A Southern Hemisphere Charlotte Mason Nature Diary

http://acharlottemasonnaturediary.blogspot.com/

Annie's Alphabet Home Childcare

Learning Through Thoughtful Play

Just add stones, logs, stumps and mounds.

http://progressiveearlychildhoodeducation.blogspot.com/2010/04/just-add-stones-logs-stumps-and-mounds.html

Let the children play; inspiring early childhood education

Playscapes; a blog about playground design

http://playgrounddesigns.blogspot.com/

Ideas for literacy (part 1 and 2)

For suggested resources go to the following links:

Part 1 (Poetry): Ideas for literacy (3-5's and 6-12's age group) 

"Poetry
http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/scmguide/poetry/"

Part 2 (Read-Alouds and Readers): Ideas for literacy (3-5's and 6-12's age group)

"Early Years Read-Alouds

http://simplycharlottemason.com/planning/eyguide/eyreadalouds/

Older children may want to use these books as readers."

 

Handcraft, Creative Art's, and Self Help ideas for the 4-5's and 6-12's age group

Handicrafts and Life Skills

http://simplycharlottemason.com/timesavers/handicrafts/

Part 3: "The best things in life are free" and so is play

Note: This is not a sample of how I would document this activity that the children did but this post expresses how children can learn through their natural environment and play based, 'real life' or 'hands on' activities that are relevant to daily life.

"The best things in life are free" and so is gardening and the natural environment! Plus getting messy is fun!

Reasons why children should be involved in gardening activities:

Children develop socially from gardening as expressed in the Early Years Learning Framework:

 Children...
"...take considered risk in their decision-making and cope with the unexpected" Outcome 1.2*


"...celebrate and share their contrinbutions with others" Outcome 1.3
"...show interest in other children and being part of a group" Outcome 1.4

"...engage and contribue to shared play experiences" Outcome 1.4

"...reflect on their actions and consider consequences for others" Outcome 1.4
"...listen to others ideas and respect other ways of being and doing" Outcome 2.2
"...experience the benefits and pleasures of shared learning exploration"  Outcome 4.4

*Example... Outcome 1.2 explanation: Children have a strong sense of identity (Outcome 1) and Children develop their emerging autonomy, inter-dependence, resilience and sense of agency (point 2) expressed as "...take considered risk in their decision-making and cope with the unexpected" 

Construction
 
 Children develop their respect and wonder for their natural surroundings and learn construction and geometry through gardening as expressed in the Early Years Learning Framework:
Children...
"...demonstrate an increaseing knowledge of, and respect for natural and constructed environments" Outcome 2.4
"...explore, infer, predict and hypothesise..." Outcome 2.4
"...show growing appreciation and care for natural and constructed environments" Outcome 2.4
"...use their senses to explore natural and built environments" Outcome 4.4

Children develop problems solving skills or scientific and mathematical (geometry) skills by gardening...

How to create a perfect circle flower bed (geometry)...

 Children develop their problems solving skills or scientific and mathematical skills through gardening as expressed in Outcome 4.2:
Children...
"...make predictions and generalisations about... aspects of the natural world and environments, using patterns they generate or identify and communicate these using mathematical language and symbols"
"...use reflective thinking to consider why things happen and what can be learnt form these experiences" 

...use a stick in the middle and a string to measure the radius...

Children learn to communicate and share their 'learnings':

 Children feel a sense of pride in sharing their 'learnings' with their parent/s. Children are able to "celebrate and share their contributions and achievements with others"(Outcome 1.3) and "recognise the contributions they make to shared projects and expriences"(Outcome 3.1)

 

Breaking up the task of doing a puzzle

Prepared before the child does the puzzle:

Completed puzzle:

Practice Principles for learning and development

IMPORTANT NOTE FOR QUEENSLAND READERS: THE FRAMWEORK IS FOR THE VICTORIAN DEFINITION OF EARLY CHILDHOOD WHICH IS 0-8 YEARS (INSTEAD OF 0-12 YEARS)

Victorian Early Years Learning and Development Framework
Frequently asked questions... http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/earlyyears/faq.html

How do I use the Victorian Framework?

"The Victorian Framework identifies eight Practice Principles for Learning and Development, which describe the most effective ways for early childhood professionals to work together  and with children and families to facilitate learning and development. The Practice Principles are arranged into three categories:

Collaborative
1. family-centred practice
2. partnerships with professionals
3. high expectations for every child

Effective
4. equity and diversity
5. respectful relationships and responsive engagement
6. integrated teaching and learning approaches
7. assessment for learning and development

Reflective
8. reflective practice.

These Principles are based on the pedagogy of the Early Years Learning Framework for Australia and the P–12 Principles of Learning and Teaching, and on the latest international evidence about the best ways to support children’s learning."

Retrieved 11th October 2011 from http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/earlyyears/faq.html#H2N10044

For more details download the  'Victorian EarlyFor all Children from Birth to Eight Years'

Years Learning and Development

Framework

in PDF format from http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/earlyyears/veyldf_for_children_from_birth_to_8.pdf

Types of Play

6 Types of Play: How We Learn to Work Together

http://www.spring.org.uk/2008/07/6-types-of-play-how-we-learn-to-work.php

For Infant Educarers

Educaring Approach http://www.rie.org/educaring
RIE (Resources for Infant Educarers) basic principles http://www.rie.org/educaring/ries-basic-principles

Part 2: "The best things in life are free" and so is play

"The best things in life are free" and so is mud

Don't be shocked at the desire of children to play with water and mud. Don't let a rainy day keep you inside, dress the children in their 'messy clothes' and let them just be kids. There's nothing worse than a child creating a whole landscape of river channels and landmarks (such as shops) in the sandpit and wanting to add water but unable to because the educator won't allow it. Warn parent's that children will get wet or muddy and ask them to provide daily outside clothes. Then when it's time to come inside just change them into their nice warm dry clothes and play some active games inside so they don't stay cold.

