare observed behaviours to developmental benchmarks.
Strengths and Weaknesses: Identify areas where the child excels and areas needing support.
Learning Styles: Determine the child’s preferred ways of learning and engaging with content.

WHEN TO CONDUCT ASSESSMENT:

Assessments should be ongoing. They occur after observing and regularly reviewing information collected. at the end of each term, before meetings with parents in preparation for effective discussion, when concerns arise about the child’s development, and when a child transitions to a new room, setting, or school.

WHY CONDUCT AN ASSESSMENT?

Regular assessments ensure that parents and professionals stay informed about how the child is progressing. Sharing assessment outcomes lets everyone in the child’s care work together.

PLANNING

Once the assessments are complete, practitioners must plan activities to improve learning opportunities. We plan for the next steps in children's development and learning. Much of this needs to be done on the basis of what we have found out from our own observations and assessments as well as from parents. The decisions that you take then it helps in planning to meet the individual needs and/or needs of a group of children and have a very real impact on the well-being of the children. Planning involves adapting the environment and teaching methods to match developmental goals.

HOW TO PLAN FOR THE NEXT STEP:

Set a learning goal: Practitioners should identify what they want the child to achieve. Establish clear, achievable goals for the child’s development based on assessment findings. These should be specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART).

Develop strategies that include the child's interest: Create activities and interventions that align with the child’s needs and goals. Practitioners should include resources or things that the child likes or enjoys playing. This might include tailored learning experiences, skill-building exercises, or social-emotional support.

Use age-appropriate resources: Practitioners should use age-appropriate resources to support children in learning.

Plan for inclusivity: Practitioners should plan activities that work for children with different needs or abilities or additional support.

Involve Stakeholders: Engage parents, caregivers, and other professionals to collaborate on the plan and ensure consistency across different environments.

Monitor Progress: Regularly review the child’s progress towards goals and adjust the plan as needed. Be flexible and responsive to the child’s evolving needs.

WHEN TO PLAN:

Planning is an ongoing process. It happens after assessments and often feeds into weekly, daily lesson plans or term-wide plans. wWhat to plan for:

Individual Needs: Address specific developmental needs and preferences of the child.
Learning Objectives: Design activities that target cognitive, social, emotional, and physical development.
Support Systems: Provide resources and support for the child and their family.

WHY DO WE PLAN:

Planning allows practitioners to support a child’s next steps and to ensure learning is consolidated. Without planning, there is no direction, only limited support and the potential for a very narrow curriculum. It makes learning manageable for staff, as activities are prepared with all needs in mind.

Formative and Summative Assessment in early years

Tue, 22 Apr 2025 14:50:27 GMT

Formative and Summative Assessment in Early years

As an early childhood practitioner, you will frequently come across the term "assessment". Assessment is part of early years practitioners' day-to-day interactions with children. In the early years, assessment is the process of gathering information about a child, analyzing that information, and then using the information to arrange educational activities that are at the level of the child and also benefit the child. EYP continually makes judgments about children's learning and development and uses the information they gather to help children to progress. Children, too, make judgments about what they are good at, what they enjoy doing, what they can do now with little help, and what they would like to be able to do in the future.

“ Assessment plays an important part in helping parents, carers and practitioners to recognise children’s progress, understand their needs, and to plan activities and support. “

EYFS Framework 2024, section 2.1, page 19

The most common types of assessment are formative and summative. As a preschool teacher, you might be familiar with these terms but still need clarification about how they work.

FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Formative assessment is an ongoing process of gathering , analysing, and using information about a child’s learning and development during their daily activities. It is vital in the learning and development process. It helps the early years practitioners to understand children’s interests, what they know, and what they can do, and then shape teaching and learning experiences for each child, reflecting on that knowledge. This includes observations, which is the continuous process of noticing what a child knows, understands, and can do in order to build knowledge of each individual child.

“Ongoing assessment (also known as formative assessment) is an integral part of the learning and development process. It involves practitioners understanding children’s interests and what they know and can do, and then shaping teaching and learning experiences for each child reflecting that knowledge. "

EYFS framework 2024, session 2.5, page 19

Formative assessment is often referred to as “ assessment for learning .” There is no requirement in the EYFS to keep written records in relation to the formative assessment.

SHAPING TEACHING & LEARNING USING FORMATIVE ASSESSMENT

Every child is unique. They learn in different ways, at different speeds, and have different interests. Early years practitioners can modify lesson plans, teaching strategies, resources, and activities to fit the developmental stage of each child through the use of formative assessment. Let's see how formative assessment shapes teaching and learning so that children develop the broad range of skills, knowledge, and attitudes they need as a foundation for future progress.

Practitioners can plan activities that suit a child's current interests and development stage. Activities that match a child's interests are more likely to capture their attention and motivate them to participate. Activities can be planned by practitioners to suit a child's developmental stage and current interests. For example, if a child likes or takes an interest in playing with toy animals, practitioners might promote learning by using activities that highlight animal sounds and habitats, counting toy animals, sorting farm and wild animals, or reading a book related to animals. Again, if a child is having trouble with fine motor skills, they can improve their strength and coordination by doing things like threading beads, painting, or using small tools.

Support to address the needs of the child to help them learn more. Every child is unique, and they learn in different ways, at different speeds, and have different interests. By using the information from a formative assessment, practitioners can identify the skills that a child needs to develop for future learning. For instance, if a child has limited speech or is non-verbal, practitioners may concentrate on helping them communicate using picture cards, music, or signs. As a further example, if a child is not interacting or engaging with his/her peers or friends, a practitioner may plan activities in a small group to foster interaction. These focused interactions help children strengthen their abilities in ways appropriate to their development level.

Encourage children's self-regulation and critical thinking by giving constructive and positive feedback. Children are encouraged to think critically about their activities, acknowledge their achievements, and practice self-regulation of their learning when they receive constructive and positive feedback. When children hear constructive and positive feedback, they are more likely to think critically about their actions, recognize what they have achieved, and practice self-regulation of their learning. For example, a practitioner might say, for instance, "You made a great effort to balance those blocks. How could we stop them from falling ?" As the child starts to solve problems on their own, this encourages the child to think critically and builds independence as the child begins solving problems him/herself. So information gathered from formative assessment regarding children's understanding allows practitioners to give children focused and useful feedback. This feedback encourages children and helps them to understand their progress and pinpoint areas in which they need to improve.

Support the practitioner in planning for children's next steps in their learning and development based on reflection on observation. Practitioners spend time observing children, and these observations are then linked to learning areas. Reflecting on observations enables practitioners to plan meaningful activities that stretch a child's abilities. For example, a practitioner observed a child building a tower with blocks and noted the child's problem-solving method when it overbalanced. She linked this observation to learning areas and used this information to decide what the child has already learned or achieved and what support they need to take the next step.

Support parents and carers in their child’s development. Parents and carers play a significant role in their child's development, and when they are involved, often children make progress. Practitioners can use formative assessment to stay up-to-date about their child's achievements and areas of development. Based on the formative assessment, practitioners can suggest simple activities that parents can do at home to reinforce learning. For example, reading books together before bed to develop literacy skills or games like counting objects at home to promote numeracy.

Support the individual needs of children to ensure every child has equal learning opportunities. Practitioners might identify which children require additional support and how they can work together with other professionals to provide it by using formative assessment. For example, a practitioner may identify a speech delay where a four-year-old child struggles to form sentences; early action can include referrals for the child to a speech therapist.

Assessment of Children's learning and development

Mon, 21 Apr 2025 05:13:45 GMT

Understanding Assessments in Early Years

The role of assessment in helping parents and practitioners

recognise children 's progress

By Shamima Fowzee | NCFE CACHE assessor, Early Years CPD Trainer & Creative Art therapy Practitioner

As an early childhood practitioner, you will frequently come across the term "assessment". Assessment is part of early years practitioners' day-to-day interactions with children. In the early years, assessment is the process of gathering information about a child, analyzing that information, and then using the information to arrange educational activities that are at the level of the child and also benefit the child. EYP continually make judgment about children learning and development and use the information they gether to help children to progress. Children too make judgements about what they are good at, what they enjoy doing, what they can do now with little help, and what they would like to be able to do in the future.

“ Assessment plays an important part in helping parents, carers and practitioners to recognise children’s progress, understand their needs, and to plan activities and support. “

EYFS Framework 2025, section 2.1, page 18

What to find in this article

What does assessment mean
Understanding assessment in early years
Important of assessment in early years
Benefits of assessment for parents and practitioners
Different assessment methods and techniques

Assessment is the ongoing process of collecting, documenting, reflecting on, and using information to develop rich portraits of children as learners in order to support and enhance their future learning.

ASSESSMENT IN EARLY YEARS

When practitioners in early years conduct assessments, they are able to find out what children understand, how they think, what they are able to do, and what their interests and needs are. This information helps the EYP in supporting children's continued learning and development by offering continuous feedback regarding their progress, creating challenging and enjoyable experiences for them, choosing appropriate supports for them, and planning the next steps in their learning through documentation.

Assessment for learning and assessment of learning are two approaches to assessment. The two differ in how the adult uses the information he/she collects. The main purpose of assessment of learning is to inform others, like parents and professionals such as therapists, about children’s achievement. Assessment for Learning focuses on using assessment information to help children with the next steps in their learning and development. While both approaches are important, these guidelines focus on the adult using assessment on a daily basis to help children progress in their learning and development.

IMPORTANCE OF ASSESSMENT IN EARLY YEARS

Assessments provide a record of growth in all developmental areas and can be used to plan activities with the right level of challenge. Practitioners can use different assessing ways, such as tracking charts, learning journeys, and development checklists, to assess children's progress within key areas of development. These areas often link to frameworks like EYFS, which sets developmental milestones from birth to five. Through assessment, practitioners identify if a child is ahead in some areas of development or requires extra support in certain skills. For example, if a child can stack two blocks confidently, the next step might be encouraging the child to build a tower of three or four blocks. Practitioners assess the child's skills and holistic development and use the records to plan activities with the right level of challenge. They can modify their teaching strategies through assessing each child's progress.

Reflective practice and continuous improvement . Assessment does not only benefit children, but it also supports practitioners to improve their teaching. Reflecting on what works well and what does not work well helps the practitioner grow professionally. It also involves thinking about past interactions, activities, and assessed outcomes to improve future plans. For example, a practitioner might review an activity they delivered and reflect on it:

Did each child participate in the activity?

What did each child gain from the activity?

Was the activity sufficiently interesting and enjoyable for each child?

Were there any issues that you had not considered?

Supporting children with special educational needs. Assessment information can alert the EYP to potential difficulties experienced by children. By bringing concerns to the attention of parents and other professionals, the EYP plays a critical role in helping to access appropriate supports to enable children to progress in their learning and to limit the potential impact of the disability or difficulty on future learning and development. The supports may include putting a specific learning program in place for a child. This might be based on an Individual Education Plan (IEP).

Promoting inclusion and equal opportunities. Inclusion in early years is promoted by creating a welcoming environment where all children feel accepted and valued. Every child should have equal opportunities to realize their potential, no matter their background or abilities. Assessment helps practitioners create an inclusive environment by recognizing children with additional needs or potential barriers to learning. It enables practitioners to modify activities, ensuring that they are accessible to all. For example, you might work with a child with learning differences whose family is also learning English. Or think about children who are learning English as a new language. Or a child with a physical disability might require adapted equipment to perform certain tasks comfortably.

Support working in partnership with parents. Assessment plays an important part in helping parents, carers, and practitioners to recognise children’s progress, understand their needs, and plan and provide activities and support. Provide a common ground between educators and parents or families to use in collaborating on a strategy to support their child.

Reflective of the needs of individual children. It involves practitioners knowing what children can and can’t do and then shaping teaching and learning so that children develop the broad range of skills, knowledge, and attitudes they need as foundations for future progress. The various forms of evidence enable practitioners to make informed judgments about individual children's stages of development and plan for appropriate next steps for learning.

Plan for individual children’s needs according to their needs and interest. Assessment helps EY practitioners to plan for a child or for a group of children that are at the same stage of development according to their needs and interests. For example, for a child struggling with language development, practitioners may plan simple activities like storytelling or group conversations.

BENEFITS OF ASSESSMENTS FOR PARENTS/CARERS

Finding out how children are developing is the purpose of assessment. Understanding their interests and how to support their continued learning is beneficial. It has numerous benefits for both parents and educators, including the following:

Encourage parents/carers to take an active role in their child’s play, learning, and development. When parents are involved in the assessing process, such as sharing photos and information about their child's development at home, they will see a different side of their child at home than in the setting. They will also know what type of things their child enjoys doing in the setting. It is therefore important to work with parents in ways that will allow parents to take an active role in this aspect of their child's development.

Help parents to understand their child's development. Parents and caregivers can learn a lot about their child's development from assessments. Specific strengths, like communication or problem-solving, as well as areas that can benefit from more support, like fine motor skills or social interactions, are highlighted in these assessments. Parents may not always know what developmental milestones are, so knowing this information also helps them understand their child's needs and skills.

Enhancing the bonds between parents and practitioners. When parents or caregivers are informed about assessments, they feel more involved in their child's early education. Through this assessment-based procedure, parents can feel informed and comforted that their child is in capable hands.

Encourage parents to participate in their child's learning. Parents who are aware of their child's assessments are more likely to participate in their education at home. For instance, if an assessment reveals that a child loves to tell stories but has trouble with early phonics, parents may include stories that highlight rhymes or word patterns. For the child, this makes learning more engaging and meaningful.

Help parents to recognize potential development challenges or delays. Regular assessment helps parents to recognise potential development challenges or delays early. Identifying needs early often makes a substantial difference in improving outcomes for children.

Support parents to feel confident in their parenting abilities. Parents find themselves more secure in their parenting skills when they are aware of their child's development and steps being taken to promote learning. Parents can feel more confident in their approach when they receive information on their children's progress.

TYPES OF ASSESSMENTS

The most common types of assessment are initial, formative, and summative assessment. As an early years practitioner, you might be familiar with these terms but still need clarification about how they work.

Initial Assessment:

Each child is unique, and they have different knowledge , skills, experiences, and expectations. Initial assessment is important when we work with a child for the first time. Initial assessment helps practitioners to identify a child's level of knowledge, what skills they already have, and if any extra support they might need. For example, when a child is about to enter a preschool setting, the parents will provide essential care information about a child’s current needs. It is obviously essential to formally record this information, but even more important is to treat this as an opportunity to begin building a strong partnership with the parents. As the child’s first teachers, they have unique information to share about the child’s learning and progress to date. This is not included in the EYFS and is not a statutory requirement.

Formative assessment:

Formative assessment is an ongoing process of gathering , analysing, and using information about a child’s learning and development during their daily activities. Formative assessment is often referred to as “ assessment for learning .”

Summative assessmen t : Summative assessments are made to provide a summary of a child’s development and learning across all areas. When daily interactions involve observing, reflecting, and deciding how best to support a child, practitioners hold in their minds many details of each child’s development and learning. At certain times it is important to step back, to pause and reflect, and create a summative assessment that takes a holistic overview of the child’s development, learning and progress.

DIFFERENT ASSESSMENT METHODS & TECHNIQUES

Assessments play a crucial role in ensuring the success of early years. By measuring a child's progress against developmental milestones, assessments help practitioners to identify areas where children are meeting their milestones, where they are excelling, and where they may require additional support to inform planning. Let's briefly review some of the options more commonly used to assess children's development.

Observations:

Observing children during play and other activities is one of the most effective methods of assessing their progress. Both indoor and outdoor environments can be used for observation, and it can be documented. Observations help in determining if a child has reached developmental milestones or needs further work. For example, if a toddler struggles to string words together, this might indicate the need to focus on language skills.

Depending on the purpose, there are various ways to perform observation. There are many different types of observations, including time sampling, event sampling, and narrative observations. Every technique offers important insights into the child's development.

Learning Journeys:

Learning journeys are records of a child's development or progress over time. Practitioners will take photographs of the child, written observations, and examples of work. Learning journeys are shared with parents, and parents can add in their own observations. Reviewing learning journeys, practitioners can identify patterns in a child's development and include ideas for planning activities and support based on the observations. For example, if a child shows an interest in building wooden blocks, practitioners can introduce counting activities using those blocks to develop mathematical development.

Anecdotal records:

Anecdotal records are short, focused observations written down as they happen. An anecdotal record is "an informal observation method often used for understanding the child's personality or behavior. It provides a running that is either typical or unusual for the child" (Bentzen, 2009, p. 178). It is an excellent tool that provides practitioners with a collection of narratives that can be used to track a child's progress over time. The practitioner records a significant piece of learning, perhaps the first steps a baby takes unaided or an important development in relationships with other children. Using these records, practitioners can reflect on how to encourage further development.

Checklists:

When a practitioner wants to look at a child’s overall development, checklists can be a very useful tool to determine the presence or absence of a particular skill, milestone, or behavior. Checklists or tick charts are tools to quickly track a child's achievements against developmental milestones. These are particularly useful for ensuring no area of learning is overlooked. Practitioners will observe children during playtimes, circle times, and centers and will check off the skills and behaviors as they are observed. Checklists help to determine which developmental skills have been mastered, which skills are emerging, and which skills have yet to be learned.

Work samples or portfolios:

A work sample is a tangible piece of evidence that showcases a child’s effort, progress, and achievement. More specifically, not only does a work sample highlight the final product, but it can highlight the process as well by highlighting the child’s problem-solving efforts, experimentation methods, or collaboration skills. Work samples are authentic artifacts that provide information about the child’s learning experience. Typically, you would collect a variety of samples that highlight the child’s overall development in each of the developmental areas: Physical; Cognitive; Language; Social -Emotional. More specifically, you might include a child’s drawing or painting, a writing sample from their journal, a cutting sample, or photographs of the child engaged in activities such as building a block tower or sandcastle or riding a bike. Work samples should be organized in a chronological manner to showcase progress over time. For example, a child's drawn self-portrait might show the development of fine motor skills. By adding new samples regularly, practitioners can easily review growth in abilities and changing interests. Be sure to store work samples in a safe place like a file folder or portfolio or electronically in a computer file.

Using Technology:

There are numerous ways to incorporate technology for collecting observations. Use a camera, laptop, tablet, or smartphone to record observations and take pictures. Ask a child to dictate a story, and you can type it up on a computer or use an audio recorder. Video, and audio recordings can authentically capture children’s explorations, investigations, play, and learning experiences in the actual moment. With this type of documentation, teachers can replay key moments in a child’s day to look for specific interactions, play patterns, developmental milestones, and struggles. For example, look at playful interactions to track social-emotional development; watch children on the playground to track physical development; observe how children tackle science or math activities to track cognitive development. Using such tools ensures assessments are accurate and easy to review later. (Note: it is important to be aware of center policies and procedures regarding proper consent before photographing or taping a child.).

FINAL THOUGHTS

With each assessment method, whether an anecdotal report, video recording, checklist, or work sample, practitioners are watching and listening and considering, What do I know about the child, and how can I best support this child? Understanding different assessment methods and techniques gives practitioners the tools to monitor development and support each child.

Effective communication in an early years setting

Sat, 14 Dec 2024 08:39:10 GMT

Effective Communication In Early Years setting
(Children from birth to 5 years old)

All of your interactions with a child are communication. The way you speak, the expression in your eyes, and the embraces and kisses you give a child all send messages. It's not just about what you say. In addition to teaching your child how to interact with others, the way you speak to them affects how they develop emotionally and form relationships in the future.

Effective communication in early childhood is critical as it lays the groundwork for future language skills and social interactions. As an early years practitioner, it's vital to understand the importance of routines that involve talking and responding to children. Supporting children to become effective and confident communicators is an important role for both parents and early years practitioners.

Strategies for effective communication with babies and children from birth to 5 years of age

Right from birth children are social beings who try to communicate with the world around them. So how do we as parents and/or early yeras practitioner ensure we are supporting our children to become effective ommunicators right from birth? How can we provide experiences to encourage them to develop a love of communicating with others? Here I explore strategies for effective communication between children and caregivers and the impact these have on children.

1. ACTIVE LISTENING AND RESPONSIVE COMMUNICATION:

Children's ideas, worries, and experiences must be actively heard by parents and teachers. Their confidence is increased when they are encouraged to express themselves without fearing about criticism or rejection. By addressing their thoughts and feelings, responsive communication fosters a sense of validation and encourages further participation. This method teaches children the value of polite conversation and fosters their sense of self-worth. Additionally, it helps them improve their social and verbal abilities. For example, when a baby coos or babbles, respond with a smile, eye contact, and vocalizations. If a baby says "ba-ba," you might respond with, "Yes, bottle! You want your bottle?"

2. COMMUNICATING WHILE PERFORMING EVERYDAY ROUTINE TASKS:

Daily routines offer the best settings for consistently modeling language, which enables babies and children from birth to 5 years of age to pick up slot-and-frame patterns. As you engage with the child during daily routines and activities, such as putting on clothes, talk to the child about what you are doing. Use events like going shopping or to the park as an opportunity to name and point out objects. For babies, talk to them during daily routines and activities like mealtime, bath time, and diaper changing, commenting on what you are doing together.

3. NON-VERBAL COMMUNICATION:

Body language, facial expressions, eye contact and hand gestures play a significant role communication. Educators should be aware of their own non-verbal cues and those of the children. Positive nonverbal communication can create a welcoming atmosphere that encourages children to engage and participate.

4. USE SIMPLE AND CLEAR LANGUAGE:

Use language that is understandable for children and appropriate to their age. Use simple and easy

understanding language for children to avoid confusion and ensures message is conveyed accutately. For a two years old child, instead of saying, "please go and fetch your red toy car from the living room." Simplifly it to,"get your red car".

5. PROVIDING RESPONSE TIME:

Children need pletly of response time. It is important for parent/ EYP to give children sufficient reponse time to allow them the time to understand what has been said and also to form their thoughts and words in response. As an EYP, it is important when working with groups of children to remember thateven children of the same age will have different response times. This means that you should not create situations when children who are lucky to be responding quickly are always chosen. You should also not assume that a child has not understood if they do not respond straight away beacause some children will take more time than others.

6. ASSIST WITH EXPANSION:

Another strategies to use when communicating with children of all ages is expansion. Expansions are ways to expand on what a child says or does during a conversation. Expansion helps children to hear a longer and more sophisticated version of what they have said. This gives the child a good speech model for reinforcement and increases vocabulary and language structures. It is a way of recognizing what children have said, and an adult adds a word to what the child has said. An example of expansion would be if a child says, "Car go," and you say, "The car is going. It's a red car." This should be in line with the child’s level of development, for example, at 18 months, the child says “cat”, and the adult/ parents/ EYP responds, “This is a big cat”.

7. LABELLING IN THE SETTING:

Using labels in the setting is a great way to surround the physical environment with words. Seeing these labels every day helps children to memorise letter formation and understand the relationship between a word and its meaning. This should be in line with the child’s level of development. Such as, putting a label that says "door" on the door. This provides constant exposure to written and spoken language.

8. CONTRIBUTES RECASTING:

Recasting is a skill that children to hear a correct version of what they have been listened to. To recast a phase, simply repeat back to the child what they have said but using the correct words. For example, the child says,"my dad goed" and you recasts back,"yes, your dad went".

9. PROVIDE VISUAL SUPPORT:

Visual aids can be used to support children in understanding and remembering specific information or instructions. This can be diverse and flexible to meet the individual communication needs of children and can include photographs, symbols or charts. Within a classroom environment, you could have a visual timetable with symbols to represent each activity or event of the day. Whether you are using a simple “Now and Next” board or have a more complex schedule displayed, make sure it supports the child in understanding their daily routine and is not overwhelming. It should be a positive facilitator of discussion between the child and the adult, not just a command centre. Additionally, Photographs or images representing the child can empower them to make their feelings, wishes and interests known. It is important that when a child points to an image, you say the name of the object or activity, so the child begins connecting with the image and the word.

10. PROVIDE OPPORTUNITIES THROUGH SUSTAINED SHARED THINKING:

Sustained shared thinking is the process by which, through conversation, we explore a topic or problem with a child. This is what early years settings do when adults share a book with a child and also when supporting children's mark-making. When children first begin reading, they require a lot of help from adults. Children can tackle some of the challenges they face while reading; this is a time when sustained shared thinking can be used to help children. When sharing books with children, talk to children about the pictures and the story together and interpret what is happening.

11. INCORPORATING PLAY INTO DAILY ROUTINES:

Play is an excellent way to practice communication skills. Incorporate interactive games and activities into daily routines to make learning fun. Simple games like “Peek-a-Boo” or “Simon Says” can enhance listening and speaking abilities.

12. STORYTELLING AND IMAGINATIVE PLAY:

Encourage storytelling and imaginative play to stimulate creativity and expression. Role-playing different scenarios helps toddlers practice language and develop their narrative skills.

Good communication is an essential component of a child's development and goes beyond simple information exchange between parents, early years practitioners, and children. EYP can foster a loving atmosphere that enables children to flourish academically, emotionally, and socially by putting these strategies into practice. Our children will have a better and more fulfilling future if we invest in these easy yet powerful communication techniques now.

The Role of the Early Years Practitioner in an Early Years Setting.

Sat, 21 Sep 2024 18:29:21 GMT

The Role Of Early Years Practitioner

A child's growth during their formative years is greatly influenced by the early years practitioner. Making a secure and engaging environment for children to grow up in was one of your duties. An early year's practitioner is an individual who works with children aged 0 to 5 years in various settings, such as nurseries, pre-schools, and early years education centres.

Early years practitioners roles & responsibilities.

It's not for everyone to work in a nursery. Helping children take their first steps, make their first friends, and discover a world of joy requires a unique kind of person who puts the needs of others before their own. This function requires a combination of abilities, knowledge, and harmoniously working behaviors in order to be fulfilled. let's explore the Early years practitioners roles and responsibilities.

Essential Skills

Effective Communication Skills

Observation Skills

Classroom Management Techniques

Creativity- Unleash your Imagination

Teamwork: Collaborative effects

Fundamental Knowledge

Understanding Child development

Safeguarding and welfare

Curriculum Knowledge

Continuous Professional Development

Promoting Inclusive practice

Partnership working with Parents

Collaborating with other professionals

Learning Through Play

Behaviour

Empathy

Flexibility

CONCLUSION

As you proceed with your journey, never forget that each child is an individual and that your commitment as EYP to their growth will have a long-lasting effect on their lives. Unlock your potential as an early years practitioner and give children the start they need to have a successful future. Keep these abilities and traits near at hand if you want to be an exceptional early childhood educator, and you'll see the magic happen in your classroom.

Understand Child development: first five years

Sun, 15 Sep 2024 18:21:53 GMT

Understand child development—first five years

Child development can be defined as:

" a progression by which a child changes from birth to the beginning of adulthood by acquiring and refining knowledge, behaviors, and skills. It's a journey from total dependence to full independence."

Knowing the basics of child development will help you prepare for any problems and learn how to support child's healthy development. In the early years of life, your child’s behavior communicates their needs and how they are changing and growing. Children’s experiences in their first five years have been shown to have a significant impact on their developmental outcomes later on. As a result, it is important for parents and those who work with children to understand exactly what happens during these early stages of development. This allows them to meet a child’s needs effectively and ensure that they have the best start in life.

However, research has shown that only 25% of parents recognise the importance of the first five years; additionally, teacher training does not adequately cover the early years, despite the fact that children are still within this period when they begin school. This lack of awareness on both parts could cause failures to provide the best environments for children, and their progress could be limited. Click the following link to understand the importance of child development and key milestones for holistic development from birth to 5 years. You may support your child throughout these years of extremely rapid growth and development by paying attention to their unique cues. At each different stage of development, there are things that you can do to help. The milestones for each stage of development in the first five years are as follows:

From birth to three months

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE:

Babies use crying to express their needs, they start to make cooing sounds at around six weeks to show pleasure.
The baby cries with anger to show they are tired, hungry, and to say they need to be changed.
The baby is comforted by the voices of those who are close to them and will turn especially to the voices of close family members.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT:

The baby recognizes differing speech sounds.
By three months, the baby can even imitate low- or high-pitched sounds.
By three months, the baby links objects they know with the sound, e.g., the mother's voice and her face.
The baby knows the smell of his or her mother from that of other mothers.

EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT :

The baby shows enjoyment at caring routines such as bath time.
The baby responds with obvious pleasure to loving attention and cuddles.
The baby fixes his or her eyes unblinkingly on carer's face when feeding.
The baby stays awake for longer periods of time.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT :

Gross motor skills

When lying supine, the baby's head is in a central position.
The baby can now lift head and chest off bed in prone position, supported on forearms.
There is almost no head lag in sitting position.
The legs can kick vigorously, both separately and together.
The baby can wave his or her arms and bring his or her hands together over the body.

Fine motor skills

The baby turns her head towards the light and stares at bright or shiny objects.
The baby will show interest and excitement by facial expression and will gaze attentively at carer's face while being fed.
The baby will use his/her hand to grasp the carer's finger.
The baby moves his or her head to follow adult movements.
The baby watches his or her hands and plays with his or her fingers.
The baby holds a rattle for a brief time before dropping it.

Three months to 12 months

During this period of profound growth and development, babies grow and change rapidly.

COMMUNICATION AND LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

From four to six months

The baby starts talking more and more as they get more conscious of other people.
As the baby listens, he or she imitates sounds he or she can hear and reacts to the tone of someone's voice. For example, the baby might become upset by an angry tone or cheered by a happy tone.
The baby begins to use vowels, consonants and syllable sounds, e.g. 'ah', 'ee aw'
The baby begins to laugh and squeal with pleasure.

From six to nine months

Babble becomes tuneful, like the lilt of the language the baby can hear (except in hearing-impaired babies).
Babies begin to understand words like 'up' and 'down', raising their arms to be lifted up, using appropriate gestures.
The baby repeats sounds.

From nine to twelve months

The baby can follow simple instructions, e.g. kiss Teddy.
Word approximations appear, e.g. more typically'mumma', 'dadda', and 'bye-bye' in English-speaking contexts.
The tuneful babble develops into 'jargon' and the baby makes his or her voice go up and down just as people do when they talk to each other. 'Really? Do you? No!' The babble is very expressive.
The baby knows that words stand for people, objects, what they do, and what happens.
Enjoys laughing and being playful with others.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT:

The baby is beginning to develop images. Memory develops and the baby can remember the past.
The baby can anticipate the future. This gives the baby some understanding of routine daily sequences, e.g. after a feed, changing and a sleep with teddy.
The baby imitates actions, sounds, gestures and moods after an event is finished, e.g. imitate a temper tantrum he or she saw a friend have the previous day, wave bye-bye remembering Grandma has gone to the shops.

EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

The baby enjoys songs and action rhymes.
The baby still likes to be near to a familiar adult.
The baby can drink from a cup with help.
The baby will play alone for long periods.
The baby has and shows definite likes and dislikes at meal times and bedtimes.
The baby thoroughly enjoys peek-a-boo games.
The baby likes to look at himself or herself in a mirror (plastic safety mirror).
The lape no that he or she la-s gret thing honk, ging bye bye- but there i often o
The baby cooperates when being dressed.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:

From four to six months

Gross motor skills

The baby is beginning to use a palmar grasp and can transfer objects from hand to hand
The baby is very interested in all activities.
Everything is taken to the mouth.
The baby moves his or her head around to follow people and objects.

Fine motor skills

The baby now has good head control and is beginning to sit with support.
The baby rolls over from back to side and is beginning to reach for objects.
When supine, the baby plays with his or her own feet.
The baby holds his or her head up when pulled to a sitting position.

From six to nine months

Gross motor skills

The baby can roll from front to back.
The baby may attempt to crawl but will often end up sliding backwards.
The baby may grasp feet and place them in his or her mouth.
The baby can sit without support for longer periods of time.
The baby may 'cruise' around furniture and may even stand or walk alone.

Fine motor skills

The baby is very alert to people and objects.
The baby is beginning to use a pincer grasp with thumb and index finger.
The baby transfers toys from one hand to the other and looks for fallen objects.
Everything is explored by putting it in his or her mouth.

From nine to twelve months

Gross motor skills

The baby will now be mobile - may be crawling, bear-walking, bottom-shuffling, or even walking.
The baby can sit up on his or her own and lean forward to pick up things.
The baby may crawl upstairs and onto low items of furniture.
The baby may bounce in rhythm to music.

Fine motor skills

The baby's pincer grasp is now well developed, and he or she can pick things up and pull them towards him or her.
The baby can poke with one finger and will point to desired objects.
The baby can clasp hands and imitate adults' actions.
The baby can throw toys deliberately.
The baby can manage spoons and finger foods well.

There are things that you can do to help or support children of this age group:

It is recommended that you speak to your baby a lot during this phase, because hearing your voice will help your baby to develop communication skills. Other suggestions include, such as, short periods of tummy time to help strengthen your baby’s neck and back muscles — but make sure baby is awake and you’re close by for this playtime. Respond right away when your baby cries. Picking up and comforting a crying baby builds strong bonds between the two of you.

From 1 year to 3 years

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:

During these years, children continue to need lots of sleep, good nutrition , and close, loving relationships with parents and caregivers.

From one year to two years

At 15 months: Gross motor skills

The baby probably walks alone, with feet wide apart and arms raised to maintain balance. He or she is likely to fall over and often sit down suddenly.
The baby can probably manage stairs and steps but will need supervision.
The baby can get to standing without help from furniture or people and kneels without support.

Fine motor skills

The baby can build with a few bricks and arrange toys on the floor.
The baby holds a crayon in palmar grasp and turns several pages of a book at once.
The baby can point to desired objects.
The baby shows a preference for one hand but uses either.

