LEARNING THROUGH PLAY in The Early Years

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY
in the early years

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY – INTRODUCTION
CONTENTS
Introduction 4
Learning Through Dramatic Play 11
Learning Through Sand Play 25
Learning Through Water Play 55
Learning Through Dough and Clay Play 81
Learning Through Table Top Play 93
Learning Through Small World Play 105
Learning Through Construction Play 123
Learning Through Creative Play 153
3
This booklet has been compiled by the Early Years Interboard panel in response to requests by
practitioners in Early Years settings for guidelines on provision and progression in play.
The methodology and suggested progression in this document is appropriate for the proposed
Foundation Stage as recommended by CCEA.
It is proposed that teachers will use this resource as a starting point for their own planning.
We hope you find it useful.
Early Years Interboard Panel

Dawn Crosby SEELB Nuala Heaney WELB
Una Crossey NEELB Anne McDermott SEELB
Liz Crowe BELB Marilyn Warren BELB
Clare Devlin SELB
4
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
This resource was designed and compiled by members of the Early Years Interboard Panel. We are particularly grateful to
the following teachers for their contribution:
Doreen O’Neill – St Joseph’s Nursery Unit SELB Patricia Dunne – St. Eithne’s Primary School WELB
Lornette McAlister – Abercorn Primary School SELB Hazel Harris – Gracehill Primary School NEELB
We would like to thank the Assistant Senior Education Officers of the five Education and Library Boards for their
encouragement and for their financial support.
The Interboard Panel is also grateful to officers at CCEA for their technical support in the design and production of the file.
Thank you also to those schools who allowed us to include photographs of play sessions:
Ballymoney N.S., Black Mountain P.S., Bligh’s Lane N.S., Downpatrick N.S, Dunclug N.S., Glenwood P.S., Kylemore N.S.,
Magherafelt N.S., Omagh County P.S., St. John the Baptist N.S. and Trinity N.S. Bangor.
Finally, a special word of thanks to Lorraine Noble (SEELB) for her endless patience and her faultless word-processing skills.
5
A RATIONALE FOR PLAY

Our thinking about play has been influenced over the years by the work of many educationalists,
psychologists, researchers and practitioners, and much has been written about how young
children learn and how adults can support this learning.
In the opening chapter of her book “Early Childhood Education”, Tina Bruce traces this history of
research from Rousseau and Kant in the 18th century, the 19th century practitioners like Froebel,
Montessori and Steiner, and on through to 20th century thinkers like Piaget, Vygotsky and Bruner.
At this point in time our knowledge base is being challenged further by the work of Howard
Gardner, Ferre Laevers, Loris Malaguzzi, Chris Athey and others.
What has emerged from all of this thinking is a set of common principles to which all early years
practitioners can sign up.
6
10 COMMON PRINCIPLES OF EARLY YEARS EDUCATION
1. The best way to prepare children for their adult life is to give 6. There are times when children are especially able to learn
them what they need as children particular things.
2. Children are whole people who have feelings, ideas and 7. What children can do (rather that what they cannot do) is the
relationships with others, and who need to be physically, starting point of a child’s education.
mentally, morally and spiritually healthy.
8. Imagination, creativity and all kinds of symbolic behaviour
3. Subjects such as mathematics and art cannot be separated; (reading, writing, drawing, dancing, music, mathematical
young children learn in an integrated way and not in neat, numbers, algebra, role play and talking) develop and emerge
tidy compartments. when conditions are favourable.
4. Children learn best when they are given appropriate 9. Relationships with other people (both adults and children) are
responsibility, allowed to make errors, decisions and choices, of central importance in a child’s life.
and respected as autonomous learners.
10. Quality education is about three things: the child, the context
5. Self-discipline is emphasised. Indeed, this is the only kind of in which learning takes place, and the knowledge and
discipline worth having. Reward systems are very short-term understanding which the child develops and learns.
and do not work in the long-term. Children need their efforts
to be valued. Tina Bruce
These principles underpin our Early Years curriculum and guide our planning. Well-planned and
well-resourced play activities which allow for progression in a child’s thinking and understanding can
provide the context in which these principles become the reality for all our children.
7
WHAT IS PROGRESSION?
Progression in play reflects the observation and assessment of children’s knowledge, skills and
attitudes in order to provide developmentally appropriate experiences. Children come to
pre-school already as skilled learners. Through our observations, assessment and professional
judgement we gain valuable insights into how each one learns best. This information informs our
planning to meet the needs of each individual child. Progression in play comes about as a result
of a real understanding of the interests, needs and experiences of the child.
As practitioners, we need to understand that there must be a progression in the provision of

activities to meet the developmental needs of children.
8
THERE ARE 2 STRANDS OF PROGRESSION WHICH

IMPACT ON EACH OTHER
Strand 1 Strand 2
Progression in Learning Progression in Provision
(knowledge & understanding, skills and attitudes) (extending experiences and resources; the adult’s role)
Experimental Play There are two important aspects to extending quality play.
• Child says “What is this?”
• Child plays alone – extending the provision
• Child plays with little organisation – the nature of the adults’ role e.g. interacting, facilitating
• Child moves material or equipment from one area to another or
spreads over floor indiscriminately • Children need help to extend their play. Adults can contribute to the
• Child builds up and knocks down e.g. construction material development of abstract thinking, for example, by adding resources
• Child explores properties of materials e.g. stacking, balancing, and props, by asking open-ended questions and posing exciting
rolling, pouring, filling, pushing, pulling challenges.
• Child displays little or no language or conversation related to
materials or equipment
Making and Doing

• Child says “What does this do?”
• Child builds recognisable structures with a purpose which are
meaningful to them e.g. series of towers, bridges, horizontal and
vertical structures (names given to structures)
• Parallel play is evident
• Child begins to solve problems of balance, shape, distance
• Conversation relating to material developing among the children
9
Strand 1 Strand 2
Progression in Learning Progression in Provision
(knowledge & understanding , skills and attitudes) (extending experiences and resources; the adults’ role)
Imagining and Thinking The Role of the Adults

• Child says “What can I/we do with this?” The adults will facilitate the progression in learning by planning
appropriate activities.
• Child involved in group planning and organisation
• Child builds more complicated structures e.g. roof and windows They will:
• Support children in their play
• Child uses props, signs, labels
• Provide good quality resources
• Child uses a variety of resources in an imaginative way
• Be aware of the potential learning in all areas of the curriculum
• Interest is often maintained for several days
• Model skills involved in play
• Interact with the children, asking questions and making suggestions
to support their learning
• Be familiar with key vocabulary – model and support children in
their use of key words
• Work alongside children, modelling skills and attitudes
• Read with children from fiction/non-fiction books, plans, instruction
cards etc.
• Scribe children’s ideas and thoughts, and display their work
• Observe children’s learning and use of the provision
• Assess children’s development/progress to inform planning for
future learning
10
LEARNING THROUGH DRAMATIC PLAY
in the early years
DRAMATIC PLAY
Dramatic Play gives children the opportunity to
• Express themselves
• Explore language freely
• Explore feelings and find out about themselves and others
• Develop co-operation, care, consideration and control
• Exercise choice and make decisions
• Use mathematical language and develop mathematical concepts
• Develop a range of motor skills
• Use their skills to make the things needed for their play and adapt as necessary
• Explore a fantasy world of their own creation
13
THE DEVELOPMENT OF DRAMATIC PLAY

It used to be thought that children’s dramatic play developed through similar stages to that of other forms of
play:
• Onlooker
• Solitary
• Parallel
• Co-operative
It has been shown that each of these types of play is evident at each stage of development and at some
stages more of a particular style will dominate.
Children imitate the people around them by recreating scenes from everyday life and acting out familiar
roles. From this, imaginative play develops as they develop the ability to incorporate narrative into their play.
As they grow, their ability to imagine exerts greater influence on the nature of their play. Their play becomes
increasingly complex and the narratives which are created include more characters and episodes.
The imaginary world children create enables them to realize in their imagination the things that cannot be
realized in reality. Fantasy play contributes to children’s creativity and imagination and should be
encouraged.
Adapted from ‘Supporting Creativity and Imagination in the Early Years’ by Bernadette Duffy
14
RELEVANT LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

Language development runs through all dramatic play activities. Talking and listening skills
developed through dramatic play form the narratives which are the basis of reading and writing.
Opportunities to develop reading and writing occur within meaningful contexts in a role play
area.
In role play situations children can experiment with the

language they have acquired as well as new vocabulary
they are introduced to in school.
Specific vocabulary and use of language is dependent on

the type of imaginative play offered to the children.
15
RESOURCES
Home Corner
KITCHEN LIVING ROOM BEDROOM
kitchen furniture e.g. sink, cooker, cupboard, table, sofa beds
chairs, fridge, microwave, dishwasher, rubber gloves, chair cots
cups, saucers, cutlery, pots, spice rack, vacuum T.V. bed clothes
cleaner, pans, cooking/baking utensils, timer, clock, video dolls
ice-cube tray, vases, tablecloth, towels, cloths, iron magazine rack sets of dolls’ clothes
and ironing board, rubber gloves, dusters, brush and paintings all purpose clothing with velcro fastenings
dustpan, broom, kettle, apron, toaster, variety of ornaments hats
containers, shopping basket, bags, lunch boxes, real flowers lengths of material
food or play materials representing food, notice cushions cloaks
board, writing implements, recipe books, shopping newspapers hangers
list, first aid kit, hot water bottle, flowers, postcards cat dressing table
dog mirror
telephone and directories jewellery
plants handbags
T.V. shoes
guides variety of scarves
books
mirror
telephone and address book
catalogues
family photos, puppets (for use with TV)
16
RESOURCES
RESTAURANT/CAFÉ TAKE-AWAY FLOWER SHOP POST OFFICE
name of café flowers – made by children using paper, card, post box
signs within café –opening times cellophane, found materials post office uniform
table shop signs – opening times signs
chair dried flowers leaflets and forms – tax, passport, TV licence
table cloth commercially produced flowers – paper, silk, envelopes, paper, pens
kitchen cooking equipment plastic cards
cups, plates, cutlery real flowers and plants stamps
straws oasis labels
flowers shopping baskets wrapping paper
recipe books catalogues parcels of various sizes, weights,
cash register cash register, money scales
pictures of food price lists telephone
food – made of dough, foam, commercially produced telephone stampers and stamp pad
food order book till and money
board for dish of the day cards – large, small, message cards savings books
order pads –pens/pencils wrapping paper foreign currency, stamps
napkins posters mailbag
place mats buckets maps
menu plastic vases
money plant sprayers
carrier bags flower pots
phone ribbons
pressed flowers
17
RESOURCES
HOSPITAL/HEALTH CENTRE TRAVEL AGENTS/HOLIDAYS GARDEN CENTRE
doctor/nurse uniform desk seeds, seed packets for flowers, vegetables, fruit
ambulance driver’s uniform/ambulance telephone bulbs
doctor’s bag/rubber gloves holiday posters, destinations, planes, boats herbs
dolls passports seed trays
beds/bedclothes postcards lolly sticks
bandages/cotton wool stamps flower pots
plasters tickets variety of flowers/plants, paper, silk, plastic, made by
medicine bottles, spoons suitcases/backpacks the children
syringes summer clothes/winter clothes foliage
stethoscopes sunglasses tools – trowels, forks, spades, rakes
thermometers buckets, spades, sunhats, rubber rings, beach watering cans, water spray
old X-ray pictures ball, goggles, fishing net lawn mower
old plaster casts picnic rug and equipment soil, compost, grow bags
crutches bird table
scales water feature
height measures logs
waiting area garden furniture
telephone counter, till, money, phone
note pad/prescriptions gardening magazines and catalogues
clipboard, get well cards story and reference books re. gardening, growing
reference books about the body
posters/charts
appointment book
files
18
DRAMATIC PLAY
Personal, Social & Emotional Development Creative/Aesthetic Development
• co-operate, take turns and initiate role-play • use imagination to develop ‘stories’ in the role play area
• develop confidence, self-esteem, self-control in re-enacting real life situations • introduce the language of colour and texture through the use of, and
• learn how to work independently and access the resources they need introduction of different types of material
• learn how to work as part of a group e.g. taking on different roles in a group • encourage children to create and design their own menus, diaries, pictures,
such as shopkeeper and customer price lists, posters, leaflets, cards
• express individuality and own personality through imaginative play • make items for role-play e.g. playdough, buns, cakes, biscuits for shop, junk
materials for sandwiches, burgers, meals for cafe
• use language of social interaction
• learn to have respect for others’ ideas and accommodate these in role play
• help to tidy up at the end of the session
• show initiative when developing ideas in the role play area e.g. deciding to
make signs for the shop
• reflect on feelings as part of role play e.g. hospital
• use role play to act out their own joys, concerns
Physical Development Knowledge and Appreciation of the

• develop fine motor skills and co-ordination through manipulating real tools Environment
such as whisks, telephones, key boards
• create role-play areas based on knowledge about their local environment,
• develop co-ordination through fastenings on clothes, pouring tea from tea pots
homes and cultures e.g. supermarket, library, chemist, farm house, seaside,
setting table, dressing dolls
hospital, clinic, doctors surgery, nursery school
• develop awareness of space available in role-play area and how to share that
• talk about their families in relation to events in role-play
space with others
• re-enact special occasions e.g. wedding, birthday party, Christmas
• relate the work of people in the local community to role play e.g. visit to the fire
station, farm, building site, post office
19
DRAMATIC PLAY
Early Experiences in Science & Technology Language Development
• explore and recognise features of living things e.g. through hospital, vets, • talk about what different people do in role-play situations
garden centre role-play
• talk in the language of different roles e.g. shopkeeper, mummy, Little Red Riding
• explore and recognise feature of how things work through garage, toy shop Hood
role-play
• role-play nursery rhymes, stories
• explore and select materials and equipment appropriate to the role-play
• use language to plan and create real-life or imaginary situations
• develop scientific skills, knowledge and concepts through role-play – topics may
include babies, holes, wheels • develop the language of dialogue e.g. listen to and respond to what other
children/adults say
• use technology e.g. a shopping till, calculator
• extend vocabulary associated with imaginary/role-play e.g. hospital, airport,
• select appropriate materials to make models e.g. wheeled vehicles, prams, artists studio, garden centre
furniture etc., for use in role-play area
• have access to related books fact/fiction in role-play area
• develop skills of cutting, folding, joining
• develop writing skills e.g. writing shopping lists, prescriptions, Get Well cards,
record sheets, forms, bills, leaflets, menus, letters
• develop ICT skills through office role-play – telephones, keyboards, photocopier,
computer
Early Mathematical Experiences

• explore various mathematical concepts related to money, capacity, size, weight,
one-to-one correspondence
• use language related to all of the above e.g. how much, full, empty, need
more/less, heavy, light
• problem solve through imaginative play e.g. how much money will I need for
this item? How many cups will I need for the family?
• develop concept of time in house play – breakfast, dinner, bed-time, time in
doctors surgery. Refer to clocks, watches
• order, sort, match in role-play area
20
DRAMATIC PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
ACTIVITIES PROGRESSION PROVISION
EXPERIENCES OUTCOMES
• social interaction • basic home play provision. • basic home corner – kitchen, • cooking utensils, pots, pans,
Imitative play – to be able to play in a familiar environment
– build relationships dressing up clothes crockery, kettle, toaster, teapot,

– co-operation • add new equipment gradually tablecloth, empty food
– take turns, join in on a theme e.g. babies, • kitchen utensils containers, dough
and adopt a role that reflects own experience
– share cleaning, pets.

