Play is essential for children’s development. Three- and four-year-olds are at a stage where they begin to pursue deeper exploratory play with objects, rich imaginary and fantasy play and co-operative role play. They enjoy putting their problem-solving skills to the test by investigating how resources work and gaining a greater understanding of cause and effect. Practitioners should provide stimulating resources in an environment that is finely tuned to support pre-schoolers’ development across all areas of learning.
Linda Keats, early years education partner for Essex County Council, says pre-school children need the freedom and time to play, reflect, investigate, try, fail and try again. ‘Resources need to be open-ended, natural, interesting, challenging and real life. They need spaces where they can build, sit, lay down, relax and re-centre. Rooms designed with free-flow play in mind, and with clearly defined areas for learning and plenty of natural light, are key considerations for this age range,’ she says.
At Harrington Nursery School in Derby, head of school Kelly Royle and her team paid close attention to the placement of each of the learning areas when designing the room layout. ‘We wanted to make it easy for children to use the different resources in collaboration. For example, we placed our block play and workshop area next to our small construction and small-world area so that children can use all three together to create imaginative play landscapes.’
HOW THE WORLD WORKS
Pre-school children tend to gravitate towards role play, the home corner, building and construction and small-world play. ‘These are all areas where they have the chance to investigate and imitate the adults they see at home, out and about, and in the real world,’ Keats says. ‘It allows them to problem-solve and try out their ideas and thoughts on how the world around them works.’
The home corner at Harrington Nursery School is the hub of activity where children feel a real sense of belonging. ‘We’ve added enhancements like framed photographs of children on the wall and Asian cookery pots and packaging from Asian food shops, which reflects our diverse community. Children also take the opportunity to dress up, practising the skills involved in putting clothes and shoes on and off,’ explains Royle.
DELAYED PLAY PATTERNS
At the age of three to four, children usually start to interact with others in their play. They may talk to each other or play with toys together. This is known as ‘associate play’, the stage before ‘co-operative play’.
But delays in children’s development has meant that practitioners are having to plan their continuous provision to cater for a wider range of age ranges. ‘Our practitioners in Essex are still seeing three- to four-year-olds play alongside each other in parallel play, which typically takes place at around two-plus,’ says Keats.
‘The differing skills and experiences of three- to four-year-olds can be a real challenge for practitioners. This can be linked to family dynamics, cultural differences, life experiences, environment and family position. Practitioners have noticed a change in children, and sadly there seems to be a lack of respect for others, resources and the environment.’
One of the biggest challenges for Royle’s team is ensuring they can meet the needs of ‘all children, particularly those with SEND’.
To support children to develop their communication and language and social skills, the team has made adaptions to the indoor space. ‘We’ve added a sturdy den, which one child likes to climb into and onto when he wants to get away from the others. We’ve also added a bookcase and a small selection of construction items to the conservatory, because the children who were choosing to access this quieter space were transporting these things away from the main provision and into here. This means that they have the opportunity to play in their own quiet space with resources chosen by them, without it impacting on the provision for others,’ Royle says.
For children with SEND, there are plenty of small, enclosed dens where they can spend time alone or with a friend. ‘Cosy’s wicker arch is a wonderful addition to the book nook,’ Royle says. ‘Another favourite is the Funky Fingers dough area; they find it relaxing to squeeze and squash the dough.’
SELF-SELECTION
Resources at Harrington are available for children to self-select and everything chosen ‘has to earn its place on the shelf’, Royle says. ‘Our basic provision is available all the time, but our enhancements are added when needed – this could be led by the children, a story or a theme,’ she adds.
Keats advises settings to not put too much emphasis on tidying up at the end of the day. ‘Practitioners should be doing bits and pieces of tidying throughout the session. This is also a great way to role model to the children the importance of keeping everyone safe and clearing up dropped blocks or sand, water, etc.,’ she explains.
While tidy-up songs and rituals work for some children, Keats notes that for others these are ‘their cue to make a run for it’. She adds, ‘Or some are overwhelmed with the loudness of a bell signalling tidy up or the loud tidying song playing in the background.’
At Harrington, everything is labelled with Widgit Symbols (see Further information) so that staff can model to the children where resources belong. ‘We use tidy-up time as an opportunity for learning, matching and sorting together,’ Royle says.
FOSTERING INDEPENDENCE
Faced with ever-growing demands for school readiness at an increasingly young age, Royle’s team tries to ensure children are given every opportunity to develop skills that increase their ownership and independence.
‘Many of our children are still seen within their families as being babies, so sharing with the parents what they are capable of doing at nursery has a really positive impact on their ongoing development,’ she says.
The Harrington Café encourages children to be more independent in their snack choices. ‘We have a staff member on hand to model good hygiene practices and to show them the skills needed to make their own snack,’ explains Royle. ‘They spread low-fat cream cheese onto rice cakes, pour their own water or milk, put waste into the bin and place their dirty pots into a bowl for washing. They also wipe down their own spillages.’
Big buys: pre-school room indoor resources
Pretend play: Early Excellence’s Complete Role Play Domestic Area 3-4s, £1,745, and its Complete Real Life Role Play Area 3-4s, £875; Hope’s VIGA Natural Wood Kitchen, £289.99; Cosy’s Island Kitchen – Preschool, £695; TickiT’s Talking Tubes@Telephone Exchange, £69.99; TTS’s Assorted Fabrics 1x1.75m 6pk, £46.99, for dressing up; and YPO’s Galaxy Dressing Up Station Maple, £223.99.
Cosy spaces: Cosy’s The Arch, Inside, £245; Hope Education’s Den Frame with Shelves, £239.99, and its Outdoor/Indoor Nature Mat and Cushions, £239.99; TTS’s Toadstool Seats, £131.99 and its Primary Coloured Bean Bag Chair, £72.99. Add TTS’s Immersive Environments Backdrops, Woodland, £74.99.
Construction and small world: Wooden Construction Set from Hope Education, £131.99; Quarter School Unit Block Set, £590, from Community Playthings; TTS’s Light Up Glow Spheres, Cylinders and Bricks, £327.97.
Exploratory: Community Plaything’s Small Sand and Water Table, £495, or its Art Island, £520; Cosy’s Tuff Spot Tray – Black, £13.99, and its Tuff Spot Tray Adjustable Height Metal Stand, £36.99; TickiT’s Sensory Mood Table, £199.99.
Storage: Help Yourself Trolley, £592, by Community Playthings; Cosy’s Curiosity Crate, £47.99; Pentagon’s Bookcase, £395.
FURTHER INFORMATION
