Exploring places and people, and learning the vocabulary to talk about them, enables children to gain an understanding of the world, explains Nicole Weinstein

Language is key to building children’s knowledge of the world around them. By exploring, observing and finding out about people, places and the environment, children can begin to make sense of their physical world and their community.

Practitioners can start by exploring children’s developing sense of identity and what’s familiar to them and then expand children’s vocabulary around what they know and experience.

For example, taking them out for walks or bus rides in the local community – to the park, shops, places of work or local community buildings – and recreating real-life experiences through role play or small-world play back at the setting.

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