• introduce real food, food from • cleaning equipment – rubber
e.g. mummy, daddy, boy, girl, baby
• tidy up and care for equipment • sensitive intervention of adult different cultures gloves, dusters, dustpan and
in role play, providing a role brush, mop, empty carton of
• make choices and decisions model for actions and • introduce familiar scenarios in washing powder
develop curiosity language development home corner – birthday, baby’s
Experimental Play
bath, new pet, Christmas • dressing up clothes, phones,

• develop language – using • encourage children reluctant mirrors, posters, recipe books,
familiar and newly introduced to get involved notebook, pencils, pens, dolls
vocabulary prams, baby bottles, baby
food, baby clothes
• develop communication and
negotiation skills • children may provide
appropriate materials from
• express emotions and feelings home e.g. party hats,
decorations
• develop manipulative skills
using small equipment
21
DRAMATIC PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• recall own experience • shop play – grocery, baker, • gradually introduce more • refer to pages 16, 17 and 18
post office, flower shop props to develop shop play
• develop mathematical
concepts in a meaningful • mathematical concepts- • provide opportunities for
context – estimating, counting, money, exchanging, shape reading and writing in each
measuring and size, weight, role play area
• comparison
Exploring roles and feelings
• demonstrate literacy skills in a • develop hospital play by

meaningful situation • hospital play, GP surgery, baby adding resources
clinic
• develop interest in cooking
from home play • café/take away
22
DRAMATIC PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop mathematical • make props for dressing up – • extend home corner by adding • puppets for TV
To be able to choose/make appropriate props for role play
language and concepts hats, food for shop, flowers for living room, bedroom
Use pretend props and develop ability for symbolic play
flower shop, sweets for sweet • books, magazines

• develop literacy concepts and shop
skills • dressing table, make-up,
• develop role play areas by jewellery, scarves, belts, hats,
• develop manipulative skills in encouraging children to
construction of props provide and make own props • child-sized bed, cot, baby’s
clothes, pyjamas, dressing
gown
23
DRAMATIC PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• project themselves into • addition of themed materials • shopping activities • Refer to pages 16, 17 and 18
feelings, actions of others e.g. to develop fantasy play
To be able to act in role from a wider experience
fantasy characters from TV, • café/restaurant play

fairy and folk tales – using • adults support children in
other cultures and traditions, acting out fantasy play – • use language appropriate to
their own time and other times increasing the complexity of specific roles e.g. doctors,
the narratives nurses, waiters, customers
and as a range of characters
• start to introduce a story line or

narrative into play • take on a role with rules that
govern it e.g. as a vet, pilot,
• take on a role in an imaginary fireman, secretary
situation e.g. princess, king,
witches
• make-believe play – resolve

disagreements, create a story,
• explore a fantasy world
• solve problems
• create props and resources
24
LEARNING THROUGH SAND PLAY
in the early years
Small children seem to be instinctively attracted to all

the things the planet is made of, and above all to sand
and water. These materials offer rich learning
opportunities for children but the learning would not
take place without the children’s own delight in the
substances themselves – it is pleasure which provides
the motivation for their play.
Children learn about the world through their senses and their
first response to sand and water is a sensuous one: they touch,
pat, swirl, smell and stroke it, sometimes for very long periods,
taking pleasure just in the tactile experience.
Pre-School Learning Alliance
27
SOME RELEVANT LANGUAGE

names
of containers
as much/many/few how much?

too much/many/few more/less
how many/few more/less
across beakerful
change bowlful fall fallen down
different bucketful fill full half-full
enough cartonful fit fit back in fit over
exactly cupful hold
inside outside beside egg-cupful lift
between ladleful move
left over more most spoonful overflow
less/least next pile
middle over under pour in/out
part pull
same stays the same
room to spare
whole
28
SOME RELEVANT LANGUAGE

changes bottom shape
all the crumbles colour size
suggested disappears cone space
materials falls in gap top
fills up hole
flattens out mark
leaves behind sinks in oval
levels off smooths out pattern
moves about stays out print
piles up stays the same blow press
ripple
trickles break pull
circular pointed build push
crumbly rough cover rub
curved rounded drag scratch
damp sharp draw shake
dry silky drop slide
flat smooth fall spoil
gentle soaked feel squeeze
gritty soft fill stick
all the
hard solid grind stir
descriptive
high squelchy make tilt
and fantasy
level tickly pick up tip
language that
low wavy pour trickle
children use
lumpy
29
SAND PLAY
Equipment and Resources
• large sand tray • plastic bottles
• smaller individual trays • moulds
• creative sand tray • cutters
• silver sand, beach sand, builders’ sand • plastic cutlery
(clean), Delta Sand (Hope Education) • modelling tools
• coloured sands • rakes
• aprons • combs
• brush • plant pots
• dustpan • scoops
• buckets • funnels
• spades/spoons • lollipop sticks
• clear plastic containers of various • egg timer
shapes and sizes • creative sand tray
• tubing • creative sand accessories
• sieves (NES Arnold)
• watering can • sand wheels
• jugs • sand mills
• cups
30
SAND PLAY
Imaginative
• Duplo • cones
• lego construction kits • junk materials for building and
• play people making
• zoo • specific resources associated
• playground with a topic or story
• farm • pebbles
• cars • twigs
• lorries • feathers
• diggers • shells
• bulldozers • conkers
• tractors • bun trays
• dumper trucks • baking equipment
• dinosaurs • mirrors
• flags • boats
• plastic flowers • kitchen roll tubes
• tea set • small world figures
• ‘treasure’ • palm trees
• natural materials
31
SAND PLAY
Mark making and pattern
• sticks
• combs
• rakes
• potato mashers
• cutters
• coloured sand
• paper
• peas
• lentils
• rice
• pasta
• sawdust
• modelling tools
• keys
• salt containers
• creative sand tray and accessories
32
SAND PLAY
Capacity and Weight
• buckets
• cartons
• ladles
• funnels
• spoons
• egg cups
• plastic cups
• balance
• sets of graded polythene bottles
• take-away trays
• blocks
• shells
• sugar bags
• plastic bags
• flour bags
• custard powder tins
33
SAND PLAY
Substitutes Lentils/Grain/Rice
In a sense, there is no substitute for the joy of playing with This cannot be used with children
this natural material because of the strong appeal to very who are sufficiently young or
young children. The potential for endlessly being destroyed immature to put them in their
and recreated makes sand play very therapeutic. There are mouths, ears or nose – Their
occasions when an alternative provides the stimulus of smooth slippery surfaces make
change. them ‘pour’ almost like water.
Peat Pasta
Kept moist it can be pushed, transported and moulded into Different shapes colours and sizes. Excellent for scooping
landscapes as much the same way as sand, and it extends and filling.
the garden theme.
Salt
Sawdust/Shavings Careful of cuts!
Needs to be sieved to remove sharp splinters
and should be kept damp so no dust is inhaled.
N.B. Wood resin can make eczema flare up, so
adults and children with allergies should take
care.
34
Additional accessories can be added to the sand

to provide the stimulus of change
– accessories made from the same materials eg. wood, plastic, card, stainless-steel,
– accessories which are the same colour or transparent or shiny
– accessories which are the same but different sizes, e.g. buckets, spades, spoons, dishes, rakes, yogurt
pots, plant pots
– specific number of items e.g. 2 of everything
35
OUTDOOR SAND PLAY

The outdoor sand area facilitates learning in each curricular
area. The same provision and activities can be provided
as for indoor sand play with the addition of larger
items for digging, filling, emptying, moving,
pattern making and imaginative play. The
provision of a pulley system for moving
sand adds another dimension. Young
children love the freedom to get
into the sand pit, to explore
and experiment. A suitable
cover needs to be
provided for
health and
safety
purposes.
36
SAND (Wet/Dry)
• learn how to work independently and select equipment • explore 3D forms using a range of moulds
• co-operate, take turns and share equipment as part of a group • explore shapes and textures associated with wet/dry sand
• learn to respect others’ ideas • experience different colours and textures of wet/dry sand
• extend imagination when developing ideas in the sand e.g. using the play • use sand for line drawing and pattern making
people to make up a story in the sand, adding natural materials • create and explore sound using shakers of sand, gravel, pasta
• learn to use the sand safely and with consideration for others
• talk about what they have done in the sand with confidence and a sense of
achievement
• develop self esteem by seeing displays of learning in the sand
• experience the therapeutic value of working with wet/dry sand
Physical Development Knowledge and Appreciation of the

• develop fine motor skills through manipulating tools, pouring, filling, stirring, Environment
pushing, pulling, digging, patting, moulding, drawing etc.
• talk about their local environment eg. beach, building site
• develop hand/eye co-ordination e.g. pouring sand into containers, making
sand shapes using moulds • relate feature of their play environment to features of their own environment
with the addition of suitable resources
• use a range of equipment with increasing skill e.g. balance, sand wheel, sieves
• make physical features such as hills, tunnels, roads
• be aware of the space in the sand tray and be able to share it with others
• change the sensory nature of sand e.g. add pasta, change dry to wet/very wet
sand
37
SAND (Wet/Dry)
• explore the properties of dry/wet sand – compare • describe the properties of sand e.g. rough, smooth, sticky, wet
• look at similarities, differences, patterns in dry/wet sand • extend vocabulary associated with sand play e.g. pour, fill, empty, full,
• use their senses to observe changes in sand e.g. adding water to dry soft, bucket, sand wheel, sieve, mould dig, tunnel, rake, smooth, names
sand of sand toys
• select appropriate equipment for different types of sand play • describe their actions and the actions of others e.g. pushing, pulling,
• use building skills scooping
• ask and answer questions
• recall and report back at group times
• develop pre-writing skills e.g. making patterns, marks
• make up stories using additional props such as play people, farm
animals, vehicles
• talk about their experiences in the sand from displays of photographs or
books about sand play
• have access to a variety of stories e.g. The Beach, Lucy and Tom at the
Seaside

• explore various mathematical concepts e.g. capacity, size, weight
• understand and use mathematical language e.g. full, empty, need
more/less, heavy, light, straight/curved lines, names of common shapes
• make shapes and patterns in the sand
• solve problems associated with sand e.g. how much will a specific
container hold? Pouring dry sand into a variety of different sizes of
containers
38
DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED LEARNING
• development of manipulative • fill buckets using hands and • make an unbroken sand castle • sand tray
skills – filling the bucket, spades
turning it over, making a sand • make the sand wetter, • sand buckets of various sizes
castle • make sand castles describing what happens
• talk about sizes of the buckets • short handled spades of
and spades • look at marks in sand made by • look at seaside pictures various sizes
• match large spade to large hands, buckets, spades and photographs
bucket
• match colours – red spade to • flatten sand castles using • develop vocabulary
red bucket spades – holds more, holds less
Experimental play
• match the sand castle to the

bucket • smooth and level sand using • fill containers with narrower
• develop vocabulary – full, spades openings
empty, nearly full
• respond to instructions • make marks and patterns in • work co-operatively valuing
– can you fill the bucket? sand using spades each other’s work
– can you make a sand castle?
• talk about their experiences of
sand play – beach, sand pit
• count sand castles
• talk about the best size of
spade to fill the bucket e.g.
large spade/large bucket
• share equipment and space
• develop independence in
putting on aprons
39
DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• develop manipulative skills – • fill containers using hands and • read stories about building • sand trays (large/small)
filling the bucket, turning it spades sites. Add builders’ overalls, spades of various sizes
over, making sand castles builders’ hats for children to
• make sand castles using wear • containers with wide openings
• investigate if it is possible to damp and wet sand and e.g. plant pots, mixing bowls,
make a sand castle using the various wide-necked • make sand wetter/drier saucepans, margarine tubs,
various shapes of containers containers tipper trucks, bun trays
Experimental Play – moulding
• match the shape of the

• discuss why it works/does not
• look at the shapes made container to the shape of the • pebbles
work
when the container is emptied sand castle
• compare the shapes made • coloured sand
• fill trays to make “buns” • provide a set of commercial
• talk about the best size of shapes for filling e.g. bricks, • Delta Sand (Hope Education)
spade to fill the various sizes • Five Currant Buns – mix up sand shapes set (NES Arnold),
of containers (large sand and pebbles and make fruit, transport, hands and feet
spade/large container) currant buns moulds
• explore and represent familiar
• recite nursery rhymes
objects in 3D form
• recognise and name basic • introduce appropriate

shapes resources to re-enact rhymes
in the sand tray
• link sand play to a nursery
rhyme e.g. Jack and Jill
• develop 1 – 1 correspondence
40
DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• development of manipulative Free play with hands – squeezing, • leave sand free of equipment • sand trays (large/small)
skills – filling shapes, turning patting, making tunnels, shapes so children will make own
them over and making sand shapes with hands • commercial shapes/moulds
shapes Fill containers using various tools e.g. fruit, transport, hands,
• demonstrate concept of area and turning them out feet, fish
• making shapes in a confined • variety of spades

Experimental play – moulding
space
• talk about the shapes, • allow children to add various • spoons – plastic, metal,
describing them, comparing containers e.g. cups, yogurt wooden, ladles, scoops
them, counting them pots, tins of various sizes and
shapes, shells, jars, plastic
• recognise and name shapes
containers
• match the shape to the mould
• compare the sizes of spoons,
ladles and scoops –
large/small, heavy/light
• comparative language – holds
• talk about materials spoons
more/less
are made from
• count sand shapes
• develop social skills
– share equipment and
materials
– take turns
– co-operating with each
other
41
DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• be aware of the properties • explore the properties of sand • compare the properties of • sand trays – large/small
and texture of damp/wet sand by observation, touch and different types of sand – silver,
using the senses
Free exploration
smell coarse, coloured, dry sand

• develop descriptive vocabulary
– wet, cold, damp, hard, soft, • sift sand through fingers
squeezy, smooth, rough,
bumpy • squeeze, dig, pile, pour, heap,
scoop, pinch
• experience the therapeutic
nature of playing with sand • stand, move feet in sand
• develop fine motor skills to • make patterns with fingers – • ask children to draw or paint • sand trays
facilitate pre-writing wiggly wavy, straight, zig zag, the shapes/patterns they have
round made in the sand • creative sand trays
• recognise and create patterns add natural materials –
Mark making
• draw pictures in the sand • finger painting stones, shells, pebbles, twigs,
and patterns
• develop vocabulary – off cuts of wood

describing what they are • vary the actions to slow, fast, • make a repeated pattern
doing, describing the pattern light, heavy
• make patterns moving from
• identify name and describe the • vary the actions but using a left to right
natural materials and the variety of natural materials to
patterns they make make marks and create • copy a pattern
patterns
• begin to write letters
42
DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• identify name and describe the • vary the actions but using a • make patterns moving from • a range of natural materials –
natural materials and the variety of objects to create left to right add modelling tools e.g. forks,
patterns they make patterns and move sand about combs, rakes – vary sizes
Mark making
and patterns
• look for other patterns in the

• describe the patterns play room • creative sand accessories
(NES Arnold)
• compare the patterns made • printing activities
with different objects
• share sand space
• recognise and name parts of • make impressions using • copy a pattern • sand tray
the body fingers, hands, feet, elbows
and knees • link to work with dough and • add shells, pastry, cutters,
• explore shape and form clay blocks, spools, lids, sand
• make individual patterns using moulds, potato masher, fir
Impressions
• name objects a variety of objects • choose a combination of 2 cones, keys

objects to make a repeating
• develop observational skills • match impression with object pattern • add vehicles with wheels
• recognise that damp sand • choose one object to make a

holds impressions repeated pattern
• demonstrate simple
sequencing
43
DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• use comparative language • fill and empty containers, talk • containers which hold the • spades, buckets, containers –
e.g. heavy/light, long/short, about full/empty/nearly full, same amount but different plastic yogurt/petit filous pots,
wide/narrow, tall/small more/less shapes plastic bags, cardboard boxes,
Weight/Height
• lift empty containers, fill with • sequence and put containers cups, basins, scoops
Capacity/
• predict which hold most/least sand, lift again in order from holds most to
• use bags imaginatively e.g. holds least, biggest to
bags of sugar, flour, soap smallest, heaviest to lightest,
powder tallest to smallest
• find and fill containers which • add balance scales to sand
hold nearly the same amount tray
• use information to learn how • explore and experiment • predict – which type/state of • trays of damp/wet/dry sand,
the different sands behave • collect information through sand will make the best castle, fine, coarse, silver coloured
and properties of sand
Comparing the nature
• know that dry sand runs freely their senses; feel, listen, look turn the sand wheels, make
and sticks to the hand if it is the best hill, tunnel • sand, spades, sand wheels,
• take off shoes, wiggle toes in
wet trowels, moulds, rakes, combs,
sand, discuss how it feels
• develop descriptive language • add water to dry sand magnifying glass
– pour, trickle, lumpy, smooth, • hold sand in hands
bumpy, colour, soft, hard • make prints in the 3 states (dry,
• discover that patterns made in damp, very damp) and types
dry sand will not be as well of sand
defined • draw patterns in the different
• damp sand holds impressions sands
and impressions in very wet
sand will disappear quickly
44
DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• draw on their own experiences to • the farm • put dressing up clothes/hats • wet/damp sand
stimulate talk and discussion • the zoo beside sand tray
• the garage • sand trays – large/small
• take part in role play • town scene (roads, street, • read stories about building sites,
buildings) animals, people that • farm/zoo animals
Introduction of suitable resources can
• explore and recognise features of • cold lands reflect/support the children’s

the natural world • the beach imaginative play • cowboys, indians, soldiers,
develop imagining and thinking
• the garden dinosaurs, play people, tractors,

• share and agree on the props • the building site • encourage children to draw, paint trailers, cars, lorries, pick-up
and the story line • the nativity scene their stories trucks, bulldozers, diggers,
• dinosaur world dumpers, boxes/containers for
• re-tell a story in sequence • buried treasure • make sand wetter/dryer houses, shops, cake tins, foil trays,
stories can be developed in the sand pastry cutters, shells, garden tools,
• design and create environments tray e.g. plant pots, watering cans, flowers,
for their stories • The Three Bears (Landscapes) plastic trees, twigs, trowels,
• Lucy and Tom at the Seaside mirrors for pond, wood, pebbles,
• Postman Pat boats, buckets, spades, wide
• Bob the Builder plastic tubing, kitchen roll tubes,
• Can’t you Sleep Little Bear? “treasure”
(making caves)
• Rosie’s Walk
• We’re going on a Bear Hunt
(making tunnels, hills, rivers)
• identify equipment • children fill containers, play • continue to encourage • kitchen equipment can be added
• talk about what they are making – baking/making meals collaborative play – bowls, saucepans, spoons,
likes and dislikes • respond to questions – which pudding plates, chinese dishes,
holds most/least? Which is chop sticks, cups, wok, frying pan,
• compare the sizes of bowls,
biggest/smallest? kitchen utensils, baking
spoons, cups
equipment
• develop comparative language
45
DRY SAND PLAY

• develop manipulative skills, • fill buckets using hands and • vary types of sand, silver, • sand tray, sand buckets of
digging, filling the bucket, spades coarse, coloured various sizes
emptying it out
• pour sand from buckets • reading seaside stories • short handled spades of
• talk about sizes of buckets and
making piles of sand – conical various sizes
spades
shapes, rounded piles, high • look at seaside stones
• match large spade to large and low piles
bucket • look at seaside pictures and
• smooth and level the sand photographs
• develop vocabulary, full,
using hands and spades
Experimental play
empty, nearly full

• develop vocabulary – holds
• talk about experiences of sand • dig in the sand more/holds less
play – beach, sand pit
• respond to instructions • brush up sand
– can you fill the bucket?
– can you make a sand
castle?
• recognise that you can’t make
a “castle” in the dry sand • investigate how much water
• talk about the best size spade we need to add to make a
to fill the bucket sand castle that doesn’t break
up
• develop independence
46
DRY SAND PLAY

• develop manipulative skills • fill containers using spades, • fill containers with narrow • sand tray, spades, spoons,
spoons, scoops, hands openings scoops of various sizes,
• experience the therapeutic
nature of playing with dry sand • find the most appropriate • compare the size of containers • containers, jugs with a variety
sized spade/spoon to fill by pouring sand from one to of width openings (big and
• develop language of capacity container the other. Decide which one small) plant pots, yogurt pots,
manipulation and co-ordination
Experimental play – developing
e.g. full, nearly full, holds more holds more/less saucepans, paper cups
than, less than, the same as • pour sand from jug into
containers • compare the properties of
• describe and name containers different types of sand
(big, small etc) • squeeze, dig, pile, scoop, pour
sand • observe sand particles through
magnifying glasses
• stand, move feet in sand
47
DRY SAND PLAY

