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Children were getting nutritious food, full of vitamins and minerals- this activity promoted eating healthy fruits (promotes 5 a day). (1st Reference) In (Penny Tassoni et la., (2007), pg.252) it says, that ‘’The idea is that by introducing fruits and vegetables into children’s diets at an early age, children will be more likely to eat them at home.’’
A good diet can also help reduce the risk of a number of health problems including obesity, heart disease, some cancers and type-2 diabetes, therefore this activity promotes children to eat fruits and encourages them to include them in their diet. Also parents are consulted so that they encourage their children to eat fruits regularly in order to avoid health problems of their children.
Children also learnt importance of washing hands before touching any food and also learnt what the consequences are if one doesn’t wash hands before and after touching food. (Germs get spread and we get ill).Promote cleanliness so no risk of infection. This experience also broadened their cognitive development about keeping clean (hygiene routines). If a healthy lifestyle is promoted at an early stage it results children in taking advantage in all areas of learning and they enjoy and achieve better in the future.
Staff ratio was also taken into consideration to avoid any risks and accidents, when carrying out the activity, as knifes were used and the children were quite young and vulnerable to accidents.
A risk assessment was made for the children to be safe, in which I wrote:
- Who might be affected by them& how?
- How to prevent the hazard?
- What to do if emergency arises?
2nd Activity: Hand painting and washing hands after
Introduction: hand painting with 4 children at a table, give children variety of colour choices, hand paint should be washable, aprons provided.
What we want the children to learn: The experience is linked to the ‘Children Act 2004’, ‘Every Child Matters’, as it is knowledge and understanding of the world and it develops children’s skills in various areas such as, to use their hands for painting (physical development- fine motor skills), social skills by engaging with others sitting with them and talking to them about their painting, learn about importance of washing hands (cognitive development), learn about the different colours (cognitive development).
Children who didn’t know how to wash hands properly were showed how to do it. They were given reasons as why to wash hands and what happens if one doesn’t wash them after they are dirty.(explain about germs and infections).
No. of children: 4
Age of children: 3-5
How activity will be introduced: children are going to sit in a circle and be told what we are going to do next. They will be told the importance of wearing aprons, put their sleeves up and why its important to wash hands after. Then they will be explained how we expect them to behave.
How activity will be developed: Staff would be supervising children at all times. If needed than staff will step in to help a child.
Resources:
- Protection for clothing- 4 aprons in good condition
- Old newspaper for protecting the floor tables
- Brushes- a variety of sizes
- Clean water
- A3 card in different colours
- Painting colours provided in pots
Vocabulary used: Safety, hygiene, praising, colours, hands, painting…
How were individual needs met: by making sure that children who have extra needs i.e. behaviour issues, has a key worker or if a child for example is partially sighed he/ she gets extra support and colours he/ she can see.
Plenary: children will be washing their hands after, taking aprons off, putting things away and at the end will be able to show their hand panting to the whole class once they are dry.
D1) Linked to E5& E6
Routines such as going outdoors with children regularly, bottle feed them on time, encouraging them to eat fruits or do a hand painting activity, all these activities and routines promote and maintain a healthy lifestyle. The reasons they promote and maintain a healthy lifestyle to children include, reasons such as promoting hygiene, as we as practitioners make sure children wash their hands before and after eating food or wash hands after they have come in from outdoors to prevent bacteria from being spread. Therefore these activities promote hygiene routines.
I as a practitioner promote a healthy environment when encouraging children to eat fruits. They learn to have fun in making a fruit salad which also boosts their confidence, self esteem and makes them want to eat and try. These activities and especially the routines I’ve mentioned in E5 are also linked to the curriculum framework. The curriculum framework is a document which provides advice and guidance on the learning and development needs of young children and the settings are bound to obey the framework. Eating fruits in snack time or going outdoors with children at least once a day supports healthy lifestyles because children are given chance to run around in fresh air (physically fit), socialize with others around them (social skills develop plus language development), when they make something i.e. making fruit salad they would feel self- satisfied, happy with themselves and their confidence will boost. The activities which I described earlier are also fun to implement, therefore children are more likely to learn through them, because young children learn more through play and enjoyment.
E5) Linked to D1
1st Routine: Outdoor Play
Outdoor play is promoted in my setting twice a day. The children are allowed to play outdoors in the play area of the setting with various play equipments which include tricycles, sand pits, mini climbing frames, playhouses, slides etc.
Outside play is an entitlement for all children in the Foundation Stage. Outside play is a planned part of children’s experience and has to be taken into account and children should all, no matter what their needs are, be able to go outdoors and have the opportunity to play.
