A collection of printable posters from our Educator Magazine Issue 2.
50 loose parts-inspired play investigations and activities linked to the Early Years Learning Framework.
Year Level: Early Years
Subject Area: Loose Parts
Dr Carla Gull of Loose Parts Nature Play, educator and mother to four energetic boys, begins her podcast series with exploration of the Theory of Loose Parts paper by Simon Nicholson, who argued that everyone should have the right to realise their creative potential and inventiveness, not just scientists and artists. This paper is a foundation piece in the study of loose parts play and nature exploration. With loose parts, there are so may variables in action within an environment that is always changing.
Length: 31m : 00s
Subject Area: Loose Parts
If you’re a parent, ask yourself – when was the last time your child climbed a tree? With increasing reliance on technology and parental safety concerns, children have never been so separated from the natural world. Catalyst investigates the science of outdoor play and shows how it can improve children’s health, academic performance, mental well-being, personal and social development, concentration levels and symptoms of ADHD.
Length: 6m : 19s
This excellent resource from Scotland, clearly explains the Reggio Emilia approach in early years settings and asks what the Scottish early years education system can learn from this. Whilst relevant to Scotland, the reflective content can easily be applied to our own education system. The document explains why direct replication of the Reggio Approach would be both difficult and not recommended, yet can undoubtedly serve as a stimulus for much needed change within our own system.
Subject Area: Reggio Emilia
Italian childhood advocate Professor Carla Rinaldi, president of the global Reggio Children movement, presented this report during her Adelaide Thinker in Residency. In it, she encourages educators and the wider community to rethink notions of childhood learning, recognising that children learn from birth. Professor Rinaldi urges South Australia to divide early education into two distinct learning groups, from birth to three and from age three to six, and introduce recognised degree qualifications for everyone working with children in these age brackets.
This study examined the effects of increased opportunities for nature play and risky play in the outdoor environments of two childcare centres. Researchers used the ‘Seven Cs’ play space design criteria, and added natural materials. They measured changes in play, social behaviour, psychological wellbeing, and physical activity in 45 children aged 2 to 5. Findings showed significant decreases in depressed affect, antisocial behaviour and moderate to vigorous physical activity, and increases in play with natural materials, independent play, and prosocial behaviours. Early Childhood Educators observed improved socialisation, problem-solving, focus, self-regulation, creativity and self-confidence. Educators also noted a reduction in children’s stress, boredom and injuries, concluding that outdoor play spaces are important for promoting children’s wellbeing and development.
Year Level: Early Years
Subject Area: Risk
Risky play is necessary for children to develop risk-taking skills and learn how to cope with risky situations. In this way, children obtain risk competence. Age adequate risk deprivation can hinder normal child development and is linked to an increase in anxieties and disconnection to environment. Risky play can be put into six categories: play at great heights, play with high speed, play with harmful tools, play near dangerous elements, rough-and-tumble play and play where children can ‘disappear’/get lost. This study demonstrated that risk perception and competence in young children can be improved with an intensive offer of risky play activities in their outdoor learning environments.
Subject Area: Risk
A short clip with inspiring imagery of Bush School students in Centennial Parklands, Sydney.
Length: 1m : 40s
Wilderness educator and Assistant Professor of Emergency Medicine Judy Klein, discusses risk deficit disorder and the epidemic of anxiety in today’s adolescents. She explains why extreme risk taking in teens may also be related to the decline of risky outdoor play in early childhood. Highly recommended and informative talk.
Length: 14m : 27s