• be aware of the properties • discover the properties of sand • comparing properties of • dry sand – silver, builders,
and texture of dry “sands” by observation, touch and different types of sand – silver, seashore, fine coarse, salt,
smell coarse, coloured, dry sand sawdust,coloured sand
• develop descriptive vocabulary
• experiment with sifting sand
– smooth, rough, hard, lumpy, • ask children to draw or paint
through fingers, swirling sand • sand trays
pointed, silky, soft, tickly the shapes/patterns they have
off palm of hands creative sand trays
Free exploration using the senses
made in the sand

• develop listening skills and • lift sand up with both hands,
begin to demonstrate use of pressing down and burying • finger painting • add natural materials –
descriptive language hands in the “sand” stones, shells, pebbles, twigs,
• making a repeating pattern
• experiment with different types off cuts of wood, feathers
• develop fine motor skills to
of sand • make patterns moving from
facilitate pre-writing
• pour sand from a height and left to right • salt containers with pouring
• recognise and create patterns allow to fall on sand, paper, nozzle
• copy a pattern
• develop vocabulary – wood, plastic and metal
surfaces • compare patterns and marks
describing what they are
• make patterns with fingers, made in dry and damp sand
doing, describing the patterns
wiggly, wavy, straight, zig zag, • draw a pattern/shape
• identify name and describe the round
natural materials and the • draw pictures • write letters/numbers
patterns they make • vary actions to slow, fast, light,
• observe patterns made as heavy
they vary height and speed of • make hand and foot prints
the sand • as above but using a variety of
natural materials to make
marks and create patterns
• explore pattern as sand flows
out of salt containers
48
DRY SAND PLAY

• identify name and describe the • vary the actions but using a • make patterns moving from • add modelling tools forks,
natural materials and the variety of objects to create left to right combs, rakes – vary sizes
patterns they make patterns and move sand about
Mark making
and patterns
creating hills. Make different • choose other items to make • creative sand accessories
• identify name and describe the sized hills patterns (NES Arnold)
items
• draw a shape with a pritt stick, • printing activities to create
• describe the patterns sprinkle sand over patterns
• compare the patterns made

with different objects
• recognise and name parts of • make impressions using • copy a pattern • sand tray
the body fingers, hands, feet, elbows
and knees • link to work with dough and • add shells, potato masher,
• explore shape and form clay marbles, fir cones, blocks,
• make individual patterns using wheeled vehicles
Impressions
• name objects a variety of objects • compare patterns made in

damp/dry sand • creative sand tray accessories
• develop observational skills • match impression with object (NES Arnold)
• choose a combination of 2
• demonstrate simple • make tyre tracks in sand objects to make a repeated
sequencing pattern
• choose one object to make a
repeated pattern
49
DRY SAND PLAY

• describe and compare the • free play allowing sand to flow • make patterns using flowing • various sizes of funnels large
shapes made as the sand through funnels sand and small containers
flows through • explore the different piles of
sand e.g. conical shapes, • add tubing – sand flows
• develop vocabulary, flow rounded piles, high or low through funnel and through • plastic tubing, cardboard
through, pour piles tubing tubes, toothpaste tubes, flower
• move the funnel as the sand pots with holes in the bottom
• develop manipulative skills flows through • match the size of funnel
and concepts of size • fill large and small containers required to fill the container
using the funnels
‘Going through’
• talk about the best size of • junk materials with holes

funnel to fill various containers • investigate the sand-timer • use sand-timer during other punched in them e.g. plastic
activities e.g. tidying away bottles, boxes, yogurt
• develop concepts of time • try out different activities using equipment, washing hands, containers
the sand- timer e.g. can you fill building a tower
• develop very early concepts of the bucket before the sand
forces and energy runs through? • explore how sand wheels can • sand-wheels
be made to run faster or sand-mills
• explore and observe the slower (NES Arnold)
movements of the wheel as
the sand flows through
50
DRY SAND PLAY

• understand that the sieve with • sift sand through fingers • make sieve from card or boxes • various sizes of sieves and
the largest holes empties first with holes punched through colanders
• free experimental play with
• talk about the process sieves and colanders • select the best sized sieve to • different grades of sand,
sift the materials ie too large a pebbles, stones, beads,
• develop early experience of • sift sand to find out which mesh allows everything to go buttons, “treasure” coins
volume grains/items remain in the through
sieve • cardboard tubes of various
• develop early concepts of size • link to baking activities diameters, boxes with ends
• observe the length of time it open
‘Going through’
• develop language and takes to sift the sand • link to block play – tunnels
imagination • various sizes of vehicles,
• use containers buried in the animals, play people
sand to make tunnels for
vehicles, animals, people to
move through
• make up a story
51
DRY SAND PLAY

• use comparative language • fill and empty containers, talk • containers which hold the • spades, spoons, buckets, plant
heavy/light, big/small about full/empty, nearly full, same amount, but are pots, yogurt/petit filous pots,
Capacity/Weight
bigger/smaller more/less different shapes different sizes of the same

biggest/smallest pots, plastic bags, sugar bags,
• lift empty containers, fill with • add balance scales custard powder tins, cups,
• develop early concepts of sand, lift again basins, measuring jugs, soap
volume • order containers according to
powder boxes
• use bags, boxes imaginatively volume
• predict which hold most/least
• find and fill containers which • pour from one container to
hold nearly the same amount another to find which is
bigger/smaller
• identify and name equipment • children fill containers using • find which containers hold • kitchen equipment can be
spoons most/least, biggest/smallest added – bowls, saucepans,
Imagining and Thinking
• talk about what they are spoons, pudding plates,

making – likes and dislikes • play baking/making meals • add balance scales chinese dishes, chop sticks,
cups, wok, frying pan, kitchen
• compare the sizes of bowls,
utensils, baking equipment,
spoons, cups
yogurt pots, sugar bags
• develop 1 – 1 correspondence
• use comparative language
52
DRY SAND PLAY

• draw on their own experiences • the farm • have both dry and damp sand • dry sand
to stimulate talk and • the zoo in tray
discussion • the garage • sand trays – large/small
• town scene (roads, streets, • put dressing up clothes/hats
• take part in role play beside sand tray • farm/zoo animals
Introduction of suitable resources can
buildings)
• the airport
• explore and recognise • put a tray of water in the sand • cowboys, indians, soldiers,
develop imaging and thinking
• the desert
features of the natural world • the garden tray dinosaurs, play people,
• the building site tractors, trailers, cars, lorries,
• share ideas and agree on the • the motorway • read stories about building pick-up trucks, bulldozers,
props and the story line sites, animals, people etc that diggers, dumpers,
• the nativity scene
will reflect/support the boxes/containers for houses,
• dinosaur world
• re-tell a story in sequence children’s imaginative play shops, cake tins, foil trays,
• buried treasure
pastry cutters, shells, garden
• the beach
• design and create • put pictures of gardens, tools, plant pots, watering
• cold lands (use salt)
environments for their stories deserts, beach, cold lands etc cans, flowers, plastic trees,
stories can be developed in the around sand tray twigs, trowels, mirrors for
sand tray e.g. pond, wood, pebbles, boats,
• The Three Bears (Landscapes) buckets, spades, wide plastic
• Lucy and Tom at the Seaside tubing, kitchen roll tubes,
• Postman Pat “treasure”, camels, palm trees,
• Bob the Builder stripy materials, tents
• Can’t you Sleep Little Bear?
(making caves)
• Rosie’s Walk
• We’re going on a Bear Hunt
(making tunnels, hills, rivers)
53
SAND
Sand in your fingernails
Sand between your toes
Sand in your earholes
Sand up your nose!
Sand in your sandwiches

Sand in your bananas
Sand in your bed at night
Sand in your pyjamas!
Sand in you sandals

Sand in your hair
Sand in your knickers
Sand everywhere!
by John Foster
54
LEARNING THROUGH WATER PLAY
in the early years
OBSERVING
By careful observation the adult can provide experiences in sand and water play to challenge
and extend young children’s learning. From just splashing in water, they go on to:
PROGRESSION
– scooping it up
– pouring it out
– then to scooping it up and pouring it with increasing
accuracy into another container
– filling the container without letting it overflow
The observant adult needs to be aware of each individual child’s progress so as to recognise
when the child needs to be left alone to perfect a skill by repetition and when he or she needs
help in moving on to the next stage.
“We must remember to build on the children’s own

play, not direct operations from the outside”
Adapted from Sand & Water Play Activities

Pre-School Learning Alliance
57
WATER PLAY
General Equipment and Resources
• non-slip floor, safety mat • funnels
• large water tray (some have canals, bridges • water wheels
and water wheels) • water filters
• smaller individual trays • natural colourings
• baby bath • straws
• basins • dolls
• outdoor water tray • washing machine
• outdoor tap • clothes line/pegs
• aprons/play overalls • dolls clothes
• mop/bucket • wash board
• buckets • tea set
• clear/coloured plastic containers of various • small fishing nets
shapes and sizes – wide and narrow necks • suitable materials to make bridges
• tins, bottles and containers for filling • bubbles
• tubing • bubblebath
• balloon whisks • soap
• sponges • towels
• corks • set of graded plastic bottles
• water play toys • rubber gloves
• plant pots
58
WATER PLAY
Imaginative
• mermaids • paint
• pirates • range of brushes
• boats • paint rollers
• fish/sea creatures/frogs/tadpoles • food colouring
• ferns • wood strips
• rocks • play people
• shells • cups & plates
• pebbles • cutlery
• plastic ducks • washing up brush
• umbrellas • shampoo
• rain coats • towels
• rain hats • fishing nets
• wellies • “treasure”
• paddling pool • plastic ducks
• seals • fishing games
• penguins • glitter
• plastic spiders • foil shapes
• Mrs Plug the Plumber
• range of plumber’s pipes and
connections
59
FLOATING AND SINKING

• shells • plastic toys
• corks • table tennis balls
• bubble wrap • marbles
• foil trays • plasticine
• sponges • fabric
• wood off-cuts • water wings
• boats • boats
• ice • glitter
• polystyrene trays • grapes
• plastic trays • apples
• pumice stone
60
GOING THROUGH CAPACITY AND WEIGHT

• funnels – various sizes • buckets
• sieves • cartons
• tubing • ladles
• water wheels • funnels
• potato mashers • spoons
• slotted spoons • plastic cups
• plastic pipes and connectors • yogurt containers
• fishing nets • balance scales
• plant pots • set of graded polythene bottles
• plastic bags/bottles with holes pierced • plastic containers and bottles – different
shapes but holding the same amount
• water pistols
61
Things to lift water: Things to pour from:

• jugs • tea pots
• scoops • w atering cans
• spoons • sprays
• beakers • jugs
• yogurt pots
• ladles
Things to fill:
• clear containers – different shapes
hold same amount
• opaque containers
• containers w ith handles that fill up
• containers w ith w ide/ narrow tops
• containers w ith holes in the bottom
• plastic bags w ith holes
• containers w ith holes in the side
• lengths of non-toxic plastic tubing
62
ORGANISING WATER PLAY EQUIPMENT

floating filling & pouring going through – wash day
sinking sieves, funnels, washing up
tubing, spouting
graded containers absorption containers containers

(1/2 litre, litre 2 litre) same size same shape
boats The Seaside Rainy/Snowy The Pond

/Frosty day
63
Additional accessories/equipment can be added

to the water to provide the stimulus of change
– accessories made from the same material e.g. wood, plastic, metal
– accessories which are the same colour, transparent, shiny or opaque
– accessories which are the same but different sizes e.g. buckets, yogurt pots, funnels,
plastic bottles, milk containers, plant pots, watering cans, boats
– specific numbers of items e.g. 2 of everything
– colour with food colouring
– scent with essential oil of lemon, lavender or peppermint (with caution)
– add bubbles, colour the bubbles
– add glitter
– change the temperature – add ice cubes, freeze whole trays of water then pour on warm water
– thicken a tray of water with cornflour
Health & Safety

Be aware of children with skin problems – scented or coloured water is especially harmful to children with eczema.
Change the water daily and wash all resources regularly.
Do not handle ice straight from the freezer.
Do not use any glass containers.
64
OUTDOOR WATER PLAY

The outdoor water area facilitates learning in each of the
key areas. The same provision and activities can be
provided as for indoors with the addition of large paint
brushes and rollers, large buckets, hoses and if you can
afford it, there are some great outdoor systems with
pumps, water wheels, pulleys, pipes and streams.
You may consider a paddling pool in Summer, obviously

taking account of relevant safety procedures.
65
WATER PLAY
Personal, Social & Emotional Creative/Aesthetic Development
Development • observe colour change through adding paint or food dye
• work independently • introduce marbling techniques
• co-operate, take turns and share equipment • explore the effects on water by adding natural and man-made materials
• respect ideas of others • create underwater world to encourage imaginative play and language
• experience the therapeutic value of water play • create sounds in the water e.g. blowing, splashing, waving
• learn how to use water safely – understand rules for water play • make musical instruments – filling bottles with water to different levels
• talk about where water comes from
• enjoy the sensory nature of water adding colours, other items e.g.
glitter, varying temperature
• learn how to work as part of a group e.g. holding funnel whilst
another child pours
• extend imagination through the addition of other resources e.g.
boats, wood, sea shore items
• become confident at carrying out a range of activities in the water
e.g. pouring, blowing bubbles
Knowledge and Appreciation of the
• explore personal hygiene e.g. using soap, washing dolls, clothes
Environment
• talk about water in local environment, home, rivers, pond, beach
• add equipment from local environment to stimulate imaginative play e.g.
Physical Development shells, sea weed, pebbles, rocks, fishing nets, hoses, watering cans
• develop fine motor skills – manipulating tools, filling – pouring, emptying, stirring, • talk about occupations where water plays a significant role e.g.
squeezing, pushing, pulling fishermen, firemen, sailors, farmers, plumbers
• developing hand/eye co-ordination e.g. filling and emptying containers of different sizes • talk about animals and creatures that live in water e.g. fish, crocodiles,
• be aware of the space in the water tray and be able to share it with others penguins, sea-lions
• use tools, water and objects with increasing safety e.g. be aware of what happens when • understand the importance of hygiene using the water tray e.g. washing
a lot of water gets on the floor! equipment
66
WATER
Early Experiences in Science & Technology
• explore the properties of water e.g. pour, run, drips
• ask questions about how things work and why they happen e.g.
stones in water, water wheels, flow of water, floating, sinking
• use their senses to investigate water e.g. colour – sight, baby bath –
smell, hot/cold – touch, bottled water – taste.
• recognise the importance of water in personal hygiene
• observe how objects behave in water Language Development
• make predictions
• describe the properties of water e.g. wet, cold
• use cutting, folding, joining and building skills to make boats for water
play • describe their actions and the actions of others e.g. pouring, emptying,
splashing
• explore ice in water
• extend vocabulary associated with water play
• describe similarities, differences and changes e.g. which objects
Early Mathematical Experiences float/sink?
• compare the amount of water in different containers by pouring from • explain what is happening when the water wheel is turning
one to another • engage in role play as a fireman, plumber, adult washing clothes, dolls
• understand and use mathematical language e.g. full/empty, need • children have access to books and rhymes connected to water e.g.
more/less, heavy/light Going to the Seaside, Mr Plug the Plumber, Rain
• compare the size of containers e.g. which is the biggest? which holds • children talk about their experiences in relation to display/books about
most? water play
• talk about the shape of containers – straight sides, curved sides, circle
at bottom etc.
• understand & use positional words e.g. pouring through, floating on
top of etc.
67
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• talk about their experiences at • free play with a range of • describe the behaviour of the • water tray
bath-time, at the beach, the bath–time toys toys • bath-time toys, sponges, soap,
swimming pool, washing – cups, plates, jugs, teapots, towels
dishes, washing clothes cutlery • look at seaside pictures and • bubble bath, washing up
– beach and swimming pool photographs and talk about liquid
• name toys and equipment
equipment their experiences • dishes, cups, jugs, tea pots,
• respond to instructions dish clothes, brushes, tea
– can you fill the cup, teapot? • talk about keeping clean – • make a pretend dish washer, towels, draining rack, cutlery
– can you pour the water themselves, dishes, clothes washing machine • water wings play people,
from the jug to the cup? books, buckets, fishing nets
Experimental Play
• look at seaside pictures and • put play house around sink • ‘Mr Archimedes’ Bath’ by
photographs area in classroom – turn into Pamela Allen (Picture Puffin)
• discuss and recognise the the kitchen • ‘You can Swim Jim’ by Kaye
need for rules – no splashing • listen to stories/rhymes Umansky (Red Fox)
• develop the therapeutic nature e.g. I’m a little teapot • work as a group being aware • ‘Commotion in the Ocean’ by
of playing with warm water of the needs of others Giles Andreae (Orchard Books)
• Poems
• experience properties of water, • make ‘bubbles’ in water tray • blow bubbles through different • washing up liquid, glycerine,
investigate surface tension by swishing water shaped blowers. Discuss the straws, paint, small trays
shapes of the bubbles
• discuss shapes and colours.
Can you see through a • What happens when they
bubble? burst?
• lift bubbles in hands, describe

what you see
68
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop manipulative skills – • fill containers with water in the • pour from one container to • range of wide necked
filling cups, yogurt cartons and tray by submerging them another containers
pouring out
• pour from container to • using large funnels • plastic funnels of various sizes
Experimental Play – Filling And Pouring
• develop concentration skills container progressing to smaller funnels