Sample idea to comile photographs:

99/365 Adventure

http://www.flickr.com/photos/spipczynski/5615888745/


My photographs and next post in the series:
http://1of8kidsearlychildhoodprofessionals.blogspot.com/2011/10/part-3-best-things-in-life-are-free-and.html 

"The best things in life are free" and so is play

"The best things in life are free" 
(An American Proverb http://thinkexist.com/quotation/the_best_things_in_life_are/185051.html )


And so is play...

According to Cranbrook School's Curriculum and Ready for School guide

 

"Through play the children internalise concepts, solve problems, learn to share, work together and communicate with others."

"Research has repeatedly shown that children in the years before school, learn best through structured play. Sometimes to the casual observer, it may seem to be only ‘play’, but a closer inspection reveals that activities are carefully selected to foster the myriad skills and understanding needed for success at school". 

(http://www.cranbrook.nsw.edu.au/pre-schools/stmichaels-vaucluse/curriculum.cfm and http://www.cranbrook.nsw.edu.au/docs/BeingReadyforSchool.doc )

What is play based learning?
According to the Early Years Learning Framework book Belonging, Being & Becoming (p.6) play based learning is "a context for learning through which children organise and make sense of their social worlds, as they engage actively with people, objects and representations." All Early Childhood Educators should base their planning and programming around children's interests and play..."Play-based programs provide a wide range of active and meaningful experiences that incorporate choice for children, while enabling them to experience many of the organisational elements that are important at school." (Riverstone Public School)

Parent's concern's about play based learning; help for the Early Childhood Educator
It is common for parent's to be worried about their child's academic skills or school readiness and complain about the amount of play the child may participate in especially when the child is starting to be in the 3-5's age bracket of childcare. Early Childhood Educators are just that... Educators in Early Childhood that are qualified in knowing the amazing benefits of children learning through play rather than learning instead of play. School readiness is not the only reason why children should be allowed to play, but having an understanding of how play impacts school readiness might be helpful when explaining to parent's that children 'learn through play'.

Below are some articles that you as an Early Chilidhood Educator might find helpful:

• Make Believe Play Boosts Learning and School-Readiness in Preschoolers, Yale Study Finds
• On track - Section 4: School Readiness Through Play; Ways to Support School Readiness Through Play
• School Readiness Through Play; Importance of play (includes  Benefits of Play in Children’s Development and Stages of Play ) 
• Playing Make-Believe Prepares Kids for the Real World 
• Munch and Move
• All Early Childhood Educators should always have a copy of the Early Years Learning Framework on them at all times! Remember "The Framework's vision is for all children to experience play-based learning that is engaging and builds success for life." 

Parent's concern's about play based learning; help for the parent

   

How to play with children (retrieved from Play with children)

Here are some of the best ways to make play with children.

• Follow the child's lead but make sure the game is safe, don't allow it to get out of control.
• Play with the child but don't take over, let the child change the game.
• Listen but don't tell what to do.
• Talk about what the child is doing and encourage, eg. "It looks like the spaceman wants to rule the world. What are the people going to do?"
• Allow plenty of time.
• Allow for experimenting and mistakes.
• Don't compete with young children; this can discourage them from wanting to play with you.
• Appreciate and encourage your children's effort, eg. display their works of art.

Play ideas for parents (retrieved from Play with children)
Here are some suggestions which are especially suitable for parents and children playing together.

• Read stories and nursery rhymes - an everlasting favourite.
• Hide and seek - make sure you are easy to find if the child is very young.
• Go for a walk - listen to different sounds e.g. birds, cars, footsteps, animal noises, find different surfaces to walk on, eg. lawn, gravel, leaves (don't make it all a lesson, just let children enjoy the walk).
• Gardening (especially digging, watering, playing in puddles!).
• Helping prepare a meal.
• Picnics.
• Swings.
• Painting with sponges and toothbrushes. Mix paint with a little detergent and use a sponge to make bubbly effects.
• Songs and dancing together.
• Pretend play - let the child decide who will play which role and make the rules.
• Dressing up.
• Puzzles.
• Simple card games, eg. snap. Young children need to win more than they lose and need you to let them change the rules sometimes.
• Kicking and throwing balls.
• Carpentry.
• Washing the car.
• Letting the child help with the housework.
• Take the child to work with you for a short time.
• A trip to the shops.
• Watch a favourite TV show or video together.

Below are some articles that may be helpful to the parent who is new to the idea of play based learning  

• Written by Educators:
• Play with children
• Learning, Play, and Your 1- to 2-Year-Old   
• Child Play Development: How Your Child Develops Through Play 
• Rethinking Children's Play
• Written by Parents: 
• How to Play With Your Child Without Getting Bored 
• How (and Why) to Play with Your Child in Six Steps

Remember...

Play is learning

"Play is very important for children. Through play babies and young children explore and learn to understand the world around them as they come to communicate, discover, imagine and create.

When children play they are showing what they have learned and what they are trying to understand. This is why play is one of the foundations of the Early Years Learning Framework. 

By using this Framework educators will guide your child's play by carefully designing learning activities and stimulating indoor and outdoor learning environments."

- More Park Childhren's Early Learning Centre; EYLF - Early Years Learning Framework

Images are retrieved from 

http://jergames.blogspot.com/2006/10/how-and-why-to-play-with-your-child-in.html