At 18 months: Gross motor skills

The child walks confidently and is able to stop without falling.
The child can kneel, squat, climb, and carry things around with him or her.
The child can climb onto an adult chair forward and then turn around to sit.
The child can come downstairs, usually creeping backwards on his or her tummy.

Fine motor skills

The child can thread large beads.
The child uses pincer grasp to pick up small objects.
The child can build a tower of several cubes.
The child can scribble to and fro on paper.

From two years to three years

Gross motor skills

The child is very mobile and can run safely.
The child can climb up onto furniture.
The child can walk up and down stairs, usually two feet to a step.
The child tries to kick a ball with some success but cannot catch yet.

Fine motor skills

The child can draw circles, lines, and dots, using their preferred hand.
The child can pick up tiny objects using a fine pincer grasp.
The child can build a tower of six or more blocks (bricks) with a longer concentration span.
The child enjoys picture books and turns pages singly.

COMMUNICATION & LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT:

From one year to two years

The child begins to talk with words or sign language.
By 18 months, the child enjoys trying to sing as well as to listen to songs and rhymes. Action songs are much loved.
Books with pictures are of great interest. The child points at and often names parts of their body, objects, people, and pictures in books.
The child echoes the last part of what others say (echolalia).

From two years to three years

Children are rapidly becoming competent speakers of the languages they experience.
The child overextends the use of a word, e.g. all animals are called 'doggie'
The child talks about an absent object when reminded of it; eg, seeing an empty plate, they say biscuit'.
The child uses phrases (telegraphese), 'doggie-gone and the child calls himself or herself by name.
The child spends a great deal of energy naming things and what they do - e.g. 'chair'—and as they go up a step, they might say 'up'.
The child can follow a simple instruction or request, e.g. 'Could you bring me the spoon?'
The child increasingly wants to share songs, dance, conversations, and finger rhymes.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT:

The child has improved memory skills, which helps his or her understanding of concepts (e.g. the child can often name and match two or three colours - usually yellow and red).
The child can hold a crayon and move it up and down.
The child understands cause and effect (e.g., if something is dropped, he or she understands it might break).

EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

The child is impulsive and curious about their environment.
Pretend play develops rapidly when adults encourage it.
The child begins to be able to say how he or she is feeling, but often feels frustrated when unable to express himself or herself.
The child can dress himself or herself and go to the lavatory independently, but needs sensitive support in order to feel success rather than frustration.
By two and a-half years, the child plays more with other children, but may not share his or her toys with them.

There are things that you can do to help or support children of this age group:

It is recommended that you offer this advice for creating a safe, nurturing space to maximize your child’s early growth and development:

Create predictable routines and rituals to keep your child feeling secure and grounded.
Toddler-proof your home and yard so kids can explore safely.
Use gentle discipline to guide and teach children. Avoid hitting, which can cause long-term physical and emotional harm.
Sing, talk, and read to your toddler to boost their vocabularies.
Watch your child for cues about the warmth and reliability of all caregivers.
Take good care of yourself physically and emotionally, because your child needs you to be healthy.

Three years to five years

During these pre-school years, children grow more and more independent and capable. Their natural curiosity is likely to be stimulated because their world is expanding: new friends, new experiences, new environments like daycare or kindergarten.

COMMUNICATION & LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT :

From three years to four years

The child begins to use plurals, pronouns, adjectives, possessives, time words, tenses, and sentences.
The child might say 'two times' instead of 'twice'. The child might say 'I goed there' instead of 'I went there'.
The child loves to chat and ask questions (what, where and who).
The child enjoys much more complicated stories and asks for his or her favourite ones over and over again.
It is not unusual for the child to stutter because he or she is trying so hard to tell adults things. The child's thinking goes faster than the pace at which the child can say what he or she wants to. The child can quickly become frustrated.

From four years to five years

During this time the child asks why, when, and how questions as he or she becomes more and more fascinated with the reasons for things and how things work (cause and effect).
Past, present, and future tenses are used more often.
The child can be taught to say his or her name, address, and age.
As the child becomes more accurate in the way he or she pronounces words and begins to use grammar, the child delights in nonsense words that he or she makes up and jokes using words.

COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT

At about age four, the child usually knows how to count - up to 20.
The child also understands ideas such as 'more' and 'fewer', and 'big' and 'small'.
The child will recognise his or her own name when it is written down and can usually write it.
The child can think backward and forward much more easily than before.
The child can also think about things from somebody else's point of view, but only fleetingly.
The child often enjoys music and playing sturdy instruments, and joins in groups singing and dancing.

EMOTIONAL AND SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT:

The child likes to be independent and is strongly self-willed.
The child shows a sense of humour.
The child can undress and dress him- or herself - except for laces and back buttons.
The child can wash and dry his or her hands and brush their teeth.

PHYSICAL DEVELOPMENT:

From Three years to four years

Gross motor skills

The child can jump from a low step.
The child can walk backwards and sideways.
The child can stand and walk on tiptoe and stand on one foot.
The child has good spatial awareness.
The child rides a tricycle, using pedals.
The child can climb stairs with one foot on each step and downwards with two feet per step

Fine motor skills

The child can build tall towers of bricks or blocks.
The child can control a pencil using thumb and first two fingers—a dynamic tripod grasp.
The child enjoys painting with a large brush.
The child can use scissors to cut paper.
The child can copy shapes, such as a circle.

From four years to five years

Gross motor skills

A sense of balance is developing - the child may be able to walk along a line.
The child can catch, kick, throw, and bounce a ball.
The child can bend at the waist to pick up objects from the floor.
The child enjoys climbing trees and frames.
The child can run up and down stairs, one foot per step.

Fine motor skills

The child can build a tower of bricks and other constructions too.
The child can draw a recognisable person on request, showing head, legs, and trunk.
The child can thread small beads on a lace.

There are things that you can do to help or support children of this age group:

It is recommended that you have strong parent-child bonds, good nutrition, adequate sleep, routines, and a safe, nurturing environment that will help to ensure that children develop as they should.

Keep reading to your child daily.
Show them how to do simple chores at home.
Be clear and consistent with your expectations, explaining what behaviors you want from your child.
Speak to your child in age-appropriate language .
Help your child problem solve when emotions are running high.
Supervise your child in outdoor play spaces , especially around water and play equipment.
Allow your child to have choices about how to interact with family members and strangers.

In conclusion, understanding the stages of child development can help parents and practitioners provide the appropriate support and care for their children. Each stage is essential and builds upon the previous stage, leading to a well-rounded individual. If you are concerned about a child’s progress, keep notes about the time periods of milestones that they have reached, and speak to your GP or health visitor. Identifying delays early on can be extremely helpful.

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Back to School Preschool Theme

Mon, 22 Jul 2024 18:59:52 GMT

BACK TO SCHOOL PRESCHOOL THEME

Are you ready for the classroom with your Back to School Preschool Crafts and Activities?

Whether this is your students’ first time in a classroom or they are returning for another year before heading off to kindergarten, this is a fun and important week. These back to school theme activities and printable will be a great addition to your plans at the beginning of the school year.

Here are ideas for BACK TO SCHOOL crafts and activities!

ART AND CRAFT

There's something about a flashy yellow school bus that always attracts our attention, whether it's time for back-to-school or not! Naturally, this school bus craft idea is child-friendly, very simple, inexpensive, and enjoyable for all ages. For a truly personalized touch, you could even place your child's image in one of the windows!

LANGUAGE & LITERACY

SPIN & COVER LETTER

Back to school Spin and cover letter is beginning sound hands-on letter recognition activity and a great way for children to practice their letter recognition skills. Spin the spinner, name the letter/letter sound, and cover the matching picture on the mat. Use a safety plastic tong to pick the coloured block of that letter and cover the matching picture on the mat.

LETTER SOUND BUS

Back to school Letter sound bus activity is a hands-on letter recognition activity and a great way for children to practice their letter recognition skills. ask children to identify the object on "LETTER SOUNDS BUS" and write the letter or use the letter flashcard or magnet alphabet or wooden letter to the object with its beginning sound.

ABC MATCHING ACTIVITY

Back to school ABC matching activity is a hands-on recognizing lowercase and uppercase letters.

MATCH AND COVER

Back to school match and cover letter activity is a hands-on letter recognition activity and a great way for children to practice their letter recognition skills. Find the letter that matches the beginning sound of each word pictured, then cover the picture with that letter.

PRE-WRITING ACTIVITY

Back to school pre-writing activity will support children to learn to use a comfortable grip with good control when holding pencils or writing tools and develop cognitive skills.

Grab the "BACK TO SCHOOL" theme pack.

MATHEMATICS

COUNT CLIP CARDS!

Back to school counting clip is a hands-on number recognition activity and interactive way for children to practice counting and identifying numbers, but they will also work on developing their fine motor skills too. This printable set of pencil number match clip cards includes the numbers 1-10.

BUS DRIVE ACTIVITIES

Bus drive shape activity is a fun way to practice making shapes and learning shape names too! Simply print pdf file with shape mat and you are ready to play and learn with this activity. Children will trace around the road shape mats to practice making shapes including: circle, oval, square, rectangle, triangle and octagon.

NUMBER PUZZLES

Back to school number puzzles is a hands-on number recognition activity and a great way for children to develop their key skills of counting objects including saying the numbers in order and matching numeral and quantity correctly.

BUS RIDE ROLE & COLUR

Bus Ride Rolland colour is for math center and for children to practice their number recognition and quantity .Roll the dice, identify the number, and colour the number which matches the quantity shown on the dice. Continue until all the numbers are coloured.

ADDITION CLIP CARDS

Back to school additional clip card activity are a great way to review addition facts to 10 , while sneaking in some fine motor work, too! Let the student quickly grabbed a clothespin, count the school supplies, and clipped the correct answer to the addition problem.

Grab the "BACK TO SCHOOL" theme pack.

Caterpillar and Butterfly Counting Jar activity

Sat, 02 Mar 2024 13:43:20 GMT

Caterpillar & Butterfly Counting

Jar Activity

The Caterpillars & Butterflies counting jar activity is a fun way to identify numbers and a great way for children to practice counting skills. It is a perfect activity for the preschoolers who are still polishing their basic counting skills, and older preschoolers can even do it independently. It is super simple to set up.

What’s inside the Caterpillar and Butterfly Counting Jar Activity?

Caterpillar and Butterfly Counting Jar activity suits children of all ages. So it doesn't matter if you’re teaching toddlers, preschoolers, or older children. There’s something for everyone inside. You will find the following things in the pack:

Planning sheet:

The Caterpillar and butterfly activity pack includes a plan to guide you on how to start the activity. Three activities has described in the activity pack using the caterpillars and butterflies pictures cutout, number cards, Counting jar mat to use with a group of children, and an evidence worksheet for each child to record their understanding.

Activity Jar mat:

There are three activity jar mats: one is a caterpillar couniting jar mat, and the other is a butterfly counting jar mat. This activity mat will be used for two different activities that are mentioned in the lesson planning.

Number cards and caterpillar and butterfly counters:

There are two sets of number cards (1–10) in this activity pack. One square set of number cards (1–10) is for the caterpillar counting jar, and the other is a circle-shaped set of number cards (1–10) for the butterfly counting jar activity. There are one set of 12 butterfly counters and one set of 10 caterpillar counters.

Evidence Activity Worksheets:

Evidence worksheet will help to record the understanding of the concepts of identifying the number and counting caterpillars or butterflies. . If you want to use your worksheet longer, laminate it and use it again and again. I have shared two activity sheets, one in colour and one in black and white. This worksheet can be useful if you’re teaching your child identifying, counting and formation of numbers. There are so many ways to use this evidence worksheets. So, go ahead, and do it! Your download is waiting for YOU!

How I get the activity?

Download the Caterpillar and butterfly pack. Successfully downloaded? Great! Print it out!

GRAB YOUR DOWNLOAD

Ready to work on! Grab your copy of the Caterpillar and butterfly counting jar activity pack by clicking "DOWNLOAD" below!

Speaking and Listening Activities for Children

Thu, 06 Jul 2023 06:05:06 GMT

Speaking and Listening Activities

for children

Play- based activities that support communication, attention and emotional wellbeing

By Shamima Fowzee | Early Years Trainer & Creative Art Therapist

Talking and listening are essential developmental skills for children. The ability to listen is essential for language development and reading. Children improve their vocabulary, grammar, and sentence structure. Listening entails paying attention to sounds in the environment, music, conversation, and a story. Listening to people speak helps children learn languages. As children learn to communicate with one another, they ask questions, listen to word definitions, and learn interesting and important facts about the world.

I n this page:

Importance of Talking and listening activities for Preschoolers
Appropriate Speaking and Listening Activities for Preschoolers
Role of the adult when talking and listening to children
Factors enhance talking and listening activities

Importance of Talking and listening activities for Preschoolers

Talking and listening skills are very important for the child’s learning and development because if the child’s talking and listening skills are good, they can develop the rest of their skills. Let's discuss some reasons why listening and speaking games are important for the child's learning and development.

Language and Communication Development:

When children listen to others, they will gain new vocabulary words that they will use in their communication. Additionally, they will be able to express themselves more clearly and to place their thoughts logically. For that, we have to talk to children as we talk to adults, but in a clearer way and slowly so that the child will memorize these new words and use them when he communicates with others. When children listen carefully and learn new words, they will be developing their language and communication skills.

Listening and talking activities enhance vocabulary and language skills in children. As they talk, they grab new words, they pick different expressions and narrate them in his own words. By talking and listening children enhance their multi language skills.

Emotional development:

Children have different tantrums sometime they feel sad, happy and sometime super exited. Talking and listening skills help to express their feelings in right way, like crying, anger, and sense of happiness. They able to develop self-esteem, self-confidence and self-control. They better get idea how to control and express their feelings and thoughts positively.

Social development :

Children who are active listeners will develop their language and be able to express themselves to others in an effective way. Once children have good communication skills, they will have good relationships with others, especially their friends. So listening and talking to others are key elements for social development.

Cognitive development:

Children who listen carefully and are active listeners will have better memory and concentration than those who are passive listeners. So those who focus on listening find it easier to incorporate what they hear and will remember it for a longer time. So Listening and talking games improve children’s memory and concentration.

Appropriate Speaking and Listening Activities for Preschoolers

There are many talking and listening games that are appropriate for children. Here I will list some age appropriate listening and talking games :

Simon Says:

It is an interesting game to encourage talking and listening skills in children. In this game, one person calls out instructions by saying, "Simon says..." that the rest must perform. Instructions can range from simple directions ("Simon says, touch your toes) to more complex routines ("Simon says, tug on your left ear, then your right) Instructions can range from simple directions ("Simon says, touch your toes") to more complex routines ("Simon says, tug on your left ear, then your right ear"). However, if Simon makes a request that does not start with "Simon says...", anyone who performs that action is eliminated.

This game is enhanced by tricking the children into paying more attention. Once children realise they need to pay attention to the words and not the actions, they develop focus, listening skills, and attention to detail. This game can be used for Gross motor and body awareness development by following instructions like hop 5 times or do 3 jumping jacks. Excellent way for a child to improve balance; e.g., Simon says to stand on one foot.

I spy with my little eye:

The most popular traditional listening and talking game among pre-schoolers . Children pay great attention to the three hints and then ask questions until they figure it out. To describe a ball, for example, we may say, "I spy something with my small eye, something round and full with air, that bounces." This game also includes listening and talking skills, where some speaks loudly and says something, they can see around them and starts describing it and the others have to listen to the talker and try to guess the answer.

This game is appropriate for children as it develops their listening skills as they are listening to the talker, their language skills as they are communicating with each other, their social skills as they are communicating with many different people in the game and making friends, their emotional skills as they are feeling happy and excited about the game and feeling happy to win and make new friends and their physical skills as they move/touch things after the players guess it to show them what it was.

Hide and seek:

Hide and seek is another fun talking and listening game. This game could be played with three children, where two children hide themselves and the third child has to seek them out. While waiting for the two children to hide properly, the third child shouts, Can I come’? If they are ready for her, they respond yes; otherwise, not yet, and the seeker does as they say. The first person to be found becomes the next seeker, and the game is played again.

Guessing that sound:

Guess that sound is another fun talking and listening game. In this game, you could ask children to close their eyes or tie them with a blindfold. You can then make a variety of sounds and ask them to identify the sound they hear. Examples could be animal sounds, claps, tapping on the table, or closing a door.

The green light, red light game is another interesting game that helps children talk and listen. Use toy cars to play this game. When the child hears red, he should stop the activity and start it when he hears green.

Finish my line:

The game is played with children by asking them to finish your sentences. This can be played with popular children’s songs like Wheels on the Bus Go.

Whisper Game :

Here, one child whispers a word or a sentence to another child’s ears, then asks them what he or she said to find out if they heard correctly or not.

Music and freeze game:

This is an interactive game where children are asked to dance, then freeze or stop immediately the music is turned on. Whoever is still dancing after the music stops is said to have lost.

Shopping game:

I love this game; it improves auditory memory. It starts with: A man went shopping, and he bought a cap. Consecutive children repeat the sentence and add another item to the shopping list. The idea is that the children have to listen attentively to remember what has already been said and not repeat it.

Play The Directions Game:

Teaching your child to listen & follow directions strengthens their logical & listening skills. It allows them to think about what they’re being asked to do & decide to follow it then. This activity allows them to actively listen to the instructions. The overall objective of such a game is to help them develop a helpful behavior with reasoning & problem-solving abilities. Some of these games are Musical Chairs, Simon Says, Statues, & many more.

Read Stories :

Daily reading helps a child improve their listening skills by engaging them in stories of different characters. This helps them comprehend the part effectively & understand the sentence structure too. Always remember to put up questions about the next predictions. Another way to listen to these stories is through audio books. It not only improves reading accuracy by 52% but also promotes brain development & language skills.

Role of the adult when talking and listening to children

Being adult there are some points which we should follow while talking and listening to children as adult body language or word can affect the personality of a child. So adult play a very vital role in talking and listening activities of children, here are some suggestion how we being adult can help child during their listening and speaking activities:

Role model to the Children:

it is of great importance for an adult to be a good example and be very careful and conscious of the type of language and words that he/she will use to communicate with children. Always use simple words and also try to introduce new words when to talking to children so that their vocabulary and language skills are enhanced every day. Give children simple and straight forward instructions so that they may be able to fully understand instructions given to them and to catch their attention. The adult should always try to be on the children’s level, listen actively to them and let them talk freely always.

Most children are very loud when they speak, or they may speak whilst crying or doing some tantrums. This, therefore, calls for the adult to stay calm in such situation and try to under the message that is being communicated by the child. As an adult, always try to find new ways of making the children speak and listen especially through games and activities. For example, when doing action songs, the adult needs to demonstrate the actions to the children.

Make Eye contact:

When listening to children, make lots of eye contact and be patient. Making eye contact allows both adult and children to concentrate on the discussion and read facial emotions. This can boost understanding, which can considerably improve communication between the adult and the child.

Let the child finish talking and then respond.

Patience is key for an adult to have. Some children speak slowly and may take time to finish talking, so it will need the adult to give them more time and attention. The adult should give full attention and try to listen understand what the child would be trying to communicate. Do not interrupt children when they speak, let them speak until they are finished then you can help or probe them more if you did not understand what they said.

Avoid putting words in a child’s mouth.

When children speak, the adult should give full attention and try to listen understand what the child would be trying to communicate. Some children speak slowly and may take time to finish talking, so it will need the adult to give them more time and attention. When a child speaks, you should pay close attention. Avoid putting words in a child's mouth, jump in, or cut the child off by reaching a conclusion.

Encouraging children to talk.

Another role of an adult when talking and listening to a child is to support and encourage the child, the adult should support and encourage the child to talk more.

Factors enhance talking and listening activities

Environmental factors:

Children would not be able to focus on communicating with people if, for example, the place was noisy because the noise would pull their attention away and they could not hear properly. Therefore, when communicating with a child, make sure the place is not noisy, too hot, or too cold for them, or that the child is not in a comfortable seat because they won’t concentrate with you.

Adding audio visual:

Adding audio visual aids can enhance talking and listening activities to a large extent. Offering music can support auditory learners and children who may find it difficult to sit and concentrate when a story is being read, this allows all children to be involved in the activity. CD’s can also offer children a range of sounds and visuals from different cultures and backgrounds, extending their understanding of the world and communities. Visual aids and musical instruments are proven to support and refine children’s attention and listening skills expanding their overall learning capacity. Most children can grab and retain more information when they are presented with a visual as it helps them to connect what they are learning or listening to with an image which makes it easier for children to hold in their memory.

Ask open ended questions:

After a talking/listening activity like reading or story telling, try to ask questions about the story and characters, what the children learnt from it or how they would have done in a similar situation. Adding relevant questions makes the activity more interactive and engaging for children. Using questions when reading helps to develop children's knowledge, comprehension, imagination, and enjoyment of books and listening activities.

Using puppets can be an effective teaching aid:

Adding props to talking and listening activities grabs the children’s attention and prolongs their attention and interest in the activity. Using puppets are a great way for children to rein acts the stories that they hear. They offer children a visual prompt when listening to stories or a nursery rhyme, helping them to understand what is happening. Puppets can be used to help children understand empathy and emotions, whilst giving children who are shy some confidence in interacting with others. Puppets can be bought or be made by the children, to fit with a particular theme or story.

Talking slowly and clearly to children:

Talk slowly and clearly to children so that they can understand what we are talking to them taking in to consideration how long they can keep on paying attention and focusing and what things they can understand.

Praise the child:

Praise is a very simple but effective tool that can enhance talking and listening activities for children, improve the results from the activities on children as it encourages children to concentrate and do better. When we praise children not only are we acknowledging simple actions and behaviours but we are also giving them a sense of achievement and self-worth. We should acknowledge a child's effort or progress without just focusing on the end result using clear, specific language. Offering descriptive praise shows that we are paying close attention. Praising children for their effort promotes initiation and more willingness to attempt new skills, encourages independent thought and creativity. Specific praise like “good job, you learned a new world today” is more effective than generalized like “good job” to encourage a child.

Final Thoughts:

It’s important for students to continually develop their listening and speaking skills. Listening and speaking activities are of paying attention and getting meaning from something that you hear. By having students engage in a variety of classroom activities like the ones mentioned in this blog, you will help them develop and build their skills.

The Importance of Creativity and Imagination for Children

Sun, 02 Jul 2023 09:39:29 GMT

T he Importance of Creativity and Imagination
for Children

Every invention for which we are grateful today was once the product of someone's imagination. Every new advancement in these inventions is the result of someone's inventiveness. When your children play with their toys, their entire world transforms into a different dimension in their imagination. The bed transforms into a vast sea, and the cushions into a ship. In your children's imagination, the sheets become a fort and the teddy bear a powerful steed. All of this may appear to be child's play, but would you believe that while they are playing, they are developing their social, behavioural, and decision-making skills?

The Importance of Creativity and Imagination for Children

Creativity and imagination are important in the early years of a child's development. Children can develop and thrive emotionally, socially, and physically through creative and imaginative play. Creative activities encourage a child's development of these skills while also allowing them to express their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. Exploring creative possibilities with children contributes to and promotes their development. Let's see how creativity and imagination can help in a child's learning and growth.

Promotes social interactions and emotional development

Creativity and Imagination are important as they aid in the personal, social, and emotional development of a child. It helps the child develop relationships, self-awareness, and self-confidence, as well as manage feelings and behaviour. When children are playing turn-taking games, for example, they learn how to be fair and take turns; they also learn patience as they have to wait their turns. Another skill learned through creative play is sharing with friends, which is vital to making meaningful relationships.

Helps in the development of motor skills skills

Creativity and imagination are important for the development of a child since they enhance their physical development. Art and craft, pretend play, or simply playing outdoors prove to be fine motor activities for children. Whether a child is dancing to their own beat or jumping over bushes outdoors, it improves hand-eye coordination and muscle memory. Dressing up dolls and playing with small cars and figurines helps your child self-regulate her movements and behaviour.

Aids cognitive development

Creativity and Imagination are important as they enhance the cognitive development of children. This is important as it enhances a child’s brain development. Creative play like cooking involves reading and writing as well as an understanding of numbers, shapes, and sizes. This improves a child’s literacy and numeracy skills. Through creative and Imaginative play like storytelling, the child is able to understand the world and how certain concepts work. It is therefore important to ensure that children are given options and opportunities for creative and imaginative play so they can grow holistically.

Builds communication skills

Creativity and imagination help the children grow in communication and language. This involves their understanding, paying attention, and speaking. When children are involved in talking and listening games, like playing together "I spy", they grow their language since they are talking to one another. Games that have rules, for example, help children learn to pay attention to details and follow instructions. When children are playing with their peers, like in role-playing, they grow their vocabulary as they express their ideas to their friends.

Different activities that contributes to a child's creative and imaginative development

“You can't use up creativity. The more you use, the more you have” - Maya Angelou, Poet

Role Play and Dressing up

Role play and dressing up contribute to a child’s creative and imaginative development since the child is able to express their ideas as well as pretend to be someone or something else. The children get the opportunity to experiment with their ideas in real life. Children, for example, love superheroes, so they enjoy dressing up like their favourite superheroes. In role play, a child will dress like Superman and pretend to save the world from a crisis. This will contribute to a child’s creative and imaginative development. Here are just a few common children’s role play examples:

Pushing a doll in a pram
Pretending to be a superhero
Going shopping and "paying" for items
Having an adult conversation on a toy phone
Pretending to be a nurse, she sees a patient and a doctor consulting in her room.

Construction Building

Constructive play contributes to a child’s creativity and imagination since the child gets to express their understanding of the world through play. This type of activity will involve the child stacking blocks to create a tower, for example, a child gets the chance to imagine themselves building a tower such as the Burj Khalifa. The child who is stacking blocks will have a sense of accomplishment as the tower grows bigger, but they might also feel disappointed when the last block makes the tower crumble. The child will also talk about his or her creation and learn from other children when they are playing in a group, thereby expanding their creativity. The child will also experiment with materials and discover how things work.

Drawing and Painting

Children get the opportunity to expand their creativity and imagination through drawing and painting. These activities help a child develop many thinking skills that include problem-solving, developing their imagination, concentration, and critical thinking. By exploring different materials and tools, discovering new concepts and techniques, and exploring different colours, children can develop their ideas and their understanding of the world. Having the choice to choose from a set of colours, mixing different colours and using different techniques to blend, and using different materials and objects to fit with each other are all ways in which children utilise and develop their creativity and imagination.

Through drawing and painting, children learn to explore their environment , learn about themselves, and develop their imagination. With art, there is no right or wrong; children have endless possibilities to create and express their imagination. Young children are not focused on getting an end result; such activities let them be in the moment and use their imagination, which enhances their creative development.

Through painting, sculpture, collage, clay, drawing, or any other medium, art is a way for children to work through emotions, make decisions, and express their ideas. Furthermore, art activities build confidence because children gain a sense of mastery over materials, resulting in a new creation.

Activities involving words

From rhymes to riddles, silly sounds to phonics, games like "I Spy" to making up lyrics to well-known songs, verbal interactive activities can inspire and nurture creative minds. These activities both increase vocabulary and help your child learn phonics. These games are also a great way to pass the time on long car rides.

Cooking

Children learn to explore their imaginations when they are involved in cooking. This activity helps them learn about measurement and how to mix and blend. They also learn kitchen safety and hygiene, as well as healthy eating. Cooking contributes to a child’s creativity and imagination since it involves experimenting with different food items. A child who is making a fruit salad, for example, will explore different textures and colours of fruits to understand which fruits can be mixed together and how they differ in taste. The child will also grow their imagination and creativity through interacting with the kitchen equipment, working with their peers, and following the teacher’s instructions.

Storytelling and Reading Storybooks

Storytelling contributes to a child’s development as the child’s imagination is invoked. The child’s imagination develops through this activity as the child think and come up with answers to the question, What happens next?’ The different scenarios the child creates help to develop their imagination. The practitioner will ask children to come up with ways to end a story or ask the children ‘What next? or ‘What if? questions that provoke children to use their imagination in answering the questions and predicting what comes next. The children may even role-play and act as characters from the book.

Using the child's imagination, brainstorm other possible scenarios or endings for the story, make up stories with the child, sometimes with her as the main character and sometimes with ethical dilemmas, and make up a continuing story in turns.

Final thoughts:

As children are enrolled in early childhood education, they learn to express themselves fully and confidently. Creativity fosters their mental health growth as it creates a platform and opportunity for the children to think, try new things, be patient, come up with ideas, and solve problems.

Professional Development Opportunities For Early Childhood Educators

Thu, 08 Jun 2023 05:40:37 GMT

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

For early childhood educators, learning opportunities abound, ranging from formal conferences and events to informal opportunities such as reading and mentors.

Professional Development Opportunities

Though you may have thought your school days were long gone, it is critical that you stay current on developments in the field of early childhood education in order to provide the best possible care for your young children. Parents today are looking for childcare professionals who are innovative, highly educated, and qualified to care for their children using the most up-to-date approaches to early childhood education. Fortunately, there are numerous ways (both formal and informal) to improve your learning. The following are some of the best professional development opportunities for early childhood educators.

Training Courses:

There are short training courses available in the majority of local areas. Many training courses are only a few hours long, but some can be much longer. Short training courses are typically organized by local governments, but they can also be organized by local networks. Training courses can help you learn more about a specific aspect of working with children, such as encouraging good behaviour or providing opportunities for math. Short training courses are also excellent ways to meet people from various early childhood settings. A certificate of attendance is usually given at the end of a training course.

Participate in conferences and seminars. Conferences are fantastic learning opportunities because they allow you to hear from industry leaders, network with your peers, and shop for new books, equipment, and supplies for your childcare centre. Every year, a variety of one-day conferences with national speakers are held. Attending a conference may require some travel, but it can be interesting to hear the perspectives of early childhood experts as well as leaders in the field of education. While most conferences and seminars charge a fee to attend, some local governments organise conferences at little or no cost.

Reading:

There are numerous professional journals, blogs, and newspapers for the early years as well as the larger education sector. Picking out articles and reading them is a good way to learn more about any aspect of early childhood education. Ideally, it is beneficial to discuss them with others afterwards, as the process of discussion often leads to us becoming more reflective in our practise.

Peer observation:

Peer observation is an invaluable tool for professional development in early years settings. When you observe your practice with colleagues and provide feedback, it creates a supportive environment that promotes growth and learning. A foundation of trust is essential, as it allows for open and honest communication. Knowing that the observer has your best interests at heart helps create a safe space for feedback that is sensitive but constructive.

To ensure a focused observation, it is useful to agree on specific areas or aspects of your practice that the observer will focus on. This could be your interactions with children, strategies to promote active learning, or your ability to support individual needs. By narrowing the focus, you can get feedback that directly aligns with your goals and areas for improvement.

Some early years settings have developed peer observation sheets or forms that provide a structured framework for observation and feedback. These tools can guide the observer to record their observations, make notes about significant moments, and highlight strengths and suggestions for improvement. Using such sheets can streamline the monitoring process and ensure feedback is comprehensive and relevant.

A significant advantage of peer observation is the familiarity that exists between the observer and the practitioner. This familiarity allows for deeper discussion and a better understanding of the context in which practice occurs. You can have meaningful conversations with your observer, gain more insight into the observations made, and explore potential strategies to enhance your practice.

Appraisal:

In early years settings, it is common practice to establish a team of staff responsible for conducting appraisal on an annual or half-yearly basis. These appraisal provide a comprehensive overview of your professional performance, including your strengths, weaknesses and areas for future development. Typically, this process is performed by the setting's manager or deputy, who evaluates your work through observation and seeks input from your peers.

An important aspect of the appraisal process is your own reflection and input regarding your practice. You have the opportunity to share your thoughts, insights and areas where you believe improvement is needed. This helps provide a holistic perspective on your professional development.

During the appraisal, you will likely engage in a detailed discussion with your appraiser. They will guide you through an analysis of your work, highlight significant aspects and together you will agree on areas to focus on for improvement. This collaborative approach ensures that your goals are aligned with the assessment results.

After discussion, it is considered good practice to develop a development plan. This plan outlines your goals as well as strategies and activities that will facilitate your progress. A development plan serves as a roadmap for your professional growth, helping you stay focused and committed to achieving your goals. To monitor your progress towards agreed goals, regular meetings should be scheduled. These meetings provide an opportunity to review and discuss your development plan, assess your progress and make any necessary adjustments. Regular check-ins and ongoing support ensure you receive guidance and encouragement on your professional development journey.

Self-evaluation:

Self-evaluation involves practitioners reflecting critically on their own practice and identifying areas for improvement. This approach encourages individuals to take ownership of their professional development. This can be done through self-reflection, documentation and gathering evidence of practice. Practitioners analyze their strengths, challenges and areas where they can further improve their skills and knowledge. They can review their own observations, assessments and documentation of children's learning to gain insight into their practice. Through self-assessment, practitioners identify their own professional development needs and can then provide appropriate resources, training, or mentoring to address those needs.

In addition to focusing on personal development, it is worth considering the development of others and how you can contribute to their growth. However, it is also essential to engage in self-evaluation, which involves objectively reflecting on your own strengths and areas for improvement. Although self-assessment can be challenging, it is an important process that informs your next steps Here are some questions that can support self-assessment.

Visits to other setting:

It is always beneficial to visit a variety of early childhood settings. It can assist us in learning new ideas and methods of working. Most practitioners find it to be a very useful tool for helping them reflect on their own development as well as think about their pedagogy.

Courses leading to Qualification:

It is possible that you should consider furthering your education to obtain a recognized qualification. There are several options for obtaining additional qualifications, including distance learning courses, enrolling in a local college or university, or enrolling in a week-long course. There are numerous benefits to pursuing additional qualifications, including becoming a better practitioner, meeting new people while working in the early years, and being able to apply for more demanding roles later on.