• range of bottles with narrow
• talk about the size/colour of • use funnels to control flow • controlled pouring into wide necks
containers necked containers progressing
• pour from jugs and teapot into to controlled pouring into • tea pots, jugs, cups
• develop vocabulary e.g. cups and bottles narrower necked containers
full, empty, nearly full, holds
more, pour, flow • share equipment and working
co-operatively
• increase vocabulary e.g.

brim, level, shallow, deep,
enough, heavy
69
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• experience and explore the • explore the properties of water • looking for reflections in water • 2 water trays or small basins –
nature and properties of water by observation, touch, smell, when water is still warm and cold
sound, taste (bottled water)
• see the “colour” in clear water • No equipment – just hands
using the senses
Free exploration
• develop descriptive vocabulary • pour through hands

e.g. wet, warm, cold, hot, and feet!!
• close eyes, describe the sound • add colour – watch how it
splash, gurgle, trickle, swish, disperses • bubble bath, food colouring
of water as it is poured from a
drip
jug/bottle • compare and describe the • selection of gloves
• experience the therapeutic • observe the shape you see as feeling of warm and cold
nature of playing with water the water falls into the tray water
• standing, moving feet in water
• wear gloves – describe what
• add bubbles, mix with hands, the water feels like when you
describe feel, lift bubble, blow wear plastic or woollen gloves
bubbles
• develop fine motor skills to • make patterns with fingers, • Ask children to draw or paint • water trays or shallow basins,
facilitate pre-writing wiggly, wavy, straight, zig-zag, the shapes/patterns they have hand, fingers
round made either from memory or
Creating patterns
• recognise and create patterns • selection of items to make

from photograph
• vary the actions to slow, light, marks and patterns e.g.
• develop vocabulary – heavy • finger painting spoons, spatulas, sticks,
describing what they are stones
• make patterns using spoons, • making a repeated pattern
doing, describing the pattern
spatulas, sticks
• making patterns from
• develop descriptive language • drop in stones – watch ripples
e.g. wavy, straight, ripples, left right
circles
70
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• begin to use comparative • compare containers which have • find two containers which hold • containers e.g. plastic yogurt,
language precisely e.g. similar capacities but which are the same amount of water – petit filous pots, cups, egg cups,
full/empty wide/narrow wet/dry differing shapes explain their choice plastic cups
heavy/light • filling and emptying containers, • sequence and put containers in • selection of containers same
talking about full/empty, nearly order from holds most to holds shape but different sizes e.g.
• predict which holds most/least full, more/less least, biggest to smallest, cream cartons
Early mathematical experiences –
sorting, capacity, number, shape
• sort containers by colour, shape heaviest to lightest, tallest to • items for sorting
• sort for a given criteria and capacity smallest
• food trays, conkers, shells, play
• count e.g. counters, plastic • sort for 2 criteria, e.g. red and people, plastic teddy bears,
• show an interest in number and
teddies, boats, animals, fish, holds more than a cup blocks, fish, duplo blocks,
counting
stones • count up to 5 objects by saying buckets
• observe how water finds its own • count how many buckets of one number for each item • rubber gloves, plastic bottles
level water are needed to fill the tray • recognise foam numbers with hollow handles
• watch as water is poured into • describe what happens to the • selection of different shaped
• follow instructions e.g. plastic gloves, plastic bottles. water level if the bottle is filled containers
1 cup of orange Ask questions such as: Are all
• identify circle/square rectangle • orange juice, cups, measuring
6 cups of water the fingers full yet? Will the water
at bottom of containers jugs
go up the bottle but not into the
handle? • make larger quantities so • selection of ball shapes e.g.
• talk about the shape of children have to count greater orange, golf balls, table tennis
containers – straight/curved numbers balls, plastic balls, spider balls
sides • use vocabulary – dissolve,
• describe the shape of containers dilute, how much?
• dilute orange juice • add objects of the same shape
to the tray e.g. spheres (balls),
• make jelly
cubes, circles
• talk about the shapes, describe
how they behave in water
71
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• observe how different objects • talk about experiences of • make floaters sink • shells, stones, corks, spades,
behave in water being at the swimming water wings, empty film
pool/learning to swim. What • describe how this happens containers with lids, plastic
• find out that some objects float helps you float? Look at arm bottles, apples, leaves, grapes,
Experimental play – floating and sinking
bands, life jackets • talk about learning to swim. bottles, foil trays, boats,
• discover that not all heavy What helps you to float? Why? seaweed, duplo blocks,
things sink/all light things float • experiment with bubble wrap, Look at a life jacket. wooden blocks, margarine
cork and string to make tubs, paper clips, twigs,
• predict which objects will miniature life jackets for model • discover that changing shape lollipop sticks, plastic ice trays,
float/sink people affects buoyancy e.g. float pumice stone, bubble wrap,
sheets of tin foil float, screwed cottonwool, tin foil, ice
• observe how some objects • predict and test which objects up foil sinks.
that look alike behave float/sink e.g. stone, table
differently e.g. golf ball/table tennis ball • use appropriate language top,
tennis ball bottom, below, under, heavy,
• make simple boats using a light, solid
• sort, count, match and make variety of materials e.g. foil
comparisons between objects trays, margarine tube • add sponge/magnetic letters
that float and objects that sink to water – do they float or • sponge/magnetic letters
• experiment with plastic bottles sink?
with tops on, then tops off
• explore ice in water
• compare bottles with tops these sink
on/off in relation to floating • record –
and sinking these float
• record pictorially
72
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
RAIN • go outside on a rainy day – • talk about different types of rain – • create a stimulus table near
feel rain on face, hands drizzle, thunder & lightning, floods the water tray with rainy
• explore water in relation to • discuss where rain comes from day/frosty day items e.g.
weather • talk about clothes we wear – • talk about waterproof clothes umbrella, rain coat, hat,
– rain materials they are made from • listen to story ‘Splish Splash
wellies, woolly hats, scarves,
my world – weather
– ice Splosh’ by Mick Manning

Exploring water in
• listen to the rain as it falls on (Wondernoise Senses) gloves, fur coats

– snow different surfaces – ground, • listen and join in to Incy Wincy
umbrella, window, roof Spider
• develop vocabulary associated
• add spouting, spiders and
with weather • look at water in spouting and
watering cans to water play
drains
• describe the weather • drip watery paint onto paper
• look at some puddles • make welly boot prints – Are any
• recognise the need for of the soles the same?
outdoors, splash in the
appropriate clothing and • read the story of Noah
puddles
equipment • create a display of Noah’s Ark
• selection of wellies, paint tray,
• watch rain run down the • explore sound by using
• begin to discover that water instruments to create the crashing
paper
window
can exist in different states sound of thunder, add the pitter- • selection of percussion
patter of raindrops instruments
• investigate absorbency • pour some water on a • allow children to experiment to • sponges, kitchen roll, plastic
Absorbency
bench/floor, allow children to find the most absorbent paper material

• develop relevant language, investigate various materials to from a selection including foil,
drip on/through, fall to bits, go • selection of papers, food
mop it up – what happened to shiny, blotting, tissue,
through, roll off/run off, soak colouring
the water? Where has it gone? cellophane, crepe
in/up, stay dry How can you tell? How can
you get the water back?
73
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
FROST/ICE • add ice cubes, freeze play • colour water blue • penguins, polar bears
animals/play people in plastic
Exploring water in relation to my world – frost/ice
• discover that water can exist in trays, add to water tray • add model cold land creatures
different states
• make ice lollies in different • add ice cubes to warm water. • ice cube trays
• investigate ice and discover colours, shapes and flavours Describe what happens
some of its features • listen to stories from Pingu
• go outside on an icy day – look
• develop appropriate at frozen puddles, frost on series
vocabulary e.g. freeze, melt, grass
• freeze water in different
frozen, change, colder, icy, • allow children to freeze water shaped containers – match
slippery, frosty, hard and then observe what containers to ice shape
happens when the ice is left to
• sprinkle salt on ice – what
sit • dome tent, white sheeting, fur
happens?
coats, scarves, frozen food
• create an igloo for role play packets, fishing rods, sleigh
from a dome shaped tent.
Cover tent with white sheets
CONDENSATION • look closely at the windows. • watch steam from a boiling • kettle
investigate condensation on Ask children what they see kettle (consider safety)
windows
• draw designs and pictures on
window. Watch as the water
drips down the window
74
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
PONDS AND RIVERS • make the water tray into a • listen to stories, rhymes, • green cellophane paper for lily
pond poems, songs about ponds leaves, old logs cut in half,
• talk about their experiences at e.g. Five Speckled Frogs, Mr bubble wrap (looks like frog
a pond or river • look at books and pictures Gumpy’s Outing spawn) pond creatures –
Exploring water in relation to my world –
about ponds and talk about frogs, dragon flies, pebbles,

• be aware of the dangers of the creatures that live there • arrange a visit to a pond and stones
water do some pond dipping
• keep a goldfish in the (consider safety) • on a table nearby arrange a
ponds, rivers,and seas
• recognise and care for living classroom selection of items to fish with
things such as ladles, sieves, small
fishing nets, small buckets
• look at books and pictures of • control the speed of the water

rivers wheel by varying the amount • open plastic guttering
of water
• attach a hose/shower to the
water tray to create a flow of
water
• small plastic boats, lollipop
• explore the movement of sticks
• develop early concepts of water
forces and energy • talk about waves
• move water using kitchen • kitchen utensils, boats
utensils, water wheels
75
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
SEASIDE • make the water tray into a • paint seaside pictures. Discuss • blue water
“seaside” colours, sounds
• talk about their experiences at • add sand, pebbles, shells,
the seaside • listen to a tape of seaside • listen to seaside stories rocks, stones, seaweed (use
sounds strands of green cellophane)

• be aware of the dangers of • join in number rhyme e.g. one,
water • listen to the sea using a shell two, three, four, five • copy of Mr Little’s Noisy Boat by
Richard Fowler (Little
ponds, rivers,and seas
• make and play a fishing game • cut out plastic fish, attach Mammoth)
paper clips and use magnets
on string to ‘fish’ • on a resource table add a
selection of sea-creatures, toy
boats, buckets, water wings
• put a tray of water in the sand

tray
76
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• recognise that water is • create a garden in the sand • draw a plan of the garden • compost, pebbles, stones,
essential for growth/life tray with a small pond small tubs for ponds, garden
Exploring water in relation to my world – growth
• draw a pictorial diary of seeds tools, seeds, plastic flowers,

• plant grass seeds to create growing water can, play people
lawn, carrot tops for bushes,
cress seeds for vegetables
• listen to songs, poems, rhymes • ‘Meg’s Veg’ – Helen Nicholl,
and stories ‘Jasper’s Beanstalk’, ‘Percy the
Park Keeper’ – Nick
• care for living things • plant flower bulbs and seeds Butterworth
outside. Discuss how they will
be watered
• discuss drinks we have which • dilute some orange juice • bottle water, still and fizzy,
have water concentrated fruit juices
• explore still and fizzy drinking

water
77
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop vocabulary flow, • free play allowing water to • add tubing – water flows • various sizes of funnels, large
through, pour, quickly, slowly, flow through through funnel and tubing and small containers
trickle
• fill large and small containers • match the size of funnel • plastic tubing
• develop manipulative skills using funnels required to fill the container

and concept of size
• talk about the best size of

funnel to fill various containers
going through
• develop early concepts of • explore and observe the • explore how the wheels can • water wheels
forces and energy movement of the water wheel be made to run faster or
as the water flows through slower
78
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• examine water pressure • explore and observe the • recognise that the flow of • plastic bottles, plastic bags
movement of water through water is greatest at the bottom with holes pierced, watering
• develop early experience of the holes of the bottle/bag cans with roses, sprays, slotted
volume spoons, water pistols, fishing
• talk about using sprayers and nets, plant pots

• understand that the largest water pistols
funnel empties first
• explore water flowing through • add a piece of wood with • funnels, bottles, jugs
• enjoy and respond to funnels and “catching” it in holes cut in it for funnels above
stories/rhymes bottles and containers the water tray
going through
• use mathematical language – • dangle a plastic spider on the • add spouting, link to Incy • spouting, spiders
long/short, thick/narrow end of a string down to the Wincy Spider
bottom of the pipe. Pull on the
string to make the spider climb • add a range of plumbers • plastic piping, connectors,
the pipe pipes and connections guttering
• look for water pipes in the • talk about gutterings and

outside area drains
• look for pipes in the toilet area • talk about people who help us • ‘Mrs Plug the Plumber’ by
– plumber Allan Ahlberg
79
WATER PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• draw on their own experiences • the seaside • put dressing up clothes beside • water tray
to stimulate talk and • the kitchen water tray
Introduction of suitable resources can develop
discussion – wash day • sand, pebbles, stones,

– washing dishes • read stories about seaside, buckets, water wings, boats,
• take part in role play – cookery gardens, winter etc. that will play people, dishes, shampoo
• the hairdresser’s reflect/support the children’s bottles, towels, brushes,
• explore and recognise • the garden imaginative play combs, flower pots, watering
features of the natural world • the pond/river cans, frogs, dragon flies, junk
imagining and thinking
• children can represent materials, bath-time toys,

• cold lands
• share ideas and agree on the imaginative water play in sponges, facecloths, wood
• bath time
props and the story line paintings, drawings and off-cuts, logs, fishing net, sea
• the swimming pool models creatures, animals, fire
• design and create • the marina engines, hoses
environments for their stories • fishing port
• seacat/ferry
• lighthouse
stories can be developed in the
water tray e.g.
– Lucy and Tom at the Seaside
– Noah and the Ark
– Millie and the Mermaid
– You Can Swim, Jim
– Jasper Beanstalk
– Three Billy Goats Gruff
– Five Speckled Frogs
– Fireman Sam
80
LEARNING THROUGH DOUGH AND CLAY PLAY
in the early years
DOUGH
Children love dough. Playing with dough is relaxing and creative and there is no right answer. It encourages the
development of fine motor skills, concentration, creativity and offers opportunities for the development of language and
social skills.
General Guidelines
Notes for use of dough
• Give children a large piece of dough, plenty of space and time.
• Check if children are allergic to additives used.
• Make material accessible so they can choose what they want to explore and add to the dough.
• Give parents information so they understand the benefits and learning experiences associated with dough.
• Introduce tools sensitively following careful observation.
• Remove accessories at times and allow the dough to be ‘natural’.
• If colour is added after the dough is mixed there will be a marbled effect.
• A small quantity of colour produces a pastel effect.
• Strong colours or oil can make marks on clothes.
• Making uncooked dough is a perfect job for children.
• Encourage the children to join in with the ‘clearing up’.
• Share materials in a friendly, fair and relaxed way.
• Understand that some children will not initially like the texture and ‘mess’ of dough.
83
CLAY
Clay can be used to provide similar learning experiences as dough. It also promotes
• Sensory experiences
• Imagination
• Gross motor control, manual dexterity and manipulative skills
• Emotional development
• Language development
• Understanding possibilities and limitations of clay
Allow children to handle clay and explore its properties and compare and contrast it with dough. Talk
about properties – how it sticks to your hands, how it dries out and leaves a covering on your hands.
Make marks on the clay using tools, rolling pins, heavily textured materials, sponges, finger prints.
Create 3D images by rolling balls and coils of clay. Push clay through sieves, garlic presses and
wire mesh. Join these to slabs of clay using liquid clay.
Create clay pots – thumb pots – using fingers and thumbs to widen and shape pot.
Create and use coils to make snakes of different lengths and thicknesses.
Make letters, spirals with coils.
Notes for use of clay

The warmth of the hands can dry clay quickly. Encourage children to dampen hands by using a damp sponge
When working with clay do not let clay go down the sink. Rinse hands first in a basin of water to wash off excess clay.
84
LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT FOR DOUGH AND CLAY

Language of manipulation Language about length/thickness
• Push • Longer than
• Pull • Shorter than
• Drop • The same length as
• Squeeze
• Press Language of colour and smells
• Elastic
• Bend
• Twist
Language of texture
• Roll • Lumpy
• Stretch • Grainy
• Squash • Shiny
• Pinch
• Flatten Additions to dough e.g. feathers, lolly sticks, twigs
• Poke
• Scrape
• Smooth
• Smear
• Break apart
85
RESOURCES FOR DOUGH

Baseboard/suitable surface
Rolling pins – plain and patterned
Range of cutters
Flour sprinkler
Cutting tools – scissors, dough tools
Add colour through non-toxic powder paint or food colouring
Add smells using oils, spices, herbs etc.
Add textures using glitter, poppy seeds, rice, lentils, seeds, grains, sawdust, coconut
Variety of containers, buntrays, egg boxes, paper bun cases
RESOURCES FOR CLAY

Plastic modeling tools
Clay cutters
Modelling board
Textured objects
86
Basic Dough Microwave Dough

2 cups plain flour 1 cup/200g plain flour
1 cup salt 1/2 cup/100g salt
1 tbsp cooking oil 2 tsp cream of tartar
1 tbsp oil
Add water gradually to dough consistency. 1 cup/300ml water
This dough can also be used for modeling and then placed in a very food colouring (add to water)
low oven to dry for at least 12 hours.
This dough is firm, pliable and smooth. May need a little flour to stop Put all ingredients into a bowl suitable for the microwave. Cook at full
it sticking. power for 1 minute. Remove from oven and stir well. Put back in
oven and cook for a further 1 – 11/2 minutes. Remove from oven and
Cooked Dough scrap out with a wooden spoon and leave to cool. Knead well,
adding food colouring at this point. Store in a polythene bag to
200g plain flour remain soft.
100g salt
1 tbsp cooking oil
2 tsp cream of tartar
300ml water
Food colouring
Mix flour, salt and cream of tartar together in a big saucepan. Add
water gradually to remove lumps. (Food colouring can be added to
water or left to the end when you knead the dough). Put pan over a
low to medium heat and cook, stirring constantly. (It is hard work!)
The mixture will suddenly begin to thicken. Continue stirring until the
dough becomes very stiff. Remove pan from the heat. Scrape out
dough on to a smooth surface. Soak pan immediately. Knead but
take care – dough will be very hot in the centre.
87
Elastic Dough Gingerbread Playdough

