What to do next?

How might we encourage this interest/ability/ strategy/disposition to be

• more complex
• appear in different ways

The child can be involved in a similar cooperative play, where she can practice and grow her already promising social skills. Such interactions will help her establish even deeper connections with others, and in turn develop her own personality.

A slightly more complex cooking activity, for example, one with a recipe chart describing each step can further encourage her cognitive development and creative capacities. By counting, measuring, following a sequence and following directions, her thinking and problem-solving abilities can be further enhanced.

Context: A small group of children playing freely up and down a set of stairs and slide. The focus of this learning story is the toddler in blue tshirt and light brown pants.

Date: 18 April 2020

Observer:

Narrative: In a rough-and-tumble form of free play, a toddler and young children are engaged in playing in a shared play space. The free play looks fun, flexible, active and voluntary (i.e. without extrinsic reward), as rightly pointed by Lillard (2013). The toddler closely observes his older peers climb stairs and tumble down the slope. He then responds similarly and joins them in the game, thus learning through imitation play. Once he gets a grasp over the straightforward sequence, he even tries out some challenge sequences totally on his own. He is ever more adventurous and adaptable at every step and uses his intellectual curiosity to progress to the next level. Once he has tried out the various permutations and combinations of climbing and sliding, he rests with a well-deserved feeling of success at learning a new skill.

LEARNING STORY ANALYSIS

Taking an interest

Finding an interest here – a topic, an activity a role.  Recognising the familiar, enjoying the unfamiliar, coping with change

The toddler hovers around the stairs and takes small steps, still undecided what he wants to do. However, once he sees the young girl (in black pullover) climb the stairs, his interest gets immediately piqued. He looks forward to this opportunity to play and explore the settings with his older peers. He starts climbing the stairs confidently, embracing the opportunity to join the play. Once he has achieved the climbing, another young child tumbling down the slope grabs his interest. He now wants to progress to that action, keen to take on the challenge and learn through observing.

Being involved

Paying attention for a sustained period, feeling safe, trusting others. Being playful with others and / or materials

The toddler in this free play is an active participant who wants to interact with all the young children. He spends substantial time observing his older peers intently. Once he is ready and feels confident, he really gets into the game with enthusiasm and determination. Even though there is a good amount of physical engagement, he does not seem to run out of energy. His involvement is sustained even when he tumbled down on some occasions.

Persisting with difficulty

Setting and choosing difficult tasks. Using a range of strategies to solve problems when ‘stuck’

In this play, the toddler performs a range of activities – he tries different ways of climbing the stairs and sliding down the slope. Many of these actions involve hand-and-leg coordination and thus require him to learn how different parts of the action must be coordinated spatially and temporally (Milward & Sebanz, 2018). The toddler learns these by observing other children. He engages in imitation. Not only does he watch others carefully, he even improvises on those actions (e.g. trying to climb the stairs upside down). After his attempts to climb the stairs upside down failed thrice, he employs the ‘strategy’ of quickly discarding the idea and going with the more feasible approach. When his older peer is on the slope, the toddler employs the ‘strategy’ of waiting his turn, and slides down only when the slope is free. When it comes to climbing up the railing, there is no prior example to follow, so this is again his improvisation. He continues to set mini goals for himself and tries to achieve them, employing a repertoire of even more complex actions.

Expressing an idea or feeling

In a range of ways e.g. oral language, gesture, music, art, writing etc.

The toddler is a cheerful child – friendly, happy and social. He does not play in isolation, instead engages in enjoyable interactions with the other children. His non-verbal communications expresses his intent to socialise and be part of a big group. This reflects the EYLF Outcome 2: Children are connected with and contribute to their world (Australia Government, 2009).

Taking responsibility

Responding to others, to stories, and imagined events, ensuring that things are fair, self-evaluating, helping others, contributing to program

Despite being an independent game, the toddler connects with other children through several gestures. He develops an understanding with the girl child, who becomes his companion in climbing the stairs. It’s almost as if he reaches out for her company and guidance, and she reciprocates affably. He gets out of the way of other children when they occupy centre stage, thus showing mutual respect. He thoroughly enjoys himself and also makes it a joyous experience for the other children. This reflects the EYLF Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing (Australia Government, 2009).

Short term review

What learning was visible?

During this play, the toddler demonstrates increased awareness of his peers’ needs. However, he develops a confident self-identity while playing independently and also explores different play possibilities in the same setting. His keen observation and improvisation of newly-acquired skills indicate his high learning potential.

The toddler has a strong sense of well-being. He is resilient in his efforts, self-motivated and is able to cope with the challenges. By climbing up and down the stairs and slope, he engages in increasingly complex motor skills. Despite tumbling down the slope sometimes, he remains undeterred. He also appeared alert, being aware of who is doing what around him and how.

What to do next?