Barriers To Leveling Up Your Professional Development

Regardless of their role or level within an organisation, all employees have the potential for professional growth and development. The level of professional development an employee can achieve may be determined by a number of factors, including available resources, organisational support, and the employee's motivation and commitment. However, there are times when some barriers may exist. Among these impediments are the following:

Financial Constraints

Professional development can be expensive; may need more means to afford education or training. This can be due to low income, lack of savings, or high education costs.

Time Restriction

Employees may have busy schedules or family responsibilities that make it difficult for them to attend training or development opportunities on occasion. Long working hours, commuting, or caring for family members are examples of this.

The Fear of Failure

Employees are often hesitant to pursue professional development opportunities because they are afraid of failing or lack confidence. They may be concerned about not completing the training or applying what they have learned on the job.

Inadequate Motivation

Some employees may be unmotivated to pursue professional development opportunities because they do not see their worth. Certain employees are also unwilling to advance professionally or take on new responsibilities. This could be because they are happy in their current position and would prefer to avoid the additional mental load that comes with training and promotions.

Inadequate Feedback

Employees may be unable to identify problem areas and assess their own strengths and weaknesses if they do not receive adequate feedback. Managers or supervisors may be to blame for a lack of organisation or poor communication. Workers may be unaware whether they are on the right track, meeting expectations, or need to improve in certain areas if they do not receive accurate feedback.

Final Thought :

Professional development is fundamental to both personal and professional growth. It is essential to remember that keeping up with the fast-paced and always-changing demands of the workforce requires a lifetime of effort. Also, professional development should be considered a continual process that calls for passion and commitment from all parties involved, as it is a journey rather than a destination.

Young Children's Development Workshop

Mon, 29 May 2023 08:24:52 GMT

Young child's development

Do you work with children, wish to do in the future? Making sure that children and young people develop effectively is an important role for all adults that care or work with children and young people.

Workshop Summary

Visual Study
Workshop Presentation per lesson
Download materials

About the workshop

This workshop will be focusing on the development of young children under the age of three years. It will give you an opportunity to show the importance of meeting the young child’s basic needs and how this can support individual children’s development.

What you will learn in this workshop

LESSON 1:

Development of young children

"Child development does not mean developing your child into the person you think they should be, but helping them develop into the best person they are meant to be." - Tony Sorenson

In Lesson 1 : Understand the different stages of a child's development from birth to age three.

we will look at what is child development and different areas of development. Click the following link for details:

https://www.shamimasworkshop.com/understanding-of-child-development

In Lesson 1 : Why young children’s development may occur in different sequences and at different rates

Young children are quickly influenced by a variety of environmental influences, which has an impact on their learning and behavior. Numerous social, environmental, economic, and biological factors might have an impact on them. Click the following link for why young children’s development may occur in different sequences and at different rates.:

https://www.shamimasworkshop.com/rate-and-sequence-of-child-development

In Lesson 1 : how all areas of development of the young child are interconnected or interlinked.

Holistic Development is an approach to learning that emphasizes the importance of the physical, cognitive, language and social-emotional well-being of children, particularly in early childhood. This refers to the child's overall growth or the whole process of development. Click following link for how all areas of development of the young child are interconnected or interlinked:

https://www.shamimasworkshop.com/holistic-development

Young Children's Development - workshop video. Chapter in the video:

00:00 : Child development and areas of child development

4:05 : Holistic development in early Years.

7:31: Understand patters of children's development from birth to three years

14:06 : Rate and sequence, factors that influence on child development.

Professional Development in Early years

Tue, 23 May 2023 11:50:36 GMT

Professional Development in Early Years

Never forget that no one is born an expert in their field as you advance in your career. Every successful person has spent a lot of time improving their skills and learning new ones. They have also taken advantage of professional development opportunities throughout their entire career. Professional development and ongoing learning are more crucial than ever for success and the achievement of career goals in the increasingly competitive and ever-changing professional world.

What is Professional development?

"Professional development" refers to the process by which adults continue to reflect on their practice and stay current with their knowledge and skills. To increase your knowledge in your chosen field, it may involve enrolling in classes or workshops, going to professional or industry conferences, or receiving a certificate.

The Importance of Professional Development for Early Childhood Educators

Professional development in early childhood refers to several experiences that promote education, training, and development opportunities for early childhood practitioners who work with young children. It also applies to a full range of activities that attempt to increase the knowledge base, skill set, or attitudinal perspectives as a practitioner engages in home-visiting, parent education, child care, preschool education and/or kindergarten to third-grade teaching, or educational support services. Its ultimate goal is to facilitate the acquisition of specific learning and social–emotional competencies in young children and to promote important family-specific abilities to support children's learning and development. It allows teachers to self-reflect and develop qualities that will allow them to lead successful classrooms. How can teachers provide an impactful education to young learners if they lack the proper foundation and a foundation for creating a positive classroom? A new skill, ability, knowledge, or process can be learned through both formal and informal learning in the field of childcare. Professional growth has an impact on the children in your care's ability to learn well. As a result, we are also becoming more aware of how early childhood educators' knowledge, abilities, and practice contribute significantly to children's learning. It is important in early years for many reasons, as outlined below:

Boosts confidence and credibility:

By increasing professionals’ expertise through professional development, confidence in their work will increase. No one likes to think they’re missing important skills in their industry. Professional development courses, continuing education, and training opportunities allow professionals to build confidence and credibility as they acquire new skill sets and professional designations.

Quality provision:

As a professional, you are aware of the evidence pointing to the long-term effects of high-quality early childhood education on children's outcomes, future learning, and prospects in life. Professional development and reflective practice are valued in part because they can enhance the standard of our work with children. We can keep enhancing our practice by carefully considering what we do and how it affects the enjoyment and development of children.

All settings and professionals must evaluate how to effectively create, maintain, and enhance provision in order to provide the greatest quality learning and development experiences for all children and their families, which is what quality improvement is all about. Children who get high-quality care are more likely to attain superior academic results and acquire the social, emotional, and cognitive skills needed for lifelong learning. In the long run, poor quality offering does not promote children's learning and development.

Expands Understanding Of Effective Teaching Practices:

As we learn more about children's brain development and abilities, teaching practices are constantly evolving. It is essential for teachers to stay current on new research and understand how our growing understanding of children's brains affects what they do in the classroom. Learning a new teaching practice or theory can help teachers connect with students more effectively, including those who appear disengaged.

Research:

Research is an important tool that educators can use to assist themselves in their professional development. Sometimes research will show certain methods of working with children that are especially important. Research is useful in addressing specific practice issues and providing a solid reference point to guide teaching. Engaging in research is essential for a teacher's ongoing development as an inquisitive and effective educator. The internet can be used as a learning resource, assessment for learning can be provided, including self and peer evaluation, cooperative learning practices can be used to improve social skills, maximize group productivity, boost pupil enthusiasm, professional behaviour management training, reading, mathematics, and social sciences education, science inquiry-based learning, and a curriculum that encourages creativity.

Provide networking opportunities:

When people work as team, discuss, attend courses, seminars, and conferences, they come close and come to know what’s normal and what’s not in early childhood classrooms which help a lot dealing with dilemmas especially to the young and fresh educators who become overwhelmed when they encounter such problems in the beginning of their carrier. The support from their colleagues which taking steps in the direction of professional development becomes biggest source of confidence to the educators.

Increased professionalism becomes a key to support children’s holistic development:

When educators invest in their continuous professional development, they fee more equipped, competent, confident to deal with challenges in the personalities of different children. They can well understand them, easily do early intervention, give more compassion by understanding the child’s needs and design best plans and environment full of inclusion to support in the progression of children with different needs and help building holistic personalities with success for the society.

Personal Interest:

Everyone should participate in professional development for personal interest. It is beneficial for us to acquire new talents in order to stay motivated. As a result, we can work well and sensitively with children because we are fresh and interested in them. In order to stay employed and advance, it is also necessary to participate in professional development.

Influences from other early childhood educators' work:

Working with young children can be approached from a variety of angles. The influence of other early childhood institutions and other countries' early education strategies can occasionally cause practices to change. The adoption of learning journeys in many educational institutions is an example of how strategies from other countries can be incorporated to improve early education. In order to stay updated about early educational strategies, it is also necessary to participate in professional development.

Social changes:

When circumstances change, we must either adapt our working methods or keep our expertise current. There was a growing recognition of the importance of work-life balance, and employers began to prioritize employee well-being and mental health. These changes have continued to evolve over time, as society and the workforce have adapted to new challenges and opportunities.

Legislations, Policies and Procedures:

Government law have an impact on how practitioners interact with children, and this may involve changes to the legal system. Early childhood practitioners must be aware of changes in legislation and statutory frameworks. By professional development, the practitioner gets updated about the new policies, procedures and practices the government is making to enhance the quality of education. For example, the Early Years Statutory Framework, which will take effect on September 1, 2021, has now been published, with some changes. Such as, promoting oral health is now part of the health requirements. 'This change makes it an explicit requirement to promote children's oral health and was consulted on alongside the wider EYFS reforms in 2019' (Department of Education, 2021).

To conclude Professional development is important as it gives you new knowledge that may help you to deal with new or complex situations, can help you achieve your career goals by focusing on learning and development. It will give you confidence in your role, will demonstrate your commitment to developing your skills and knowledge in a subject area and keep you up to date with the latest strategies and legislations.

Activities that promote children's emotional well-being

Wed, 15 Feb 2023 07:52:47 GMT

Activities that Promote children's emotional well-being.

What is Emotional Well-being?

Have you ever noticed that most young children run right to their parents or other carers when they are scared? They might just want someone to hug them and stay close. This is typical behaviour for sometimes-adult young children! In this blog we look at activities for children's emotional well-being. Try some of the suggestions below if you're looking for things to do to support the wellbeing of your children. A broad term used to describe many aspects of emotional growth, such as relationships, self-esteem, happiness, and resilience, is "emotional well-being.". The world and those around them, as well as one's own achievements, talents, relationships, diet, sleep, and activity, are all things that they encourage children to consider!

Activities that promote children's emotional well-being:

Early childhood educators can support children's emotional wellbeing in a variety of ways. By planning activities, we can help children with their emotional wellbeing. Depending on the needs of the child, there are many different types of activities to pick from.

When planning an activity, keep the following in mind:

When planning activities for children, there are a number of things to keep in mind.

Age and developmental stage

They are important because without them, the child might not take pleasure in or gain from the activity.

Interest of the children

It is important to think about what the child might find appealing. Based on children's interests or other activities the child has previously enjoyed, some activities are effective.

Outcome

It's important to think about which aspect of a child's emotional wellbeing you want to foster—for instance, confidence, emotional expression, or transition management.

Activities for Birth - 1 year 11 months:

Spending time with them and making sure bonds with them are strong are the main ways we support children in this age group. Since children in this age group have a tendency to put objects, any equipment or resources used must always be risk assessed first.

PEEK A BOO :

Generations of parents and adults have enjoyed playing the popular game of peek-a-boo with young children and babies. The simple act of being hidden and then "found" seems to benefit young children's development in addition to delighting them. Another predecessor to games like Hide and Seek is peek-a-boo. Playing peek-a-boo with adults can make children more comfortable around them. Additionally, they support children in communicating their emotions and in understanding that adults are there for them. enables infants and toddlers to take control by removing the fabric and "finding" their play partner. It can also make them feel special and wanted to be found which help them to express their emotions. .

MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS:

Children can express their emotions through musical play such as singing or making sounds with toys or simple instruments. Babies enjoy musical toys that play music when they turn a dial or press a button. This gives infants a sense of competence and can support the growth of their sense of self-efficacy.

PLAYING WITH MIRRORS :

Mirrors hold a special appeal for young children of this age because they help them form an early sense of identity. The purpose of looking through the looking glass is to teach your child how to train her eyes to focus, how to follow pictures, how to learn new words, and how to discover the amazing things a face can do. It's also a significant social and emotional milestone that babies typically reach during their first year of life when they begin to enjoy their own blinking, smiling reflection in a mirror. Offer your baby age-appropriate mirrors made of a safe material, such as acrylic with mirrors or plexiglass, rather than actual glass.

Activities for 2- 2years 11 months

When considering play opportunities, especially in terms of safety, keep in mind that children in this age range are known to be impulsive and active. Two-year-old's are still learning how to share and may be able to do this if adults provide them with assistance. Additionally, opportunities for these can be beneficial because children can express their emotions through sensory materials, which they are beginning to enjoy. At this age, children are also fascinated by seeing pictures of themselves and other children.

PLAYING WITH WATER & SAND :

Sand and water are examples of materials that children find to be calming and that also give them a sense of power because there is no right or wrong way to use them. These are frequently used to assist children in expressing emotions, such as anger.

MAKING PLAYDOUGH :

Young children enjoy playing with playdough and will squish, roll, sculpt, and mold it. With this age group, it is feasible to get by, which encourages them to develop feelings of competence and responsibility. They can then play with the dough, which is thought to support in children's emotional release. They can assist children in overcoming strong emotions. Bring out the playdough and props when children seem anxious or angry!

BOOKS AND STORIES :

Children's books are our first exposure to the art of storytelling. Reading aloud to children can support them during a transaction or help them talk about their feelings. They have the chance to learn about emotions through storytelling as they identify with the characters in a book.

Activities for 3-5 years:

This age group of children is beginning to play cooperatively. Role play is important as a sensory material because it enables children to express and explore their feelings. Children can read aloud to adults and enjoy sharing books with them. This is yet another method for teaching children about other people and how to think about emotions. Children like picking up new skills because doing so can help them become more competent.

COOKING ACTIVITIES :

There are a lot of enjoyable and simple recipes out there, despite the fact that cooking with children may seem a little overwhelming. Giving children a choice in what to cook is a good thing, but you also need to make sure the recipe is simple and clear enough.Children who participate in cooking activities gain new skills and develop a sense of self-worth.

SMALL WORLD PLAY:

Small worlds are frequently created with a theme in mind (farms, a building site, pirates at sea, a dinosaur world, etc.) that is current and meaningful to the child at the time. They also frequently include a sensory component (water, sand, dry pasta, leaves, etc.) that adds to the play's challenges. Children can develop a sense of competence as they create imaginary roles for farm animals, play people, or cars by combining sensory materials with small world play. Through these types of play, children can also express their emotions.

ROLE PLAY :

While this kind of play typically occurs naturally and without much adult direction, you can encourage it by posing the right questions or supplying props, objects, or waste materials. Children can be asked to select and help create a role-playing environment that they would like to explore. They benefit from both learning new skills and feeling competent. Many children express their feelings through acting out what has happened to them. Keep in mind that, as a parent or teacher, you should support and encourage play rather than controlling or directing it.

PAINTING AND DRAWING :

Many children enjoy painting and drawing as a way to express their emotions and experiences. Watch out for a variety of opportunities and options by, for instance, offering a variety of textures, colours, and tools. Older children frequently find it beneficial to express their feelings about what has happened through drawing or painting.

How have you helped your children become aware of their feelings, and decide what to do with them?

Pre-Writing Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers

Wed, 25 Jan 2023 08:33:26 GMT

What are writing readiness skills (pre-writing)?

Pre-writing skills are the fundamental skills that children must develop before they can write. These abilities help the child to hold and use a pencil, as well as to draw, write, copy, and colour. Pre-writing shapes are an important part of developing pre-writing skills. Most letters, numbers, and early drawings are made up of these pencil strokes. They are typically learned in a sequential order and at an age-appropriate level. The following strokes are included: |, —, O, +, /, square,, X, and. Research has shown that in order to write efficiently, a child must have:

Developed gross motor skill. Such as, balance, co-ordination.
Developed fine motor skills such as pincer grip.
Shoulder strength
arm muscle development

Before children can master how to form letters and handwriting, they must first learn basic pre-writing skills. They need to build up their hand strength through fine motor skills before actually writing. Pre-Writing skills are needed before any letter formation or other handwriting skills are mastered. I’m sharing some pre-writing activities that can done at home or preschool to build strength in toddler and preschooler’s( children ages from 2- 5) hands. These activities are interesting with using items you already have at home. I will introduce you to some helpful pre-writing activities and skills. The suggestions below help students to work on early writing skills before they ever pick up a pencil.

1. Drawing on sensory Squishy bags:

Sensory bags are perfect for toddlers that still put things in their mouth and are even a great way for babies to explore! Pre-writing activities with squishy bags is a great way to invite children fun and exciting way to practice writing letter, numbers, and shapes, drawing pictures with hand and index finger movements. Children may use their index finger to trace on or tools like cotton bud (which is also known as Q-tip).

2. Scrunching Paper:

Scrunching paper is a simple and fun motor development exercise that children can do at home or in the classroom. It can be is great for building hand strength! Newspaper, tissue paper, wrapping paper, dyed issue towel, or regular paper can be used. These crumpled papers can be used for different creative/ craft.

3. Using tongs to pick up objects:

When children play with tongs, they exercise the small hand muscles needed for developing fine motor skills like writing with pencils. Children can start playing with tongs as early as toddlerhood. Try to give toddlers short salad tongs so they can use with their whole hand to start out. You can give kitchen tongs to toddlers to pick up different objects/ items that you might have in your home. Like blocks (wooden blocks, mega blocks etc), cooked spaghetti, sponge letter/shares or sorting pom poms. This is a great activity that helps children to strengthen the hand muscles, requires hand-eye co-ordination and also concentration and patience.

4. Lacing Activities for children:

Lacing activities help children develop fine motor skills, bilateral coordination, motor planning and visual perceptual skills. In addition, lacing helps children practice the precursor skills for shoe tying and sewing. You can start simple and have children practice lacing large plastic buttons, wooden beads, progressing to smaller beads on a shoe lace, thick thread or pipe cleaner. If you want to make it easier, start by lacing large beads onto a pipe cleaner (the stiffness of the pipe cleaner makes lacing the bead easier). You can buy lacing cards or create your own from foam sheets or card stock, like lacing hearts or lacing crowns. It’s really great practice for fine motor skills!

5. Practicing pincer grip with clothes pegs:

Clothespins! They are perfect for those little toddler fingers! This is a super simple clothespin activity for toddlers to explore and strengthen their fine motor skills. When using clothespins to work on fine motor skills, children can address so many underlying skill areas. Fine motor skills like bilateral coordination, hand strength, arch strength, intrinsic hand strength, eye-hand coordination, motor planning, proprioceptive sensory input, and so many other areas.

6. Scissor skills- cutting practice

Cutting gives young children independent movements of each finger. Cutting with scissors works on the separation of two sides of the hand and strengthens hand muscles. Bilateral coordination is also addressed when they have to hold the scissors in one hand and paper in the other. Scissors skills like cutting playdough, simple strip collage, straws, flowers, yarn are fun activities for toddlers and preschoolers pre-writing skills.

7. Trace with index finger:

Tracing on sensory tray with finger is a fun and interesting pre-writing activity. Children can draw any shapes, numbers, and letter on the sensory tray. A few more materials you can add to a tray or pan. Food colouring or scents can be added to these materials as well, or they can just be left plain. You can use sand, flour, shaving cream or corn meal.

8. Manipulating playdough:

Playdough activities are a great way to help child develop fine motor skills as well as bilateral coordination skills! Manipulating playdough helps to strengthen hand muscles and develop control over the fingers. Snipping playdough sausages helps develop scissor cutting skills. Rolling balls, rolling sausages, making a pinch pot, rolling small balls, rolling playdough into snakes, or create fun designs are some interesting pre-writing activities for preschoolers.

Looking for More?

While it’s important to do fine motor activities, also give your child opportunities to practice using writing utensils with worksheets. Let them use markers, crayons, colored pencils, dry erase markers, etc. Another tip is to break crayons in half so it’s easier to write with. I have created a few pre-writing and tracing worksheets which contains some strokes recommended for pre-writing development. You can download from here.

DOWNLOAD

All of the activity ideas listed are designed to be complete with adult supervision. Also, you know what your child will be able to handle, so take their fine motor skills and age into consideration. These are some interesting pre-writing activities that can be repeat often in different formats so that little one gets plenty of opportunities to develop strength in their hands an fingers.

Preschool Theme- Winter

Fri, 20 Jan 2023 12:38:47 GMT

Healthy Eating Preschool Theme

Thu, 19 Jan 2023 10:59:32 GMT

Healthy Eating for Early Years

What are your favourite food when you are little? Do you still like it now? Interestingly many of our food preferences as adults are linked to childhood. In this theme we think about how best to meet children's individual nutritional needs and how you might play in promoting healthy eating.

What is Healthy eating?

The term "healthy eating" is frequently used, so it is worth investigating what it actually means. Eating a variety of foods ensures that the child receives the nutrients he or she requires for normal growth, such as protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, and minerals. A child will be well-nourished if he or she consumes a wide variety of basic foods on a regular basis. For more details what is healthy eating click the following link.

Strategies to encourage healthy eating

Teaching children the habits of following healthy diet is as important as modelling these behavior’s in ourselves. Healthy eating habits provide children with the necessary nutrients they need to grow and develop in a healthy life style. Some researchers say that eating healthily in early childhood can affect children’s food preferences in adulthood. Healthy eating is important for the growth of bones, for building strong muscles, teeth and brain development. For more details what is healthy eating click the following link.

Activites to support healthy eating

There are many activities that we can use with children to help them become interested in healthy eating. Following some activities that are commonly used to help children become interested in healthy eating.

Beginning Sounds Mitten Match

Fri, 13 Jan 2023 20:48:46 GMT

Beginning Sounds Mitten Match Activity

Why not grab this beginning sounds mitten matching activity if you're searching for a winter activity for preschool/kindergarten to help your child focus on matching initial sounds? This winter theme activity for preschool, pre-k, kindergarten, and first grade students works on phonemic awareness, initial sounds, recognizing what different letters look like, and learning to listen for beginning sounds in words. This low-prep activity is superior to a worksheet because it is a fun, hands-on beginning sound activity that can be repeated over and over!

The Beginning Sounds Mitten Match activity

The Beginning Sounds Mitten Match activity includes 26 colourful mitten pairs. This beginning sounds activities is ideal for parents, teachers, and homeschoolers looking to make learning more enjoyable throughout the months of December, January, and February. Use this kindergartner winter project as extra practice, a winter literacy centre in your classroom, or a complement to your homeschool phonics curriculum.

How Do You Play This Beginning Sounds Game?

This activity would be ideal for phonics practise at school or at home. Here are a few ideas for how to use the mittens (I'm sure you can think of more).

Matching Sound Game:

You could try laying some of the picture mittens on the floor. Put down the apple, sun, and turtle if your children are learning set 1. Then give them the's' letter mitten and see if they can connect the picture to the sound. You could also place all of the mittens on the ground and see if they can match them all up.

Blending Activity:

You might lay the mittens with the letters out to spell simple CVC (consonant, vowel, consonant) words like cat or dog and see if they can sound out and mix the words appropriately.

Sorting Sound Game:

They could also serve as the foundation for a sound sorting game. Choose a few letter mittens, such as A, S, and T, and place them on the floor. Then, gather a variety of objects that begin with those sounds (sock, apple, toothbrush, and so on) and see if your children can place the correct objects beneath the correct cards.

You could always time it as they improve and switch out the cards and items as they learn new sounds.

You Play a Memory Game:

I'm sure you understand how to play this game (sometimes called pairs). This game is excellent for improving memory and concentration.

I hope you and your young students like this beginning sounds game in whichever way you chose to utilize them.

Grab Your Download

Ready to work on! Grab your copy of Beginning Sounds Mitten Match Activity by clicking "DOWNLOAD" below! You’ll get letters a-f with the free sample.

Check out my Shop here to purchase the whole Beginning Sounds Mitten Match Activity .

Healthy & Unhealthy Eating Spin and Cover activity

Fri, 02 Dec 2022 19:16:39 GMT

Healthy & Unhealthy food- Spin and cover Activity

Healthy and unhealthy food Spin and cover is fun way to identify healthy and unhealthy food and a great way for children to practice sorting skills. You can encourage children to try new food using a variety of techniques. A great method to introduce and explore new meals with children in a fun way is to sort healthy and harmful foods through play. This Healthy and Unhealthy spin and cover Activity Pack is one of them.

What’s inside the Healthy and Unhealthy eating Spin and cover Activity?

Healthy and unhealthy food Spin and cover activity suit children of all ages. So it doesn't matter if you’re teaching toddlers, preschoolers, or older children. There’s something for everyone inside. You will find the following things in the pack:

Planning sheet:

The Healthy and unhealthy food Spin and cover activity pack includes a plan to guide you on how to start the activity and use the flashcards to introduce healthy and unhealthy, four spin and cover activity mat to use with a group of children, and an evidence worksheet for each child to record their understanding.

Flashcards:

These flashcards are great to use on their own as well. A flashcard of healthy and unhealthy foods will let children learn the names of some common foods. This is one way to introduce a new food through play.

Spin and cover activity mats, different food pictures and emotional faces:

There are four spin and cover activity mats, which is a fun way to identify healthy and unhealthy foods. Provide your children with the spin and cover activity mat and cut out different food pictures and emotion faces, and then explain how the task must be done (cut out the pictures). This activity mat can be used as a group activity or an individual activity.

Evidence activity Worksheet:

Evidence worksheet will help to record the understanding of the concepts of healthy and unhealthy eating. If you want to use your worksheet longer, laminate it and use it again and again. I have shared two activity sheets, one in colour and one in black and white. This worksheet can be useful if you’re teaching your child the names of the food or even colors and shapes. There are so many ways to use this healthy and un healthy food worksheet. So, go ahead, and do it! Your download is waiting for YOU!

How to I get the food sorting activity?

Download our free heathy and unhealthy food sorting worksheet (the link is below)

Successfully downloaded? Great! Print it out!

This food sorting activity not only teaches children how to distinguish healthy and unhealthy food but also gives them a chance to practice their fine motor skills when using scissors to cut out the small food pictures or develop their hand-eye coordination through simply using their little fingers to glue the pictures in the columns.

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Healthy and unhealthy food sorting activity

Wed, 23 Nov 2022 12:44:44 GMT

Healthy and unhealthy food Sorting Activity

Sometimes it can be difficult to explain to children what foods are healthy or harmful, or why eating chocolate all day could be bad for our teeth and our overall health. If you're having trouble getting your children to understand the need of eating nutritious foods and limiting their consumption of sugary treats and other harmful foods, try this strategy. You can encourage children to try new food using a variety of techniques. A great method to introduce and explore new meals with children in a fun way is to sort healthy and harmful foods through play. This Healthy and Unhealthy Sorting Activity Pack is one of them.

What’s inside the Healthy and unhealthy sorting Activity Pack for children?

Healthy and unhealthy food sorting activities suit children of all ages. So it doesn't matter if you’re teaching toddlers, preschoolers, or older children. There’s something for everyone inside. You will find the following things in the pack:

Planning sheet:

The healthy eating and unhealthy eating sorting activity pack includes a plan to guide you on how to start the activity and use the flashcards to introduce healthy and unhealthy, a sorting template to use with a group of children, and an evidence worksheet for each child to record their understanding.

Flashcards:

Sorting activity mat and different food pictures:

There is a sorting activity mat, which is a fun way to identify healthy and unhealthy foods. Provide your children with the sorting activity mat and cut out different food pictures, and then explain how the task must be done (cut out the pictures). Explain why healthy food goes in the "happy face" column and unhealthy food in the "sad face" column. This will give your child a better understanding. This activity mat can be used as a group activity or an individual activity.

Evidence activity Worksheet:

How can I get the food sorting activity?

Download our free heathy and unhealthy food sorting worksheet (the link is below)

Successfully downloaded? Great! Print it out!

This worksheet can be useful if you’re teaching your child the names of the food or even colors and shapes. There are so many ways to use this healthy and unhealthy food sorting worksheet. So, go ahead, and do it! Your free download is waiting for YOU!

Grab Your Download

Ready to work on! Grab your copy of Healthy and Unhealthy Sorting Activity by clicking "DOWNLOAD" below!

Creating a Professional Development Plan for Teachers

Sun, 30 Oct 2022 12:00:41 GMT

Creating a Professional Development plan

for Teachers- Example and Template

F eeling stuck in your professional life? Take a look at our guide to learn how to create a development plan for your career.

This post will define professional development plans, go over how to make one, and offer an example.

What is a professional Development plan?

A professional development plan (PDP) is a set of doable actions that you can take to advance your career. Whether it's obtaining a new certification or connecting with a mentor who can provide guidance, a professional development plan can help you get precise insight into how to achieve your career goals.

It requires strategy and time to create a PDP. But creating and carrying out a PDP can keep you on the right path to success by assisting you in identifying and developing the professional abilities required to meet your objectives. It's a crucial procedure that empowers you to realize your full potential, accomplish your objectives, and take leadership in your career advancement.

What does a career development plan typically include?

A Professional Development Plan (PDP) enables you to identify key areas of learning and development activity that will enable them to either acquire new or develop existing skills and behavioural attributes for the following purposes:

enhance performance in your current role
address anticipated changes in your current role
address career aspirations towards a future role

Updating your professional development plan (PDP) upon reaching significant milestones can help it serve as a constant point of reference or benchmark. Updating your PDP on a regular basis enables you to establish new objectives that advance your career and personal development. It is now appropriate to begin considering your future goals.

How to create a professional development plan

Follow these Six steps to create a simple, thorough professional development plan:

STEP 1 : Assess your current situation:

How is your career currently progressing? Assessing your current career situation is a good place to start. You have to first identify where you stand with your current skills and knowledge of relevant topics so you can figure out what you need to improve or change to progress in your career.

Assessing your your current situation is an evaluation of your professional interests, knowledge, and skills. You can analyze your current situation in relation to your professional ambitions by creating a self-assessment. As you assess your present interests and skill set, you can pinpoint areas where you need to grow to reach your objectives.

Download the template that can help you get a better understanding of who you are and what you want out of your career as Early years practitioner.

SWOT analysis can be a powerful self-assessment tool that can help educators assess their strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats in their teaching practice.

STEP 2: Identify specific goals:

Now that you’ve evaluated your current position and skills, it’s time to set your goals. Your professional development plan should include SMART goals, which stand for Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Timely. Setting SMART goals will help them become measurable, which will make it simpler to update your PDP when significant milestones are reached.

Make your goals easy to accomplish by breaking them down into manageable steps. To help you rapidly identify goals, it is useful to put goals in order of priority, with the highest goals appearing first. Sorting your goals into short-, mid-, and long-term categories can also be helpful, so you can create more thorough plans to accomplish each one.

· SHORT TERM: The short term can be achieved in fewer than two months.

· MID TERM: Mid-term goals may take from two three years to achieve,

· LONG TERM: In the next three to five years is considered long-term.

Remember, to succeed, you need SMART goals- Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic and Time -Bond (SMART).

DOWNLOAD the Professional Development Goals template and start achieving your professional goals.

STEP 3. Develop a strategy :

Now that you have identified the areas you need to work on, it is time to decide how you will address them. You should include a range of methods in your list, such as exposure (learning from others), education, experience learning (learning by doing), and reflection. Maybe you should enroll in official CPD training, attend skills workshops and seminars offered by your firm, or stay current with emerging technologies in the field you work in.

When developing your strategy, keep the following points in consideration:

If the objective is to change careers, consider the training or credentials you would need to get and the time it would take to get them. To achieve this goal, look into potential certification and education programs that you might enroll in.
Consider creating a mentor-mentee relationship with a professional source if you need advice. A mentor could be a professor or teacher, an experienced coworker, or a former employer.
You may have options at your current job to expand your skill set if you need to. You can request additional duties from your manager to help you acquire the necessary abilities.

Remember, this is a process of continual development, not a one-time thing.

STEP 4: Sources of support and resources:

This describes what you need to help you achieve your development objectives. Typically, this would involve support from your manager, department, or colleague to enable you to undertake a learning or development activity, such as time away from your role or funding from your department. When you’re developing the resources section of your PDP, be specific. It’s important to have a complete idea of what is available to you.

STEP 5: Develop a timeline:

Creating a timeline and deadlines for your goals can be extremely helpful in sticking to them. It’s also the “T” of any SMART goal (time-bound). Setting out a timeline for your goals and sticking to it are crucial components of creating a personal development plan (PDP). You're more likely to succeed in achieving your goals if you know you've set a deadline for yourself.

Set your goals annually, provide extra time for each objective (because things rarely go as planned), and align your aims with opportunities you want to take advantage of.

If your main goal is tied to a specific date( for example, a new position that you want which needs to be filled by the beginning of the next year), your timeline will hold you accountable to your short- and mid-term goals so you don't miss this career opportunity.

STEP 6: Measure your progress:

Measuring your progress will help you know if you are hitting your ‘check lists’, meeting your targets, and are on track for reaching your goals. With your timeline at hand and your SMART goals defined, it should be easy for you to track your progress and assess where you are. This brings us back to the beginning because your PDP isn’t a linear plan—it’s a lifecycle. It can be necessary for you to create new targets, goals, or even more achievable steps.

Keep in mind that plans alter and that your goals will advance along with you as you pursue your career. Since learning is a lifetime process, it's critical to keep up your professional growth to succeed in the workplace.

So, You’ve Made Your Professiona Development Plan.

Now What?

Download: Our Professional Development Planning Workbook.

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DOWNLOAD

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School readiness

Mon, 05 Sep 2022 12:06:06 GMT

FACTORS AFFECTING SCHILDREN'S READINESS FOR SCHOOL

Have you ever thought about why some children are more able to adapt to a school than others about school readiness? It is important to think about children's developmental needs. Some children will find this transition easier or more difficult depending on their own experience.

