What do we do at playgroup today?Planning great play ideas with children and families

12 February 2019

Presented by: Deborah Njegac

Manager Practice and Advocacy

A play framework for playgroup

The research evidence

Play at playgroup; why it is unique

Creating a strong foundation for learning, development and wellbeing at and through playgroup

A play framework for playgroups

Planning for play at playgroup

Play categories and types of activities

Play ideas and the experiences they provide

The research evidence:

Children who attend playgroup have better transition to school and are more likely to be developmentally on-track than children who did not (AEDC data).

The association between playgroup attendance and positive outcomes is universal, not isolated to at-risk cohorts.

Gregory et al 2017

The research evidence; AEDC

Children who attend playgroup have half the rate of vulnerability across all 5 areas of child development at school entry, as measured by the AEDC; the same relationship that exists with preschool attendance.

The research evidence

amongst the least disadvantaged* children amongst the most disadvantaged* children

* SEIFA

42% 84%

Not attending playgroup increases risk of vulnerability by

Playgroup; a timely experience Sensitive periods of early brain development

It is the early childhood experience for both children and their parent/carer.

Parent/child attendance together differentiates playgroup from kindergarten and other early education settings.

This is beneficial because:• Parents are the strongest influence in determining their child’s life

chances (ARACY)• Parents are the child’s first and most enduring teachers; it is

through a parent’s relationship with their child that they learn and grow.

• Families meet with other families from their community

Play at playgroup; why is it unique?

Children Parents Families Community Models and provides

developmentally appropriate play

Provides children with social opportunities

Children make friends Reduce the impact, of

health social and other issues on children's development through prevention and early intervention strategies

Aid transition to kindergarten and school

Support parents as their child’s first and most enduring teacher

Normalise and validate the parenting role

Strengthen parent/child attachment

Build parental confidence and are capacity building

Increased parental wellbeing

Engage families Involve families Family centered Secondarily impact

family functioning Increased or new

social connections that extend outside of playgroup

Children having friends that extend outside of playgroup

Building blocks of community

Build social capita Creates networks

pathways and connections

Supports social connectedness

Support social networks

Links families and encourages participation in local services

Playgroup benefits

What parents say they get from attending playgroup

Most common words parents used to describe benefits of attending playgroup.*

What parents say their children get from playgroup

Opportunities: Increased

• For more physical activity• To develop fine motor skills• To build friendships and relationships• To play and learn• To develop new skills• To express ideas and emotions

• Interaction with other children to develop social skills

• Vocabulary and language• Understanding of other peoples emotions• Interest in reading or being read to• Vocabulary and language

Agreed by 85%+ parents* agree that attending playgroup supported their child’s development in the following ways:

The Playgroup

Framework

Evidence of early childhood,

parenting, family and community

Victorian Early Years Learning

and Developmental

Framework

The Playgroup ModelThe Playgroup Principles

Creating a strong foundation for learning, development and wellbeing at and through playgroup

… provides a visual representation of the child as the focusand at the centre of the playgroup experience. The PlaygroupModel offers an understanding of how the child’s learning,development, and wellbeing is supported, promoted andbuoyed by the presence and involvement of theirparents/carers, family and community.

The playgroup is a distinctive and distinguishing platform forchildren’s development as this early years experience bringsthe child and parent together – this is unique within the earlyyears service system. Additional effect and impact onchildren’s development is gained through the presence offamilies (both their own and others) and communityengagement in the playgroup.

The playgroup model …

The playgroup model …

PLAYGROUPprovides the foundation. Playgroups contribute to building and supporting

strong communities, families, parents and

children

The playgroup model …

The CHILD is at the centre of the playgroup, surrounded by the PARENT/CARER the FAMILYand COMMUNITY

The playgroup model …

The CHILD directly benefits from attending playgroup

The CHILD also indirectly benefits via the impact of playgroup on their PARENT attending, their

FAMILY, and their COMMUNITY

Symbol What does this mean? What does this look like in practice?

