This booklet will help and support your learning and understanding of play, curriculum and early learning.

How painting will promote the intended learning

Painting promotes the intended learning because:

• It allows children to express their feelings and thoughts by                painting according to how they feel
• Develops recognition of colour through the use of a                              variety of colours
• Develops and reinforces fine motor skills (pincer grip on brush)
• Gives them a sense of independence through personal choice                       of colours
• Builds self-esteem and self-confidence as there is no right                          or wrong end product
• Extends and reinforces their vocabulary through hearing                            names of colours
• It encourages the development of personal hygiene                             through washing their hands after finishing if they                                      have paint on them

Imaginative Play

‘In imaginative play, children pretend they are other people or that

they are in situations. This often happens naturally during play as they

 act out situations for pure enjoyment or to make sure of their own world’

(Tassoni P et al, 2000)

This aspect of play enables children to use their imaginations through

activities and experiences.

Often children pretend they are other people, take on roles such as

the mum or dad and act out real life situations.

Play opportunities for Imaginative play:

Imaginative play can involve the following activities:

• Domestic play in the home corner
• Role play – acting out stories, events, people or characters
• Doll play
• Dressing up – uniforms, hats, dresses and clothes from different

cultures and religions

• Small world play with model farms, hospitals or doll’s houses
• Outdoor play such as pretending a climbing frame is a castle
• ‘Art and craft activities where children are free to think and

develop ideas’ (Richards J, 2002)

I am going to focus on ROLE PLAY.

ROLE PLAY involves the use of the child’s imagination.

This is where children are given the opportunity to forget about

their own identities and take on the role of someone else.

Children are able to take on role with the use different clothes,

such as uniforms, dresses, trousers, jackets and props such as

kitchen utensils, dolls and plastic food.

When providing resources for imaginative play, it is important that

you provide clothes from other cultures and religions in order to

support anti-discriminatory/anti-bias practice and a world view.

How Role Play can promote learning for children

aged 4-5 years and how it links to the Early Learning Goals:

Role play promotes learning in the following areas:

• Physical development –

• Use of a range of small and large equipment
• Handle tools, object, construction and malleable materials safely

and with increasing control

• Show awareness of space, of themselves and of others

• Creative development –

• Use of their imagination in art and design, music, dance,

imaginative and role play, stories

• Express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings by

using a widening range of materials, suitable tools, imaginative and

role-play, movement, designing and making, and a variety of songs and

musical instruments

• Mathematics –

• Say and use number names in order in familiar contexts
• Use everyday words to describe position

• Language and literacy –

• Use language to imagine and recreate roles and experiences
• Use talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings

and events

• Interact with others, negotiating plans and activities and taking

turns in conversation

• Extend their vocabulary, exploring the meanings and sounds of

new words

• Speak clearly and audibly with confidence and control and show

awareness of the listener, for example by their use of conventions

such as greetings, ‘please’ and ‘thank you’

• Knowledge and understanding of the world –

• Look closely at similarities, differences, patterns and change
• Investigate objects and materials by using all of their senses as

appropriate

• Find out about their environment, and talk about those features

they like and dislike

• Personal, social and emotional development –

• Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a

familiar group

• Have a developing awareness of their own needs, views and feelings

when appropriate

• Form good relationships with adults and peers
• Select and use activities and resources independently
• Dress and undress independently and manage their own
• personal hygiene
• Have a developing respect of their own needs, views and feelings

and be sensitive to the needs, views and feelings of others

• Have a developing respect for their own cultures and beliefs and

those of other people

(Early Learning Goals taken from Tassoni P, Planning Play and the

Early Years, 2000)

How role play will promote the intended learning:

Role play promotes the intended learning because:

• It gives children the opportunity to forget about their                             real identities and take on the role of someone or something                     else
• It develops confidence through children taking on other                          roles to be confident to join in on play with others
• It allows them to express their thoughts, feelings and ideas
• Promotes their social development by encouraging interaction                    with other children
• It encourages learning about other cultures and religions                         through multi-cultural clothes and resources

Physical Play

‘The term ‘physical play’ is a term that can be used to describe the type

of play in which children use their large muscles and exercise their

whole body.