I, as a practitioner should plan activities which offer appropriate physical challenges to the children, give them enough space, enough resources which are also age and stage appropriate and safe to use. Outdoor play in my setting is one around 10.30am and one at 1.30pm. One is after breakfast and one after lunch. This routine is attached at the back of the portfolio as an appendix.
Young children enjoy the freedom of being outdoors therefore its essential to provide children with outdoor activities on a regular basis. Children with challenging behaviour (hyperactivity, aggressive behaviour) or children with SEN can benefit quite a lot when taken outdoors and by giving them the chance to express themselves, explore and discover, play freely and talk about their ideas it can develop control over their behaviour, improve their concentration and independence and also develop their social and emotional skills. Their imagination skills also develop which can help in story telling and writing. They also gain confidence/ self esteem, because their needs and wants are valued and taken into consideration. Children also improve their knowledge and understanding of the world around them. It has also been recognised that children with speech problems who are taken outdoors regularly develop on their speech. Children are given responsibilities and are allowed to take risks. This helps them to be responsible for each other and for themselves.
2 Theorists who encourage outdoor play:
- Friedrich Froebel- He talked about ‘Kindergartens’- Gardens for children. He said that gardens are the best environment for young children to be as he believes it’s essential that children interact with nature in order to develop their learning further. Jacques Rousseau and Heinrish Pestalozzi say that children should spend a lot of their time outdoors everyday.
- Margaret McMillan- She was trying to promote children’s health by establishing a night camp where children could sleep outdoors. Children were encouraged to play and rest at risk outdoors.
2nd Routine: Bottle Feeding
Babies in my setting have their bottle around 4-5 times but it varies from child to child how much they are required. Each baby has their own milk bottle in their setting which is washed and sterilised whenever needed. Their bottle is kept in a box with their name on. Some babies also have milk while sleeping, but it varies from child to child. This routine is essential and a must for babies who are growing because their primary food to grow and be healthy is milk and that’s what they need to develop further. This routine is attached at the back of the portfolio as an appendix and I have highlighted the approximate timings when babies in my setting have their milk in their bottle. I also attached relevant references to current research on how to prepare formula feeding, how to bottle feed babies, how to sterilise the bottle and why etc…
E1) Linked to A
The practitioners’ role in working towards a healthy lifestyle and environment for children:
- Promote hygiene
- Promote safety
- Promote healthy diet, provide with water and food
- Promote exercise and stimulation
- Promote rest and sleep
- It is very important for us practitioners to promote hygiene to children. Few hygiene basics include things such as:
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washing hands before
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after going to the toilet or touching animals or eating
- having a daily shower or bath
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, especially kitchens, toilets and bathrooms, by sweeping and mopping floors removing dust and dirt from inside the house.
- washing cutlery properly after each use, and keeping them in clean drawers and cupboards
- washing clothes (sheets, pillow cases, towels) properly and regularly
- keeping animals out of the house and keep them clean too etc
The basic needs of children which we need to meet and promote are:
- changing their nappies
- helping them in the toilet
- help them in hand washing
- keep their noses clean
- feed them
- washing them and caring for their skin
- care for their hair and teeth
- As practitioners the following legislation applies to us and it affects practise in the setting we work in, some of the pieces of legislation which are linked to the Health and safety of the children in the setting are:
- Health and Safety at Work Act 1974
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health (COSHH) Regulation 2002
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and dangerous Occurrences Regulations (RIDDOR) 1995
Practitioners also need to take into consideration their ratio (the amount of staff) when they are with children, as this is very important, so that children are in a safe and healthy environment which is our role as practitioners.
Risk assessment also needs to be done before carrying out activities. An example could include if we want to go outdoors with children to play with tricycles we need to make sure we first of all risk assess it. That can be done by planning the activity before hand and asking yourself with the help of other staff with you:
- Who might be affected by them& how?
- How to prevent the hazard?
- What to do if emergency arises?
We also need to supervise the children at all times and should know the accident procedures i.e. what to do if emergency arises and who to report to…
- As practitioners we need to give children range of food choices, provide them with water at all times, and promote healthy food i.e. 5 a day and a variety of different foods which also promotes different cultural foods etc. Our duty is also to eat in front of the children so that they can see us role models. We should also explain to parents to give healthy choices to their children at home. We need to also consider individual needs of children as they are all different, come from different cultures so might not eat pork or other certain products or be allergic to something, therefore we need to be able to provide them with alternatives so that we include everyone (promote inclusion) and not leave anyone out. Children while they are eating need to be encouraged to eat independently as this will boost their self esteem and this would help them in their later life.
- All children should get the opportunity to do exercise no matter what their needs are. Even if they have SEN or other needs they should be able to enjoy and given chance too with extra support so that they are not left out and achieve their full potential. Activities should be stimulating, age and stage appropriate, give children enough space to play, give them the right and appropriate resources, give them support if needed, have a key worker for SEN Child for example. All this is our duty in order to promote children to a healthy lifestyle and environment.
