Using Play and a Child's Curiosity as Your Guide to Plan Learning Opportunities
Explore n' Play Plans
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Explore n' Play Plans and Activities
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It is important to create a playful space for children to explore at their own pace and learn. Teachers and parents use the child's interests and their observations to set up areas, activities and opportunities to expand their play, and help them acquire new skills.
When you decide to teach a child something new, it normally involves yourself either (a) as a parent thinking and planning a way you feel you can teach your child it, or researching the best options on how to do it, and then observing how well the child understood it afterwards, or (b) in in a classroom environment a teacher sets or decides on an expected outcome that they would like the child or children need to meet, and then the children are assessed on that basis, again afterwards.
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Learning through play and inquiry is different, a child sees a problem in something or wants to learn about something they have an interest in.
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This could be anything, from how wheels work on a car, or how can they help get a heavy box up stairs, to where does a the water go after a rain fall. (can you already see all the learning in these 3 things?- science, maths, language etc..)​
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You can encourage this idea watching how the child learns, and be available their to guide them. Promoting and teaching them on the way, to help them to expand their ideas, learn new skills and test their abilities.
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You or the teacher may say something like "That's an interesting idea, how can we investigate that that?" or "Let's see if that works"
We may already know the answer, but the that would cut out all that those potential learning opportunities.
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You are now able to can now follow along the children's research methods.
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The child also now owns the problem themselves, and has a vested interest to solve it and discover if their theory matches the outcome.
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You may not even realize it but you are probably already using inquiry learning with your child, from when you ask them to look outside at the weather and decide what to wear, to how much bubble bath they need to pour in the tub.
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To support their learning, encourage them to ask questions, join in with their discoveries and experiences, take photos and write down their ideas. These are great to look back and reflect on later.
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Tip*
One way to introduce new things to children is to collect selected learning objects related to the idea from your observations. When outside on a walk collect objects that you and your child find interesting and wish to discover more about.
If you are bringing in objects as a teacher from your observations of their play, put out each item individually to start with, especially if they are objects your children have not seen before, and see how the children react.
* This is a simple way to check your idea from your observations and confirm that the children are interested and gauge if it could gain momentum and provoke their learning, before you spend more time planning and researching more activities.
Through a child's eyes you never know what you will end up discovering.
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The example below is just a small part of one area of children's that I have collected as a teacher using my observations over the years to help expand different areas of interest, and ways of connecting learning together. These activities have all been used in a classroom environment, and where possible I have added photos of them in action. we would look at the items that had been brought in either by the children or myself and then follow the children's ideas, and direction, an example of this can be seen under birds, where we started looking at bird seed, after a parent brought in some to make some bird feeders, this moved on to other seeds, before you knew it we were crushing wheat to find flour and then making bread together.
Put activities together quickly and easily
Great tool to demonstrate the learning to parents
As a teacher keeping a record of these activity ideas helped me in the classroom when I have had the need to a) Put activities together quickly and easily that I can use when I see a child or group of children showing a natural interest in something or b) Prepare programming in advance for licencing requirements, as although every activity may not spark the children's interest and used, it shows that you are prepared for different options.
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The programming plans are also a great tool when demonstrating to some parents the learning skills that the children are developing whilst they are playing. With each group of activities I have added a list of some of the sample skills being learnt. These has been proved useful as a quick guide for me if I am looking for a particular skill quickly for a activity or a child to work on.
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These plans and invitations to play have been based on the directions that the children I worked with, wondered about, and were interested in. They incorporate both process and teacher guided activities, so you can pick and choose to meet your style or outcomes.
Homeschooling ideas
As a parent or grandparent these ideas may introduce other fun options or directions, to help guide and support their learning as you play together following your children's interests.
Indoor and Outdoor Activity Ideas
PLEASE SEE A PREVIEW OF PART OF OUR OCEAN BEACH EXPLORE AND PLAY PLAN BELOW:
Ocean/ beach
Example of observation-Children have been discussing holidays to the beach.
If you are at the beach some of these activities can also be adapted and used.
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Have a collection of objects that are related to the beach that you collected together or put together
Examples of objects/items, or use items from your observations.
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-shells, pebbles, sand, seaweed, buckets and spade, photos of real fish (other sea animals), ice cream cone, small towel, photo (or model) of a light house, a boat, sun screen, etc.
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Sit with children and let them examine the items and listen to the types of questions and observations they make about the objects.
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*Listen for their vocabulary
* Notice which objects are drawing the most attention.
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How can you encourage or guide them?
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1. Individual object observation - Take out one of the objects either one they have chosen or they show most interest in.
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Example Object chosen - A pebble.
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Examine it and make a web on a large piece of paper on the floor with the object in the middle of the paper, Encourage the child/children to help write and draw on the paper their own ideas.
Encourage and guide (this section is to help give you ideas on object direction or conversation starters if required)
Discuss with the children things they notice about the object...patterns, shapes, size. texture,
Now add some more pebbles- what do they observe now
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Activities Section..... A list of activities that can be used in relation to this object
Example of an Activity
*Set up pebble sorting, some boxes or containers, pebble of various sizes, children choose how they wish to sort them, could be colour, shape, texture, size. An addition to this activity would be to place safe mirrors under the pebble now they have a different perspective and a more of a 3D view of the pebble as it curves around and under.
At the Beach- Collect different pebble, sea shells, and sea glass. Sort, count the pebbles out into different shapes, colours, styles and textures of their choosing. Draw out a rectangle frame shape in the sand an make a picture using the beach items inside.
Activitity Expansion Some activities will also have ideas on how to expand an activity further
*To expand the sorting we are going to change it into an open ended invitation to play nature art activity but are not going to model what we want the children to do. Instead of putting out boxes and containers, possibly put out empty picture frames and see if they use these items together.... maybe as they play slowly add some shells, sea glass and seaweed, and some drift wood and see what you observe.
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Notes * Some activities may have added notes or tips, this is where I have reflected on the activity or a helpful tip.
Remember to take notes (or photos to document) on how they are using these objects, are they using them to make a tower? Sorting into shapes?, Or same type objects? Are they using the picture frames how are they using them? Are they putting the shells inside or around the frame?
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This activity can be set up either inside or outside.
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The documentation and notes can be used to help create a large Explore book on the Ocean or the beach together, or a wall display. Remember to especially take notes on the words and conversations of the children (with the name of the child who comments) this allows the children to keep ownership of the project.
Activity Photos Where possible I have added photos of the original activity in our classroom.
How did their creativity expand and develop?
You may decide to use some of the activities simply as an invitation to play depending on the children's interest developments, most of the activities can be done either inside or outside. You can adapt some of the activities if you on a trip our, take some paints with you to the beach, look for drift wood to make ramps etc.
After the activities you will be shown some of the skills that are being developed during the activities.
Sample of Learning skills - (a break down of the areas in which skills are being learned)
Language and communication - new words, smooth, rough, bumpy, shiny, etc.
Cognitive - Patterns, sorting, counting, comparing, sensory, sharing, balancing, creativity, gravity, and connection with their environment using natural materials
Physical Development - Fine motor - Picking up, sorting and placing pebbles, moving body to the movement to the waves as if they were pebbles - spinning and rolling on the floor.
Personal, Social and Emotional - Sharing ideas and experiences, talking about their visits to the beach
Topics soon to become available as Explore n' Play Plans are:
Plants, Birds, Water, Farms and Ocean/Beach