Large amount of white self-raising flour – 11/2 kilo 1 cup flour
Water to mix – approximately 500ml 1/2 cup salt
Knead ingredients together until smooth and stretchy 2 tsp cream of tartar
1 cup water
Cornflour 1 tsp veg oil
lots of cinnamon, allspice,
175g cornflour
ginger, nutmeg etc
250ml water
Mix together with a spoon
Mix the dry
ingredients. Play
Chocolate Playdough with the spices till you
2 cups water get the scent you want and the
1/2 cup salt colour. Mix water and oil
2 tbsp vegetable oil together first and then add
2 tbsp cream of tartar them to the dry ingredients
1/3 cup cocoa and stir. In a pot, cook the
3 cups flour mixture for two to three
minutes, stirring frequently.
Bring water and salt to the boil. The dough will start to pull away
Stir in remaining ingredients. from the sides of the pan and clump together. Take dough
Allow to cool slightly. out of the pan and knead the dough until it becomes soft
Knead until smooth. and smooth. Allow to cool and store in an airtight
container.
88
DOUGH
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop manipulative/motor • explore the natural dough – • alter quality of the dough, • natural dough
skills push, pull, squeeze, bend, elasticity, solidity baseboard or suitable table
twist, roll, stretch, squash, top
• discover the properties of the • different doughs react in
pinch, flatten, poke, create
dough – talk about properties different ways – stretched,
objects, shapes, etc.
pulled
• co-operate/share/collaborate • add colour using non-toxic
• talk about, discuss and
• adult involvement to develop powderpaint or food colour
• enjoyment/develop sensory describe the behaviour of the
language and model
experiences dough
manipulative skills, to stimulate
• self expression • make patterns in dough using discussion, provide support • add smells – using perfumed
Experimental play
hands and reassurance oils, spices – nutmeg,

• relieve frustration
cinnamon, herbs, talcum
• pattern making using textured • add colour
• language about length – powder, vanilla, Angel Delight
objects / tools
comparison • add colour and smell
• make rolls/ compare lengths,
• model • add colour and texture
thickness • add textures – using glitter,
• shape • add colour, texture and smell poppy seeds, rice, lentils,
• explore dough which has
seeds, grains, sawdust,
• aesthetic awareness added colour, textures and • adult support as above to
coconut, sand
smells develop descriptive language
• identify colours, develop Use wholemeal flour
language • link dough play to themes
• develop sensory experiences
• enjoyment
• discussion – description
89
DOUGH
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop of rolling skills • explore dough by using rolling • plain roller to textured roller • variety of plain and textured
implements mixture of rollers rolling implements
• develop observation skills • roll the dough, squashing back into
Experimental play using a range of equipment
• talk about textures, imprints in a ball, comparing patterns made by

the rollers. Use of flour sprinklers so • adult support to develop • variety of cutters – shapes,
the flat dough
dough doesn’t stick language people, animals etc
• flatten dough • hit dough to flatten it
• identify shapes, compare • explore dough by using cutters • model techniques • use cutters of letters, numbers
• children cut out shapes using
sizes, describing shapes various cutters – varying in shape,
• basic shapes to more complex • create patterns using lego,
• imaginative play – buns, cakes size. Describe, discuss results
• count, sort, order shapes. Make shapes tools, sticklebricks, fabrics, car
• 1 to 1 correspondence, wheels, string, body parts
patterns
counting • imaginative play – buns, cakes, • increase variety of containers
• develop manipulative skills story props • add colanders, icing bag,
• role play props • build cutters/containers into sieves, fish slice, garlic press,
• recognition of letters, numbers • find first letter of own name, of
• sorting, counting friend’s name imaginative play potato masher
• match letters
• develop language • adult to develop language,
• find number for own age
• language development – • match numbers model 1 to 1 correspondence,
describing marks and patterns • put numbers in order 1–5 sorting, counting
• explore dough by adding objects to
• comparing patterns with other make imprints and patterns
children • children explore patterns, marks on • adult to develop descriptive
• develop manipulative skills dough using various instruments. language
Compare, predict patterns
• language development • explore dough by squeezing
describing squeezed and ‘through’
shaped dough • children squeeze dough through
containers and objects
• make patterns
90
DOUGH
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop manipulative skills • explore dough by adding • cutters become more intricate • provide additional shapes,
cutting implements Children cutters according to theme
Making and Doing
• encourage language cut dough, scrape dough off • adult to provide language
development the table support
• practise cutting with scissors
• 1 to 1 correspondence, match, • explore dough by using • adults develop mathematical • variety of containers – bun
count, share out dough containers language of sharing, trays, eggboxes, balance
matching, counting and
• share equipment/collaboration • children incorporate containers
encourage imaginative play • balance dough and other
into play – sort, count, match,
• prediction items
imaginative play • predict what will happen. Use
• compare, share variety of balances
• add balance
• develop concept of heavy and • work together
• use balance to compare
light
weights • adult to promote discussion
• develop concept of balancing
and equal weights
91
DOUGH
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• creative/imaginative • develop dough according to • adult to support language • provide for imaginative play,
development the theme development and encourage add materials – feathers,
imaginative play leaves, pipe cleaners, shells,
• discuss, co-operate, have fun • use dough to make figures, pebbles, matchsticks, lolly
and enjoy dough faces sticks, cones, play people,
small plastic animals, cars etc.
• develop representational skills • create theme related figures – buttons, goggly eyes, pasta,
christmas stars, snowmen, pulses, flowers, wood, twigs
• develop creative/imaginative valentine hearts, eggs

skills and ideas
• develop individual ideas
• incorporate into role play area
• make fruit, bread shapes for
role play corner
• links to story books – nursery

rhymes
92
LEARNING THROUGH TABLE TOP PLAY
in the early years
“Children will enjoy playing with a variety if jigsaws and table-top toys.
This will be the start of early reading and mathematics,
and will help to develop children’s hand-eye co-ordination”
(A Practical Guide to Working with Young Children – Hobart & Frankel 1996)
“a very important aid to learning is being able to concentrate.

This influences how readily children learn and how much they learn…
There is a subtle but important distinction between helping children complete
the end product, be it a painting, a model or a puzzle,
and helping them with the process..”
(Enhancing Learning Through Play – Christine Macintyre 2001)
“Physical development in the foundation stage is about improving skills

of co-ordination, control, manipulation and movement…Young children’s
physical development is inseparable from all others aspects of development
because they learn through being active and interactive…”
(Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage – DfEE 2000)
95
TABLE TOP ACTIVITIES

• Variety of jigsaws – inset puzzles, lift and look puzzles, • Coloredo
sequence puzzles, giant puzzles, colour, shape • Compendicube
puzzles, seasonal and topic related jigsaws etc.
• Colorama
• Lotto
• Pyramaxi Cocoon
• Snap games e.g. baby animals snap cards
• Ordima Puzzles
• Memory games e.g. memorix, memolud , Me two etc.
• Tell-a-story
• Self correcting puzzle cards
• Geometrix
• Sequencing games e.g. logico
• Place a shape
• Threading and lacing
• Magnetic fish game
• Threading shapes – thready bears
• Fuzzy felts
• Mosaics
• Discovery Box Attribute blocks
• Sorting sets e.g. linking elephants, compare bears etc
• Pattern block tiles
• Domino sets e.g. number, colour, shapes etc.
• Pick and mix People game
• Pegboards
• Tap tap school set
• Hammer and nails pack
• Magnetic shapes and boards
96
Personal, Social & Emotional Early Experiences in Science &

Development Technology
• learn to work independently i.e. completing a puzzle on their own • learn how things join e.g. hammer and nails
• learn to work as part of a group e.g. playing a shop or lotto • explore materials
game • explore physical processes e.g. magnets
• learn to work collaboratively – take turns, share and co-operate
• develop concentration and perseverance Creative/Aesthetic Development
• enjoy the satisfaction of completing a puzzle or winning a game
• create designs using peg-boards, pattern block tiles, geometrix
etc.
• explore mathematical concepts e.g. pattern, number, time, Physical Development
position
• understand and use language related to ordinal number e.g. • develop fine motor skills and co-ordination through manipulating
first, second, third a range of materials e.g. pegs, threading, jigsaws etc.
• describe the position of people and objects e.g. in jigsaws • develop hand/eye co-ordination e.g. threading, beads
Knowledge and appreciation of the Language

Environment Development
• developing understanding of jobs people do, seasonal change, • extend vocabulary as they engage
local environment through use of appropriate puzzles and in table top play
games • develop visual discrimination e.g.
matching jig-saw pieces to picture
• describe the rules of a game
97
Some Relevant Language;
Colours e.g. yellow, red

blue, green etc.
Rules of the game:
I will be leader
Shapes – rectangle
take turns
– square
share
– triangle
next
– circle
How many pieces?
beside
under
on top of
in front
behind
Descriptive language How does this fit together?
about the pictures on counting
jigsaws, memory sorting
games etc. matching
98
TABLE TOP PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• be aware of the nature and • explore the equipment freely • provide material demanding • inset jigsaws
properties of table top and discover their use. fine motor activity
activities. • wooden mosaic blocks
• provide material which
• develop hand to eye enhances gross motor skills • remember the rules of a • plastic mosaic shapes
co-ordination. game/activity
• geometrix
• develop memory skills • allow the children to match the
Experimental play
pieces of equipment/ game to • beads and patterns

pictures
• sort and match blocks
• talk about the equipment, the • encourage the children to take • colorama
pictures, shapes, sizes, colours responsibility for their
• provide an individual with a game/jigsaw
jigsaw/game which offers a
• develop concentration challenge
99
TABLE TOP PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop perseverance • provide jigsaws with more • provide choice of materials • range of table top games,
pieces, a game with more complementing the child’s equipment and puzzles
rules interests
• be able to work as part of a • play a table top game • provide opportunity for child to
group designed for more than 1 be leader
person
Experimental play
• be encouraged to take turns

and share equipment
• develop the understanding of

the rules of table top activities
• reflect on their feelings related

to using puzzles
100
TABLE TOP PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop 1 to 1 matching • use an inset jigsaw – put the • provide jigsaws with a variety • inset jigsaws
piece in correct place of pieces and match piece to
picture • matching games
• lotto
• learn the names of colours,
shapes and sizes • use peg boards and shape • create a pattern – naming • beads
pieces to talk about the shape, size and colour
different colours, shapes and • threading
Making and Doing
sizes
• develop number recognition • let children explain to other • geo material
• use number games/dice children what numbers they
need to know to play a game • colour and number dominoes
or complete a task
• giant play mats
• allow the child to describe
what the picture portrays on • giant snakes and ladders
• develop descriptive language the jigsaw
• talk to children about the • topic jigsaws e.g. seasons,
jigsaw they are completing people who help us, animals
and the pictures they are
making
101
TABLE TOP PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• enhance fine motors skills • work with peg boards, • create a recognizable pattern • hammer, nails and shape set
threading or many piece using peg boards/threading
jigsaw material • non-inset jigsaws e.g. 8, 12, 16
piece jigsaws
• listen to and follow instructions • work with a game which has • compendicube
more than 1 instruction
• lotto
• recognise similarities and • use a picture lotto game or • develop the game by
Making and Doing
differences e.g. pictures, ‘snap’ game with a small introducing a number of • dominoes
shapes etc. number of cards instructions
• large die
• increase the number of cards
etc. to recognise and • snap cards
discriminate
• lotto
• choose and select the correct • set out the pieces of the puzzle • increase the size of the puzzle
piece of equipment in a variety of ways or the complexity of the game • memory game
where more choice is given
102
TABLE TOP PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• show initiative and • provide equipment which can • range of table top games,
imagination in making their be used in a variety of ways equipment and puzzles
own rules for the games
• create their own • work alongside the group to • provide the opportunity for a
puzzle/games using familiar stimulate ideas for new games child to explain the rules of the
equipment new game to a larger group
• remove commercial game and

• use the pictures/image on • provide ‘real life’ puzzles and replace with child’s own
puzzle to stimulate imaginative situations to be created in invention
play other area of class e.g.
birthday scene, animals
103
LEARNING THROUGH SMALL WORLD PLAY
in the early years
SMALL WORLD PLAY

Definition
Small world play is a type of imaginative/role play, which enables children to be creative and spontaneous in dramatic as well as mundane
life situations which interest them. It is closely related to puppet play and story telling.
Importance of small world play to children’s learning

• It encourages talking (all kinds of language use) and listening (when children play together).
• It allows children to create stories around things they know e.g. people and animals. It also allows children to fantasise about experiences
that they haven’t had.
• It promotes improvisation and the appropriate use of language including fantasy language.
• It allows children to communicate feelings in a safe way.
• Children can communicate their observations, findings and knowledge about life, books and television ...
• It gives children control, allowing them to enter and leave a fictional world at will.
• It encourages children to play together, to self regulate and to exchange ideas.
• It develops an awareness of the feelings and needs of others, as well as the consequences of their
actions, leading to natural healthy group relationships.
Importance of small world play to

practitioner’s teaching
It enables the teacher to discover:
• Children’s level of knowledge and understanding
• Children’s ways of thinking
• Children’s attitudes
• Children’s language and communication skills
• Children’s abilities to play in a group
107
LEARNING THROUGH SM ALL WORLD PLAY
It allow s the adult and child to interact in a shared environm ent based on the children’s ideas.
Teachers can then use these experiences to prom ote learning in other areas of the curriculum .
Processes involved in small world play

• Active learning – using objects and toys such as a dolls’ house, a garage, sm all
figures, a floor m at, vehicles, hand puppets, junk m aterials.
• Imitation – this is not sim ply copying other children but learning from w hat they do,
and then experim enting w ith sim ilar roles, behaviour and language.
• M aking images – this can be sounds, w ords or facial expressions all leading to a
story or m ake-believe situation.
• M aking symbols – This involves an object representing som ething else eg. a box
for a hill, a w ater tray for a sw im m ing pool ... These initially w ill be highly individual
to the child, but gradually the children w ill use shared sym bols agreed by the
group.
These processes belong to all form s of representation play, including painting, clay
w ork, dom estic play, m usic and sm all w orld toys. They each offer special, unique and
w orthw hile experiences, allow ing the children to express their ideas and feelings, w hile at the sam e tim e
developing their relationships w ith others.
108
Types of small world play

• Play with animals and other creatures e.g. farm, zoo and domestic animals, prehistoric animals, sea creatures
• Play with buildings e.g. houses, farm, zoo, garage, castle, airport, space station, railway station, bus or fire station,
school, shop, hospital, garage
• Play with a setting e.g. pond, beach, swimming pool, snow scene, swamp, forest, hills, mountains, valleys, space,
car park, street, railway line, road layout, field
• Play with people e.g. all kinds of family figures; a variety of occupations e.g. farmer, soldier, fireman, spaceman or
driver, fantasy figures e.g. robot, monster, giant
• Play with vehicles e.g. cars, lorries, trains, rockets, space ships, fire engines, tractors, buses
• Play with improvised materials/equipment e.g. blocks, bricks, boxes, tins, pebbles, cones, shells, pieces of fabric,
carpet, polystyrene, paper
Children are introduced gradually to each of the above. As their experience and competence improves children should be
free to mix and match as well as improvise themselves to create their own imaginary, symbolic scenarios.
109
SMALL WORLD PLAY QUOTES

“Imagination is more important than knowledge”
Albert Einstein
“Imaginative play is the key to children drawing on all their abilities in order to enhance their learning”
David Whitebread, Teaching and Learning
“The perceptions children have of life are bound up very closely within a world where fantasy and reality
constantly go hand-in-hand. Research has shown that the children who indulge freely in good quality
fantasy and pretend play, the children who are considered to be ‘high fantasizers’ and spend a good deal
of time in imaginative thinking (Singer and Singer, 1977; Pulaski, 1981; Reiss 1981;), have greater tendencies
towards being creative with materials and situations. Such studies have also found that these creative,
internal thinkers have better concentration, are less aggressive generally, can tell more creative stories with
greater originality and more complex characters and situations, and are more inclined to enjoy what they
do than children who are ‘low fantisizers”.
Janet Moyles, Just Playing
110
COMMERCIAL RESOURCES
• Puppet play – People who help us puppets • Playmats – Airport playmat
Family puppets Town centre playmat
Animal puppets Large roadway playmat
Nursery rhyme finger puppets • City life set
• Dolls house, furniture and families • Little Tikes road and rail set
• Play Park • Railway set
• Royal palace • Garage, truck and cars
• Space station • Pretend and play airport
• Lego Duplo people • Noah’s ark and zoo life animals
• Playmobil farmyard • Dinosaur set
• Domestic animals pack • Ocean world animals and their young
• Playmobil classroom • Story telling houses
• Safari set
• Playmobil fire rescue
• Playmobil hospital set
• Playmobil police set
111
SMALL WORLD e.g. Garage, Zoo, Airport, Hospital, Dolls House, Farm

• learn how to work independently i.e. selecting small resources for themselves • place different types of materials and objects in small world area for children to
create their own furniture, animal enclosures, sheds
• learn how to work as part of a group e.g. acting out a drama in the hospital
• create their own worlds using range of materials and artefacts
• learn how to work collaboratively – take turns, share and co-operate
• learn to respect others ideas
• take care of small world resources – know and understand safety rules
• develop self-expression through manipulating small pieces of equipment in a
variety of ways
• become confident at developing ideas using a range of small world resources
• explore feelings, events, worries and concerns using small world resources
• use resources that reflect different cultures
• explore a range of roles with small play people
Environment
• make links between their play world and their local environment e.g. layout of
room in a playhouse and their own house
Physical Development • develop awareness of the purpose of some features of the local environment
• develop fine motor skills and co-ordination through manipulating a range of e.g. hospital, garage, shops
materials such as play people, farm animals, vehicles • talk about people in their local community e.g. farmer, fireman, pilot, builder,
• develop concept of spatial awareness and use space imaginatively e.g. putting postman, nurse, doctor
furniture into the house, beds in the hospital, cars in the garage • talk about themselves e.g. where they live, their family
• develop hand/eye co-ordination e.g. threading beads • learn about their environment through play with floor mats and small vehicles
• use small equipment with confidence, skill and co-ordination • develop knowledge of road safety
112
SMALL WORLD
• explore materials from the natural and man-made world e.g. making a • talk about their experiences in relation to their model worlds
miniature garden
• talk about their feelings and emotions
• talk about and record their observations e.g. draw a picture of their
• make up their own stories as part of the play
model farm, airport, zoo, home
• extend their vocabulary e.g. farm, garage, airport, zoo
• develop scientific skills e.g. predicting, observing, sorting
• develop a range of scenarios for imaginative play
• use books to develop knowledge about play environments e.g. Spot on
Holiday, Going to the Zoo
• develop visual discrimination e.g. matching jig-saw pieces to picture