- The body needs time to recover from all activities children have been doing all day, therefore it is essential that we give children time to sleep, rest and have quite activities which means activities which are implemented while sitting down at the table or practitioners reading a book to children etc. All this is needed so that the children get their energy back and achieve.
E3) Linked to E4
Positive factor: Breast feeding
Breast feeding is one of the positive factors which can affect children’s health and well being. If the baby is breastfed for at least six months and preferably for twelve, it won’t be exposed to allergens from other milk products.
Breast milk provides children with all the nutrients they need in the first half year of their life. It also protects them from becoming ill and getting infections. Mothers have also got advantage when they breast feed such as them becoming ill in later life. It has lots of advantages. Another reason why its is good for child and mother is that they get a stronger bond because they get very close to each other (physically and emotionally), whereas bottle feeding doesn’t protect babies from diseases and infection and has not got the same useful ingredients (anti bodies) such as breast milk. The emotional bonding between the baby and mother is strengthened & gives a feeling of satisfaction and achievement to the mother. Mothers who give their baby’s breast milk also return to their original figure quicker and it’s much cheaper than artificial feeding. Breast milk helps a baby protect from:
- ear infections
- gastro-intestinal infections
- chest infections
- urine infections
- childhood diabetes
- eczema
- obesity
- asthma
Breast feeding helps the mother to be protected from:
- ovarian cancer
- breast cancer
- weak bones later in life
A website called ‘Cancer active’ has published an article about breast feeding which was originally published in September 2002 icon. The article is called ‘Breast Feeding and Reducing the Risk of Breast Cancer…’, and it says that…
‘’Now Cancer Research UK has published the definitive study on breastfeeding and breast cancer. It concludes that the more time women spend breastfeeding in her life, the less her risk of breast cancer.’’
‘’Children who are breastfed are ill less than those fed on substitute products.’’
I’ve attached my research at the back in the portfolio as an appendix.
Negative factor: Autism (Disorder)
Autism is a form of disorder which is normally diagnosed in early childhood. It is characterized impaired social interaction and communication. People have difficulty communicating, forming relationships with others and have difficulties with abstract and vague or unclear concepts. Children with autism can develop various areas of weaknesses but also strengths such as good memory or attention. Other conditions present in autism are problems such as: physical disorders, sleeping problems, depression/ anxiety and seizures (Convulsions, fits, uncontrolled shaking). People with autism can find it difficult to also find jobs as they behave unusual and can are likely to have other conditions such as a learning disability or epilepsy. The condition continues into adulthood but with a lot of control, support (intervention) and therapists, people with this disorder can do a lot with their lives.
Autism is more common in men and it affects about 1 out of 100 people. This factor can affect a child’s health and well being in various areas. This disorder can affect a child’s social, psychological and physical development.
Infants with this disorder often show abnormal reactions to sensory stimuli i.e. senses may be over or underactive. Touches may cause pain, smells may be unpleasant, and ordinary daily noises may be painful to their ears. Loud noises i.e. car beeping, vacuum cleaner and bright lights may cause children to cry.
Other signs of the disorder in infants may include:
- Appear indifferent to surroundings
- Are happier to play alone
- Display lack of interest in toys
- Display lack of response to others
- Don’t point out objects of interest to others (called protodeclarative pointing)
- Doing like cuddling
Diagnosis is usually made by the age of 3. Early diagnosis and treatment often helps to improve outcome for patients.
The diagnosis includes:
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Physical examination- may include
- Medical history- includes family history, birth history, and early development
- Medical tests- to find out any other conditions
Doctors use a variety of different screening tools to evaluate development, communication and language skills, and interaction with others but there is no cure for autism but therapists can help people with autism.
There are 2 types of therapists. The Occupational therapists help improve independence and teach basic skills i.e. buttoning a shirt, bathing etc. The Physical therapists involve using exercise and other physical activities i.e. massaging to help patients control body movements.
E8)
Diversity and inclusive practise is all about behaviour in practise. One must value all differences and welcome each and every individual child in the setting. Settings have legal responsibilities to include children and care for their individual needs. Inclusion is important because it develops a sense of belonging to the child their attitudes towards others are also positive. We need to ensure we help every individual meet their full potential and ensure that we work closely with parents and other staff in order to help the child even more. Practitioners should be aware that all children have different interests, abilities and skills etc so they need to be able to plan and meet the different needs and should also make sure they are age and stage appropriate, is there any disabled child, or boy or girl etc. All these factors need to be taken into consideration only then we will be promoting diversity and inclusion in our settings.
