Creative play and learning come more naturally when the resources are 'open-ended', lending themselves to a variety of uses and constantly holding attention, says Mary Evans.

Child-initiated learning is a key mantra of early years practitioners, but if it is going to mean anything, the children have to be interested, intrigued and inspired by the resources and environment around them.

Early years consultant Marion Dowling says, 'You can have beautiful settings with everything accessible to the children, but if it doesn't intrigue them or interest them you are lost.'

Practitioners are also crucial in helping children become absorbed in their play and learning. 'A large element is down to how the adults place and use equipment,' says early years consultant Pamela May. 'I did a Masters Degree in water play and judged the quality of the play by the conversations the children had. A key factor was the flexibility of the objects and whether they could take the bricks outside to build a castle or put in the sand pit. You need to have things the children can move around. You need to have stuff you don't mind going outdoors and getting muddy.'

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