Developmental

The years birth to 3 are a critical period in children’s development. Playgroups provide opportunities for children’s cognitive, physical, emotional and social development, laying pathways for life long learning. Playgroups promote school readiness by providing opportunities for children to develop physically, socially, emotionally, intellectually and culturally.

• recognise the value and importance of play in the early years• work with parents to provide activities which are a reflection of their children’s interests• provide opportunities for children to play by themselves and with other children• provide opportunities for parents/carers to engage with their children through play• provide a range of play opportunities that support a child’s learning, development and wellbeing• explore activities that follow children’s interests• provide a range of activities that allow children to play according to their age and stage of development• provide a range of resources to encourage play and children’s natural curiosity• understand the focus of activities is the process not the end product• consider the sourcing of and offering of a wide range of resources to stimulate children’s interest in play, including natural

and home-made materials (where possible)• provide children with opportunities to self select activities that follow their interests• provide open ended play experiences enabling children of different ages and stages to participate together

Educational

Play is fundamental. Children learn through play. It is through playing that children experience and process information about themselves and the world around them.

• support all children to be confident and involved learners by developing a playgroup culture that is warm and kind• provide play activities underpinned by and supporting the outcomes of the VEYLDF

Nurturing and supportive

Playgroups provide the opportunity for children to grow socially and emotionally, through interaction with parents and peers in a nurturing and safe environment.

• understand that children’s learning, development and wellbeing are enhanced through warm and secure relationships• provide adults attending the playgroup with a code of conduct to ensure that the emotional safety is paramount• develop a culture of warmth and care ensuring children can experience positive and safe relationships with other children

and adults

Capacity building

In a physically, socially and emotionally safe environment children will take risks with their learning and exploration. Playgroups prepare children for transition.

• offer a physically, socially, and emotionally safe environment so that children are supported to take risks• promote and support children’s preparation for transition to kinder and school• Provide open ended play experiences enabling children of different ages and stages to participate• Adults are present and supervising so that they know the level of support their children require

Relational

Children develop social and emotional skills through their relationships with their parents and caregivers

• provide opportunities to support the child’s social and emotional development and build on their parent/carer-child relationship

InclusiveInclusive and supportive playgroups create a environment for all children to engage, develop, learn and enjoy positive wellbeing

• promote knowledge of child safe standards• understand, develop and support a culturally safe place for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island children and children from

CALD backgrounds• understand, develop and support a safe environment and experience for children with a disability

The playgroup principles and children

The Playgroup

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Supported playgroup

Expected outcomes

Creating a strong foundation for learning, development and wellbeing at and through playgroup

The playgroup practicals and logistics: location, schedules,administration, amenities, materials, environment, set up

The playgroup approach includes:Strengths based practiceInclusive practiceFamily partnerships practicePlace based approach

PLAYChildren’s

Learning, development & wellbeing

CONNECTIONSCommunity

within and beyond the playgroup

SUPPORTParents/carers

/familyKnowledge, skill and

wellbeing

This playgroup approach creates a medium that provides for:

• Open-ended, free and unstructured play• Inclusive play• Stages of play• Companionable learningand• Integrated teaching and learning approaches

creating a strong foundation for supporting and promoting children’s learning, development and wellbeing through play

Open-ended, free and unstructured play ….

• is child-directed• allows children to use the activity according to

their stage of development• has no predetermined result• involves no pressure to produce or finish an

article• has no model to copy • can be extended with slight variation

Inclusive play

Inclusive play benefits all children, regardless of ability: It helps them develop a true and nuanced understanding of the world, to appreciate the differences between people and recognize the similarities that underlie them, to be tolerant of diversity and to accept others’ perspectives. By giving children with and without disabilities a chance to play together, inclusive play spaces can serve as joyful incubators of a more inclusive society, in which children …. [can] participate equally and enjoy equal opportunities to flourish.

By Sruthi Atmakur, State of the World’s Children, 2013, Children with Disabilities

Making Adaptations to meet children’s individual needs; a framework adapted from the CARA’s Kit

CARA stands for Creating Adaptations for Routines and Activities

AIM: to adapt your program activities to make sure that all children can participate as independently as possible.

