The challenges of a play based curriculum…..drawing it together

 To gain an overall perspective of the challenges of the EYFS and the NC  To reflect and form your own values and perspectives

 “we now know that the human brain is made up of billions of cells called neurons. These remain at rest until a stimulus occurs when an electrical signal passes from one neuron to another, relaying information about everything we can see, hear, taste, touch and smell.” (Wartik and Carlson-Finnerty, 1993 in Papathoedorou and Moyles, 2012, p.16)  “Words are connectors….children’s senses cry out to be used first to provide the experiences that they will later need in order to connect. Children must feel the world, listen to it, see it, taste it, smell it, “know” it. (Papatheodorou, 2012, p.17)

 Developing fine motor skills and hand eye co- ordination  Stimulating all the senses, including the lesser known proprioceptive and kinaesthetic senses, necessary for providing positional feedback  Creating vital connections in the brain  Encouraging exploration and discovery  Increasing concentration and focus  Developing shoulder, arm and back muscles  Building confidence and self esteem  Firing imagination  Encouraging problem solving and creativity  Helping develop speech and language

 Treasure basket play  What are the benefits of sensory stimulation?  What about as children get older?  What do you see as the role of the adult?

Sensory Play continuum

 What are the essentials truths about play and pedagogy…………………what are the myths? Discuss  Watch the dvd; what are the two Headteachers views on play? what are your views?  Structured-Play-Part / Structured-Play-Part /

From Broadhead, Howard and Wood (2010, pp.11-15)  ‘outside in’ perspective  Education seen as a process of enculturation  Values and beliefs of society determine what education is good for and how it should be carried out, i.e EYFS and NC  Play as an educational practice  Practitioners control what forms of play are allowed  Adult –initiated activities will dominate provision or play activities will reflect adults plans and purposes  Practitioners responding to children’s choices and interests and to their emerging knowledge  ‘inside out’ perspective on what play means for children.  Knowledge is co-constructed and children are active agents  The knowledge that children bring to the setting emerges and becomes visible through patterns of interests, choices and activities.

Adult directed activities child initiated activities Work/ non play structured play free play

 What are the challenges in implementing a play based pedagogy?  Read Brooker, L and Edwards, S (2010) Engaging Play. McGrawHIll : Berkshire – Chapter 1,  Broadhead, P, Howard, J and Wood, E (2010) Play and Learning in the early Years. London : Sage – Chapter 1  Moyles, J (2010) Thinking About Play. McGrawhill : Maidenhead Chapter 2 ‘Thinking through the challenges of a play based curriculum’ this is an ebook