A great idea
As you read a little earlier, sometimes inappropriate behaviours are an indication of a child’s boredom or frustration.
What sort of behaviours do you think you might witness from children experiencing these emotions?
If you said aggressive behaviour towards each other, using equipment aggressively, or having a temper tantrum, you are correct.
Read the following scene:
Trang is working as a relief caregiver in the Green Hill Child Care Centre. She is with a group of children in the outdoor play area and notices that four of the boys are running around screaming. She monitors their behaviour for any unsafe activity but besides being very noisy their behaviour is safe.
After a few minutes of doing this the boys start pushing each other. Trang quickly intervenes and gives the boys suggestions on how they should treat each other. The boys appear to listen to her but after a few minutes they’re pushing each other again. This time Trang decides it’s time to redirect their play.
A quick scan of the outdoor area tells her there is very little equipment set up for outdoors for the children at this centre. There is only a sand pit and a small fixed playground. Trang quickly realises that there is not enough stimulating equipment for the boys and that they may be bored. But it’s a nice warm day and she comes up with an idea. She turns on the garden hose and directs it into the sandpit. Hey presto! Instant mud! She turns enthusiastically to the group of boys and other children who have gathered,
“What can we make out of this mud?” “Volcano” said one child. “Mud cakes” said another. “That sounds like a good idea. We’re going to be very busy making all these things.”
All the children eagerly begin making their mud cakes and volcanoes, while Trang monitors their play.
Read Redirecting behaviour for some examples of using redirection with different age groups.
In this scenario, Trang demonstrated a range of skills and abilities that facilitated the children’s play.
Identify them and write down at least 5 in your notebook.
When providing play and learning experiences we need to ensure that outdoor spaces are just as interesting as indoor areas.
Nature adds all kinds of interesting things to an outdoor play area, we don’t have to rely on manufactured equipment. Plants, woodchips, leaves, earth, stepping logs, mud play, worm farms, hedge mazes, and vegie/herb gardens all provide a wealth of play and learning experiences for children.
Other equipment that can be used to enrich outdoor areas includes water trolleys, musical chimes, bikes and bike tracks, frames and planks, dress ups, and sand toys.
There are some more great resource ideas in Creative resource materials.
Environmentally friendly learning experiences will tell you lots about incorporating environmentally friendly practices in your programming.
If you have the skills, knowledge and understanding to facilitate fun, challenging and worthwhile play experiences for the children in your care, you will be enhancing their development and their understanding of the world around them.
There’s more information about setting up play and learning environments in Creating a positive physical environment
and Indoor and outdoor areas.
If you have the skills, knowledge and understanding to facilitate fun, challenging and worthwhile play experiences for the children in your care, you will be enhancing their development and their understanding of the world around them.
Research some ways that you can provide interesting and varied areas for the children to explore and play using the natural outdoor area. Include how the outdoor area could be set up and what sort of equipment you could provide. Write a summary of your ideas in your notebook.