FOCUS: Adapting a situation (activity or routine) where something is not going as expected.

WHY: Through the adaptations that are made, situations can improve for a particular child and for the whole group; this is particularly important at playgroup.

HOW: Using the ‘least intrusive’ adaptation before trying a ‘more intrusive’ approach.

(Milbourne and Campbell, 2007)

A note about adaptations

(Milbourne and Campbell, 2007)

Making adaptations does not involve teaching children to perform particular skills.

Rather, adaptations promote children’s successful participation in everyday routines and activities through the use:

• Environmental accommodation• Adjustments to activities and routines• Materials and instructional modifications

Adaptation hierarchy

(Milbourne and Campbell, 2007)

The goal: use the least intrusive adaptation. If an adaptation is not having the result you want, try the next least intrusive adaptation

Adapt environment adapt room set up adapt/select equipment

Adapt schedule

Select or adapt activities or routines

Adapt materials

Adapt instructions and requirements

Least intrusiveM

ost intrusive

An example of making adaptions:

Least intrusive Most intrusive

The situation Environment Activity Materials Instructions Active support

Joshua has separation anxiety.He is upset on arrival at playgroup, and whenever his mother is not near him.

Have activities that are of interest to Joshua, set up before he arrives

Set up some of Joshua’s favourite activities in quiet areas of the room.

Ask Joshua’s mother what strategies have worked for Joshua in other situations

Facilitators engage with Joshua’s mother on arrival so Joshua sees that they are comfortable with each other.

Provide Joshua with a social story about his day. Include photos of facilitators, activities and other children he has played with (consent required). Include photos of his mother talking withother parents. AskJoshua’s mother to read him the social story before coming to playgroup.

Have a visual schedule available for all the children. Ask Joshua's mother to show him the schedule as soon as arriving at playgroup.

Use simple and short sentences that are black and white and can not be confusing or misinterpreted by Joshua.

Tell Joshua that his mother will be talking to other parents but will remain in the room.

Ask Joshua to choose any activity. Use visual choice cards if available.

Use comforting language to reassure Joshua.

Encourage Joshua and his mother to engage with his favourite activity.

Help Joshua and his mother interact with the visual schedule and use visual cue cards if needed.

Strategies for Supporting Inclusive Play:

Stages and forms of play

Stages of play What you might observeSolitary The child:

• plays alone, focussed on their own activity• has limited interaction with other children

Spectator / onlooker The child • observes and notices other children playing around them but will not play with them• may copy others• may talk about the play, but they do not join in.

Parallel The child: • plays separately but close to others often mimicking their actions..• plays alongside other children but not play together with them, or share the same activity• copies other children during play

Associate The child:• plays the same game or activity but is not working together with the other child/ren or making

connections with peers.• interacts with others with some cooperation in the play• is developing friendships and preferences for playing with some, but not all, other children

Cooperative The child:• plays with their peers. • starts to use social skills and play wit their friends• plays with others with shared aims • is involved in the beginnings of “team’ work and “group” play• may be supportive of other children in the play.

Companionable learning ….

At playgroup, children and adults can: • see each other regularly, can • get to know each other well, and • may come to be bound by affection, friendship,

mutual interests, relationships, and community

These experiences and relationships with others, coupled with the play opportunities provided at playgroup, can support and promote companionable learning.

Companionable learning is a development ‘mechanism’ of wellbeing.

Integrated teaching and learning approaches

Guided play and learning occurs when adults are involved in childrens’ play and learning, following children’s interests and responding to spontaneous learning opportunities as they arise.

Adult-led learning occurs when adults introduce an experience or an idea, concept or topic for exploration and direct the learning, giving instructions, setting rules, asking questions and providing structure. Children have some control and input when adults lead the learning. It involves making judgements abut what is worth children knowing, and promoting worthwhile and challenging experiences and interactions that foster high-level thinking skills. Adult-led learning encompasses those play experiences and other opportunities that are deliberate and planned by the adult as a response to their knowledge of the child.

Child-directed play and learning is an exploratory process that occurs when children lead their learning through exploring, imagining, experimenting, investigating and being creative in ways that they control. The adult’s role may be to observe what the child knows and understand based on what they make, write, draw, say and do.

