Part 2 of this project offers further ways for children to explore their nursery environment and also to look more closely at features of their local area. Experiences and activities will be particularly rich in opportunities for helping children work towards the early learning goals for 'sense of place' and 'shape, space and measures'.
Adult-led activities
Hide and seek
Play a game that encourages children to direct others around their nursery environment.
Key learning intentions
To give, and follow, verbal instructions
To understand positional and directional language and use it appropriately
To identify, and talk about, features of the nursery environment
Adult:child ratio 1:2
Resources
An object that will interest the children, such as a soft toy, exotic shell or decorated key
Preparation
* Make sure that the children are familiar with the geography of the nursery indoor and outdoor areas.
* Encourage them to operate independently within the nursery environment and give directions in a naturally occurring context - for example, 'If you go through the door and across the grass, you will find the football under the big tree'.
* Model the use of key vocabulary.
Activity content
* Introduce the soft toy to the children.
* Invite one child to hide the soft toy from the other child.
* Ask the first child to guide the second to the toy by giving verbal directions, for example, 'Go out of the door... Walk to the flower bed...
Go around the sand pit and look under the bench'.
* Support the children in giving and following the instructions.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
Next to, in front of, behind, on, under, forward, backwards. Vocabulary related to features of the nursery, such as door, window, bookcase, sink, table, sand tray, coat pegs, shelves.
Questions to ask
* Where should we go next?
* Is it near to the construction area?
* Is it on the cupboard?
* Should I go forwards?
* Is it this way?
* Should I go past the sink?
* Shall I go around the sand tray?
* Is it behind the climbing frame?
Extension ideas
* Provide a digital camera and invite the children to take photographs of the selected object in different areas of the nursery. Encourage others to guess where the photographs were taken, looking at clues in the image.
* Encourage the children to take a soft-toy character from nursery on holiday with them, and to photograph it in different environments, for example, on the beach, by the swimming pool, in the woods. Discuss the features of the environments in the photographs.
Out and about
Explore the local area looking for landmarks and photographing features.
Key learning intentions
To describe, and sequence, a simple journey
To look closely at features of the local environment
Adult:child ratio 1: 2
Resources
Digital camera ,clipboards ,paper ,pens
Preparation
* Before taking the children outside, follow the planned route yourself, noting significant features on the way. Carry out a risk assessment for the planned visit and make sure that staffing allows for the necessary number of practitioners to be out of the nursery at that time. Where a child needs 1:1 support on an outside visit, ensure enough adults are available.
* Teach the children how to operate a simple digital camera.
Activity content
* Gather the group of children together and explain the purpose of the walk.
* Encourage them to take photographs of features and landmarks that they comment on and that are important to them.
* Point out to children interesting features and question them on what they see.
Extending learning
Key vocabulary
Appropriate words to describe what they see, for example, 'park', 'house', 'road'
Questions to ask
* What can you see across the park?
* Can you see a house with a red door?
* What shape are the church windows?
* Where do you think that road leads to?
* Which way is it back to the nursery?
Extension ideas
* View the photographs on a computer slide show. Print the photographs and encourage children to look at and talk about these, perhaps identifying the location or retracing their 'journey' through sequencing images. Use the photographs to reflect with children on their likes and dislikes and encourage them to express opinions about particular parts of the local environment.
* Lend a camera to children and parents or carers and ask them to photograph significant landmarks on their way home.
* Provide tick sheets and pens for children to record when they have seen a particular landmark on their way home, for example, post box, shop, school.
Child-initiated learning
Sand area
Additional resources and adult support
* Offer cars and other toy vehicles.
* Provide tools such as trowels and spades and model use of these to change the sand 'landscape'.
* If appropriate, add water to the sand to enable the children to mould the landscape more easily.
* Take photographs of the local environment, or roadways in other areas and display these around the area.
* Provide small-world road signs and road atlases and support children in reading these.
* Provide mark-making tools and equipment.
* Support the children in making links with the technology workshop and making models to enhance their play.
* Play alongside the children, where appropriate, modelling ideas and language.
Play possibilities
* Creating roadways in the sand and building 'townscapes' using, for example boxes and cardboard tubes to represent buildings.
* Talking about own experiences and local environment and describing journeys they been on.
* Making up stories and engaging in role play.
* Making own signs and maps.
