Three toddlers are playing in the nursery garden on a bicycle made for three. They take turns at pushing and pulling their friends.
Good for looking at
- Co-operating
- Social development
- Physical development
- Outdoors play
Notice
- What cues can you see that show what the children are interested in and how are they communicating with each other? (Look out for non-verbal and body language as well as spoken language)
- How are the children learning? Which areas of development, engagement and characteristics of learning can you observe?
- In what ways do the adults support the children’s learning?
- How does the environment support the children’s learning?
Reflect
What are your thoughts about:
- How the children communicated and co-operated with each other?
- These children’s level of social development?
- The role of the adult in this interaction – how did she support the children?
- The value of this type of social and physical play for the children?
- How you make observations where there is no verbal language from the children?
Respond
What would you do to:
- Support such young children to co-operate with each other?
- Encourage children to try out new ways of doing things and persevere with a task?
- Extend the children’s learning – e.g. supporting them to take turns and encouraging their physical play together?
- Model behaviours for young children – e.g. showing how you learn a new skill and share and co-operate with others.
What next:
- Do you need to encourage more of this kind of physical outdoor play and learning for the toddlers in your setting?
- Do you allow enough freedom for the children to take risks, make mistakes and learn from them?