• explore mathematical concepts e.g. pattern, shape, space, size, number,
time
• understand and use language related to the above e.g. big, small, wide,
light, heavy
• develop mathematical skills e.g. sorting, counting, matching, ordering
• describe the position of people and objects e.g. in, below, above, beside, in
front of
113
SMALL WORLD PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
CHILDREN WILL: • children will explore the • provide a greater selection of • garage set with play mat, a
equipment freely and discover materials garage, a selection of cars,
• be aware of the nature and its use lorries, vans and small play
properties of small world • encourage children to sort, people
equipment • children will be encouraged to match and count the cars,
name the resources in the vans, lorries, play people
• develop fine motor skills and garage set
co-ordination • use a variety of books to
• children will help to tidy up the develop their knowledge about
• begin to work as part of a small world resources at the the garage
garage and cars
group end of a session e.g. sorting

them into a box or onto the
• learn to share and take turns correct box on the shelves
with the small world toys
• begin to explore a range of

roles with small world
resources
114
SMALL WORLD PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
CHILDREN WILL: • children will be encouraged to • introduce different types of • dolls’ house
name the rooms and furniture materials/textures into dolls’
• learn the names of the rooms of the house house for children to create • small play people
and furniture in the house their own furniture/curtains
• children will make up their • Furniture e.g. table, chairs,
• develop positional language own stories as part of their • encourage children to explore settee, bed, drawers, sink,
play feelings/events in their own shower, bath, cooker, TV
• develop descriptive language lives at home through role-
• children will describe the play activities
• enhance fine motor skills position of play people and
furniture
Dolls’ house
• be able to place the furniture

in the correct rooms of the • children will talk about what
house they are doing and explore a
range of roles with the small
play people
115
SMALL WORLD PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• name and discuss attributes of • play with farm animals and DEVELOPING LANGUAGE RESOURCES FOR ACTIVITIES
common farm animals their young
• stories, poems and songs • selection of farm animals,
• develop an awareness of farm • make fields to group animals about animals gates, tray of water for a pond
life through play which and make animal sounds ... Addition of boxes, fabric
emphasises: • provision of different or less and other junk materials to
• make a farm scene with a common types of farm encourage creativity
– care for animals on the house, people and farm animals pictures/posters of the
farm machinery farm, books about farm • song “Old McDonald”
vehicles Book “Animals and their
– know some of the different • create a field in the wet sand babies” Poem “I went to visit a
farm animals
types of food grown on the with trees, a planting area, • role play activities where farm one day”
farm tractors and farm equipment children pretend to be a
farmer, his wife, an animal or •a visit to the farm or drive to the
– know about people who • use any of the above ideas to a tractor country. Invite a farmer to visit
live on the farm make up an imaginary story the classroom to talk about
with other children – using • developing creativity his/her job
– know some vehicles story/educational visit as a
connected with farm life starting point • observe and draw the field • interest table
scene wet sand, tractors, small rakes
and spades, twigs, chestnuts
• paint patterns of ploughed and scallions for seeds and
fields plants
116
SMALL WORLD PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
TO DEVELOP HOSPITAL • free play with play mobil DEVELOPING LANGUAGE INTEREST TABLE
VOCABULARY hospital and ambulance set • in a non-intrusive manner • doctor’s bag, stethoscope,
clinic, casualty, reception area, supply and explain words to thermometer, prescription pad,
doctors, nurses, x-ray, • free play with several open expand children’s vocabulary empty medicine bottles, x-rays,
stethoscope, operation, topped boxes to represent the plasters, bandages
ambulance different areas in the hospital • extend hospital play to the role
play corner by having an eye RESOURCES FOR ACTIVITIES
to develop an awareness of: • teacher guided scenarios e.g. clinic, a baby clinic, an • play mobil hospital and
– visiting the doctor operating area or a children’s ambulance set, items from
• hospital as a caring place – – having an operation ward interest table, posters of a
not a place to be afraid of – a trip to casualty healthy lifestyle
• children who are sick and the – getting an x-ray DEVELOPING CREATIVITY
hospital
importance of visiting the – visiting the children’s ward • draw or paint pictures of a • stories about visiting the doctor
hospital hospital scene. Make a class and going to hospital
• hospital routines • discuss a healthy lifestyle for book of these pictures
• people who care for us when children. Make links with: • make cards for people who • rhyme “Miss Polly had a Dolly”
we are in the hospital – exercise are sick/in hospital recite rhyme allowing children
• a healthy lifestyle – healthy food • make x-ray pictures with black to act out a part using props
– hygiene paper
• draw pictures telling people • invite a nurse or health visitor
how to keep healthy e.g. to come to talk about their job.
brushing your teeth, taking Ask the visitor to talk about the
plenty of exercise, eating fruit part they play in helping to
and vegetables instead of keep people’s bodies healthy
sweets and crisps
117
SMALL WORLD PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• discuss previous experiences • discuss postcards and travel DEVELOPING LANGUAGE • read “Lucy and Tom at the
at the beach especially the brochure pictures of beach • prediction game: Cover some seaside” by Shirley Hughes.
elements which contribute to scenes seaside objects in sand. Ask This describes many fun
enjoyment children to find the objects and activities for the beach
• make the water tray into the describe what they feel like
• use senses to explore the sea. Place sea creatures, before looking RESOURCES FOR ACTIVITIES
colour, texture, shape and size boats, shells, seaweed ... in • shells, seaweed, pebbles,
of objects found at the beach the water. Add some small SEQUENCING THE EVENTS boats, sea creatures, twigs,
world people and encourage LEADING TO A BEACH TRIP spades, small world people,
• be aware of dangers at the imaginary play • preparation sand and water trays
beach e.g. water, tide, • journey
sunburn • make sandcastles in sand tray. • arrival TAKE CHILDREN ON
Provide small world people • return A BEACH TRIP
beach
TO DEVELOP BEACH and a variety of the above involve them in preparation for the
VOCABULARY listed objects to create an DEVELOPING CREATIVITY trip
• rock pools, shells, jellyfish, imaginary beach world • make seaside pictures by • where is the beach?
sunscreen, waves, pebbles sponge printing a water and • what do we need to take?
and sandcastles sand background. Use • what will we take?
materials such as blue • what do we need to eat?
• discuss living things at the cellophane, cotton wool,
beach coloured foil, markers and ROLE PLAY THE TRIP IN HOME
sand to make a collage. CORNER/OUTDOORS
• make a beach scene using an
empty box, pebbles, twigs, INTEREST TABLE
sand, blue cellophane, fish • things found at the seaside,
shapes and other collage e.g. sand, spade, seaweed,
materials shells, sunglasses
118
SMALL WORLD PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• name all the possible • free play with family figure DEVELOPING LANGUAGE • read stories “Daisy’s babies”
members of any family toys. Encourage children to act • play with family figures. by Lisa Kopper. “Super Mum”
out happenings in their family discussion of family members by Mick Manning and Brita
• talk about own family as e.g. breakfast time, a birthday roles. Make connections with Granstrom
children play with the figures party, granny coming to visit, a families from other cultures
trip to the shops • invite an older person into the
• appreciate family life • animal families classroom to compare
TEACHER GUIDED ACTIVITIES experiences of childhood e.g.
• recognise “sameness” and • discuss how the figures DEVELOPING NUMERACY bathing a baby
“difference” in family life are the same and how they • use natural opportunities to
are different develop numerical/positional MAKE CONNECTIONS WITH
family figures
• choose characteristics to sort language as children play with ROLE PLAY IN HOME CORNER
family figures • sort the figures e.g. by figures • through dressing up clothes
hair colour, height, sex, colour
• find out about past events in of clothes DEVELOPING CREATIVITY • props in home corner
the lives of older members of • make a class booklet with a
children’s families • adult starts a pattern e.g. boy, family photograph from each INTEREST TABLE
girl, boy, girl. Ask children to child in the class • ask children to bring in their
• discuss past and present continue the pattern favourite baby toy
events in their family lives • make a colourful family tree
display by asking children to RESOURCES FOR ACTIVITIES
paint one member of their • an assortment of family
family figures, family photographs
119
SMALL WORLD PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop fire service vocabulary • free play with toy fire engines DEVELOPING LANGUAGE • read story “Flashing Fire
fire engine, hose, ladder, and fire fighters • in a non-intrusive manner engines” by Tony Mitton and
emergency, helmet, protective supply and explain words to Ant Parker
clothing, siren • help children to make fire expand children’s vocabulary
engines using shoe boxes, red • a visit to the fire station or
• develop an understanding of a paint, yogurt pots for sirens • discuss other jobs for fire invite a fire man to visit the
fire fighter’s job and coiled art straws for hoses fighters e.g. rescuing people in classroom to discuss his job
car accidents, use of foam for and the protective clothing he
• develop children’s • free play with junk fire engines aeroplane fires and rescuing wears
co-ordination and and fire fighter figures animals stuck in awkward
manipulation skills places •provision of space/resources to
fire engines
enable children to dress up

• make a landscape scene for • discuss how to contact fire and engage in role play
the fire engines service in an emergency
INTEREST TABLE
• collaborate with other children DEVELOPING CREATIVITY AND • support children to make fire
PROBLEM SOLVING engines from construction
• make a scene for fire engines. materials e.g. Duplo, Mobilo or
Use boxes for buildings and Sticklebricks
draw roadways with chalk
RESOURCES FOR ACTIVITIES
• ask children to make a fire • a selection of junk materials
station big enough to fit two for making fire engines and
junk fire engines landscape scene, toy fire
engines and fire fighters
120
SMALL WORLD PLAY

POSSIBLE INTENDED
by providing children with a • make a barn for the cows PROBLEM SOLVING RESOURCES FOR ACTIVITY
stimulus for play and a selection • what do we need to make it? • boxes, card for wheels, knobs,
of junk materials we will develop • make a bed for the doll • which box is the right size? corks, lollipop sticks for legs,
children’s ability to: • where do the knobs/wheels sellotape, glue, paint
• make a TV for the house go?
• improvise with materials • what colour should we paint • plastic containers – ice cream
• make Postman Pat’s van it? or margarine tubs, dough,
• make choices fabric, foil trays, polystyrene
discuss how to make a boat with PROBLEM SOLVING (for icebergs), pebbles, pine
improvised materials
• organise ideas and junk materials: • discuss how to prevent boat cones, spools, corks, small
experiences from sinking. Can another boat world figures
• types of materials be designed to hold more
• work collaboratively cargo or survive a storm in the • Books/pictures for reference
• putting it together ocean?
• express feelings and ideas INTEREST TABLE
discuss why boat sinks DEVELOPING LANGUAGE • read story “Noah’s Ark”. Make
• discuss different types of boats boats from construction toys
• cargo too heavy e.g. speedboat, cruiser, e.g. Lego, Duplo
lifeboat, war ship, pirate ship Place pairs of animal figures
• crashes into icebergs around the boats to represent
DEVELOPING CREATIVITY the animals on the ark
• sails into a storm • make collages of activity by
sponge painting a sea
discuss what happens to cargo background and using a
and people on the boat when it variety of scrap materials and
sinks paint for the picture
121
LEARNING THROUGH CONSTRUCTION PLAY
in the early years
Children respond to the great variety of opportunities blocks open to them. Blocks are the
prime unstructured material and permit children to create, with the next step determined
by them, not by the structure of the play material. With large construction children can
create designs limited only by their imagination.
Community Playthings
The minute you are involved in block play you are getting involved in engineering. You are
beginning to look at things like centres of gravity, how you can connect things.
Freestanding blocks are very challenging in that respect.
Tina Bruce
Children have lots of different ideas so having objects that allow them to express those
ideas is important. And one size doesn’t fit all. We have to have different sizes, we have to
have different shapes in order to express those things that we’re thinking.
Stuart Reifel (Associate professor, Early Childhood Education, University of Texas.)
I would challenge people to take a long second look at their blocks. And probably to add
more blocks, realizing that it’s such a valuable material that it could really form the core of
your curriculum. Everything could be built around blocks!
Karen Millar (Author/Consultant)
125
RELEVANT LANGUAGE
Name of Construction Materials and Language related to Construction
Component Parts Build, join, break, apart, together, split, plan, design, stick,
push, pull, press, squeeze, fall, model, make, hold, lift,
carry, broken up, fit together, cover, pick up, tilt
Names of Construction Tools Names of models e.g. castle, skyscraper
Positional & Directional Language Descriptive Language

Beside, behind, in front of, on top of, at the end of, middle, Hard, bends, smooth, soft, sticky, solid, pointed, rounded,
over, under, next to, below, inside, between, across, down, flat
above, forwards, backwards, on, through, around, bottom
Mathematical Language
Shape, size, space
Names of 2-D and 3-D shapes
Roll, fits together, sides, edges, corners, curved, straight,
moves, level
More, less, same as, how many, as much, too many,
balance, enough, left over, inside, outside
High, low, tall, small, short, big, thick, thin, wide, narrow,
heavy, light, ......... er/est
Count, numbers, sort, match, same as, pattern, space
Names of colours
126
RESOURCES
• Construction kits – interlocking bricks, equipment with • Examples of mechanical toys, clock
connectors, cogs and wheels, screws and bolts. (It is workings
better to provide three or four well stocked sets that
• Train track and train
will enable children to develop a range of skills than
lots of poorly stocked sets which will lead to • Small world people, farm
frustration) animals, zoo animals,
dinosaurs, cars
• Large set of wooden ‘unit’ blocks (Community
Playthings Catalogue) • Mark-making equipment – basket containing rulers,
pens, pencils, small blank folded card labels (for
• A range of appropriate fiction and non-fiction books
children to name their own work), clipboards, plain
• Plans (e.g. architects’ plans, ‘flat pack’ furniture plans), paper, simple planning ‘frames’
diagrams, instructions
• Measuring ‘sticks’
• Photographs of constructions (e.g. Eiffel Tower,
• A4 file containing plastic pockets in which children
fairground wheels, houses from different cultures)
can file their own work to create a central resource of
• Maps e.g. roads, underground children’s plans for use by the whole group
127
COMMERCIAL CONSTRUCTION KITS FOR

SMALL CONSTRUCTION
Lego-Soft (9020,9021,9022) Popoids
Rondino (Galt) Octoplay
Poly-M Constructo Straws
Wooden Building Bricks Star Builder
Wooden Cubes Lego Duplo
Brio Coloured Blocks Lego Duplo Mosaics – 9534
Hexlo Lego Basic
Kiblo (Galt) Slot & Build (Galt)
Molto Blocks Zocketts (Galt)
Krinkles/Sticklebricks Zoob (Galt)
Geo-links Cleversticks (Galt)
Combi-Snap K’nex (Galt)
Incas Polydron (Galt)
Constructor Tech Set Transformable Shape Blocks (Hope)
Flexi-Build Mobilo
Inter-Star
Georello
Magnet Blocks/Magnetico
Clic Constructor
Waffle Blocks
128
RESOURCES WITH TOOLS

& WORK-BENCH RESOURCES
Brio Builder System Surform-style Plane
Baufix (Galt) Pincers/Tack-lifter
Tool bench Rule and/or Set-square
Technico Charcoal
Brio Mec Constructor Set Carpenters’ pencils (flat, triangular)
Meccano Junior Wood glue
Lego Action Wheelers Magnets
Lego Dacta –2916 Sandpaper (fine & coarse)
Spirit level
Nes Arnold Toolboard Softwood (sawing & hammering)
Nes Arnold Folding Workbench Balsa wood
Screwdrivers (flat, cross-point, Hardwood (glued, sanded)
ratchet) Chipboard
Nails (flat heads) Fibreboard
Hammers (8–10oz) Plywood
Nuts & Bolts
Vice or G-Clamp
Saws (tennon or dovetail)
Pliers
Hand Drill
129
RESOURCES FOR LARGE CONSTRUCTION
Pre-School Foam Blocks

Big Soft Blocks (Galt)
Lincabricks (Galt)
Lego Soft
Unit Blocks
Hollow Blocks
Maxi-Bricks
NES Arnold Plasbrics
Jigsaw Bricks
Large Waffle Blocks (Galt)
130
THEMED CONSTRUCTION ENVIRONMENTS

Lego Duplo Basic Town –9064 Waffle castle
Lego Duplo Basic Circus – 9063 Poly-M Theme Pack
Lego Duplo Home – 9148 Poly-M Playground Theme Set
Lego Duplo World People – 9171 Poly-M Animals Set
Lego Duplo Transportation Set – 9124 Poly-M Goods Train
Lego Duplo Big Wheelers – 9128 Lego Duplo Dolls
Lego Duplo Push Train – 9139 Lego Basic Town Set –9248
Lego Duplo Farm – 9133 Lego Basic Zoo – 9250
Lego Duplo Farm Animals – 9137 Lego Creator Fun Park – 9304
Lego Duplo Zoo Animals – 9192 Lego Creator Airport – 9303
Lego Duplo Little Forest Friends – 9129 Lego Creator Community builders – 9293
Lego Duplo Adventure Park Lego Basic Vehicles – 9371
Lego Duplo Dinosaur Set Futuristic City (Galt)
City Block & Track Oriental Building Blocks (Galt)
Build-A-Boat Play Set Castle Building Blocks (Galt)
Climbing Clowns Lego Belville Fantasy Kingdom
Interstar Animals & People Space Station (Galt)
Georello Circus Pack
Georello Safari Park
Interstar Zoo
Brio Builder System – Digger Playset
Brio Builder System – Fire & Rescue Set
Waffle Zoo
131
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES (Recyclable Materials)