Possible learning outcomes
Uses talk to recreate and imagine experiences
Uses marks to convey meaning
Uses developing mathematical ideas to solve problems
Talks about features of towns and transport systems
Builds and constructs with a range of materials
Engages in imaginative play based on first hand experiences and uses objects to represent other things
ICT provision
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide remote control toys, for example, cars. Offer children large sheets of paper, pens, chalk and directional arrow signs to extend their play.
* Buy or borrow a programmable 'robot' such as a 'Roamer'.
* Support the children in exploring websites that show images of various environments. Find maps and aerial photographs of the local area with children.
* Provide walkie-talkies and play with the children holding conversations, or giving instructions, from one area of the nursery to another. Use baby plug-in monitors to enable children to talk between areas.
* Provide simple digital cameras and work with children to take photographs around the nursery.
* Demonstrate how to operate equipment. Support the children in developing the language and understanding of symbols needed to use apparatus , for example, 'stop', 'start', 'forwards', 'backwards', 'on', 'off'.
Play possibilities
* Programming robots to move around an area.
* 'Steering' remote-control cars around objects and furniture in both the indoor and the outdoor areas of the setting.
* Plotting routes for the robots and cars and using direction symbols appropriately.
* Using ICT to communicate between areas and to record experiences in different areas of the nursery.
Possible learning outcomes
Uses everyday words to describe position and direction
Explores uses of ICT and is able to perform simple functions on ICT apparatus
Shows an awareness of space
Role-play area
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide blocks, planks, cardboard packing boxes, crates and tyres in the outdoor area and support children in constructing, for example, an aeroplane, train or boat.
* Provide pieces of fabric and rugs.
* Display holiday brochures and geographic magazines and look at images of different environments with children.
* Ask the children and parents to provide holiday snaps and store these in an album for children to look at.
* Support the children's play as it develops by adding enhancements such as suitcases, picnic hampers, clothing for hot or cold weather, snow boots, lifejackets, sand and water in shallow trays (to create a 'beach'
environment).
* Provide pieces of paper and pens and support children in making, for example, tickets and labels for their journeys.
* Provide maps and globes and, if appropriate, find holiday destinations with children.
Play possibilities
* Making props for 'travel' imaginative play and role play
* Creating environments to represent their destinations
* Pretending to travel to other places
* Going on 'magic carpet' trips
* Developing play themes over a period of time
Possible learning outcomes
Plays co-operatively with others
Readily turns to spoken language in play and uses talk to clarify thinking
Talks about features of different physical, and imagined, environments
Manoeuvres, and constructs with, large materials
Uses imagination, and prior experiences, in role play
Snack area
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide a Perspex photograph frame on the self-service snack table.
Change the photograph daily, selecting images of different places as a conversation focus.
* When supporting children's snack time, talk with them about the photographs, encouraging them to look closely at features and perhaps to recognise where the local photographs were taken.
* Encourage the children to look out for pictures or photographs that could be put in the frame.
Play possibilities
* Talking with other the children about the images
* Using an image as a starting point for imaginative play or discussions about own experiences
Possible learning outcomes
Interacts with others and uses language to express thoughts, ideas and observations
Notices differences and similarities between features of different environments
Construction area
Additional resources and adult support
* Provide a variety of construction equipment, such as wooden and magnetic blocks and interlocking bricks. Support the children in using equipment appropriately.
* Provide builders' hard hats, trowels, tool kits and builders' merchant catalogues.
* Display architects' plans, estate agents' property details and photographs of buildings around the local area.
* Encourage the children to access mark-making equipment to make lists and plans.
Play possibilities
* Exploring and experimenting with construction equipment
* Constructing buildings and creating 'streets' or 'towns'
* Pretending to be a builder or site manager
* Designing new buildings, deciding on purposes and features
* Ordering materials and equipment for building
Possible learning outcomes
Uses talk to explain actions
Introduces a narrative into play
Uses writing and drawing to communicate meaning and record ideas
Uses language such as 'circle' and 'bigger' to describe shape and uses mathematical understanding to solve practical problems
Constructs with a purpose in mind
Shows an interest in the built environment and notices features of different buildings
Engages in imaginative and role play, imitating adult roles
Areas of learning
Personal, social and emotional development
Communication, language and literacy
Mathematical development
Knowledge & understanding of the world
Physical development
Creative development