All in a day's work

As children develop and try to make sense of the wider world around them, many begin to show an interest in the jobs that adults do.

When aiming to build on this interest in the Foundation Stage, it is important for practitioners to plan starting points, experiences and activities that reflect the learning needs, interests and experiences of individuals and groups of children alike.

Making visits or having visitors come to the setting can enhance most projects, but this is especially true of a project about 'Jobs' or 'People who help us', as it often called.

It is important to focus on jobs that are familiar to the children. For example, if the setting is located near a train station, building site or farm, practitioners should take this into account. Similarly, children often have shared experiences of shops, hospitals, clinics, dentists and, of course, the early years setting itself, seeing office staff, cooks, cleaners, gardeners, delivery and maintenance personnel as well as the early years practitioners.