They learn to control large and small muscles and develop co-ordination,

and surplus energy is expanded’ (Tassoni P et al, 2000)

Physical play can be either indoors or outdoors, it provides opportunities

for climbing, rolling, balancing, skipping, walking, running, jumping,

hopping, throwing and many more.

Aspects of physical play involve:

• Space and direction                        
• Hand/eye co-ordination
• Eye/foot co-ordination        

• Balance – controlling movement of the body
• Rhythm – development of movement flows
• Physical self awareness – understanding of the way the body moves

and what different parts are able to do

• Fine muscle development and control – construction toys
• Large muscle development and control – large scale equipment e.g.

climbing frame

• Basic body movement
• Symmetrical activity – development of both sides of the body

Play opportunities for Physical play:

Physical play can involve the following activities:

• Small scale equipment –

• Construction toys
• Peg/peg boards
• Threading and sewing
• Lego

• Small world toys – Playmobil, train sets
• Large scale equipment – climbing equipment
• Bats and balls

I am going to focus CONSTRUCTION TOYS

CONSTRUCTION TOYS are pieces of small scale equipment that

children fit together to make objects when they are playing with them.

Having the ability to fit something together can be very satisfying for

children; this is also the bases of the learning of a useful life skill.

Construction toys develop and promote fine motor skills, imagination,

hand/eye co-ordination, self-esteem and concentration.

As a DCE worker, it is important that you ensure construction play is

non-gender stereotyped, this means that boys and girls should be

encouraged to participate in this activity.

How Construction Toys can promote learning for children

aged 4-5 years and how it links to the Early Learning Goals:

Construction play promotes learning in the following areas:

• Physical development –

• Use a range of small and large equipment
• Handle tools, objects, construction and malleable materials safely

and with increasing control

• Move with confidence, imagination and in safety
• Show awareness of space, of themselves and of others

• Creative development –

• Express and communicate their ideas, thoughts and feelings by using

a widening range of materials, suitable tools, imaginative and role play, movement, designing and making

• Mathematics –

• Use language such as ‘circle’ or ‘bigger’ to describe the shape and

size of solids and flat shapes

• Use everyday words to describe position
• Use developing mathematical ideas and methods to solve practical

 problems

• Language and literacy –

• Use talk to organise, sequence and clarify thinking, ideas, feelings

and events

• Interact with others, negotiating plans and activities and taking

turns in conversation

• Extend their vocabulary, exploring the meanings and sounds of

new words

• Knowledge and understanding of the world –

• Investigate objects and materials by using all of their senses as

appropriate

• Ask questions about why things happen and how things work
• Build and construct with a wide range of objects, selecting

appropriate resources and adapting their work where necessary

• Select the tools and techniques they need to shape, assemble

and join the materials they are using

• Personal, social and emotional development –

• Be confident to try new activities, initiate ideas and speak in a

familiar group

• Form good relationships with adults and peers
• Work as part of a group or class, taking turns and sharing fairly,

understanding that there need to be agreed values and codes of

behaviour for groups of people, including adults and children, to work

together harmoniously

• Select and use activities and resources independently

(Early Learning Goals taken from Tassoni P, Planning Play and the

Early Years, 2000)

How construction toys promote the intended learning:

Construction toys promote the intended learning because:

• It develops physical skills through handling the                                equipment e.g. toy cars (fine and gross motor skills)
• It allows the children to express their thoughts, feelings                          and imaginative ideas through play
• It encourages language development through children                                   asking questions and socialising with others
• It develops cognitive skills through development of                          mathematical ideas and methods to solve problems

Role of the adult:

Before setting up equipment and resources for any of these

play opportunities, it is important that you plan –

Planning is important as “you will need to assess the children/child’s

learning and plan accordingly” (Richards, J, 2002)

This will also mean you can plan and implement activities

that are age and stage appropriate.

