All Modules B6-Development Matters in the early years | Page 7

Playing and Exploring, Active Learning, and Creating and Thinking Critically support children’s learning across all areas

1. Characteristics of Effective Learning
1.
2.

3.

Playing
and
Exploring
engagement

4.

5.
6.

7.

Positive Relationships:
what adults could do

what adults could provide

• Play with children. Encourage them to explore, and show
your own interest in discovering new things.
• Help children as needed to do what they are trying to do,
without taking over or directing.
• Join in play sensitively, fitting in with children’s ideas.
• Model pretending an object is something else, and help
develop roles and stories.
• Encourage children to try new activities and to judge risks
for themselves. Be sure to support children’s confidence
with words and body language.
• Pay attention to how children engage in activities -- the
challenges faced, the effort, thought, learning and
enjoyment. Talk more about the process than products.
• Talk about how you and the children get better at things
through effort and practice, and what we all can learn when
things go wrong.

• Provide stimulating resources which are
accessible and open-ended so they can be
used, moved and combined in a variety of ways.
• Make sure resources are relevant to children’s
interests.
• Arrange flexible indoor and outdoor space and
resources where children can explore, build,
move and role play.
• Help children concentrate by limiting noise, and
making spaces visually calm and orderly.
• Plan first-hand experiences and challenges
appropriate to the development of the children.
• Ensure children have uninterrupted time to play
and explore.

Positive Relationships:

Enabling Environments:

what adults could do

what adults could provide

Finding out and exploring
Showing curiosity about objects, events and p