Click the buttons below to reveal what young children need.
are new and stimulate enthusiasm, new learning and curiosity, balanced with more familiar experiences which can be revisited and tested out in different ways
develop a sense of risk
encourage young children to talk with each other and adults, and the growing awareness of the part each plays in a conversation
help the young child remember how they have used materials and solved problems in the past and how they can relate this learning to the task in hand
allow children to determine what they want to learn, form their own plans and give ownership in discussion with an adult when they want to stop
give children a sense of wonder and stimulate questioning and ability to reason and test conclusions
allow children to play outside, for fresh air and physical exercise.
help children make sensible choices about their learning, by involving them in making decisions about what could be provided and evaluating their own experiences
understand children will start at different points and encourage them to try activities at the appropriate level
make time to talk and listen to what a young child is saying and try to build on their meaning and reply in a way that children will understand but which also models new language and descriptions
help children express ideas by singing, making music and role play
encourage children to try out new things, using their interest as a starting point.
gives a balance of being in and out of doors, so that children are confident in different environments
encourages children's own sense of self by using their names, both oral and written, and those of friends and family frequently
organises resources which enable children to make choices and share in others' choices
resources which are clearly labelled and which children know where to find and replace
has comfortable places to relax, be quiet and be with friends
has plenty for the young child to talk about, imagining and creating, reasoning and testing out, sharing and negotiating, talking about the past, present and the future
reflects the world of print, literacy and numeracy and the increasing use of technologies to support learning
gives time to persevere with inquiry-learning and time to start a project and continue it over several days.