VEYLDF, pp15

Play at playgroup

PLAYChildren’s

Learning, development & wellbeing

The play framework for playgroups

Learning, development and wellbeing through play

Evidence of children parents,

families and community

VEYLDF

The playgroup framework

The playgroup model and playgroup principles

The playgroup approach

Categories of play

(description and benefits of)

Play opportunities

(and experiences

provided)

Play ideas and play sheets

Planning for play at playgroup

Learning, development and wellbeing through play

Desired outcomes

Purpose of activity

Who will be involved?

What do families

want? What interests

their child in play? What do parents like to do with their children?

Play ideas

Do I need to adapt the

environment, schedule, materials,

instructions?

So what to do at playgroup?

PowerPoint Presentation

Firstly, some suggestions and a reflection

Suggestions;Playgroup facilitators can enhance the playgroup experience for children and adults by:• creating a welcoming and inclusive environment• ensuring inclusive play opportunities and experiences• acknowledging and promoting that all children learn in different ways

and at different rates and times• allowing children to have a voice and choice• fostering children’s natural curiosity and encourage them to follow their

interests• supporting parents as their child’s enduring and most influential

teacher• encouraging families involvement in the playgroup• reflecting and promoting cultural diversity• reflecting on your playgroups experiences and needs

PowerPoint Presentation

Reflections;Following each session, ask:

Am I, or we, catering for each child and family?Did the children …. ?

P – have plenty of Physical activitiesL – use and hear LanguageA – have time to explore, Analyse, think and reasonY – have space to be alone, by ‘Yourself’G – have Group time with one, two or more friendsR – enjoy Rhythms and musicOU – spend time OUtdoors exploring nature or bringing nature indoorsP – Picture and imagine, then create or construct?

Above all, was playgroup FUN?If the answers are “Yes” you can be assured that your playgroup is providing plenty of opportunities for learning through play.

Playgroup pals

Categories of play Description of this type of play

Explorationand discovery

… Play allows children to learn about the world and how it works (not just the physical world either). In general, children learn best by doing, so this type of playing is a natural fit for their development.

Active …. Play includes any activity that children derive amusement, entertainment, enjoyment, or satisfaction by taking a participatory rather than a passive role. Children of all age groups engage in various forms of active play, from the exploration of objects and toys by the infant and toddler to the formal games

Construction … Play involves manipulating elements of the play environment to construct something new. This may involve all sorts of different construction methods – stacking, assembling, disassembling, sorting or molding, to name just a few.

Literacy and numeracy

… Play is often incidental meaning it happens as a result of being in environments rich in language and mathematics without the need for direct instruction. When children see language and number concepts used around them in meaningful ways and as part oftheir everyday experience they begin to internalise them. They begin to recognise words, letters and numbers and use languageand ideas that they have seen others use.

Music … Play incorporates any activity that involves rhythm, words, instruments, and so. Singing and music play an important role in all culture. Music play can also be included and integrated in all other categories of play

Social … Play provides opportunities for children to interact with each other. This type of play is often structured (meaning there are rules to follow) by the children involved and it may incorporate elements of pretend or imagination.

Artistic … Play includes activities such as painting, drawing, and creativity. It also includes music and theatre play.

Imaginative … Play involves children role playing and acting out various experiences they may have had or something that is of some interest to them. Children learn from experience: from what happens around them, from what they see, hear, smell, taste and touch.

Sensory … Play is any playful activity that engages one or more of the five senses – sight, touch, taste, smell and hearing.

Games … Play that is centred around particular pre-determined rules, aimed at providing activities that engage groups of children.

A play framework for playgroups

Log in for access to play resources

www.playgroup.org.auIn the right top hand corner of the home page, you will see:

Click on the orange button and type in:Member ID: 4429618Password: Professional

Themed activity booklets

Themed activity booklets

Play ideas

Some ideas: use a theme calendar

Thank youPresented by: Deborah NjegacContact details:E dnjegac@playgroup.org.auP 1800171882