Natural Materials tyres, pieces of carpet, hard hats and dressing-up clothes,
Stones, shells, pebbles, leaves, twigs, woodshavings, play people, vehicles, animals, house corner props
sawdust, cones, conkers, straw, feathers.
Tools
Paper Scissors (wavy, zig-zag), sellotape, masking tape, treasury
Newspaper, magazines, catalogues, wallpaper, card, tags, paper fasteners, office punch, pritt stick, P.V.A glue,
crepe paper, sugar paper, newsprint, corrugated paper, paper clips, velcro, elastic bands, pipe cleaners, blu-tac,
tissue paper, foil, wrapping paper, poster paper, bag twists, clothes pegs, modelling tools.
cellophane, paper plates, cards.
Books
Cardboard Fiction
Cereal boxes, egg cartons, juice cartons, shoe boxes, Information books
cheese boxes, toothpaste boxes, tissue boxes, kitchen on related topics
rolls, smartie tubes, large cardboard boxes House plans &
brochures
Assorted Pencil & paper to
Yoghurt cartons, lollipop sticks, polystyrene and plastic record designs and
trays, wool, string, sequins, tin lids, plastic lids and caps of draw models
all shapes and sizes, fabric scraps, foil pie dishes, milk
bottle tops, buttons, ribbon, glitter, cork, planks, small car
132
THE CONSTRUCTION ENVIRONMENT

• Large carpeted area to be available
• Open shelving, templated for wooden blocks
• Open shelf unit on which to display children’s models
• Storage baskets and boxes clearly labelled with equipment names and
pictures (e.g. cut out from catalogues)
• Flexible space indoors and outdoors
133
CONSTRUCTION
• co-operate, take turns and share equipment as part of a group • explore the shapes, forms, colours and patterns of a variety of construction
• respect and value others ideas material
• take care of equipment • encourage children to talk about textures rough/smooth
• use the language of negotiation e.g. please can I have some of the wheels • make simple models e.g. houses, cars, robots, boats, castles using commercial
and junk material
• develop confidence in using a variety of construction materials
• encourage creative ideas through mixing/combining different construction kits
• develop independence in constructing with different materials
• use blocks, commercial and junk materials to create props for imaginative play
• extend imagination
e.g. stories Three Bill Goats Gruff, Three Little Pigs
• talk about what they have done with confidence and a sense of achievement
• value their own work and the work of others
• take responsibility for their own play e.g. planning, designing and creating a
construction individually or as part of a group activity

Physical Development Environment
• develop fine motor skills through manipulating a range of construction • talk about features of their local environment e.g. building models of houses,
equipment shops, nursery school, bridges
• develop gross motor skills e.g. lifting, carrying, holding large pieces of • talk about the work of the builder, bricklayer, architect, plumber, electrician etc
construction materials
• talk about their own experiences with construction e.g. building/moving to a
• learn to fit together and take apart construction materials with increasing new house
skill/control
• develop an awareness of the purpose of some features of their environment
• develop hand/eye co-ordination e.g. why the car park is next to the supermarket
• develop spatial awareness e.g. working in large spaces with large construction • explore objects on the interest table associated with construction e.g. cement
• understand and demonstrate simple rules trowel, bricks, pipes, timber guttering
134
CONSTRUCTION
• select appropriate equipment for different types of construction play – • talk and listen with peers and adults about their work with construction
natural/man-made materials
• compare different types of materials and their properties • listen to instructions
• ask questions about how things work and why e.g. how do you make • explain the process of construction – what worked/didn’t work?
the ladder on the fire engine longer
• follow plans
• use a variety of tools to make models – hammers, scissors, masking
• describe their actions and the actions of others
tape
• extend their vocabulary associated with construction e.g. build, design,
• explore joining materials together – tape, glue, pritt, blutac, staples
model, on top of, next to, in front of, wood, duplo mobilo, blocks, plastic
• build for a variety of purposes e.g make a truck that will carry some
• use books as a source of ideas e.g. houses, Bob the Builder
animals, a chair for teddy
• explain cause and effect e.g. the tower fell over because there were too
• use playmats to represent some environments
many bricks
• talk in detail about what they have made
• use a variety of media (chalk, crayon, felt pen etc) to decorate models
• label models
• explore mathematical concepts e.g. size, shape, number, space
• recognise and name shapes in equipment/objects
• understand and use a variety of positional words e.g. on top of, beside,
under, below
• solve problems – what will I make? how will I make it move?
• order blocks by size – develop language of comparison, biggest,
smallest
• compare the height, length and width of objects made
• estimate and predict e.g. how many more do I need?
135
PROGRESSION IN SCISSOR SKILLS

Tearing paper
Understands use of scissors
Maintains grip once positioned
Holds scissors correctly
Begins to open and close
Controlled open and close action
Holds paper, random cuts
Repeats forward cuts
Cuts in a straight line
Cuts with 1 change of direction
Cuts with 1+ change of direction
Cuts curved lines
Cuts circles
136
SOME OF THE SUPPLIERS OF CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT

Asco Educational Supplies Ltd Step by Step
19 Lockwood Way Lavenham Rd
Parkside Lane Beeches Trading EstateYate
Leeds Bristol
LS11 5TH BS17 5QS
Play Resource Warehouse Edco

Dunmore Ind. Estate 1 Mallusk Park
Alexandra Pk. Ave. Mallusk Rd
Belfast Newtownabbey
BT15 3GD Co. Antrim
BT36 4GW
NES Arnold Ltd
Ludlow Hill Rd Hope Education
West Bridgford Orb Mill
Nottingham Huddersfield Rd
NG2 6HD Waterhead
Oldham
Galt Educational Lancs
Orb Mill OL4 2ST
Culvert Street
Waterhead
Oldham
Lancs
OL4 2ST
137
HELPING CHILDREN PROGRESS WITH THEIR CONSTRUCTION

Learning Through Junk Construction
Early-writing Curricular links Social skills
Opportunity for child to use various Environmental awareness Sharing of materials
media (chalk, felt pen etc) to decorate Physical development – fine and gross motor skills Talking about construction and final model
model Modelling to link with theme Working in pairs or small groups
or topic (vehicle for transport) Achievement of finished model
Finished model used as resource
For imaginative play (igloo, music shaker, kite,
streamer etc)
Creative & aesthetic – finished models displayed Talking & Listening
Early-reading
Describing materials
Labels on junk
Helping child choose suitable
Attention drawn to familiar letters e.g.
materials
child’s name
Similarities or word matching Junk Modelling Ongoing conversation while
constructing model
Concepts Vocabulary Sequencing

Properties of materials Scientific Choice of items or materials
Correct naming of materials
(hard/soft, rough/smooth) Number (how many pieces) Naming properties of materials Assembling of model
Types of materials shape Mathematical language (what order to use materials)
Man-made/natural size (big/small, more etc) Prediction
Adhesiveness of materials weight Scientific language What happens if.....?
(stay stuck, unstuck) height (man made/natural) e.g. materials get wet-bonded
Positional words-up/down What will end product look like?
138
THE ROLE OF THE ADULT

Key Questions Vocabulary
• What did you use to make your model? Big(ger)
• How did you make it? Small(er)
Long(er)
• What did you do first? Short(er)
• What do you need to make a car? Tall(er)
• What does the plan tell us? Circle
Square
• Can you find the parts shown on the plan? Rectangle
• What is your model for? Triangle
• Which part do you think works the best? Positional language (next to, in front of, on, under, behind)
Sphere
• How could we make the tractor move? Cube
• Will it go fast if we use bigger/smaller/more wheels? Cuboid
• Is the garage big enough for the car? Cone
Cylinder
• What will happen if a car knocks into it? – Can we make Names of component parts
it stronger? Number names (1–10)
• Can you build a bridge tall enough for the bus to go Directional language (forwards, backwards)
under?
139
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• experience therapeutic value • build repetitively with bricks • explore emotions • all types of construction
of working with construction
• build a large structure – using
• develop concentration energetic movements – lift,
carry, build on top of …
• use tools e.g. hammer, saw

Experimental Play
• take responsibility for building • build own structure in solitary, • develop self-confidence and • all types of construction
own construction parallel play self-discipline in order to play
in a group
• select own material
• take group responsibility for
• choose the ‘best’ material planning, designing and
creating a construction
• tidy away own equipment
• work as part of a group to

make a model
• take different responsibilities

within the group
• organise and tidy-up materials
140
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• begin to develop confidence in • learn uses of different tools • work confidently and • all types of construction
working with a range of tools and • become aware of the potential of collaboratively
equipment different equipment
• build individual constructions – • talk about construction with
use own ideas confidence
• select different equipment for
different purposes
• express own ideas to others
• build without fear of making
mistakes
• build using trial and error
Experimental Play
• begin to take turns and share • share pieces of equipment e.g. • co-operate and negotiate with • all types of construction
equipment wheels others and within a group
• take turns to use tools e.g.
hammer • help each other e.g. cutting
• build a structure together – sellotape,
• share the equipment to suit
different purposes
• begin to develop independence in • know where to select and return • selects own equipment, tools • all types of construction
working with different construction equipment
materials • know how different construction
works
• design and make a model • know uses of a range of tools • design and make structures for a
• make a castle for Cinderella, a purpose
roadway for cars, people for a
house
141
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore properties of a range of • join • explore concepts: • all types of construction

equipment, construction • break apart – shape, structure, balance,
components, tools • build vertically height, tessellations
• position horizontally – beside, in
front of, behind
• build structures to see height,
length
• build a castle
• build systems e.g. roads, pathway
Experimental Play
• experiment with a range of • use different pieces to suit • experiment for a purpose – with • all types of construction
equipment, tools and different purposes e.g. window confidence and independence
constructional techniques pieces, roof brick
• choose appropriate materials e.g. • build models based on
to make a windmill, bag, experience
wheelbarrow
• plan a structure e.g. home for an • predict the suitability of some
animal materials
• make a model of a farm after a
visit
• construct, assemble
• plan, modify
• adapt
• build structures associated with
different materials e.g. stone (The
3 Little Pigs House)
• arrange, sequence, order
142
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop fine motor skills • holding • develop more precise and • all types of construction
• joining refined fine motor skills
• breaking apart
• develop hand-eye
• bending co-ordination
• snapping
• pushing
• pulling
• cutting
Experimental Play
• sticking
• build with larger pieces e.g.
duplo
• place on top of
• position beside
• hammer large nails into wood
• manipulate tools
• build more elaborate
structures
• add more detail to structures
e.g. add chimney,
• build with smaller pieces e.g.
lego
• use smaller tools
143
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• develop awareness of space • build with large blocks in large • use space imaginatively • all types of construction
space and small blocks in a
• begin to understand safety confined area
rules e.g. an awareness that
• create environments e.g. town,
building a very tall tower will
zoo, farm
tumble and hurt someone
• build connect structures e.g.
road between house and shop
• plan to include space e.g.
Experimental Play
draw a plan
• build a house with different
rooms e.g. small bedrooms,
bigger kitchen
• build a small home for a small
animal
• build a structure with a wide
base for stability
144
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore shape • position bricks on top of, • sorting shapes • all types of construction
beside etc. • matching shapes
• build a structure – with bricks • name and recognise 2-D and
the same shape 3-D shapes
• put similar shaped bricks • select equipment for
together appropriate shape
• build a wall which will not fall • explore symmetry and
down (alternate the joins in the tessellation
bricks)
• make animals/robots using
Experimental Play
different shapes
• explore weight • position bricks on top of… • sorting weight • all types of construction
• build a structure • matching weight
• put heavier bricks on bottom, • select equipment for
lighter bricks on top appropriate weight
• put similar weighted bricks
together
• explore length • position bricks beside, on top • sorting length • all types of construction
of, in front of • matching length
• choose bricks of different • select equipment for
length to suit different appropriate length
purposes
145
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore size • choose bricks of a suitable size • sorting size • all types of construction
for model e.g. making houses • matching size
for the 3 bears using 3 • select equipment for
different sizes of construction appropriate size
material (large, medium. small)
• estimate size of brick needed
• compare sizes of blocks
• use different sized blocks for
different purposes
• put similar sized bricks
Experimental Play
together in a structure
• explore number • count number of blocks used • sorting for number • all types of construction
• count number of blocks • matching numbers
needed • select equipment for
• estimate number of blocks appropriate number
needed
• explore patterns • make patterns of different • repeat patterns

observe patterns colours, shapes, sizes • make patterns
• design a necklace
• use pictures to repeat a
pattern
146
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore distance and direction • estimate • judge distance and direction • all types of construction
• measure
• build forwards, backwards,

• explore balance
• change direction, turning
Mathematical Development
corners
• be introduced to mathematical • use different materials of • recognise balance and how it • all types of construction
language various shapes and sizes to can be achieved
create balance/imbalance
• build towers
• select wider blocks as a base
• make long/short roadways • understand and use • all types of construction

mathematical language
• compare tall/short towers
• use comparative language
147
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore and experiment with • use construction bricks with • plan and design using a range • creative materials
colour, texture, form and various embossed patterns to of textures
pattern of construction material print on plasticine, new clay • junk construction
tiles
• create constructions to • make connections

facilitate play in other areas
e.g. making a boat to use in • choose appropriate materials
the water
Experimental Play
• create patterns • express individual ideas
• create situations and • share ideas to work

environments e.g. town, farm co-operatively
• build different obstacles and

situations in order to test their
own physical skills
148
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore joining pieces together • use glue, pritt, staples, tape, • make models by joining parts • all types of construction
blu-tac to join pieces independently and with
• join a range of construction confidence
equipment
• select own equipment to join
Exploration – science and technology
pieces together
• use a number of ways to join
pieces together in a model
• investigate the properties of a • fold cardboard, paper • use the properties of different • all types of construction
range of materials and • interlock pieces equipment for different
construction equipment • bend flexible pieces e.g. purposes
straws
• snap pieces together
• build with wide bricks on the
bottom
• select circular/spherical pieces
for wheels.
• select popoids to make people
149
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• respond to questions about • what did you use? • initiate talk with adults/other • all types of construction
constructing their models • what is it used for? children about constructing
• talk about model as they build it completed models
or after it is built – adults, parents,
other children • talk in detail about what they have
• talk about models on display made
• ask questions about how and why

things work
Language Development
• be introduced to vocabulary • name construction kits, • use extended vocabulary related • all types of construction
associated with construction components, tools, joining to construction
materials, properties of
component parts • use relevant and descriptive
• talk about equipment they have language when talking about their
used to make their model work
• begin to listen to 1 or 2 instructions • can you place a red brick on top • listen accurately and follow 2 or • all types of construction
of the tower? more instructions
• can you make a monster with lots
of heads and legs? • follow a sequence of actions
• explore variety of media to • use chalk, crayons, paint, pencils • refine pre-writing skills • junk modelling materials
develop pre-writing skills etc. to make and decorate models
• creative materials
150
CONSTRUCTION PLAY
POSSIBLE INTENDED
• listen to stories, rhymes, songs • make a wall for Humpty • relate models to stories and • all types of construction
related to construction Dumpty, make beds and rhymes
chairs for ‘The Three Bears’ • a variety of books
• find out about wood from non- • use stories and rhymes as a e.g. Mr Gumpy’s Outing
fiction books source of ideas Bob the Builder
• make puppets from socks, a variety of rhymes
paper bags • use non-fiction books to find e.g. Wheels on the Bus
• make Postman Pat’s van out information on building London Bridge
• make a collage frieze to materials

illustrate a nursery rhyme • collage materials
e.g. Mary, Mary Quite Contrary • choose appropriate materials
to make models which can be • cardboard boxes
used to tell stories
• begin to talk to adults/others • talk about what they have • converse with adults/peers in • all types of construction
on a 1 to 1 basis or in small made and how. group
group • exchange ideas, information,
opinions • express ideas, opinions
• use photographs and pictures confidently
as stimuli for discussion
151
LEARNING THROUGH CREATIVE PLAY
in the early years

Children’s creative and aesthetic development is fundamental to successful learning. Being creative enables children to make
connections between one area of learning and another, and so to extend their understanding.
Young children are extremely expressive, with an enormous capacity for sharing feelings and emotions, and imagination plays a
key role in the child’s search for knowledge and understanding. Expressing and creating ideas, feelings and imagination as well as
having opportunities to enjoy all manner of colour, shapes, textures, sounds and sights, are vital aspects of the young child’s
development. These experiences contribute to:
• the development of social, intellectual, physical and communication skills

• their confidence and self esteem
• the colour and richness of life
• children’s learning about themselves and the world
In developing creative and aesthetic experiences, the emphasis should be on the enjoyment, expression and learning
that takes place during the experience – THE PROCESS – rather that on the finished PRODUCT. Involvement in the
expressive arts allows the children to revisit interest areas through many different media to gain multiple
perspectives and a higher level of understanding.
The early years setting should be a place where all of the children’s senses are
engaged and stimulated. Early years practitioners need to value and to plan for
the development of creativity, originality and expressiveness in an environment
which supports discovery and exploration of materials, process, ideas and feelings.
155
CREATIVE PLAY
Art & Design Movement, Dance,
In creating, designing and making, opportunities should be Drama
provided for children to investigate and use a variety of Drama gives children
materials and techniques and to explore colour, line, shape, opportunities to express
space, form, texture and pattern in two and three dimensions. themselves imaginatively and
This leads to the development of visual, spatial and tactile to recreate roles and
awareness. They should be encouraged to use marks, picture experiences in which they can
drawings, paintings and constructions to create their personal gain insight into personal and
view in response to what they see and experience. social development.
Music Creative use of Language in Story