The Children Act 1989/ 2004 also clearly states that the welfare of children is paramount (children’s needs& interests come first at all times even if it causes us inconvenience). We need to ensure we adopt this value in our settings, by valuing the differences and respect each individual’s views, opinions and interests and include everyone in all activities. We need to ensure we promote diversity and inclusiveness by involving every in all activities no matter what race, religion, sex, background etc. they are from.
A) Linked to E1
In my setting all staff makes sure that they promote and maintain a healthy environment for all children no matter what their needs are. My setting uses appropriate ways to develop their role as a practitioner.
A practitioners’ responsibility when working with children is to:
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Establish and maintain a good relationship with parents- (2nd reference) In (Iain MacLead- Brudenell, (2004), pg. 415), it outlines the value of partnership, he says, that, ‘’promoting partnership with parents in the early years will lead to positive outcomes for the children, families, practitioners and setting and communities and society as a whole.’’ We should make sure we communicate regularly with parents, give regular feedback about the child, ask parents about their views and ask for advice about their child, make plans/strategies with the help of parents. If we would not work in partnership with parents, we would not be able to provide the children with enough plans. We find out a lot of information from the parents which help us help the children.
- Value children’s experiences and interests- gives children especially younger ones more self esteem/confidence. If we show children we care about them and take interest in them, they are more likely to respect us, because they see us respecting them, therefore they are more likely to do the same back to us. Babies/children are likelier to learn/concentrate when they do something they are interested in. Our role is to recognise what children’s interests are. We can find out about those mainly through regular observations and by asking parents what their child likes doing at home. If for example a child learns more visually, rather than listening, then it’s a good idea to provide the child more with materials he/she is going to learn with better. Valuing children’s needs gives practitioners/parents more satisfaction, because the child’s needs are met and their learning outcomes are therefore likely to be better.
- Promote independence, so that children learn various skills which will help them develop further in later life.
- Recognise all needs of children as individuals so that they feel valued and not left out and can develop in their own pace.
- Maintain a safe environment for children at all times
- Maintain a multi-professional approach so they can be pushed to their full potential. (Zone of Proximal Development- ZPD- also called Scaffolding which means that all children need pushing so that they develop to their full potential.) A multi-professional approach is when many different agencies work together. When working with parents and children it’s more likely that their needs are met when outside agencies get involved. If lots of professionals are under one roof they are able to identify children’s needs (early intervention). It ensures children’s needs are met, barriers are overcome, through range of support/strategies used. We as practitioners are then more satisfied with our job, because the parents and children are satisfied. We will have better insight of the child’s and parents needs (professional development).
- Observations and assessments need to be made regularly to find out children strengths and needs and how to meet them.
- Plan age and stage appropriate activities and resources so that children develop according to their age level.
- Provide interesting and stimulating resources so that children enjoy.
- Consider staff ratio and supervision, because its essential children are supervised by enough staff in order to stay safe at all times and communication between staff is essential to keep children safe.
- Risk assessments need to be considered when planning activities so that children are safe from any harm and free from accidents.
- Effective planning is the key to a successful activity and a happy child.
- Positive relationships with the child, is very important so that the child is satisfied in the setting and enjoys and achieves.
These points need to be met to ensure that children are in a healthy environment. These are the ways we could develop our role as practitioners when working with children and are an essential to consider in all settings.
The practitioners’ role in working towards a healthy lifestyle and environment for children is to:
- Promote healthy diet, provide with water and food
- Promote exercise and stimulation
In my setting all these points are considered and ways to develop them when working with children are to be a good role model and do all the above listed points yourself in front of the children so that they learn by watching.
C1)
Reasons for planning and implementing (carrying out) activities in order to maintain a healthy lifestyle for children could are:
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So that children have a structure in their play (have a routine)
- If activities are not planned, they may turn out to be haphazard ( not well- planned, not going to turn out good enough)
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Planning means that one has to risk assess, if one risk assesses an activity it helps keep children safe from harm and danger, therefore it keeps children in a healthy lifestyle. Ask yourself when carrying out a risk assessment:
- What are the hazards?
- Who might be affected by them& how?
- How to prevent the hazard?
- What to do if emergency arises and who to report to?
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Practitioners also need to take into consideration their ratio (the amount of staff they have) when they are with the children, as this is very important, so that children are in a safe and healthy environment which is our responsibility as practitioners. So before planning an activity we need to consider staff ratio too.
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Planning is also very important when thinking to meet a Special Need child’s needs. One can plan different strategies for the child, think of new ways to meet the child special needs and have resources ready for to suit the child’s needs etc.
Children of different ages have different needs. These needs are based on each child's stage of growth and development (age and stage). An example could be that two children of the same age can be similar in some ways but different in other ways. Every child has unique characteristics and should be recognised as different. If we do this children will feel valued and appreciated and will achieve better (full potential). Appropriate activities help children learn and are fun for them too.