What is School readiness?

When children start school they will have different abilities, skills, and experiences. Being school ready is not about being able to read and write. Children who have been to a pre-school/nursery/ early years setting will have experiences and skills that will support them to be ready for school. We talk about School Readiness and its characteristics in our previous articles IS YOUR CHILD READY FOR SCHOOL? It is very important to understand the children's readiness for school and its characteristics. How can we tell whether our children are prepared for school when each child is different? Here are some of the best advices assembled to assist you in getting ready for your child to start school IS YOUR CHILD READY FOR SCHOOL?

What are the factors that affect children's readiness for school?

It is important to be aware of children's development needs when considering their readiness for school. The individual child's readiness for school can include whether the child has had the opportunities to develop the necessary skills, opportunities to play, share and be with other children of their own age. If children have not had these experiences then going to school can be a daunting and confusing experience. There are many factors that may affect whether or not a child is ready for school. Let's see some factors that affect children's readiness to school:

Home background:

This is one of the most important factors that affect a child's personality, attitudes, and values. Parents have a great influence in shaping their child's thoughts and values. If parents value good quality of education, children will also develop similar values. on the other hand, some parents do have an understanding of the importance of early years education and they are not able to support their children. These children may face changes to settle in school.

A child may able to ready for school to engage in and benefit from their early years experiences only if the parent/carer are capable to support and pay for the school services, also keeping life happy and healthy by sharing some positive experiences from their childhood may encourage the child to be ready for school.

Attitudes and expectations:

Children's brain is like a sponge and they absorb whatever is around them. If parents have positive views of starting school, their children pick up similar beliefs and will have an exciting time at school. On the other hand, if parents have themselves had a tough time at school for any reason, unknowing this pass on to their children they will also start fearing school and find difficulties and challenges.

Cultural difference:

This is another vital factor in determining a child's readiness for school. There are many different cultures in this world. People have different views about school depending on their cultural background. therefore, depending on their country, people tend to show different approaches towards children's education.

Family structure:

There are different family structures and background e.g. single parents, extended family. A child may focus on a new experience of getting ready for school if the child’s father and mother are happily living together and if they are not together due to single/divorced/death then one should communicate and reflect their relationship in a positive way so the child may focus on the school readiness. some children are spending time with each parent separately or some may have adopted family. This parental bonding and social issue affect a child's readiness for school.

Pre-school experience:

The children who have attended early years settings or any preschool are more equipped to deal with changes during transitions to school. On the other hand, children who have not attended any preschool or early years setting will miss out on developing skills and they will be heavily dependent on parents or adults. This will negatively affect their school readiness.

School and preschool involvement:

How children are prepared in school or pre-school that have an impact on children's readiness to school. School offers tours for parents and schools, they would given all required information about the timing, curriculum, and invite for asking questions. Sometimes, parents do not use opportunities and this will negatively affect children's school readiness.

Age and maturity of the child:

These factors are major contributions to a child's school readiness. As the child grows older, he or she will naturally have more learning experiences than a younger child who has lesser experiences and limited interactions. A child who starts school at the age of five years may be more mature in different aspects of their development areas than a child who entre school at the age of four.

Peer Pressure:

The peer pressure refers to influence on the child’s behavior that he might or their parent/carer interacts with which may affect the child’s school readiness whether directly or indirectly and results positive by showing up on time in school, socialize with others and work hard to achieve goals whereas negative peer pressure may results skipping school, showing tantrums or wearing inappropriate clothes in school.

Special educational needs:

The children’s school readiness depends on their early year’s experiences and behavior by monitor and asses in routine-based activities from a practitioner in a setting. The practitioner must consider and link child’s parent/carer to a specialist support, relevant services from other agencies (health specialist/ speech therapist) who might need special educational needs or disabilities. The child who is under achieving might need a specialist support because lack of communication and developmental skills observed whereas a child who is overachieving might need a therapist to make the child to behave calm and normal in every task. The practitioner may organize additional planning and discussion about transition for the child with special educational needs or disability to ensure smooth and successful school readiness with parent/carer and relevant specialists.

Therefore, a child who has additional needs or having developmental delays or has a special educational need in the areas of physical, sensory, communication, learning, or emotional and behavioural development may find difficulties in the transition to school.

Final Thoughts:

When children have difficulties with school readiness, they might also have difficulty with dislike of school, learning and sometimes even the teacher who is the bearer of the school demands. In addition, they may struggle to access the curriculum being instructed because their foundation skills are not yet developed sufficiently to allow task performance. Also they may display peer rejection and social isolation where children feel overwhelmed or socially uncomfortable. Children who have difficulties may not be able to follow instructions from others in a position of authority at school (e.g. teachers). The difficulties and negative factors may lead to poor academic outcomes as the child may be in a negative state that is not conducive to learning. Not only might the child become stressed and anxious as he/she realizes his/her limitations, but also his/her parents and teachers.

Healthy Eating in Early years

Sat, 03 Sep 2022 19:09:48 GMT

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Healthy eating means eating a variety of foods so that the child gets the nutrients such as protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, and minerals, he or she needs for normal growth. If a child regularly eats a wide variety of basic foods, the child will be well-nourished.

With more than a fifth of children either overweight or obese when they join Reception class, it is vital that healthy eating habits are introduced to children from a young age. A nutritious, balanced diet and sufficient physical activity are essential to a child’s long-term health and development, and good nutrition also helps improved learning and behaviour. Nowadays, children seem to be obsessed with eating junk food. Children all throughout the world consume a lot of harmful foods, including sugary delights and other types of savory foods. Research shows that on any one day, 36.3% of children and people between the ages of 2 and 19 eat fast food.

What is meant by healthy eating?

Healthy eating means eating foods from a variety of food groups to get the energy and nutrients that a body needs to grow. There's no one type of food that can provide all the nutrients a human body needs – so it's important to eat a wide range of foods. Eating a variety of foods so that the child gets the nutrients such as protein, carbohydrate, fat, vitamins, and minerals, he or she needs for normal growth. If a child regularly eats a wide variety of basic foods, the child will be well-nourished.

Why healthy eating is important in early year?

Children's health is protected when they are young by being encouraged to eat healthy food and learn about food, and the foundations for their future health and wellbeing are built when they are young. Healthy eating shows several benefits, some include:

-It helps children maintain a healthy weight.

-boosts a child's immune system.

-decrease the risk of common health problems and infections

-Keeps children's bones and joints strong

-improves children's overall growth and development.

-suppo rts children's brain development

-helps to sleep better.

Healthy eating is an essential life style diet that we should follow to maintain every day functions of our bodies, assist in disease prevention and promote optimal body weight. Creating healthy eating habits in children can be challenging in today's hectic world where most parents work. However, by using small strategies to enhance nutrition and promote healthy eating, you can help them.

Back to school Letter Sound Bus Activity

Thu, 25 Aug 2022 10:30:21 GMT

Back to School Letter Sound Bus

Are you ready for the classroom with your Back to School Preschool Activities?

Whether this is your students’ first time in a classroom or they are returning for another year before heading off to kindergarten, this is a fun and important week. These back to school letter sound bus will be a great addition to your plans at the beginning of the school year.

This Letter sound bus activity is a super cute back to school themed resource! It makes an excellent literacy center activity for preschool or kindergarten and the super cute clipart helps make the learning activity engaging so children want to practice learning their alphabet letters!

Learning Alphabet Sounds

This back to school letter sound bus activity is such a fun way for students to work on phonemic awareness. There are 26 alphabet school buses to print. Each bus from A to Z contains a clipart of an image. with the same beginning sound as the letter on the bus. After using this first day of school activity for learning alphabet sounds, children can match the lowercase letter tires to the correct phonics buses.

Preparation for the activity

Simply print out the bus letter cards on regular copy paper or cardstock to be more durable. You could also print and laminate to use repeatedly over an amount of time. You can use these all year as you introduce each letter, and they can also be used as an alphabet review activity.

How to use these preschool Letter Sound Bus?

Students will choose a school bus, say the name of the picture first on the bus and the beginning sound of the picture and then matching it to the school bus with the correct letter by writing the letter or use the letter flashcard or magnet alphabet or wooden letter to the object with its beginning sound.

After matching up all, use the recording sheet to write down the letters while practicing beginning sound skills.

Thanks for stopping by! I hope you enjoy these back to school letter sounds bus.

If you liked this post, why not pin it? Thanks for your help!

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Watermelon Preschool Theme

Mon, 01 Aug 2022 05:40:17 GMT

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Are there any summer activities better than ones involving watermelons?

The best time to learn about watermelons is during the summer. With watermelon, children can learn so much and have so much fun. Use these creative and engaging watermelon theme suggestions for toddlers, preschoolers, and pre-kindergarteners to celebrate Watermelon Day on August 3. From cute watermelon crafts for preschoolers to fun, hands-on watermelon activities for preschoolers – you will want to try all these watermelon activities. You can include them as part of a summer learning activity theme or even a theme all about different fruit! It can also serve as a great opportunity to learn about seeds and gardening as well.

Here are ideas for preschool watermelon crafts and activities!

ART & CREATIVITY

WATERMELON TORN PAPER CRAFT

Watermelon Torn paper craft is a very simple summer craft, but it entertains for a while because the children have to take the time to rip up all of the paper pieces first. Give each child a glue stick and let them paste the pieces of red, pink, and green inside the slice to form a watermelon. We will finish this fun and hands-on watermelon craft with some fingerprints to represent the seeds. After carefully dipping the index finger into washable black paint, "seeds" were then dabbed all over the watermelon. This really is one of the cutest paper plate crafts.

WATEERMELON SPONGE PAINING CRAFT

Watermelon sponge painting craft interesting activity for toddlers and babies. Cut several sponges into triangle shapes, rounding the bottoms to give it the shape of a watermelon’s rind. Place the sponge in the paint and place on the paper, then use our finger to finger paint the rind of the watermelon with green paints and then dots again for the seeds with black paints.

WATERMELON PUFFY PAINT CRAFT

Mixing glue, shaving cream, and food coloring in a bowl. Mix equal parts of glue and shaving cream. Stir it until you get stiff peaks in it. Take the red paint and start painting the inside of the watermelon and then take the green puffy paint and go around the outside to make the rind. Put dots all over the watermelon to make the seeds with black paint and you're done! This is the perfect summer activity.

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PRINTABLE WATERMELON THEME LESSON PLANS

Save time and get right to the playful learning with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes over 30 playful learning activities related to the theme.

LANGUAGE & LITERACY

WATERMELON BEGINNING SOUND PUZZLES

Watermelon Beginning Sound Puzzles are not only an engaging way to learn, but they also help to develop important phonemic awareness skills. When teaching the alphabet, we’re not just teaching the letters but the beginning sounds they make as well. These Watermelon Printable Beginning Sound Puzzles are a fun way for your little learners to practice their letter sounds.

Watermelon Puzzle Activity

Watermelon Puzzle is a great early literacy activity and excellent tool for developing fine motor skills . Cut the picture and then, cut the pieces apart and put them in a resealable plastic bag. Children have to pick them up, turn them and hold them carefully to join them together to complete the puzzle. laminate the puzzles so your children can use them over and over.

MATHEMATICS

WATERMELON SEEDS ROLL, WRITE & COUNT!

This math game that will get children counting and learning their numbers - perfect for summer learning! You can used with pom poms, buttons, watermelon seeds, or anything else you can think of. Print the mat, roll the dice, then write the number you roll, then count out that many watermelon seeds! If you laminate the mat or slide it into a page protector, you can use it again and again with a dry erase marker.

WATERMELON PLAYDOUGH NUMBER ACTIVITY

Print watermelon number cards 0-10 . Take play dough and black beans. `Black beans are great in place of watermelon seeds. You could use real seeds if you want, but it’s much faster to use black beans than to pick seeds out of watermelon. Let the child select any flashcard, then make watermelon with play dough, and use black beans to count out the correct number of seeds according to the watermelon flashcards.

SCIENCE & DISCOVERY

WATERMELON LIFE CYCLE

Get your children ready for science with this watermelon life cycle flashcards and worksheet. These would be a great addition to watermelon themed unit. You could use the life cycle graphic as part of your instruction and then provide children with each image to cut and paste in the correct order to demonstrate their understanding.

Grab your Pack!

PRINTABLE WATERMELON THEME LESSON PLANS

Save time and get right to the playful learning with our printable lesson plan sets. Each set includes over 30 playful learning activities related to the theme.

Art and Craft Safety for Children

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 17:38:07 GMT

Art and Craft Safety for Preschooler

Children enjoy art and craft activities which provide fun opportunity to learn and improve their skills. When creating an arts and craft activity, we mostly think children are busy with drawing, painting, cutting pasting. As a practitioner/ parents we teach about health and safety during craft activity. However, it can be a place where safety hazards exist and children‘s health can be compromised. Children are very young they might know but couldn’t handle without elder support. We as a practitioner or parents have to identify the support a young child may need when carrying out craft activities in relation to health and safety.

For each activity the health and safety risks that would need to be considered when providing the activity for young children. Lets see how to the deal with the health and safety risks in relation to each craft activity.

Age Appropriate :

Not all craft activities are right for children. We have to plan Craft activities should be age-appropriate and they are much more enjoyable and resources should be according to their age requirement. We should follow the recommended age grading for each craft or the age mentioned on the product packaging, whichever is older. Crafts are graded by age based on the products used and recommended extra resources. Adults are responsible for ensuring that the crafts are not accessible to children under the age range specified in the age grading. If you have any questions about a product, contact the manufacturer to find out what substances are used in the products and if they are safe for children.

Supervision:

Any arts and crafts activity requiring adult supervision must be supervised by an adult. Close monitoring and involvement can help prevent accidents and ensure that arts and crafts supplies are used properly. Small components should be avoided in activity’s involving children under the age of three. Sharp points should not be used near children under the age of four. Read the product instructions and safety warnings to yourself first, then to your children. So you don't have to leave the young children alone, gather everything you'll need for the activity. Before beginning a activity, research the possible dangers of every tool or supplier.

Inhalation Risks

Inhaling dust and fumes from art and craft supplies can be dangerous. Chalk, ceramic glaze, paints, dry or powered clay, oil paints, spray paints, markers, and other materials can all pose a threat. Use adequate ventilation or do the activities outside. Proper ventilation is a must, especially considering that many of us do our crafting in small spaces Open windows or use a fan to point fumes and dust away from you and children. In some situations, it might be safer to work outdoors.

Risks to skin:

Cuts, irritations, allergic reactions, and burns can all be caused by several arts and crafts products. These injuries can be caused by scissors, hot glue guns, and solvents. Protect your hands, torso, and head with protective gear.

Use items only for skin painting or food preparation if they are specifically labelled for that use.

Material Handling:

Do your research, read the labels carefully, and follow the directions wherever children is involved - whether you're buying toys or supplies and equipment for enjoyable arts and crafts activity, child's safety always comes first. Don't utilize resources for things they weren't meant to be used for. When feasible, choose safer materials, but keep all items out of reach of children. Organize your stuff.

Working directly from the original product containers is not recommended; instead, open them, take what you need, and reseal them. Cleaning egg carton parts, yogurt containers, throwaway drinking cups, and other items to store paint during art and craft can be done.

Take only as much paint as you'll need for that day's activity. Any unused paint should be disposed of by flushing it down the drain (away from your food preparation area) or sealing it in a container and placing it in a trash can or dumpster outside the building. The unused sections should not be returned to the original container since they may deteriorate and contaminate the remaining paint.

Risks of Ingestion:

Children of any age can inadvertently consume harmful chemicals, but children are more vulnerable. Turpentine, paints, and pigments are all potentially hazardous.

Precautions For Safety

Art and craft time may be soothing for young children while also encouraging them to express themselves in new ways. Children can safely enjoy your creativity by following a few easy safety precautions. While working with children, make sure they do not eat or drink the art material like paints. After each use, wash the children's hands, your own hands, and your materials thoroughly. It's not a good idea to put the clean-up area in the middle of the room.

Do not move your art supplies to another container. Always keep them in their original package, which contains information on the ingredients and safety precautions.

When young children are utilizing things that are sharp or could be eaten, provide adequate supervision.

Before using any products make sure that are not including any of ingredients that are associated with common allergies like peanuts, shellfish, fish, tree nuts, eggs, or milk. Young may have allergies to this ingredients.

Scissors have sharp cutting edges, so use caution when cutting or handling them." Only children above the age of four should use blunt-tip scissors. Only children aged 6 and up should use scissors with a pointed tip.

Children under the age of four should not do crafts that require the use of a functional sharp point." (Use staples, chenille stems/pipe cleaners, wire, pins, jewelry backings, sewing needles, or pushpins/thumb tacks, for example.) Adult supervision is required, and adult help may be required. An open-bladed craft knife or a carving knife should never be used by a child of an adult.

Ventilation

If you're working on a craft activity that produces fumes, vapors, or dust, be sure you have enough ventilation. Even elements that are harmless in little amounts might be dangerous in huge amounts. Even little amounts of dust from treated wood or dried clay might be dangerous. You'll need a system that can remove old air while also bringing in new air. An open window may be enough. Remember to clean the work area after finishing the activity.

Good health and safety habits may be acquired at any age, and no child is ever too young to be safe when participating in a fun craft activity. Today's safety and labeling requirements are intended to ensure that children's art and craft goods are safe when used as intended. Anyone buying art supplies for children should read the labels and safety warnings to make sure the materials are suitable and safe.

Don’t forget to pin these tips

Counting hands: How many fingers?- Math Activity

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 14:05:58 GMT

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This counting hands number learning activity is a fun and visual approach for your young child or preschooler to learn early numeracy. With this adorable counting hands craft, you can practice counting and basic numeracy. When children are learning to count, it is helpful to have hands on math tool to work with. Counting hands make a math activity fun and children can love fun activity counting on simple fingers.

Appropriate age : 3 years +

Number of children : Individual activity

Play based learning : Sensory play

Learning areas: Cognitive Development, Language Development

Vocabulary: numbers, count, fingers, gloves, rice, dice.

Materials Needed:

Set of plastic gloves
1 bag rice for filling
Dice
Elastic bands

Direction for making making counting hands:

Lay the gloves filled with rice on the table and make sure that gloves will lay flat. You do not want to overfill them.

Tie the bottom of the gloves with an elastic band so the rice doesn't fall out. Don't wrap the elastic band to tightly just yet.

Let's count how many fingers?

Now that you have the rice gloves counting hands made you can work with them. Encourage the child to roll the die. When the dice lands. let the child count the dots and identify the number then the child has to fix the fingers on the gloves bending down the correct number fingers to match the number from the flashcard and dots from the dies.

Health and safety:

You will need to test out the fingers to make sure that they will be able to folded backwards when you are trying to count. You don't want them to be too floppy or too rigid. when you have them just as you want them, make sure the elastic bands are looped tightly.

We used gloves that are rather thin. You may want to put one pair of gloves into another to make them thicker. It will make the rice harder to see, but keep the rice in gloves.

Hints and tips:

This activity can be used for addition and subtraction.

What other math activities can you think of to do with this counting hands?

Benefits of Arts & Craft for Children

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 11:04:16 GMT

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Many parents nowadays rely on technology to keep their children engaged and occupied, entirely overlooking the benefits of arts and crafts. True, technology is beneficial, and children should be exposed to it, but this should never come at the price of their ability to play and create with their hands. There are several advantages to arts and crafts that go beyond merely allowing you to express yourself. Let’s have a look of benefits and learning from craft activities.

Crafting improves coordination and fine motor skills

A lot of crafts involve a variety of different aspects: from cutting, gluing, and manipulating items. Sticking, colouring, gluing, cutting, and staying within lines or patterns, can help children develop fine motor skills and enhance hand-eye coordination. Even simple chores like sorting squares of tissue paper and scrunching them up into the correct form are beneficial to their development. Using these things children involve physically to create new outcome. Bending and twisting objects, such as pipe cleaners, will help to improve fine motor abilities while also being enjoyable.

Improves vocabulary and pre-writing skills

In many craft activity children come across many new word, things and knowledge so their vocabulary increase. When teacher say something to draw or show something children get to know about that picture’s word in their mind.

Young children usually begin using crayons/pencil/pens by scribbling random things. They will learn how to regulate their own motions as well as how to make various shapes, which will eventually lead to the creation of letters. To put it another way, the more they scribble, the faster they'll learn what they need to know about writing clearly.

Develop children’s literacy and communication skills

Art and crafts skills for young children span a wide range of topics, from speaking and reading to listening and understanding. When children create art or crafts, they have the opportunity to discuss their creation, which improves their communication abilities. Why did you choose that colour?” “Tell me about what you made.”

Parents teach them new terminology, and they utilize their listening skills to obey verbal directions. A skill that all parents want their children to master as soon as possible so that they may begin to listen to us!

Develop children’s emergent mathematical skills

Basic arithmetic abilities are sometimes overlooked when it comes to arts and crafts activities. Math abilities, on the other hand, are often utilized and have a favourable impact on the development of mathematical skills in preschool children.

Children may learn to recognize and count different shapes, count and arrange their art tools, and even measure the lengths and sizes of various art materials. You'll need strong thinking and problem-solving abilities to grasp arithmetic, which art and crafts activities may aid with. There are so many activities where children get chance to count the objects like pasting Pastas, Draw Family Picture etc.

Makes children more creative and productive

Children's imaginations know no bounds, and arts and crafts are a fantastic way for them to channel that unbridled creativity into something more useful. There are a variety of materials, colours, forms, and activities from which they may choose, allowing youngsters to experiment with numerous alternatives and select the ones that they love the best. Who knows, kids could even find a pleasant pastime, such as sketching, that can later turn into a rich job, such as graphic design.

Creativity is about thinking, investigating, finding, and inventing, not about achieving something better than others.

Provide Multicultural Understanding:

Making crafts from other countries is a fun way to teach children about different cultures and traditions. It's a great approach to demonstrate that all civilizations are equal and interesting to study. This will enable children to comprehend a wide range of individuals and make them more welcoming of everybody.

During Many activities (in form of picture and colours) children understands about the world creatures, climates etc like: - Weather, Animals, Birds, Family, Behaviour and Emotions. Children who are familiar with other cultures will be more accepting of classmates who have different beliefs and practices.

If there are children who have unusual eating habits or dress in unusual ways, your children will accept it and may already understand why they eat or dress the way they do. It becomes “normal” to them, and they don't see the purpose in bringing it up.

Inspires children to think critically

Art offers many possibilities and options—will their home have a red or black roof? Is it going to be a dog or a cat? How will the clouds and birds be depicted? All of these options encourage children to think critically, deliberate, and assess their own choices so that they can repeat or modify them in the future.

They will feel more at ease considering various options and more confident in making decisions as a result of this. It will also encourage children to experiment with other combinations and come up with their own ideas, which is a valuable ability for people of all ages.

Allows Quality time between Children in classroom Or bonding with Parents at home

Working on crafts with your children will strengthen the relationship between the children and the practitioner in classroom or parent at home. Crafting with your child allows you to spend valuable time together while also creating vital memories that will last far longer than the craft. While you're crafting together, you'll have more opportunities to chat to each other, and you'll learn more about their day, their hopes, and their concerns than you would otherwise.

Set aside some time each week to do crafts with your children. For them, this is tremendously fulfilling.

Helps children to learn team work and being socialize

Working on a craft project with your child may help them develop collaboration, communication, and social skills since they will need to learn to cooperate and communicate in order to finish their projects.

Crafting can also be a great team/group activity. It doesn't matter how old they are or what race they are when it comes to creativity; all that counts is what they can create. Children are inherently interested, so if they like what another children has drawn, built with Lego blocks, or coloured, they will eagerly approach them.

Build children’s Self-Esteem:

Craft activities are a great way to build their self-esteem and allow them to express their emotions. It offers children a sense of accomplishment and allows them to take pleasure in their work, which increases their self-esteem. Making art is a wonderful, safe method to learn that it's alright to make errors and that doing things "wrong" may lead to entirely new ideas. Children get to explore new things while honing their "self-control abilities" (e.g. when waiting for paint or glue to dry). This helps in the development of patience, which is something that all children require assistance with.

Helps children to make decisions and choices

This advantage of creating is that it allows children to choose what sort of craft to produce, how to go about producing it, how to design it, and so on, giving them confidence in making their own decisions and thinking about them. It will in still confidence in them as they make their own decisions and consider their options.

To make sure you're getting the most out of this opportunity, have the children discuss what they want to produce, instruct them to draw a drawing or template, and have them describe what they want to make, what they need, and how they'll make it to you.

Over to you! Let us know if you enjoy doing craft activities with your children, and why, in the comments below.

Egg carton flower craft activity

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:34:04 GMT

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Egg carton flower craft activity is a hands-on very simple fun craft. Children enjoy this activity.

Appropriate age: 3-4 years

Number of children: Individual activity

Play based learning: Creative play

Learning areas: Cognitive Development, physical development (fine motor skills) Language Development

Vocabular: paint brush, flower, patels, and egg carton

Materials Needed:

The material required for this activity are

· Paint

· Paint Brush

· Painting Palette

· Egg Carton (not foam)

· Paper Straw

· Pom Pom (optional)

· Glue

· Scissors

Direction of Activity:

Squirt some paint onto a paper plate or painting palette. Use any colors children like and paint the flower. Have fun!
After the paint is dried, have children glue the paper straw to the back of the flower to make the flower stem. A paper straw is thick enough to hold Egg Carton Flower, but child could also use a small stick or a chopstick. Give the children to choose what they want to use as a flower stem, a straw or a chopstick.
Later ask children to glue a pom pom to the centre of the painted Egg carton flower. They can add different colour pomp pom according to their choose. A beautiful Egg Carton Flower is done!

Adult role:

Egg cartons are thicker than paper, so they’re harder to cut. Adult can if children are experiencing difficulties cutting the egg cartons.

Children should be supervised and supported by a parent/guardian at home or practitioner in the classroom.

Watermelon torn paper craft

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 10:23:43 GMT

WATERMELON TORN PAPER CRAFT

Looking for some fun watermelon crafts to keep the little one occupied this summer? You're in luck! This "watermelon Torn Paper Craft" is the perfect summer activity.

Watermelon torn paper craft activity is a hands-on very simple summer craft, but it entertains for a while because children has to take the time to rip up all of the paper pieces first.

Appropriate age : 2- 3 years

Number of children: Individual activity/ group of 4 children

Play based learning: Creative play

Learning areas: Cognitive Development, physical development(fine motor skills) Language Development, Creative play

Vocabulary: watermelon, red, green, tear, paste

Materials Needed:

Red/pink and green colour paper
Black paint
shape of a watermelon slice on white paper
Glue

Direction of Activity:

First encourage the child rip up the pieces of green and pink/red paper into small pieces. They probably won’t need too much encouragement! Once all the paper was torn, we had a pile of red/pink and green.
Next, after the paper is torn, the students sort the paper by colour. Small baskets can be very helpful at containing all the tiny paper pieces. Not only does sorting the paper make the project easier to complete, it also provides some practice in colour recognition.
Now it’s time to create the watermelon! Give glue stick and let the child paste the pieces of red/pink and green inside the slice to form a watermelon. We will finish this fun and hands-on watermelon craft with some fingerprints to represent the seeds. Carefully dipping the index finger into washable black paint, “seeds” were then dabbed all over the watermelon.

Looks good enough to eat! (Please don’t eat the paper. However, real watermelon for snack is a great treat!)

Okra Stamping Craft for Pre-schoolers

Tue, 19 Jul 2022 08:07:40 GMT

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Okra is a funny shaped vegetable – often called Lady Finger. Okra stamping activity is perfect flower printing idea. I think children will love this stamping/printing activity as it allows them to do something in a completely free fashion.

Appropriate age: Toddlers (2-3 years)/ Pre-schoolers (3-4 years)

Number of children: Individual activity

Play based learning: Creative play

Learning areas: Cognitive Development, physical development (fine motor skills), Language Development

Vocabulary: okra, cutting, stamping, flower

Materials Needed:

- Okra

- Nontoxic and washable poster paint( for printing on paper)

- Palette or small plates

- Knife and chopping board

- Construction paper

Direction of Activity:

Okra- you can get these at any good supermarket or Asian food store. To avoid wasting food, we can use okra that is past its edible stage- over mature okra are too tough for anyone’s liking.
Let the children cut a 1-inch long slice off the top or crown of one okra to make first okra stamp. On the sliced side of the okra slice, look for the 5-petaled flower design.
Cut the remaining okra into 1-inch long pieces to make additional stamps. You may prevent wasting food by stamping with only the top portion near the crown. Dinner may be made with the remaining okra.
Squeeze out few various colours of poster paint onto the palette. Supervise the child to dip in the okra stamp into any colour paint they like and press the okra stamp onto the paper. Lift the okra stamp up, child could see a very pretty flower-shaped created.

Health and safety:

We have to deal with health and safety risks in relation to craft activity. Unsafe painting material may cause inhalation risk and allergic reaction on children’s skin. Edible toxic free painting colour always safer for young children.

Small pieces of okra can be a choking hazard. Pre-schoolers may put small pieces of okra inside their mouth during stamping on paper. Using long okra instead of cut it short so young children not easy to get choking.

Sharp object like knife can cause injuries. When cutting okra pre-schooler may get injury. Use plastic kitchen knife for children to cut the top of okra instead of real knife for learning chopping skill.

Adult role:

Provide edible toxic free painting for young children. Supervise the young children closely when pre-schooler/ toddlers learning new skill like chopping things with shape object.

Learning benefits:

Stamping art helps young toddlers to develop gross and fine motor skills. Grasp and holding art material help them to practice hand-eye coordination and bilateral skill. Young children learn about new things like using vegetable to create a creative art work.

Here some examples of okra stamping. Toddler and Pre-schoolers will enjoy these craft activity.

Create some beautiful Spring art work by printing flower shapes with okra. I think children will love this stamping/printing activity as it allows them to do something in a completely free fashion.

Okra stamping turtle craft- I think children will love this stamping/printing activity as it allows them to do something in a completely free fashion.

Okra stamping flower craft- I think children will love this stamping/printing activity as it allows them to do something in a completely free fashion.

Do try it out and let me know how it went. If you like, do share the pictures of the finished card on social media and tag me. I would love to see your masterpieces.

Creative Play and Activities: babies, toddlers & preschoolers

Mon, 18 Jul 2022 16:58:32 GMT

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Many parents find it difficult to figure out which toys are appropriate for children of all ages, and what kinds of play to promote and facilitate. How will parents do to help children grow well, and encourage their abilities? It is a very natural form of play where children get to model their experiences and the world around them. Creative play is the most important type of play that is about experimenting with materials and music. We can encourage creative play by offering children a range of materials and play opportunities. Creative experience helps a child develop different skills and enable them to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas. To know more about the benefits of creative play click here.

Creative activities for different age group:

Creative activities for babies( six months to 1 year 11 months):

Babies take all objects to their mouths to explore. When thinking about activities in this age range, it is important to recognize that "talk only" activities will be appropriate. Instead, activities have to be based on physical actions and helping them to explore their world through what they mouth, touch and can do with objects.

Six creative activities for babies:

1. Messy play: cooked spaghetti, mashed potatoes, flour can be used for messy play activities

2. Cloud dough: different materials like rice cereal or flour are good for babies' cloud dough.

3. Music and movement: clap, shake the head, nod head, tap feet activities with music; different cultures music; commercially available musical instruments; homemade shaker and different kinds of spoons such as a wooden spoon or metal spoon are resources for music and movement activities.

4. Finger painting: finger painting or mixing colour with baby- colourful fun using non-toxic child-friendly paints or food colour with flour.

5. Foil painting: babies love the foil painting activity with yoghurt. Plain or vanilla yoghurt mixing with food colour can be used for this activity.6. Food exploration: There are many ways a baby can play with food like jelly, yoghurt, mashed potatoes or any baby food.

Creative activities for toddlers( 2 years to 2 years 11 months):

In this age group, children spent exploring alone and play alone. They also enjoy watching other children. It is a good idea to give them new experiences as through new experiences children can learn new vocabulary. So it is important to choose activities that will allow them to be active. Six different types of creative play for toddlers:

1. Messy Play: messy play with paints, shaving foam, sand, water or flour can be used for toddlers.

2. Playdough: Playdough activity to create number line, sandy beach, learning shapes

3. Cooking activities: decorating cookies or biscuits is an enjoyable activity for this age group.

4. Sand play: you will need a sandbox filled with toy animals, empty bottles, natural items from the garden such as leaves, wings and stones; toilet roll, tunnels.

5. Water play: water play with different size containers to fill and empty.

6. Construction play: Toddlers enjoy simple construction work like stacking blocks, cartoons.

Creative activities for Preschooler( 3 years to 5 years):

In this age group, children start playing together as their social and language skills have developed. Children's play is more complex and far less repetitive than in the earlier ages. Activities need to be sufficiently challenging and open-ended so that there is a lot for adults and the child to talk about! Six different types of creative play for pre-schoolers:

1. Roleplay and small world play like farm animals, under the sea.

2. Junk modelling: using cardboard boxes.

3. Cooking activities: baking activity like apple pie crescents, pizza, cheesy bread, blueberry muffins.

4. Creative writing: using props animals, toy tree.

5. Cutting and pasting activity: can use fabric, paper, glitter, cardboard boxes, tubes, wool and string.

6. Painting and colouring: can use natural garden products to paints e.g. leaves and wings, or stick and stones.

Armed with this list of creative activities, I hope you will now be prepared for any type of creative activity for any age group of children under 5 years.