When a child is participating in creative, imaginative or physical

play, it is important that you:

• Work alongside the child – only intervene in play

if a health and safety issue arises.

The aim is not to teach children how to play,

but to provide them with interesting opportunities and

experiences

• Encourage children to learn from the process –

A final product or the ability to talk about what they have done

is not always an indication of a positive learning experience,

adults should encourage children to learn from the experience and

also enjoy it.

Always remember: It is the process rather then the product

that must be valued.

• Give the child sufficient time and space to carry out

the activity

• Encourage children to reflect on what they just done –

For children to become more sensitive and aesthetically aware,

adults are needed to help children reflect on their experiences; you

can do this by talking to the children and asking the children

questions relevant to what they are doing.

• Avoid judgments on what the child is doing or what they

have done –

Judgements on children’s work can lead them to focusing on the

product rather than on the process. You need to be aware of the

dangers of judging children’s work, whether positive or negative.

• Support the children during the activity –

Give the child praise and encouragement, this will develop their

self-esteem and self-confidence

• Adapting activities and equipment –

It is important that you have an understanding of how to adapt

equipment and resources for children with special needs or

disabilities.

This may involve –

• Providing more space and setting up activities in areas

accessible to wheelchair uses

• Provision of paint brushes with bigger handles, dressing up

clothes with bigger buttons or Velcro, larger equipment – bigger Lego

pieces

The importance of providing a positive environment

for play and learning:

It is important that a positive environment is provided for play

and learning. This is because a positive environment is stimulating

towards children’s learning.

A positive environment includes:

• Clear organisation of resources and equipment, this allows

children to make their own decisions and selections of the

equipment and resources they want to use – giving children the

opportunity to select resources and equipment, allows them to

participate in spontaneous play

• Posters which promote a world view, these include posters

Displaying Festivals, celebrations and people from other cultures

and religions – this develops children’s knowledge of other cultures

to their own, this also shows children that there are different

religions in society.

• Displays of children’s work, this shows children that their

work is valued and therefore develops their self-esteem and

self-confidence

• Multi-cultural clothes in the home corner for role play, this

will develop the children’s learning and understanding of

the different cultures and religions

Strategies adults may use to promote children’s

learning:

There are a few strategies adults can use to promote

children’s learning, these include:

• Working alongside children
• Puppets – e.g. teddies or animals
• Props – e.g. dolls,

Working alongside – this can be used to make the children

feel valued and also give them confidence.

Working alongside the children will mean the children can

involve you in their activity, they can ask you questions

relating to their activity and you can ask them questions

to develop their knowledge and understanding.

This will also encourage the children, giving them praise

and encouragement will give them the chance to show you

what they are able to do. Praise and encouragement will

develop their self-esteem and their confidence to

participate in the activity again.  

Puppets – this can be used to gain the children’s attention.

Children feel they can relate to puppets as they use their

imaginations.

 The use of puppets is a valuable way to promote and develop

 children’s learning, this is because the learning is hidden. The

 children will feel that they are helping the puppet and will find

 learning fun. This will be a factor in children wanting to learn

 so they can see and help the puppet again.

 Puppets can also be used to develop the children’s knowledge

 of the animal the puppet is, for example, using a lion – you can

 give the lion a name and encourage the children to ask the lion

 questions about where the lion lives, what is eat etc. However

 you as the adult is going to have to take on the role of the

 lion in order to answer the children’s questions and develop their

 knowledge and understanding.

Bibliography:

• Judy Richards, 2000, Unit 6 Course Notes, Coulsdon College
• Penny Tassoni & Karen Hucker, 2000, Planning Play and the

Early Years, Heinemann

• Penny Tassoni, Kate Beith, Harriet Eldridge & Alan Gough, 2000,

Diploma in Child Care and Education, Heinemann

        

        

A DCE student’s guide!