Through music children experience pleasure, joy and creative Telling/Role Play
expression. Music is one of the acceptable avenues for the
release and expression of feelings and moods and emotions. Children should be given the opportunity to express their
imagination freely by
Children should have opportunities to enjoy music in all its • creative resources (art & design materials, musical
forms, participating in playing instruments, singing, moving instruments, role play settings, props) made freely available
rhythmically and expressively to music, listening to music and accessible to the children at all times
creating their own music. Opportunities should be provided for
• providing a good balance of activities that develop
them to listen to sounds, rhythms, nursery rhymes and a wide
fundamental skills (writing, using paint, beating out a
variety of music, to respond through movement, singing,
rhythm) and open ended activities.
clapping and creating their own music using percussion
instruments and everyday objects.
156
ASPECTS OF GOOD PRACTICE

(1) A rich learning environment containing stimulating influences:
• Many different media are available e.g. clay, paper, paints, natural materials, delicate beads,
textiles, threads, transparencies, shadow puppets
• The rich array of art materials should be attractively displayed on low, open shelves for ease of
access to the children
• Children should have the opportunity to select and choose from a wide
and varied choice of material and resources at hand, and develop
their own creations, uses and ideas. Giving the children the
opportunity to select material encourages more interesting and
individual work.
(2) Outdoor Environment

Children should be given many opportunities to go outside – close
observation and environmental visits add to experiences. The
outdoor environment is an obvious source of colour and texture,
facilitating children to think creatively about the world around them.
157
(3) Displays
• think of innovative ways of displaying children’s work, not just the
pieces that the adult feels are good
• use of mirrors, pictures, models, photographs
• place work at child’s level and rotate the work around the room so
that it can all be seen
• don’t use only wall space; use windows, doors, ceilings and shelving
• use original framing techniques – boxes, polystyrene trays, lids,
cardboard tubes, light wood
• record descriptions from the children of their work
• hold exhibitions of the children’s work in local shopping centre, community centre, doctor’s surgery
(4) Children are encouraged to:

• ask questions
• discuss their work
• share their work with other children and adults
• get involved in group discussions and respond to pieces of work
• come up with solutions to a problem together in small groups and
illustrate the solutions using a medium the group has agreed on.
158
OTHER IDEAS
• Using works of Art, Craft and Design – resources are available
through the local library, art clubs, art galleries, High Street print
shops, the internet
• Visit local art gallery
• Use Artists in Residence who have experience of working with

young children
• Involve parents in art projects
159
CREATIVE PLAY
Knowledge and Appreciation Early Mathematical Experiences
of the Environment • develop various mathematical concepts related to painting, drawing,
cutting, joining, modelling e.g. pattern, shape, area, number, size,
• make representations of their own environment e.g. own position
home, buildings, seaside
• understand and use language related to pattern, shape, area, number,
• make pictures and talk about their own family size, position e.g. longer than, more, circle, beside, below, behind etc
• learn the names of materials and equipment • compare size and quantity
• tidy equipment and resources • solve problems e.g. how to join two objects together, what colour to
• talk and work in the style of artists, designers and crafts choose, what materials to choose
people • develop mathematical skills, sorting, matching, comparing, ordering
• use equipment from local environment to stimulate creativity
e.g. shells, conkers, cones, leaves, stones, sand etc
• describe their experiences and actions and those of others
Early Experiences in Science & Technology
• talk about their work developing descriptive language
• explore the properties of different materials e.g paints, oil pastels,
charcoal, inks, crayons, pencils, felt pens, papers, malleable materials etc • evaluate their work and discuss how to improve it
• use their senses to explore texture and sounds • use stories, rhymes and books as a stimulus
• look at similarities, differences, patterns and change e.g. when using • listen to and follow instructions
different materials • recognise labels and writing on pictures e.g. own name, captions
• select appropriate materials/equipment for the task • develop pre-writing skills through manipulating tools, drawing,
• explore and recognise features of living things e.g. observational painting, modelling
drawings of plants • recall and report back at group time
• ask questions about how things work and why e.g. which glue is • describe similarities, differences and change in materials
strongest • describe the properties of the materials e.g. sticky, soft, wet
• use cutting, folding, joining and building skills • listen attentively to a variety of music
• identify a variety of familiar sounds • begin to recognise patterns and rhymes in music and song
• explore and select materials and equipment to make different sounds • use pictures and symbols to represent words in a song or
• use painting, drawing and modelling to record their observations instruments to be played
160
CREATIVE PLAY
• learn how to work independently e.g. finding equipment and materials • experience working with a wide range of materials and objects e.g. collage
• learn how to work as part of a group – collaborative art/dance work, using paint brushes of different sizes and thickness, use rollers,
• learn to share resources and equipment combs, sponges
• express emotions, ideas and values through art and design, dance, music • explore colour, shape and texture
• develop and value the concept of individuality and originality of thought • make simple representations and pictures in a variety of situations e.g.
• learn to have respect for others ideas individual, small, large group work
• enhance self-esteem and confidence by valuing child’s own work e.g. through • create and explore sound and rhythm using musical instruments
display • create and design 3D models using a range of materials and equipment
• develop co-ordination by using a variety of tools and equipment e.g. paint • experience the sensory nature of different materials
brushes, scissors, modelling tools, musical instruments etc • explore the properties of malleable materials – rolling, squeezing,
• learn to use tools safely and with consideration for others stretching etc
• develop creativity and self-expression through working with a range of materials • experience clay artefacts from a range of cultures, emphasising the use of
• experience the therapeutic value of the expressive arts pattern and texture
• perservere with the task at hand • participate in simple musical activities e.g. singing and listening to music
• talk about what they have done with confidence and experience a sense of • respond freely to music through movement and mime
achievement • draw to fast/slow music
Physical Development
• develop fine motor skills through using a range of tools and materials e.g brushes
of different sizes, rollers, sponges, glue-sticks, spreaders and scissors
• develop fine motor skills e.g. cutting, tearing, holding, joining, moulding
• develop hand/eye co-ordination and become increasingly more accurate in
making patterns, pictures and models
• develop co-ordination and skill in using a variety of instruments e.g. hitting,
shaking, blowing and plucking
• begin to move in the rhythm of music
• move confidently with increasing control and co-ordination
161
CREATIVE PLAY
Art and Design

A range of basic materials should be readily available for any art activity
• a selection of drawing equipment including pencils, crayons, charcoal, pastels
• a variety of different types of paints
• a variety of brushes
• card of different colours and thickness
• different kinds of paper including cartridge and sugar paper
• glue and spreader
• scissors (both right and left-handed)
• water pot
• mixing palettes
• natural objects/materials: twigs, shells, leaves, flowers, pebbles, seeds
• man-made materials: bubble wrap, cotton wool balls, string, rubber bands
• clay, plasticine, playdough with cutters and tools
• collage materials
• fabric of different textures, patterns and colours
• home corner, dressing up box
Ensure that the children have aprons or overalls to wear, and that you have a good
supply of old newspapers or plastic sheeting to cover work surfaces
162
CREATIVE PLAY
Permanent Equipment
• Mirrors – mirrors offer young children different perspectives – positioned facing

each other, they can provide infinite reflections or children can use them
to observe their own facial expressions and make self-portraits.
• A light table – use transparent coloured paper to explore colour and

shade.
• Overhead Projector – make impressions, shadows, puppets and

cutouts. The same effects can be achieved by using a torch or lamp
and a screen made from white board, a light piece of fabric or a
curtain.
• Cameras
163
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT – MUSIC, SOUND, DANCE, RHYTHM

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore and recognise how • make rhythms with body • clap names – pick up the • collection of items rather than
sounds can be changed, sing percussion e.g. clapping, beats in a name and instruments which make
simple songs from memory, stamping, tapping co-ordinate clapping hands; sounds e.g. baby toys, baby
recognise repeated sounds Try clapping nursery rhymes rattles, squeakers, wind
and sound patterns • begin musical notation – chimes
graphic score • recognise the beats in a name
• listen with discrimination, to by clapping a name with 1, 2, • tapes of familiar sounds,
develop pitch discrimination Listen to: 3 beats and asking, “whose sound lotto
name am I clapping?”
• develop an awareness that • loud voices, soft voices
Experimental Play
sounds and music can be • loud singing, soft singing • a range of home made
interpreted through movement • loud music, soft music instruments, xylophone,
tambourine, chime bars, jingle
• develop language to describe rings and bells, whistles,
sounds, movement, body symbols, drums, triangles,
positions shakers, sand blocks,
castanets, maracas
• express and communicate
ideas, thoughts and feelings • make rhythms with musical • distinguish and reproduce • tape recorders and tapes
by using a variety of songs instruments loud/soft sounds and high
and musical instruments /low notes through singing
and playing musical
instruments
164
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT – MUSIC, SOUND, DANCE, RHYTHM

POSSIBLE INTENDED
use imagination in music • look at/explore instruments • set up a musical instrument • pictures, posters, drawings
• listen to live music display and paintings of people
Exploring Musical
• respond in a variety of ways to • listen to recorded music/tapes playing different types of

what they see, hear, smell, • use all the senses in exploring • listen to music (make a note of instruments
Instruments
touch and feel the instruments how absorbed the children

appear to be)
• encourage the children to

interact with the music display
• explore – shape, form and • pluck • use art, craft and design skills • plucking bass,shakers,
space in 3D • shake (cutting, sticking, painting, tambourines, drums, rhythm
• beat constructing) sticks, cutlery chimes, water
Making Musical
• chime chimes, sandpaper scrapers

Instruments
• scrape • creatively decorate the

• play the instruments instruments and explore the
• make a display materials when given the
chance to construct own
instrument
165
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT – MUSIC, SOUND, DANCE AND RHYTHM

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore space in 3 dimensions • find ways to move different • making list of body parts and • tape recorders, tapes blank
body parts corresponding simple actions and pre recorded reflecting a
• express and communicate e.g. clap hands, wriggle wide range of music –
Explore body movements & use imagination
ideas, thoughts and feelings • develop body awareness, fingers, put up thumbs, stamp children’s songs, classical,
by using movement space awareness feet jazz, pop
• match movements to music • adaptation of children’s songs • percussion Instruments

– Here We Go Round The
Mulberry Bush; If You’re Happy
And You Know It
• use their imagination in dance • spontaneous dancing
166
CREATIVE DEVELOPMENT – ART AND DESIGN

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• learn about the different ways • create pictures and models • join together •storage boxes of various sizes,
in which materials can be containers, paper bags,
joined packaging bottle tops
• wrap, cover
• extend ideas and logical • joining materials – PVA, paper

Exploring Materials Imaginatively
thinking • make patterns clips, fasteners of different

sizes, sellotape, string, elastic
bands
• develop fine motor skills • cut, stick
• rigid sheets – thick card, thin

• co-operate and collaborate • explore the ‘stickiness’ of glue hard board, plastic trays, rocks
and experiment with joining and tubes – straws, cardboard
materials tubes, dowelling
• learn about space, shape,
area, estimation, symmetry • describe pictures and models
and the creative processes • threads – string, ribbon, rope,
involved cotton wool, fabrics of varying
• design and make texture, pattern, colour
• gain knowledge of the • natural materials e.g. pine

properties of various materials cones, leaves, corks, seeds,
shavings
167

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore colour, shape, texture, • use the painting easel, table painting techniques – • powder/liquid colour paints;
form and space in 2D top or ground selection of brushes of
• cover paper with paint brush different types and size
• express and communicate • hold paint brush strokes, work horizontally and including horse hair brushes;
ideas, thoughts and feelings vertically dots and splashes, large sheets of paper and
by using a wide range of • work with paint fan effect jumbo clips; sponges, rollers
materials, suitable tools plastic paint pots large flat
• develop imagination • mix paint with wallpaper table/floor/space/wall space;
• use imagination in art and paste/flour easels, aprons
Imaginative painting
design • develop creativity

explore colours additional materials to extend
• respond in a variety of ways to play:
what they see, touch, feel and • mix colours • table, measuring spoons,
hear mixing palette,
• experiment with different tones • selection of types, shapes,
and shades sizes of paper
• a large selection of paints
• paint pebbles • a selection of printing material
• a variety of paint additives
including glue, paste, washing
up liquid
168

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore colour, shape, texture, • mix colours • grip the pencil; control the • paper and pencils of various
form and shape in 2 pencil in mark making, enclose grades, B, 2B, coloured chalk,
dimensions • create different textures spaces, with lines creating wax crayons, coloured pencils,
representational drawings charcoal
• express and communicate • use imagination in art and
ideas, thoughts and feelings design • make representational • selection of flowers, plants
by using a wide range of drawings, look for
materials and suitable tools understanding rather than
recognisable images
Exploring Drawing
• observe and record detail
• absorb the different media

and colour of paper
169

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore colour, shape, texture, • begin printing • print with controlled hand • a variety of paint, sponge
form and space in 2 and 3 movements pieces and shapes, paint pots
dimensions and brushes, sugar paper,
• create pattern – choose and objects with boxes to print on
• express and communicate • print with different objects combine different objects and fabric etc
ideas, thoughts and feelings colours
by using a wide range of • print on 2D surfaces and 3D
materials and suitable tools models
• use imagination in art and

Exploring printing
design
• respond in a variety of ways to

the senses
• differentiate marks and

movements on paper
• work creatively on a small and

large scale
170

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• explore colour, shape, texture, • cut • handle and use scissors • cutting cards
forms and space in 2 and 3 • stick during collage work
dimensions • collage pictures (free choice) • scissors, cutters
• bean and pasta designs • control glue (spatula/brush)
• express and communicate • add collage to 3D models • glue, variety of craft and scrap
ideas, thoughts and feelings • creativity in collage pictures – paper, sand paper, cotton
by using a wide range of starting to experiment with the wool, glitter, pasta, wood
materials and suitable tools arrangement of pieces shavings, fabric etc.
(composition) before sticking
• use imagination in art and
Exploring collage
design • independently choose their

materials to cut, stick etc
• respond in a variety of ways to
their senses
171

POSSIBLE INTENDED
• experiment to create different • play and explore with clay, Co-ordinate hand movements to • playdough
textures play dough, plasticine • clay
• roll out playdough/clay with a • shape cutters
• explore and experiment using • construct models from junk rolling pin • knives
a range of senses – roll a sausage • garlic presses
• link activity with printing – roll a ball • pastry wheel
• use one object to represent – making a pancake
another – making a tile
Exploring clay and dough
• make 3D structures – making a thumb pot

• respond to comments and – making a coil pot
questions, entering into • opportunities to work creatively
dialogue about the creations and imaginatively on • link activity with printing
small/large scale
become familiar with the
different malleability of
playdough and clay
use a shape cutter

(co-ordinate and control hand
movements)
172
References
Page
“Early Childhood Education”, Tina Bruce, Hodder and Stroughton, 1987 7
“Supporting Creativity and Imagination in the Early Years”, Bernadette Duffy, 1998 14
“Sand and Water Play Activities”, Pre-school Learing Alliance (Nippa), 1991 27
"A Practical Guide to Working with Young Children", Hobart & Frankel, 1996 95
"Enhancing Learning Through Play", Christine Macintyre, 2001 95
"Curriculum Guidance for the Foundation Stage", DfEE, 2000 95
“Teaching and Learning in the Early Years”, David Whitebread, 1997 110
“Just Playing”, Janet Moyles 1989 110
"Construction Play", Community Playthings Video, 2000 125

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY in The Early Years

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY in The Early Years

Uploaded by

Document Information

Original Title

Copyright

Available Formats

Share this document

Share or Embed Document

Sharing Options

Did you find this document useful?

Is this content inappropriate?

Copyright:

Available Formats

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY in The Early Years

Uploaded by

Copyright:

Available Formats

LEARNING THROUGH PLAY

in the early years

Learning Through Dramatic Play 11

Learning Through Sand Play 25

Learning Through Water Play 55

Learning Through Dough and Clay Play 81

Learning Through Table Top Play 93

Learning Through Small World Play 105

Learning Through Construction Play 123

Learning Through Creative Play 153

We hope you find it useful.

Early Years Interboard Panel

A RATIONALE FOR PLAY

10 COMMON PRINCIPLES OF EARLY YEARS EDUCATION

As practitioners, we need to understand that there must be a progression in the provision of

THERE ARE 2 STRANDS OF PROGRESSION WHICH

Making and Doing

Imagining and Thinking The Role of the Adults

THE DEVELOPMENT OF DRAMATIC PLAY

RELEVANT LANGUAGE DEVELOPMENT

In role play situations children can experiment with the

Specific vocabulary and use of language is dependent on

Physical Development Knowledge and Appreciation of the

Early Mathematical Experiences

– build relationships dressing up clothes crockery, kettle, toaster, teapot,

– share cleaning, pets.

bath, new pet, Christmas • dressing up clothes, phones,

• demonstrate literacy skills in a • develop hospital play by

flower shop, sweets for sweet • books, magazines

fantasy characters from TV, • café/restaurant play

• start to introduce a story line or

• make-believe play – resolve

• explore a fantasy world

• create props and resources

Small children seem to be instinctively attracted to all

Pre-School Learning Alliance

SOME RELEVANT LANGUAGE

as much/many/few how much?

SOME RELEVANT LANGUAGE

Additional accessories can be added to the sand

– accessories which are the same colour or transparent or shiny

– specific number of items e.g. 2 of everything

OUTDOOR SAND PLAY

Physical Development Knowledge and Appreciation of the

Early Mathematical Experiences

DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• match the sand castle to the

DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• match the shape of the

• recognise and name basic • introduce appropriate

DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• making shapes in a confined • variety of spades

DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

smell coarse, coloured, dry sand

• develop vocabulary – off cuts of wood

DAMP/WET SAND PLAY

• look for other patterns in the

• share sand space

• name objects a variety of objects • choose a combination of 2 cones, keys