Stages of Pencil Grasp Development

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 19:11:20 GMT

Once our children enter preschool, the word “pencil grip” become i ncreasingly significant. Is the way children hold pencils important? Is it crucial how children hold their pencils, and will this have an impact on their learning in the future? Is there such a thing as a bad pencil grip, and what exactly is a good pencil grip? What are children's pencil grip stages?

What is Pencil grip Development stages?

A child will naturally hold crayons and pencils in different ways as they grow older. The way a child grips his/her crayon or pencil is determined by how prepared their shoulder and arm muscles are. It’s critical for children to go through several stages of pencil grasping.

Pencil Grasp Development in Pre-schoolers:

Pencil grasp development in preschools is a complex topic. Children need to go through different stages of pencil grip development. These stages of development are critical since each one assist in the development of the other. These development stages are important because they help children acquire the foundational muscles and movement patterns he or she will need for the next. The correct pencil grasp is one of the most important physical skills children develop and most of that takes place during the preschool years.

Using and mastering the following grasp will help most children achieve an effective pencil grasp:

Palmer Supinate Grasp:

Palmar supinate grasp is most common between the ages of 12 and 15 months. The palm of the hand is utilized to hold an object and is referred to as “palmar”. The term “supinate” refers to how the arm and write are positioned in reference to the centre of the body. By breaking crayons in half as a child gets older, you can encourage them to adopt a more functional grasp. You can also utilize smaller writing tools instead of larger ones.

Digital Pronate Grasp:

Digital pronate grasp emerges between 2-3 years old children. In this grasp development, a child is starting to arrange his or her fingers in a downward position on the palm of his or her hand. A child is starting to place his fingers on the writing tool in a downward position, yet all of his fingers are being used. The term "digital" refers to the use of fingers to grab rather than the full palm, as in the Palmar Supinate Grasp. The wrist is pronated when it is turned down and away from the middle.

Static Tripod Grasp or Quadruped Grasp:

Between the ages of 3 and 4, a child's tripod hold will become more static as he or she perfects it. The index and thumb form a three-finger grip, with the writing tool resting on the middle finger. The other fingers are tucked into the palm. The way the child moves the pencil is referred to be static. The wrist and forearm are used to move the pencil in a static motion. When the static tripod is first developing, a child’s wrist flexed (bent forward) and “floating above the writing surface. Whether the child is working on paper flat on a table or colouring on a vertical chalkboard. Research has found that nearly 50% of three-year-old's are already able to use a tripod grasp, and grasp maturity at this age tends to be higher for girls than for boys.

Dynamic Tripod Grasp:

Through ages 4-6, a child’s tripod grasp will mature to a dynamic grasp. Dynamic grasp allows for more precision and detail during tasks such as colouring within the lines or within smaller spaces, drawing with more detail, and tracing or writing letters with more precision.

WHAT NEXT?

Encourage different fine motor activates is one of the best ways to promote good finger and arm strength.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Please note that I am an experienced early year’s trainer, not an occupational therapist nor a paediatrician. This information is provided to you via my own research. If you have questions or concerns, please direct them to the appropriate specialist.

Reading books with Children

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 16:54:15 GMT

The Power of Reading Books with Children

Why Reading with Children Matters & Practical Tips for Parents

By Shamima Fowzee | Early Years Trainer & Creative Art Practitioner

Here I will like to start by a unique quote:

“If you want your children to be intelligent read them fairy tales, if you want them to more intelligent, read them more fairy tales” - By Alber Einstein

In today’s fast-paced world, it can be easy to overlook the simple joy of sitting down with a book. Yet reading with children is one of the most powerful things we can do to support their development, emotional wellbeing, and lifelong love of learning.

Whether you are a parent, caregiver, or early years practitioner, reading aloud creates moments that children remember, not just the stories , but the feeling of connection.

Why reading with children is so important?

Books and stories promote learning and development in children by providing them with the building blocks of language. It gives them the tools for forming lifelong social and emotional skills. We all know reading is an essential skill that serves children well in school and in life in general. Children can make friends with the books they read and the characters they meet. It's also crucial for children to understand that books are a valuable source of information and that solid reading abilities are essential for future success. However, listening to books read aloud also has huge benefits for children of all ages. Books and stories can promote the learning and development of children. Here I will highlight some important aspects of how books and stories link to the learning and development of children in the early years:

Increase the vocabulary skills:

While reading to your child, you'll notice that there are many new words in stories and books that your child hasn't heard before, so take your time explaining new words to your child and making sure he or she understands what you're reading to him or her. These new vocabulary words will let the child develop a better level of words to use in his way of life while reprimanding others. So reading stories and books will develop communication and language skills in your child.

Ease Emotions and Feelings for Children:

Some children may be anxious about their recent experiences, fearful of certain things, or so emotionally sensitive that they would do anything for their parents. So it's good to have them read books about this subject. Books and stories will help children search out ways to cope with their problems and fears. Books give children ideas on how to relax, calm down, and accept new experiences.

Help in focusing and concentration:

When you read to your child, you will see him playing quietly beside you or not focusing; after all, while you read aloud, he is going to be gaining concentration skills. Once you read with or to your child, he is trying to focus, hear, and understand the story or book, so this can help enhance their listening skills and focus skills further. To get your child more involved in reading and ensure that he's understanding and focusing, ask him questions about the story or ask him if he has any questions or something is unclear.

Support cognitive development:

Reading or listening to stories helps children's brains develop their ability to focus, concentrate, and solve problems. Children who have been accustomed to hearing or reading stories since early years will have better academic results at school than people who don't, because books will help children extend their knowledge about many topics and learn new vocabulary words.

Empathy and understanding of the world:

Books offer a limitless supply of social interaction examples from which to learn empathy in addition to other skills. Children are shown both effective and ineffective ways to handle conflict in a variety of situations in scenes that are jam-packed with character dialogue.

Build language skills:

Reading or listening to books allows children to hear a large number of words and more complex language sequences than they might otherwise hear in their everyday lives. Books, as we know, are a great way to immerse children in the rhymes and rhythms of speech, which are vital for language development. When children hear books from an early age, they develop their language and communication skills, making it easier for them to form conversations with others and speak correctly.

Enhances imagination:

When we read, we create a visual picture of what we're reading. We imagine how the characters seem, what is going on in each chapter, and how we are connected to these characters and events. These characters are linked to our emotions, and we identify with them. Reading story books sparks a child's imagination and stimulates curiosity by taking them to places and situations that they won’t encounter in their daily lives. The beauty of a storybook is that it can be both extremely realistic and fantastical.

Helpful for relaxation:

Reading books before bedtime, for example, can be helpful for relaxing. They allow children to forget about the stresses of the day and lose themselves in fantasy for a while. The soothing familiarity of a well-loved story, the rhyming and repetition of a picture book, as well as the sense of security that time spent reading together may engender all contribute to the child's relaxation.

When it comes to reading to your children, the advantages go far beyond the building of a deep bond with them, though that is undoubtedly one of them. Reading aloud to children is the single most important activity for developing these fundamental concepts and skills for reading success that your child will carry with them for the rest of their lives.

Boost critical thinking:

With reading books and developing critical thinking skills, children start predicting what will happen at the end or next part of the story, thus challenging their brains to think of other possibilities.

Build your confidence level:

A child who can read books feels more confident, which will benefit him in his future academic skill development. He can participate fully in all activities. Another aspect of developing confidence is developing self-esteem, or feeling like you belong in the world.

How to Make Reading Time Magical (Practical Tips)

Here are simple strategies you can use immediately:

1. Create a Reading Ritual

Choose a consistent time (bedtime works beautifully) and use a quiet, cozy corner. Allow your child to choose the book. Consistency builds anticipation and love for reading.

2. Use Expression & Funny Voices

Children love when adults change tone for different characters, add dramatic pauses and whisper or exaggerate emotions. The more expressive you are, the more engaged they become.

3. Talk About the Pictures

Before reading the words, ask questions, such as:

“What do you think is happening here?”
“How is the character feeling?”
“What might happen next?”

This builds critical thinking and communication skills.

4. Encourage Participation

Let children turn pages, repeat familiar phrases, predict the ending and retell parts of the story. Reading should be interactive, not passive.

5. Repetition Is Powerful

Children love reading the same book again and again , and that repetition strengthens learning. Familiar stories build confidence and comprehension.

Criteria you could refer to when choosing books for young children

Children’s reading experiences should reflect their stage of development. Understanding how reading supports children at different ages allows parents and practitioners to provide appropriate, meaningful, and engaging experiences.

Reading is not just about decoding words — it supports communication, cognition, emotional development, and social understanding from birth onwards.

0–12 Months: Building Foundations Through Voice & Connection:

At this stage, babies are not “reading” in the traditional sense, they are absorbing language, rhythm, tone, and emotional cues. Select board books with bright images, simple rhymes and repetition and sensory or touch-and-feel books for this age group of children. At this stage, it’s about hearing language and bonding.

While reading a book with this age group of children, use a warm and expressive tone, maintain eye contact, smile, and exaggerate facial expressions. Try to repeat their favourite stories frequently.

1 –2 Years: Language Explosion & Curiosity:

Between 12 and 24 months, children experience rapid vocabulary growth. Reading at this stage significantly boosts expressive and receptive language. Toddlers begin pointing to pictures, labeling objects, and anticipating familiar phrases. Select books with real-life objects (animals, food, and transport), books about routines (bedtime, potty training, feelings), lift-the-flap books, and simple repetitive stories for this age group of children.

While reading a book with this age group of children, use pauses and allow the child to label pictures; ask simple questions such as “Where is the dog?”; encourage page turning; and repeat favourite lines and allow them to join in. Repetition builds confidence. If they want the same book 20 times, that is learning in action.

2–3 Years: Imagination & Emotional Understanding:

At this stage, children begin engaging more deeply with storylines. Their imagination grows, and they begin to understand simple plots and character emotions. Read simple storybooks with clear beginnings and endings, books about feelings (happy, sad, angry, scared), books that reflect everyday nursery experiences and books with repetitive refrains.

While reading a book with this age group of children, ask open-ended questions, such as “How do you think she feels?” and “What might happen next?”. Encourage children to retell parts of the story and relate the story to their lives, such as, “Remember when you went to the park like this?” This stage is powerful for developing emotional literacy and empathy.

3–4 Years: Early Literacy Awareness & Confidence

Children now begin developing early literacy skills that link directly to EYFS outcomes. Children may pretend to read by recalling memorised phrases; this is a strong early literacy indicator. For this age group select slightly longer stories, rhyming books (supporting phonological awareness), alphabet and sound books and stories with simple problem-solving.

While reading a book with this age group, point to words as you read, emphasise rhyming patterns, identify beginning sounds (“B is for bear!”), and encourage children to predict endings. At this stage, reading builds school readiness without formal instruction.

4–5+ Years: School Readiness & Deeper Comprehension

As children approach reception age, reading becomes more structured, but the joy of storytelling must remain central. Children begin recognising familiar words and attempting to read simple sentences. For this age group, select stories with richer plots, non-fiction books (space, dinosaurs, animals), traditional tales, and books linked to phonics learning.

While reading a book with this age group of children, discuss characters’ choices; ask reasoning questions, such as “Why do you think he did that?”; encourage children to read familiar words; and allow them to “read” to you. This builds independence while maintaining emotional connection.

While choosing a book, show books to the child, give different options, and try to help him choose a better book. Flip through some pages and explain what the book is all about. Many libraries have seating arrangements near the children's book section so that parents can sit with their children and look inside the book before choosing one. Give them freedom to make their own choices and decisions.

Final thoughts

Reading with children is not just about preparing them for school. It is about nurturing confident communicators, imaginative thinkers, and emotionally secure individuals.

At Shamima’s Workshop, we encourage parents and practitioners to view reading as a daily investment in a child’s future, one story at a time.

If you would like more practical Early Years strategies, explore our CPD workshops and resources designed to support educators and families alike.

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Misleads Food label claims

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 16:35:52 GMT

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Manufacturers often mislead consumers with attractive words, advertisements, and false promises. In this media world we always get attracted with some product which are advertised in a vast way with some celebrity or famous person.

We forget to see the actual description of the product and go for it only because it has been told healthy by some celebrity or famous company. We never see the truth behind the media and never check the ingredients and contents of the product.

There are some products with the label which claims that they are healthy for body, but they are not. Most of the consumers are getting mislead by those manufacturers as they represent their product the best choice.

But now the time is being changing and consumers are getting more aware about the health and the consciences due to these products.

People are started checking the claim made by manufacturers, the label information and check it thoroughly from the real sources to get the true idea that the product is healthy for them, or it is just a false promise.

Sugar Free

Now a days there are so many cereals, cookies, bakery products, and breakfast items are coming in the groceries which claims that they are sugar free. May be you think it’s a sugar-free food, healthier for you , or lower in cards but sugar free does not mean that it is having zero calorie or low calories. It’s either been packed with artificial sweeteners OR it’s a food that natural contained enough sugar it didn’t need a sweetener (like juice).

What you need to look for is to read the ingredient list, learn the name of artificial sweeteners (sucralose, aspartame, acesulfame potassium, and just about anything that ends in –tol) and learn the name of sugar (there is a ton review the listen often). Also, still look at the grams of sugar on the label.

Mostly sugar free products have sugar alcohols that is not good for health and can be cause of Diarrheas' if taken a lot of quantity at a time.

Multigrain or 12 grains

When shopping for healthy bread and crackers, look for the words whole grain or 100% whole wheat. It’s not enough if it says multigrain or made with whole grain. What do you think it means “multigrain” is, it is full of health WHOLE grains that are better for you. Unlike refined flour, whole grains have not been stripped of fiber, protein, and nutrients. So they are recommended as part of a healthy diet, and so you grab the loaf of the healthy expensive looking bread.

What it actually means that multi means many types of grains which may or may not be whole. Same with 12, it means 12 types of grains which may or may not be refined. Again don’t go by colour alone. Some darker breads or crackers have caramel colouring and are no healthier than highly refined white breads.

We should look for a list of ingredient to keep on your radar. Look for 100% whole or 100% whole grain on the front of the package. Inspect the ingredient list, all types of grains should have the word “whole” in front of them like whole wheat, whole rye, whole brown rice and oats. Brown rice and oats are whole as is.

Trans Fat free

“Trans-fat free” what you think it means, is free of artery –clogging trans-fat. Tran’s fat is not good for heart. World Health Organization says you should eat no more than 2 g of this artery-clogging fat per day- a limit you could easily hit by eating only “trans fat free” foods. What it actually means is it might be free of artery-clogging trans-fat but the zero trans-fat have 0.5 g trans-fat per serving. If a product contains 0.5 g of trans fat or less per serving, the FDA says it’s OK for manufacturers to round down to zero on the label.

What you need to look for is to check the ingredient list that if there are Hydrogenated oil or Shortening thing it means Trans-fat is there. Peanut butter, shelf-stable snacks, and margarine are huge culprits here!

Fat Free

This term came into picture after the knowledge of danger due to trans-fat and saturated fat, and people started avoiding such products. Then companies came with new attractive word that is Fat Free.

Fat free does not mean that it will be sugar free too, because mostly fat free products are loaded with sugar and sugar free products are loaded with fat.

That knowledge we will get from the back label information and how much calories the product is containing.

Gluten Free

“Gluten free” what you think it means is it’s healthier, it doesn’t have any of that nasty gluten people talk about. Gluten is a protein found in grain like wheat, it can be dangerous for those who have allergy or sickness from that. What “Gluten free” actually means is it maybe, or maybe not. If you are choosing between 100% whole wheat bread and a gluten free bread full of refined gluten-free flours like potato starch and rice flour, then maybe not. That depends on if you NEED gluten free.

What you need to look for is at the ingredient list. Are the gluten-free whole grains like brown rice flour, or is it just rice flour? Assess whether the gluten-free claim even matters. Should that product have had gluten in it, to begin with?

Gluten free products often have less fiber that is not so good for health as it does not help in reducing weight.

Cholesterol Free

Cholesterol free product does not mean that it is containing no cholesterol but contains less than 2mg cholesterol per serving as well as low cholesterol products contains 20mg cholesterol per serving.

Some products like Dairy products, Meat, and Butter can be compared in term of cholesterol but if the product is plant based than no need to compare as it does not contain any cholesterol like vegetable oil.

The new dietary guidelines say that cholesterol is “no longer a nutrient of concern for overconsumption.” Why? About 80% of the cholesterol in your bloodstream is made by the liver, whereas only 20% comes from dietary sources. Don’t sweat eating foods with cholesterol—and don’t pay more for products that boast about being “cholesterol free.” (Lower your cholesterol naturally with food.

Organic

The term defines the natural product that are free from any pesticides or artificial fertilizers, but now a day’s mostly companies are using it for increasing their sale.

What “organic” actually means is a number of tightly regulated standards have been followed, however, the product may not be 100% organic. Furthermore, organic produce stil is exposed to “natural pesticides”. Keep in mind that organic is not synonymous with healthy. Organic food can still be packed in fat, calories, and sugar.

Organic products must have a minimum of 70% all the ingredients that meets the organic standards. The research shows a potential benefit to organic, but when the studies were done, there was no separation between grass-fed organic and organic. My suspicion is that grass-fed organic matters more.

All natural

What you think it means “ All natural”, it’s healthy, pure and good for you. Who knows, what “all natural “ actually means, the claim is not regulated. The food and drug administration doesn't define it, although food makers won’t get in trouble as long as so labelled food doesn't contain added colours, artificial flavors, or “synthetic substances”.

So a food labeled natural may contain preservatives or be injected with sodium in the case of raw chicken.

Immunity Booster

Most of the body building products and medial products are there in the market that claims that they will support the immune system that may or may not true.

There are some companies in past years which claimed that it will boost the immune system but later faced investigating and problems from the authorized agencies.

Free Range

This term is used for eggs mostly and that means that the eggs are laid by the hens which are allowed to roam freely outside the sunlight.

This term is not necessary for the eggs, but manufacturers are using it to attract consumers and for increasing their sale.

Real Juices

Most of the juice making companies claim that their juices are made with 100% real fruits that is not true. The taste may be same as a real fruit but not at all make with from fruit. That knowledge will get from the fat and cholesterol content on the label.

Light Oil

term itself defines that the oil (Mostly used for olive oil) is healthy for us, but Light does not mean that it is not having Fat. For comparing it, we should check that the fat should be less than 50% with other oils which are not light.

Understanding Child Abuse

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 15:04:22 GMT

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Many people think of physical violence when they hear the word " ABUSE ". This is important to remember that brute force is one means of strength and influence, far from being the only one. Often it's not the first one that an abuser uses.

" Abuse " is a word in casual conversation which is thrown around a lot; but what defines abuse?

How does one know where they commit violence or are being abused? The definition of abuse is indeed quite simple. The definition of abuse is as follows according to the Gale Encyclopaedia of medicine:

Abuse is defined as any action that intentionally harms or injures another person.

In Short, the abuse is done by someone who deliberately hurt someone in some way. Child abuse is any mistreatment or neglect that causes harm to a child 18 years old or younger. This can be sexual, emotional and physical abuse, as well as neglect. Moreover, millions of children get abused every day.

Physical Abuse:

Physical abuse of a child is the non-accidental physical infliction child injury. The act is considered physical abuse even though the injury was not intended. The injury from physical child abuse may be the result of :

beating, slapping or hitting
pushing, shaking, kicking, or throwing
pinching, biting, choking, or hair-pulling
burning with cigarettes, scalding water, or other hot objects
severe physical punishment

To read more about the sign and symbol and indication of Physical abuse click "Everything you need to know about physical abuse".

Emotional Abuse:

Emotional abuse of children is any behaviour, attitude, or future to act which interfere with the mental or social health of a child evolution. emotional abuse is almost present when a particular type of abuse is present. Examples of emotional abuse:

giving children the "silent treatment"
telling children they are "bad", no good", or a mistake"
shouting or yelling to silence them
mot allowing them to express views or opinion
threatening
bullying
using emotional blackmail
limited physical contact

Sexual Abuse:

Sexual abuse of a child is any sexual act forcefully between an adult and a child or coerces a child into participating in sexual activities. It can occur even when a child is not touched. Examples of sexual abuse include:

watching others performing sexual acts or getting a child to watch such acts
telling dirty jokes or stories
forcing or inviting a child to undress for sexual gratification
grooming, or preparing for future abuse or activity
encouraging sexually inappropriate behaviour
non-penetration sexual contact, such as touching, kissing, rubbing
rape, penetration, including oral sex.

Neglect:

Child neglect is a common type of child abuse. In neglect, a parent or caregiver fails to meet a child's basic physical and emotional needs, with the result that the child's health or development is impaired. It includes:

not providing appropriate food, clothing or medical care
not having money for basic needs, like meal
locking a child in room or closet
not providing shelter, education
leaving a child alone for a long time or so that they experience harm
allowing the child to be unsuitably dressed for the time of year(e.g. no coat in winter)

Everything you need to know about Child Physical Abuse

Fri, 15 Jul 2022 15:04:20 GMT

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By observing, the practitioner might be able to identify what might not be going well with a child at a particular time. But there is always the problem of how to communicate what the issue might be to the parents, because they might be scared of what the consequences might be. No matter what the case may be, it is very necessary to be able to identify those concerns and be able to report them to the proper quarters, for necessary intervention measures to be taken for the child’s safety and protection. We will be looking at some of the signs and symptoms, indicators and behaviors that might be red lights or indicators of the Physical abuse for children.

Physical abuse of a child is the non-accidental physical infliction child injury. The act is considered physical abuse even though the injury was not intended. The injury from physical child abuse may be the result of :

beating, slapping or hitting

pushing, shaking, kicking, or throwing

pinching, biting, choking, or hair-pulling

burning with cigarettes, scalding water, or other hot objects

severe physical punishment

Many children are physically abused each year by someone close to them. Physical punishment is used for the purpose of correction or control. It is the use of physical force with the intent of infliction bodily pain, but not injury, so it can easily get out of control and become physical abuse.

Signs of Physical Abuse

Indications that Physical abuse can occur include the following but it is important to remember that they are not always indicators of assault and for certain reasons, they can occur.

grasp mark, bite mark
brushes to the soft part of the face.
unexplained black eyes, broken bones
burn, especially from cigarettes, that can be explained.
injury marks that have a pattern like a hand, belt or other objects
injuries that are at different stages of healing

Behaviour signs of Physical child abuse

a child can not remember or explain injuries,
withdrawal and aggression
fear or nervous around adult
flitches if touched
afraid to go home.

Moreover, more than 28% of adults reported that they experienced physical abuse as children. The age at which the abuse takes place influences the impact of the damage. Infants who are physically abused will likely experience long-term physical effects and neurological alterations e.g. irritability, tremors and vomiting. In serious cases where abuse was more force full, the infant may experience permanent blindness or deafness, mental or developmental delay, paralyse.

According to research, it has seen children who are physically abused are greater risk at their adulthood for mental illness, homelessness, crime, and unemployment. All of these affect the community and society.

Benefits of Exercise for children

Thu, 14 Jul 2022 07:29:19 GMT

PHYSICAL ACTIVITY FOR CHILDREN

Do you remember playing on the swings or throwing a ball? You probably did not realize it at the time, but you were actually talking about exercise or physical activity!

In many children's lives, physical activity and exercise are no longer a regular feature. Some children never walk, cycle to school, or play sports. In order to prevent harmful effects on children's health in both the long and short term, they need to be physically active.

The benefits of exercise for children's

health and well-being

Physical activity is essential for children's growth and development and provides numerous development and health benefits as identified below:

1. Stimulates appetite and aids digestion:

Exercise often helps children to feel better about themselves ad promotes a healthy appetite. It is important to encourage a child to have daily physical activities to encourage hunger. Different cardiovascular exercise strengthens the muscles of the abdomen and stimulates the intestinal muscles to move contents through the digestive system. Children should not undertake strenuous exercise immediately after a meal as this can interfere with the digestive system.

2. Development of heart function:

Children's hearts are still developing. Regular exercise is important as it strengthens the heart muscle and improves the heart's ability to pump blood to the lungs. If a child does not have sufficient exercise may likely develop heart disease in later childhood and into adulthood.

3. Development of healthy respiratory function:

Children's lungs are still developing. The body's smallest blood vessels which are known as capillaries widen with exercise, encouraging the oxygen levels in the body to rise and support the muscles in the body to work well.

4. Supporting physical development:

Regular exercise supports physical development in several ways. Physical activities and the development of movement skills help children's physical development in different ways. Physical activities and different exercise help in:

developing skills for coordination of different parts of the body e.g. hands and eyes for throwing and catching, legs and arms for skipping with a rope.
developing control of fine movements of children's fingers and hands. It is one of the most important parts of physical activities. e.g. playing musical instruction and making sound with the body like clapping or tapping.
developing balance and coordination in energetic play e.g running, jumping, and skipping.
developing spatial awareness e.g dancing and moving around the music. It develops spatial awareness while practicing coordination and muscle control.

5. Promote sleep patterns:

Children who are physically active are more likely to fall asleep easily and to sleep for longer. These children are also less likely to develop infections, such as colds and flu because their immune system is made stronger by having regular exercise and sufficient sleep.

6. Encourage social skills:

When a child takes part in team sports and in physical play a game they learn to interact and cooperate with other children. Children become aware of physical play both as an individual and along with others as a social activity, e.eg. playing throwing and catching with a partner, using a seesaw or pushcart, or joining a game with a larger group.

7. Development of bones:

Physical exercise e.g. running, walking or other weight-bearing movements helps children developing their bones. It increases bone density in children helping to maintain strong bones in adolescents. It slows down bone degeneration later in life. This can help to prevent osteoporosis, a condition where bones become brittle and more prone to break.

8. Controlling weight:

Physical activity in young children helps in controlling weight which in the term helps to prevent obesity. When a child is physically active may have a deficit of calories, which takes fat away and lowers weight.

9. Preventing Cancer:

Children who exercise regularly in long term reduces the risk of cancer. Cancer most affected include colon, prostate, uterine, and breast cancers.

10. Emotional well-being:

Children feel calm and have a sense of well-being after they exercise. Exercise, according to one theory, releases beta-endorphin, a natural substance in the body that is hundreds of times more potent than morphine.

11. Benefits to children's future health:

It also reduces the risk of stroke or heart attack s later in life.

STRENGTH IS JUST A WORD

A REGULAR EXERCISE WILL MAKE THAT STRENGTH FELT!

The Effect of Lack of Physical Activity

in Children

Children's growth and development is greatly supported by physical activity. However, a worrying tendency in the present day is the decrease in children's physical activity. The following are some significant effects of lack physical activity:

1. Physical Health Issues

Numerous health problems are exacerbated by a lack of physical activity. Children who don't exercise regularly are more likely to develop weak bones and muscles, obesity, and cardiovascular issues. Developing good behaviors early in life is essential for long-term health.

2. Mental Health Issues

Sedentary behavior has an impact on mental health in addition to physical health. Research shows a connection between children's anxiety and sadness and a lack of physical activity. Comprehensive health management requires an understanding of the holistic effects of inactivity.

3. Heightened Risk of Anxiety and Depression

It is often known that physical activity and mental health are related. The "feel-good" hormones known as endorphins, which are released during exercise, are essential for mood control. Thus, a lack of exercise affects children's mental health by raising their risk of anxiety and despair.

4. Reduced Cognitive Function

Engaging in physical activity benefits the brain as well as the body. Exercise improves cognitive function, including memory, concentration, and problem-solving abilities, according to studies. Children who don't get enough exercise may struggle in school and with their cognitive development.

How Much Exercise Do Children Need?

Babies (under 1 year)

Encourage them to be active during daily routines and during supervised floor play by reaching and gripping, tugging and pushing, and moving their head, body, and limbs if they aren't yet crawling. C rawling is one of the many ways that babies should be encouraged to stay active throughout the day, every day. When they are awake during the day, try to fit in at least 30 minutes of tummy time. Encourage newborns to be as active as they can be in a secure, watched-over play area once they are able to roam around.

Toddlers (aged 1 to 2)

Every day, toddlers should engage in physical activity for at least 180 minutes, or three hours. The more, the better. Playing outside should be a part of this throughout the day. Lighter activities like standing up, moving around, rolling, and playing can be incorporated into the 180 minutes, as can more strenuous ones like running, leaping, hopping, and skipping.

The greatest approach to get this age group moving is through active play, which includes chasing games, ball games, playing in the water, riding a bike, and utilizing a climbing frame.

Pre-schoolers (aged 3 to 5)

Children in pre-school should engage in at least 180 minutes (3 hours) of diverse physical activities each day, including outdoor play and active games, distributed throughout the day. The greater the quantity, the superior it is. The 180 minutes must encompass a minimum of 60 minutes (1 hour) of moderate-to-vigorous intensity exercise. Children younger than 5 should not remain inactive for extended durations, except during sleep. Watching television, traveling by car, bus, or train, or being confined in a stroller for extended times are not beneficial for a child's well-being and growth.

Be Aware of The Lack of Physical Activity in Your Children!

To sum up, the absence of physical activity in children presents major difficulties for their overall health. Nonetheless, through combined efforts from parents, schools, communities, and the Sports & Performing Arts Academy, beneficial change is possible. By emphasizing physical activity, we can guarantee a healthier, more joyful future for those who come after us.

The key is to keep them moving and active, as regular exercise not only contributes to physical health by building strong muscles and bones but also plays a crucial role in fostering mental well-being.

Parents and caregivers can support this by encouraging outdoor play, organizing family activities, and setting positive examples through their own active lifestyles. The aim is to instill a love for movement in children from an early age, laying the foundation for a healthy and active lifestyle as they grow.

Theoretical & Philosophical Approaches to Play

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 20:00:52 GMT

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Most settings spend hours, usually outdoors, but some settings use only natural materials with children. There are several different theories and approaches. The early years practitioner has the responsibility to look at, plan and support a range of different opportunities for play connected with different theories of approach and different play types. The theories and approaches aid in determining how the child should play and what an adult's role should be in facilitating play.

What is a Theory of Play?

A theory of play is a body of knowledge about the connections between and influences of play on cognitive development throughout childhood and beyond. Psychologists who have been researching how children's brains develop and how this affects us as adults may make this argument. Each one may differ slightly from the others, favouring particular experiences over others. They have been consulted to help practitioners decide which types of play to implement in their settings and to inform Different Types of Play in Early Years.

What have we learnt from theorists?

In evaluating the value of teaching and learning through play, there are a wealth of psychologists and theorists, including Piaget, Bruner, Vygotsky, Isaacs, Montessori, Froebel, and McMillan, all documenting a variety of research supporting the effectiveness of play-based learning. Bruner et al. (1976) found that play reduces stress. They viewed play as a form of problem solving that required self-initiation, thus increasing a child’s problem-solving ability. Vygotsky’s(1998) view differed from Piaget's about there being stages in play development; however, he agreed that play stimulates the development of abstract thoughts. From theorists, we have learned things like different ways of learning through play, how we can help them through play, etc. We can also make children play by using natural materials rather than using non-eco-friendly materials like plastic. Theorists have also taught us that children can learn with very little equipment. According to this, it is not necessary that the nursery should have full toys and equipment.

However, according to my understanding, most of the theorists have worked with natural equipment and also have real life experience. Therefore, while reading their theories and findings, we are able to know what has been tried and what has been tested as the theory behind children’s play and learning.

Tina Bruce and her theory:

Professor Tina Bruce is a highly respected academic and theorist in early childhood development, education, and play-based learning. Her theories of play are influenced by the "creator of kindergarten", Friedrich Froebel, and she has published more than twenty-eight books in her chosen field. Bruce believes that play is an effective way to achieve a goal or produce a product and that providing toys is not necessary because children can come up with their own props using simple materials such as sticks and pebbles. Bruce identifies 12 "features of play".

The core values of this theory are based on the belief that play is an active process rather than something that needs to have an end goal or produce a product. She highlights that it is not always necessary to provide children with toys because they will come up with their own imaginative ways of using the materials around them to initiate play. Theses can be things such as sticks, leaves, pebbles, paper and tissue. She bases her approach on her belief that it is very important to allow children to learn and grow through child-initiated play which leads to a more holistic experience for them. Children will choose to play but cannot be made ta. They will make rules as they go along in order to keep control and may choose to play with a group, in pairs or alone. Children also get first-hand experience of life from life and pretend when they play.

Approaches to play inform practice:

According to her theory, early childhood education focuses on a child-centered approach, which allows the children to choose toys and consider their likes and preferences. The setting ensures the surroundings and resources are rich in diversity to reflect different cultures and meet the needs of children with sensory impairments and disabilities. Children's play can be beneficial or detrimental. They can use the data to improve areas and resources and use intervention to promote meaningful play, for example, support from a practitioner and the use of a variety of materials for creative activities. Resources promote holistic holistic development.

Maria Montessori (1870 – 1952) and her theory

Maria Tecla Artemisia Montessori was an Italian physician and educator best known for the philosophy of education that bears her name. Maria Montessori was a trained doctor who had spent her first years working with children who had learning difficulties. Through her experience with the children she had realize the fact that if we use structured approach and structured learning material children will make progress in learning. In her first classroom, when Montessori was invited to oversee the care and education of a group of children of working parents in 1906, Montessori observed behaviours in these young children which formed the foundation of her educational method. She noted episodes of deep attention and concentration, multiple repetitions of activity and sensitivity to order in the environment. She continued to improve her methods and ideas through scientific close observation of children.

Today most of the nurseries all around the world are using her approach. The Montessori Theory is an approach to learning developed by Maria Montessori where key principles are:

Independence

“Never help a child with a task at which he feels he can succeed” Maria Montessori

It is always a goal of Montessori education in the classrooms to make the child independent and be able to do things for him. This is achieved by giving children opportunities.

