Three year old Niaz has been playing shops in the home corner. He finds the teacher as he want help to make a shopping list…
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Practitioners should acknowledge the feelings that separation can trigger in a young child, a parent and themselves, says Anne O’Connor…
Crawling is an important physical stage in its own right which enables babies to break away from their carers for the first time and is significant in reflex development, says Anne O’Connor…
Tyres are perfect open-ended resources and link well to children’s schemas, as Anne O’Connor observes…
Tuning in to children’s imaginative play will encourage language development, says Anne O’Connor… Tristan and his mother have walked from their house to the park. They find a place to play among some fallen tree trunks. His imagination is stimulated by the space and Tristan spots something that reminds him of a dinosaur. Mum responds,…
Block play allows a child to mix creativity with mathematical problem-solving, says Anne O’Connor… Seb, aged three, is playing at home with his mother. He has built a structure out of wooden bricks and has added a road track, cars and small world figures to his building. His mother responds to his directions as he…
The benefits for children of playing in a mixed age group are explored by Anne O’Connor, with advice for practitioners on reinforcing it… Skye is two years six months old. She has been coming to nursery for a while now and enjoys being outside in the garden. She likes to play with children slightly older…
New sights and new textures are made familiar for a baby with careful adult interest, says Anne O’Connor… Dexter (12 months) and his mother are at the beach. His mother points to the birds and Dexter follows her gaze and says ‘bap’. This is the word that he uses for birds – and also for dogs….
The sensory experience of messy play has far-reaching benefits for brain development, creativity and risk-taking, says Anne O’Connor… Tristan is in the park with his mother. He steps into a muddy puddle and squats down to investigate it further. He uses a finger to gently poke at the mud. After a while, he scoops some on…
Young children with developmental delay will benefit from the care of a practitioner who responds to them as they are now, says Anne O’Connor… Leila is two years ten months old and comes to playgroup for a few mornings each week. She is well settled and has a close relationship with Carol, one of the practitioners….
Building dens is a natural and important pastime in children’s social and emotional development. Anne O’Connor explores how adults can support this form of play while respecting children’s need for privacy… Seb (three years 11 months) and Chelsea (four years two months) have made a den outside. Seb is the ‘dad’, but Chelsea wants to be the ‘little girl’ and…
The important role men play in children’s lives is increasingly recognised. Anne O’Connor explains how settings can better involve them… Baby Orson is one week old. His dad was there at the birth and has played a full part in his care from the beginning. Although mum, who is breastfeeding Orson, is his primary care-giver at this…