How might we encourage this interest/ability/ strategy/disposition to be

• more complex
• appear in different ways

The child can be exposed to more free-play learning environments, where he can play independently and continue to explore, discover and learn. With a bit of scaffolding, he can achieve more complex goals.

Free-play situations with more focus on tactile aspects (rich in sensory experiences), exposing the child to different materials and textures can be interesting – playing with foam, clay or sand; sensory rattles (bottles filled up with different materials); painting with edible paint, etc.

Context: A group of children engage in free play at a sandpit

Date: 18 April 2020

Observer:

Narrative: The child with the pacifier in her mouth is the focus of this learning story. She is engaged in a free-play environment at the sandpit today. She is playing independently with whatever sand play accessories were available around her, primarily digging around, picking up sand from one place and putting them elsewhere, watching other children and the teacher. She looks quite active, enthusiastic, diligent and comfortable in the activity. At first, she tries to dig out some dry sand on her own, but lost interest soon as the outcome of the action was not satisfactory to her. Next, she spotted the teacher digging out some wet sand from a pile and giving it to other children. So she regained interest in the activity and picked up her green toy shape and approached the teacher to get some wet sand. The teacher filled up her toy shape with wet sand and the child walks away with it. She turns the shape upside down on a flat surface and applies pressure for a few seconds before she lifts it. She kept repeating the action several times, walking up to the teacher every time and gesturing to get more wet sand into her toy shape.

LEARNING STORY ANALYSIS

Taking an interest

Finding an interest here – a topic, an activity a role.  Recognising the familiar, enjoying the unfamiliar, coping with change

The child lost interest for a brief initial period, but took a lot of interest in the activity after observing the outcome with wet sand (kept in front of the teacher). She stood there watching for a while before she went back to pick up her toy shape and come to the teacher asking for some wet sand through gestures (extending her toy shape out). Every time, she came to the teacher and gestured her to fill up the toy shape, so that she could try again. Her non-verbal language clearly demonstrated her active interest in the sandpit activity.

Being involved

Paying attention for a sustained period, feeling safe, trusting others. Being playful with others and / or materials

The child was very engaged in her own play of creating some shape out of wet sand with her toy shape. She was persistent and energetic throughout the activity, after she observed and realised the different output in different textures of sand (dry and wet). Her strong persistence reflects the EYLF Outcome 4: Children are confident and involved learners (Australia Government, 2009).

Persisting with difficulty

Setting and choosing difficult tasks. Using a range of strategies to solve problems when ‘stuck’

This child demonstrated substantial persistence in trying to form a shape with the wet sand on the elevated surface. Although she was not getting it right through multiple attempts, she did not give up. She appeared quite determined to get it right. In fact, through her body language, she expressed to the teacher that she wanted “more” sand. It showed her understanding that more sand would be an effective strategy to get a better shape. Children often demonstrate an intuition to gain better understanding of their surroundings while they explore and work with materials (Piaget, 1945).

Expressing an idea or feeling

In a range of ways e.g. oral language, gesture, music, art, writing etc.

This child expressed herself through gestures. This reflects the EYLF Outcome 5: Children are effective communicators (Australia Government, 2009).

Taking responsibility

Responding to others, to stories, and imagined events, ensuring that things are fair, self-evaluating, helping others, contributing to program

The child takes sufficient responsibility in the play activity because she is seen self-evaluating herself after she turns the toy shape upside down and assesses the outcome for a few seconds before moving to get it filled up again. She appears resilient and willing to face the challenge every time. This reflects the EYLF Outcome 3: Children have a strong sense of wellbeing (Australia Government, 2009).

Short term review

What learning was visible?

The child is found to be a keen observer, persistent learner and an intuitive and intelligent individual who can relate objects to outcomes (wet sand=more definite shape). Her understanding of the functional aspects of wet sand are clear from her renewed interest in filling up a container and dumping out the contents. At a cognitive level, she also learnt mathematical concepts of more/less and full/empty through this sand activity. She also learnt how many scoops it takes to fill up her toy shape by observing the teacher every time. Her failed attempts did not deter her involvement in the activity, which shows resilience and optimism. The fact that she paused to reflect on the outcome shows she is capable of self-assessment and is also self-motivated to improve herself.

What to do next?

How might we encourage this interest/ability/ strategy/disposition to be

• more complex
• appear in different ways

With a bit of scaffolding from the teacher, the child can develop more interest and learning. As a next step, she should be exposed to other tools of sand play like the rake, spade or watering can. She should be allowed to mix sand and water herself, in order to help her understand the tactile differences of the material. Children are observed to be more engaged in areas where they are allowed to play with more than one material (Herrington & Lesmeister, 2006). Moreover, as Crosser (n.d.) rightly observed, such slightly more complex sand play can enhance the child’s muscle control (as she digs, pours and scoops) and also her hand-eye coordination (as she manages the tools).