Observation

Observation or watching children is for parents easy to do. We can spend countless hours’ just watching children and see how they are enjoying themselves, exploring their environment. This was the simple method of how Maria Montessori has learned about children and developed her theories on child development.

Following The Child

Follow the child, they will show you what they need to do, what they need to develop in themselves and what area they need to be challenged in.

“Learn”; they are drawn to it by the needs of their inner life, which must be recognized and developed by its means.” – Maria Montessori

Correcting The Child

Children make mistakes. They may spill something, drop food unintentionally and so on. There is no need to raise your voice in situations like those. Instead, calmly recognize the mistake “oh you’ve spilled the water…. Why don’t we get a cloth and wipe it up.” This is the opportunity to ask the child to do some valid practical work with you.

Prepared Environment

The teacher’s first duty is to watch over the environment, and this takes precedence over all the rest. The prepared environment is important part of Montessori. It is the link for a child to learn from adults. The environment has to be ready and beautiful for the children so it invites them to work.

Absorbent Mind

The language of the adult is one that a child will easily pick up. Montessori observed how children learned the language without anyone teaching them. This sparked her idea for the “absorbent mind”. Children under the age of 3, do not need to have lessons in order to learn, they simply absorb everything in the environment by experiencing it, being part of it.

Approaches to play inform practice:

Montessori's were emerging all over which took on a holistic approach to development. These nurseries considered child's age when planning activities, and focused on interaction of the child in their environment. It encouraged children to organize their own activities and absorb information from their environment.

Jean Piaget (1896-1980)

Jean Piaget was a Swiss psychologist and biologist known for his work on child development. Piaget placed great importance on the education of children. According to him, children are active learners, and, through his observation, he noticed that same-age children have a tendency to play with other children of the same age only. His theory focuses not only on understanding how children acquire knowledge but also on understanding the nature of intelligence. Through his observations of children, Piaget developed a stage theory of intellectual development that included four distinct stages.

Approaches to play inform practice:

As a practitioner, we can make sure that we observe and plan activities accordingly that are specific to the children’s age and stage of development during play opportunities. We scaffold the children but offer support when needed so that they can use their experiences to initiate and form play ideas. Learning opportunities should be provided for their age and stage to promote their cognitive development and set the children's challenges according to their level of development.

Lev Vygotsky (1896 – 1934)and his theory

Lev Vygotsky was a seminal Russian psychologist who is best known for his sociocultural theory. His belief was that social interaction plays a critical role in children’s learning. Through such social interactions, children go through a continuous process of learning. Vygotsky noted that culture profoundly influences this process. Imitation, guided learning, and collaborative learning all play a critical part in his theory. Human development, according to Lev Vygotsky, is the result of a dynamic interaction between individuals and society. Through this interaction, children learn gradually and continuously from parents and teachers.

“Learning is more than the acquisition of the ability to think; it is the acquisition of many specialized abilities for thinking about a variety of things.” – (Lev Vygotsky, Mind in Society, 1978)

Vygotsky’s theory of cognitive development is centered on the idea that social interactions and imaginative play are large contributors to the process of cognitive development in children. He emphasized the significant role that language plays in the development of abstract thought. However, through imaginative play, Vygotsky believed that children could absorb and develop thoughts and concepts. He believed that the social interactions that children engaged in helped them to both discover and create meaning from the things that they discovered. He also recognized that play supported children’s emotional and social development. Specifically, he believed that some of the most important learning a child could experience was in the social interactions they had with their skilled tutor, who is often an adult, such as a parent or practitioner.

Approaches to play inform practice:

According to his approach, the early years encourage children to engage in practical activities like cutting and pasting, threading, and building using construction kits. It also designs suitable activities to challenge children's ability and encourage progression. Setting provides puppets in role play, puppet or during reading books to help with language development and children's confidence. Early year settings provide opportunities for role play, which plays an important role in a child’s emotional development.

Friedrich Froebel (1782 – 1852) and His theory

Friedrich Froebel, the founder of the Kindergarten system of education, believed that play is the highest form of spirituality in young children and is an instinct that all children have. He was also a great educator of children. He believed that play is the highest expression of human development in childhood, for it alone is the free expression of what is in the child’s soul. Friedrich Froebel believed that humans were essentially productive and creative. Through engaging with the world, understanding unfolds. Hence the significance of play – it is both a creative activity and, through it, children become aware of their place in the world. According to Froebel, in play, children construct their understanding of the world through direct experience with it. Froebel has a philosophical interest in the nature of childhood. Some believed that children were born evil and that only harsh education and discipline could teach them to be good, but Froebel believed that children are born well and that adults must provide the appropriate care and environment to protect them from evil.

He also used rhymes and music as a way of helping children to learn about concepts. He was particular that the children should spend a lot of time outdoors and in nature. His passion was nature and plants. He also believed in child-centered education. He believed that play was a young child’s best resource for learning. So Froebel sought to help children learn by providing them with materials that would serve both as playthings and tools for learning, like shaped wooden bricks, balls, and so on. In this way, children could play and learn at the same time about important concepts like space, shapes, matter, and so on. Nowadays, in many settings, they provide blocks of different shapes and sizes so that children can play and learn from them. Froebel’s most important concern was about children learning through play in the safety of their homes. Therefore, the schools that he later designated for young children had proper provisions for the care and development of children. His approach to education, which he labeled as "self-activity" and which allowed children a lot of freedom regarding individual interests and learning through explorations, is still important as a system of educating children. In his kindergarten approach, the practitioner plays the role of a guide instead of that of a lecturer.

Approaches to play inform practice:

According to his theory of approaches, an early years setting has wooden blocks or introduces "block play" for the learning of numbers, shapes, and sizes. Encourage outdoor play space for children to run around in. Natural materials are also used to encourage creativity, ideas, and explanation. Settings also provide opportunities and props for symbolic play and imaginative play. singing nursery rhymes and using finger rhymes to encourage language development. Settings involve parents in helping children learn through play.

Susan Isaacs (1885 – 1948) and her theory

Susan Isaacs was a British psychologist and educationalist whose work spanned the first half of the twentieth century. She came to education with a background in philosophy and psychology, and this influenced much of her work with young children. Isaacs was known for the accessibility of her work to practitioners and to parents. She wrote for a varied audience, including academic papers, books, and columns in parenting journals. Isaacs had a passionate belief in the place of nursery education in society. She felt that attending a nursery school should be a natural part of a child’s early life.

‘ Experience has shown that it can be looked upon as a normal institution in the social life of any civilized community’ (Isaacs, 1952, p.31)

Susan Isaacs was famous for promoting the importance of play in young children, which allowed her to reflect on what the children were learning. She strongly believed that children should have the freedom and opportunity to play, and also that they should use their imagination to play through role-playing. Isaacs felt that the adults working in the nursery school were as much a part of the environment as the space and the resources.

‘ Children use reality as a canvas on which to project their feelings and since that reality included both people and things, the whole environment had to provide for successful projection (Smith, 1985p.70)’

She has published many articles and put many ideas on child development and play into action. She has always stressed the link between play and a child’s emotions and social behaviors. She strongly believed that, through play, feelings can be released safely and also explore a range of emotions. She argued that it is important to develop children’s skills to think clearly and exercise independent judgment. Increasing a child's independence is beneficial to their personal development. Thus, play should be viewed as children’s work, and social interaction is an important part of play and learning. The emotional needs of children are also very important, and symbolic and fantasy play could be a release for children’s feelings. She was not in favor of uncontrolled self-expression; rather she stressed the importance in child development of the internationalization of what she called the "good-strict" parent—one able to control the child’s instincts and prevent their unstrained force from harming self or other. Children’s play was to be respected and left free to evolve on their own terms, because, as Isaacs explained.

‘Play has the greatest value for the young child when it is really free and his own ’ (Isaacs, 1971, p. 133)

Isaacs’s educational practices were based on complex psychological theories. Through her gift for communicating ideas, she influenced early years education at both individual and national levels. Her desire for a generous environment for children, both in terms of care and resources, remains with practitioners today.

Approaches to play inform practice:

Her theory has influenced current play provision today emphasis on importance of working with both parents. The use of imaginary play as a way to explore feelings.

Chris Athey and theory:

Athey built on and was influenced by Piaget’s theory on cognitive development in children. He suggested that children are active learners that base their thoughts and feelings about the world around them on their experiences. These are called schemas. Schemas are recurring patterns of behavior, and these play schemas are linked to children’s cognitive development. Play schemas can reflect a child’s interest in the way they play, their association with resources and materials, and the links they make with things when reading conclusions about the world around them.

Approaches to play inform practice:

It is very important to recognize play patterns (play schemas) so that we don’t mistake them for unwanted behavior. In an early years setting, we can encourage the children to explore and play, thus providing opportunities to learn through their experiences and, after observation, make links with the pattern of play. This is very important for their cognitive development.

Margaret McMillan and Rachel McMillan’s theory

Sisters Margaret and Rachel McMillan were born in Westchester County in New York State. Margaret and Rachel McMillan made real advances in early childcare, and their ideas still resonate today. Both sisters were social reformers who wanted to improve conditions for poor children and their families. The McMillan sisters had a firm belief that children learn best through first-hand experiences and that active learning is the most fruitful for them. They led many campaigns to improve social conditions and to make sure that children from poor families were given meals free of cost. Both sisters started visiting their homes, leading them to lives of social activism focused on improving the lives of slum children. They advocated for school meals and opened one of England’s first school-based health clinics. Their primary concern was the health of young children and their interest in early education. Margaret and Rachel stressed the importance of free play, especially with art and craft and water activities, and also outdoor play, assigning large and varied external areas for this. Such views seem commonplace now, but were very different to the teaching methods generally used at the time.

Margret was influenced by Maria Montessori. In 1911, they started an open-air nursery, which was a play-oriented, open-air environment. It was born out of their response to health problems they were witnessing in poor communities and was meant to be a model for other schools as well as a training centre for future and current teachers. There was a strong emphasis on outdoor play, with the classroom being called shelters. There was a large garden, allowing children to explore extensively. In the nursery, children had no paper work or examinations and no timetable for the day but had time to play, run freely in open areas, and explore nature. The work of the McMillans brought about the establishment of the school medical service and the school meals service. They focused on education through a child’s "sense of wonder" and believed teachers must know what attracts children and gains their attention. They also helped and advised parents on how to interact in a positive manner with their children. The emphasis the McMillans put on the nursery school being an open-air institution influenced how nurseries were built throughout the first half of the twentieth century.

Approaches to play inform practice

In early years setting children being outdoors they explore the surroundings freely with lot of space.

Rudolf Steiner (1861 – 1925)

The Steiner approach to education was formed by Rudolf Steiner, an Austrian philosopher with an interest in social reforms and philosophy, but also religion, architecture, and science. He developed a spiritual movement that he called anthroposophy, which is based on the idea that a child’s moral, spiritual, and creative sides need as much attention as their intellect. The educational approach differs from mainstream education in several ways. Initially, Steiner schools focused on the importance of spiritual values and social skills, and the way of teaching is based on the stability of intellectual, practical, and artistic teaching.

Features of Steiner’s approach have a main part like a link to spirituality, where children are reincarnated and in need of adult guidance to provide protection and to find their way. Next was using natural materials rather than toys. As per his theory, children need space and time to discover themselves, and they can do it only if we give them opportunities to be imaginative and to explore their own space. Toys and man made materials will hinder this process, hence natural materials are provided instead. As for practical skills, he believed that practicing skills with their hands was important for children's development. Steiner’s preschool implemented a regular timetable and daily routine that covers free play, art and craft, circle time, and practical activities like cooking, cleaning, etc.

He did not support early reading and writing as this would impose a view on children and prevent them from thinking for themselves. Instead, storytelling and creating books based on stories created by the children were regarded as essential. In addition, Steiner believed that the adult's role is to guide the child so that the child can discover themselves, which would happen by allowing the child to be imaginative.

Approaches to play inform practice:

According to Steiner, it is true that when children take part in play that involves imitation, it prepares them for the future. For example, gardening, cooking, and cleaning. As practitioners, we are aware of how to present ourselves so that children see us as role models. Children with special needs are integrated into mainstream schools where possible. Inclusive practice is integral to educational and childcare settings; children's special needs are considered when planning activities. Circle time is widely used as a means of developing children's self-esteem and communication skills.

Early years settings can encourage children to base a lot of their learning on their experiences. We have many activities that enhance the children’s creative sides and make sure that we offer areas of play that encourage their imagination. As a practitioner, we can do lots of hands-on activities with the children; sand play, water-based play, and role play areas are some of the things on offer which create a child-led session with adult support. We may also have a well-equipped music and dance room where we can use hand bells, shakers, and castanets to encourage the recognition of rhythms and sounds.

Reggio Emilia approach

The Reggio Emilia approach is an educational philosophy concentrated on preschool and primary education. This approach is a student-centered and constructivist self-guided curriculum. The system of preschool education is very collaborative, with parents and practitioners working together to meet children’s interests and needs. It is to be noted that adults play an important role when working with children. This approach has a belief that children have rights and that they should be given different ways to develop their potential. Children are inspected to be "knowledge bearers," so they are motivated to share their thoughts and ideas about whatever they do during the day. The Reggio Emilia approach principally views children as capable of acquiring knowledge by themselves through their natural curiosity and creativity. By this approach, we find a method of learning that allows the child to use all their senses. This interesting topic will become an important element in their learning process.

Parents are considered partners, collaborators, and advocates for their children in the Reggio Emilia philosophy. Teachers respect parents as each child’s first teachers and involve parents in every aspect of the curriculum. Parents are invited and expected to take an interest and also to take part in meetings about school policy, child development concerns, and curriculum planning and evaluation. The Reggio Emilia approach teaches that children use many different ways to show their understanding and express their thoughts and creativity. It is mainly through different ways of thinking and discovering, through drawing, sculpting, dance, movements, painting, pretend play, through modelling and music. In the Reggio Emilia philosophy, teachers, in addition to playing the role of the guide, are also responsible for documenting the learning process within the classroom and transcribing the verbal language used by children. Teachers may take photos and even videos to better understand the children and assist parents in becoming more aware of what their children are doing.

Approaches to play inform practice:

The approach benefits children because it respects them and takes them seriously. It sees them strong, capable and resilient, rich with wonder, knowledge and potential. Children learn about collaboration, teamwork and community. The Reggio Emilia environment inspires children. It’s fun, stimulating, exciting, nurturing and safe and it’s always carefully curate to encourage creative thinking and expression. The benefits to children are many and varied but perhaps valuable advantage is that it does what all educational models strive for but don’t always achieve, it ignites a love of learning.

As a practitioner always try and create an environment where children are encouraged to play and learn in an open and free flow environment. Most of the resources are placed at the reach and accessibility of the children so they can choose when and how they play, although we do also have a creative timetable, thus giving the children opportunities to make a choice based on their curiosity and interests.

In early years settings, a strong partnership with the parents through various models of communication. On the first day of orientation, the parents may complete a ‘settling in form’ which outlines the child’s likes, dislikes and eating and nap schedule. This sets a good balance between home and nursery creating a trust between parents, teachers and children. We can also have an app which linked to the parents, where they receive daily updates on their children, including photos, eating, napping and the emotional state of the child.

Forest School Approach

Forest School's approach is based on the philosophy of child-led learning and it focuses on all the senses. Forest School's approach is one which has been in place for many years. It originated in Scandinavia in the 1950s, where forests and other outdoor locations were used as a tool for early education and play. It is based on the philosophy that children’s interaction with nature and the natural world is a very important factor in their development. It is also linked with countries like Norway and Denmark, where there are many schools in rural, forest-like areas. There are many benefits when children are in close contact with nature. It holds a holistic approach to learning and has many physical, emotional, cognitive, and intellectual benefits. So many settings in the UK have shown an interest in incorporating the approach and including forest school training. Here, children can observe nature, weather changes, and feel free, as well as learn physical skills such as staying warm and dry, moving safely, and dealing with risks. Children can also play freely and more creatively in large spaces where there are no toys in their surroundings. Some settings have day-to-day access to wooded lands, while some take them to woodlands weekly.

The Forest School Association defines forest school as an inspirational process that offers all learners regular opportunities to achieve and develop confidence and self-esteem through hands-on learning experiences in a woodland or natural environment with trees. Playing and learning outside improves children’s physical and emotional well-being and is believed to be hugely beneficial for children with a range of emotional and developmental needs. However, instead of using classroom resources, children can use natural materials found in the woodland and enjoy activities such as collecting sticks and leaves, tying knots, making dens, handling tools, using twigs to write in the mud, climbing trees, jumping across stones, and building fires.

Forest school also helps children to develop self-awareness and gives motivation, empathy, improves social and communication skills, and develops self-esteem and confidence. Develop physical skills, including the development of both gross and fine motor skills; improve problem solving and risk-taking; improve concentration. The forest school approach helps children to gain knowledge and understanding of the world around them.

Approaches to play inform practice:

As an early years practitioner, you can grow plants and vegetables in one area of the outdoors, so it is a fine example of the forest school approach. Children enjoy nature and find ways to develop their creative skills by making different tools, making dens, looking around at insects, birds, etc. Children make paintings on leaves or draw flowers and colour them in nature. We do have outdoor trips too, in gardens. It helps children to build up their confidence as they feel freedom and space in an open area.

Heuristic Play in Early Childhood

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 18:47:20 GMT

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Have you ever encouraged a particular moment with your child when they would rather play with the box in which a new toy has arrived, rather than the toy itself? Or yet another object every day over a new toy? This is what is known as heuristic play if you have it.

When given space to explore, the children are at their happiest. They scuttle about their world, hitting, manipulating, and chewing on something with their small hands they can find but what do you think of an idea that makes this seemingly normal cycle ban outlet for learning and fun? So that's exactly what heuristic play is about.

Heuristic

the adjective "enabling a person to discover or learn something for themselves."

Defining Heuristic Play

The word "heuristic" derived from the Greek word "eurisko" and it means to discover or acquiring an understanding of something. Heuristic play is the term used to describe children using their senses to playing and exploring different natural materials.

Elinor Goldschmied(1910-2009) a child psychologist invested in the term heuristic play in the 1980s which become a standardized term in the book People under three: Young Children in Daycare. In a book that she co-authored with Sonia Jackson, they described a clear overview of heuristic play is for children. Goldschmied regarded heuristic play as a non-prescriptive approach to learning without a single way of doing it. The collection of used objects and receptacles are an expression of the adult's creativity.

What is Heuristic play?

The heuristic play is about explosion and curiosity. It is grounded in the innate excitement of young children. It offers children an opportunity to explore an atmosphere where they can learn new ways of being imaginative and articulate while managing a variety of items in a safe, supported, open-ended manner.

Principles of Heuristic Play

There are five principles to play being viewed in heuristic play:

Principle one: The type of equipment used in heuristic play, no toys are provided, the equipment should be natural materials or real things that adults busy themselves with.

Principle two: The role of adults in this play, adult sets the play and then assumes a position by themselves in a place where they are not clearly included in the play but still available to intervene and indirectly play if required.

Principle Three: The timing of the play sessions Heuristic play should offer to children when they are settles. Children usually not take interest when they are hungry, tired, have uncomfortable nappies or clothes, or unwell.

Principle four: Setting up play sessions children need to concentrate and explore the equipment so the play sessions should be set up away from distractions and noise. A room with an area of a large play space away from the main play area will be ideal for this type of play.

Principle five: The number of equipment available children, in heuristic play sessions, do not have to take turns or share so there should be plenty of equipment and sets of the same things

Why is Heuristic play good for young children?

This style of play develops concentration and their ability to continue with one train of thought.

Children can move their arms and their legs constantly and use their torsos to twist and bend. It supports children's physical development: strong muscle control, gross motor, and hand-eye coordination.

Children will use trial and error, testing their own theories. It type of engagement helps children to be independent.

As children learn through discovery and exploration, that supports children's cognitive development.

There are many early mathematical concepts that will explore in this type of play.

It supports children to learn different skills such as imaginations, critical thinking, and problem-solving.

It allows children to gain an understanding world around children

It allows opportunities to explore independently and make choices.

Children learn to think "out of the box", items together, and find out ways of making them connect it allows for creativity as children bring.

Children will develop strategies, face problems, and situations, and they overcome by thinking critically.

A range of senses involved while interacting in this type of play.

Items that could help Heuristic play:

Heuristic play is effective as it is an open-ended activity. Children are able to explore a world of wonder and "what if?" It does not have a set outcome. I have shared a list of equipment that can be collected for this type of play:

Natural object: pine cones, seashells, lemon, orange, coconut, pebbles
Paper/cardboard object: egg boxes, small boxes with lids, cardboard tubes, notebook,
wooden objects: wooden bowl, pegs, egg cup, spoons, blocks, napkin ring,
rubber objects: jar rings, rubber ball, soap holder, door stop
metal object: egg cup, curtain ring, tea strainer, small bowl, spoon
brushes: bottle brushes, scrubbing brush, pastry brush, paintbrush, nail brush, wooden toothbrush, brushes with different sizes
other objects: reels of thread, big feathers, colour beads on a string, colourful tape, clothes, jar lids, hair rollers, small mirror, ceramic bowl.

Before choosing items for Heuristic play, we should remember some points, make sure all objects or resources or equipment should be clean and safe. If you are using natural material then items with sharp edges or could cause harm should be avoided. You have to make sure which are using for this type of play are not too small to be swallowed.

Treasure basket play:

Treasure basket play is a type of heuristic play for non-mobile babies normally displayed in a small basket filled with everyday items made from natural material. As babies grow up, they go beyond being content to simply feel and think about objects, to see what can be done with them. This type of play is also developed by Elinor Goldschmied to promote heuristic play.

"Heuristic play is an approach and not a prescription. There is no right way to do it and people in different settings will have their own ideas and collect their own material."(People under three: page 130)

What Next?

If you are reading this article, you might want to check out more children articles to enjoy:

The importance of Imaginative play

Understand different types of play for children

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Play Therapy for Children in Hospital

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 17:51:38 GMT

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Hospitalization disrupts children’s lives and can produce feelings such as anxiety, fear, or pain. Playing is an important part of children’s lives. Thus, it is necessary to ensure holistic care during the process, including play therapy.

It’s rarely a happy occasion when a child is in the hospital, but play therapy is a really effective way to make it a little less overwhelming and a whole lot brighter.

What is Play Therapy?

Play therapy is helpful for children who have an illness or must have surgery that requires hospitalization. Hospitalizations are stressful for children and their families. Young children often feel frightened confused, and out of control. Play therapy is used to help children understand and cope with illness, surgery, hospitalization and medical procedures.

How can playing while in hospital help my child?

Play is comforting and familiar. It's how children make sense of their surroundings. It aids in the learning and development of children in hospitals, as well as the reduction of anxiety. It assists individuals in expressing their thoughts and concerns, comprehending what is occurring, and coping with therapy. It gives a child the chance to make decisions, giving them a sense of power. The ability to play while in the hospital allows children to maintain some aspects of their usual lives.

The therapeutic role of play in hospital in supporting children’s recovery.

We all know the importance of play for children. It is great for socialisation, motor skills, and intellectual development. Acute paediatric wards, burns units, accident and emergency departments, day surgery wards, and special sections such as cancer care all include play services. In a hospital, playing with children can also create understanding and serve as a distraction, as well as help in:

Building rapport and providing a positive experience: For example, when having a blood test the child can be given an appropriate explanation using play and helped to understand why blood taken does not need to be replaced.

Breeding familiarity with hospital equipment

This allows children and their families to investigate, familiarize themselves with, and desensitize themselves to medical equipment. Dressing like a doctor, creating dolls, collages of medical equipment, and syringe paintings are all possibilities.

Relieving stress and anxiety: From the time of admission through the post-operative period or hospital release, therapeutic play is helpful in lowering children's worry and concerns, attaining self-expression, collaboration during unpleasant procedures, and desire to return to the hospital to complete their treatment.

It enables the child and his or her family to comprehend, accept, and cooperate with therapy. The value of collaboration should not be overlooked. Children's cooperation in blood testing, for example, allows the procedure to be completed swiftly and effectively. When a child resists and struggles with terror, it may take numerous attempts to draw blood. This is not only inconvenient for the doctor, but it is also distressing for both the child and the parent.

Normalising the environment: Play therapy create an environment where stress and anxiety are reduced. For example, Play therapy for children with terminal diseases may create an environment in which young patients can gain a sense of control over their situation, have the opportunity to manage their lives in their own way, and be able to express their frustrations, fears, and feelings, even if only for a short time.

Providing opportunities to talk and listen:

Therapeutic play may help in the development of a relationship and communication with a hospitalized child, as well as the expression of feelings among children, the reduction of stress and anxiety, and the preparation for intrusive procedures.

Play therapy appears to be an effective therapeutic option for abused children hospitalized to a pediatric hospital. Many of these children communicate themselves more effectively via activities than through words. As result, play therapy in a secure setting may help children express themselves and cope with their problems.

Play in the hospital may become a tool in the hands of healthcare professionals to give significant support to hospitalized children if they have the necessary training, patience, and willingness to employ it throughout their stay.

The Benefits of Imaginative Play

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 15:02:22 GMT

The Benefits Of Imaginative Play

Have you ever watched a child pretending like her mom talking on the phone or pick up a stone and pretend it is a car, or hop a Lego across the table as if it were a person or bunny? Childhood is a time of magic period when bed become boats and sea made of pillows, tea towel become a cape of invincibility. This all looks like simple fun but actually, these forms of play are important in themselves. When children are using their imagination in play they are developing different skills.

What is Imaginative play?

When it comes to creating and defining the way we think and perceive things, imagination has always been a critical aspect. children are blank canvases. Their interactions and imaginative abilities determine how they learn about and comprehend the real world. Imagination play is a child’s way of engaging and making sense of the world. It is not only fun but also vital to childhood development. Children learn from experience: from what happens around them, to absorb those experiences and make sense of the world, they need to be engaged in imaginary play. It's often seen during the toddler and preschool years but also important for children in primary school. For example, a piece of paper becomes a flying airplane or playing the part of a shopkeeper, parents, dentist, or nurse.

Why Imagination Play is important to child development?

Learning through play is now recognized as an important method of learning and development by early years practitioners. In any Early Years setting, we see children enjoying imaginative play. This form of the play follows children to explore both the physical world and the inner self at the same time helps to recognize the emotional response to things. The process of imagination play builds skills in many development areas.

The importance of imagination in children's development cannot be overstated, according to child psychologist Sally Goddard Blythe, director of The Institute for Neuro-Physiological Psychology and author of The Genius of Natural Childhood: Secrets of Thriving Children. Imagination allows children to tap into their creativity and run with it. In case you didn't know, early childhood experiences have a significant impact on a child's ability to develop creativity.

Albert Einstein said” Your Imagination is your preview of life’s coming attractions”. When a child sees you walking, they start to move and start to imagine walking themselves. Over time, they crawl, stand holding onto objects, and eventually gain the confidence to walk. When your child begins to speak and comprehend th ose around them, their imaginative play continues.

Here are six reasons why nurturing imagination is imperative to a child’s development:

Emotional development:

When children engage in imaginative play, they express a range of emotions and gives them feelings of powerfulness. When children pretend to be different moral development skills of empathy as they re-enact what they have been seen adults doing.

Social development:

In this form of play, children encouraged to play with other children and to take turns, negotiate, and begin to understand the feelings of other children. They build self-esteem when they discover they can be anything just by pretending.

Language development:

When children engage in imaginary play with their toys or friends, we will probably hear some words and phrases that we never thought they knew or often hear our own words reflected in their play. Children can do a perfect imitation of mom, dad, and the teacher. This encourages children to talk to each other, learn new vocabulary, and practice different communication styles as they take on different roles. They choose their words carefully so that others can understand and what they are trying to communicate.

Cognitive development:

The imaginative play presents children with a variety of different problems to solve and scenarios to think about carefully. Children develop their own ideas and make their own rules. For example, setting a table for a meal or calling a family member on the telephone. It can help a child to develop mathematical and literacy skills if this prop is used appropriately. This form of play helps children gain a better understanding of science, the wide world in which they live and important world events that occur around them.

Physical development:

Aside from the wonderful cognitive benefits of imaginative play, it is important to remember that imaginative play offers physical development. It develops gross motor skills as pilots run around flying their Aeroplan, firefighters climb up the ladder or fine motor movement hand-eye coordination such as dressing- up clothes or small world toys.

Develops Problem-solving skills for the future

Children learn to develop their problem-solving skills through imaginative play. Fantasy play with child is necessary since it is so much fun. Children can improve their problem-solving abilities by participating in role-playing activity. However, you must make sure to give them room to find solutions on their own. Additionally, that area promotes cognitive development and increasing the child's capacity for original problem-solving.

During imaginative play, all kinds of creative problem-solving skills can be used. It might involve choosing materials to construct a fort or making something new out of everyday objects. It also includes issues that could come up during playtime, like when children vie for the same role or when something goes wrong in their made-up scenario. A child can develop the cognitive abilities and skills they'll need throughout their lives in a variety of ways, including the ones mentioned above.

Resources to support Imaginative play for different age group:

There is a range of resources that we can use to support imaginative play in the different age groups of children through this form of play mostly found in preschoolers.

Imaginative play recourses for Babies: Any types of puppets used by adults.

Imaginative play recourses for Toddlers(1 – 3 year): toy telephone, shopping bags, toy kitchens, play farm and animals.

Imaginative play recourses for Pre-schoolers(3-5 years): children's fancy dress costumes, puppets and dolls examples, animal puppets, family puppets. Kitchen, food, market and shops, tools. Prop for the small world like cars, dinosaurs, play people. Props for home corners, sink, washing machine, cot, cooker.

Evaluating resources for Imaginative play:

The resources which can we use for imaginative play are endless, from large empty cardboard boxes, and water world toys and play equipment. An adult should ensure all the resources are always on hand and children have opportunities to use them. There are other things that we need to see as are all the resources are safe for children as babies and toddlers put things on their mouths. How much adult supervision is needed in order with many activities? The most important thing to select the resources according to their age/stage appropriate because play changes with ages. Space for the resources and interests of children should consider this form of play.

Final Thoughts on Imagination Play

In order to raise imaginative children, parents must remember to ignore the countless questions that come at them all at once and recognise that kids are going through a phase where questions seem to fill their entire lives. Though you may not be able to provide them all the answers they require, you can give them the room to dream, explore and find some answers themselves- From imagination comes Creativity.

Do you give your children enough time to play and dream? Or do they attend school for a while before spending a lot of time in front of a screen? While as a parent you might think that providing your children with too much free time is wrong, and you prefer to sign them up for countless classes and activities . Just keep in mind that having free time to play and dream is an essential element of a happy childhood.

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The importance of Sensory Play For Early Years

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 14:39:25 GMT

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Have you ever tried to describe the smell of grass or feel of sand between your toes to your child?

Many things are there which can not be taught by words.... they require touching, tasting, listening, smelling, and feeling to truly experience. That's what sensory play is all about!

What is Sensory Play?

From birth, children are exploring their senses and processing new information. As children grow they begin to make sense of the world around them by exploring new textures, materials, and resources. When you think of sensory play, you immediately picture children play with sand and water or children playing with clay and play-dough, but it is not all about touch; it's also about the other senses. Sensory play is the type of play activities that stimulate children's senses. Most sensory play focuses on stimulating smell, taste, sight, touch, and hearing. Sensory activities facilitate exploration and naturally encourage children to use scientific processes while they play, create, investigate, and explore.

Is sensory play really that important?

Yes! sensory play is important for children's development. Research shows that there are many different ways in which sensory play can benefit a child's development and learning. Here are some of the key benefits of sensory play:

Brain Development: When a child is engaged in sensory play all of the senses are involved in learning, pathways are created quickly and help strengthen their brain development for learning, which enhances their memory and ability to complete more complex learning tasks.

Physical development: Sensory play encourage fine motor movements and hand-eye coordination by scooping, filling, grasping,and pouring. It also encourages children's gross motor movements as they transport resources from one place to another such as squeezing, pulling, pushing, and throwing.

Cognitive development and problem-solving: Sensory play supports a child's cognitive development as it encourages children to learn about the textures, properties of different materials, mathematical thinking, spatial awareness, and scientific exploration and discovery. It provides opportunities for learning colours, counting, sequencing, sorting, and constructing. It enhances children's thought process, understanding, and reasoning such as concepts of "sink and float". It also develops problem-solving skills and decision-making skills by experimenting with different objects during sensory play, such as " how to make sand stick together."

Social development: In the sensory play environment, children are encouraged to interact and work with others effectively, they begin to share their ideas and build new relationships. This helps a child to develop social interaction skills.

Language development: During sensory play, children learn new vocabulary, new ways of talking about the world, which allows children to talk to each other about what they are doing and to organize their play, which is a great aid for developing language. Creative storytelling through sensory play is a great activity in language development. As children focus on hand-eye coordination tasks while using various materials they develop pre-writing skills.

Emotional development: During sensory play, children get opportunities to express their emotions and feelings, relieve their stress, provide pleasurable sensations, and also they can be relaxing. These help children to develop their emotions. Sensory play also eliminates the fear and experience of failure, which can negatively impact a child's self-esteem.

Enhance creativity and imagination: Sensory play can encourage creativity by allowing children to experiment with a large variety of materials in a new and creative way. It provides children with open-ended opportunities that allow their creativity to flourish such as mixing colours of play-dough, making mud, and sand pies. Children do not need fancy toys for sensory play. They enjoy the process without concern for the end product. In fact, challenging children to use things in a new way can encourage their imagination.

How does sensory play help children?

Look, Listen, Touch, Smell, Taste, and five fundamental elements of life that we often take for granted.

