Child Development DVD Nursery and reception observation activities

1. Child Development DVD Nursery and reception observation activities

2. Uses of DVD • Applying knowledge • Testing knowledge • Preparing for observations for coursework • Stimulating discussion • Starters and plenaries for lessons • Giving ideas for task activities for resource task or child study

3. Content • Nursery 1-3 years • Nursery 3-4 years • Reception 4-5 years • Children, teachers and care workers carrying out a range of activities with children • Section show development of skills • Caring skills and language development can be observed

4. Nursery 1-3 years • Range of activities; card game, puzzle, using crayons, lego, group activity, imaginary play, physical play and break time snack • Greater role of care workers seen • Social interaction • Range of skill development shown • Range of types of play and activities

5. Activities Children enjoy board games: • What benefits do you think they were gaining from this activity? • How does using games before the age of three help develop children’s ability to communicate? • What might parents do to assist children’s communication skills development?

6. Activities • Why do you think there were a lot of care workers in this nursery? • How do care workers interact with the children? • What are the care workers doing with the children to help their skills develop?

7. Complete the table to show activities which help children develop a range of skills

8. Play observations List the play activities you saw under the following headings: • Solitary play • Role Play • Parallel/playing alongside • Group play • Physical play • Imaginary play

9. Break time • Why is this activity important in children’s development? • How many different opportunities were there for care workers to help the development of the children in this activity? • Complete the following chart

10. Break time developments

11. Activities • List activities from this clip that you could use for your child study

12. 3-4 year olds • Range of activities seen; sand, imaginary play, creative activities, solitary, group, parallel, role, social play • Developing language skills • Manipulative skills shown • Interaction of teachers with children • Engaging children

13. Activities Complete the table on play activities, for each type of play give an example of an activity seen in the DVD

14. Activities • List the range of activities that were helping to develop the children’s fine motor skills • Exploratory play helps children gain a growing awareness of themselves; how was this seen in the DVD? • How did adults intervene sensitively in order to support the children?

15. Activities • One child didn’t join in, how would you encourage this child to get involved? • Later in the DVD a similar situation happens this time an early years worker engages with the child, what techniques does she use? • What things could act as barriers to children getting involved in play activities?

16. Activities • How were the children stimulated in the nursery? • What skills were being developed in the children? • Why do you think the environment is suitable for children? • List the activities you have seen here which you could use for your child study giving reasons why they would be suitable.

17. Discussion point Can an early years setting provide children with stimulating solitary play opportunities without risking them becoming lonely or isolated?

18. Observations Give examples of where the following ‘caring techniques’ were used: • Occupation • Stimulation • Distraction • Encouragement • Communication • Choice • Disengagement

19. Observations • What activities were used to help children develop fine motor skills? • What skills did the care workers use with the children? • Occupation • Stimulation • Distraction • Encouragement • Communication • Choice • Disengagement

20. Reception 4-5 years • PIES can be highlighted and looked for • Floor play, sand play, computer use, painting • Interaction between children • Development of fine motor skills • Language development • Concentration span

21. Things to do • List ways in which children are free to make choices • How is safety and protection addressed? • How is a healthy independence being developed? • What kind of physical skills are the children developing? • Describe the activities which were helping the children develop socially

22. Suggested activities • What was being done to help language development with these children? • Make a list of possible activities you could use to observe the development of the child you are studying • How has the teacher helped develop skills in these children? • From watching this video what advice could you give a parent about occupying a child at home?

23. Observation task These children are skilful at understanding each other and showing they understand. Watch their body language and nonverbal skills. What does this tell you about their ability to: • Communicate meaning? • Influence others? • Negotiate and make choices? • Understand each other?

24. Activities • How have communication skills developed in these children? • What opportunities have the children been given to gain independence? • Watch the DVD and complete the following chart

25. Development of 4-5 year olds

26. Complete the chart to show how development of skills progresses from 1 to 5 years

27. Complete the chart to show a range of activities to suit the development needs of children from 1-5 years

28. Give examples under the following headings of how activities at different ages help develop the following language skills