These are the senses that children are born with and quickly learn to adapt with as they journey through their initial development phases. Each child will experience these in slightly different ways, and some will, of course, suffer additional challenges or certain limitations to one or more senses, but they will all go through life engaging with the world in large part through our senses. In this day and age, there are lots of activities used to engage young children, many aimed at helping them experiment with the key attributes associated with five predominant senses as they grow in-home and educational environments.

Do not forget to take a look at our sensory play activities and ideas to put these sensory resources into action.

IT's YOUR TURN:

What do you think, how does sensory play help children?

The rights of children to PLAY

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 12:27:42 GMT

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The UN Convention on the Rights of the Child sets out the rights of every person under 18.

Children’s rights include the right to health, education, family life, play, protect from harm. It also covers their developmental and age-appropriate needs that change over time as children grow up.

1989 leaders from around the world came together to decide on the human rights that every child under the age of 18 years should have. Once they had all agreed they signed the UN Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC). The UNCRC broke down into 54 articles.

The rights of children in relation to playing as detailed in the UNCRC. The Conversation on the rights of the child is a list compiled by the Nations of rights that all children in all countries should have. There are many right within the conversation for children to be educated.

The UNCRC is broken down into 54 Articles, and Article 31 states:

In play, children learn the skills that are essential to life. Skills that cannot be taught in more formal, structured environments. It is so important to the optimal development of a child. Article 31, the right to engage in play and recreational activities. The article state that: "Every child has the right to relax and play, and join in a wide range of cultural and artistic activities."

"Every child has the right to relax and play."- This article says the child to rest and leisure. It recognizes the right of children to play. Children learn by playing and exploring, being active, and through creative and critical thinking which takes place both indoors and outside. They should provide space to play indoor as well as outdoor. There should be a range of equipment, resources, and environment to play. In early years settings children are given opportunities to choose what they want to play with and how they want to play from their daily routine and session.

"Join in a wide range of cultural"- Children come from different cultures and backgrounds. They need to engage in play and recreational activities to the age of the child and to participate freely in cultural life and the arts. Cultural activities based activities could include visiting museums, castles, and historical sites, special cultural events or festivals around their own cultural background, activities around tradition.

"artistic activities" - Children should experience different artistic actives. Artistic activities could include musical activates (watching or play), drama, dance, art (drawing, painting, making things).

It respects and promotes the right of the child to participate fully in cultural and artistic life and shall encourage the provision of appropriate and equal opportunities for cultural, artistic, recreational, and leisure activity.

In conclusion, UNCRC says that children have the right to have fun in the way they want to, whether by playing sports, watching films, or doing something else entirely. They also have the right to rest, too. Children should be able to take part freely in cultural activities, just like adults. The government should make sure it’s easy for them to do this whether or not they have a disability.

HOW CHILDREN LEARN TO PLAY: Six Stages of Play development

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 12:05:39 GMT

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When we are planning a play activity for children, we are curious if those children are having any fun. Overall, they do not seem to talk much with each other when they play with toys. It's not that they do not like each other; they are only happened to be in the stage of development play.

Play is casual and spontaneous. The best way to learn anything is through play. If we observe children laying, we will notice that they play on their own and just as how they want to play it. As children grow they go through different stages of play development. There are different stages of play. Being Early years practitioner, caregiver, parents, or adults, the more we recognize that children are going through these stages, the more we appreciate their developmental importance. Such stages of play are an important part of their growth and development. Recognizing it would mean making them play with other children, or the adult, maybe on their own. There are six stages of play during early childhood, all of which are important for a child's development. Here are the different stages of play:

Unoccupied play: (Birth to three months)

It is hard to believe, but play starts at birth. Unoccupied play is the beginning of the play in a child's life. In the early months of babies, from birth to about three months, a child is busy in unoccupied play. We know babies make a lot of movements with their arms, legs, hands, feet, etc; they actually discover and learn about their bodies with no objective. They develop self-confidence and learn about their environment. An example of Uncccupied play, a child kicking her/his legs in a sunbeam.

Solitary play: (From Six months to 2 years)

Solitary play is just what it sounds like- when a child plays alone. In this stage of play, children start to play on their own and it begins at about six months. When engaged in solitary play, children do not notice other children sitting or playing nearby. Sometimes, adults may worry about children playing alone, but actually, this type of play is normal. When children engage in this type of play, they are able to explore freely, master new personal skills like motor skills or cognitive skills, keep himself/themselves entertained, eventually setting the path to being self-sufficient. For example in solitary play, a child might stack and knock over blocks, line up or move around objects, flip through a book, or enjoy shaking a noisemaker or other similar toy.

Onlooker play: ( 2 years - 2.5 years)

Onlooker play happens mostly during toddler years but can happen at any age. In his stage children observe or watch other children playing but they do not join the play with them. This sage of play often runs concurrently with solitary play. It is also known as spectator play. In this play, children acquire self-knowledge and learn how to cooperate with other children.

Parallel play:( 2 - 3 years)

In Parallel Play, children play next to each other separately but without any interaction. Though they do not interact with each other, they pay attention to each other. This is the beginning of the desire of a child to be with other children. During this stage, children like to have exactly the same toys as their peers do, but their own play space. They do not share toys or take turns.

Associative play:(3-4 years)

At around three to four years, children become more interested in the other children rather than the toys. At some point a child will start interacting more with the other child they are playing with, this is associative play. In this stage of play, children play together but have different ideas and goals. During this play, two or more children interact with each other, share toys, or borrow toys, communicate with each other but not doing the same thing. Children develop social skills (what should we build now?) and problem-solving ( how can we make this tower bigger?), cooperation( if we work together we can make our cafe even better), and language development (learning what to say to get their messages across to one other). So this stage is the beginning of understanding how to get along with others and begin to make real friendships. Example of associative play, Two children might play so that one is the cook in the cafe and the other is the waitress. They do not seem to care that they have no customers.

Cooperative play(4 years +)

Cooperative play is the most social and organized form of play. In this stage, children play with others for a common purpose, share a goal, and work together to bring it about. Thus, beginning to socialize with other children. Children share resources, make compromises for common good, and take turns. They will begin to establish relationships through cooperative play and create guidelines and rules to follow during these activities. Examples of cooperative play, children playing grocery stores where some children become customers and buy things, others sell things. They interact with each other as they talk, "you come and bag these apples". More examples like, treasure hunt, building dens, relay races, making up a dance, outdoor play: rotating between the side, the swings, and monkey bars.

Understanding the different Types of Play

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 08:46:21 GMT

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Play builds children's creativity and imagination as well as other skills but is all play are the same?

What is a play?

"PLAY" is very difficult to define, but it is a word that is widely used in the field of early years. It is probably one of the least understood aspects of an early years practitioner's work but one of the most important elements of childhood.

Why is play important?

Play does not mean just building with blocks or playing with cars. It is the most natural form of acting and thinking characteristics for children. It is one of the main ways in which children learn and develop. Young children developed many skills through play, e.g. communication, language skills, emotional and social skills. Play develops the whole child.

What are the different types of play?

There are different types of play which has an important role in the development stage of a child. Let's take a closer look at each of these play types and find out how to support children to make the best out of playtime.

Physical play:

Physical play is one type of play that involves physical skills and movement. It promotes a child's health which is linked with all areas of a child's development. The brain works better when children have plenty of fresh air and exercise. That's why outdoor and indoor physical play is important for children's development and learning. It helps children express ideas and feelings, explore what their bodies can do, cooperate with others, increasing control of fine movements.

Physical play helps set children’s Healthy body and mind mind. Children’s co-ordination is also developed as many of the skills involved in this play. This play encourages children’s social development and often bring their imagination. Acrobatics, climbing, balancing, swinging, running for fun, push/pull toys and ride-on toys, construction games are some of the examples of physical play.

Creative play:

Creative play allows children to explore and experience using different media, such as material or music. It allows children to use their imaginations and express themselves freely. It is not about having an end product or producing things to display or taken home. Adults can encourage creative play by offering children a range of materials and play opportunities. It helps children with their physical coordination, develops relations with people, confidence and self-esteem, positive thinking and language development. Painting, model-making, drawing, dancing, music, sand, and water play are some of the examples of creative play.

Imaginative Play:

Children learn from experience: from what happens around them, to absorb those experiences and make sense of the world, they need to be engaged in imaginary play. It's been found that when young children use their imaginations in play, they're more creative. It's been found that when young children use their imaginations in play, they're more creative, express a range of emotions and gives them feelings of powerfulness. This type of play presents children with a variety of different problems to solve and scenarios to think. Children engage in play by actively experimenting with the social roles of life. Roleplay like playing with dressing-up or play in the home corner, small world play, etc.

Imaginative play will depend on the age and development stage of the child e.g. role play - taking part e.g. policeman; Playing House - the children act out what they see at home e.g. cooking; Imaginative - the children act out their experiences but adapt those experiences to meet their play needs e.g. going for a walk; the children pretend to do something they have heard or seen e.g. going to the hospital; playing the role of an imaginary character from the world of television e.g. Fireman Sam.

Sensory Play:

Sensory play is the type of play activities that stimulate children's senses. Most sensory play focuses on stimulating smell, taste, sight, touch, and hearing. It is important to understand children learn from senses like, touch, see smell Sensory play includes any activity that stimulates a young child's senses.; touch, see, smell, hear, and taste. Sensory activities promote exploration and encourage children to use scientific processes while playing, creating, investigating, and exploring. Some of the examples of sensory play are like playing with natural objects, sand play, water play, etc.

Creating an appropriate play environment for children will ensure they have the most opportunity for learning and developing key skills. However, to understand the best ways to support this we should first delve a little deeper into the world of play. Why exactly do children play, and what skills do they learn…

You can read more about early child development on our blog post.

Why Is Play Important In The Development of Children?

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 08:44:22 GMT

Importance of play in Children's learning & development

Supporting children’s learning, well-being, and development through play.

By Shamima Fowzee | Early Years Trainer & Creative Art Therapist

Play is more than we think; it is a way for children to familiarize themselves with the world while exploring and testing their own limits.

Play is not a break from learning; play is learning. From birth through early childhood, play is the primary way children explore the world, develop relationships, build skills, and make sense of their experiences. It supports children’s holistic development and lays the foundations for lifelong learning, well-being, and resilience.

In early years practice, play is recognised as a vital, meaningful process that supports children’s cognitive, social, emotional, physical, and communication development in a natural and engaging way.

What is Play?

Play is a child-led, voluntary, and enjoyable activity where children explore ideas, test possibilities, express emotions, and practice skills. It can be spontaneous or planned, quiet or active, individual or social but it is always purposeful from the child’s perspective.

Through play, children:

Make choices and develop independence
Experiment without fear of failure
Express feelings and experiences
Build confidence and creativity

Play allows children to learn at their own pace, following their interests and developmental readiness. Children's play supports all areas of play and development. A life without play can inhibit the holistic development of children. From an early years practitioner's view, play is a valuable way of supporting development, and that is one of the reasons why a range of play opportunities are provided.

So, what exactly are all these amazing skills that are developed through play? Let’s take a look at how play develops a child holistically .

So, if you'd prefer, watch this video, explaining why play is important in a child's development.

Why Play Matters in Early Childhood

Early childhood is a critical period of brain development. During these years, children form neural connections that shape how they think, feel, communicate, and interact with others. Play provides rich, hands-on experiences that stimulate these connections and support healthy development.

When children engage in play, they are not “just playing”, they are:

Solving problems
Developing self-regulation
Learning social rules
Building language
Strengthening physical coordination

Play enables children to become active learners rather than passive recipients of information. Play is necessary to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children. Play increases range of motion, agility, coordination, balance, flexibility, and fine and gross motor skills.

Key Developmental Benefits of Play

So, what exactly are all these amazing skills that are developed through play? Let’s take a look at how play develops a child holistically.

Play is necessary to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional well-being of children. Play increases range of motion, agility, coordination, balance, flexibility, and fine and gross motor skills.

Cognitive Development

Play enables children to make sense of their world and gain information. Through play, they explore their environment and learn from it. Experiences with real objects help young children to understand concepts and to develop problem-solving. For e.g, building a sandcastle with wet sand involves the, mathematical concepts of number, sequence, volume, and capacity. Play supports thinking, reasoning, memory, and problem-solving skills. Activities such as building, puzzles, role-play, and exploratory play encourage children to plan, predict outcomes, and experiment with ideas. Through play, children learn to:

Make decisions
Concentrate and persist
Understand cause and effect
Develop early mathematical and scientific concepts

Through play the child’s self-awareness deepens as he/she explores the world around him/her; children develop their self-esteem and a vision of the world and gain a sense of their place in it. When children play, they gain knowledge, and they exercise their abilities to think and remember. In other words, they develop cognitively as they have the chance to test their beliefs about the world. Through playing sorting activities, puzzles, and some games, children increase their cognitive skills. Children also increase their understanding of size, shape, and texture through play. For example, they begin to understand relationships when they try to put a square object in a round opening or a large object in a small space.

Emotional Development

Play enhances children’s emotional development. Play provides a safe space for children to express emotions, manage stress, and build emotional resilience. Through imaginative play, children can act out real-life experiences, fears, and feelings in a way that feels manageable and safe.

Play helps children to:

Develop self-confidence and self-esteem
Understand and label emotions
Learn coping strategies
Build resilience and emotional regulation

Regular play can reduce anxiety, stress, and irritability for children while boosting joy and self-esteem. Play allows children to identify their expressions and learn about their feelings. During play, children explore and release their emotions, are aware of their own, and others’ feelings, and are able to manage feelings by expressing them.

Play builds personality, self-confidence, and positive self-image. During pretend play, symbolic play, and dress-up play, children are able to deal with life situations by acting them out. In a New Zealand study, psychologists examined how children handled negative events during pretend play. They found that children who had more pretend play with their caregivers were better at regulating their emotions to continue playing.

Social Development

Play gives children a great sense of achievement. Children's social development is greatly helped by play. Playing actively and unstructured with others, such as parents, siblings, and peers, is a valuable opportunity to develop social skills. Children's social skills are improved by pretending and trying to negotiate with their peers while they play.

Through play, children learn to share and take turns. While playing they learn how to be a part of a group and recognize when others need help. Children also learn how to share, resolve conflicts, and make decisions. This helps children to develop their social skills. Social play teaches children how to interact with others. By playing together, children learn to cooperate, share, negotiate, take turns, and resolve conflicts. Group play supports:

Empathy and understanding others’ perspectives
Communication and listening skills
Respect for rules and boundaries
Positive relationships with peers and adults

Playtime with other children gives children the chance to interact and socialize with his or her peers. Through play, they learn a lot of social and interpersonal skills. By sharing toys, they learn the value of give and take. When they wait in line, they learn patience and equality. Winning games helps them to value perseverance and hard work, while losing will give them a lesson on resilience and they will learn to appreciate others. Conflict and fights are unavoidable, but guiding children on how to solve conflicts through peaceful and positive means will make them strong and empathetic.

Researchers discovered that preschoolers' fantasy play volume and complexity significantly predicted their social abilities, popularity, and engagement in constructive social interaction.

Communication and Language Development

Children talk and communicate more while they are in the playground than when indoors playing games alone. Play allows children to express themselves and develop their language skills. Through play, children learn to make and practice new sounds. They try out new vocabulary on their own or with friends and exercise their imagination through storytelling.

Play naturally promotes communication. Whether children are narrating their play, negotiating roles, or asking questions, they are constantly using and developing language.

Play supports:

Vocabulary growth
Sentence formation
Storytelling skills
Confidence in expressing ideas and needs

Adult interaction during play, such as modeling language and extending conversations, further strengthens communication development.

For example, when children play on the swing outside, they are constantly calling out to each other to push them or asking for a turn and communicating with each other, whereas if they are playing with building blocks inside the classroom by themselves, communication is minimal.

Besides verbal communication, playing also helps develop cognitive skills, understanding, and better recognition of the non-verbal language.

Physical Development

Children love to be active. Physical exercise helps to promote physically fit and healthy children. Play encourages this activity, giving children the opportunities to sharpen reflexes, work on movement control, improve gross motor skills, and develop greater balance. As children enjoy play, stamina and other skills such as balance are developed. Physical play supports both gross and fine motor skills. Running, climbing, balancing, drawing, and manipulating small objects all help children develop coordination, strength, and control.

Physical play:

Builds healthy bodies
Supports spatial awareness
Improves balance and coordination
Lays foundations for writing and self-care skills

Play is essential to develop children’s fine and gross motor skills because while playing, children repeat certain body movements that will develop body control. For example, a baby observes a soft toy then starts hitting it, then will try to grasp it, and finally will be able to pick it up. Standing, running, climbing, jumping, throwing, rolling, catching, balancing, kicking, hopping, skipping, hanging, stepping, riding, etc, develop gross motor skills of a child.

Building a tower, opening containers, tracing, holding a crayon, threading , cutting , completing a puzzle , dressing, brushing teeth, colouring, copying shapes, building with lego , drawing pictures, etc.

Types of Play and their importance

Children benefit from a variety of play experiences, including:

Physical Play – running, climbing, dancing
Imaginative Play – role-play, pretend scenarios
Social Play – playing with peers
Constructive Play – building, creating, problem-solving
Sensory Play – exploring textures, sounds, and materials
Games with Rules – turn-taking, following structure

Each type of play contributes uniquely to children’s learning and development.

Key Developmental Benefits of Play

Early childhood theories strongly support play-based learning:

Jean Piaget emphasised that children learn through active exploration and hands-on experiences.
Lev Vygotsky highlighted the importance of social interaction and adult support during play.
Erik Erikson recognised play as essential for emotional development and identity formation.

These theories continue to underpin modern early years frameworks and play-based practice.

How adults can support Play effectively

Adults play a crucial role in supporting meaningful play experiences. This includes:

Providing safe, stimulating environments
Offering open-ended resources
Observing children’s interests and developmental needs
Joining play sensitively without taking control
Allowing uninterrupted time for deep play

When adults value play, children feel confident, capable, and motivated to learn.

Final Thoughts

Play is not an optional extra in early childhood; it is the foundation of healthy development and lifelong learning . Through play, children develop the skills, knowledge, attitudes, and emotional well-being they need to thrive . These are just a few examples of what children learn through play . The list of benefits is endless and makes you wonder why it is often so undervalued.

By protecting children’s right to play and creating rich play-based environments, we give children the best possible start in life.

When we prioritize play, we prioritize children.

Understand the value of Play in Early Years

Wed, 13 Jul 2022 08:00:00 GMT

Understand the value of PLAY in Early Years

PLAY is one of the main ways in which children learn and develop. Young children developed many skills through play.

What is a play?

PLAY" is very difficult to define, but it is a word that is widely used in the field of early years. Play is defined as a physical or mental leisure activity that is undertaken purely for enjoyment or amusement and has no other objective. It is probably one of the least understood aspects of an early years practitioner's work but one of the most important elements of childhood.

Play supports learning and all aspects of children’s development. It occurs naturally and children do not require expensive toys and resources to play. It is more effective in the natural surrounding. Children smell flowers, collect them, count them and observe them. The list of play opportunities is never ending. Children play without asking for any rewards from adults. They are born with natural curiosity and a drive to play and explore. In the history of play, children have often wanted to play when their parents and other adults have viewed it as not useful or a waste of time, and on many occasions children have been punished for playing. This desire to play has led to the conclusion that play is a natural instinct for children. Through play, children develop language skills, emotions and creativity, social and intellectual skills.

Children's innate drive to play

Children's innate drive to play is not something new to all. Play is biological, psychological and a social necessity and a foundation to children’s healthy development and wellbeing. All children and young people need to play. Many theorists including Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner have spent a long time researching how children play and how this contributes to their development. This research has looked into what children need so that they can make the most of their learning through play and how this play can be developed and extended to support the child’s learning. The impulse to play is innate. Actually, the word innate means existing in one from birth or inborn. Play is innate because all children have the desire to play. It is a natural desire to want to explore and understand. Children are naturally curious and when they play, they can make sense of their environment.

It would appear that for thousands of years children have played. Children play without needing any rewards from adults. They are born with natural curiosity and the drive to play and explore. In the history of play, children have often wanted to play when their parents and other adults in society have viewed it as unnecessary or a waste of time, and children have been punished for playing. This desire to play has led to the conclusion that play is a natural instinct for children.

For example new babies are drawn to look at the human face and they slowly begin to learn how to read the face of their mother or other family members. They carefully watch their mothers eyes and mouth ,finding out all about her and they enjoy hearing her singing a lullaby and seeing the different movements of muscles in her face. Playfulness begins in the form of smiles that become broader as the baby expresses joy at seeing special people like mum, dad, siblings and grandparents. The movement of a mobile or seeing and hearing a toy soon begins to interest young babies because they are finding out about the world through whatever they can see, hear, touch, smell and taste. By the time babies are reaching out and grasping small toys another phase has begun where the baby may try to shake a rattle or put it in his mouth to find out more about it and exploring it more thoroughly. These are natural desire or we can say children's innate drive to play.

Looking at play as a whole concept There is much to be said for looking at play as a whole because it is central to childhood. A happy childhood will involve children in play, where they live in the world. The play takes different forms in different families and in different cultures. Children who are sick or have complex needs might have difficulty or face challenges in play but with the support, they can be helped to play.

Play is very important to children's development. It is an integral part of a child's Early Years Foundation Stage. It supports their learning journey too. Through the power of play, young children can develop many skills. They may develop their communication skills, language skills, emotions, and social skills.

To conclude, when children play, they are learning at the highest level. Play can extend certain areas of their learning – for example, developing language skills by promoting talk between children or introducing new vocabulary that they use and act out in their play. Children sometimes need extra support to enjoy their right to play. Through the power of play, young children can develop many skills like language and communication and also develop their emotions and social skills. Play encourages repetition, exploration and most importantly fun for children. Was this article helpful? MORE information finds out why play is necessary for the development of children?

It's Your Turn:

What do you think about play?

You can read more about early child development on our blog post.

Rate and Sequence of Child Development

Fri, 23 Jul 2021 08:28:23 GMT

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What is Child Development?

Development is the gaining of skills altogether aspects of a child’s life. It's a process that almost every child goes through. This process involves learning and, mastering skills for example sitting, walking, talking, skipping, reading, writing, tying shoes, and many more skills. Children learn these skills during predictable time periods, which is known as developmental milestones. It refers to the sequence of intellectual, physical, language, and emotional changes that occur in a child from birth to the beginning of adulthood. During this process, a child progresses from dependency on their parents/guardians or secondary carer to increase independence.

Child development is strongly influenced by genetic factors where genes passed on them from their parents and events during parental lifestyle. It is also influenced by environments; factors and the child's learning abilities.

Sequence and Rate of Development

There is a definite pattern to a child developing. Sequential Development means the growth happens in a set of pattern or order however there will be difference when it comes to the speed of their development. In physical development aspect of a child, he/she will roll, crawl, walk and eventually can run. For language development, babies cannot talk automatically after birth. They cry, coos, and later make babbling sound, learning to utter phonics sound, will turn to make blended sounds and finally say single words to complex phrases. More examples; a toddler being able to walk before they can run. Another may sit up, walk, run missing out rolling over & crawling. Even though elements are missed the development still proceeds in what's viewed as an expected pattern.

Rate is the speed of which development happen or we can say rate involves a time frame linked to age in which a child develops. It is not like to all children unlike the sequential development which follows the same pattern. It varies from child to child. An example is where one baby may achieve walking independently at 10 months, but another may be able to at 12 months and another at 16 months. Children follow at the same patterns in terms of their physical development. In a certain time, baby starts to roll, then crawl and then finally they can manage to stand, walk and run. Some babies can stand or walk without help by 10 months, while others cannot. However, the speed of child’s physical development is affected by so many factors. For example, the enabling environment, which is given to a child and the adult intervention by supporting and giving the needs of children, that means how much opportunity is given to a child, can affect the rate of their development. When the child is well feed, loved and supported, that child’s development is faster than others who are being neglected. When children did not meet their needs, they can strongly experience anxiety and anorexia which affects the mental and physical development of a child. Babies generally develop at a rapid rate between birth to 3 years. They are born completely helpless, unable to feed themselves, or keep themselves warm, and they cannot describe what they need or how they feel.

Below factors that influences on child development:

It can be challenging to predict the effects of any one factor on the overall development of children because there are so many variables that can affect their healthy growth and development.

1. Genetic influences: Our chromosomes contain genes, which parents pass on to their children. Alleles, which refer to various variations of the same gene, are what determine features like eye colour as well as how diseases like cystic fibrosis are passed down through families. The development of a baby can also be impacted by the pregnancy, labour, and postpartum periods. A woman may not even be aware that she is pregnant during the first few weeks of pregnancy, but the first 12 weeks of a baby's life in the womb are crucial because this is when all of the baby's vital organs are developing.

Antenatal: the period between conception and birth: the mother's deit; whether or not she smoked or consumed alcohol; and whether or not she was in good physical and mental condition are all variables that could have an impact on the development of the child.

Perinatal: A baby who is born prematurely (before 37 weeks of gestation) may require intensive care and may experience developmental issues. Perinatal: the time of birth. Future development can also be impacted by issues related to the birth itself, such as the baby not receiving enough oxygen.

2.Economical Influences:

Various factors negatively impact children. Its relationship between health and development is closely interrelated and makes up a cycle of deprivation. For instance, low-income families frequently live in subpar housing and may eat poorly. The single greatest threat to the health and development of children is a lack of sufficient minerals and vitamins because a poor diet increases susceptibility to infectious diseases. Every aspect of a child's development, including their physical, intellectual, emotional, social, and spiritual growth, can be impacted by living in poverty.

Accident and illness : Children from lower socioeconomic classes have nearly twice the rate of long-term illness and are four times more likely to die in an accident than children from higher socioeconomic backgrounds.

Life quality: A third of poor children don't get the food or clothing they need twice a day.

Who have an unbalanced diet: A large, well-designed study of adolescents showed that “healthier” dietary patterns contributed to better mood, and “unhealthy” dietary patterns led to poor mood. Eating regular meals helps to regulate blood sugar. This may influence some of the hormones that control our mood and ability to concentrate. For this reason, poor mood and behaviour are often observed in children who have been without food for too long (for example, children who haven’t eaten breakfast).Having a low income makes it more likely that children will pass away and that their health will suffer. We are also more likely to carry over childhood eating habits into adulthood. This means that children who consume mostly fast food will probably continue eating it when they move out of the house. A poor or unbalanced diet has been linked to a number of childhood illnesses, including anaemia and an increased risk of bronchitis and other infections.

Space to live and play: All children need to play, and young people need to have leisure time opportunities like playing a sport, a musical instrument, or joining a club. Children from low-income families are more likely to reside in subpar housing and in neighborhoods with few stores and other amenities, where there is little to no safe space for them to play.

Growth: They have a higher likelihood of being born smaller and shorter in height.

Education: Children who are raised in poverty are less likely to succeed academically and have terrible attendance records.

Long-term effects : Long-term effects include an increased risk of adult illness, unemployment, and homelessness. They have a higher propensity to engage in criminal drug and alcohol abuse. They have a higher propensity to engage in abusive relationships.

3.Family environment and background:

Parental health a lifestyle: Family and culture have a significant impact on how social and emotional development occurs in children. The majority of parents provide their children loving environments, but there are some parents who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to give their children the stable foundation they require. Common issues that arise in the home when one or both parents declare their children to be at risk for issues with the mind, like depression, drug abuse, especially alcoholism or domestic violence and marital conflict.

Parents not available to their children: Parents who abuse substances and are frequently absent both physically (because they are out looking for drugs) and emotionally from their children may not be present for them (because they are intoxicated). They are not accessible to the children in either case. Long-working parents might also be unavailable to their children.

Poor parenting skills: Substance abuse is frequently, but not always, linked to poor or insufficient parenting skills. Physical neglect, emotional neglect, or unpredictable parental behaviour, such as lurching between too much and too little discipline and mood swings—being very affectionate or very distant—can all be signs of this. As a result, there is inconsistent parenting, which can confuse and harm the child. Some parents lack the necessary parenting abilities, such as being unable to cook.

4. Health:

Infection: There are numerous infections and illnesses that can harm children's health and development during childhood. Rubella, diphtheria, and tetanus are some of the infections that can be prevented through childhood immunizations. These infections can also have long-term effects on a child's health.

Diet: A poor or unbalanced diet has been linked to a number of conditions that can develop in children. Lack of growth or faltering growth refers to inadequate physical development. Dental hygiene or decay is linked to high sugar intake from snacks and carbonated beverages. Overweight- obese children are more likely to develop into obese adults. N utritional anaemia - brought on by inadequate iron, folic acid, and vitamin B12 intake. I ncreased susceptibility to infections- especially respiratory illnesses of the upper respiratory tract like the flu and bronchitis.

5. Emotional and social influences:

despite appearing physically healthy, a child who is miserable and unhappy is not developing in a healthy way. All children require receiving unwavering love and affection from their parents or other primary carriers, to feel safe and secure and too little or too much stimulation can have an impact on a child's healthy growth and development.

6. Cultural influences: Each family and community has unique values, opinions, and convictions that influence how kids are related to, handled, and urged to behave. Additionally, this culture includes elements of religion and spirituality. The emotional and social development of a child is shaped by the culture in which they are raised. Boys and girls may be treated very differently in some families, which may also have an impact on the child's growing sense of self.

7. Personal decisions: young people's lifestyle decisions can also have an impact on how well their brains develop. For example, young people may decide to smoke, drink alcohol, or use drugs, all of which can affect the health of their brains. It can be challenging to break these lifestyle habits, which create unhealthful patterns for future generations.

8. Chronic health condition

Many long-term conditions develop during childhood; these children are more likely to develop mental health conditions and should be supported to navigate the transition from child to adult health services. Such as asthma, epilepsy diabetes, cancer and disability / additional learning needs. Research finds that children who live with an ongoing chronic illness might be at a disadvantage when they start school, experiencing delays in their social, emotional, language and cognitive skills, communication and general knowledge, and physical wellbeing.

It doesn't always follow that children who do things earlier than the developmental milestones suggest is normal will be exceptional or gifted in any way. Sometimes parents mistakenly believe that their child is gifted because they speak early, are potty-trained early, or start working early. Be careful how you handle these situations because they might not even be gifted. Children may at any time throughout their lives require extra assistance in the nursery or classroom. This could be done at any time, for any reason, and for any period of time. Some developmental issues, like a hearing impairment related to surgery, are transient and only call for temporary assistance.

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Parent-child Relationship: Bonding with your child

Fri, 15 Jan 2021 16:02:40 GMT

Parent-Child Relation:

Bonding with your child Relationship

We often assume a life-long feeling and unconditional love of our newborn baby but not every parent feels immediately attracted to the wrinkled and crying newborn baby, who desperately wants to get back into the womb. This can sound surprising because a social stigma of " late binding" makes people hesitant to discuss this.

A parent's relationship with their child is a unique bond that nurtures a child's holistic growth and development. It lays the basis for their conduct, personality, traits, and values.

What is bonding?

The word "bonding" is used for the close emotional bonds between parents and a newborn child. Generally, bonding is about affection, care, and concern which is special to your baby relationship. Having a close bond with your baby can instill a sense of well-being in you.

Bonding is not a phenomenon, now or never. It brings together mothers and newborns. Most of the research on bonding has been about mothers. Yet in the last few years, the importance of fathers during the bonding process for infants has become the subjects of related work.

Why is bonding important?

Scientists are still learning about bonding. The sensitivity of parents to signals from an infant may influence the social and cognitive development of the child. Bonding experience in the very earliest years of life leads to healthy relationships for children.

The human brain develops to 90% of adult size during the first three years of life. Bonding experiences for the brain parts responsible for attachment to develop normally have to be present at certain critical times. Such phrases occur in the first year of life and are linked to the child's and parent's ability to establish a healthy social relationship.

The bonding process:

Bonding experiences with the baby must be present at bonding, probably one of the most pleasant aspects of infant care. One of the best things about being a mother is falling head over heels in love with your newborn and the bond between a mother and her child is one of nature's most powerful forces.

Before birth: The process of bonding starts long before birth, the 16th week of pregnancy, mother first begin to feel the movement of their babies, a deep connection forms.

During birth: Research suggests that about 60% of mothers bond immediately after birth with their babies. The body releases oxytocin during pregnancy and birth, a "feel-good" hormone that can cause a huge rush of love for newborns.

A gradual process: Bonding is, in some ways, a cycle in which parents respond positively to their body and then the baby settles down and may coo or smile. This in effect helps parents build confidence and enjoy their baby more.

Ways to bond with baby:

Feeding: Breastfeeding produces the oxytocin hormone "love and cuddle" which promotes feelings of well-being and makes feel close to the baby.

Smiling: Make contact and smile eye to eye. Babies can concentrate 30cm, which is the distance from cradling a baby in the arm.

Holding: Touch is important for bonding. Cuddling a child close to the chest will make the child feel safe and loved.

Laughing: Make funny faces, it may attract the baby.

Singing: The sound of the mother's voice makes a baby soothed, so sing to your baby, it does not matter if the mother can not hold a melody or just talk- no matter what she is doing. Only the act of conversing with the baby will bring the baby closer to her.

Factors that may affect bonding:

Bonding with a little one is an amazing feeling. Some factors affect early bonding or delay bonding.

Post-natal depression: Post-natal depression is believed to be caused by a hormone imbalance., and may affect the ability of the mother to bond with the infant. It often begins within 1-2 months of birth but can start later, too. In reality, PND symptoms started during pregnancy. It can affect the quality of mother-to-child relationships in adult life and hurt the quality of the grandmother-to-grandchild relationship, new research has been found.

A difficult birth: A difficult birth can affect the ability of the mother to react to the infant, especially when she is in pain or has been traumatized by birth. If a mother had a C-section or couldn't see the baby right after the birth.

Premature both: It can be difficult if the baby was premature and spend time in the neonatal intensive care unit(NICU), it may take longer to bond in these instances.

Parent's situation: Sometimes, a mother's situation can affect the relationship with the new baby like: lacked a positive parental role model, mental illness, life stress such as a difficult job or unemployment or financial troubles, marital problems, or abuse.

Babies with additional needs or chronic illness: When a child has special needs, parents need to take extra effort to understand the child, which sometimes causes them to lose confidence and become more anxious, which results in the effect of bonding with the child.

Bonding is a complex, time consuming personal experience. There is no recipe for magic and it can not be put on. If the bond is not strong at first a baby whose basic needs are being met will suffer.

What are your tips for bonding with your child?

Understanding of Child Development

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 15:14:12 GMT

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Have you ever wondered how it’s possible that an infant tightly grips your finger with tiny, perfectly formed hands? Or marveled at how a preschooler methodically draws a picture? Have you ever seen a baby or a toddler staring at something that they need not seen before?

If you’ve ever wondered about such things as a parent or early years practitioner, “YES”, you’re asking the same type of questions that scientists within the sphere of child development pose.

What do you mean by Child Development?

Child development can be define as" a progression by which a child changes from birth to the beginning of adulthood by acquiring and refining knowledge, behaviors, and skills. It's a journey from total dependence to full independence. "

Areas of Child Development:

The following table shows some of the main areas of child development:

Cognitive Development:

Cognitive development refers to the growth of perception, memory, imagination, conception, judgment, and reason. It’s the intellectual counterpart of one’s biological adaptation to the environment. It also includes the mental activities of comprehending the information and also the process where a child acquire, organize, remember, and using knowledge. In very simple words this can be the child’s ability to learn the skills of understanding, memorization, concentration, and problem-solving. For examples, a two months old baby learns to explore the environment with hands or eyes; or a five years old child learns to do simple mathematical problems; or seven years old child manage simple calculations without using any concrete objects.

Physical Development:

Physical development plays an important in a child’s lives and learning and it’s the most visible of all the abilities shown in childhood. There are many aspects of physical development that come together like balancing (e.g, walking on a wall); gross motor movement or using a whole limb(e.g, throwing a ball); coordination using more than one skill at once(e.g; running while holding a ball), hand-eye coordination(e.g pouring water into a beaker), fine motor movement(cutting using toy scissor), loco movement(e.g, crawling, running).Physical development follows a set of sequences starting with fairly helpless babies who have only a set of reflexes for survival to their different ages continuing to develop physically and further skills. There are often variations between children and the skills that they develop and it is very important to recognize that.

Social and Emotional Development:

The way a child experience, express a feeling and manage emotions is very important in their life. The ability to establish positive and rewarding relationships with other children or people has a big impact on a child’s adulthood. These all are aspects that are part of social and emotional development. Basically, it’s the way within which a child’s interactions with others and their social relationships grow, change, and remain stable over the course of life. It also includes a child’s identity and self-image, the development of relationships, and feeling about him/herself and learning the talents to measure in a society with other people. For example, six-week cries to have physical needs met or a six-month baby shows fear of strangers and distress at separation from parents or carer, or a four-year-old child taking turns in games at preschool.

Speech, Language and Communication Development:

If we see carefully from six weeks a baby starts to communicate with adults, they cried to express their needs or makes a cooing sound to show pleasure, later slowly the process of learning how to talk mostly in their first year. When we talk about Speech, language, and communication development, it refers to the way within which children start to understand and process language so that they will communicate with others. Children learn through interactions with parents, siblings, caregivers, and educators provide the inspiration for later literacy and learning across all subject areas. Children always get benefits from extensive opportunities to listen to, concentrate, and use complex spoken language and auditory communication. The more often adults use particular words in conversation with young children, the earlier children will use those words in their own speech. For example, a two years old child can follow a simple instruction or request “Could you bring me the spoon?

”Remember communication and language are more than talking, it means that all the different ways a child can understand and communicates, only part of which are spoken words.

Why it’s important to understand child development?

Neurological research shows that the first year plays a key role in children's brain development. The first year of each child's life is the best time that we can make as a society in ensuring their future success.

Each child is exclusive and learns at a different pace. Child Development is very important for early years practitioners to understand, enabling them to search out ways of strategies to improve a child's learning development skills. By knowing the various stage of a child's development, the early year's practitioner could properly able to assess a child whether he/she has learning problems and require any additional help or support.

As children develop from infants to teens to adults they're going through a lot of serious developmental stages. These development stages are important to all or any aspects of their personhood which also include physical, intellectual, emotional, and social aspects. As parents, it is important to be aware of these developmental stages and also their needs, and their uniqueness. They should understand that every child is different, not because of their abilities but each child has their own way of seeing and understanding the world. So they need to offer encouragement, support, and access to activities that enable their child to master key developmental tasks.

The most important thing is if one area of development is a delay then all the other areas of development will be also get affected in a young child and the adult they will become.

"Child development does not mean developing your child into the person you think they should be, but helping them develop into the best person they are meant to be." - Tony Sorenson

The Benefits of Creative Play for Early Years

Tue, 25 Aug 2020 09:01:45 GMT

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What is creative play?

Children are naturally curious and like to explore and experiment. Creative play is the most important type of play that is about experimenting with materials and music. We can encourage creative play by offering children a range of materials and play opportunities in dance, music, drawing, collage, painting, model-making, and much more. In creative play children must not be expected to "make something". It is not about producing things to display in the classroom or to be taken home.

In this article, we’ll look at what creative play is, explore some of its benefits in more detail, and dive into our expert tips on how you can encourage your child to engage in this type of play.

Why is creative play important to a child's development?

Creative play is an important part of childhood and child development. It is important to a child's development, both physically and mentally. Creative experiences help a child develop different skills and enable them to share their thoughts, feelings, and ideas.

1. Creative activities help children managing Emotions

Creative play promotes children's emotional expression. While playing, children may become happy with their creation like painting or drawing or may be frustrated with their unexpected result of creation, or maybe show their emotion while role-playing, modelling, or storytelling. So creative activities allow children to express and understand both positive and negative feelings and emotions. When it comes to managing the child's feelings or learning how to express different emotions, it also helps to build self-confidence.

2. Creative activities help children develop social skills

Activities like dancing, acting, creating models, gardening, or natural trails children work together. They cooperate with each other and also discuss ideas. These types of creative activities are a great way to help children built friendships and bonding as they understand and learn that other children or people are different from them.

3. Creative activities help children with physical development

Fitness is not the only physical benefit. Creative play also has physical benefits. Cutting with scissors, pasting, using musical instruments, drawing, colouring with crayons or colour pencils, and painting with paintbrushes all require fine motor skills, hand-eye coordination, and these ways children learn to control their movements. Other activities like drama, dancing, and movement in role-playing include gross motor skills.

4. Creative activities help a child's cognitive development

While making different craft activities like cutting and pasting or mixing different paints or making 3D models children develop many thinking skills. They ask themselves many tough questions: "do I have to put more glue on this piece to make it stick?" or "if I only have red and blue paint, but I want purple, how can I get purple?" As children discover the answers to these questions through trial and error, they will develop stronger problem-saving skills, develop their imagination, concentration, and critical thinking.

5. Creative activity build a child's communication skills

In creative activities, we should provide a lot of materials for children. When children engaged with chosen material in creative activities, they talk to themselves or to the adults and other children about what's happening, in turn, it built their vocabulary and develops imagination. This way it builds a child's communication skills.

6. Creative activities help a child's sensory development

When children involved in creative activities they develop observation skills, the ability to listen to instructions, explore different textures, recognize different smells, and gain an understanding of their world.

Examples of creative play

There are some activities that can be carried out at home and in early years setting with young children: singing and dancing, music and movement, role play, craft activities, cooking activity, messy play, cutting and pasting, recording and filming, recording and filming, musical instrument, junk modelling, small world play, sand and water play.

We should give proper opportunities to practice and develop children's creativity. We as parents should take out some time from our busy schedule for some creative play with our children. It will not only benefit the whole family but will create happy childhood memories that will last a lifetime for children.

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School Readiness: Is your child ready for school?

Mon, 10 Aug 2020 10:31:39 GMT

IS YOUR CHILD READY FOR SCHOOL?

Starting school and the first day of school are important turning points and advancements in your child's life; it is a crucial moment filled to the brim with feelings ranging from happiness, joy, and enthusiasm to panic, worry, anxiety, and concern, to sadness and melancholy, and this will be felt and experienced by both parent and child. How can we tell whether our children are prepared for school when each child is different? Here are some of the best advices assembled to assist you in getting ready for your child to start school. We hope they make you both look forward to starting school!

What is School Readiness?

The word "readiness" used to describe preparation for what comes next! "School readiness" is the terminology used to indicate that whoever a child is ready to make an easy and successful transition to school. Many parents think of academics (e.g. writing their name, counting to 10, knowing the colors) as the important school readiness skills, school readiness actually refers to a much broader range of skills.

There are three key areas of school readiness:

Children's readiness for school: Children's readiness for school focuses on children's learning and development. What children should know and be able to do in order to enter school?

Schools' readiness for children: School readiness for school focusing school environment, supporting the transition session smooth for the children from early years setting or nursery or preschool to school. These practices also promote the learning of all children.

Family support for children's readiness for school: It focusing on parents and early years practitioners' involvement in children's early learning and development and transition to school. Parents and caregiver attitudes and involvement in their children's early learning and development and transition to school is very important.

What are the characteristics of school readiness?

Have you ever thought about how do you know if a child is ready for school? How can you encourage and prepare a child for school as a parent or being an early years practitioner?

In the early years, it is very important children get ready for nursery to school transition, and this transition is called school readiness. Children like adults respond and react to things in different ways. Some children may find it easier and adapt to a new environment and adults. Sometimes children find it more difficult than others; depending on their own experiences before attending the school. It may depend on their personality and development. There are some characteristics, through that we would know that child is ready for school. The characteristics of school readiness give ideas of their skills that are needed for school starting. Let's have a look at some characteristics of school readiness.

Communication skills:

Communication skills are very important. It’s about being able to express yourself. Children get to know about their personalities. Transition to school is easier for those children who have good communication skills because they can express themselves whenever they need or require something and if something is bothering them they can express themselves. They can easily show their interests to the teachers so that teachers can plan activities according to children’s needs and interests. For example, if a child needs to go to the washroom, he can communicate his need to the teacher easily or if a child is thirsty or feeling cold or hot in the environment, he can tell how he is feeling. When children have good communication skills, they can listen and follow other instructions, they can focus and put up their attentions to the adults who are talking to them.

Therefore, children may find the transition to school easier if they have good communication skills. Good communication skills mean speaking clearly so they are understandable to others(e.g.talking to friends), understand what other people saying(e.g. the teacher's instructions), understanding simple commands or instructions, able to listen, able to take a part in a conversation.

Social skills:

Children who have good social skills may find the transition to school easier. They are able to take turns in play, engaging readily with other children in play, engage in reciprocal interaction with others(either verbally or non verbally) agreeing to share toys and materials with other children.

Emotional regulation:

A child who has the ability to perceive emotion, integrate emotion to facilitate thought, understand emotions and regulations(e.g. for a child's own responses to challenges) find the transition to school easier. They are able to separate from parents/carer, to say goodbye, and to join other children. They are able to deal with new situations and to cope with changes in routine. They are able to manage their emotions appropriately, for example, not crying when confronted with minor problems.

Self-regulation:

Self-regulation is very important for school readiness. Children who have the ability to contain frustration and temper, understand boundaries and set of rules, doing as they are told, refraining from distracting and interfering with other children will find it easier to settle into school routines.

Independence:

Children who dependence heavily on an adult will find the transition to school more challenging. Independence covers a wide area, and includes being reliably clean and try(e.g. toilet trained), telling an adult when they need to go to the toilet, being able to wash and dry hands without help, able to manage to clothe (e.g. taking off and putting on the coat, jumper, and shoes) being able to state name, address, and age.

Co-operation:

Children who have the ability to cooperate with other children can take turns when playing with other children, they easily make a positive relationship with other children. Those children find the transition to school easier.

Manage feelings:

Children who have the ability to manage their feeling and able to talk to an adult what is happening they will find easier to settle into the school routine.

Adaptable to change:

Children who have no experience in a nursery or limited pre-school experience will lot of difficulties adapting to routines for example leaving the parents/carer for going to school, unable to communicate with others when needed, unable to express their feeling, etc.

Self-confidence:

For school readiness, children should be enough confident. They should be able to learn and try new things. They must have the confidence to ask different questions. They can tell to the adults, whenever they need any help in their learning or if they face any difficulty. Self-confidence affects their experiences and they can work better with the adults easily. Their experiences may get exciting and informative as well.

When children are self-confident they will always willing to try new activities. They will have the confidence to ask an adult for any help when needed.

These characteristics of school readiness give some indication of the skills which are useful to children when they are starting school. You can support your child with preparing for school by practicing the things below:

It is important to think about children's developmental needs. Some children will find the transition easier or more difficult depending on their own experience. Read FACTORS AFFECTING CHILDREN'S READINESS FOR SCHOOL when looking at the kinds of factors which will affect children readiness for school.

Thank you for reading!

Please do let us know what you think in the comments and if you have any further ideas to share…

Strategies to encourage healthy eating for children under Five

Mon, 13 Jul 2020 20:35:27 GMT

Strategies to encourage healthy eating for children

All children will react differently to different kinds of opportunities, so here's a set of tactics for keeping yourself prepared to win at mealtime. Try approach at a time, and give it a couple of weeks to see if it works.

To encourage healthy eating habits for children, it is important nutritious choices is appealing. Let us take a look at how we can encourage children under five to eat healthily eating:

Weaning: Babies should be given a variety of fruit and vegetables during the weaning process. It will help babies to explore different food and this will introduce them to different texture and tastes.

Reward Charts: Reward charts provide reinforcement of positive behaviour. It allows you to keep track of a child's food habits. Every time a child tries a portion of new healthy food, they should be rewarded with a star or sticker and mention it on a healthy eating reward chart. This strategy can be used in the early years setting as well as parents can use this strategy at home.

Let the children decide: Children love to eat what they select themselves. So from a young age, children should be involved in their food choices. They should be involved in preparing food or mealtime. Children can help with planting and picking fruit and vegetable. They can also help to produce a meal plan for the week with their parents at home.

Involved shopping for groceries: Parents should involve their children during shopping for groceries and let them They should talk about the food and its benefits while shopping and encourage them to choose healthy food for them.

In setting, role play of supermarket can also help in doing so. Early years practitioners can plan activity "visiting a grocery " or role-play for the children in the setting.

Food of different colour: There are lots of beautiful colourful fruits and vegetables. If a wide range of different colour of food given to children, they love to try them.

Use fun eating tools : There are different shapes of plates, spoon utensils available in the market. These plates with faces and shapes utensils can make children more excited about eating healthy food. For example, if a child likes a monkey, a banana-shaped spoon can be appealing.

Attractive presentation: If the food is presented attractively, children get attracted to it. Food should be presented or arranged in such a way that it looks interesting for the children.

Cooking activity: In the early years setting, a cooking activity can organize a monthly basis for children with supervision.

Parents should encourage them to help in cooking activity. While cooking parents should involve their children for supervision, bringing fruits or vegetables. When child help in cooking then they want to taste the food in which they helped. While cooking, you can discuss about the vegetables benefits also. It is important they take ownership.

Stories: In the setting practitioners can read stories related to food as that encourages children to try that fruit or vegetable. Even they can tell each child to bring that fruit or vegetable in setting and then they read a story and see the reactions of the children. For example: Hungry caterpillar, Oliver’s food salad.

Repetition: Repetition of food gives children to explore and experience to become familiar with the food. They explore it without pressure and without stress. This way children willing to try, like and eat the food.

Role model: Children always follow adults and their loved person. Being early years practitioners or as parents, we should eat healthy food in front of them to promote healthy eating.

BE A ROLE MODEL!

IT"s YOUR TURN:

What do you think? How do you encourage healthy eating for children under five years? Share your experience in the comments box.

What is Play Therapy?

Wed, 13 May 2020 18:11:07 GMT

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Play therapy is a type of child psychotherapy in which the therapist uses the child's imaginations and the symbolic meanings of his or her play as a media for understanding and communication.

What is Play Therapy?

What can we do when a child struggles with putting their thoughts and feelings into words or is entirely non-verbal? What can we do when a child has a hard time managing their reactions and resorts to violence and other hostile behaviors?

Play therapy is a type of child psychotherapy in which the therapist uses the child's imaginations and the symbolic meanings of his or her play as a media for understanding and communication. The primary goal is to reduce behavioural and emotional problems that interfere with a child's ability to function normally. Children are given toys with, to understanding better their emotional or mental health issues. Play therapy can help children who have depression or anxiety because they are having trouble dealing with life issues like divorce or the death of a loved one.

Play therapy is a type of treatment aimed mostly towards children. In this therapy, a therapist assists a child to explore life experiences that may have an impact on present circumstances, mostly via play but also though language.

When children are experiencing personal issues they will often act out or engage in inappropriate behavior. Parents may be eager to help but may find it difficult or impossible to offer effective aid if a child is unable or unwilling to discuss the problem. Play therapy is thought to be one of the most beneficial means of helping children who are experiencing emotional or behavioral challenges. Though the approach may benefit people of all ages, it is specially designed to treat children under 12.

Is Play Therapy Effective?

Results of the analytical review demonstrate that:

Play therapy can significantly affect children's behavior, social and emotional health, and general personality.
Parental involvement during the course of treatment can enhance therapeutic results.
The number of play therapy sessions may be greater than conventional treatment sessions to get the desired results.

Benefits of play therapy

According to the professional organization play therapy international up to 71 percent of children referred to play therapy may experience positive change. Recently, many mental health professionals and childcare providers have begun utilizing play therapy to help children who have a hard time expressing their thoughts and emotions do so in a way in which they can understand.

It can help children’s communicate, explore repressed thoughts and emotions, address unresolved trauma, and experience personal growth and is widely viewed as an important, effective and developmentally appropriate mental health treatment. Play therapy also may benefit the child in a variety of ways such as encouraging creativity, encouraging the development of positive decision-making skills, introducing new ways of thinking and behaving, learning problem-solving skills and developing better social skills.

Play therapy can also encourage use of language or improve fine and gross motor skills. If a child has diagnosed mental or physical illness, play therapy doesn’t replace medications or any other necessary treatments. Play therapy can be used alone or alongside other therapies.

Regardless of gender, age, or color, play therapy has been shown to be effective for many people. Parents and other adults can benefit from knowing about their child's ideas and emotions since play therapy helps them to express themselves in a fresh way. And this can help the parent and the children form a stronger relationship.

How does play therapy work?

While it may look like an ordinary playtime, play therapy can be much more than that. Sessions typically last 30 minutes to an hour and are held once a week or so. How many sessions are needed depends on the child and how well they respond to this type of therapy. Therapy can take place individually or in groups. In therapy children are generally allowed to play as they wish. As treatment progresses, the therapist may begin to introduce specific items or play activities which are related to the issues the child is facing.

During treatment, the therapist creates a comfortable, safe environment in which the child is allowed to play with as few limits as possible. This counselling space is often referred to as a playroom, and it comes equipped with a selection of specifically chosen toys that are meant to encourage the child to express his or her feelings and develop healthier behaviors.

Toys used in therapy may include a sandbox with associated miniature figurines, art materials, Legos or other construction toys, costumes or other clothing, stuffed animals, dolls, a dollhouse with miniature furniture, puppets, indoor sports equipment, and other indoor games.

Play therapy techniques:

Here are six techniques used in play therapy:

Art: specific art materials like crayons, paper, markers, and paint can be used to help clients express themselves

Reading: books may help clients relate and bring normalcy to difficult situations

Playing with dolls: figurines, dolls, puppets, and action figures can assist clients in the play therapy process

Journaling: this activity can help clients express their thoughts

Nature play: sand trays and water can help clients express themselves

Toy play: toys in general can be used to help clients process their thoughts, feelings, and concerns

Examples of play therapy

The therapist might offer the child a dollhouse and some dolls, asking them to act out some problems they have at home. Or they might encourage the child to use hand puppets to recreate something they found stressful or frightening.

They might ask your child to tell a “once upon a time” story to see what the child might bring to light. Or they might read stories that solve a problem similar to your child’s.

It could be as simple as asking questions while your child is drawing or painting to try to gain insights into their thought process or play various games with the child to encourage problem-solving, cooperation, and social skills.

Things to Consider When Choosing a Play Therapist

When selecting a play therapist, keep the following six factors in mind:

Is the therapist an APT-certified play therapist?
What background does the therapist have with the issues worried about (such as anxiety, trauma, or depression)?
The therapist takes on new patients, right?
Is insurance accepted by the therapist? Is there a sliding scale of fees if not?
Are the therapist's days of availability convenient?
What kind of therapy are used in play therapy with patients?

Play therapy is a type of child psychotherapy in which the therapist uses the child's imaginations and the symbolic meanings of his or her play as a media for understanding and communication.

What is Holistic Development?

Sun, 19 Jan 2020 15:14:15 GMT

Holistic Development of a Child

"Wholeness" is the secret to comprehending child development. Studying holistic child development allows us to view children as whole individuals. It's important to remember that even a tiny baby is a person. At each stage of development, a child learns in several areas at the same time. It is important to remember that each area of learning and development does not work in isolation but they are all in fact interlinked. The areas of development are interlinked and interrelated so that a child’s progress in one area of development influences the progress in other areas of development. Although skills within areas of development are interrelated, it is important to note that the process and rate of development vary within and across the areas of development. It is commonly noted that development in one area of development might be predominant over skills in other areas. For example, a motor skill such as walking might seem to be dominant for a time followed by a period of language development.

What is Holistic Development?

Holistic Development is an approach to learning that emphasizes the importance of the physical, cognitive, language and social-emotional well-being of children, particularly in early childhood. This refers to the child's overall growth or the whole process of development. Via active learning and social interactions, early childhood educators use a holistic approach to align children's growth with their natural environment and to create strong relationships.

Although it is natural to concentrate on a child's intellectual ability during the early years, it is also important for a child to learn skills such as emotional intelligence, self-assurance, Social capacity, compassion, fine and gross motor control, responsibility, imagination, and a variety of other abilities!

What is Holistic development in Early years?

Holistic development essentially means developing the whole child: socially, emotionally, physically, and intellectually in a child so that he or she is capable of facing the demands and challenges of everyday life. These abilities are vitally important for success in professional fields of work.

Children's development and learning are complex, which is why we take a holistic view and highlight the importance of their physical, emotional, social, language, and cognitive development, and how these complement and interact with one another.

All areas of development are interlinked.

All areas of development are interconnected or interlinked. in a child's life and are developing simultaneously. Progress in one are affects progress in others. Similarly, when something goes wrong in any one of those areas, it has an impact on all the other areas. Where there is a delay or difficulty in one area of development, children's learning and progress in other areas of development can also be affected.

Language development:

Skills in communication development relate to a child's ability to both understand and use language. As communication skills develop, there is an increase in a child’s ability to respond to adult directions. There is also an increase in a child’s expression of his/her wants and needs, varying with age and ranging from crying and fussing to using spoken sounds and words.

How it may affect other areas of development

Language development and effective communication capabilities are highly dependent on other developmental areas. Communication capability includes a wide range of social behaviors and skills, making the acquisition of communication milestones a complicated process.

Language and cognitive development are connected. We have observed that language is a tool we use to process and store information. For children to comprehend explanations and subsequently learn new concepts, they also need to have good language skills. Children can also pick up knowledge by posing queries or pointing out things to adults. A child will find it much simpler to ask questions and comprehend the answers if they have strong language and communication skills. Additionally, they will be able to correctly use the question words what, how, why, and when. The ability to connect images and words is another advantage of a child having good communication and language skills. A good example of this is the way that, when we hear a phrase such as "wellington boot", a picture is likely to come to mind. The picture is a memory, but the word itself has triggered the memory.

The development of communication and language concepts has a considerable impact on not only personal-social interactions but also on the ability to understand and complete many learning tasks. Communication difficulties might impact a child’s pre-academic skills in tasks such as discriminating letter sounds, comprehending stories, and following directions. To read a book or write words, this stage of development will require strong language skills. Once they begin speaking, children should be given many opportunities to build a strong vocabulary so they can use it when writing. Language is also related to cognitive growth because talking and naming items helps with memory.

Children who struggle to be understood by others can exhibit unwanted behaviour. Children who have a strong command of language will be better able to regulate their emotions and express themselves because they will be able to explain how they are feeling to others. This will enable them to behave appropriately because others will be able to understand them.

Children use language in their play and to communicate their feelings and ideas as they develop. This means that language development will have an effect on children's social skills. Children with lower levels of language may find it difficult to follow instructions, pick up new concepts, and ask for help. Children with lower levels of language may find it difficult to learn to read and write if they do not comprehend what is being said.

Cognitive Development:

Cognitive development is generally associated with a child’s ability to learn, remember, and solve problems. Cognition refers to intellect or mental abilities and involves processing and using information. The skills in the cognitive domain, along with language skills, are those usually associated with readiness for academic activities. When children struggle to understand or remember facts, they can find it difficult to communicate with other children who play differently.

How it may affect other areas of development

Communication and cognitive development are closely related because they both involve understanding and expressing information. Children who experience delays or difficulties in the development of cognitive skills might have difficulty processing and understanding the expectations associated with social interactions and group activities. They may require more time or repetition to grasp concepts. They may have slower development in math, reading, and writing than typical children. They may lose interest in learning over time.

Social development:

Personal-Social skills are those which allow a child to engage in meaningful social interaction with adults and peers and to develop his/her own self-concept. Milestones in this domain are centered on children gaining better understandings of their own emotions and the emotions of others. Engaging in play activities is an important aspect of the development of personal-social skills because it is through play that children learn how to interact with others. As personal-social skills develop, there are increases in a child’s understanding of relationships, self-awareness, empathy, and coping strategies. Children who have good social development are more likely to have positive feelings towards themselves.

How it may affect other areas of development

Promoting PSED can benefit holistic learning, because if a child is confident to try new activities and has belief in themselves that they can achieve, then this will push them to want to ‘have a go’ and tackle challenges and problem solve, in turn developing many new skills.

Another aspect is that children are able to control and regulate their emotions, which will allow them to focus better and be more attentive, which makes it easier for them to learn.

Children who are confident in speech, language and communication will find it easier to develop and build friendships. This will benefit in their self-confidence and make them feel good about themselves if they have lots of friends. They are also willing to put their hands up to answer questions and be able to explain themselves in different scenarios.

The development of personal-social skills is a key factor in school readiness and significantly impacts the development of skills in other areas. Delays in the development of personal-social skills impede a child’s opportunities to benefit from participation in group activities. The development of personal-social skills is impacted by a child’s skills in other domains. For example, a child who has not developed communication skills or who has difficulties with motor tasks might experience difficulties in social interactions, such as playing in small groups. Children who enjoy being around others imitate skills, such as learning to throw a ball.

They will be able to learn more as their play opportunities become more complex. Children with delayed social development may have an impact on their academic and emotional development. If a child struggles to control his or her behavior, he or she may be barred from participating in particular activities. This may restrict their learning potential.

Physical development:

Physical development is related to a child’s ability to control and use large and small muscles of the body. During infancy, motor abilities typically develop in a specific sequential order. However, it is important to note that the rate of motor development differs among children (e.g., standing, walking). As a child’s motor skills develop, there is a likely increase in his/her interest in and attention to items in the environment. This allows them to learn more about their surroundings. This subject is often related to social development. Many games involving other children (including board games) necessarily require physical abilities.

How it may affect other areas of development

Physical development also aids in the development of independence in children. Adaptive skills such as eating (holding utensils) are interrelated with the use of small muscles and fine motor skills. Personal-social skills are interrelated because children’s play is usually active and requires the use of large muscles as well as balance.

Physical development, communication and language development are connected. Through physical development, children want to be able to talk about what they can see and do. For example, once they start climbing a playground structure, they will be proud of their achievement and will want to tell people what they have been able to do. Another example will be reading stories. At 2 years old, when they can start turning pages one by one in a book, they will be interested in reading a book as it is also interactive for them rather than an adult page turning for them.

Physical development allows children to partake in physical games with their peers, such as hide and seek. Board games require physical skills, such as pincer grasp, to move the pieces or counters. They are able to establish relationships through playing games and from this, learn how to share and take turns, which supports their social skills.

Having a more active lifestyle will benefit children's health, which leads to better concentration and focus on activities and learning outcomes will be better achieved, as the child is more attentive. Having strong fine motor skills will lead them to mark-make and write numbers, letters and stories. Using their index finger to point out objects or point to correct answers when asked ‘where is the big, red bus’ will also benefit them in their learning.

Emotional development:

Emotional growth is related to social development, and where there is a pause, there is a problem. It is often related to feelings of competence, where there is a high level of competence.

How it may affect other areas of development

Delays in emotional development impact a child's ability to benefit from making friends. It can be difficult for children to make friends. Children are more likely to try new things and learn new skills, including physical ones. Children with poor self-esteem are less likely to maintain or try new activities.

Similarly, children who believe that certain subjects or play possibilities are reserved for boys or girls may not try them out and thus miss out on learning possibilities. Children with excellent emotional development are more likely to cope with changes during the day in early childhood settings and at school, including saying goodbye to their parents at the start of sessions. This helps children feel good about themselves and is therefore related to emotional development.

How can we encourage holistic development in early childhood?

The environment already does a lot to support children' overall development. You might already be promoting holistic development by setting up the learning environment, encouraging child-led activities, and offering outdoor learning opportunities. Here are a few additional easy things you can do to promote children's holistic development:

-Ask open-ended questions to promote original thought.

-Work proactively to encourage good interactions.

-Determine the interests of the children and base your planning on their motivations.

-Encourage children to learn at an own rate.

-Create an engaging and inviting environment.

storytelling to support confidence and emotional intelligence.

Final Thoughts about Holistic Development

Holistic brain development has a very positive impact on a child’s mind. Their early years can be filled with fun activities to activate their senses – sight, sound, taste, touch, and smell. And as parents, you must engage with your child & play with them with toys. Because toys have a greater role to play in wholesome brain development,. It not only enhances the bond with your child,. Instead, it helps your child develop emotional enlightenment & an understanding of how to comprehend others’ emotions duly & respectfully.

The secret to learning in the early years of childhood is holistic development.

Shamima's Educational Blog

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When children can't say how they feel

Reflective Prompt

Reflective Prompt

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Art as Therapy in the Early Years

Using Art as a Therapeutic Approach in Early Years

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"When children can't say how they feel: Practical strategies for Early Years."

Observation, Assessment, and Planning in the Early Years

Observation, Assessment & Planning in Early Years

Importance of OAP Cycle

Supports Understanding of the Child as an Individual

Enables Accurate Assessment of Development

Ensures Meaningful and Targeted Planning

Creates a Continuous Learning Cycle

Promotes High-Quality Teaching and Learning

Supports Holistic Development

Strengthens Communication with Parents and Professionals

Helps Identify Additional Needs Early

Encourages Reflective Practice

Ensures Compliance with EYFS Requirements

Formative and Summative Assessment in early years

Formative and Summative Assessment in Early years

Assessment of Children's learning and development

Understanding Assessments in Early Years

Effective communication in an early years setting

Effective Communication In Early Years setting (Children from birth to 5 years old)

The Role of the Early Years Practitioner in an Early Years Setting.

The Role Of Early Years Practitioner

Understand Child development: first five years

Understand child development—first five years

Back to School Preschool Theme

BACK TO SCHOOL PRESCHOOL THEME

Caterpillar and Butterfly Counting Jar activity

Caterpillar & Butterfly Counting Jar Activity

Speaking and Listening Activities for Children

Speaking and Listening Activities

for children

Importance of Talking and listening activities for Preschoolers

Appropriate Speaking and Listening Activities for Preschoolers

Role of the adult when talking and listening to children

Factors enhance talking and listening activities

Final Thoughts:

The Importance of Creativity and Imagination for Children

T he Importance of Creativity and Imagination for Children

The Importance of Creativity and Imagination for Children

Promotes social interactions and emotional development

Helps in the development of motor skills skills

Aids cognitive development

Builds communication skills

Different activities that contributes to a child's creative and imaginative development

Professional Development Opportunities For Early Childhood Educators

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT OPPORTUNITIES

Barriers To Leveling Up Your Professional Development

Final Thought :

Young Children's Development Workshop

About the workshop ﻿

What you will learn in this workshop

LESSON 1:

Development of young children

Professional Development in Early years

Professional Development in Early Years

Expands Understanding Of Effective Teaching Practices:

Activities that promote children's emotional well-being

Activities that Promote children's emotional well-being.

Pre-Writing Activities for Toddlers & Preschoolers

Preschool Theme- Winter

Healthy Eating Preschool Theme

Healthy Eating for Early Years

What is Healthy eating?

Strategies to encourage healthy eating

Activites to support healthy eating

Beginning Sounds Mitten Match

Beginning Sounds Mitten Match Activity

Healthy & Unhealthy Eating Spin and Cover activity

Healthy & Unhealthy food- Spin and cover Activity

Healthy and unhealthy food sorting activity

Observation, Assessment & Planning

in Early Years

Effective Communication In Early Years setting
(Children from birth to 5 years old)

Caterpillar & Butterfly Counting

Jar Activity

T he Importance of Creativity and Imagination
for Children

About the workshop